Natural Awakenings West Michigan - April 2019

F

E E R

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

Celebrate Earth Day

Breaking The Art of Healing ‘Grid-Lock’ Creative Therapy Aids Recovery

Time to Declare Energy Independence

Kids Go Natural

Adventures in the Great Outdoors

April 2019 | West Michigan Edition | NaturalWestMichigan.comApril 2019

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Social and recreational opportunities for individuals with mental illness, addictions and disabilities.

Call 616.414.9111 for information or to enroll!

Home of Just Goods Gifts and Cafe’ Fair trade and social cause merchandise and local baked goods.

The café is a place of social interaction and integration where people of all different backgrounds can sit and enjoy a beverage or baked good, in a safe and nurturing environment.

t!

Visi

JustGoods@ExtendedGrace.org

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Enjo

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Mon—Fri: 10 am - 6 pm | Sat: 10 am - 2pm

ACES

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Saturday, April 20th from 10 am to 1 pm

Pizza from Marco’s • Registration Not Required Everyone is invited to this Collaborative Community Event

Start a New Rewarding

Career in Massage Therapy!

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LICENSED MASSAGE PROGRAM

For More Information & To Register, Log-On or Call:

aoaha.com • 616.419.6924

3790 28th Street SW, Suite B • Grandville, 49418

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

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Contents 15 EARTH DAY

SPOTLIGHTS SPECIES

22

Protection Is the Focus of 2019 Campaign

16 POWER SWITCH Taking a Home Off the Grid

18 OCEAN ROBBINS ON Personal and Planetary Health

22 THE ART OF HEALING Creative Therapy Aids Recovery

23 SACRED SPACE

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Bringing Bliss to Every Room

24 POTLUCK FOR

THE 21ST CENTURY

Breaking Bread, Building Community

26 INTO THE WOODS

Hiking for Health and Happiness

28 NATIVE INTELLIGENCE Planting an Eco-Friendly Yard

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 616-604-0480 or email Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com. Deadline for ads and News Briefs: the 12th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@ NaturalWestMichigan.com or submit online at: NaturalWestMichigan.com. Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month.

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

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 616-604-0480. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.

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29 LOVING NATURE

Outdoor Adventures for Kids

32 BRINGING UP KITTY

Get Off on the Right Paw

DEPARTMENTS 5 news briefs 7 community

spotlight 8 health briefs 10 action alert 11 film brief 12 global briefs 14 eco tip 18 wise words 20 chiro news

22 healing ways 23 inspiration 24 conscious

eating 26 fit body 28 green living 29 healthy kids 32 natural pet 33 calendar 35 classifieds 37 resource guide April 2019

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

letter from publisher

Sustainable Living

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elcome to April and our annual celebration of Earth Day. No doubt you all have favorite places and events that you attend annually for what has become a rite of spring that marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement on April 22, 1970. See page 15 for a sample of local events near you.

This is an excellent time to remember that sustainability isn’t a vague, esoteric concept, but a critical factor in our very survival. The Earth Day Network has chosen to focus this year’s campaign on protection of species to raise awareness of the crucial roles that plants and animals play in the ecosystem and the current threats faced by many of them.

This web of life is inextricably woven into the habitats that form our planet’s life support system. Each link in the chain that is lost or broken—from the smallest microbe to the largest mammal—will have a profound effect on future generations.

And so, sustainability is the watchword of this issue of Natural Awakenings, beginning with the excellent feature “Power Switch: Taking a Home Off the Grid”. Writer Jim Motavalli delivers an in-depth dive into sources of alternative energy, costs, technologies and special considerations—including the availability of government tax credits and the option to make a partial transition to green power, without leaving the grid entirely.

What we eat, how and with whom also contributes to the idea that we’re all in this together. Wise Words to that effect can be found in “Ocean Robbins on Personal and Planetary Health”, by April Thompson. Thompson takes this a step further in another article that explores a growing trend across the nation and around the globe in “Potluck for the 21st Century: Breaking Bread, Building Community.”

You will find enlightening and innovative ways to connect with people and the planet on every page of Natural Awakenings this month, be it plunging into the woods, establishing a sacred space inside the home, exploring creative art therapies, planting an eco-friendly landscape or taking kids on extraordinary outdoor adventures, even if it’s in their own back yard.

To conscious living,

Pamela Gallina, Publisher

Natural Awakenings Magazine of West Michigan

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NaturallyWestMI

West Michigan Edition

NaturallyWestMI

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Natural Awakenings Magazine of West Michigan

WEST MICHIGAN EDITION PUBLISHER/EDITOR Pamela Gallina

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Scott Carvey CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ashley Carter Youngblood Marlaina Donato Dan Gleason Barbara Lee VanHorssen

CONTACT US P.O. Box 330 Spring Lake, MI 49456 Ph: 616-604-0480 • Fax: 616-855-4202 Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com NaturalWestMichigan.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $30 (for 12 issues) to the above address.

NATIONAL TEAM CEO/FOUNDER Sharon Bruckman COO/ FRANCHISE SALES Joe Dunne

NATIONAL EDITOR Jan Hollingsworth

MANAGING EDITOR Linda Sechrist NATIONAL ART DIRECTOR Stephen Blancett

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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. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

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

Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment.

Natural Awakenings Magazine is ranked 5th Nationally in CISION’S® 2016 Top 10 Health & Fitness Magazines

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

news briefs

Soulwave Global Workshop

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he Soulwave Global Workshop, scheduled for May 18 & 19 at The Unity Center for Spiritual Growth, was conceived by the internationally celebrated Spiritual Guide and Mentor, Ayesha Sheeba who is also the founder/visionary of RevolutionOfLight.com.

She has served thousands worldwide over a span of twenty years by offering a myriad of spiritual wellness and growth services that have always been intended for self-empowering souls through psychic predictions, spiritual mentorAyesha Sheeba ing through workshops, courses, books among many. She also travels worldwide annually for training and speaking events.

The Soulwave Global workshops are conducted worldwide annually. The two-day workshop focuses on self-empowerment through exploring and enhancing the spiritual growth of each participant through an exquisite and spiritually enchanting experience. The workshop agenda involves a balanced and highly interactive environment that merges both the psychical and spiritual senses with tools provided in a Kit that is given to each participant. This Kit involves a clay oil lamp, peacock feather, blessed crystal pendant, infused agate coaster and stationery set. This two day workshop aims to expose each participant to changing the way one listens to music through Trance Musical Meditation, Eye and Intuitive Reading Activities as well as self and energy transfer healing. The workshop cost of $250 includes a 20 minute private sitting with Ayesha Sheeba on a pre-scheduled time frame which is confirmed soon after reserving.

The Unity Center for Spiritual Growth is located at 6025 Ada Dr, Ada. Schedule will be 1:30-6.30pm daily. Reservations can be made through: TheSoulWave.com For more information go to: RevolutionOfLight.com

Self-preservation is the first law of nature. ~Samuel Butler

Michelle Marchildon returns to West Michigan in May!

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oin Michelle for Theme Weaver: The Workshop May 18-19 at PeaceLab Yoga in Grandville. The Theme Weaver series of workshops, based on her book Theme Weaver, is used in yoga teacher trainings across the country to assist yoga instructors connect authentically to students. The workshop is for yoga instructors who want to give more to their students and receive CE credit too. If you have a Michelle Marchildon desire to be authentic in your class, tell a story, weave mythology, or create greater connection to your students, then this workshop is for you. Expect to have fun, find unique themes and laugh our way to enlightenment.

Michelle is an award-winning journalist, the author of three books on yoga, an E-500 RYT and based in Denver, Colorado.

For information and to register: PeacelabYoga.com or 616-7450310. Peacelab Yoga is located at 5570 Wilson Ave SW, Grandville.

Joy in Taiji (Tai Chi) Movement

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. Christopher Campbell M.T.J.B.E.T. is launching a monthly Taiji class on Wednesday, April 17 from 7pm – 9 pm at Spirit Space in Saugatuck. He will be teaching the third Wednesday of each month at Spirit Space in Saugatuck.

T. Christopher has studied Chinese philosophy for over 45 years and has been enjoying the practice of taiji & qigong for over 30 years. He is a teacher, mentor and taiji balance exercise therapist trainer, and also a yijing (I ching) & fengshui (feng shui) consultant who teaches over 45 Taiji Balance Exercise Therapy classes per month.

In this class you will learn the essential ingredients in creating your own taiji (tai chi) practice. Taiji simply means, supreme opposites. It is a natural mind, body, and spirit exercise that can help bring out the natural grace in movement in your being, along with improving balance and supporting overall good health. We will learn the essential qigong (chi kung) theory of inner energy movement along with a naturally flowing short form of taiji that relates to the important five element theory in Chinese philosophy and how best to express it.

Suggested Related Reading for class: Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain by Chungliang Al Huang.

Spirit Space is located at 3493 Blue Star Highway, Saugatuck. Cost: $20. For more information and to register call 616-836-1555. See ad page 18.

April 2019

Leslie Cornwel

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Jewel Heart West Michigan

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ewel Heart, West Michigan chapter has invited Demo Rinpoche to speak on Sunday, April 7th from 1-2:30pm at The People’s Church in Kalamazoo. Rinpoche will present The Tibetan Buddhist Art of Compassion. This time tested tradition provides a comprehensive method for reducing our negative feelings as we improve the lives of ourselves and others by learning how to generate compassion. All are welcome.

Demo Rinpoche The presentation is free with donations appreciated, $10 suggested.

Plenty of free parking available.

Tibetan Buddhist Lama Demo Rinpoche entered the Drepung Loseling Monastery in Mundgod, India at the age of five, where he spent nearly thirty years of uninterrupted education in meditation, debate, memorization, philosophy, and composition under H.H. the Dalai Lama’s direct supervision. After completing his Drepung studies in 2011, Rinpoche received the highest monastic degree of Geshe Lharampa from Gelugpa University in India. He continued his studies at Gyume Tantric College and was a visiting scholar at Sera College of Higher Tibetan Studies in Dharamsala. At the request of the late Gelek Rimpoche, Demo Rinpoche came to the United States where he attained his Master’s Degree in 2018 in Inter-Religious Engagement from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He is currently based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, serving as the Resident Spiritual Advisor at Jewel Heart Tibetan Buddhist Learning Center.

The People’s Church is located at 1758 N. Tenth Street, Kalamazoo. Seating is limited, reservations are recommended, contact:WestMI@JewelHeart.org or call 734-368-8701. For more information go to JewelHeart.org/chapters/West-Michigan See ad page 2.

Burcon Announces Newest Staff Member

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urcon Chiropractic is proud to announce the addition of extern Shane Kathireson who studied at Life Chiropractic College West (LCCW). He specializes in upper cervical specific chiropractic and was the president of the Blair Upper Cervical Club. During his clinical experience at LCCW he conducted a prospected study of Shane Kathireson cervicogenic vertigo and a retrospective study of adhesive capsulitis with the effects of upper cervical chiropractic care.

Burcon Chiropractic Research Institute specializes in one sided neurological disorders and other difficult cases like Meniere’s disease and Trigeminal neuralgia. Michael T. Burcon, 6

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DC has spoken at every international Meniere’s Symposium for the past nineteen years. Dr. Mike’s next presentation will be in Shanghai, China. His research is quoted in the Merck Manual.

Shane graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Developmental Biology, working as a personal trainer part-time to pay the bills. He was able to attain his Master Trainer, and Rehabilitation Trainer certifications as a shoulder rehabilitation specialist. He spent years working with Physical Therapists and Chiropractors before going to Chiropractic School to expand his knowledge on how to become a better practitioner.

Burcon Chiropractic is located at 3501 Lake Eastbrook Blvd SE #252, Grand Rapids. Online at BurconChiropractic.com or by calling 616-575-9990. See ad page 10.

Understanding Reconnective Healing

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his Reconnective Healing workshop will be held Saturday, April 13 from 11-12pm and is free. Terry Larkin will be presenting this workshop to help people understand Reconnective Healing, hear the science, and view information from Dr. Eric Pearl.

Reconnective Healing is the new Energy, Light, & Information of our planet. It’s a highly evolved form of energy interaction that continues to advance our health, balance, and quality of life progress with infinite freedom and expanded consciousness. It promotes our ability to heal. Recognized by today’s science as the Reconnective Healing frequencies, it is an all-inclusive spectrum of energy, light and information. These vibrational frequencies encompass the energy systems and benefits of all energy healing techniques.

Terry is a Reconnective Healing ® Certified Practitioner, Speaker, Workshop Leader, Author, and Spiritual Mentor. Following her Near-Death Experience in 1982, Terry spent years researching the connection between the brain, science, spirituality and the body’s healing ability. Terry retired from teaching at Holland Public Schools. She was trained by Dr. Eric Pearl and his teaching assistants.

For more information visit TheReconnection.com . The Reconnection, LLC makes no guarantees or representations regarding medical diagnosis and /or medical treatment, and is neither diagnosing, preventing nor treating specific health challenges.

Bodhi Tree Yoga & Wellness Center is located at 208 W. 18th St. Holland. Info visit MiBodhiTree.com, call 616-392-7580 or contact terry@TheLightGap.com or 616-405-4655. See ad page 20.

community spotlight

Call the Midwife

by Leslie Cornwell

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he popularity of midwifery has helped around the family and this wonderful life event to grow the awareness of midwives and versus medical diagnosis and treatment. As their extraordinary services. The Duggar well, midwives are trained to handle emergency family with their show 17 and Counting, the PBS situations that may arise during birth and have show Call the Midwife, and celebrities like Prina network of collaborations with doctors and cess Kate Middleton choosing midwifery have hospitals that allow them to support women only created greater awareness for this amazing and transition care if needed when high risk option. Midwives support women prior to pregsituations occur. nancy i.e., a teenager looking for birth control Historically speaking, midwives have cared or preconception counseling, prenatal and birth for women for thousands of years. Birth has care, postpartum care, well-women care after traditionally been a community event among pregnancy, and all the way through the life cycle women. The elder women in the tribe would into menopause. Midwife means with women. learn from the prior midwife and have attended Women need care and support during all the numerous births before gaining the honor of cycles of their lives. being called midwife. Today’s midwives may

Most midwives in Michigan facilitate be educated in the ancient art of apprenticeship Leslie Cornwell home births. Also the Certified Nurse Midwife such as with the Certified Professional Midwife can assist with deliveries in the hospital and or through more traditional nursing hybrid with primary care in the clinical setting. Most home births are training as that of a Certified Nurse Midwife. performed by Certified Professional Midwives. Having an option

We live in a time where technology has taken over so many of care that stresses quality, normalcy, and support is a lost art in aspects of our lives, but birth and pregnancy is one place where today’s health care system and leaves women searching for what science and computers will never be able to fully understand or midwifery can offer them. control. Midwives are here to serve families and this amazing

National awareness of midwifery has increased the home process of life. birth rate dramatically in the last ten years. Rising health care costs Leslie Cornwell is a Certified Nurse Midwife. Her practice, Uplifting and knowledge of evidence-based care at the families’ fingertips Women’s Wellness, is located inside The Healing Center of Lakeview. cause them to question the traditional medical model of care for Please call The Healing Center at 989-352-6500 for more informalow risk women and their families. With a midwife, care is focused tion or to make an appointment. See ad below.

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April 2019

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The heavy use of household cleaning disinfectants may contribute to changes in infant gut bacteria and weight gain, reports a new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. University of Alberta researchers collected fecal samples and studied the gut health of 757 babies between the ages of 3 and 4 months; then restudied the children at 1 and 3 years old. They found that children in households that used disinfectants at least once a week had higher body mass index (BMI) scores and elevated levels of Lachnospiraceae, gut microbes linked in other studies to insulin resistance and metabolic disorders. Babies in households that used vinegar or other eco-friendly cleaners had lower BMI scores and much lower levels of a family of bacteria that includes E. coli.

By mixing food additives with human gut microbes in petri dishes, scientists at the Czech Republic’s Institute of Microbiology found that gut microbes with antiinflammatory properties were highly susceptible to being harmed by additives, while microbes with pro-inflammatory properties were mostly resistant. “We speculate that permanent exposure of human gut microbiota to even low levels of additives may modify the composition and function of gut microbiota, and thus influence the host’s immune system,” wrote the authors.

Twin Design/Shutterstock.com

Household Cleaning Products Affect Babies’ Guts and Weight

Gut Susceptible to Food Additives

Smoking Bans Lower Blood Pressure Non-smokers that live in areas that have banned smoking in public spaces such as restaurants, bars and workplaces have lower systolic blood pressure. In a Northwestern University study reported by the American Heart Association, blood pressure readings of 5,115 adults ages 18 to 30 in Birmingham, Chicago, Minneapolis and Oakland were taken over a 30-year period and correlated with changes in local laws that banned public smoking. A meaningful decrease in systolic blood pressure readings was found in non-smokers when no-smoking laws were enacted, indicating a reduction in heart disease risk.

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health briefs

Sperm counts have plunged by half in the last 40 years among American and European men, according to a recent review of scientific studies. In a new doubleblind study of 56 infertile men, researchers at Iran’s Qazvin University of Medical Sciences found that curcumin, an active ingredient in turmeric, can boost sperm counts.

Each day for 10 weeks, half of the men took 80 milligrams of curcumin nanomicelle, in which curcumin is better absorbed; the other 28 were given a placebo. The researchers found that the curcumin significantly boosted sperm count and motility.

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Curcumin Boosts Fertility in Men

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Sugary Drinks Linked to Kidney Disease

Stress May Be Worse in the Evening Acute, late-day stress may be harder on our bodies, say researchers at Japan’s Hokkaido University. They measured the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in 27 young, healthy volunteers, and then put them through 15 minutes of stressful events that included making a speech and doing mental math. Half of the volunteers were tested two hours after awakening, the other group 10 hours after awakening. The subjects’ levels of cortisol, which helps provide the body with energy in the face of a perceived need for fight or flight, rose strongly in the morning, but not in the evening, suggesting that the human body is more equipped to deal with stress early in the day and becomes more vulnerable later.

Drinking lots of sugar-sweetened sodas and juices significantly increases the risk of chronic kidney disease, reports a new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Using health questionnaires for 3,003 African-American adults in Jackson, Mississippi, covering a 13year period, the researchers found that the top third of subjects, those consuming the most sugar-sweetened drinks, were 61 percent more likely to develop kidney disease than those in the bottom third.

Probiotics Ease Bipolar Disorder Research on 66 patients with bipolar disorder found that patients receiving probiotic supplements were three times less likely to be rehospitalized than those given a placebo.

The study from the Sheppard Pratt Health System, in Baltimore, gave half of discharged patients a placebo and the other half a capsule containing two probiotics, Bifidobacterium lactis (BB-12) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG). Within 26 weeks, 24 of the 33 people that received the placebo returned to the hospital, but only eight of the 33 on probiotics were readmitted. The probiotic treatment was especially effective for those experiencing considerable inflammation, say researchers.

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Ready to feel like yourself again?

Ready to feel like yourself

action alert

Try Acupuncture again?& Massage!

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Time to Try Acupuncture & Massage

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Support Citizen Action Against Plastics Every minute, the equivalent of an entire garbage truck of plastic gets dumped into our oceans, reports the World Economic Forum. Many of the materials are disposable, single-use plastic products like straws, bags and Styrofoam containers, which some cities and towns have banned. This type of citizen action is increasingly blocked by the Plastic Industry Association (PIA), which has spent big money to successfully ban plastic bag ordinances in 10 states where 70 million Americans live. This means local communities are prohibited from taking effective action that could reduce the plastics that litter our streets and pollute our waterways.

The Sierra Club is calling on nine major corporations that are members of the PIA to withdraw from it with an online petition. So far, two have indicated they will not be renewing their memberships this year: Clorox (which owns companies like Burt’s Bees, Brita and Glad) and the Ascena Retail Group (which includes Ann Taylor and Loft).

To participate, sign the online petition at Tinyurl.com/PlasticPollutionPetition.

Other action steps, including tweeting and involving friends, are also detailed.

film brief

Our Planet

Netflix Series Reveals Its Fragile Beauty

Ten years after the groundbreaking documentary Planet Earth, an eight-part sequel, Our Planet, shows even more rapturous scenes of our planet’s most precious species and fragile habitats. Premiering globally April 5 on Netflix, it was filmed during four years in 50 countries across every continent, involving more than 600 film crew members and 3,500 days spent in such habitats as the remote Arctic wilderness, the vast landscapes of Africa and the diverse jungles of South America.

The series, narrated by worldrenowned naturalist Sir David Attenborough, is a joint venture of Netflix, the World Wildlife Federation and Silverback Films, whose director Alastair Fothergill was the creator of the critically acclaimed original Planet Earth and Blue Planet series.

“Our Planet will take viewers on a spectacular journey of discovery showcasing the beauty and fragility of our natural world,” says Attenborough. “Today, we have become the greatest threat to the health of our home, but there’s still time for us to address the challenges we’ve created, if we act now. We need the world to pay attention.”

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Worldwide Worry

global briefs

Under final rules released by the current administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s national labeling standard for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) completely exempts foods made with highly processed ingredients grown with GMOs, including sugar made from sugar beets, high-fructose corn syrup and refined soybean and canola oils. The change will allow 78 percent of products containing GMOs to avoid disclosure, according to the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Companies don’t have to comply until January 1, 2022, and the new labels will use the term “bioengineered” instead of more common identifiers like “genetically engineered” or “GMO”. Small businesses, to-go food prepared at grocery stores, and meat, eggs or dairy from animals that are fed GMOs, which involves virtually all livestock not certified organic, are exempt from the labeling requirements.

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GMO Labeling Diluted

Over Dose

Citrus Crops to Receive Human Antibiotics

Scientists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expressed concern over a recent ruling by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that opens the door to widespread use of the antibiotics streptomycin and oxytetracycline to spray commercial citrus crops. The antibiotics, which are often used on people, can kill insects that transmit a bacterium that causes citrus greening, which renders fruit small and bitter. But the EPA ultimately ruled that the economic benefits outweigh concerns about antibiotic resistance and potential harm to the environment, people and wildlife. The USDA says the amount of antibiotic exposure to people who eat fruit or juices still will be far less than what people are exposed to when prescribed antibiotics by their doctor. The antibiotics will have to be sprayed repeatedly over years just to keep the trees alive and producing fruit until they succumb to citrus greening. Public interest groups are protesting the action.

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Muddled Message

Environmental risks are the top three concerns among the 1,000 global decision-makers surveyed in the latest Global Risks Perception Survey of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

For the third straight year, “extreme weather” ranked first, followed by “failed climate change mitigation” and “natural disasters”. The survey was part of a WEF annual report produced in advance of the recent confab of global leaders in Davos, Switzerland. The World Bank has calculated that the real cost of natural disasters to the global economy is $520 billion per year.

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Environmental Risks Register as Top Threat

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TEST — DON’T GUESS 4Hormones 4Digestion 4Inflammation 4Fatigue

Fuel Folly

Nuclear Waste Disposal Remains Elusive

A new report issued by environmental watchdog Greenpeace details the growing global dangers of accumulating nuclear waste that will remain hazardous for hundreds of centuries. Several of the designated storage facilities in the seven countries surveyed are nearly filled to capacity now.

Unresolved safety issues across the industry include fire risk, venting of radioactive gases, environmental contamination, failure of containers, terrorist attacks and escalating costs. More than 65 years after the start of the civil use of nuclear power, 250,000 tons of highly radioactive spent fuel exists in 14 countries, and underground storage, seemingly the most viable option, has encountered major obstacles.

Balancing Act

Endangered Species on the Rebound

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The Endangered Species Act seems to be working, with more than 75 percent of marine mammals and sea turtles protected by the act recovering, according to a new peer-reviewed study by scientists at the Center for Biological Diversity published in the academic journal PLOS ONE. North Atlantic green sea turtle nests on Florida beaches have increased by more than 2,000 percent and Hawaiian humpback whales more than 1,100 percent between 1979 and 2005.

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eco tip

Coming Next Month

Mental & Emotional Well-Being

Healthier Dry Cleaning Non-Toxic Ways to Lower Risks

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MAY

Plus: Healthy Vision

WOMEN’S HEALTH ISSUE

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Chemicals used in dry cleaning clothes have long been linked to health concerns for both people and the environment. Perchloroethylene (“perc” for short) is most commonly used in this process. Federal regulatory agencies have documented myriad negative effects from exposure to the petroleum-based solvent.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration links it to dizziness, blurred vision, loss of coordination and other nervous system effects, including memory loss. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calls perc a likely human carcinogen “by all routes of exposure.” The EPA also warns that the chemical can leak into the ground, contaminating water supplies, and react in the air to form smog, which has been associated with respiratory effects.

Earthtalk.org suggests there are safer alternatives through products and processes used by independent “green” dry cleaners nationwide.

These include a biodegradable liquid silicone—essentially liquefied sand—which doesn’t chemically react with fabric fibers. It’s safe to use on delicate garments like beads, lace, silk and cashmere, and won’t cause

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shrinkage. GreenEarthCleaning.com includes a store locator function.

Another good option is wet cleaning, whereby fabric is laundered in a computer-controlled washer and dryer that uses water—along with specialized soaps and conditioners instead of solvents—and spins its contents much more slowly than a typical home washing machine.

Because wet cleaning is free of hazardous volatile organic compounds like those in perc, it eliminates health and safety risks, as well as environmental hazards associated with traditional dry cleaning, according to GreenAmerica.org. As an added benefit, the equipment and operating costs are lower. While the biggest disadvantage to wet cleaning is that it produces waste water, it’s still a highly energy-efficient method.

Another method is liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) cleaning, in which some commercial cleaners use the pressurized gas in combination with other gentle cleaning agents to dissolve and remove dirt, fats and oils in clothing instead of using perc; or consider simply handwashing delicate clothes and fabrics in a mild, non-toxic detergent, and then hanging them outside to dry.

Khanthachai C/Shutterstock.com

have to offer- Free of charge! Come explore the trails, historic buildings, farm, and take part in earth day activities. Our community partners will be onsite with additional activities and information booths. You’ll also have the opportunity to roam thorough the Blandford woods on a scavenger hunt! Bring the whole family!

EARTH DAY SPOTLIGHTS SPECIES

Earth Month Clean up

Protection Is the Focus of 2019 Campaign

Grand Rapids Water Protectors Saturday April 6 3:00 pm Saturday April 27 6:00 pm

by Ronica A. O’Hara

O

n April 22, eco-conscious citizens will come together again in communities across the country to celebrate Earth Day and work for the planet’s healthy, sustainable future. This year, the Earth Day Network (EDN) is asking people to join its Protect Our Species campaign to raise awareness of the crucial roles that plants and animals play in the ecosystem and the current threats faced by many of them.

The nonprofit cites that the world is facing the greatest rate of extinction in 60 million years because of human activity, including climate change, deforestation, habitat loss, trafficking and poaching, unsustainable agriculture, pollution and pesticides. But the good news, EDN says, is that the rate of extinctions can be slowed, and many of our declining, threatened and endangered species can still recover if we work together now. This will necessitate a united global movement of consumers, voters, educators, faith leaders and scientists that demands immediate action.

EDN is asking people to advocate for government policies that protect species and their habitats, and to continue to build on the worldwide efforts that embrace the value of nature.

It is also asking people to undertake such individual actions as adopting a plant-based diet and stopping pesticide and herbicide use. More information, including teach-in toolkits and facts on threatened species, from whales to insects, can be found at EarthDay.org.

Help West Michigan celebrate and promote progress in species sustainability efforts by participating in these local Earth Day 2019 events.

Saturday April 27

1-4:00 pm Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE Grand Rapids 616-957-1580 MeijerGardens.org Celebrate Earth awareness the Children’s Garden way. Activities will include: •

Investigating what’s blooming on fun-filled Earth appreciation walks at 1:15 and 2:15 pm.

•

Listening to stories all about the Earth at 1:45, 2:45 and 3:45 pm.

•

Exploring vermiculture with a kid-friendly worm hunt.

•

Celebrating the natural world with an eco-friendly craft—using recycled materials in creative ways.

Saturday April 20 12:00-3:00 pm Blandford Nature Center 1715 Hillburn Ave. NW Grand Rapids 616- 735-6240 BlandfordNatureCenter.org

Join the Grand Rapids Water Protectors for a thorough spring cleaning!

In celebration of Earth Day, every Saturday of April, we will be picking up trash from storm drains and parks near the Plaster Creek watershed on the South East and South West side of Grand Rapids. Plaster creek is a historically polluted creek that flows into the Grand River, and the Grand River into the Great Lakes. Gloves and trash bags will be provided.

We will meet at the parks on these dates at 11 am: •

April 6 Ken-o-Sha Park

•

April 13 Plaster Creek Family Park

•

April 20 MacKay Jaycees Park

•

April 27 Hillcroft Park

Ottawa County Parks Wildflower Walks MiOttawa.org

Woodland flowers, called spring ephemerals, bloom before the trees leaf out. Join a park naturalist to look for these spring beauties blooming in our parks.

•

4/7; Grand Ravines (North); 2-3:30 pm

•

4/14; Hager Park; 2-3:30 pm

•

4/28; Grand Ravines (North); 2-3:30 pm

•

5/4; Rosy Mound Natural Area; 9:30-11:30 am

This Earth Day Blandford invites YOU to come out and see all that we April 2019

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It’s turned out to be one of the best investments we’ve ever made—financially and environmentally.

Power Switch Taking a Home Off the Grid

by Jim Motavalli

J

esse Stafford and Alyssa Craft quit their jobs in 2015, bought five acres of remote land far away from utilities and began building their 36-foot-by-36-foot timber frame home from scratch. Next up was a septic system, then a clean water source and, of course, alternative energy.

Their rooftop solar panels are backed up by a reliable Honda generator.

They had some setbacks, which is to be expected. Now they’re blogging about it. “We didn’t want corporate jobs, we didn’t want to live in the city, commute to work or have a mortgage payment,” they write in their online homestead journey at PureLivingForLife.com.

Off-the-grid living has become downright fashionable, especially for the eco-conscious. But leaving the rat race isn’t easy, and it’s not for everyone. Yet, anyone that wants to become more energy-independent can succeed without moving to an isolated cabin; and there’s never been a better time, because prices keep coming down and technology keeps improving. Choosing the best option depends on several factors, including the specific residence, climatic zone, town and neighborhood.

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West Michigan Edition

Preliminary Considerations Power source: Choose from among

solar ($12,000 to $50,000, depending on the system’s size), wind ($6,000 to $22,000, including installation) or geothermal ($20,000 to $25,000).

Ample resources: Find out if there’s steady wind, plentiful sun, a place to install geothermal pipes and whether the home is properly oriented for solar without obstruction by trees or tall buildings.

Electricity needed: Get a quick average

by adding up the wattage of all appliances, and then add 50 percent. The American average is 10,000 kilowatt-hours annually, although frugal folks can make do with less.

The local utility company can also estimate energy needs based on past usage.

Realize that alternative energy doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing proposition.

For instance, a solar system doesn’t have to power the whole house. A smaller and cheaper array with battery backup can be connected to essential services like the water heater, refrigerator and electric stove, with the grid handling heavier loads. Ad-

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vantages are lower upfront cost and access to the grid when needed.

Connecting to the grid makes sense for all alternative power sources, because wind and solar are intermittent, and don’t always provide power. Also, most states offer net metering, which requires the local utility to pay for the electricity a homeowner puts back into the grid.

Solar: Plunging Costs Solar panels for electricity, usually made of silicon, consist of photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into direct current (DC). Their cost has come down dramatically in recent years. In January, the average solar panel cost $3.14 a watt, a bottom line of roughly $18,000 with a six-kilowatt system big enough for most homes. The price fell 6.5 percent from January 2018, reports EnergySage.com, a solar vendor pricing source. A federal tax credit covers 30 percent of the cost, so the out-of-pocket cost for a system would be approximately $13,000 if installed before year’s end, when the full residential tax credit is available. Partial tax credits will be available until they are phased out in 2022.

Ron Blumenfeld, a retired doctor in Fairfield, Connecticut, serves on his town’s sustainability task force and “went live” with his rooftop installation six years ago.

“It’s turned out to be one of the best investments we’ve ever made—financially and environmentally,” he says.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is working toward residential solar to generate power at just five cents per kilowatt-hour by 2030, which means it will be far cheaper than grid electricity.

Consumers can either buy a system outright or—as a popular alternative—lease the system with no upfront costs. Leasing companies like SolarCity (now part of Tesla) pioneered this approach, in which consumers agree to buy electricity from the system installed on their roof.

Herr Loeffler/Shutterstock.com

~Ron Blumenfeld, a six-year solar convert in Fairfield, Connecticut

Worldpics/Shutterstock.com

Whether to add the extra expense of battery backup is important. A pair of Tesla Powerwalls will cost about $14,000 installed and store enough electricity to power a home for seven days. It’s suitable for people looking to go off the grid because the sun doesn’t always shine, and power generated on sunny days can be stored and used when it’s overcast.

Off-the-grid solar is not just for those living in sun-rich states. Installers can look at a property—often remotely, through applications like Google Earth—and determine if solar is appropriate. Sometimes a few trees will have to be sacrificed, but the benefits are manifold, and not just because there will be power during grid blackouts.

Wind: If the Resource is Right Wind power accounted for the largest share of renewable energy growth in 2017, reports the International Energy Agency, but it’s in its infancy for homeowners, partly due to an average cost of $48,000 to $65,000 per installed project. Residential turbines have been installed in all 50 states, but many parts of the U.S. have marginal resources. Check the Department of Energy wind resource guide for local data at WindExchange.Energy.Gov.

The best-case scenario is strong winds plus few neighbors close to a large property (and lenient zoning laws). Wind may work for the 19.3 percent of the population that lives in rural areas and the 21 million American homes built on properties of an acre or more.

However, it isn’t for everyone. James Weston, of Greene, Maine, installed his turbine 10 years ago, and considers his rooftop solar panels a better investment. “By the time you put up your 100-foot tower to get the tower above the tree line and optimize the wind resource, the return isn’t there,” he says, noting that his savings from the turbine amount to a few hundred dollars a year.

Bergey WindPower, maker of the 10-kilowatt BWC Excel 10 turbine ($31,770), recommends that a property have at least a 10 mph average wind speed, coupled with high electricity prices of 10 cents per kilowatt-hour or more. Also consider the neighbors: The system’s turbine is typically installed on an 80-to-100-foot tower, and so-called “viewshed” objections

Residential wind power is in its infancy in the U.S. have taken down many projects (including Cape Wind, in Massachusetts).

With annual maintenance, the DOE reports that small wind turbines should last about 20 years, the same basic lifespan as solar panels. The federal production tax credit for wind is available this year, but won’t be available afterwards. Some states offer incentives. A useful small wind guidebook can be found at WindExchange.

Energy.gov/small-wind-guidebook.

Geothermal: Available Anywhere

Some common misconceptions about home geothermal are that consumers need to live in one of the planet’s “hot spots” (think Iceland, California or Utah). But the truth is the Earth’s temperature just below the surface almost anywhere is a constant 45 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and the Northeast and Midwest have the highest geothermal adoption rates.

Geothermal doesn’t necessarily require a large piece of property. Local geology will be a factor in siting and sizing the system.

Geothermal systems use underground pipes filled with refrigerant that absorbs warmth from the ground through a heat exchanger. In summer, that same underground temperature can be tapped to cool

a home, combining heating and air conditioning in one system.

While it necessitates a relatively high upfront cost, low operating costs mean the systems can pay for themselves in less than 10 years. Most include a ground-source heat pump with a 50-year warranty. For a 2,500-square-foot home, an average offthe-electrical-grid system will cost $20,000 to $25,000 to install. Bill Martin, in Quincy, California, runs an efficient three-ton geothermal system installed in 2014. “It’s been a very good experience,” he says. “I’m ecstatically happy.”

The same 30 percent federal tax credit that applies to solar also applies to geothermal for systems installed by 2020. States also provide incentives. A detailed guide on availability is available at Tinyurl.com/ GeothermalHeatPumpListing.

Special Considerations

Buildings, especially older structures, are usually sieves in terms of energy loss, so before investing in a system, check to see if the local utility provides free energy audits.

Even if it’s not free, it’s worth finding out if the home needs new windows or strategically applied insulation.

There are scammers in every field, and alternative energy is no exception. Ask providers for references to previous customers and check for online cautions from the Better Business Bureau, Yelp and others.

Alternative energy in any form can save money and precious resources. Explore the options thoroughly and choose wisely before pulling the plug.

Jim Motavalli, of Fairfield, CT, is an author, freelance journalist and speaker, specializing in alternative energy, clean automotive and other environmental topics. Connect at JimMotavalli.com.

If a Stream Runs Through It

P

roperties with moving water have a fourth sustainable power source available to them: hydroelectric.

If opting to harness the energy in a nearby flowing stream or river, 10-kilowatt microhydropower systems can power even large homes. They combine piping from the water source to a turbine, pump or waterwheel with an alternator or generator, regulator and wiring.

According to Home Power magazine, a fully installed hydro system for the average use of a modern household might cost $20,000 to $100,000.

April 2019

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wise words

Ocean Robbins on

Personal and Planetary Health

F

ood revolutionary Ocean Robbins has dedicated his life to inspiring others to rethink their food choices to transform both personal and planetary health. It’s a path forged in part by his father, John Robbins, who walked away from the family ice cream company, BaskinRobbins, to become an acclaimed health advocate and author.

Together, father and son founded the 500,000-plus-member Food Revolution Network, an online education and advocacy platform that works for healthy, sustainable, humane and delicious food for all. Ocean launched Youth for Environmental Sanity (YES!) at age 16, and directed the organization for 20 years.

Ocean’s new book, 31-Day Food Revolution: Heal Your Body, Feel Great, and Transform Your World, aims to help individuals revamp their diets, and in turn, themselves and their communities.

It distills his lifetime of knowledge and wisdom on food, health and activism into an accessible how-to guide. Learn more at 31DayFoodRevolution.com.

What connections do you see between personal and planetary health?

In many situations in life, we have to compromise—but when it comes to food, the 18

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choices that are best for us personally also happen to be best for the planet. Eating a plant-based diet, organically grown when possible, is not only linked to the best statistical outcomes for long-term health and well-being, it also helps ensure healthy topsoil, water and a stable climate for future generations.

In what ways have you seen members of the Food Revolution Network transform their communities?

We hear incredible stories from members all over the world who are seeing radical changes in their health—reversing heart disease, losing weight, gaining energy and mental clarity. And we also hear inspiring stories of people turning food deserts into wonderful oases of healthy living; for example, Ron Finley, in South Central Los Angeles, who is known for saying that drive-throughs kill more people than driveby shootings in his neighborhood.

He planted vegetables for the community in the curbside dirt strip in front of his home—and got cited by the city for it. He ended up getting the laws changed, and has since started The Ron Finley Project to create an urban community food hub where the community can come together to plant, learn and nourish themselves.

photo by Lindsay Miller

by April Thompson

In many situations in life, we have to compromise—but when it comes to food, the choices that are best for us personally also happen to be best for the planet. ~Ocean Robbins

What are some ways busy people can connect with like-minded individuals to support healthy lifestyle and diet changes?

Start by finding out if you have loved ones who do share your food values, and nurture those relationships. Lean into those healthy relationships; you might be surprised how many people around you are also quietly trying to achieve similar goals.

You can also ask friends and family to be a food ally; even if they are not a full participant in your health regimen, they might be a fan or friend. That can mean preparing particular foods if you come for dinner or simply checking in on how you are doing with your goals and commitments.

You can widen your circle of healthy eating through meal swaps or other shared meal programs. It’s always easier to cook in larger quantities, and there is the added benefit of greater social connection with shared meals.

If you are looking for new friends and allies, it helps to connect to organizations that are already promoting healthy food hubs. There are many listed in the back of 31-Day Food Revolution.

So many people struggle with loneliness, and some are afraid they will feel even more isolated if they step out into a healthy eating regimen. On the contrary, you can become a magnet for people who care about their world and aren’t content with the status quo. These friendships can often become deeper and more valued than ever.

What has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in living a lifestyle against the societal grain, and how have you overcome it?

Impatience. I grew up eating all-natural food; my parents almost named me Kale, and I ate a lot of it growing up. At a certain point, I saw that I had become judgmental and dogmatic when encountering people whose choices did not align with my own, though as Martin Luther King Jr. said, we have no moral authority with those who can feel our underlying contempt. I have since developed a profound respect for each individual’s unique values, needs, experiences and priorities.

I advocate for people’s right to make their own choices about what they need. My goal is to help facilitate people’s choices, and to do so with compassion.

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

April 2019

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chiro news

Living a Sustainable Ketogenic Life

New Student Special

By Dan Gleason, DC

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S

ince April’s topic is sustainable living, this article will discuss how to make ketogenic eating sustainable. It is obvious that factory farms with confined animal feeding are not sustainable. They rely on mono-cropping soy and corn.

They use large amounts of chemicals that destroy the land’s complex ecosystems, contribute to climate change, loss of topsoil, and degradation of the nutrient value of the very food they produce. These operations, with their methane and carbon emissions, contribute significantly to climate change. On the other hand, farms that use grass-fed animals actually capture carbon and increase soil health. In terms of physical space, it can take nearly twice as much land to grow a complete vegetarian protein than it takes to pasture raise the same amount of complete animal protein.

Nonetheless, Americans are undoubtedly eating more meat than is optimal for their health, particularly from animals raised in horrific conditions.

Mounting evidence suggests that a ketogenic diet is a natural way of eating for health and weight management. Many scientists and experts suggest that eating ketogenically is also part of a sustainable healthy lifestyle. I recommend several books that provide a convincing rationale for eating in a way that heals both the individual and the Earth: Cows Save the Planet

by Judith D. Schwartz and The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith.

Nutritional ketosis is a natural state that we all enter into when we either fast or when we eat a very low-carb high healthyfat diet (LC/HF). Ketones mimic the lifeextending properties of fasting including: • Reduced inflammation • Improved blood sugar control • Clearing out damaged cells • Removing damaged mitochondria from within our cells Babies are in ketosis when they are born and throughout being breast-fed. Mother’s milk is ketogenic. Some doctors suggest that a baby’s first solid foods should continue to be ketogenic (e.g., avocados);

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as such foods also promote normal brain health and growth.

People in ketosis invariably report better energy, sleep, mental clarity and happiness. Ketones cross the blood-brain barrier and supply the brain’s cells with a clean and steady form of fuel. Relatedly, there is a long history of using nutritional ketosis to limit epileptic seizures. This approach can often stop or reverse diabetes, normalize cholesterol, and produce significant and long-lasting weight loss.

What does a sustainable ketogenic lifestyle look like? It involves cycling in and out of ketosis with periods of feasting and refraining from eating, much like how our ancestors thrived with cycles of the season, famine as well as plenty. If you eat throughout the day, your body adapts to burning sugar as its primary fuel. This down-regulates the enzymes that burn fat, often leading to weight-loss resistance and other diseases of modern life. Intermittent fasting is an important and exciting part of this sustainable ketogenic lifestyle.

While the first couple days of longer fasts can be challenging, many report feelings of euphoria and clear-headedness after Day 2.

Alternatively, eating only one or two meals per day, or trying to keep all foods eaten within an 8-hour window are ways to make keto living do-able.

When starting a new keto lifestyle, it is important to monitor several parameters. Of course, it will be important to keep track of one’s body weight and how one’s clothing fits. Note: women with a waist size over 35” and men over 40” are likely to have a significant problem with carbs. I suggest that if you’re serious about a keto lifestyle you should get a ketone meter to help you discover what it takes for you, as an individual, to get into ketosis and to find your optimal ketone range. KetoMojo is a company that provides ketone-testing devices and reasonably priced test strips.

Initially it is important to track your food intake so that you can make the necessary modifications to stay in ketosis. Without this monitoring, it may be difficult to get into ketosis, and thus get the desired

results. There are hidden carbs in many healthy foods, including vegetables. It may be necessary to track your food intake and use a food journal to keep a daily log. There are a number of apps like MyFitnessPal or Loseit to help you simplify this task.

Most people need to limit their daily intake of net carbs to 20-30 grams. Healthy fats should make up of 60-80% of your diet. Tracking grams of protein is also important, and ideally they should be kept below ½ of your ideal weight in pounds. To eat quality foods, it is important to plan ahead. It is also essential to supplement with magnesium, potassium, sodium and fiber as well as drinking bone broth to avoid or lessen keto flu symptoms.

A weekly feast day should include 150-200 grams of net carbs.

Some people think of this as a “cheat day” but it actually helps your body regulate itself. For added effect this high carb day should be followed by a fast day with very low food intake and higher levels of exercise. The keto lifestyle should also include a program of exercise, sleep and yoga or meditation to mitigate the effects of modern day life and mimic the patterns of our ancient ancestors.

Previous articles can be located at TheGleasonCenter.com providing useful information, recipes and more. See ad page 13.

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healing ways

THE ART OF HEALING Creative Therapy Aids Recovery

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F

by Marlaina Donato

or decades, creative expression has been a valuable tool in healing, and expressive arts therapy—the integrated application of two or more art forms—is now considered a life-changing modality for veterans and anyone else struggling with anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Also called creative arts therapy, this form of psychotherapy helps patients to process and express what is often beyond verbal language using music, art, dance, theater and writing as its primary modes of communication. “Individuals need no previous arts experience in order to benefit from working with a certified creative arts therapist,” explains Azizi Marshall, founder and CEO of the Center for Creative Arts Therapy, in Downers Grove, Illinois.

The National Intrepid Center of Excellence—an outpatient clinic specializing in traumatic brain injuries at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda, Maryland—ranks creative arts therapy among the top five most effective approaches in helping veterans.

A study of combat veterans and creative arts therapy conducted at Concordia University, in Montreal, reported considerable progress, especially in areas of expressing emotions resulting from trauma and gaining understanding of symptoms such as depression, thoughts of suicide and insomnia.

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Psychotherapist Cathy Malchiodi, Ph.D., has authored several books, including The Art Therapy Sourcebook, and uses expressive arts therapy in her Louisville practice. “I’ve worked with soldiers for the past 10 years, and find that much of their healing comes about through telling their stories on stage or participating as an actor within a play or improvisation.” Malchiodi also incorporates mindfulness practices, visual arts, music and some simple forms of yoga in her sessions.

Creative Arts Therapy for Multiple Diagnoses

Expressive arts therapy is also making a positive impact on those suffering from panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, addictions, eating and attention disorders, dementia and chronic physical illness.

“Creative arts therapy can be used across life challenges; for example, dance or movement therapy has supported women with breast cancer and eating disorders,” says Marshall, who has also witnessed the power of drama therapy to help reduce feelings of fear in clients diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD.

A 2015 study at Butler University, in Indianapolis published in the Journal of Speech Pathology & Therapy shows the significant effects of theater arts on individuals with autism spectrum disorder. “Creative

arts therapy can be successful in supporting children with autism, especially ways to practice social skills,” says Marshall. “The drama therapist uses role play, improv and games in order to facilitate interpersonal communication.”

inspiration

Dopamine and Creating Art

The multitasking neurotransmitter dopamine is one of the brain’s natural antidepressants and plays a key role in feeling pleasure and reinforcing habits. It reaches its highest levels during the initial stages of love, observing something of beauty or creating art.

A recent Drexel University study published in The Arts in Psychotherapy shows the neurological effects of drawing, coloring and simple doodling. Increased circulation in the area of the brain correlating to pleasure and reward was evident, and this dopamine-dominant response is responsible for decreasing symptoms of anxiety and increasing feelings of joy and accomplishment.

Psychotherapist Doreen Meister, in Oakland, California, encourages her clients to focus on the process of creating, rather than the result. “Expressive therapies are an extension of the selfdiscovery continuum. I often hear, ‘I draw like a 2-year-old.’ To this I say, ‘Great! Draw like a 2-year-old!’ I believe that somewhere, many of us are told that creative expression must be a certain way.

Creativity is a natural state, a human quality that we are born with, and the product of creation is not as important as the process.”

Creativity from a clinical perspective allows for new emotional vantage points, distance from situations and viewing experiences through a different lens. “Bringing in creativity offers a wider palette of tools or access points, and gives us another way to understand ourselves,” says Meister. “Creativity as a life force is accessible to all of us.”

Marlaina Donato is an author and composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

HELPFUL RESOURCES Organizations

American Art Therapy Association, ArtTherapy.org International Expressive Arts Therapy Association, ieata.org American Dance Therapy Association, adta.org North American Drama Therapy Association, nadta.org American Music Therapy Association, MusicTherapy.org

Books

Arts with the Brain in Mind, by Eric Jensen (Tinyurl.com/ ArtsWithTheBrainInMind-Amazon) Writing to Heal: A Guided Journal for Recovering from Trauma and Emotional Upheaval, by James W. Pennebaker (Tinyurl.com/WritingToHeal-Amazon)

Online

51 Art Therapy ideas to decrease stress: CorinneMelanie.com/ reduce-stress-art-therapy National Organization for Arts in Health: Tinyurl.com/ Arts-HealthAndWell-Being For anxious kids: Tinyurl.com/FamilyTherapyBasics

SACRED SPACE Bringing Bliss to Every Room

S

by Maya Whitman

acred space is most often associated with places of worship, but it can be any place that connects us to meaning or joy.

In the blur of daily living, nooks of inspiration and beauty provide spiritual sustenance, remind us of our dreams or celebrate lovely memories. Having “bliss corners” in the home or workplace is a wonderful way to stay connected to the positive.

Most parents or grandparents can confess to having a bliss corner on the refrigerator door where drawings and accomplishments of young family members are proudly displayed. Having a place of inspiration in any room doesn’t have to take up much space and can easily add to the décor. It can be as simple as a wedding veil hanging on a bedroom wall or a bowl of shells, sea glass or sand from a beach vacation in the bathroom. It can be sentimental with dried flowers from a momentous occasion or a small table dedicated to loved ones with framed photos or letters and a piece of cloth that holds special memories.

Corners of bliss fulfill their purpose best in places where they can remind us to follow our heart’s “true north” or help us to foster inner peace during busy days. Such places are office desks and bedroom nightstands near an alarm clock. The kitchen is an ideal room in the house for sacred space; designating a corner to light a candle during meal prep; filling an old teapot with fresh flowers every week; and displaying the photo of someone who once nourished us are all beautiful ways to bring more meaning into our relationship with food.

Cultivating bliss can be a form of active meditation, simple rituals that can include prayer or other forms of mindfulness. On more practical levels, it can be an opportunity to bond with loved ones. Creating a bliss corner can be a creative and fun activity for teens to express a passion, whether it be a hobby, sport or favorite singer. Many of us have boxes of mementos or nostalgic things from childhood taking up space in a closet. Making a bliss corner is the perfect way to remind us why we kept them in the first place.

Maya Whitman writes about natural health and living a more beautiful life. Connect at Ekstasis28@gmail.com.

April 2019

23

~Jared Gold, co-founder of MealTribes

POTLUCK FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Breaking Bread, Building Community

by April Thompson

A

mericans are eating alone more than ever, with adults going solo for nearly half of all meals, according to consumer research consultants at the Hartman Group. Yet, fellowship-minded foodies are bucking the trend by finding new and unique ways to bring strangers, colleagues and friends together for healthy, home-cooked meals.

Meal sharing not only builds community and camaraderie; it can also save time and money and minimize food waste.

Eating with others can also encourage mindful consumption, a boon to physical and mental health. A number of emerging ideas and platforms from around the block to across the globe are helping singles and families young and old connect over food.

Linking Diners Through Technology “I wanted to find a place to create more meaningful conversations and meet new people than bars where people often meet up, and thought home is that place. Who 24

West Michigan Edition

doesn’t like dinner parties or potlucks?” says Jared Gold, co-founder of MealTribes, in Washington, D.C.

Within two years, MealTribes has grown to more than 200 members that can host or join potlucks via a private Facebook group open to area residents in their 20s and 30s. To encourage participants to be fully present, the group encourages guests to leave their phones in their bags.

Instead of strict food do’s and don’ts, MealTribes encourages attendees to bring a contribution that makes them proud. However, guests are discouraged from bringing alcohol in lieu of a food dish to avoid it becoming the focus of the table.

“Lasting friendships and business opportunities have come from our potlucks,” says Gold. “Even skeptics have come away from events feeling like they got the best-case scenario; nice people, homey environment, with good food and conversation.”

Jay Savsani, co-founder of Meal Sharing, in Chicago, got the idea for the

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“Airbnb of meals” after seeking out a home-cooked dinner while backpacking in Cambodia. He was invited to a farm feast in the countryside, connecting with local hosts over great conversation and delicious food. “I returned home wanting to find a way to use technology to recreate that serendipitous moment,” says Savsani.

Today, the platform uses technology to connect curious diners with affordable, home-cooked meals in 150 countries. “The concept is open; we encourage hosts to make whatever they believe in,” says Savsani. “That can be a top chef serving nine-course meals or a simple spaghetti someone offers for a few bucks or even free.”

Savsani says the meal becomes secondary to the deeper social interactions that can manifest through these gatherings. “We even got an inquiry from a local fire department interested in hosting meals to get to know people in the community better.”

Organically Grown Gatherings Lilia Fuquen, who directs the Food and Community project in Virginia, participates in several gatherings intended to nurture community through food. Fuquen’s project aims to bring people across the state together to document, celebrate and share traditional, contemporary and emerging foodways, initiating a deeper conversation about and the connections between food, place, culture and community.

Last fall, the project convened more than 200 people around a feast celebrating indigenous foods, people and foodways in Virginia. The meal was prepared from locally farmed and foraged ingredients representative of the diverse native culinary traditions of the region, including greens,

Photographee.eu/Shutterstock.com

Even skeptics have come away from events feeling like they got the best-case scenario: nice people, homey environment, with good food and conversation.

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616-604-0480 We even got an inquiry from a local fire department interested in hosting meals to get to know people in the community better. ~Jay Savsani, co-founder of Meal Sharing mushrooms, wild rice and fish sourced from fields, forests and streams.

On a more grassroots level, an intergenerational family potluck dinner “helps create community and a sense of family among people who often live far from blood relatives,” says Fuquen, who lives on a small farm outside Charlottesville, Virginia.

The workplace can also be a great place to break bread together, says Fuquen.

Her office enjoys hosting the Souper Club, where co-workers each bring a key element like salad fixings, a loaf of bread or a pot of soup to enjoy together—away from their desks.

Rebecca Shaloff, a fundraising consultant in Washington, D.C., has participated in work lunch swaps, which she says promote camaraderie, new food discoveries and healthy eating. She also takes part in a closely knit monthly supper club of four young families in her neighborhood.

“We all value each other’s friendship and company, but there’s something about coming together for dinner that makes us feel more like family than friends,” Shaloff says.

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

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Contact us today to advertise in our next issue. 616-604-0480 April 2019

25

Trek for a Healthier Brain

Into the Woods

Hiking for Health and Happiness

M

by Marlaina Donato

any of us Walking and hiking Individuals in the study equate fitness that walked six hours a balance the body with going week lowered their risk through natural move- of dying from cancer to the gym, but a good ment, oxygenation hike in a natural environand cardiovascular and ment can foster unique respiratory disease. It of the cells and the benefits for both body also shows that just two use of our muscles and psyche. as they were designed hours of walking per

Hiking or walking week could significantly to be used. outdoors not only proimprove health. motes heart health, help“Walking and hik~Dami Roelse ing to balance both blood ing balance the body sugar and blood pressure, it increases hip through natural movement, oxygenation bone density to help reduce fractures, of the cells and the use of our muscles according to research on postmenopausal as they were designed to be used,” says women from the ongoing Nurses’ Health Dami Roelse, of Ashland, Oregon, author Study. Navigating uneven terrain also of Walking Gone Wild: How to Lose Your necessitates lateral movement, which can Age on the Trail. “Walking is in our genes; strengthen core muscles and improve balDNA molecules need to be stimulated ance more significantly than working out regularly to express themselves, and walkon a treadmill or cycling. ing does just that. It also improves mood and cognition.”

Walk and Live Longer

The beauty of hiking is that it offers Any kind of walking can be a great boon a tailored experience according to ability to health. Recent research by the Ameriand personal interests. Day hikes, whether can Cancer Society involving 140,000 in the countryside or in urban botanical older adults correlates a lower mortality gardens or parks, are uplifting and ideal for rate with even short intervals of walking. any fitness level.

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West Michigan Edition

NaturalWestMichigan.com

Exercise stimulates feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, but getting a workout in a natural setting fortifies the whole nervous system. A 2015 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science led

by Stanford University researchers shows that walking in nature for 90 minutes decreases activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, the region of the brain most affected by depression.

In contrast, individuals that walked in an urban environment did not reap the same results. Another 2015 study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology shows that nature walks improve memory and decrease anxiety in teens.

The Japanese philosophy of shinrinyoku, or “forest bathing”, woven into Japanese Shinto and Buddhist traditions, has become an important part of science-based health care in Japan. A significant 2009 study by Japanese researchers published in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine shows that just 20 minutes of walking in the woods decreases stress hormones. Forest bathing has also been shown to speed postoperative healing, improve concentration in children with attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder and fortify immunity with an increased number of NK, or natural killer cells.

Naturalist Melanie Choukas-Bradley, in Washington, D.C., knows about Mother Nature’s therapeutic gifts firsthand. “I participated in some of the health research both in the field and the lab during a forest bathing trip to Japan,” says the author of The Joy of Forest Bathing: Reconnect with Wild Places & Rejuvenate Your Life. “My vital signs were checked before and after shinrin-yoku walks, and in the

Alexander Raths/Shutterstock.com

Longer or overnight treks with a backpack of supplies offer healthy challenges and opportunities for total immersion in nature. Bringing the kids on a hike offers family fitness time and a healthy way to unplug from technology and sneak in a fun learning experience about local flora and fauna.

fit body

lab my brainwaves were measured while viewing urban and forest scenes. My blood pressure was lower after every walk, and my brainwaves calmed while viewing forest scenes.” ChoukasBradley emphasizes that forest bathing doesn’t require a forest setting, noting, “You can forest bathe in the desert, at the beach or even an urban park during a lunch break.”

Hitting the trails can also help us see life from another perspective. “Forests are living, breathing organisms. Mountains transcend my humanness,” muses Roelse. “It’s both a humbling and uplifting experience.”

Marlaina Donato is the author of several books on spirituality and clinical aromatherapy. She is also a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

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Helpful Links and Inspiration National trail guide resource: AllTrails.com 13 best hiking apps: AtlasAndBoots.com/best-hiking-apps

Linda S. Squires, DC Non-Force Chiropractor

Hiking with the kids: Tinyurl.com/HealthyHikingWithKids

lindasquiresdc@gmail.com • LindaSquiresDC.com

Beginning with day hiking: SectionHiker.com/10-tips-forbeginner-day-hikers

Holistic Care Approach • 3368 East Beltline Court Grand Rapids, MI 49425 • 800-987-1368

Backpacking tips for beginners: REI.com/learn/expert-advice/ backpacking-beginners Practical advice, inspiration and tips for women hikers: GirlsWhoHike.net Walking to stay fit: VeryWellFit.com/walking-4157093 Library of forest bathing articles: TheForestLibrary.com/forestbathing-online-articles

Coming Next Month MAY

Healthy Vision

plus: Mental & Emotional Well-Being

WOMEN’S HEALTH ISSUE April 2019

27

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE Planting an Eco-Friendly Yard

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by Avery Mack

aintaining a grassy yard or ornamental shrubs can be time consuming and less than ecofriendly. That’s why conservation-minded gardeners are turning to lush, native landscaping as an aesthetically pleasing alternative to spartan, water-free xeriscaping.

Native plants not only save water, they enhance local ecosystems by providing food and shelter for birds, bees, butterflies and wildlife. “Indigenous plants build healthy soil and retain and replenish ground water,” says Michael Fleischacker, chair of landscape architecture and environmental sciences at Delaware Valley University, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

Accustomed to the climate and nutrients in their habitat, they don’t need the extra fertilizer required by exotic transplants. Natives are also better equipped to fend off harmful insects, reducing the need for pesticides.

“When pests did show up, I used insecticidal soap and neem oil. Both are great ecofriendly remedies,” says Kimberly Button, an Orlando-based freelance journalist and author of The Everything Guide to a Healthy Home: All You Need to Protect Yourself and Your Family from Hidden Household Dangers.

A genuine indigenous plant in the U.S. predates European settlement. These natives grew in the wildlands of the regions where they evolved and adapted over hundreds or thousands of years.

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West Michigan Edition

However, what’s wild isn’t necessarily native. These days, the woods and forests are rife with alien species that escaped from non-native gardens or were planted to perform some specific purpose that went awry.

Kudzu, for instance, was imported from Asia and installed along roadways to prevent soil erosion. The perennial vine, which can grow up to a foot per day, has become the plague of the South, rooting out native plants and toppling trees under the sheer weight of its smothering foliage.

In 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a report summarizing numerous studies that concluded that non-native plants disrupt the food web and present a growing problem for “organisms that depend on native plants for food, shelter and places to rear their young.”

Natives vs. Nativars

While the harm caused by many invasive plants that evolved in a foreign habitat is well-documented and profound, the ecological impact of plant variations derived from native species—known as cultivars or nativars—is sometimes more subtle.

Cultivars have been developed to highlight specific traits, like larger blooms or longer bloom times. They may be bred for a stronger scent, or have the scent bred out of them in pursuit of another trait, making

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them less enticing to pollinators and wildlife.

One drawback to cultivars is what those “improved” traits can affect. “The native serviceberry (Amelanchier) has small, bright red berries birds love to eat,” Fleischacker says. “Because they add color to a winter yard or are used for wreaths and décor, cultivars were bred to produce larger berries. Birds choke on the bigger berry, unable to swallow them.”

A current, multi-year research project at the Mt. Cuba Center’s native botanical gardens in Hockessin, Delaware, is seeking to determine whether certain cultivars are as attractive to insects as their native counterparts.

What’s certain, say the experts: A gardener can’t go wrong with indigenous plants. “Native varieties have longer growing seasons, a decades-long lifespan and tight plant groupings to prevent weed growth,” Fleischacker says. Despite the perception by some that natives are boring, they can be showier than their cultivar cousins and also thrive in their region’s unique conditions.

“I keep my yard as natural as possible to co-exist with my neighbor, the Hiawatha National Forest, and its small animals and birds,” says Monica Cady, co-founder of the Herbal Lodge and a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa tribe in Hessel, Michigan.

Going Native

Transitioning to native landscaping isn’t as daunting as it might seem. Small changes can make a difference, and local plant nurseries can assist. Some may have a staff horticulturalist to help distinguish the natives from the nativars and to steer gardeners clear of invasive, water-guzzling, nutrient-needy non-natives that will spread quickly and overwhelm the landscape.

Going native isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition, says Fleischacker. “Consult a local nursery or landscaper about adding natives to the mix. There are plants that love shade or sun, dry areas or damp.”

When planning, look past what’s trendy.

“The ecosystem is set up to protect and promote beneficial insects and pollinators,” says Button. What was old can be new again.

Connect with freelance writer Avery Mack at AveryMack@mindspring.com.

wk1003mike/Shutterstock.com

green living

guidebooks or online to learn the critters’ names and traits.

healthy kids

all about people/Shutterstock.com

All kids like creating special places, going on adventures, befriending animals, following maps and paths, and so on. ~David Sobel

Engage in real-life tweets. Show them how to listen carefully for bird songs and count how many different ones they hear. See if they can imitate the tweets or find words that describe them. Check out a bird-song beginner’s guide at Audubon. org/news/a-beginners-guide-common-birdsounds-and-what-they-mean.

Create mud art. “Make a batch of mud and use it to create sculptures, paint a masterpiece or just use it to jump in and get messy with,” suggests MaryEllen Mateleska, director of education and conservation at the Mystic Aquarium, in Connecticut.

Make dolls and critters. Kids can

LOVING NATURE Outdoor Adventures for Kids

G

by Ronica A. O’Hara

etting kids off the couch and into the great outdoors can be a challenge when they tend to be better acquainted with the popular Angry Birds video game characters than with the real warbling ones. Unfortunately, studies show that digital devices, parental work overload and media-stoked fears of the outside world are currently making our kids nature-deprived.

Yet, they have an instinctive love of the outdoors, experts agree. “When given free access to nature, children’s play follows the same patterns all around the world,” says prominent environmental educator David Sobel, author of Wild Play: Parenting Adventures in the Great Outdoors. “All kids like creating special places, going on adventures, befriending animals, following maps and paths, and so on.”

The more we encourage them, the more likely they’ll discover the thrills of the natural world—and numerous studies show that they’ll then be calmer and less stressed,

better able to concentrate and less likely to be obese. Kids also are more “responsive and connected” when they are talking outdoors with adults than talking indoors, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

Here are some simple ideas to get started:

Build fairy houses. In a park, forest or

backyard, ask the child to find a quiet spot, like the base of a tree or under a bush, and build a tiny house using only their imagination and natural materials such as sticks, bark, grass, pebbles, feathers and pinecones. “The fun is ageless and connects you to nature in magical and memorable ways,” says Tracy Kane of Maine, whose website, FairyHouses.com, offers ideas and books.

Befriend a bug. Help them look for

bugs and crawling things in the dirt and on leaves, then ask them to draw them. Back home or at the library, kids can search in

use hibiscus or hollyhock flowers and toothpicks to make dolls with flowing skirts. Or they can collect leaves of different shapes and sizes and glue them together to create leafy creatures. “You can take it an extra step by inventing a story and creating a one-of-a-kind storybook,” says Mateleska.

Grow a garden. Using a kid-sized plot of land—it can even be a big pot of dirt— give them a trowel, a watering can and easy-to-grow seeds such as radishes and carrots. Not only will they get exercise, a Texas A&M University study shows gardening makes kids more likely to choose veggies for snacks.

Invent a cozy hideaway. Under the

limbs of a big tree, old blankets and pillows can be used by a child to build a “secret” hiding place, stocked with lemonade, apples and fun books.

Incorporate digital delights. Rather than competing with digital devices, integrate them into the nature experience.

“A phone app like iNaturalist lets kids take a picture and will identify the creature or plant for them,” says science teacher Jemma Smith, of The Education Hotel, a UK-based tutoring service. “Or have them take three artistic pictures of nature.”

April 2019

29

Maker Lab Outdoors: 25 Super Cool Projects, by Jack Challoner Nature in a Nutshell for Kids: Over 100 Activities You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less, by Jean Potter Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder,

by Richard Louv Introduce Kids to the Geocaching Adventure Game: Tinyurl.com/ GeocachingGameInstructions

kids requires them to use their phones as a GPS to find tiny treasure boxes that have already been hidden all over the countryside. “Most boxes have small trinkets to swap and a tiny book to sign their name,” says Smith.

Time It. Simply set the timer for an hour, open the door into the back yard and let the kids “go at it,” as does writer Attiyya Atkins, a mother of four in Pompano Beach, Florida. “Mostly it’s self-play, but I come out sometimes and teach them about nature, or we do art projects with leaves, rocks or dirt. It’s always naturally fun, and they’re pretty tired afterwards!”

Ronica A. O’Hara is a Denver-based natural health writer. Connect at OHaraRonica@ gmail.com.

Every drop in the ocean counts. ~Yoko Ono

April 22, 2019

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West Michigan Edition

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Dmitry Naumov/Shutterstock.com

EVEN MORE IDEAS

Try geocaching. This game for older

Copper in new device prevents cold and flu last holidays,” she said. “The kids had colds going around, but not me.”

Some users say it also helps with sinuses. Attorney Donna Blight had a 2-day sinus headache. When her CopperZap arrived, she tried it. “I am shocked!” she said. “My head cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.”

Some say copper stops nighttime stuffiness if used just before bed. One man said, “Best sleep I’ve had in years.”

Copper may even stop flu if used earNew research: Copper stops colds if used early. ly and for several days. Lab technicians ew research shows you can went away completely.” It worked again placed 25 million live flu viruses on a stop a cold in its tracks if you CopperZap. No viruses were found alive every time he felt a cold coming on and take one simple step with a soon after. he hasn’t had a cold since. new device when you feel a cold about People have used it on cold sores He asked relatives and friends to try to start. and say it can completely prevent ugly it. They said it worked for them, too, so Colds start when cold viruses get in outbreaks. You can also rub it gently he patented CopperZap™ and put it on your nose. Viruses multiply fast. If you on wounds, cuts, or lesions to combat the market. don’t stop them early, they spread in infections.

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Tests by the Environmental Protecpresents ever. This little jewel really The EPA says copper still works tion Agency (EPA) show germs die fast works.” Now thousands of users have even when tarnished. It kills hundreds of on copper. Some hospitals tried copper stopped getting colds. different disease germs so it can prevent for surfaces like faucets and doorknobs.

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31

carpeted scratching surfaces, placed vertically and horizontally to meet all preferences. Keep the scratchers in areas where the kitten hangs out.

8

Train kitty to use the scratching post.

Initially, it might help to apply catnip or attach a feather toy to make the scratching area especially appealing. Discourage any feline from scratching on inappropriate surfaces by attaching double-sided tape or inflated balloons to rugs or furniture that are off limits.

BRINGING UP KITTY 9 Get Off on the Right Paw

by Karen Shaw Becker

T

here’s nothing as endearing as a bigeyed kitten hopping sideways across the floor or curled into a small ball of fluff on our lap. Getting a new kitten started off on the right foot will ensure they grow up to be a healthy and happy companion.

1

Prepare a sanctuary for the family’s new kitten.

When bringing a new kitten (or adult cat) into their new home, it’s best to separate the new addition in a little bed-andbreakfast-like setup of their own for at least a week. Put their litter box, bedding, food and toys in their space and keep noise, confusion and foot traffic to a minimum.

2

Provide warm, snuggly sleeping quarters.

Felines, especially tiny ones, like their environment warmer than what humans generally prefer. Look for bedding that hasn’t been treated with flame-retardant chemicals such as PBDE; Swedish scientists have linked the chemical, commonly found in foam, to hyperthyroidism in cats. The best choice is wool, which is naturally flame resistant.

3Consider crate training.

Most cats fight being put into a carrier because it only happens when someone’s about to take them to a place they don’t want to go to. That’s why it’s a good idea to set up a carrier for a kitten on their first day

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West Michigan Edition

home. Entice them to enter on their own using food treats, toys and comfy bedding.

4

Go slow with family introductions.

Introduce other members of the household to the new kitty one at a time. Ideally, introductions occur in a neutral location, like the living room, when the kitten ventures out to investigate.

5

Offer this tiny carnivore the nutrition they were born to eat.

To provide the very best start in life, feed the little one either a homemade or commercially available, nutritionally balanced, fresh food diet (preferably raw) designed for cats at all stages of life.

6

Help the kitten learn to love their personal litter box.

Most kittens can use a litter box at about four weeks. Just make sure its walls are low enough that they can hop in and out on their own. If a kitten or cat is avoiding the box, there’s likely a reason: location, type of litter or failure to clean it often enough.

7

Provide appropriate climbing and scratching surfaces.

Climbing and scratching are natural feline behaviors. Try burlap, cardboard and

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Offer toys that bring out the feline hunter.

Think like a cat and buy or create toys that draw out their hunting instincts. A piece of string wrapped around the end of a stick dragged on the ground will bring out the stalker in almost any cat. So will ping-pong balls or small wads of paper flicked across the floor.

10

Indulge most kittens’ love of boxes.

When cats in the wild feel threatened, they head for trees, dens or caves for safety.

Domestic kitties don’t have that option, so their obsession with hiding in boxes may be an adaptation. Providing “hidey holes” may also help a kitten acclimate faster to their new home and family.

11

Provide easy, safe access to the outdoors.

Indoor cats need time outside. Consider building or buying a safe, secure, outdoor enclosure (catio) for them to hang out in when the weather is nice.

12

Consider adopting two kittens at the same time.

One of the best ways to avoid many common behavioral problems is to adopt a pair of kittens. Because they crave stimulation and interaction, adopting two provides instant playmates to occupy each other’s time.

Karen Becker is a proactive, integrative doctor of veterinary medicine who consults internationally and writes for Mercola Healthy Pets (HealthyPets.Mercola.com).

Olhastock/Shutterstock.com

natural pet

calendar of events ALL MONTH LONG

BVI School of Ayurveda Accepting Applications: Ayurvedic Consultant Certificate Program. Webinar and On-Site Courses, one weekend a month. State Licensed. NAMA Member. The Sambodh Society, Inc. 6363 N. 24th St., Kalamazoo. Info and Catalog: AyurvedaMichigan.org or 269-381-4946.

TUESDAY APRIL 2

Detoxification Workshop – 6:30pm. This class will address the roadblocks that hinder people from losing weight in a natural and healthy manner. The staff will discuss their services and why their weight loss techniques are different than others. Seating is limited to 24. Free. The Healing Center of Natural Health, 4288 3 Mile Rd NW, Suite 3, Grand Rapids. Register: Drowings.Weightseminar.com.

FRIDAY APRIL 5

Rest in Hope: Retreat for Those in Service to Others – 11am-4pm. This retreat is designed for those who dedicate their time to the service of others. Caregivers, medical professionals, social service personnel, advocates, and justice workers join us for an afternoon retreat time of reflection, respite, and renewal. Presenter: Dr. Justin Beene, MSW, MA. $35 includes lunch. Dominican Center at Marywood, 2025 Fulton Street East, Grand Rapids. Info/Registration: DominicanCenter.com, 616-514-3325.

SATURDAY APRIL 6

SOULCOLLAGE® Going Deeper – 1-4:30pm.

SoulCollage® offers an engaging way to listen to your inner voice and express yourself creatively.

This workshop offers an overview of SoulCollage®, time for reflection, time to create collage cards and supportive sharing. $35 New Students / $30 Returning Students. All supplies and instructions provided.

Spirit Space, 3493 Blue Star Highway, Saugatuck.

Info: Pre-registration required. Contact Ruth Zwald at ruthzwald55@gmail.com.

SUNDAY APRIL 7

Demo Rinpoche: Tibetan Buddhist Art of Compassion – 1-2:30pm. Jewel Heart West Michigan welcomes Demo Rinpoche, incarnate lama educated under supervision of H.H.the Dalai Lama, presenting a time tested method for increasing compassion in our lives. Free. Suggested donation $10. Jewel Heart West Michigan, 1758 N. 10th St, Kalamazoo. Info: Reserve seats at: westmi@jewelheart.org, 734-368-8701. More info: JewelHeart.org/chapters/West-Michigan.

MONDAY APRIL 8

Reiki Share – 10am-12 pm & 6pm-8pm., 49525 - Offered twice in one day! Check out what Reiki is all about, and have a mini session done. Open to those that know Reiki and those that don’t. $10 donations welcome.

The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr NE, Grand Rapids. Info & to register at TheRemedyHouse.org or call The Remedy House at 616-443-4225.

Whoa Baby! – 11am. For a first-time caregiver or parent, a new baby can bring an incredible amount of joy, but it can also bring a lot of changes too.

There is a huge learning curve and parenting can be an isolating experience. In this drop-in group we’ll talk about the joys and struggles of being a first-time parent. Babies welcome! Free. Grand Rapids Public Library - Main Branch, 111 Library St NE, Grand Rapids. Info: commreq@grpl.org or 616-988-5400.

TUESDAY APRIL 9

Intro to Access Bars – 6:30-8:00pm - With Access Bars® Facilitators - Rebecca Stephens and John Scott Campbell. Curious about Access Bars®?

During this intro night you will learn what it’s all about, who it’s for, and what it can create for you.

Class fee $20 at the door. The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr NE, Grand Rapids. Register at TheRemedyHouse.org or call The Remedy House at 616-443-4225. Questions, contact Rebecca at rebeccasalchemy@gmail.com or 616-510-6525.

THURSDAY APRIL 11

The Healing Power of Hemp Oil – 10am-12pm & 6-8pm. Offered twice in one day! Clear up some of the confusion with the difference between Hemp, CBD, and Marijuana. Learn all the wonderful healing benefits being proven by Hemp products from our Naturopathic Doctor, Jodi Jenks. $25.

The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr NE, Grand Rapids. Must pre-register by April 6th at TheRemedyHouse.org or by contacting The Remedy House at 616-443-4225.

SATURDAY APRIL 13

Access Bars Class – 9:30am-5:30pm. by Rebecca Stephens and Scott Campbell. Access Bars® is a gentle hands-on technique the quiets the mind.

Allows you to lay back and just receive. There are 32 points on your head, which when gently touched and can release anything that doesn’t allow you to receive. You’ll feel like you had a great massage and it could change your life! Class includes: Access Bars® Manual, Head Charts, Facilitation, Clearings, Certification, and more! After 1 Access Bars® class you will be considered an Access Bars® Certified Practitioner and able to charge for Access Bars Sessions and attend Access Bars® Trades! Class fee $350. The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr NE, Grand Rapids. Info & register at AccessConsciousness.com. Questions, contact Rebecca at rebeccasalchemy@gmail.com or 616-510-6525.

Understanding Reconnective Healing – 11am12pm. Speaker, workshop leader and spiritual guide, Terry Larkin will share her learning. Reconnective healing is the new energy, light and information of our planet. It’s a highly evolved form of energy interaction that continues to advance our health, balance, and quality of life progress with the infinite freedom and expanded consciousness. Free. Bodhi Tree Yoga and Wellness Studio, 208 W 18th St, Holland. Info: Terry@TheLightGap.com, TheLightGap.com.

Second Annual Spring Into Health Expo – 9am-2pm. This event will feature a variety of health-inspired goods and services. Vendors and practitioners will sell and share knowledge about healthful products and treatments, such as cosmetics, cleaning supplies, weighted blankets, jewelry, natural health, ozone sauna, heart health, chiropractic, organic mattress/pillow, biomagnetism, essential oils, thermography, infrared mats, and much more!

Attendees may also sign up to experience a massage or foot detox. Come for a day of learning, fun, and inspiration. 2565 Forest Hill Ave, Lower level of Partners in Dental, Grand Rapids. Info: Info@ AdvancedThermalImagingllc.com, 616-724-6368.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY APRIL 13 & 14

Ama-Deus Workshops with Beth Cosmos – Level 1 Sat 5-8pm & Level 2 Sun 10am-3pm. Ama-Deus® is a method of energy healing that has been pre-

served for thousands of years by a tribe of Guarani in South America. $100 for two-part workshop.

Medical Mile Massage and Yoga Center, 1400 Michigan Ave, Grand Rapids. Space is limited!

Info & register online at MedicalMileMassage. com, call us at 616-356-1805 or contact Beth at Ama-deus-international.com to reserve your spot.

SUNDAY APRIL 14

Michiana VegFest – 11am-4pm. Curious about the rapidly expanding plant-based lifestyle? Your family is invited to Michiana VegFest at Century Center.

Explore regional vendor offerings, including delicious free vegan food samples, innovative cooking demos, presentations from well-known speakers, activities for kids, music by The Bergamot, and much more! Free. 120 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., South Bend, Ind. Info & register for free tickets at https://michianavegfest.org.

Kathy Sherman-Medical Intuitive – 11am-6pm.

Intuitive energy healer with a specialization in medical intuition. Healing also consists of techniques including meditation, color energy healing and Oracle card readings. Special interest in herbs, chronic illnesses and the natural healing abilities from all things that come from Mother Earth. $60 per session. Choices Unlimited, 8887 Gull Rd, Richland.

Info: choicesunl@gmail.com or 269-532-8873.

Was That a Gift from God? by Eckankar – 1011am. A monthly ECK Light and Sound Service.

Free. Dominican Center at Marywood, Room 4, 2025 E Fulton, Grand Rapids. Info: ECK-MI.org, eck.mi.info@gmail.com or 269- 370-7170.

TUESDAY APRIL 16

Natural Health 101 - Purify 2.0 – 10-11am or 6-7pm. NEW Class offered twice. We all carry a toxic burden, How toxic are you? Toxic World + Toxic Gut = Toxic Health. When bad bacteria dominate the gut they produce endotoxins. These weaken or damage the gut lining, allowing food and toxins to escape and spread throughout the body, impairing health. Learn how to get a handle on your internal environment and get back into balance naturally. $10-$20 per person. The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr NE, Grand Rapids. Info & register

by April 12th at TheRemedyHouse.org or by calling The Remedy House at 616-443-4225.

Detoxification Workshop – 6:30pm. This class will address the roadblocks that hinder people from losing weight in a natural and healthy manner. The staff will discuss their services and why their weight loss techniques are different than others. Seating is limited to 24. Free. The Healing Center of Natural Health, 4288 3 Mile Rd NW, Suite 3, Grand Rapids. Register: Drowings.Weightseminar.com.

WEDNESDAY APRIL 17

Rainbow Therapy Weekly Class Series for Adults – 10am-12pm & 5-7pm. This 9 week class is designed to give proactive support to those who are struggling with day-to-day pressures of anxiety and depression through a holistic approach. We will tap into the seven main energy centers of the body, known as the Chakras, teaching ways of understanding, coping, and developing their emotions throughout troubled times. Class fee is $275 (Includes all materials needed for each project). The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr NE, Grand Rapids. Must pre-register

by April 10th at TheRemedyHouse.org or by calling The Remedy House at 616-443-4225.

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The Sound of Soul by Eckankar – 7-8pm. The Sound of Soul by Eckankar-7-8pm. Experience singing HU, a sacred sound and ancient mantra, for guidance, healing, love. It works for all. Free. Dominican Center at Marywood, Room 4, 2025 E Fulton, Grand Rapids. Info: ECK-MI.org, 269- 370-7170.

techniques and basic steps of creating a Zentangle work of art. No art experience is necessary, and beginners are welcome. Free. All supplies are included. Space is limited. Grand Rapids Public Library - Main Branch, 111 Library St NE, Grand Rapids. Info: commreq@grpl.org or 616-988-5400.

Joy in Taiji (tai chi) Movement – 7-9pm. Learn the essential ingredients in creating your own taiji (tai chi) practice. Taiji simply means, supreme opposites. It is a natural mind, body, and spirit exercise that can help bring out the natural grace in movement in your being while improving your balance and overall good health. $20. Spirit Space, 3493 Blue Star Highway, Saugatuck. Info: kathy. horton627@gmail.com or 616-886-2716.

TUESDAY APRIL 23

THURSDAY APRIL 18

Rainbow Therapy Weekly Class Series for ages 13 - 18 – 5-7pm. This 9 week class is designed to give proactive support to those who are struggling with day-to-day pressures of anxiety and depression through a holistic approach. We will tap into the seven main energy centers of the body, known as the Chakras, teaching ways of understanding, coping, and developing their emotions throughout troubled times. Class fee $275 (Includes all materials needed for each project. The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr NE, Grand Rapids. Must pre-register by April 10th at TheRemedyHouse.org or by calling The Remedy House at 616-443-4225.

Senior Savvy Learning Series: Transform Your Space – 1pm. For many years, your home has provided safety, shelter, and created endless memories. For many of us, that also means a lifetime of physical items that brought us joy. Learn from the experts who help people deal with the physical and emotional aspects of decluttering. The panel includes a certified organizer and hording expert, and a senior move manager to provide practical strategies for reclaiming your home. Free. Grand Rapids Public Library - Main Branch, 111 Library St NE, Grand Rapids. Info: commreq@grpl.org or 616-988-5400.

After the Bell on Thursday – 4pm. After the Bell on Thursday (AtBoT) is your time to hang and do something at the library when school is out—a craft, activity, or movie. Each month will be something different. This month: Earth Day. For grades 6-12.

Ride to Read passes will be available. Free. Grand Rapids Public Library - Yankee Clipper Branch, 2025 Leonard NE, Grand Rapids. Info: commreq@grpl.org or 616-988-5400.

SATURDAY APRIL 20

Inspire! Topic: ACES Adverse Childhood Experiences – 10am-1pm. Inspire! is a monthly community event that creates an opportunity to grow spiritually and ethically as we explore specific areas of concern and highlight ways in which those concerns are being addressed. We start by giving ourselves an opportunity for reflection, healing and growth and then challenge ourselves to use our health and wholeness by helping to address the needs of the larger community. This event is participative and experiential. Free. Extended Grace, 714 Columbus Ave, Grand Haven. Info: jenna@extendedgrace. org or 616-414-9111.

DIY@GRPL: Intro to Zentangle – 1pm. Come discover the wonderful benefits of the Zentangle Drawing Method! The Zentangle Method is a fun, relaxing and easy-to-learn way of creating beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Learn the

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The Art of Making Essential Oil Blends – 10am12pm & 5-7pm. - class offered at two different times - 10 am - 12 pm & 5 - 7 pm. Come learn the chemistry behind the oils, the methods of using essential oils, and how & why they work in the body. $20 per person for workshop; additional $20 to make your own blend. The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr NE, Grand Rapids. Info: Must pre-register by April 19th at TheRemedyHouse.org or by calling The Remedy House at 616-443-4225.

THURSDAY APRIL 25

ArTalks – 7pm. ArTalks is a series highlighting local Grand Rapids artists. Get a personal glimpse into the studio practice of the city’s leading visual artists. Artists will share images of their work and discuss their processes, insights, and ideas behind their creative production. This month: Maureen Nollette. Free. Grand Rapids Public Library - Main Branch, 111 Library St NE, – . Info: commreq@ grpl.org or 616-988-5400.

SATURDAY APRIL 27

Reiki I & II Class – 9am-5pm. from 9 am - 5 pm Introduction to Reiki, become attuned to the universal energy, learn how to give treatment to self and others and meet your Reiki guide. Class fee is $250 (Includes $50 deposit due at registration). The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr NE, Grand Rapids. Info & to register by April 19th go to TheRemedyHouse. org or call The Remedy House at 616-443-4225.

Write Your Heart Out: Hope – 9am-12pm. Join us for a transformational writing experience. As you put pen to paper, observe the emotions that pour from you, discover the truth of your feelings, and allow your heart’s energy to create both art and change. Presenter: Sandra Mitchell, Certified Life Coach and Writer. $35. Dominican Center at Marywood, 2025 Fulton Street East, Grand Rapids. Info/ Register: DominicanCenter.com or 616-514-3325.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY APRIL 27 & 28

Somatic Symposium: Mind Elevation Through Body Liberation – Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 10am-2pm. The Somatic Symposium was birthed out of the need to reconnect with our felt sense.

To liberate our bodies and elevate our minds. We believe this is only done through full embodiment.

When we inhabit our first home, our body, we eliminate suffering created by our mind. Join us for a full day immersion into your truest self. Experience diverse body based practices including yoga, intuitive dance, sound bath, embodied meditation, the art of connection, and more. $130. Frederik Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids. Info at SomaticSymposium.com. Follow on FB & IG. info@ grandrapidschirocenter.com or 616-591-3925.

SUNDAY APRIL 28

West Michigan Spirit Faire – 11am-5pm. Angel Messages Speaker, Intuitive Readers, Health Practitioners, Reiki, Massage, Crystals, Jewelry, Palmistry, Tarot, Energy Tuning, Oracle Cards, Phrenology, Spirit Messages, Books, Stones, Prizes & Speakers!

NaturalWestMichigan.com

$5 admission, free parking. DoubleTree, 4747 28th St.SE, Grand Rapids. Info: wmichspiritfaire@ gmail.com or 269-948-1990.

Advanced Reiki Class – 9am-5pm - Enhance energy work to a new level. Learn how to perform psychic surgery, and how to set up and utilize a crystal grid with energy work. Class fee is $275.

The fee includes a $50 deposit due at registration. The Remedy House 5150 Northland Dr NE, Grand Rapids. Info & pre-register by April 19th at TheRemedyHouse.org or by calling The Remedy House at 616-443-4225.

Mindfullness & Meditation – 2:30-3:15pm.

Meditation with Music. We will be experiencing different forms of music chants, classic, singing bowls and bells supporting our meditation. Come and learn your music preference for meditation. Bodhi Tree Yoga and Wellness Studio, 208 W 18th St, Holland.

Info: MIbodhitree.com, 616-392-7580.

TUESDAY APRIL 30

Adulting 101: Organizing and Decluttering – 7pm. We all have emotional attachment to our stuff. It’s time for a change when it starts getting in the way of living life to the fullest. There’s no one size fits all for getting organized, but there are easy and achievable methods to get us more comfortable in our spaces. Come learn organizing tips and strategies for a simpler life. Free. Grand Rapids Public Library - Main Branch, 111 Library St NE, Grand Rapids. Info: commreq@grpl.org or 616-988-5400.

save the date CALENDAR EVENTS

Must be submitted online each month at NaturalWestMichigan.com. Events priced $80 or more require a corresponding display ad. There is a $40 charge per listing, up to 50 words. Current advertisers, distribution sites or nonprofits, use this listing in place of your two free listings.

mark your calendar SATURDAY May 4 Spring Celebration & Psychic Fair – 11am-6pm. Spring is here! Come in and receive a mini-cleanse to enhance your spring renewal. While you’re here, you can explore the outdoor vendors with their varied and unusual gifts. We have psychics, card readers and mediums as well as healers practicing Reiki and Illuminata. Free. Choices Unlimited, 8887 Gull Road, Richland. Info: choicesunl@ gmail.com or 269-532-8873.

mark your calendar SATURDAY May 4 Using Essential Oils with Confidence & Supporting the Body to Heal Itself –9:30am-6pm. Training taught by Dana Clay Young, owner of Be Young Total Health & Essential Oils. FREE/NonMembers, $30/Members, $10/Spouse.

TOTAL HEALTH 4 TODAY. Event location: Dental Office (Lower Level) 2565 Forest Hills Ave, Grand Rapids.

Info & Register by May 2 by calling Clara 616-481-8587 or email clara. vanderzouwen@gmail.com & learn how you can receive a free gift Plus discounts on product. https://beyoungtotalhealth. regfox.com/claravz?r=CLARA3653.

mark your calendar FRIDAY May 17 Prom with a Purpose – 7-11pm. A fun prom for singles, groups, and couples.

This event includes dinner, dancing, cash bar, and nostalgic activities. Prom wear from any era encouraged, casual dress welcome for high school students and adults. $25. Porto Bello’s Harbourfront Grand Hall, 41 Washington #220, Grand Haven. Info: ExtendedGrace.org, 616-414-9111.

mark your calendar FRIDAY-SUNDAY, May 31 - June 2

8th Annual Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference: Honoring Plant Wisdom – May 31-June 2. Speakers: Venice Williams, Mimi Hernandez, and special guest Susun Weed, along with a wide spectrum of knowledgeable and inspiring instructors. Includes workshops, plant walks and a kids’ camp, as well as teen herbal camps, red tent space, fire circles, singing circles, delicious locally sourced farm-to-table meals and more. Early bird rates available until Jan 14. Camp Helen Brachman, Almond, WI. For more info: MidwestWomensHerbal.com.

mark your calendar FRIDAY-SUNDAY, June 7-9

The Shamama Retreat: Unleash Your Creativity. Connect with Nature. Renew Your Body, Mind, and Soul – Fri, 5pm, - Sun, 12pm.

Longing for an inspirational, peaceful retreat that ignites the soul? Enjoy a weekend-long Shamama experience! Attendees will tap into their creative source, find their authentic voice, listen to their inner wisdom, and unleash their power. Featuring: intuitive collaging, shamanic journey walks, breathwork, shadow writing, yoga, and labyrinth walks. Inn at the Rustic Gate 6991 E Hungerford Lake Dr, Big Rapids.

Info: ShamamaGroup.com.

on going events NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email NAcalendar@NaturalAwakenings.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please. Or visit NaturalWestMichigan.com/submit-calendar-events/ to submit online.

SUNDAY PeaceLab Yoga Mommas: 4 Week Prenatal Workshop – 2-3:15pm. April 7-May 5. Join Heather Ernsberger for this 4-week prenatal yoga series!

Start or continue your yoga practice during this very special time in your life. Suitable for all experience levels. $60 for all 4 weeks or $18 drop in. PeaceLab Yoga, 5570 Wilson Ave, Suite M, Grandville. Info: melanie@peacelabyoga.com or 616-340-7335.

Family Yoga – 4-5pm. Second and fourth Sunday.

All ages and levels come together to experience this fun and playful yoga practice. Learn postures, breath awareness and creative play through movement and relaxation. This class is an ideal way to spend family time together that is both fun and enriching! Bring yoga mats and a sense of adventure! $5, $15 per family (cash only). Holland Civic Center Place, 2nd floor Market View Room, 150 W 8th St, Holland.

Register at door or pre-register: HollandRecreation. com under “Adult Wellness”.

Narcotics Anonymous: Just for Today – 9-10am.

Free. Momentum Center Annex, 714 Columbus Ave, Grand Haven. Call Jessica for more info: 616-632-4775.

Student Hot Yoga Night – 7:30-8:45pm. Come for a traditional HOT yoga class, discounted for students! Sign up in advance or just drop-in. Open to non-students as well, but additional pricing options apply. $5 with student ID. 6189 Lake Michigan Dr, Allendale. Info: HeartsJourneyWellness.com.

Meditation-Self Realization Fellowship – 1011am. Every Sunday we gather to meditate, chant, & explore the wisdom of the Hindu/Yoga tradition as taught by Paramhansa Yogananda. Free will offering. Marywood Center 2025 Fulton, Grand Rapids.

Info: Fred Stella 616-451-8041, GrandRapids.srf@ gmail.com, GRSRF.org Sunday Worship and Youth Services – 10:30am. A warm and inviting New Thought Spiritual Community, inclusive and accepting of all, honoring diversity, for those seeking spiritual truth. Unity of Grand Rapids, 1711 Walker Ave. NW, Grand Rapids. Info: UnityGRoffice@gmail.com or 616-453-9909.

mark your calendar SATURDAY-SUNDAY, June 22-23

Journey Through Form: Asana Studies with Christina Sell – 10am-1pm & 3-5:30pm each day. Join Christina Sell for her return trip to West Michigan and PeaceLab Yoga. This 4 part workshop journey takes the practitioner from the surface experience of shape to the interior experiences of the energy, or prana, that lives at the heart of who we are. PeaceLab Yoga, 5570 Wilson Ave, Suite M, Grandville.

Register online at PeaceLabYoga.com or by calling 616-745-0310.

mark your calendar THURSDAY-SUNDAY, July 25-28

YogaFest at Song of the Morning – 3:00pm Thurs-3:00pm Sun. Join us for a spiritually authentic celebration of all things Yoga!

There is something for every age and ability, including hatha, bhakti, jnana, kundalini, raja, and flow yoga classes; meditation, kirtan, sound healing, hiking, art, music, dance, children’s programming, sacred ceremony, merchants, vendors, sustainability, spiritual discussions, and much more. Song of the Morning Yoga Retreat, 9607 Sturgeon Valley Rd. E. Vanderbilt, MI. Info: programs@ songofthemorning.org.

classifieds Fee for classifieds is $1 per word\per month. To place listing, email content to Publisher@naturalwestmichigan.com.

Deadline is the 15th of the month.

VOLUNTEERS Volunteer Instructors – Mental illness is a community issue and it requires a community solution. The Momentum Center for Social Engagement offers social and recreational activities for people with mental illness, addictions and disabilities. We are seeking people willing to share their skill, hobby, vocation, or interest with our members once a month or as often as available.

We welcome yoga, tai chi, exercise, dance, self-defense, cooking, sewing, and so much more. Extended Grace, 714 Columbus, Grand Haven. Info: Call Jenna, if you want to be part of the solution, at 616-414-9111 or email office@extendedgrace.org

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Celebration Services – 10:30am. Join us each Sunday for our Sunday Celebration Service. Unity is a positive, peaceful path for spiritual living. We offer spiritual teachings and programs that empower a life of meaning, purpose, and abundance in all good things. We seek to discover the “universal” spiritual truths that apply to all religions. Unity Center for Spiritual Growth, 6025 Ada Dr SE, Ada. Info: office@Unitycsg.org or 616-682-7812.

Spirit Space Sunday Worship – 10:30am. An interfaith, non-denominational gathering place for worship and spiritual enrichment. Join for inspiring messages called Reasoning’s. Spirit Space, 3493 Blue Star Hwy, Saugatuck. Info: 616-836-1555 or Spirit-Space.org Sunday Series – 6pm. Explore spirituality, universal truths, self-mastery and balanced, positive, loving and joyful living with The Coptic Center and their ongoing offering of enlightening ministers, teachers and guest presenters. Love offering. 0-381 Lake Michigan Dr, Grand Rapids. Info: TheCopticCenter.org

MONDAY Qigong and TaiChi Easy Class – 10:15-11:15am.

Qigong and Tai Chi Easy™ are moving meditations which use slow graceful movements and controlled breathing techniques to strengthen the mind-body connection, reduce stress and improve circulation thereby enhancing overall health. Bodhi Tree Yoga & Wellness Studio, 208 W 18th St, Holland. Info: MIbodhitree.com, 616-392-7580.

Support Group: for Loss of Loved One Due to Addiction – 6-7:30pm. First Monday of every month. This support group is for those who have lost a loved one due to addiction, including, but not limited to death due to drug overdose, addictionrelated disease, and suicide. Free. The Momentum Center Annex, 714 Columbus Ave, Grand Haven.

Info: ExtendedGrace.org, 616-632-4775.

Restorative Yoga – 6:15-7:30pm. This class offers participants time for themselves to relax and unwind in a peaceful environment. Props support restorative poses, giving the body and mind time to fully sink into relaxation. $10 cash drop in, $12 with card. 6189 Lake Michigan Dr, Allendale. Info: HeartsJourneyWellness.com.

3rd Monday Support Group – 7-8:30pm. This support group is available for parents, guardians and caregivers of teenagers and pre-teens facilitated by Nicki Kubec, LMSW. Free. Momentum Center, 714 Columbus Ave, Grand Haven. Info: 616-414-9111.

A practice of A Course in Miracles –7-8:30pm.

Learn miracle-mindedness. Got joy? This is how to have it. Hint: You already do. All are welcome.

Free. Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St. NE, Grand Rapids. 616-458-5095.

TUESDAY Art of Compassion: an Eight Week Course – 7-8:30pm. Tibetan Buddhist Art of Compassion, meets for 8 weeks at the People’s Church, learn methods for enhancing our ability to experience compassion and happiness in our own lives and the lives of others. Free, donations accepted. Jewel Heart West Michigan, 1758 N. 10th Street, Kalamazoo.

Info: WestMI@jewelheart.org, 734-368-8701, more info www.jewelheart.org/chapters/West-Michigan Yoga Basics I – 7:15-8:15pm. Six week class starting

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West Michigan Edition

March 26! Come enjoy a supportive environment where everyone’s a beginner. This class explores basic postures to get attendees moving and breathing techniques to deepen breath capacity. Learn yogic terminology, discover meditation practices to quiet the mind, release stress, and gain insight into the principles of yoga philosophy. Wear comfortable clothing, bring a no sweat water bottle (optional) and a yoga mat. Extra mats are available. $80, for series only, $115 for series plus one-month unlimited yoga starting after series. Bodhi Tree Yoga and Wellness Studio, 208 W 18th St, Holland. Info: 616-392-4269.

Stages on the Path to Enlightenment – 7-8:30pm.

An ongoing course following the Lam Rim, a Tibetan Buddhist text that lays out an extensive roadmap to spiritual understanding and fulfillment. Free. People’s Unitarian Church, Room 9, 1758 N 10th St, Kalamazoo. Info: JewelHeart.org, westmi@jewelheart.org.

Family Support Group – 7-8:30pm. Fourth Tuesday of every month. Support group for family members, caregivers, and loved ones of individuals with mental illness. NAMI Family Support Groups are free, confidential and safe groups of families helping other families who live with mental health challenges. Group members can achieve a renewed sense of hope for their loved one living with mental health challenges. Free. 714 Columbus Ave, Grand Haven. Info: ExtendedGrace.org.

Peer Support Group: for Parents of Children with Disabilities – 7-8:30pm. Third Tuesday of every month. Led by Laura Marcus-Nolan, these meeting are an opportunity to share stories and discover resources with other parents of children with developmental disabilities. Free. Momentum Center Annex, 714 Columbus Ave, Grand Haven.

Info: ExtendedGrace.org.

Chair Yoga – 10:30-11:30am. Chair Yoga uses a chair for greater support and stability. With an emphasis on breath, alignment, and moving at one’s own pace, Chair Yoga brings simplicity to the practice and easeful connection with the healing and restorative benefits yoga offers. This class it taught by Kathy Julien. $10 per session. 2025 Fulton St East, Grand Rapids.

Register: dominicancenter.com, 616-514-3325.

Nourishing the Lakeshore –7pm. Meetings the second Tuesday of each month. Open to the Public!

Formed to provide education on the health enriching benefits of traditional diets, to increase access to clean, nutrient dense foods, and to teach traditional preparation and storage methods. Nourishing the Lakeshore of West Michigan is a chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation serving Ottawa, Muskegon, and Oceana counties. The main purpose is to act as a resource for local, clean, nutrient dense food.

We also provide informational meetings on health related topics, often those which are politically incorrect. Nourishing the Lakeshore respects that everyone is at a different point on the path to better eating.

Our goal is to educate and enrich the wellness of our community. Location: The Century Club on Western Ave, Muskegon. Info:Meetup.com/Nourishing-theLakeshore-of-West-Michigan-Weston-A-Price A Course in Miracles – 9:30-11am. A complete self-study spiritual thought system. It teaches that the way to universal peace is by undoing guilt through forgiving others. The Course focuses on the healing of relationships and making them holy.

It expresses a non-sectarian, non-denominational spirituality. Unity Center for Spiritual Growth, 6025 Ada Dr SE, Ada. Info: Unitycsg.org. 616-682-7812.

NaturalWestMichigan.com

$20 off BioMeridian Assessments – Food allergies, environmental allergies, organ function and real food menus and shopping lists for families that are healthy and kid-approved. Grand Rapids. 616-3659176. IntegrativeNutritionalTherapies.com.

WEDNESDAY Spirit Song: Native American Ceremony of Healing (Medicine Wheel) – 7pm. First Wednesday of each month. Come honor our earth mother and all our relations with this ancient tradition. In this sacred space, we begin to remember that we are all part of a greater whole, and we begin to understand how our relationship with every other being on this earth truly matters. Bring your drums and rattles and join in the ceremony, or simply observe and enjoy.

Free. People’s Church, 1758 N 10th St, Kalamazoo.

Info: Call or Text Ann at 269-350-1320.

Smart Recovery – 6-7:30pm. Recovery through Self-Empowerment: the purpose is to help participants gain independence from any addictive behavior. Individuals seeking recovery should be fully informed about the range of recovery options and free to choose among them. This program encourages participants to take responsibility for their own recovery. The meetings support their capacity to regulate their own behavior. Free. 714 Columbus Ave, Grand Haven. Info: ExtendedGrace.org.

A Course in Miracles – 9:30-11am. A Course in Miracles begins. Nothing real can be threatened.

Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God. As its title implies, the course is arranged throughout as a teaching device. It consists of three books: Text, workbook for students, and manual for teachers. The order in which students choose to use the books, and the ways in which they study them, depend on their particular needs and preferences. Come for a study group. We have an open door policy, meaning guests can come anytime. Guests do not have to attend every week. Love offering. 6025 Ada Drive SE, Ada. Info: Office@unitycsg.org.

The Law of Attraction Speaking Club – 6:308pm. Do you want to learn how to apply the law of attraction in your life and in your business? We are a group of like-minded individuals who support each other in our growth. Come to Toastmasters where we provide a supportive learning experience where individuals can become better communicators and leaders. Unity Center for Spiritual Growth, 6025 Ada Dr SE, Ada. Info: lawofattractiontm@gmail. com or 616-717-3203.

Meditation – 6-7pm. Every Wednesday we meet in our meditation room from 6-7pm. We begin and end meditation time with live, native flute music.

Join us for the full hour or any part of the time. Call 616-836-1555 for more info or visit our meditation page to learn more. 3493 Blue Star Highway, Saugatuck. Info: Info@Spirit-Space.org.

THURSDAY Support Group for Parents: Promoting Positive Youth Development – 6-7:30pm. First Thursday of every month. Group members will share their parenting experiences, participate in role playing scenarios, ask questions, and have an opportunity to engage in deep learning. Free. 714 Columbus Ave, Grand Haven. Info: ExtendedGrace.org.

Restorative Yoga – 7-8pm. Calm the mind and nour-

ish the body with Restorative Yoga. Restorative poses are held on a mat and deeply supported with yoga props. The practice seeks to balance the physical, mental, and spiritual while also experiencing profound rest and relaxation. Taught by Kathy Julien, certified yoga instructor. $10/session. Dominican Center at Marywood, 2025 Fulton St East, Grand Rapids. Info and register: DominicanCenter.com, 616-514-3325.

Gentle Yoga – 5:30 - 6:30pm. This gentle class offers a peaceful session to gradually build strength and range of motion. With this quiet practice, experience how mindful movement and breath work can deliver much needed nurturing, rest, and clarity.

Taught by Kathy Julien, certified yoga instructor. $10/session. Dominican Center at Marywood, 2025 Fulton St East, Grand Rapids. Info and register: DominicanCenter.com, 616-514-3325.

Chair Yoga – 4-5pm. Chair Yoga uses a chair for greater support and stability within the practice.

With an emphasis on the breath, alignment, and moving at your own pace, Chair Yoga brings simplicity to the practice and easeful connection with the healing and restorative benefits yoga offers. Taught by Kathy Julien, certified yoga instructor. $10/session. Dominican Center at Marywood, 2025 Fulton St East, Grand Rapids.

Info: DominicanCenter.com, 616-514-3325.

FRIDAY Dinner and Movie Night – 6-9pm. The last Friday of every month, we offer a FREE Dinner & Movie Night for the whole community! Anyone can join us- we love making new friends! We try to tie in the movie with our community conversations, that we call Inspire! Events. This month will be Inspire!

Topic: ACES—Adverse Childhood Experiences.

Free. Extended Grace, 714 Columbus Ave, Grand Haven. Join us for dinner at 6pm. Bring a dish to pass, or just come as you are! The film starts n at 7pm. Info: ExtendedGrace.org, 616-414-9111.

3rd Friday Narcan Training and Distribution – 12-2pm. Red Project offers Free Narcan Training and Distribution for those interested. This event is held the Third Friday of every month from 12:00pm-2:00pm. Free. The Momentum Center, 714 Columbus Ave, Grand Haven. Info: 616-4149111 or Office@ExtendedGrace.org

SATURDAY Hot Yoga – 8-9:15am. Vinyasa style yoga in the Far Infrared-heated yoga room will provide participants with a focused heat that works with their body’s own energy to raise room temperature as they move through the practice. Open to all experience levels. $10 cash drop in, $12 with card. 6189 Lake Michigan Dr, Allendale. Info: HeartsJourneyWellness.com.

3rd Saturday Inpire Event – 10am-1pm. SeptMay. Everyone is invited to this collaborative community event. Brunch/lunch served. Registration not required. Extended Grace, Momentum Center, 714 Columbus, Grand Haven. Info: 616-502-2078 or online ExtendedGrace.org Sweetwater Local Foods Market – 9am-12pm.

A double-up bucks and bridge card market. Mercy Health Lakes Campus, 6401 Harvey St. Located inside during inclement weather. Muskegon.

SweetwaterLocalFoodsMarket.org

community resource guide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide email Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com to request our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE ALTERNATIVE CARE SOLUTION Raymond Wan 3790 28th St. SW, Ste. B, Grandville 616-419-6924 AltCareSolution@gmail.com

Raymond Wan is a Certified Medical Acupuncture Practitioner, Certified Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist, Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Holistic Health Counselor. For more information, visit AltCareSolution.com. See ad page 10.

ANTI-AGING ASEA, RENU 28 & RENU ADVANCED Jacque Jennings Carter, Independent Associate 269-779-2900 Jacque@advancinglives.biz AdvancingLives.TeamASEA.com

Age better and live younger longer. A breakthrough science, Redox Signaling molecules help cells communicate more effectively. Cells perform at peak levels which helps us age more slowly, internally and externally. Protect your cells; detect problems within your cells; rejuvenate cells. Look Better. Feel Better. Live Better. See ad page 21.

ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE ASEA, RENU 28 & RENU ADVANCED Jacque Jennings Carter, Independent Associate 269-779-2900 Jacque@advancinglives.biz AdvancingLives.TeamASEA.com

Looking for peak performance or improved recovery time? When everything else is equal, endurance and recovery are everything! Athletes using ASEA experience improved recovery time, less fatigue, less soreness after workouts, lower average heart rates and Ventilatory Threshold endurance gains averaging 12%. See ad page 21.

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CHIROPRACTIC CARE

DYNAMIC FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC Dr. Ronda VanderWall 4072 Chicago Drive, Grandville 616-531-6050 • DynamicChiro.com

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.

LINDA SQUIRES, D.C., P.C.

3368 East Beltline Ct., Grand Rapids 800-987-1368 LindaSquiresDC@gmail.com LindaSquiresDC.com I am a non-force chiropractor who has practiced 30 years (25 years in the Boston area). I apply myofascial release and energy therapy techniques during treatment and empower patients with exercises to maintain their alignment. Located within Holistic Care Approach. See ad page 27.

THE GLEASON CENTER

Dr. Dan Gleason DC & Dr. Dan Weessies, MS, DC 19084 North Fruitport Rd, Spring Lake, MI TheGleasonCenter.com 616-638-6234 An alternative, holistic approach combining chiropractic and kinesiology as well as the latest in metabolic and hormone testing.

Cold Laser Pain and Neuro treatments for: spectrum disorders, injuries, chronic pain, and pre/post surgical rehab. See ad, page 13.

COFFEE SHOP / FAIR TRADE GLOBAL INFUSION

143 Diamond Ave. SE, Grand Rapids 616-776-9720 WeLoveChai.com Mon-Fri 9-7; Sat 9-5 An eclectic marketplace of fairly traded handcrafted gifts, decor, accessories and more. Offering coffee and chocolate, bulk loose leaf teas, herbs and provisions.

Featuring an extensive tea and coffee bar. See ad page 10.

April 2019

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JUST GOODS GIFTS AND CAFE’ 714 Columbus, Grand Haven 616-414-9111 justgoods@extendedgrace.org ExtendedGrace.org

MOONDROP HERBALS, LLC

Just Goods Gifts and Cafe’ is located within the Momentum Center for Social Engagement.

Fair trade and social cause merchandise. Local baked goods and beverages. Open 9am to 6pm M-F and 10am to 2pm Sat. A creative space for community integration and the end of stigma. See ad, page 2.

COLON HYDROTHERAPY HARMONY ’N HEALTH

Mary De Lange, CCT, LMT 1003 Maryland Ave, N.E., Grand Rapids 616-456-5033 • HarmonyNHealth.net Certified therapist since 1991 offering colon therapy in a sterile and professional environment.

Using a holistic approach, colonics relieve constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, poor digestion, back pain, body odor and more. See ad, page 27.

COUNSELING Ashley Carter Youngblood, LMSW, LMFT Owner/Therapist 4155 S 9th Street, Suite D, Kalamazoo, MI 269-254-1211 • Kalamazoo-Counseling.com Ashley Carter Youngblood is a licensed therapist who provides a holistic approach to counseling by empowering others to discover how one’s inner wisdom can contribute to the healing of the mind, body, spirit, and relationships.

Your local source for all things natural and botanical.

Essential oils, bulk herbs, tea, hand-crafted bath & body products, raw ingredients, containers, local artwork, unique gifts. Practitioner discounts. Space rental and artisan consignment. See ad, page 20.

YOUNG LIVING ESSENTIAL OILS Marilyn York Independent Distributor # 489656 877-436-2299 myYL.com/naturalhealth4u

Essential Oils – Revered for thousands of years for their naturally-enhancing support of body, mind, and spirit. Become a Young Living Essential Oils Member/Customer, and/or an Independent Distributor. See ad, page 11.

HAKOMI THERAPY 3355 Eagle Park Dr. NE Ste. 107, Grand Rapids 616-262-3848 BodyAndSoulGR.com

Hakomi Therapy can truly change your life. It’s a mindfulnessbased, experiential therapy for transforming the unconscious patterns that keep you from the love, joy, and fulfillment you deserve. Offered with exquisite care and attentiveness.

HEALING SERVICES THE REMEDY HOUSE

ENERGY HEALING TONYA NICHOLS, RPH

Certified Energy Medicine Practitioner 332 S Lincoln Ave, Lakeview 989-352-6500 Info@THCOFLakeview.com THCOFLakeview.com Do you feel like you have no energy? Do you feel disconnected and out of balance? Let Tonya help you find your center again.

Combining Emotional Clearing with Full Spectrum Healing, Tonya helps her clients to remove emotional, mental, and energetic blocks that are keeping her clients stuck and preventing them from reaching their full potential for a healthy, happy, and meaningful life. See ad page 7.

West Michigan Edition

Cottage of Natural Elements 351 Cummings, NW Grand Rapids 616-735-1285 • MoondropHerbals.com

KEN PORTER CST, CHT

INNER PEACE COUNSELING, PLC

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ESSENTIAL OILS

Jodi Jenks Natural Health Practitioner, Reiki Master 616-443-4225 TheRemedyHouse.org Certified in bodywork, lymphatic drainage, raindrop therapy, CranioSacral, reflexology, iridology, natural health consultations including a zyto bio-communication scan. Emotional clearing with essential oils and energy work, reiki, Energy Touch. See ad, page 19.

NaturalWestMichigan.com

HEALTH / WELLNESS CENTER THE HEALING CENTER

332 S Lincoln Ave, Lakeview 989-352-6500 Info@THCOFLakeview.com THCOFLakeview.com Naturopathic/Holistic Practitioners and retail health store. Natural health consultations, classes, oils, herbs, homeopathy, hypnosis, foods, candles, crystals, books, CDs, massage, reflexology, emotional clearing, foot detox, DOT/CDL health cards for truck drivers. See ad, page 7.

HUMAN RIGHTS/ SOCIAL JUSTICE EXTENDED GRACE

barbara@extendedgrace.org 616.502.2078 • ExtendedGrace.org Extended Grace is a nonprofit grassroots social lab that builds community while solving problems. It does so through: Community Conversations including Inspire! and Deeper Dive events and Town Hall Meetings on Mental Illness; Mudita Gifts; Pilgrim Spirit Tours cultural immersion experiences; Momentum Center for Social Engagement; Just Goods Gifts and Cafe’. See ad, page 2.

LIFE COACH LIA COACHING AND CONSULTING

Pamela Gallina, MA CMC PamGallina@LIAConsulting.org 616-433-6720 • LIAConsulting.org/coaching Pam works with highly– motivated individuals as they aim for their highest self.

Focusing on Small Business Development, Major Life Crisis and Change, Weight Loss & Fitness, Relationships, Budget Management & Reorganization, Decluttering Home and Life. Helping you to achieve your very best life! See ad, page 13.

MASSAGE THERAPY DYNAMIC FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC & MASSAGE THERAPY Jaci Timmermans, MT 4072 Chicago Drive, Grandville 616-531-6050 DynamicChiro.com

Offering Swedish massage with integrated techniques, chosen specifically for your unique body. Relieve those tired and sore muscles and rejuvenate.

Call for on-going monthly specials and discounts.

HARMONY ‘N HEALTH

THE REMEDY HOUSE

Mary De Lange, CCT., LMT. 1003 Maryland Ave. NE, Grand Rapids 616-456-5033 HarmonyNHealth.net Since 1991, professional, experienced and trained in a complete range of integrative methods. Whether you are seeking relaxation, renewal or treatment for a specific condition, Mary will help find an approach that is helpful for you. See ad, page 27.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE GRAND RAPIDS NATURAL HEALTH

638 W Fulton St. SW Ste. B, Grand Rapids 616-264-6556 GRNaturalHealth.com Naturopathic Medicine listingOur Naturopathic doctors (NDs), Christine Schoenek, Janna Hibler, and Carrie Dennie, offer a whole person approach to health, including services such as lifestyle management, functional lab testing, supplements and herbs, dietary counseling, cleanse programming, constitutional hydrotherapy, among other natural therapies. Our goal is the get to the root cause of your health concerns. See ad page 18.

NATUROPATHIC INSTITUTE OF THERAPIES & EDUCATION

503 East Broadway St., Mt. Pleasant 989-773-1714 Contact@NaturopathicInstitute.info NaturopathicInstitute.info Educational Programs Offered: Natural Health Program - Four Years (one weekend a month); Massage Therapy Program - One Year (two weekends a month); Holistic Doula Practitioner Program - Six Months (one weekend a month). Individual classes available. See ad page 21.

Jodi Jenks, ND Naturopathic Doctor, Reiki Master 5150 Northland Dr NE Ste N Grand Rapids 616-443-4225 TheRemedyHouse.org

NATUROPATHIC INSTITUTE OF THERAPIES & EDUCATION 503 East Broadway St, Mt. Pleasant 989-773-1714 Contact@NaturopathicInstitute.info NaturopathicInstitute.info

Ed Certified in bodywork, lymphatic drainage, r a i n d r o p t h e r a p y, CranioSacral, reflexology, iridology, natural health consultations including a zyto bio-communication scan. Emotional clearing with essential oils and energy work, reiki, Energy Touch. See ad page 19.

Educational programs offered: Natural Health Program: four years (one weekend a month); Massage Therapy Program: one year (two weekends a month); Holistic Doula Practitioner Program: six months (one weekend a month).

Individual classes available. See ad, page 21.

PAIN MANAGEMENT

THERMOGRAPHY

THE LASER PAIN AND NEURO CENTER AT THE GLEASON CENTER 19084 North Fruitport Rd. Spring Lake, MI 49456 info@thegleasoncenter.com 616-846-5410 • TheGleasonCenter.com

Cold laser therapy can provide drug-free pain relief. This noninvasive treatment is for those suffering from arthritis, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, inflammation and other pain syndromes. Our MLS cold laser also treats neurological degenerative conditions like Parkinson’s, ADHD, spectrum disorders and peripheral neuropathy. See ad, page 13.

SCHOOL / EDUCATION ACADEMY OF ALTERNATIVE HEALING ARTS, LLC

3790 28th St. SW, Ste. B, Grandville 616-419-6924 AltCareSolution@gmail.com AOAHA.COM Our massage program is a State of Michigan certified massage program. After completing our massage program, you will be able to take the state massage board exam, and become a state licensed massage therapist.

Call or check out our website for more information.

See ad page 2.

ADVANCED THERMAL IMAGING OF WEST MICHIGAN

Julie Bennett 616-724-6368 info@advancedthermalimagingllc.com AdvancedThermalImagingllc.com Thermography is a safe, tested, painless, and effective procedure providing information for breast cancer risk assessment, breast cancer prevention and early detection, possible hormone imbalance, thyroid dysfunction, diabetes, musculoskeletal inflammation, and neurological problems.

YOGA BODHI TREE YOGA & WELLNESS STUDIO 208 W 18th St., Holland 616-392-7580 Info@MiBodhiTree.com MiBodhiTree.com

We are more than just Yoga.

We offer diverse classes, workshops, spa treatments, massage, Reiki and meditation training. We are committed to making you stronger and to live a more peaceful, balanced, purposeful life. See ad page 20.

Land really is the best art. ~Andy Warhol April 2019

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