Natural Awakenings Magazine ~ Sept 2017 by Natural Awakenings Magazine ~ West Michigan

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Yoga as a Way of Life

Floatation CREATIVE NATURE Therapy AGING KIDS Isolation Tanks Induce Deep Rest

Gloriously Enriching Our Later Years

Outdoor Schools Build Skills

September 2017 | West Michigan Edition | NaturalWestMichigan.com natural awakenings

September 2017

ROSALYN BAKER, LMSW

Therapist at Grand Rapids Therapy Group

West Michigan Edition

JE N N Y B AW E JA , M S , C T R S , C H C , C I F T

Recreational Therapist at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital

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contents 5 newsbriefs 7 ecotip 8 healthbriefs 10 globalbriefs 6 15 chironews 7 16 fitbody 18 healingways 20 consciouseating 24 wisewords 26 inspiration 28 healthykids 30 greenliving 32 naturalpet 40 calendar 10 41 classifieds 45 naturaldirectory

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

12 AGING WITH PASSION AND PURPOSE

Finding Fulfillment, Creativity and Meaning by Deborah Shouse

16 RODNEY YEE ON YOGA AS A WAY OF LIFE Simple Strategies for Staying on Track

12 16

by Marlaina Donato

18 FLOATING AWAY STRESS Isolation Tanks Induce Deep Rest and Healing

by Gina McGalliard

20 FABULOUS FAN FARE Healthy Tailgating Foods to Cheer For by Judith Fertig

24 ZAYA AND

MAURIZIO BENAZZO

Joining Science to Spirituality by Linda Sechrist

26 BEING BEAUTY

What Makes Us Glow by Glennon Doyle Melton

28 NATURE’S CLASSROOM 32 Outdoor Learning Engages the Whole Child by Meredith Montgomery

30 SOLAR HEATS UP

Demand Surges as Prices Fall by Jim Motavalli

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32 FLUORIDE ALERT

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by Karen Becker

Excess in Food and Tap Water Harms Pets natural awakenings

September 2017

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Publisher/Editor Pamela Gallina Editors S. Alison Chabonais Linda Sechrist Design & Production Interactive Media Design Scott Carvey Printer Stafford Media Solutions

Today the benefits of a consistent yoga practice are widely known and available everywhere. A smiling Rick and Behnje opined, “We are so old we’re new again.” I found this an intriguing statement providing ongoing food for thought.

Natural Awakenings P.O. Box 330 Spring Lake, MI 49456 Phone: 616-604-0480 Fax: 616-855-4202 Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan.com

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Subscriptions are available by sending $30 (12 issues) to the above address. © 2017 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

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Their studio has morphed and grown increasingly popular as yoga’s health benefits have become more widely known. The thing is, I’ve noticed that people practicing yoga generally tend to look younger and project good energy. Maybe they are better able to manage the stress in their lives. Perhaps they don’t suffer the aches and pains of their peers. I like to think they are happy because they are able to simply smile at the world’s angry absurdities. Better yet, I trust they’ve achieved altogether calmer lives because they no longer feel the need to have all the answers. I like the idea that instead of getting worked up fighting age, we will do better to learn to breathe into it, relax a bit more and enjoy the ride gracefully.

To conscious living,

Pamela Gallina, Publisher

Natural Awakenings Magazine of West Michigan

Never Glossy. Always Green. Natural Awakenings practices environmental sustainability by printing on post-consumer recycled paper with soy-based ink. This choice avoids the toxic chemicals and high energy costs of producing shiny, coated paper that is hard to recycle.

West Michigan Edition

The other day I was reminiscing with Rick Powell and Behnje Masson, the couple who established the first yoga studio in Grand Rapids, From the Heart Yoga & Tai Chi Center, on Wealthy Street. They pointed out that in the not so distant past, local yogis were practicing at the Dominican Center at Marywood on Fulton Street in Grand Rapids and the Lakeshore Yoga Center, now on Fulton Street, in Grand Haven, was starting up in the basement of a Spring Lake church. No yoga studios existed in West Michigan 21 years ago.

Graceful Living

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newsbriefs Grand Rapids Largest Body Mind & Spirit Expo

his phenomenal event will be held October 14 & 15 at the DeltaPlex, Hillside Hall, 2500 Turner Ave, Grand Rapids. Saturday 10am – 7pm, Sunday 10am – 6pm. Daily pass $10/ Weekend/$17. 12 & younger free. You will find professional Mediums, Intuitive and Holistic Healers, from across the US & Canada. Tarot, Rune & Angel readers, aura photos, stones, crystals, pet communicators, body workers, crystal healers, spirit artists, numerology, aromatherapy, astrologist, palmistry, essential oils, drums, flutes, jewelry, salt lamps and more. Keynote Speaker Travis Sanders, an accomplished clairvoyant medium, author and teacher, most notable for his work on the first season of A& E’s Clairvoyant Kids: Children Of The Paranormal with host Chip Coffey. Travis will be speaking both days of the expo and offering personal readings as well. His lecture is included with the price of admission. Beverly & John Stephan have been exhibiting in Body Mind & Spirit expos for over a decade across the US & Canada and have gathered the best of the best under one roof. They are excited to bring a piece of Spirit to their first annual Grand Rapids Body Mind And Spirit expo! This is sure to be a weekend of fun, with intuitive readings and healings, free lectures, speakers and demonstrations going on both days during the hours of the expo. Please pass this information on to anyone you know who would benefit. A perfect opportunity for us all to spread amazing light to the local community. For more information go to HealingBodyAndSpirit.com See ad page 26.

Universal Health Solutions to Host Integrative Health Fall Speaker Series

niversal Health Solutions (UHS) is hosting its third Speaker Series, a signature event for the organization, this October at Aquinas College’s Donnelly Center. Topics for this 4-part series are: (1) How Stressed Parents Can Regain Their Sanity in 5 Minutes a Day; (2) Medicines from the Earth; (3) Detoxing Your Home; and (4) Healthy Habits for Winter Hibernation.

Attendees will learn: simple and quick techniques to stay calm and unflappable as a parent or caregiver; how herbs and other botanical medicines from plants and plant extracts can help with common complaints, heal illness and injury, and more; how to create affordable, easy, and safe cleaning solutions using everyday ingredients; and how to stay fit, active, and engaged during winter, along with proactive ways to ward off Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). These sessions will be presented by degreed and certified health professionals and will include an audience Q&A. The UHS Speaker Series was developed in support of the organization’s mission, which is to inform, educate, and advocate for increased awareness of and access to integrative health care treatments, and to truly integrate complementary and alternative treatment modalities into the more traditional and mainstream healthcare approaches. Speaker Series Event Cost: Free. Session Times: 6:30– 8pm at The Donnelly Center at Aquinas College, Grand Rapids. For more information, speaker details, and to register, please visit UHSmi.com/events. A Networking Mixer will also be held on October 3 immediately before that evening’s session from 5:30— 6:15pm. The event is designed to connect attendees with speakers, board members, local practitioners, and likeminded individuals. Admission is free to UHS members and $15 for non-members. Details and registration for the mixer can be found at UHSmi.com/events. See ad pages 2 & 37.

Integrative Health & Healing Program

he folks at Grand Rapids Natural Health believe that true healing comes from an individualized approach to health, which addresses all forms of wellness: physical mental, emotional, and spiritual. Their collaborative team of health practitioners is thrilled to have come together to create an all-new Integrative Health and Healing Program, and integrative wellness program unlike any in the area. The Integrative Health and Healing Program is a chance for you to find optimal wellness by addressing the whole you and discovering how every aspect of your life is impacting your health. Each of our programs is personalized to you and your needs and includes a unique combination of our services including Integrative and Naturopathic Medical Consultations, Health Coaching, Acupuncture, Counseling Sessions, Massage Therapy, CranioSacral Therapy and more, all offered at discounted rates. Common conditions and goals addressed by our program include, weight management, chronic pain, depression, anxiety, hormonal concerns, fertility, thyroid disorders, diabetes, heart disease, natural awakenings

September 2017

newsbriefs gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmune disease and more! Program participants can choose to participate in a 1, 3 or 6 month program, with ONE LOW MONTHLY RATE. Stop by or call for your introduction to their program and how they can help you reach your goals. Call today and ask for you complimentary 15-minute meet and greet appointment with their medical director. Grand Rapids Natural Health is located at Fulton, Grand Rapids. For more information call 616-264-6556 or online at GRNaturalHealth.com See ad page 14.

day pressures of anxiety and depression through a holistic approach. They will tap into the seven main energy centers of the body known as the Chakras teaching the youth ways of understanding, coping, and developing their emotions through their troubled times. This therapy program will run on Wednesdays from 6-8pm beginning September 20. For this pilot session the age range is 13-21. Each week the students will go through a variety of exercises such as meditations, journaling, yoga poses, and discuss topics such as affirmations, law of attraction, sacred space, and the power of crystals. These exercises and topics are to help each student identify what they are struggling internally with the most, and giving them several holistic tools to find their balance mentally, emotionally, and physically. To find out more information visit their store at 5150 Northland Dr. NE, Grand Rapids or contact them at info@ theremedyhouse.org or 616-443-4225 See ad page 16.

EnergyTouch® School Changes Calendar

E 15th Annual Harvest Fest

illers International’s 15th annual Harvest Fest will take place on Sunday, Sept. 24 from 11-5pm at 10515 East OP Ave in Scotts, MI. Tillers specializes in the use of draft animals in small-scale agriculture, along with the many other skills that attend farm and homestead life. The day will be filled with draft animal farming field demos, skill-sharing in the blacksmithing and woodshops, sorghum harvest and pressing, ox-driving, an all-day shoemaking demo, an herb-walk, not to mention vendors, live music, and local food. This is an important community building event in SW Michigan for those who are interested in earth-friendly agriculture, issues of environmental sustainability, and craftsmanship. It’s also fun for kids. For more information contact Tillers International Ryan DeRamus at 269-626-0223, DeRamus@TillersInternational. org or online at TillersInternational.org

New Rainbow Therapy Program at The Remedy House

he Remedy House is excited to announce a new program designed to proactively help our youth who are struggling with day to

West Michigan Edition

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arlier this spring the EnergyTouch® School of Advanced Healing decided to change their calendar from the traditional September - May school year to a more travelfriendly schedule of March - November. “With so many of our students traveling from out of state, we decided that a non-winter schedule would help alleviated the scheduling concerns, especially for those who travel by air.” Said Tricia Eldridge, Founder and President of the School. “Our school year has always been set up to accommodate students who work, allowing them to come to Grand Rapids five times per school year for four days of intense training and then take their new skills home where they apply them during sessions with clients.” The change has also required the prerequisite training to be rescheduled. Typically the EnergyTouch® Basics classes will begin six months prior to the first day of Year-One class. This year those classes began in August and will run through January. The School’s 2018 Year-One class begins on March 12. 2018 Year-One Class Schedule: Week-One Mar 12 - 15 Week-Two May 07 - 10 Week-Three Jul 09 - 12 Week-Four Sept 10 - 13 Week-Five Nov 05 – 08 For more information call 616-897-8668, GEldridge@ EnergyTouchSchool.com or find them online at EnergyTouchSchool.com See ad page 19.

ecotip

onthecover

Retired Volunteers Keep National Parks Humming Retirees are volunteering at hundreds of nationally protected lands. They staff visitor centers, do maintenance, clean up debris and remind visitors to keep food items secure from wildlife. Last year, volunteers outnumbered National Park Service staff about 20 to one, expanding the financially strapped agency’s ability to serve hundreds of millions of visitors. Nearly a third of them are 54 and up, contributing to the 7.9 million service hours worked in 2015 by all 400,000 volunteers. Volunteer opportunities also exist at National Wildlife Refuge sites, fish hatcheries and endangered species field offices of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Sallie Gentry, volunteer coordinator for the Southeast Region, based in Atlanta, notes that Georgia’s Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has a dozen designated spots for motor homes in its Volunteer Village. She says most volunteers are local retired residents whose working hours vary while RV volunteers commit to 20 hours a week for at least three months. In return, they get free hookups for electricity, sewage, propane and water. “They have skills they want to contribute, but are also looking for a social outlet,” notes Gentry. Cookouts and potlucks are common. She also cites the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, an important migratory stop especially for songbirds, as a place with great appeal. “We supply uniforms, training, tools and orientations,” says Gentry. “It’s a mutually beneficial investment.” She suggests that individuals apply for specific sites at least a year in advance. Megan Wandag, volunteer coordinator for the USFWS Midwest Region, based in Minneapolis, cites the popular Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, in Bloomington, and the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, near Des Moines, as “oases near urban areas.” USFWS Southwest Region volunteer coordinator Juli Niemann highlights the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, in central New Mexico, that has 18 recreation vehicle spots and an average occupancy duration of five months. “It’s a prime wintering place for sandhill cranes.” Volunteer.gov updates site details and contact information at federal facilities nationwide.

The most important

pieces of equipment you need for doing yoga are your body and your mind. ~Rodney Yee

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Elder Force

aleska Sallaberry and Luis Mendez, publishers of Natural Awakenings Puerto Rico. After 15 years publishing the magazine and creating Wellness initiatives on their Island, they still continue their passion for service and desire to make a difference in their community and the World. They are both Certified Advanced Yoga Teachers (RYT 500 hrs.) and living examples of what natural, healthy and conscious living really is. Waleska and Luis have three kids, ages 11 to 21. During the last 16 years of their life they have focused on their personal and spiritual growth process. Each year they make time to detox, recharge and reconnect. They both enjoy stand up paddleboarding, taking care of Mother Earth–inspiring others, and enjoy time outdoors with their kids and friends. They currently live in Rincón, Puerto Rico, a small laid back surf town on the west side of the island, where they are blessed with a growing eco & health conscious commUNITY. Two of their life’s mottos: Life is good! and “Work hard, Play harder”. Photo: Kelvin Sanchez: graphic design & photography

HCA is now West Michigan’s Center for Acupuncture, offering cupping and E-stim in addition to TCM.

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esearchers from several international universities have found that seniors that provide caregiving services live longer than those that do not. The scientists analyzed survival data and information collected from the Berlin Aging Study on 500 adults over the age of 69 from 1990 to 2009. They compared survival rates from the subjects that provided caregiving for children, grandchildren and friends to those that did not. Of the subjects analyzed, the half that took care of their grandchildren or children were still alive 10 years after their first interview in 1990. Caring for nonfamily members also produced positive results, with half of the subjects living for seven years after the initial interview. Conversely, 50 percent of those that did not participate in any caregiving had died just four years after their first interview. The researchers warn that caregiving must be done in moderation. Ralph Hertwig, director of the Center for Adaptive Rationality and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, in Berlin, explains, “A moderate level of caregiving involvement seems to have positive effects on health, but previous studies have shown that more intense involvement causes stress, which has a negative effect on physical and mental health.”

LESS SALT REDUCES NIGHTTIME POTTY VISITS

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study from Nagasaki University, in Japan, has found that reducing salt in the diet can cut down on the number of trips to the bathroom during the night. Researchers followed 321 men and women with high-salt diets and sleep problems for 12 weeks. Of the subjects, 223 reduced their salt intake from 10.7 grams per day to 8 grams and the remaining 98 increased their salt intake from 9.6 grams per day to 11 grams. The nighttime urination frequency rate for the salt reduction group dropped from 2.3 times per night to 1.4 times, while the increased salt group’s rose from 2.3 to 2.7 times per night.

EARLY BIRDS EAT BETTER AND EXERCISE MORE

esearchers from Helsinki, Finland, analyzed data from 2,000 people to find out how sleeping patterns affected their food choices. They discovered individuals that wake up early make healthier food choices throughout the day and are more physically active. “Linking what and when people eat to their biological clock type provides a fresh perspective on why certain people are more likely to make unhealthy food decisions,” explains lead author Mirkka Maukonen, from the National Institute for Health and Welfare, in Helsinki.

West Michigan Edition

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Buy one class, get one free. New students only. With coupon. Workshops not included. Expires 10/18/17

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FREE CLASS

Caring for Others Prolongs Life

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esearchers from Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, have found that regular yoga practice can help reduce anxiety and depression in young women with eating disorders. The scientists followed 20 girls between the ages of 14 and 18 that were enrolled in an outpatient eating disorder clinic that comprised the larger control group. Those selected agreed to participate in a weekly yoga class and complete questionnaires after six and 12 weeks, assessing their anxiety, depression and mood. Of those that started the study, five attended all 12 yoga classes and six completed between seven and 11 classes. Researchers found decreases in anxiety, depression and negative thoughts among those that participated in the yoga classes, with no negative side effects. Another study from the University of Delaware, in Newark, supports these results. Half of the 38 residential eating disorder treatment program participants did one hour of yoga prior to dinner for five days and the other half did not. The yoga group showed significant reductions in pre-meal anxiety compared to the control group.

Beetroot Juice Helps Older Brains Act Younger

Meditation and Music Aid Memory in Early Stages of Alzheimer’s

new study from West Virginia University, in Morgantown, reveals that listening to music and practicing meditation may help improve memory function for those in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers asked 60 adults experiencing subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a common predictor of Alzheimer’s, to engage in kirtan kriya musical meditation or listen to other music for 12 minutes a day for three months, and then consider continuing for an additional three months. Scientists measured the memory and cognitive function of the 53 participants that completed the six-month study and found significant improvements in both measurements at the three-month mark. At six months, the subjects in both groups had maintained or improved upon their initial results.

Tonsillectomies Help Only Temporarily

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Yoga Eases Eating Disorders

esearchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in Nashville, Tennessee, examined the effectiveness of tonsillectomies in children with recurring throat infections. Using data from nearly 10,000 studies of tonsillectomies, the scientists analyzed illness rates and quality of life for young patients following the surgery. The analysis found that children experienced a notable drop in school absences and infections in the first year after the surgery, but that these benefits did not persist over time. Dr. Siva Chinnadurai, an associate professor of otolaryngology and co-author of the report, believes, “For any child being considered a candidate for surgery, the family must have a personalized discussion with their healthcare provider about all of the factors that may be in play and how tonsils fit in as one overall factor of that child’s health.”

eets contain high levels of dietary nitrate, which can increase blood flow and improve exercise performance. Researchers from Wake Forest University, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, tested the impact of consuming beetroot juice prior to exercise on the somatomotor cortex, the part of the brain that processes information from the muscles. Twenty-six older adults with hypertension that generally don’t exercise were split into two groups. Half were given a beetroot juice supplement with 560 milligrams of nitrate prior to a thrice-weekly, 50-minute treadmill walk for six weeks. The other half were given a placebo with very little nitrate. The beetroot juice group showed substantially higher levels of nitrate after exercising than the placebo group. “We knew going in that a number of studies had shown that exercise has positive effects on the brain,” explains W. Jack Rejeski, director of the Behavioral Medicine Laboratory in the Health and Exercise Science Department at Wake Forest and study co-author. “We showed that compared to exercise alone, adding a beetroot juice supplement for hypertensive older adults to exercise resulted in brain connectivity that closely resembles what is seen in younger adults.”

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September 2017

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

Milk Muddle

The Aurora Organic Dairy pastures and feedlots north of Greeley, Colorado, are home to more than 15,000 cows—more than 100 times the size of a typical organic herd. It is the main facility of the company that supplies milk to Walmart, Costco and other major retailers. They adhere to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic regulations, but critical weaknesses exist in the inspection system the government uses to ensure that food is organic; farmers are allowed to hire their own inspectors to certify them, and thus can fall short of reaching standards without detection. Organic dairies are required to allow the cows to graze daily throughout the growing season rather than be confined to barns and feedlots. Although the USDA National Organic Program allows for an extremely wide range of grazing practices that comply with the rule, Aurora was observed onsite and via satellite imagery by the Washington Post as having only a small percentage of the herd outdoors on any given day. The company disputes the data. U.S. organic dairy sales amounted to $6 billion last year; although it is more expensive to produce, the milk may command a premium price of 100 percent more than regular.

Dudarev Mikhail/Shutterstock.com

Organic Milk Producer Under Pressure

Experiential Ed

Finland, internationally renowned for innovative educational practices, is poised to become the first country to eliminate school subjects. Officials are making changes to be implemented by 2020 that will revolutionize how the school system works by allowing pupils to absorb a body of knowledge about language, economics and communication skills. “We need something to fit for the 21st century,” says Department of Education head Marjo Kyllonen. The system will be introduced for seniors beginning at age 16. They will choose which topic or phenomenon they want to study, bearing in mind their ambitions and capabilities. “Instead of staying passively in their benches listening to the teachers, students will now often work in smaller groups collaborating on projects, rather than just assigned classwork and homework.” Another new model of learning sparked by XQ: The Super School Project (xqsuperschool.org) is underway at New Harmony High School, housed on a floating barge at the mouth of the Mississippi River southeast of New Orleans. They’ve received a $10 million grant to work on environmental issues when it opens in 2018. “High schools today are not preparing students for the demands of today’s world,” says XQ Senior School Strategist Monica Martinez; she notes that about a third of college students must take remedial courses and are not prepared to thrive as employees. 10

West Michigan Edition

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Gestalt-Based Curricula Emerging

Plutonium Problem Glass or Cement May Encase Nuclear Waste

Congress might consider authorizing the U.S. Department of Energy to encase much of the nuclear waste at the Washington state Hanford Nuclear Reservation, the nation’s largest waste repository, in a cement-like mixture, according to a new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. It states that when burying the waste, cement would be less expensive and faster than vitrification, an alternative process currently used to turn the waste into glass logs. A $17 billion vitrification plant, one of the federal government’s most expensive construction projects, is intended to separate much of the waste into high- and low-level radioactive material, but construction has stalled over design and safety concerns. After the highly radioactive waste is immobilized in the glass logs, it would theoretically be shipped to an as-yet-nonexistent national repository proposed for Yucca Mountain, in Nevada. The 56 million gallons of waste in question is left over from plutonium production for nuclear weapons since World War II, and the site itself has a history of leaks. The Department of Energy likes the cement burial, but state officials believe the best way to safely deal with the waste and protect the environment is by turning it into glass. Source: enews.earthlink.net

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The Egyptian fruit bat is a highly social mammal that roosts in crowded colonies. A machine learning algorithm helped decode their squeaks, revealing that they speak to one another as individuals. The research appears in the journal Scientific Reports. Researchers at Tel Aviv University, in Israel, discovered that the bats exchange information about specific problems in four categories. Ramin Skibba, at Nature, notes that besides humans, only dolphins and a handful of other species are known to address individuals, rather than making broad, general communication sounds. Studies allow that it may eventually be possible to understand nuanced communications in other species.

Rolling Internet

Winnebago Assists Computer Literacy Librarian Shannon Morrison drives the Digibus, a new, 40-foot-long Winnebago computer classroom that hit the road in January bound for Fresno County, California, communities with the goal of bringing free computer literacy and job searching skills to the public. It employs 12 computer tablets with keyboards and staff that include bilingual interpreters. The library bus was scheduled to spend one week at each of two different communities each month.

Milkweed Mittens Leene/Shutterstock.com

Common Weed Is Lightweight Insulator The Canadian Coast Guard is testing milkweed pods as a source of potential environmentally friendly insulation in partnership with Encore3, a manufacturing company in Québec, Canada, in prototype parkas, gloves and mittens. The plant is roughly five times lighter than synthetic insulation and hypoallergenic. The Farm Between, in Cambridge, Vermont, harvests the plants and sends the material to Encore3. Co-owner John Hayden says, “Milkweed is grown as an intercrop between the rows in our apple orchard to increase biodiversity and provide a host plant for monarch caterpillars. Monarch populations are in serious decline, and the two things we can do to help on the land we steward are to not use pesticides and provide milkweed habitat.”

Abel Zyl/Shutterstock.com

Bat Banter

Computers Decipher Animal Language

Free Wheeling

Architecture Becomes Portable Innovative, moveable mini-houses, tents and wagons are gaining advocates amid a trend toward traveling light with style. Designs range from the functional to the outlandish, and also encompass forms of transport from tugboats to tractors. The four-wheeled Collingwood Shepherd Hut wagon has a shingled exterior and wood-burning stove. Some options can provide ready shelter during a crisis or protection in extreme weather. The Rapid Deployment Module temporary dwelling can be assembled in an hour; DesertSeal’s inflatable, lightweight tent can ward off extreme heat. The experimental Camper Kart turns a shopping cart into a mini-home with a roof, sleeping deck and storage, all of which can be folded right back into the cart. The Portaledge is a small hanging tent that climbers can affix to a rock face and sleep in safely partway up the rock. Golden Gate 2 camper features a rounded timber frame, portholes and a spot for a surfboard. Find fun pictures at AtlasObscura.com/ articles/mobile-architecture-tiny-houses.

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Lasers Stamp Prices on European Produce Food retailers are aiming to cut plastic and cardboard packaging by ditching stickers on fruits and vegetables, instead using high-tech laser “natural branding” and creating huge savings in materials, energy and CO2 emissions. Pilot projects are underway in Europe with organic avocados, sweet potatoes and coconuts. The technique uses a strong light to remove pigment from the skin of produce. The mark is invisible once the skin is removed and doesn’t affect shelf life or produce quality. The laser technology also creates less than 1 percent of the carbon emissions needed to produce a similar-sized sticker. Source: The Guardian natural awakenings

September 2017

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Aging with Passion and Purpose Finding Fulfillment, Creativity and Meaning by Deborah Shouse

ant to age well? The answer isn’t in your 401k. Self-acceptance, a positive attitude, creative expression, purposeful living and spiritual connections all anchor successful and meaningful aging. In fact, these kinds of preparations are just as important as saving money for retirement, according to Ron Pevny, director of the Center for Conscious Eldering, in Durango, Colorado, and author of Conscious Living, Conscious Aging.

Savor Self-Acceptance

While most people believe adulthood is the final stage of life, Dr. Bill Thomas is among the creative aging experts that identify another life chapter: elderhood. “Elders possess novel ways of approaching time, money, faith and relationships,” says Thomas, an Ithaca, New York geriatrician and fierce advocate for the value of aging. “The best chapters may be near the end of the book,” Thomas continues. “Once you appreciate yourself and your years, you can relinquish outdated expectations and seek to discover your true self. Then the world can open up to you,” says Thomas. “Living a rewarding life means we are willing to say, ‘These chapters now are the most interesting.’” During this time, rather than feeling consumed by what we have to do, we can focus on what we want to do. 12

West Michigan Edition

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Fill the Funnel of Friends

For older people, relationships offer foundational connections; but as we age, friends may drift away, relocate or die. “Successful aging requires refilling our funnel of friends,” says Thomas, who considers socially engaged elders with friends wealthier than a socially isolated millionaire. “Notice opportunities for interacting and connecting,” advises Shae Hadden, co-founder of The Eldering Institute in Vancouver, Canada. Talk with the checkout person at the grocery store or smile at a stranger walking her dog.

Cultivate a Positive Attitude

Our beliefs about aging shape our experiences. A Yale University study found that older individuals with more positive self-perceptions of aging lived 7.5 years longer than those less so inclined. Connecting with positive role models helps us release limiting beliefs and embrace an attitude of gratitude instead. Other life lessons can be gleaned from observing how negativity affects people physically, emotionally, and socially. Holding onto regrets traps us in the past zapping energy and self-worth; it also keeps the best in us from shining out says Pevny. He suggests a simple letting-go ceremony, with friends as witnesses. If possible, hold it in a natural outdoor setting.

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At one of his conscious aging retreats, Pevny created a fire circle. Mike, 70, had been a dedicated long-distance runner for most of his life. Now plagued with mobility issues, Mike decided to let go of regrets. He brought a pair of running shorts into the circle and talked about what the sport had meant to him— its joys, challenges and camaraderie. Then he tossed the shorts into the fire, telling his friends, “I am letting go so I can find a new purpose and passion.”

Understand Our Life Stories

Creating our own life review helps us acknowledge and understand our most significant experiences and reminds us of all we’re bringing to our elder journey. Pevny offers these approaches: n Develop a timeline, dividing life into seven-year sections. For each, write about the strongest memories and most influential people. n Consider what matters most, from people and values to challenges and dreams. n Write to children and grandchildren, sharing tales of our life’s most significant events and lessons. n Record key stories on audio or video.

Explore the Arts

The changes that aging brings can mire elders in depression and isolation. “Older people need to be brave and resilient,” says Susan Perlstein, of Brooklyn, New York, founder emeritus of the National Center for Creative Aging, in Washington, D.C., and founder of Elders Share the Arts, in New York City. “To age creatively, we need a flow of varied experiences, exploring new activities or reframing longtime interests from a fresh perspective.” Expressive arts can engage people’s minds, bodies and spirits. A George Washington University study shows that people engaged in the arts are happier and healthier. Perlstein understands this firsthand, having begun taking guitar lessons in her 70s. Motivated to play simple songs for her new granddaughter, she subsequently learned to play jazz and blues tunes and joined a band. “I’m doing something I love,” says Perlstein. “I’m meeting diverse people, learning new things and enjoying a rich life.”

The answers can lead to fresh settings, including local community centers and places of worship. Many universities have extension classes for lifelong learners. State arts councils support programs, and museums and libraries host helpful activities. Shepherd Centers encourage community learning and Road Scholar caters to elders that prefer to travel and study.

Older people are our greatest resource. We need to nurture them and give them a chance to share what they know. ~Susan Perlstein, founder, National Center for Creative Aging and Elders Share the Arts Musician John Blegen, of Kansas City, Missouri, was 73 when he realized his lifelong secret desire to tap dance. When Blegen met the then 87-year-old Billie Mahoney, Kansas City’s “Queen of Tap,” he blurted out his wish and fear of being “too old.” She just laughed and urged him to sign up for her adult beginner class. He asked for tap shoes for Christmas and happily shuffle-stepped his way through three class sessions. “Tap class inspired me, encouraged me and gave me hope,” he says. “Now I can shim sham and soft shoe. It’s a dream come true.” To unearth the inner artist, ask: n Which senses do I most like to engage? n Do I enjoy looking at art or listening to music? Do I like sharing feelings and experiences? If so, a thrill may come from writing stories or plays, acting or storytelling. n As a child, what did I yearn to do; maybe play the piano, paint or engineer a train set? Now is the time to turn those dreams into reality. n How can I reframe my life in a positive way when I can no longer do activities I love? If dancing was my focus before, how do I rechannel that energy and passion? If puttering in the garden is too strenuous, what other outdoor interests can I pursue?

Discover a Purpose

Upon retirement some people feel purposeless and lost. They yearn for something that offers up excitement, energy and joy. Hadden invites people to be curious and explore options. “We’re designing our future around who we are and what we care about now,” she says. Try keeping a journal for several weeks. Jot down issues and ideas that intrigue, aggravate and haunt. After several weeks, reflect on the links between concerns that compel and those that irritate. Perhaps we’re intrigued by a certain group of people or a compelling issue. “A concern points to problems and people you want to help,” Hadden observes. This can range from lending a hand to struggling family members, maintaining our own health, volunteering for a literacy project or working to reduce world hunger. “Choose what inspires you to get out of bed each day, eager to move into action.”

Develop Inner Frontiers

People in their elder years may still be measured by midlife standards, which include physical power, productivity and achievement. “They come up short in the eyes of younger people,” dharma practitioner Kathleen Dowling Singh remarks. “But those standards do not define a human life.” Rather, aging allows us to disengage from the pressures of appearances and accomplishments. As we release judgments and unwanted habits, we can increase our feelings of spirituality and peace. “When doors in the outer world seem to be closing, it’s time to cultivate inner resources that offer us joy and meaning. We have the beautiful privilege of slowing down and hearing what our heart is saying,” says Singh, of Sarasota, Florida.

natural awakenings

September 2017

Acknowledge Our Shelf Life

“We cannot speak about aging and awakening without speaking about death and dying,” Singh believes. “We need to confront our mortality.” Meditating on the coming transition opens us up to the blessings of life. We can ask ourselves deep questions such as, “What am I doing? What do I want? What does this all mean? What is spirit?” Singh believes such searching questions are vital. None of us knows how much Earth time we have to awaken to a deeper, fuller experience of the sacred.

Help the World In today’s world of chaos and crisis, the wisdom of elders is more important

Nearly three-quarters of America’s adults believe they are lifelong learners. It helps them make new friends and community connections and prompts volunteerism. ~Pew Research Center

than ever. “Older people need to be engaged, using their insights to help the Earth, community and world,” Pevny says. Creative aging is about improving the future for subsequent generations. In 2008, longtime educator Nora Ellen Richard, 70, of Overland Park, Kansas, wanted to be of greater service. She asked herself, “What if I housed a foreign student?” and found the International Student Homestay Program. She embarked upon an exploration of cultures from around the world without leaving home. Today, Richard has hosted more than a dozen female students and each relationship has expanded and enriched her life. “We talk about politics, food, religion and cultures; we even pray together,” Richard says. She points to memorable moments of bonding and respect, appreciation and celebration, and says, “As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned how vital it is to nurture the world I am in.” Deborah Shouse is a writer, speaker, editor and dementia advocate. Her newest book is Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together. Connect at DementiaJourney.org.

Creative Aging Resources Center for Conscious Eldering CenterForConsciousEldering.com Changing Aging ChangingAging.org Dr. Bill Thomas DrBillThomas.org The Eldering Institute Eldering.org Elders Share the Arts Estanyc.org From Aging to Sageing Sage-ing.org Kathleen Dowling Singh KathleenDowlingSingh.com National Center for Creative Aging CreativeAging.org Shepherd’s Centers of America ShepherdCenters.org 14

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Meditation is one way to deepen spiritually as we age. “Sit in solitude, gather your scattered thoughts and set an intention,” Singh suggests. “A daily practice shows what peace, silence and contentment feel like. As you become more comfortable, add time until you’re sitting for 20 to 40 minutes.”

chironews

why the pancreas is under functioning (like auto-immunity).

Wonder What’s the Poop on Your Poop? By Dr. Dan Gleason

hy are there so many words for poop? We all know them. People don’t like to look at poop, talk about poop, or even think about poop. Yet, poop is pretty amazing when you think about it. Poop is complex. It’s a matrix of digested food, microbes, and residual digestive juices essential to life. Analyzing it can reveal important clues about your health. At The Gleason Center, we’re poop experts. We partner with diagnostic labs for what’s called “comprehensive stool analysis”. Comprehensive stool analysis is different than traditional stool testing. We look at the DNA “fingerprints” inside your poop to examine minute traces of bacteria, yeasts, and parasites. This dirty job allows us to find, identify, and eradicate harmful microbes. Which, unidentified, could lead to serious digestive and metabolic symptoms. After you’ve been treated, we retest to make sure the balance in your microbiome is healthy again. We use DRG Labs to determine levels of common bacteria including C-diff, E-coli, H-Pylori, Campylobacter, and Salmonella. This testing also reveals bacteria that have antibiotic resistance alerting us to future medications which could lead to problems with serious bacterial overgrowth. Even more interesting. This test highlights important digestive health

markers for gluten intolerance, inflammation, gall bladder health, yeast, and more. If you’re a poop nerd, here’s the A to Z on these specific markers. Anti-gliadin SIgA - A marker for gluten intolerance. Gluten testing is known for producing false negatives. Often giving us the wrong impression that it’s okay for you to continue to eat gluten. This inexpensive screening alerts us when your immune system doesn’t tolerate foods that have wheat, barley, or rye. It’s important to know this to avoid future health problems.

Elevated Fecal Fat - An indicator of biliary insufficiency. This means the gallbladder and bile ducts are blocked or sluggish. Bile’s digestive function is to emulsify dietary fat. When this process is diminished, your poop may float due to residual fat in the stool. Interventions can be used to clean out the gallbladder and enhance fat digestion. Fecal Occult Blood - This can be an ominous sign and when present needs to be investigated to find the source. It can indicate anything from mild hemorrhoids to colon cancer; conditions we need to know about.

Calprotectin - A very sensitive marker for inflammation. Inflammation is the root of all-evil when it comes to health. This test differentiates between IBS and IBD. Irritable Bowel Syndrome can be inconvenient and painful, but not-threatening like Inflammatory Bowl Disease. And you need to know the difference. Establishing a baseline also allows for future comparisons or can indicate the need for referral for colonoscopy. Lactoferrin is another sensitive inflammation marker, much like Calprotectin.

SIgA - This is an indicator of the level of intestinal immune activity. It is a possible indicator of Leaky Gut Syndrome or hyper-permeability. The GIFX test from Genova is another stool test we use to identify the good bacteria in your poop. This is helpful when deciding which probiotic or prebiotic to prescribe. This test also has markers for protein mal-digestion, indicators of liver function, toxicity, and more. Scientists are finding that gut health is the key to many health problems. Inflammation and auto-immunity begin in the gut. Normal, healthy poop has billions of bacteria. We’re unlocking secrets that will help us understand health and disease like never before. Stool testing is a powerful tool providing clues for a much healthier life. Poop. Who knew?

Elastase - A pancreatic enzyme that survives the digestive process. This is an accurate marker for pancreatic output. If Elastase is low we use supplemental digestive enzymes and look for reasons

Dr. Dan Gleason is the owner of The Gleason Center located at 19084 North Fruitport Road in Spring Lake. For more info: go to TheGleasonCenter.com or call 616-846-5410. See ad page 45.

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September 2017

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Rodney Yee on Yoga as a Way of Life Simple Strategies for Staying on Track by Marlaina Donato

enowned yogi and international teacher Rodney Yee, of New York City, has maintained an inspired yoga practice for 37 years while juggling career obligations, fame and family life. While the benefits of yoga are increasingly well known—from stress reduction and pain management to a more limber body and inner peace—Yee is also aware of the challenges to maintaining a consistent practice. Here he shares insights on the pitfalls encountered by both beginning and advanced students. “My advice is to first get rid of self-berating behavior, including judgmental inner dialogue. In many aspects of life, we are constantly measuring ourselves against a standard, which is a waste of time and energy,” says Yee. With a professional background in classical dance and gymnastics, Yee decided to give yoga a try at a nearby studio when he craved more physical flexibility. “As many people do, I came to yoga for a reason. I was a dancer with tight joints. After the first class, I couldn’t believe how I felt. It was not at all like an athletic high; I had a sense of well-being and knew what it means to feel peaceful and clear.” For people with jam-packed lives, finding time for exercise can be daunting. Yee suggests a relaxed approach to scheduling yoga into a busy day. “As the rishis [Hindu sages] say, we shouldn’t ‘try’ to meditate, not try to force a natural state. To say, ‘I have to do yoga,’ just puts another thing on our to-do list. Sometimes discipline is needed, but another part of discipline is not about force.”

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You can blink and half your life is gone. You can’t always be busy, busy, busy; you have to decide how to fill your life.

thisjustin Toxic Practices

Different approaches to yoga abound, and part of staying motivated may include exploration of a variety of traditions as individual needs change due to lifestyle, health, interests or simple curiosity. Yee reminds us to go with the flow and follow how we feel in the moment. “Different schools of yoga exist because each offers something different. There is a form for all of our moods and a practice for how you feel at any given time.” Reflecting on how his own practice has evolved through the years, Yee recollects, “In my 20s and 30s, my yoga practice was arduous, including three to four hours of strong, physical work and a half hour of pranayama [breath work]. Then for 20 years, it involved a lot of teaching. Over the past 17 years, my practice has become more subtle, with a focus on sequencing and meditation; it’s about how to do this all day long in the context of my body and my life; about being both centered and in the world. In some way, we’re always doing yoga, as we already take 20,000 breaths a day. From a philosophical and ethical point of view, yogis have no choice but to practice.” Because many American women have found their way to a yogic path, men often assume it’s primarily a women’s niche. But yoga has been a male practice for nearly 2,500 years in other countries. Yee encourages men to not feel intimidated. “Why not try something that can help you improve your business, family life and even your golf game?” he queries. While Yee believes in a no-pressure approach, he also suggests inviting ways to foster consistency. “If you are just beginning, set aside a half-hour before going to bed or get up a half-hour earlier. Also note that pain is less to be avoided than learned from.” Wisdom can come from dedication to a yoga practice. Yee’s philosophy is, “You can blink and half your life is gone. You can’t always be busy, busy, busy; you have to decide how to fill your life. As spiritual teacher Ram Dass counsels, ‘Be here now.’ Train yourself to bring body, mind and heart together and fully drink from that.” Learn more at YeeYoga.com. Marlaina Donato is a freelance writer, author and multimedia artist. Connect at MarlainaDonato.com.

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Monsanto Faces New Scandal

The Monsanto agrochemical company, long cited for its ubiquitous toxic Roundup herbicide and pro-genetically modified organism (GMO) science, is reeling from the disclosure of internal communications that indicate it suppressed knowledge of the potential dangers of its herbicide and received insider help from U.S. regulators. Many documents have been made public by attorneys involved in a personal injury case involving cancer, just one of hundreds pending (reference nonprofit U.S. Right to Know at usrtk.org). Attorney Brent Wisner states, “These [documents] show that Monsanto has deliberately been stopping studies that look bad for them, ghostwriting literature and engaging in a whole host of corporate malfeasance. They have been telling everybody that these products are safe because regulators have said they are safe, but it turns out that Monsanto has been in bed with U.S. regulators, while misleading European regulators.” Monsanto is currently seeking to merge with Germany’s Bayer AG, another industry giant, but the deal is subject to government review. It remains to be seen if these revelations will interfere with the process or prompt other actions by such regulating bodies as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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FLOATING AWAY STRESS Isolation Tanks Induce Deep Rest and Healing by Gina McGalliard

NaturallyWestMI

West Michigan Edition

ensory isolation in a floatation tank is known for inducing deep relaxation with subsequent improved health. A 2014 study published in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry investigating the effects of a series of flotation tank treatments for 65 participants, showed it to be an effective measure in decreasing stress, depression, anxiety and pain, while enhancing a sense of optimism and quality of sleep. The Book of Floating: Exploring the Private Sea, by Michael Hutchison, reports on 20th-century research suggesting the therapy can help allay ailments like chronic pain, migraines and sore muscles. There’s also evidence for enhanced meditation, creativity and spiritual experiences. Float therapy was invented by Dr. John C. Lilly, a neurophysiology specialist. The individual enters an enclosed tank containing 11 inches of water heated to 93.5 degrees—a normal temperature for human skin— and some 1,000 pounds of dissolved Epsom salt. The effect is like buoyantly floating in the Dead Sea, but in a clean, quiet, private realm. The water is typically filtered three to five times

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between each session and sanitized using UV light; some also use peroxide and ozone gas to purify the water. Without any sensory input—no sight, sound or tactile sensations—the floater typically enters a profound deeply calm state of theta brain waves that tends to bring the subconscious to the surface. It can take experienced meditators years to learn to consistently achieve this condition, remarks Bryan Gray, of Float North County, a spa in Solana Beach, California.

Ultimate Meditation Venue

Scientific research has shown that floating can release the feel-good neurotransmitters endorphins and dopamine, and lower the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. Studies performed by the Laureate Institute of Brain Research, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which maintains a float clinic, have found the therapy is an effective treatment for patients with anxiety disorders. “It frees your mind of distraction and puts it in a zone,” explains Gray. “It removes the need for fight or flight, so those hormones are reduced. That part of the brain mellows out.”

Marvelous Magnesium

Lying for an hour in water infused with Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate, the body receives a huge infusion of magnesium, a mineral essential to optimal health. While calcium and vitamin D deficiencies get more attention, it’s even more likely most of us are low on this element due to magnesiumdepleting drugs and inadequate farm soils. Many ailments shown by research to be helped by floating have also been linked to magnesium deficiency.The mineral is also essential for heart health, strong bones and central nervous system function, as reported in The Magnesium Miracle, by Dr. Carolyn Dean, a physician and naturopath in Kihei, Hawaii.

Wide-Ranging Healings

Chronic pain sufferers often find relief through floating because the lessened gravity allows the body to fully relax. The accompanying serenity releases the brain’s natural endorphins, which act as natural painkillers, into the bloodstream, reports Hutchison.

The sheer tranquility of floating can alleviate some mental health issues. “We’ve had several people with post-traumatic stress disorder. One man has returned six times and says he’s advanced more in the last three months while floating than he did in the prior five to 10 years,” says Andy Larson, owner of Float Milwaukee. Athletes also appreciate floating because it shortens injury recovery periods through enhancing blood flow, helping to heal sore muscles. The way it facilitates a calm state ideal for implanting ideas into the subconscious mind enables them to better visualize improved performance.

This phenomenon can be especially beneficial for creative artists. “We have a girl that always emerges from the tank with an idea for a new painting,” says Gray. He also regularly hosts a composer that has worked with famous singers, who has experienced innovative musical breakthroughs while floating. Floating is among the rare healing modalities that can benefit body, mind and spirit in just one hour, with repeat benefits. Gina McGalliard is a freelance writer in San Diego, CA. Connect at GinaMcGalliard.com.

Discoveries Within

Floaters can fall into what sleep specialists call the hypnagogic state, meaning they are apt to have lucid dreams while awake. Also known as Stage 1 sleep, it is the drowsiest condition we experience while still consciously aware. This is the scientific explanation for reports of visions or “Eureka!” problem-solving moments in the tank, says Hutchison.

Less is only more where more is no good. ~Frank Lloyd Wright

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FABULOUS FAN FARE Healthy Tailgating Foods to Cheer For

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by Judith Fertig

at, play, party… and repeat. We may call it tailgating, fangating, homegating, a watch party or simply eating with friends before a big game. According to the American Tailgaters Association, in St. Paul, Minnesota, an estimated 50 million Americans tailgate annually. Whether we’re on the road or at home, making the menu healthy is a winning strategy for hosts and guests. Here, two experts divulge their winning ways. Says Debbie Moose, author of Fan Fare: A Playbook of Great Recipes for Tailgating or Watching the Game at Home, Ivy League schools like Princeton and Yale claim credit for pregame picnics that 19th-century sports fans packed into their horse and buggy for local road trips. Moose lives in the tailgate trifecta of the North Carolina triangle, home to Duke, North Carolina and Wake Forest universities. She enjoyed discovering that University of Washington sports fans from the Seattle area like to sail to their chosen picnic spots, while

University of Hawaii folks grill fish on hibachis in Honolulu. Moose naturally prefers healthy, Southern-style fare such as deviled eggs and marinated green bean salad, which can be served hot, cold or at room temperature. “At the game or at home, your guests will be moving around, so go for foods that can be eaten with one hand,” she suggests. She also plans her menu around color, universal appeal and variety because it’s healthier than just serving a mound of barbecued chicken wings and a big bowl of potato chips. She likes recipes that can do double duty; her black bean summer salad with cherry tomatoes and corn can function as a colorful side dish or as a salsa for nonGMO blue corn chips. “Recipes that you can do ahead of time make things easier on game day; just pull them from the fridge and go,” says Moose. Daina Falk, of New York City, grew up around professional athletes because her father, David Falk, is a well-known

Natural Awakenings recommends using organic, non-GMO (genetically modified) and non-bromated ingredients whenever possible. 20

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sports agent. Excitement-generating sports are in her blood and inspired her to write The Hungry Fan’s Game Day Cookbook. She knows that most of the tailgating in her area takes place for football and baseball games and NASCAR races. On HungryFan.com, Falk serves up tips for every fangating/homegating occasion, from the Kentucky Derby to the Super Bowl. “Keep your menu interesting,” says Falk. “I always like to feature a dish for each team. For instance, if you’re hosting an Alabama versus Washington watch party, you could feature an Alabama barbecue dish with white sauce and oysters or other fresh seafood. Both dishes are characteristic of the local foods in the universities’ respective hometowns.” Falk recommends buying more local beer than needed to make sure not to run out. Game day guests can get hot and thirsty, indoors or out. Supply lots of filtered water in non-breakable containers. For easy entertaining, Falk recommends biodegradable dishes and cups. “Whenever there are a lot of people in one room, especially when they’re drinking, a glass will likely be broken,” she says. “Save yourself cleanup and the risk of glass shards by committing to temporary cups and plates that are Earth-friendly and compostable.” Judith Fertig writes cookbooks and foodie fiction from Overland Park, KS (JudithFertig.com).

Healthy Tailgating Recipes Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the sliced onions in a colander over the sink. In a small bowl, stir together the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper until combined. Stir in the garlic. Set aside. When the water comes to a boil, add the green beans. Cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or just until the beans are bright green; do not overcook.

Crowd-Pleasing Marinated Green Beans Yields: 8 servings This simple salad is easy to double or triple. Make it the day before the game and refrigerate. ½ large red onion, thinly sliced 1 /3 cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup herb-flavored white wine vinegar or regular white wine vinegar Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed, but left long

Pour the beans and hot water over the onions in the colander. Rinse under cold running water to cool down. Drain well for a few minutes. Place the beans and onions in a large bowl or large re-sealable plastic bag. Pour the dressing in and mix with the vegetables. Refrigerate four hours or overnight, stirring or shaking occasionally. Let come to room temperature before serving. Courtesy of Debbie Moose, Fan Fare: A Playbook of Great Recipes for Tailgating or Watching the Game at Home.

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Chilled Red Bell Pepper Soup

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Yields: 4 small servings Quadruple this recipe to make soup for a larger gathering. Serve in small sipping cups—cold for games in hot weather or hot for games in cold weather.

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Black Bean Summer Salad Yields: 8 side dishes or 4 light meals This salad is easily doubled to feed a crowd. 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and well drained 5 or 6 green onions, white and green parts, chopped 1 large sweet banana pepper, seeded and chopped 1½ cups halved cherry tomatoes 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp lime juice 2½ Tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp chili powder Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 /3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves In a large bowl, toss together the corn, black beans, green onions, banana pepper and tomatoes. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, chili powder, salt and pepper.

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Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat them all. Then stir in the cilantro. Refrigerate from 1 to 3 hours to let the flavors come together. Note: If using frozen corn, drain it well and lightly sauté in a couple of teaspoons of olive oil before adding it to the salad. This removes moisture that may make the salad watery. Courtesy of Debbie Moose, Southern Holidays: A Savor the South Cookbook.

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1 red bell pepper, stemmed ½ cup low-fat Greek or dairy-free yogurt ¼ yellow onion 2 Tbsp tomato paste 1 small/mini-cucumber ¼ cup rice vinegar 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard 4 large garlic cloves 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Garnish: Flat leaf (Italian) parsley (minced optional) Roasted and salted pumpkin seeds Blend all main ingredients, except garnish, in a high-speed blender into purée. Serve topped with the parsley and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. Adapted from Daina Falk’s HungryFan.com.

Michelada

An Interspiritual Church

Yields: 8 servings Mix this cocktail in a pitcher and serve over ice. Part bloody Mary and part beer, the umami flavor comes from Maggi Seasoning, a bottled condiment available at better grocery stores.

Vegetarian-Friendly Barbecue Cauliflower Nuggets Yields: 8 appetizer servings Plant-based barbecue is a home run or touchdown. 1 head of cauliflower 1 cup all-purpose or gluten-free flour 1 Tbsp barbecue spice blend 1 cup nut milk of choice 1 cup tomato-based barbecue sauce Accompaniment: Dipping sauce of choice

Glass Rimmer: Lime wedges (plus more for serving) 2 Tbsp kosher salt ½ tsp chili powder Michelada: 1 (32 oz) bottle of chilled Clamato (about 4 cups) 1 (32 oz) bottle or 3 (12 oz) bottles chilled Mexican lager ½ cup fresh lime juice 1½ tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp bottled hot sauce 1 tsp bottled Maggi Seasoning

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For the glass rimmer, mix the kosher salt and chili powder on a small plate.

and

watch

your

Rub rims of pint glasses with lime wedges and dip in salt mixture. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix Clamato, lager, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and Maggi Seasoning in a large pitcher. Fill glasses with ice, top off with Michelada mixture and garnish with added lime wedges.

Rinse and separate cauliflower florets into small- to medium-sized pieces.

Adapted from Judith Fertig’s 500 Mexican Dishes.

Preheat the oven to 450° F.

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In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the barbecue spice, flour and nut milk until smooth.

Dredge each piece of cauliflower in the batter before placing it on the baking sheet. Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Brush the cauliflower with barbecue sauce and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the cauliflower from the baking sheet and plate alongside a dipping sauce of your choice. Adapted from Daina Falk’s HungryFan.com.

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September 2017

wisewords Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo

JOINING SCIENCE TO SPIRITUALITY

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by Linda Sechrist

208 W 18th Street Holland, MI 49424 616-392-7580 info@miBodhiTree.com www.miBodhiTree.com

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but a new stage of opportunity and strength. ~Betty Friedan

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n 2008, the Sebastopol, California, filmmaking team of Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo created Science and Nonduality (SAND), which later became a nonprofit organization aimed at fostering a new relationship with spirituality that is free from religious dogma, based on timeless wisdom traditions, informed by cutting-edge science and grounded in direct experience. The next year, they organized the first SAND conference, exploring nonduality and the nature of consciousness. Since then, the duo has been producing short films that contribute to the expansion of human awareness, and hosting annual conferences in the U.S. and Europe involving leading scientists, academics and other pioneering thinkers. Thousands of participants from around the world interact in forums and respectful dialogues with luminaries such as Menas Kafatos, Ph.D., a professor of computational physics at Chapman University, in Orange, California; Peter Russell, a theoretical physicist and author of From Science to God: A Physicist’s Journey into the Mystery of Consciousness; Robert Thurman, Ph.D., professor of Tibetan Buddhist studies at Columbia University, in New York City; evolutionary biologist Elisabet Sahtouris, author of EarthDance: Living Systems in Evolution; and Robert Lanza, physician, scientist and co-author of Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness are the

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Keys to Understanding the True Nature of the Universe.

Where do revelations about a deeper reality begin? MB: Individual and communal explorations often occur around life’s big questions, such as what it means to be conscious and to seek meaning and purpose; the possible place of intuition as the edge where knowledge meets the unknown and unknowable; and how crucial individual awakening is to social transformation.

What is meant by nonduality? ZB: Nonduality is the philosophical, spiritual and scientific understanding of fundamental oneness in which there is no separation. Through quantum mechanics, Western science has reached an understanding of what Eastern mystics have long understood. Duality, generally determined in terms of opposites such as self and other, conscious and unconscious, illusion and reality, as well as separation between the observer and the observed, is an illusion. Nonduality is the understanding that our identifying with common dualisms avoids recognition of a deeper reality. Until recently, human sciences have ignored the problem of consciousness by calling it the “hard problem”. This has led to our present fragmented

worldview rife with chaos, conflict and crises. It may be time for scientists to accept the discoveries of the mystics and consider consciousness intrinsic to every observed scientific phenomenon. Understanding that consciousness is the key to the universe, reality and ourselves may be the missing link in bridging science and spirituality.

What difference can exploring the nature of consciousness make? ZB: Understanding the new science that points to consciousness as all-pervasive and the fundamental building block of reality—that we are all made of the same essence, like drops in the ocean—can change how we approach and harmonize day-today living. We can be far more open, peaceful and accepting of others. Absurd violence, as well as economic, social and political crises, could all be things of the past, based on a new quantum understanding of our interconnectedness and oneness.

How has the nonduality movement evolved? MB: SAND has evolved into something we never imagined when we began discussing the ideas that the true spirit of science and spiritually is best supported by an open mind and a non-dogmatic inquiry; while science seeks to understand our external reality and spiritual thinkers seek to understand our inner, personal experience of consciousness, these seemingly different disciplines rarely come together in open dialogue. It became more evident that we weren’t looking for scientific answers or proof of what spiritual wisdom traditions teach, but rather to expand the questions asked of both science and spirituality. Open-ended questions arise such as: What if space and time are just useful maps and quantum mechanics is pointing us to a deeper reality more mysterious than we can ever imagine? What if science and spirituality, while responding to our collective aspiration to grow and progress, would no longer need to carry the burden of having all the answers? What if we considered our search openended, rather then having to arrive at a grand theory of life or final state of enlightenment? What if, while we probe deeper into reality and who we are, we realize that knowledge gathered will always be just a stepping-stone? For information about the 2017 conference in San Jose from Oct. 18 to 22, visit ScienceAndNonduality.com.

Social and recreational opportunities for individuals with mental illness, addictions and disabilities. Call 616.414.9111 for information or to enroll

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Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.

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September 2017

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lenty of people are pretty, but haven’t yet learned how to be beautiful. They have the right look for the times, but they don’t glow. Beautiful women glow. That’s because beautiful is not about how we look on the outside; it is about what we’re made of and being “full of beauty” on the inside. Beautiful people spend time discovering what their idea of beauty is on this Earth. They know themselves well enough to know what they love, and they love themselves enough to fill up with a little of their particular kind of beauty each day. When we are with a beautiful woman, we might not notice her hair, skin, body or clothes, because we’ll be distracted by the way she makes us feel. She is so full of beauty that some of it overflows onto us. We feel warm and safe and curious around her. Her eyes typically twinkle a little and she’ll look at us closely—because a beautiful, wise woman knows that the quickest way to fill up with beauty is to soak in another’s beauty. The most beautiful women take their time with other people; they are filling up. Women concerned with being pretty think about what they look like, but women concerned with being beautiful think about what they are looking at, taking in the loveliness around them. They are absorbing the whole beautiful world and making all that beauty theirs to give to others. Source: Adapted excerpt from Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton (Flatiron Books). She’s the founder and president of the nonprofit Together Rising. Read more at Momastery.com/blog.

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September 2017

Public School Programs

NATURE’S CLASSROOM Outdoor Learning Engages the Whole Child by Meredith Montgomery

Nature-based schools provide a child-centered, guided discovery approach to early learning that appeals to kids, parents and teachers and offers far-ranging benefits.

or youngsters at Tiny Trees Preschool, in Seattle, nature is their classroom— rain or shine; tuition even includes a rain suit and insulated rubber boots. At Schlitz Audubon Nature Preschool, in Milwaukee, children use downed wood to build forts and fires. Students of Vermont’s Educating Children Outdoors (ECO) program use spray bottles of colored water to spell words in the snow.

Forest Schools Based on the publicly funded forest kindergarten model used by Scandinavian countries since 1995, Tiny Trees encompasses seven urban park locations throughout the city, ranging from 15 to 160 acres. With no buildings, playgrounds or commercially produced furniture and 30 percent less overhead, “We can make exceptional education affordable,” remarks CEO Andrew Jay. “Most of the day is spent exploring the forest. If children see salmon in the 28

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stream, we observe them from a bridge, and then search out the headwaters to see where they’re coming from,” explains Jay.

Nature Preschools The launch of Earth Day in 1970 and America’s nature center movement in the 1960s yielded another immersive nature-based model that includes indoor learning. The preschool at the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Designcertified Schlitz Audubon Nature Center includes three nature-focused indoor classrooms and three outdoor areas— two with manmade structures like a slide and picnic tables, and one left completely natural. Founding Director Patti Bailie says the children spend most of their day outside and teachers can take them beyond the play areas to explore 185 acres of prairie, forest, wetlands and lakefront beach habitats.

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ECO currently collaborates with seven Vermont public schools from preschool to high school, offering year-long programs for students in inquiry-based outdoor learning for up to four hours a week. “We immerse ourselves in nature with a 10-minute hike into the forest,” says program coordinator Melissa Purdy. Students first learn safety protocols and how to set up camp. Introducing skill-appropriate tools, preschoolers whittle sticks, third-graders build teepees and lean-tos, and high school students build bridges across streams.

Building Resiliency Sharing space with insects and plants requires special safety protocols and preparation, but the injury rate of outdoor learning is no higher than that of indoor schools. “Children are building risk literacy—they climb trees, but only to safe heights; they step on wet rocks, but learn how to do so without falling,” says Jay. Classrooms without walls work because students have a sense of freedom within reasonable boundaries. “In winter, we dress warmly and do more hiking to generate body heat. We use picnic shelters in heavy rains. Children don’t have anxiety about the future—rain means puddles to splash in and snow means building snowmen,” says Jay.

Developing the Whole Child Outdoor learning naturally creates knowledge of local ecosystems, environmental stewards and a sense of place, but teachers also observe many other developmental benefits. At the Magnolia Nature School, at Camp McDowell, in Nauvoo, Alabama, Madeleine Pearce’s agile and surefooted preschoolers can hike three miles. Located in a rural county with

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Kindergarten means “children’s garden” and originally took place outdoors. It’s commonplace today in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

healthykids

a 67 percent poverty rate, the school partners with Head Start to secure tuition-free opportunities for families. Pearce attests how exploring the 1,100-acre property fosters language skills. “With less teacher instruction, children have more time to talk freely with each other.” Instead of loudly calling kids in, Purdy uses bird calls or a drum, which fosters a sense of peace and respect. During daily sit time students observe themselves as a part of nature. “As birds sing and wildlife appears, children see the rewards of quiet and stillness, so self-regulation becomes natural,” agrees Bailie. Bailie sees how children in forest kindergartens express better motor skills, physical development and cognitive abilities than those restricted to traditional playgrounds. Natural playscapes change with the season, are sensory-rich and provide extra oxygen to the brain—all factors that correlate to brain development. Such benefits are reported in Brain-Based Learning by Eric Jensen, Brain Rules by John J. Medina and the Early Childhood Education Journal.

Parents and teachers often describe nature preschool students as being more observant, confident, inquisitive and engaged. Outdoor preschools also foster microbial exposure, essential for healthy immune system development. “Without this exposure, children are at increased risk for developing allergies, asthma, irritable bowel disease, obesity and diabetes later in life,” says B. Brett Finlay, Ph.D., author of Let Them Eat Dirt, which cites supporting science. Kindergarten readiness is a goal of all preschools, but Pearce doesn’t believe a traditional academic focus is required. “By putting nature first, children are socially and emotionally ready for kindergarten,” she says. “They know how to conquer challenges and are ready to take on academics.” Meredith Montgomery publishes Natural Awakenings of Gulf Coast Alabama/Mississippi (HealthyLiving HealthyPlanet.com).

OUTDOOR PLAY “We are innately connected to nature, but need to provide opportunities to make that connection,” says Patti Bailie, former assistant director of Antioch University’s nature-based Early Childhood certificate program, in Keene, New Hampshire. Here’s how. Get wild at home. Hang bird feeders, grow wildlife-attracting plants, start a compost pile and designate an area of the yard for natural play where kids can dig and the grass isn’t mowed. Explore a forest instead of a playground. Without swing sets and toys, children create imaginative play, build forts and climb trees. Incorporate active transportation into the family routine. Walk, bike or paddle. Rain gear and flashlights enable rainy and after-dark explorations. Join a family nature club. At ChildrenAndNature.org, connect with other families that value and use the natural world for playing, growing and learning via their Natural Families Forum.

NATURE JOURNALING TIPS by Meredith Montgomery

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ature journal content is highly personal, ranging from scientific species accounts to wildlife-inspired stories. With just a notebook, pencil and fully engaged senses, nature enthusiasts of all ages can foster observation skills, creativity and outdoor exploration. Prompt open-ended questions. “Nature journals encourage children to ask questions and search for answers,” says Tiny Trees Preschool CEO Andrew Jay, of Seattle. Ask why flowers are blooming, how slugs suddenly appeared and what type of tree a leaf came from. Build upon findings with drawings and notes. Make a sound map. Project Learning Tree, a nationwide environmental education program funded by the American Forest Association, suggests drawing an “X” in the middle of the page to represent where the child is sitting. Then use pictures, shapes or words to show the relative

locations of surrounding sounds. Consider the macro perspective. Vermont’s Outdoor Education Coordinator Melissa Purdy shows students close-up shots of moss or sticks without revealing what the abstract image is. Students note what they observe and wonder as they try to solve the mystery. Alternatively, challenge children to draw their own macro images by looking at an object with a magnifying glass. Find a sit spot. Give children the time and space to write and draw freely in their journal as they sit quietly in nature. “Return to the same spot regularly and see how things have changed,” advises Patti Bailie, a professor of early childhood education at the University of Maine, in Farmington. If kids are too busy exploring and learning while outside, reflections can be captured once they’re back inside, too.

natural awakenings

September 2017

TuiNa Massage • Acupuncture Acudetox • Qi Gong Class

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SOLAR HEATS UP Demand Surges as Prices Fall by Jim Motavalli

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ow is a good time to buy a solar system and get off the grid. Solar photovoltaic prices have fallen 67 percent in the last five years, reports Alexandra Hobson with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). It’s a boom period for solar—a record 14.8 gigawatts were installed last year in the U.S. Solar represented 39 percent of all new electric capacity added to the grid in 2016, surpassing natural gas (29 percent) and wind (26 percent). In the first quarter of this year, solar and wind together comprised more than half of all new U.S. power generation. The Solar Investment Tax Credit was extended for five years at the end of 2015, so homeowners and businesses can qualify to deduct 30 percent of the installed cost from their federal taxes. Also, there’s no upper limit on the prices for the qualifying panels. There are 1.3 million solar systems in the U.S. now, with a new one added every 84 seconds. Some 260,000 people currently work in the industry, double the figure of 2012.

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California is the leader in installed capacity, followed by North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Utah.

Technical Breakthroughs

In 2016, the average residential solar system produced seven kilowatts, at an average installed cost of $3.06 per watt, according to Hobson. A system costing just over $21,000 before taking the income tax credit yields a final net cost of $15,000. “It’s a perfect marriage for residential customers,” says Bill Ellard, an energy economist with the American Solar Energy Society (ASES). “The systems will produce electricity for about five cents per kilowatt-hour year-round compared to the average electric price of 10.34 cents per kilowatt hour tracked in March 2017.” New solar panel designs coming online mean even greater savings. Panels with built-in micro-inverters are cutting home installation costs for large central units (although their longterm, all-weather durability isn’t clear yet). A breakthrough at Japan’s Kobe University means single solar cells

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could achieve 50 percent efficiency, up from the 30 percent formerly accepted as the upper limit. Ugly panel frames may also be a thing of the past. More aesthetically pleasing frameless panels are expected this year from big players like SolarWorld, Canadian Solar and Trina Solar, with adapted mounting hardware. Producers like Prism Solar and DSM Advanced Surfaces are also working on frameless clear panels, with cells bound between panes of glass. These attractive clear panels are highly resistant to fire and corrosion. Tesla, which recently acquired SolarCity, is marketing tempered glass photovoltaic shingles that integrate with tile roofing materials to make the installation nearly undetectable. Tesla claims they’re three times as strong as standard roof shingles and guarantees them for the life of the house.

Solar Works for Many Now

For an average household electric load of 600 kilowatt-hours per month, for example, a daily dose of five hours of direct sunlight and four-kilowatt system will likely meet demand. For households with higher usage, especially in the South and West, bigger installations are the norm. “Solar system sizes have been growing fairly steadily as the price has come down,” Hobson notes. Thanks to Google Earth, solar installers usually know if a property has the right conditions; avoiding the fee for an onsite inspection. Houses with a southern orientation within 40 degrees of direct southern exposure are golden. Those with flat roofs work well because the panels can be tilted for maximum effect. Adjustable panels can also be adapted to the best angle per season. Panels can’t be in shade for a significant part of the day. Rooftop installers can work around vent pipes, skylights and chimneys. If major obstructions are a problem, ASES suggests a ground-mounted array or solar pergola, a freestanding wooden frame to mount panels. Solar systems heat swimming pools, too, offering huge operational savings over conventional heaters. They start at around $3,500 and aver-

age $5,500, compared to an average $2,664 for a fossil-fuel heater, reports HomeAdvisor.com. Determine if a state has net metering laws, which make it easy to sell excess power from a whole-home system back to the grid. Check for local tax subsidies on top of the federal 30 percent. The beauty of solar is that once the system is in place, operating costs

are negligible. The lifespan of today’s panels is two decades and the payback is just two to three years. Jim Motavalli is an author, freelance journalist and speaker specializing in clean automotive and other environmental topics. He lives in Fairfield, CT. Connect at JimMotavalli.com.

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September 2017

naturalpet

THE

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2017-18 ANNUAL DIRECTORY IS OUT!

Fluoride Alert Excess in Food and Tap Water Harms Pets by Karen Becker

n 2009, an Environmental Working Group (EWG) study found that bone meal and animal byproducts in eight of 10 major national dog food brands contain fluoride in amounts between 1.6 and 2.5 times higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended maximum dose in drinking water. Some fluoride from tap water used in the manufacturing of pet food contributes to this. Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., lead researcher of the study, remarks, “A failed regulatory system and suspect practices by some in the pet food industry puts countless dogs at risk of ingesting excessive fluoride.” Fluoride occurs naturally in rocks, soil and thus some food plants and water supplies. More enters food via use of fluoride-based pesticides and commercial processing facilities. The EWG advises that two-thirds of all Americans, along with pets and farm animals, are exposed to artificially fluoridated tap water.

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Fluoride Dangers to Humans While fluoride exposure hasn’t been studied in dogs or cats, according to

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Dr. Joseph Mercola, ample research points to the dangers of fluoride to human health, including: n Arthritis n Bone cancer (osteosarcoma) n Bone fractures n Brain damage and lowered IQ n Damaged sperm and increased infertility n Deactivation of 62 enzymes n Dementia n Disrupted immune system n Disrupted synthesis of collagen n Genetic damage and cell death n Hyperactivity and/or lethargy n Impaired sleep (inhibits melatonin produced by the pineal gland) n Increased lead absorption n Increased tumor and cancer rate n Inhibited formation of antibodies n Lowered thyroid function n Muscle disorders

Fluoride Dangers to Canines Dogs are at substantial long-term risk for exposure to unacceptably high levels of fluoride. They are, for example, at

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significantly higher probability for bone cancer than humans, with more than 8,000 cases diagnosed each year in the U.S., compared with about 900 human cases. According to the EWG, a dog drinking normal amounts of tap water would be exposed to 0.05 to 0.1 milligram (mg) of fluoride per kilogram (kg) of body weight daily. A 10-pound puppy that daily eats about a cup of dog food would ingest approximately 0.25 mg fluoride per kg body weight a day, based on average fluoride content in the eight contaminated brands it tested. Altogether, the puppy could be exposed to 3.5 times more fluoride than the EPA allows in drinking water. Large breed puppies may be exposed to even more fluoride due to higher water intake. Whatever the size and the appetite of a dog, combined fluoride exposure from food and water can easily become unsafe. Eating the same food every day, they may be constantly consuming more fluoride than is healthy for normal growth, leading to health problems and higher veterinary bills later in life.

Prevent High Ingestion of Fluoride The EWG recommends owners purchase pet foods free of bone meal and other meals made from animal

Fluoride-Free Feeding Tips n In homemade food preparation, avoid Teflon-coated pans, which may increase the fluoride levels in food. n Avoid cooking with fluoridated water, which concentrates fluoride in the food. n Avoid toothpaste or oral rinses intended for humans, to brush canine teeth. Dental health products made for pets are fluoride-free.

byproducts. It also suggests that government set fluoride limits in pet food that protect both puppies and large breeds most at risk for bone cancer. Dr. Michael W. Fox, an internationally recognized veterinarian and former vice president of the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International, recommends providing pets with fluoride-free water; spring water or reverse osmosis filtered water also works well. In preparing homemade food for a pet, make sure any added bone meal is free of fluoride and lead. Ethical bone meal producers will test for these contaminants; verify with the source. Fox suggests a good bone meal substitute might be fossilized oyster shell, dolomite or a synthesized or refined calcium supplement like calcium citrate, ascorbate, stearate or gluconate. Or, consider a pure tricalcium and dicalcium phosphate, blended with magnesium. Fox attests that bones from longer-lived food animals such as dairy cows, laying hens and breeding stock likely contain higher levels of fluoride than shorterlived animals like chickens, calves and lambs. In his article “Fluoride in Pet Food: A Serious Health Risk for Both Dogs and Cats?” he writes: “Fluorides accumulate in farmed animals over time from phosphate fertilizers, phosphate supplements, bone meal and fish meal supplements and pesticide and industrial-pollution-contaminated pastures and animal feed. The bones, fins, gills and scales of fish are often high in fluoride.” He recommends raw food diets that avoid ground bone from older animals like beef cattle and adult sheep.

Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans. ~John Lennon

Dr. Karen Becker is a proactive and integrative veterinarian in the Chicago area, consults internationally and writes Mercola Healthy Pets (HealthyPets. Mercola.com). natural awakenings

September 2017

How to Handle Emotions:

whether good, bad, or neutral, we can create our own suffering. We have many people that come to the office expressing concerns like “I don’t know why I feel so bad” and “I just want to get back to normal.” While normal sounds great, we have no idea what normal is. Besides, what makes us think that normal is the best thing for us anyway? This is where suffering comes in.

How this Affects Emotions - Here is where the rubber meets the road. Sometimes our emotions are pleasant, uncomfortable, or sometimes we do not even want to be aware of them at all. But, being happy, anxious, or in denial is not a problem. Those emotions are part of the array of the human experience. It is what makes us real. So, why is life so uncomfortable? Say it however you want to: We want what we cannot have; The grass is greener on the other side. We are rarely content creatures. We are always looking around to determine what we want instead. But, the 3 Poisons are called such for a reason. Do not let them poison your life.

The 3 Poisons at Work - Remember the 3 Poisons. When we are experiencing something that is fun, exciting, and we feel successful with it, Passion is at play. We long to keep it close to us, we may become preoccupied with doing this one special thing, and we may neglect other things that are important, too. When our ability to continue in our bliss is threatened, Aggression may rear its head. We may fight for all that we held dear to stay holding on to that good thing. We do not want to gain the weight we have lost, lose that relationship, or be transferred from our dream job!

What to Do with Emotions - Here is where the power of awareness comes in. The next time you have a strong emotion that you cannot help but feel, practice being mindful and ask “What is here?” Is it Passion, Aggression, or Ignorance? Explore your own curiosity about your emotions and see if you can identify what specific emotion you are feeling. Because we cannot know how to best handle emotions until we are aware of when they are present and what they are, we can start with mindfulness. With strong emotions, try asking “What am I clinging to?” (i.e.

Avoiding the 3 Poisons

By: Ashley Carter Youngblood, LLMSW, LLMFT, CADC

motions are challenges in themselves. When we feel happy, we bask in the glory of how good it feels. Yet, when we feel down, we long to be back to our “normal” of not feeling so badly. It is not that emotions create the problem, however. We create the problem by how we approach these emotions. Let me explain what I mean. In Buddhism, there is a concept called the 3 Poisons, which are considered to be Passion, Aggression, and Ignorance. With this Eastern philosophy, there is an understanding that suffering comes out of our attachment to what feels good. We long for the good times when things are bad, taking us out of the appreciation of the moment. When things are good, we do not want them to go away and mourn when they do. When things are neutral, we do not think much about the present moment but still may reminisce about the good times, wishing our life was not as boring as it is now. So, by applying the 3 Poisons to any situation,

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Aggression can also take other forms. We may loathe that co-worker, refuse to eat healthy, or refuse to be involved in anything religious. When we feel anxiety, we may try to distract ourselves because it is uncomfortable. When we are grieving, we may be hard on ourselves and do our best to get over it quickly, harnessing that aggressive energy that seeks to separate us from the uncomfortable experience. Ignorance, the last of the 3 Poisons, creates the illusion that our life is alright. We choose to not see that we have a drinking problem because we do not want to take the steps to address it. We invite Ignorance when we tell ourselves that it is our partner who creates all the things wrong in our relationship and certainly nothing we are doing to co-create the issues! Ignorance allows us to not take responsibility for our behaviors and experience.

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Passion), “What am I fighting?” (i.e. Aggression), and “What am I trying to avoid?” (i.e. Ignorance). Be curious, like a scientist studying a newfound animal. Observe all aspects. Do not judge. Do not criticize yourself. Practice sitting in the middle of the experience. Handling emotions is hard enough. Do not make life harder by allowing Passion, Aggression, and Ignorance to run them. Take a breath. Feel your body. Remind yourself what you are thankful for so that you can be present and thankful in this moment right now. When you find yourself comparing your situation to someone else’s, stop. Check in with yourself, take a breath, and be present. As I frequently say, for some reason we believe that our thoughts and the stories that we make in our heads are true. But, they are not. They are Passion, Aggression, and Ignorance at work again. So, handle them by naming them. Once they lose their power, they lose their power over you. Ashley Carter Youngblood is a limited licensed clinical social worker and marriage and family therapist who practices in Kalamazoo. Her specialties include a holistic approach to women’s issues and anxiety, and she greatly enjoys working with those practicing Eastern religious traditions. Find out more about her at her website, Kalamazoo-counseling.com

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$ave Time & Energy! Please call in advance to ensure that the event you’re interested in is still available.

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. Complementary Consultation—A consultation is a conversation, not an examination and certainly not a high-pressure sales pitch. After all, we aren’t the right office for everyone, so doesn’t it make sense to discover that before you begin a relationship with our practice? Brain and Body Chiropractic, 833 E 16th St., Ste 175, Holland. Info & Appointments: 616-202-6368. Total Control Classes—Total Control is a unique, medically based pelvic health program for women of all ages and fitness levels. The class focuses on core and pelvic floor strength and awareness and includes education on pelvic and bladder health. New classes begin in early August: 6 p.m. Mondays, Aug. 7-Sept. 18; 1 p.m. Wednesdays, Aug. 9-Sept. 20; 10 a.m. Thursdays, Aug. 10-Sept. 21. Another session will start in October. Mercy Health Lakes Village, 6401 Prairie St., Norton Shores. Info: Call 231-727-7944 to register or more information.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 7

Rest, Relax and Restore with Vicki—7-8:30pm. In these restorative classes you will be guided through supported poses so muscles release and your mind relaxes. Energy and breath practices will be given throughout the class. Each class has a different theme. $18.00 up to two days prior; $20 thereafter. Blue Horizons Wellness, 1991 Lakeshore Drive Suite A, Muskegon. Info: 231-755-7771, info@ bluehorizonswellness.com

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

Community Quiet Day & Labyrinth Walk— 10am-3pm. Our doors will be open for contemplation, centering prayer, healing prayer, and walking meditation. Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, this day will be what you need it to be. Come & go as your day allows and experience the gift of healing peace. Refreshment for your body & spirit. Donations only. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1006 Third St, across from Hackley Park in downtown Muskegon. Info: Call Linda 231-744-0377 or lindareynolds21@comcast.net.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 10

Eckankar—10-11am. “Service to All Life,” is the theme for the ECK Light and Sound Service, the second Sunday each month. Free. Dominican Center at Marywood, Room 4, 2025 E Fulton, Grand Rapids. Info: ECK-MI.org, 756debokeefe@gmail. com, 269-370-7170.

West Michigan Edition

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

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 11

Introduction to Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities and Dementia: An educational program for family caregivers—6-8pm. Learn the risk of dementia for people with developmental disabilities, the unique signs and symptoms of dementia in this population, and how best to respond to changes in behavior, personality, communication, and self-care abilities. Event co-sponsored by Riverside Nursing & Rehabilitation Community, Extended Grace, and Momentum Center for Social Engagement, 714 Columbus, Grand Haven. Info & RSVP, call or text 616-502-7005 or e-mail 03-admin@atriumlivingcenters.com 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-the-Lakeshore-ofWest-Michigan-Weston-A-Price

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 14

Reiki Share—6-8pm. Come check out what Reiki is all about, and have a mini session done. Open to those that know Reiki and those that don’t. Donations welcome. The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr, Grand Rapids. Info & register 616-443-4225. The Seven Rays Workshop—7:15-8:45pm. Every person was created with a unique combination of the 7 rays of energy. In this class, you will receive your very own Personal Ray Profile which will provide a greater understanding, love and respect for yourself and your interactions with loved ones. You will learn what the 7 energy rays are and how your individual ray make-up affects your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies. Pre-registration required by September 11. $65. Blue Horizons Wellness, 1991 Lakeshore Drive Suite A, Muskegon. Info: info@ bluehorizonswellness.com or 231-755-7771.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 15

Yoga for Anxiety and Stress Relief—6:30-8:30pm. In this class you will turn anxiety into calmness; learn how our breathing controls our emotions; and let go of stress, worry, panic, and anxiety. $30 before September 12; $35 thereafter. Blue Horizons Wellness, 1991 Lakeshore Drive Suite A,

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Muskegon. Info: info@bluehorizonswellness.com or 231-755-7771.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16

Outdoor Yoga Saturdays—10:30-11:30. Sept 16 and 30th at beautiful Kollen Park on Lake Macatawa. $5, proceeds go to Holland Recreation. Info: Call Bodhi Tree Yoga & Wellness Studio 616-392-7580. Wholistic Health & Mastering Subtle Energies Meet-up Group—9am-12pm. Pam Kammermeier will be leading great discussions on: Emotional Intelligence, Conscious Nutrition, law of attraction, and two topics to be announced nearer the date. The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr, Grand Rapids. Sign up through Meet-Up.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 17

Celebrate National Yoga Month— 9-10am. It’s National Yoga Month! Come celebrate and learn what yoga is all about with a FREE all level class at Bodhi Tree Yoga & Wellness Studio, 208 W 18th Street, Holland. Call 616-392-7580 or email info@ mibodhitree.com for more information. All Invited! Grand Rapids VegFest (Plant Based Roots)— 10:30am-5:00pm. Learn about a plant-based diet and lifestyle through delicious food, educational lectures, cooking demonstrations, many local vendors and organizations, plus, children’s activities. Grand Rapids VegFest. Location: DeltaPlex Arena, 2500 Turner Avenue NW, Grand Rapids. Info: GRVegFest.com, droxine_stratos@yahoo.com

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 18

Oh Why Can’t I Sleep - and neither can my kids?—6:30pm. Dr. Nicole Beurkens, Ph.D. Holistic Psychologist will address our need for SLEEP! What will be the key to a good nights sleep? Dr. Nicole will address our overall health, nutrition, supplements, and life style changes that can affect our sleeping patterns. Harvest Heath Foods, 6807 Cascade Road, Grand Rapids. Free. RSVP to: https://hhf_sleep.eventbrite.com Info: Info@HarvestHealthFoods.COM

MONDAY-FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18-22

Dr. Michael Ryce Workshop Series—7-9:30pm. A different workshop each night! During the week of September 18th, Dr. Michael Ryce, author of “Why is This Happening to Me Again?” will be hosting workshops on several subjects. Love offering. Unity Center for Spiritual Growth, 6025 Ada Dr SE, Ada. Info: A complete listing is available on our website at www.Unitycsg.org. Call the office at 616-682-7812 for more details.

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 20

Rainbow Therapy-Proactive Emotional Support —6-8pm. This 9 week class is designed and developed to help our troubled teens to discover where they are struggling in life and how to bring balance and peace with the many different holistic tools available to them: meditation, yoga, healing crystals, crystal wands, sacred practices like setting up altars, healing wands, dream catchers, and through law of attraction and affirmations.The Remedy House 5150 Northland Dr, Grand Rapids. Contact for more information and to register: 616-443-4225.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 24

Tillers’ 15th annual Harvest Fest—11am-5pm. The day will be filled with draft animal farming field demos, skill-sharing in the blacksmithing and woodshops, sorghum harvest and pressing, ox-driving, an all-day shoemaking demo, an herbwalk, not to mention vendors, live music, and local food. Community building for earth-friendly agriculture, issues of environmental sustainability, and craftsmanship. $10/car, bicyclists free. Tillers International, event location:10515 East OP Ave, Scotts. Info: DeRamus@TillersInternational.org or 269-626-0223.

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 20

Urevia Integrated Health & Healing Classes— 6-7:30pm. for all skill levels - board certified healing practitioner training - integrated health skills- spirituality,study of metaphysics. $70. Subtle Energies & D’Rose Healing Center, 11458 Loon Call Dr., Delton. Info: SubtleEng@ReikiConnect. com, 269-838-4079, ReikiConnect.com - Dana Glore-Gray.

Meditation Class with Sherry Petro-Surdel— 3pm. The season change is upon us once again and there are many thoughts of moving from outdoors to inside. Spiritually it is also a time to move within. This meditation class will focus on connecting inwardly. Come and receive guidance to support your personal meditation practice. $10. Bodhi Tree Yoga and Wellness Center, 208 W 18th St., Holland. Info: TheSpiritSpace@gmail.com or 616-886-2716.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21

SEPTEMBER 25

Pain Relief Without Pills, the Revitalizing Power of Light Therapy—6:30-8:30pm. Join Mary Wisniewski, Physician Assistant, Certified Light Therapist, Educator, and Jake Cunningham, Founder of White Dove Global, as they demonstrate and explain the science and benefits of light energy. Learn about this FDA approved non-pharmaceutical, natural, non-invasive, alternative to alleviate pain, support wellness. Light therapy has been shown to decrease pain associated with common conditions such as neuropathy, arthritis, neck and joint & back pain, inflammation, swelling, and more. Take Advantage of Event Specials: FREE 1:1 Personalized Session (Scheduled at Event). A $65.00 Value. Additional Light Therapy Package of (3) sessions normally $165.00. Event Special $100.00. FREE event RSVP at 616-264-6556, Seating is limited. Grand Rapids Natural Health, 638 Fulton St W Suite B, Grand Rapids. Info: info@GRNaturalHealth. com or 616-264-6556. Essential Oil Workshop—6-8pm. Learn and understand the basics of essential oils and how to use them and learn how to make your own blend and how to make a foot scrub with oils. Workshop fee $25. The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr, Grand Rapids. Info & register 616-443-4225. Wisdom Circle with the Mahavidyas—7-8:30pm. The Tantric Wisdom Goddesses--known as the Mahavidyas--will be the subject of a 10 month women’s circle with meetings on the third Thursday January-October of 2017. Each Goddess will be explored as she relates to the stages of a woman’s life. Pre-registration by 1/15 for the series, which will include a book. $15 drop in/$100 for 10 month series. On The Path Yoga, 701 E. Savidge #3, Spring Lake. Info: at OnThePathYoga.com or sandy@ OnThePathYoga.com, 616-935-7028.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 23

Reiki I & II class—9am-5pm. from 9am-5pm - 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. The fee includes a $50 deposit due at registration. The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr NE, Grand Rapids. Info & register by July 9th -to 616-443-4225.

Nutritionally Fit Series:Cooking Class 3-Begin with Breakfast—7-9pm. Audrey Byker, Health Coach will demo and discuss her favorite breakfast options which are always satisfying and real-food, plant-based! There will be a mix of options for those who desire food on the fly or leisurely and calm. Join in for the third cooking class of a one year nutritionally fit series, $25 to attend, class limit 15. Grand Rapids Natural Health, 638 Fulton St W Suite B, Grand Rapids. Register at www.audreybyker. com/cooking-classes. Info: info@GRNaturalHealth. com or 616-264-6556.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26

How to really Love your Breasts—6:30pm. (Stop in to Vital Nutrition anytime for all your health needs new hours 9:30am-6pm Mon-Friday Sat 10am-5pm.) Class is held by Tonya Holcomb. $15/ person, $25/couples, $5 for current Clients. Vital Nutrition, 169 Marcell Drive NE, Rockford. Info: TonyaHolcomb.com, chatterbocks1963@gmail. com, 616-433-9333. Family Support Group—7-8pm. 4th Tuesday of every month. For family members, caregivers and loved ones of individuals with mental illness. Free. Momentum Center, 714 Columbus, Grand Haven. Info: Tom Dooley TfDooley@gmail.com, 616-5022078, Barbara Lee Barbara@ExtendedGrace.org

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 27

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. JOB OPPORTUNITIES Contract help needed - Flexible hours, work from home. Duties include light writing, editing, inside sales, attending events, some on weekends, customer service, social media, website revision. Must be able to take over at least one delivery route and have some cultural knowledge of West Michigan. Must be able to work on your own and love people. Some knowledge of natural health and healing a plus. Send cover letter and resume to: Publisher@NaturalWestMichigan. com. No calls please.

FOR RENT Private rooms for rent at White River Yoga, 8724 Ferry St., Montague. 9.5’x12’with sink, $200/mo. 9.5’x16’ no sink, $150/mo. Natural Light, lock on the door. Suitable for massage, counseling or any ayurvedic/holistic health practice. Contact Mitch Coleman at 231740-6662 or yogamanmitch@gmail.com. Space for Rent at the Remedy House – Small Consultation room available 5 days a week (Any day except Tuesdays) - ideal for Naturopaths, Doulas, and Holistic counselors. 9 X 8 room with one Naturopath using it once a week currently. Massage Room available also - Full day on Mondays and shared on Tuesdays. It is an nice large room 10 X 14 and is a shared space with another massage therapist and a naturopath. Info: Jodi Jenks, N.D., The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr, Grand Rapids. Call 616-443-4225.

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

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 30

Outdoor Yoga Saturdays—10:30-11:30. Sept 16 and 30th at beautiful Kollen Park on Lake Macatawa. $5, proceeds go to Holland Recreation. Info: Call Bodhi Tree Yoga & Wellness Studio 616-392-7580.

natural awakenings

September 2017

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

Sunday

Tuesday

Meditation-Self Realization Fellowship— 10-11am. 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, www.grsrf.org

Beginning Yoga&Meditation—9:30-10:45am. This class will introduce you to basic postures, breathing techniques, and mindfulness with an emphasis on building body awareness. Gentle yet relaxing in nature, you will leave feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and having a greater sense of health and well-being. $12 drop-in. Hearts Journey Wellness Center, 6189 Lake Michigan Dr., Allendale. Info: visit us at HeartsJourneyWellness.com or info@HeartsJourneyWellness.com

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. 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. Hot Yoga—5-6:15pm. Sweat with this active, energetic, athletic style of yoga with traditional poses in a hot room. Not recommended for people with heart or lung conditions or those not engaged in regular exercise. $12 drop-in. Hearts Journey Wellness Center, 6189 Lake Michigan Dr, Allendale. Info:HeartsJourneyWellness.com or info@ HeartsJourneyWellness.com 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 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.

West Michigan Edition

Beginner Yoga Series—7:15-8:15 pm. New to Yoga or want to reconnect to Yoga...this class is for you. Our intention is for you to discover a lifelong love for yoga. Please visit our website for complete class description. $70 for class only or $100 for class and a One month Unlimited Yoga to start when series if finished. pre-registration required. Bodhi Tree Yoga & wellness studio, 208 W 18th Street, Holland. Info: 616-392-7580 or info@mibodhitree.com Faith and Yoga—4-5pm. Yoga is a supportive spiritual practice and in this class we focus as much on our inward journeys as our physical practice. If you are new to yoga, have tight muscles, or an older individual and would like to be more mobile, flexible and build some strength in an easy non-threatening way, join our very gentle-serenity yoga class. We will integrate a variety of breathing and concentration practices. First class is free, then by donation. Blue Horizons Wellness, 1991 Lakeshore Drive Suite A, Muskegon. Info: info@ BlueHorizonsWellness.com, 231-755-7771. A Course in Miracles—6:30-8:30pm. A Course in Miracles is 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, nondenominational spirituality. Offering. Unity Center for Spiritual Growth, 6025 Ada Dr., SE, Ada. Info: www. Unitycsg.org, zahrt.aj@unitycsg.org, 616-682-7812. Weight Loss Challenge—10 am or 6pm. Tuesdays starting 9/12/17. Join NOW to learn how nutritional changes can help you feel better, lose fat and maintain/increase muscle. Possibly Win cash prizes for getting your best results. $$ Pay out to top 4 losers!! $35. Nutrition-N-More, 5394 Division SE, Grand Rapids. Info: CoachBosovich@gmail.com or 616-340-9822. Healthy Lifestyle/Weightloss Clinic—6-7:30pm. Enroll Now for our next 13 week Healthy Lifestyle/ Weightloss program where you receive insightful education and personalized coaching weekly to help achieve your goals. Space is limited. $250. The Remedy House, 5150 Northland Dr., Grand Rapids. Register by calling 616-443-4225.

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Tibetan Buddhist Meditation/Study Group— 7:15-8:15pm. Tibetan Buddhist meditation/study group. All welcome. Free. Western Michigan Jewel Heart, 1919 Stearns Ave, Kalamazoo. Info: 734-368-870, www.jewelheart.org Serenity Yoga—4pm. With Elisa Hopper. We would like you to enjoy yoga no matter the cost. Donate $1, or donate $20 if you can. Blue Horizon Wellness, 1991 Lakeshore Drive, Muskegon. Info: info@BlueHorizonsWellness.com, 231-755-7771. Meditation Class—6:30-7:30pm. Learn a variety of meditation techniques in this drop-in class. We will take turns teaching a different technique each week and provide practice time afterward. Come when you can, as each class is independent. No experience necessary. Love offering. Unity Center for Spiritual Growth, 6025 Ada Dr., SE, Ada. Info: Contact the office at 616-682-7812 or office@unitycsg.org for more details. Gentle Hatha Yoga—7:45-9am & 9:15-10:30am. With Mitch Coleman. Drop-ins welcome. White River Yoga Studio, 8724 Ferry St., Montague. Info: 231-740-6662 or WhiteRiverYoga.com

Wednesday Yoga for Veterans, Active Duty, Fire and Police—5:30-7pm. These classes consist of yoga poses for the first 50-60 minutes followed by guided relaxation and/or meditation. Yoga and meditation support the well-being of our service members and their families and foster meaningful connections between military and service communities and civilian communities. Our instructors have training through Warriors at Ease. First class is free, then by donation. Blue Horizons Wellness, 1991 Lakeshore Drive, Suite A, Muskegon. Info: info@bluehorizonswellness.com or 231-755-7771. Beginning Tai Ji— 9:30-10:30am. Pam Landes will conduct an entry level 7 week series.The moving meditation of Tai Ji integrates mind and body and spirit. It can help build balance and coordination, improve mental acuity and strengthen the mind/body connection. series starts Wed Sept 13th, pre-registration required; class is limited. $70.00 for a 7 week class series. Bodhi Tree Yoga & Wellness Studio, 208 W 18th Street, Holland. Info: 616-392-7580 or email info@MiBodhiTree. com for more information and to register. The Law of Attraction Speaking Club—6:308pm. Looking to Charter as a Toastmaster Club. Do you want to become a confident public speaker and strong leader? We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater selfconfidence and personal growth environment that allows you to achieve your goals at your own pace. Toastmaster Dues. Unity Center for Spiritual Growth, 6025 Ada Dr., SE, Ada. Info:office@ Unitycsg.org, 616-682-7812. 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.

$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. 616365-9176. IntegrativeNutritionalTherapies.com. Meditation—6-7pm. Join together for meditation that begins and ends with live, native flute music. Attend the full hour or any portion of the meeting. Spirit Space, 3493 Blue Star Hwy, Saugatuck. Info: 616-836-1555 or Spirit-Space.org.

Thursday Weight Loss Challenge Triple Play—6:30pm. Thursdays starting 9/14/17. Join NOW our fall Weight Loss Challenge triple Play- 12 weeks combining Cardio Drumming fitness, Nutrition class & Faith lesson. $$ paid to top 4 losers!!! $35. Nutrition-N-More, Location of event: Cornerstone Church South, 2730 56th St., SW, Wyoming. Info: 616-340-9822 or CoachBosovich@ gmail.com for details. Meditation Class—6:30-7:30pm. Learn a variety of meditation techniques in this drop-in class. We will take turns teaching a different technique each week and provide practice time afterward. Come when you can, as each class is independent. No experience necessary. Thursday Nights for one hour. Love offering. Unity Center for Spiritual Growth, 6025 Ada Dr., SE, Ada. Info: Contact the office at 616-682-7812 or office@Unitycsg.org.

Saturday Hot Yoga—7:30-8:45am. Sweat with this active, energetic, athletic style of yoga with traditional poses in a hot room. Not recommended for people with heart or lung conditions or those not engaged in regular exercise. $12 drop-in. Hearts Journey Wellness Center, 6189 Lake Michigan Dr., Allendale. Info:HeartsJourneyWellness.com or info@ HeartsJourneyWellness.com Gentle Hatha Yoga—9:15-10:15am & 1112:15am. With Mitch Coleman. Drop-ins welcome. White River Yoga Studio, 8724 Ferry St., Montague. 231-740-6662. Info: WhiteRiverYoga.com Sweetwater Local Foods Market—9am-1pm. A double-up bucks and bridge card market. Hackley Health at the Lakes building on Harvey St. Located inside during inclement weather. Muskegon. 231-861-2234.

savethedate

Save The Date 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.

savethedate

savethedate October 14—November 18 Spiritual Intuitive Class—Taught by Marianne Huff—10-11:45am. Are you seeking to develop your inner GPS system (your intuition)? Come and learn how to better navigate the external world by looking inward to find answers and the guidance that you are seeking? This is a six week class, come to one or all. Spirit Space, 3493 Blue Star Highway, Saugatuck. Info Contact MarianneHuff@sbcglobal.net.

October 2 Total Control Classes—Improve your core, posture and bladder control with Total Control, a unique, medically based pelvic health program for women of all ages and fitness levels. The class focuses on core and pelvic floor strength and awareness and includes education on pelvic and bladder health. New classes begin in early October: 6 p.m. Mondays, Oct. 2-Nov. 13; 1 p.m. Wednesdays, Oct. 4-November 15; 10 a.m. Thursdays, Oct. 5-Nov. 16. $49 for seven-week class; scholarships available. Mercy Health Bladder Clinic, Lakes Village, 6401 Prairie St, Norton Shores. Call 231-727-7944 to register or for information.

savethedate October 6 Over-functioning seminar taught by Marianne Huff—5:30-8:30pm. We hear a lot today about folks who are “intuitive” and “empathic”. We also hear about codependency and the problems that can occur for individuals who encounter difficulties with becoming codependent. Do you take care of others and neglect yourself? This seminar is for you. Spirit Space, 3493 Blue Star Highway, Saugatuck. Info: MarianneHuff@sbcglobal. net for more information.

savethedate October 9 Town Hall Meeting on Addiction—6:30pm. Discussion of addiction with panelists Dr. Sandy Dettman, psychiatry specialty; Judge Craig Bunce, Sobriety Court; Sgt. Derek Gerencer, Grand Haven Public Safety; Jonathan LaMaire, The Red Project; Dan Qualls, addiction therapist; Priscilla Shafor, OAR, Inc. QPR training 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Free. Extended Grace. Event location: Grand Haven Community Center, 421 Columbus, Grand Haven. Info: Contact Barbara Lee at Barbara@ ExtendedGrace.org

savethedate October 14 Outdoor Yoga Saturdays—10:30-11:30 at beautiful Kollen Park on Lake Macatawa. $5, proceeds go to Holland Recreation. Info: Call Bodhi Tree Yoga & Wellness Studio 616-392-7580.

savethedate October 14 & 15 Body Mind & Spirit Expo – 1st Annual Holistic Expo, Grand Rapids DeltaPlex, professional mediums, intuitive’s, healers & more gathered under one roof. Free lectures, speakers & prizes included w/ admission $10 daily, 12 & under free. Info: HealingBodyandSpirit.com

savethedate October 20 The Dolphin Breath Teachings—9am-1pm. Dolphin Breath® is a grounding and energetic breathing exercise that combines these skills to produce a powerful daily practice of sacred geometry, energetic mindfulness and selfhealing. This practice can help you discover emotional and energetic blocks that often can manifest into disease or illness if not addressed. $120.00 - 10 % discount if you like us on Facebook. Energy Touch, 1331 Lake Drive SE Lower Level, Grand Rapids. Info:GEldridge@ EnergyTouchSchool.com, 616-897-8668.

natural awakenings

September 2017

savethedate

October 20-23

October 21

EnergyTouch® Basics—9am - 1pm Friday, 9am - 6pm Saturday & Sunday. Energy Touch® Basics will give you the skills and knowledge necessary to help you become a successful EnergyTouch® School of Advanced Healing applicant. This program will allow participants to explore new skills and teachings while preparing to apply for admission to the School. $800.00 - 10 % discount when you “like” us on Facebook. Energy Touch, 1331 Lake Drive SE Lower Level, Grand Rapids. Visit: EnergyTouchSchool.com/energy-touchbasics. Info: GEldridge@EnergyTouchSchool. com or 616-897-8668.

Love INC’s HayDay5K—10am. Love INC and the Hudsonville Chamber of Commerce bring you the first annual HayDay 5k! Join us as we pursue the brokenness in our community and journey toward solutions together by participating in the HayDay 5k event before heading over to Urban HayDay in downtown Hudsonville. $25. Love In the Name of Christ, 3300 Van Buren St., Hudsonville. Info: visit LoveintheNameofChrist.org to register.

Legacy Giving: Planning with a Purpose— 6-8pm. Attorney Mi-Hae Kim of Warner, Norcross and Judd with John Gork, financial planner with Northwestern Mutual, will lead the discussion of legacy giving. Extended Grace, 714 Columbus, Grand Haven. Info: Barbara@ ExtendedGrace.org

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NaturalWestMichigan.com

Coaching gives you an accountability check for your personal and professional goals. We assist you in developing a timeline, establishing a plan and keep you motivated in reaching your goals! 4 Small Business Development 4 Major Life Crisis and Change 4 Weight Loss & Fitness 4 Relationships 4 Budget Management & Reorganization 4 Decluttering Your Home and Life

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EMF RADIATION PROTECTION

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

ACUPUNCTURE GRAND WELLNESS

Vikki Nestico, R.Ac. Located at Renewal Skin Spa 6080 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids 616-940-1177 • GrandWellness.net Grand Wellness uses the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine to provide holistic healing and natural pain relief. Call to schedule a free consultation to discuss how acupuncture may be an effective treatment for you. See ad, page 35.

ASTROLOGY KAREN S. KLEMP MA.

Astrology/Numerology 220 Savidge, Spring Lake 616-916-0121 KlempK@yahoo.com KAREN220.com Over 20 year ’s experience. Readings available in her office, by skype or by phone. Also available for lectures at solstice gatherings. Make an appointment by phone, on the website or stop in and visit Thurs through Sat 11am–5pm.

BODYWORK BLACK TORTOISE QIGONG, LLC

Sally Austin 233 Fulton E, Suite 114B Grand Rapids 616-293-5768 – BlackTortoiseQigong.com BlackTortoiseQigong@gmail.com A practice of gentle dynamic movements that can be done lying, sitting or standing, built for you to use daily and promote your health and well-being. Promotes empowerment, wellness, spirit connection, awareness, confidence.

BUILDING/CONSTRUCTION WOOD & SAW

Andrew Gielczyk Licensed Builder 616-834-2480 • WoodAndSaw.com Wood & Saw is focused on creating a sustainable high quality of life for our clients. Building simple, costeffective, energy-efficient, toxic-free homes and remodels that achieve the healthiest possible indoor air quality. See ad, page 27.

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.

THE GLEASON CENTER

Dr. Dan Gleason 19084 North Fruitport Road Spring Lake, MI 49456 TheGleasonCenter.com 616-846-5410 An alternative, holistic approach combining chiropractic and kinesiology as well as the latest in metabolic and hormone testing. Using a variety of techniques, we work with our patients to determine the scope and duration of care that’s right for each individual.

COFFEE SHOP / FAIR TRADE JUST GOODS GIFTS AND CAFE’ 714 Columbus, Grand Haven 616-414-9111 justgoods@extendedgrace.org www.extendedgrace.org

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 25.

PROTXS EMF SHIELDS & H2O DROPS Clara Vanderzouwen clara.vanderzouwen@gmail.com PROTXS.com/?AFMC=22 616-481-8587

PROTXS contains a proprietary blend of natural products that efficiently reflect, absorb and mitigate the harmful biological and technological impacts of invisible RF/EMF/ Wi-Fi radiation. Living Healthy in a Wireless World. “All who touch Protxs will be blessed” Dr. Mike Halliday.

ENERGY HEALING TONYA NICHOLS, RPH

Certified Energy Medicine Practitioner 332 S Lincoln Ave, Lakeview 989-352-6500 TheHealingCenterofLakeview@gmail.com TheHealingCenteroflakeview.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 21.

ESSENTIAL OILS BE YOUNG ESSENTIAL OILS

Clara Vanderzouwen • 616-481-8587 BeYoungth.com/partners/claravz Independent Sharing partner Keto OS (get your Ketones) WinItNow@PruvitNow.com clara.vanderzouwen@gmail.com Be Young Essential Oils are exclusive E.O.B.B.D. guaranteed 100% pure & safe for your entire family and pets! Wondering what to use? Just call or email me, I’m here to educate you! Now offering Keto OS. Ketones flowing through your body within 60 minutes!

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 17.

MOONDROP HERBALS, LLC

Cottage of Natural Elements 351 Cummings, NW Grand Rapids 616-735-1285 • MoondropHerbals.com 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 33.

natural awakenings

September 2017

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 31.

HAKOMI THERAPY KEN PORTER CST, CHT 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

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 16.

HEALTH / WELLNESS CENTER THE HEALING CENTER

332 S Lincoln Ave, Lakeview 989-352-6500 TheHealingCenterOfLakeview@gmail.com TheHealingCenterOfLakeview.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 21.

West Michigan Edition

VITALITY HEALTHCARE

Dr. Steven Osterhout 5717 Oakland Drive, Portage 269- 323-4473 - DrOchiro.com Vitality Healthcare offers a cutting-edge approach to medicine. We integrate the best medical approaches with the most advanced natural therapies to address the underlying causes of poor health. We offer: Physical and Functional Medicine / Chiropractic and Massage / Metabolic and Hormone Evaluations / Nutrition and Detoxification / Food Sensitivity and GI Issue Testing / Medical and Natural Weight Loss. Our highly-qualified team of doctors, nutritionists and therapists have extensive training to serve all your healthcare needs.

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 25.

LGBTQIA COUNSELING DILSWORTH COUNSELING AND THERAPY SERVICES

Sue Dilsworth, Ph.D, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT Locations in Allendale and Grand Rapids 616-307-1617 Sue@drdilsworth.hush.com HeartsJourneyWellness.com Counseling services tailored to meet the needs of the individual. Through various treatment modalities including Cognitive Behavioral, Mindfulness and EMDR, individuals will have an opportunity to explore personal challenges in an open, receptive, and supportive environment. Member WPATH. Most insurance accepted including Medicare and Medicaid.

NaturalWestMichigan.com

LIFE COACH LIA COACHING AND CONSULTING Pamela Gallina, MA CMC 616-433-6720 PamGallina@LIAConsulting.org 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 44.

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

Mary De Lange, CCT., LMT. 1003 Maryland Ave. NE, Grand Rapids 616-456-5033 HarmonyNHealth.net Over 24 years of professional experience and trained in a complete range of modalities. 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 17.

MIDWIFERY FULL CIRCLE MIDWIFERY SERVICE, INC.

Patrice Bobier, CPM Hesperia: 231-861-2234 FullCircleMidwifery.com Jennifer Holshoe, CPM Grand Rapids area: 616-318-1825 WestMichiganMidwifery.com In private practice since 1982 – specializing in home birth and a team approach. Over 1,600 births attended. Offering midwifery care that maintains a family-centered, safe birth experience. Empowering women to stay healthy during pregnancy, give birth naturally and parent in the best ways. Free initial consultations including prenatal check-up.

SALON SERVICES LONDON STUDIOS SALON

Sally Ann Loew, Hair Artist/Educator Organic Colour Speciality 6455 28th St. SE, Suite 1, Grand Rapids 616-299-1796, LondonStudiosSalon.com London Studios Specializes in: Organic Color Systems, Color Corrections, Multidimensional Hair Color, Restorations for Vo l u m e a n d L e n g t h , Organic Keragreen Keratin Treatments, European Cutting Techniques, Natural Hair Extensions, I n t e g r a t i o n , B r i d a l S e r v i c e s , We d d i n g Consultations and other services. See ad, page 27.

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 36.

SPIRITUAL GATHERINGS

THERMOGRAPHY ADVANCED THERMAL IMAGING OF WEST MICHIGAN Julie Bennett 616-724-6368 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.

UNITY SPIRITUAL CENTER

SCHOOL / EDUCATION BVI SCHOOL OF AYURVEDA Ruth Small, Ph.D., Director 269-381-4946 Ayurveda@SambodhSociety.us AyurvedaMichigan.org

School of Ayurveda. State licensed. Certificate program for healthcare professionals, doctors, nurses, yoga teachers, wellness educators, massage therapists, holistic health specialists, chiropractors, dieticians and those seeking to learn selfhealth-care. Instructors highly qualified (B.A.M.S.).

Unity of Muskegon 2052 Bourdon St. Muskegon

Gather to nurture your Sacred Self on Sunday’s at 11am. We host a variety of classes and workshops on all areas of holistic living. For more information, visit us online at UnityMuskegon.org or call 231-759-7356.

CONNECT WITH OUR READERS!

THREE-MONTH EDITORIAL CALENDAR AND MARKETING PLANNER

OCT

NOV

plus: Chiropractic

plus: Silent Retreats

Transformative Travel Diabetes Prevention Our Readers are Seeking Providers & Services for: Transformative Travel Companies Natural Habitat Adventures • Travel Outfitters Personal Growth Retreats • Adventure Groups General, Advanced & Sports Chiropractors

DEC

Uplifting Humanity plus: Holidays

Our Readers are Seeking Providers & Services for: Functional Medicine Practitioners Organic/Non-GMO Sugar-Free Foods Fitness/Health Clubs Weight-Loss Centers Spas/Retreats

Our Readers are Seeking Providers & Services for: Charities Community Services Ethnic Crafts Gift Baskets Relationship Counselors Spiritual Centers/ Healing Sustainable/ Natural Toys

natural awakenings

September 2017

A VACATION Unlike ANY

OTHER

10 DAY VEGAN C RUI S E FEB. 15-25, 2018 Our 15th Anniversary 10 Day* Cruise will be the best yet! Join 1800+ like-minded vegans during a vacation that will nourish your body, stimulate your mind and rejuvenate your spirit. Relax on the beach at Martinique; watch batik-making on St. Kitts and Nevis; sip on coconut water in the British Virgin Islands; or snorkel in Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas or St. Maarten. In addition to our stellar lineup of vegan health luminaries, the 2018 cruise will add a focus on the ethical treatment of animals featuring PETA president Ingrid Newkirk. The latest in diet and nutrition science, cooking classes, yoga, exotic ports... there’s something for everyone! Learn more about the classes, cuisine and itinerary at holisticholidayatsea.com.

FALL SPECIAL

DISCOUNT ENDS 11/2!

Chosen b y N ATIONA L G EOG RAPHIC T R A VELER as On e of the 1 00 BEST WO RL DWIDE VACAT ION S to E NR IC H YOUR L IF E Vegan, Gluten-free, Oil-free & Ship’s Menu Daily Yoga, Meditation, Pilates, Qi Gong, Do-In, Running & Fitness Classes 150+ Lectures & Workshops

CME & CEU Credits Available 45+ Teachers

Author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Plantand Other Books; TEDx Speaker; VegNews’

JULIEANNA HEVER, MS, RD, CPT

10+ Cooking Classes Dancing & Social Events Almost Every Evening Singles’ Social Cancer Support Group & Recovery Panel Snorkel, Kayak, Cultural Tours & Other Excursion Types Available Environmentally-Friendly Award-Winning Ship Private Consultations & Treatments Available West Michigan Edition

New York Times BestSelling Author of The Engine 2 Diet; Featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America and The Dr. Oz Show

RIP ESSELSTYN

Special Panel Focusing on Animal Rights

Featuring Renowned Chefs, Teachers & Healers

Founder of the Physicians Commitee for Responsible Medicine; Author of Food for Life and Power Foods for the Brain

NEAL BARNARD, M.D.

LE A RN MOR E 1-800-496-0989 (US) 1-828-749-9537

*Only 6 work days due to Presidents’ Day

NaturalWestMichigan.com hhas_vegan_cruise

PETA President and Cofounder; Author of Numerous Books; Speaker on Animal Rights; Proﬁled in HBO Documentary I Am an Animal

INGRID NEWKIRK Co-Author of The China Study and author of Whole: Rethinking the ; Featured in the Film Forks Over Knives

T. COLIN CAMPBELL, PH.D. Physician, Speaker and New York Times BestSelling Author; Founder Appeared on Dr. Oz and the Colbert Report

MICHAEL GREGER, M.D.

B OOK TODAY 1-877-844-7977 Opt. 2 must be made through our program.