March 2012 Natural Awakenings Gulf Coast AL/MS by Natural Awakenings Gulf Coast AL/MS

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FOOD & GARDEN Changing the Way America Eats

Unconventional

What You Should Know:

Farm-Fresh Recipes

Modified Foods (GMOs)

GARDENS & Genetically

EAT FRESH BUY LOCAL

in Lower Alabama Canine Cuisine: Dish Up Variety

MARCH 2012 | Mobile/Baldwin Edition | www.HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com

contents 5 newsbriefs 13 wisewords

14 14 healthbriefs 15 globalbriefs 18 localopinion 19 consciouseating

15 23 greenliving 25 considerthis 27 healthykids

30 naturalpet

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.

9 CHANGING THE

WAY AMERICA EATS Nourishing the Shift to Farm-Fresh Foods by Melinda Hemmelgarn

13 CHOOSING FORKS OVER KNIVES

Doctors Advocate a Plant-Based Diet by Linda Sechrist

18 ELIMINATE GROCERY TAX IN ALABAMA by Heather Barrow

19 EATING WELL

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 251-990-9552 or email Publisher@HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month prior to the month of publication. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@ HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com. Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month prior to the month of publication. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit Calendar Events online at HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com. Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month prior to the month of publication. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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ON A BUDGET

by Judith Fertig

2 0 COMPLETE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS Local Gardens + Local Restaurants

by Gabrielle Wyant

23 UNCONVENTIONAL GARDENS

No Space? No Problem. by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko

27 PREPARING KIDS FOR TOMORROWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JOBS U.S. Companies Pair Scientists with Schools

by April Thompson

30 DISH UP VARIETY Treat Your Dog to Good Health and Good Taste by Wendy Bedwell-Wilson

natural awakenings

March 2012

letterfrompublisher Despite having to work extra long hours and developing a temporary dependence on caffeine, the production of this month’s Natural Awakenings has been extremely enjoyable and rewarding. With contributions from new guest writers, the support of new advertisers and inspiration from our readers and the local area, the resulting Food and Garden issue is a true collaboration of the local community. While this month's timely topics peak interest, it is the personal stories of everyday people that connect us to the issues at hand. Mae Grace Farm (see news brief on page 5) is operated by a young couple that recently revitalized old family land into an organic farm that functions as a community supported agriculture (CSA) program. Each week their subscribers pick up a week’s worth of organic produce, see for themselves the fields that produced their food, exchange recipes with the growers and get to know the canine farm hands Nivi and Niko. You may have heard of the eat local movement and know of the economic benefits locally, but it is stories like that of Mae Grace Farm that inspire action and change. Similarly, the debate over controversial genetically engineered (GE) foods has become a popular topic. While research on potential health hazards from the consumption of these foods continues to be inconclusive, it is worth learning about the unquestionable restrictions and challenges that GE crops present for local farmers (Get Informed about Genetically Engineered Food, page 25). An organic farmer in Fairhope brings this newsworthy topic to life when her story reveals that they can no longer order some of their favorite seed varieties due to genetic contamination. This issue is full of interest-grabbing topics and other action-inspiring accounts. A favorite part of my job is meeting someone new who falls under the healthy living, healthy planet umbrella and getting to know their personal story. Because we can learn so much from the experiences and knowledge of others, I encourage you to pass on to your friends and family the anecdotes and information that we share with you in each issue. As you read Natural Awakenings, I hope that you connect with the stories that are told. This month, be inspired to get to know the people in these articles and the community members that produce the food we eat. The Natural Awakenings team and the businesses that support us hope that you feel connected to us and our stories. Give us a call, post a note on our Facebook wall or stop by and see us at the upcoming Earth Day events. We’d love to hear your story too! With gratitude,

Coming in April

GREEN LIVING

Celebrate Earth Day with Natural Awakenings’ April edition, brimming with eco-solutions for your home, work and everyday family life.

Mobile / Baldwin Edition

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contact us Publisher/Editor Meredith Montgomery Publisher@HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com Assistant Editor Gabrielle Wyant-Perillo Editor@HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com Contributors Martin Miron Josh Montgomery Anne Wilson Michael Wilson Design and Production Meredith Montgomery Natural Awakenings Mobile/Baldwin P.O. Box 725, Fairhope, AL 36533 Phone: 251-990-9552 Fax: 251-281-2375

HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscribe to the digital magazine for free at HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com. Mailed subscriptions are available by sending $30 (for 12 issues) to the above address. © 2012 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. Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

newsbriefs The Yoga of Health and Wellness Workshop Tracey Winter Glover, a RYT-200 yoga instructor, vegan chef and wellness and nutrition coach, will lead an all-day workshop from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 14, at Quiet Mind Massage and Yoga Studio, in Mobile. Cost of $95 includes ayurvedic lunch and all workshop materials. In this workshop, Glover says participants, “will explore the main elements of health and wellness, identify the areas in their lives that they feel need attention and learn how to achieve their wellness goals in a holistic way through the cultivation of mindfulness in all areas of their lives.” The workshop will include meditation and journaling, which Glover says will help participants “reconnect with the deepest Self, the source of true fulfillment, so that we can learn to fill our cravings from within, rather than seeking fulfillment in external sources like food, drugs, alcohol and relationships.” Sessions on disease prevention and reversal through plant-based nutrition and the ancient science of Ayurveda will be explored and participants will discover their personal yoga diet. The workshop also includes a 75-minute, all-levels yoga practice designed to further unify body, mind and spirit. It will conclude with a yoga nidra practice (guided yogic sleep) to assist in the integration of wellness intentions at the deepest levels of consciousness. Location: 2065 Old Shell Rd., Midtown Mobile. Space is limited. Advance reservation requested by contacting Quiet Mind at 251-476-6463. For questions contact Tracey at 251-510-2418 or Tracey@ShantiWarrior.com. See ad on page 13.

Proposed Rebate for Restaurants that Buy Local In an effort to encourage restaurant owners in Alabama to buy local, Representative Joe Hubbard (D-Montgomery) has introduced House Bill 37 in the current legislative session. The bill, which had its first read in committee on February 7, would establish an Alabama Purchase of Local Agricultural Products Incentive Program Fund within the state treasury to promote the purchase of Alabama agricultural products. Under the new incentive program, a restaurant would be eligible for a 4 percent rebate. The bill would create the program within the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries to grant the incentive payments to Alabama restaurants that purchase the agricultural products. Agronomic, aquacultural, floricultural, horticultural, silvicultural and viticultural products including fruit, plants, crops, livestock and dairy products, seafood harvested in Alabama coastal waters and freshwater food, as well as meat and meat products grown or produced in the state, would be eligible purchases under the incentive program.

Local, Organic Produce Shares Available Mae Grace Farm, located in Loxley, is accepting new members to their community supported agriculture (CSA) program. Participants purchase a share of the harvest and receive a box of organic, seasonal produce each week during the growing season. The CSA runs for 36 weeks, with three subscription levels to choose from and the option to participate in the full season or a 12-week segment. The spring segment begins the third week of March. The Mae Grace Farm CSA provides ultra-fresh food that is grown without chemicals and harvested the day of pickup. The share consists of produce, herbs, fresh cut flowers and occasionally other farm products, such as botanical soaps. “We love growing the traditional southern favorites (squash, tomatoes, turnips) but we also enjoy experimenting with Asian greens, herbs and edible flowers,” says owner Angel Martin. According to Martin, “We are not yet certified organic, but all of our methods adhere to organic standards. The companion planting, the soil microbes and the fertilizers we use are part of our strategy to avoid the use of chemicals. We don't see any reason to threaten our health, the health of our animals or the health of our members by killing every insect (good and bad) that may choose to live here. We grow plants to attract beneficial insects, and if they end up nibbling a bit on the veggies, we can't blame them, because they're delicious!” For information call 251-964-5286, email MaeGraceFarm@hotmail.com, visit MaeGraceFarm.com or Facebook: Mae Grace Farm. See ad on page 21.

newsbriefs Class Offers Progressive View of Bible Open Table (United Church of Christ) will offer a Tuesday evening class for individuals that believe the readings in The Bible need not be taken literally to be taken seriously. The Bible: An Adult Book for Progressive Christians, will take place at 6 p.m. each Tuesday, from March 6 to April 10, at Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe, in Mobile. The Bible: An Adult Book for Progressive Christians will overview strategies for determining what a biblical passage might have meant for its first readers before considering what it might mean for us today. Respectful of diverse perspectives, the study assumes The Bible is a collection of theological wisdom reflecting diverse theologies through which God continues to speak today. Regardless of biblical knowledge or religious background, all are welcome to participate in the lively, discussion-based format. Participants are encouraged to bring a Bible and upon arrival, may wish to purchase dinner or a drink before joining the class in the back room. The course text, Listening to Scripture: Strategies for Interpreting The Bible, will be provided the first evening. There is no charge for the course or the text. Open Table is the first United Church of Christ (UCC) congregation in southern Alabama. The congregation worships on Sunday evenings at 5:00 p.m., at 1050 Azalea Road, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Location: 5817 Old Shell Rd., Mobile. For information, contact Rev. Ellen Sims at 251-545-1011, email Pastor@OpenTableUCC.org or visit OpenTableUCC.org. See ad on page 39.

Moonstone Massage Welcomes Therapist MoonStone Massage, in Fairhope, welcomes Massage Therapist Jeannie Jaeger to their team of specialists. Jaeger, a nationally certified and locally licensed massage therapist, believes that the ancient benefits of massage are still current and possibly more necessary than ever. “It is time for us to utilize lost natural remedies,” says Jaeger. Having studied Reiki, a type of healing touch, she incorporates this into her Jeannie Jaeger sessions to assist in healing people. According to Moonstone Massage owner Hollie Tew, “It is the intent of every massage to nurture, strengthen and allow the body to heal itself.” Jaeger’s services are based on the individual needs of each client; muscular to cellular and mental to emotional. Techniques include Swedish massage to relieve stress from everyday life, deep tissue work for the exhausted gardener or athlete, hot stones, incorporated with a back scrub and hydration treatment and anything in-between. “By listening to client expectations before the massage,” says Jaeger “and 'listening' to their body during the massage, I am able to deliver the best possible results.” MoonStone Massage is a quaint and comfortable, yet energizing, studio located in the heart of downtown Fairhope. Until May 31, Jaeger is offering new and returning clients introductory rates on all massages and gift certificates. Location: 314 B Magnolia Ave., Fairhope. For appointments call 251-978-3238 or 251517-5383. See listing on page 32. 6

Mobile / Baldwin Edition

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Pilates/Yoga Fusion Intensive in Birmingham Master Teacher Cara Reeser will host Big and Bold, a Pilates- and yoga-inspired movement intensive at Pilates on Highland, in Birmingham, next month. A Pilates Method Alliance-approved, TPC (The Pilates Center) master program will take place from 1 to 7 p.m., April 14 and costs $200. A class open to professionals and students, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., April 15, costs $50. These Pilates/yoga fusion classes will give students an opportunity to go deep into the practice of armstanding and back-bending. With an eye toward alignment, strength and flexibility, students will learn new and exciting ways to enhance their practice — upside-down and inside-out. All experience levels are welcome, because Big and Bold will be led in a safe, fun and supportive environment. Reeser, owner of Pilates Aligned, Inc., began her initial studies in the Pilates Method with first generation Master Teacher Kathleen Stanford Grant. Now she serves as the lineage carrier of the Kathy Grant work and is highly respected in the industry. She is an advanced teacher, presenting continuing education and teacher mentoring group workshops at her studios in Denver, Colorado, throughout the U.S. and abroad. For more information and registration, visit PilatesOnHighland.com/work or email Info@PilatesOnHighland.com. See ad on page 29.

Thai Yoga Workshop in Foley

Manifest Your Natural Abundance

A Thai Yoga Workshop will be held at Trinity Yoga, in Foley, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., March 24, presented by Health Coach and Thai Yoga Therapist Celandine Deva Miller. The cost is $20 for individuals or $35 for couples. Thai yoga bodywork is most effectively practiced with partners. Participants are encouraged to bring a spouse, family member or friend to experience the benefits of natural pain relief and well-being. Please bring a yoga mat and wear comfortable clothing. Thai yoga is a form of yoga therapy that combines massage, assisted yoga poses, acupressure, healing energy work and meditation. According to Trinity Yoga owner Natalie Saucier, this form of bodywork can be most helpful for improved flexibility, range of motion issues, neck and back problems, stress and anxiety reduction, fibromyalgia, depression, headaches/migraines, PMS/infertility, chronic fatigue syndrome and disease prevention. Saucier recommends this bodywork for people with chronic pain issues that refuse to heal, or simply as a way to release old patterns in body, mind and spirit. Location: 21441 Highway 98 E., in Foley. For information or directions contact Natalie Saucier at 251-609-5541 or NatsTrinityYoga@gmail.com. See ad on page 29.

LuLu’s Vegetable Oil Project The Waste Vegetable Oil Project at LuLu’s at Homeport restaurant, in Gulf Shores, is soon to become a reality. Lucy “LuLu” Buffett adopted an idea originally conceived by her brother, Jimmy Buffett, to recycle used vegetable oil from her own restaurant as well as from Jimmy’s new Margaritaville, in Biloxi. “We are close to launching a program that will use our refined vegetable oil to power a shrimp boat,” says Carol Gonseth, LuLu’s general manager. A similar operation has proven successful, in which filtered waste vegetable oil from the Margaritaville in Myrtle Beach is trucked to Folly Beach, South Carolina. The oil is used by Captain Neal Cooksey to run the Hailey Marie shrimp boat. The captain then turns around and sells the shrimp to the restaurant. With the assistance of Randy Holden, the mastermind behind Margaritaville’s project, LuLu’s already has 1,000 gallons of clean oil filtered and ready to be used. The restaurant’s filtering system was purchased using funds from One Love One Ocean merchandise sales. The next step is to partner with a local shrimper that will bring fresh shrimp to the LuLu's dock and refuel his boat with the vegetable oil. This system will benefit the shrimper, LuLu’s, the environment and restaurant guests. Plans are to have the complete system in operation by this summer. Location: 200 East 25th Ave., Gulf Shores. For information, contact Carol Gonseth at 251-967-5858, Carol@LuLuBuffett.com or visit LuLuBuffett.com. See ad on page 2.

Adwiti Subba Haffner will lead a powerful workshop intended to facilitate success, health and unlimited Adwiti Subba Haffner prosperity through the use of spiritual principles to change one’s beliefs and create one’s own reality. Manifest Your Natural Abundance takes place from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., March 24, at Yoga Birds, in Fairhope. The cost is $88 before March 8 or $108 after March 8. All materials are included. Originally from Darjeeling, India, Haffner is a clinical hypnotherapist and life coach. She brings a uniqueness to every seminar with her deep Eastern insights and meditative methods amalgamated with, among other modalities, modern Neurolinguistic Programming methods. “This course is designed to help you tap into the principles of abundance,” says Haffner. “You will learn creative visualization and how to implement an action plan for success, shatter programmed negative self-beliefs about prosperity and money, how to feel worthy of abundance by releasing self-sabotage, build the confidence to do the things you never dared and learn to live with meditation and inner harmony.” After attending Heffner’s workshop, Margaret Bemis said, “I began to believe that I could achieve my wildest goals. She helped me open up possibilities that had once scared me. She gave me permission to dream big and pursue those dreams. Adwiti is an empowering force that I hold in the highest regard.” Location: 209 South Section St., Fairhope. For information, contact Adwiti at 251609-1251, Alive@AliveWithAdwiti.com or visit AliveWithAdwiti.com. See ad on page 17.

natural awakenings

March 2012

All Natural... It’s What We Do! Your Sold Gold Holistic Pet Health Food Center Organic treats, bones & grooming supplies Grooming • Pet-icures • Massage • Teeth Cleaning

newsbriefs Self Evident Truths Project Photo Shoot

For individual self-care and therapists. Only $29.95.

Self Evident Truths, a photographic record project of LGBTQ America (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, two-spirited (a Native American reference), queer and/or questioning), will be shooting pictures from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 3, in Mobile. The goal of Self Evident Truths is to capture anyone who feels they are anything other than “100 percent straight.” Shot in simple black-and-white, in natural light, with no makeup or styling, the photos are intended to humanize the very varied face of gays in America today. To participate in the Self Evident Truths Project, email SelfEvident2011@gmail.com to set up a 15-minute appointment. In the email, include city, day and preferred time of appointment. Participants are free to include friends, family, pets or anyone with whom they want to participate in the photo shoot. Questions may be asked for the What’s Your Story portion of the project. The photos and videos taken of the participants will be used only for the Self Evident Truths Project.

www.sacrowedgy.com 251-653-9258 or 800-737-9295

Location: 5817 Old Shell Rd., Mobile. For information, visit Facebook: SelfEvidentTruthsProject and SelfEvidentProject.com.

When it comes to your pet, naturally, you want the best, and the best natural pet food, treats and grooming services are what we offer! Mention this ad for 10% off new grooming clients

Lynn Anderson, CEO 251-928-0750 www.southpaws-petspa.com southpawspetspa@gmail.com

SCIATICA? BACK PAIN? HIP PAIN? POOR POSTURE? Relaxing 20 minutes daily on the Sacro Wedgy®

may be all you need. Placed under the sacrum (tailbone), it allows the hips to suspend and relax, letting go of nerves and ultimately “rebalancing.”

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businessspotlight

The Produce Outlet: A Community Market

to open his current retail space in January. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” he says of his hard work and good fortune. With gratitude for the support of the Mobile community, and an awareness of the many families struggling to make it in the tough economy, Seitz keeps his prices modest. “The community has given to us, so we want to give to them. We can’t give away the food, but we can keep prices low.” Seitz practices a similar loyalty to the area when purchasing inventory. Stocking local foods whenever possible, he currently sells local honey, potatoes, greens and many citrus varieties. As spring approaches, local items make up 60 to 70 percent of their inventory. Non-Alabama items come from Mississippi and Florida. Locals agree that there’s something different about The Produce Outlet. It’s referred to as “the meeting place” by many, because it seems that everyone always sees someone they know when they shop there. Patronage isn’t limited to Mobile residents. One elderly couple drives down every weekend from Choctaw County to shop at this Mobile market. Another customer, from Fairhope, says, “I love the vibe of this place. It’s in a more urban area and has a real community feel.” About the positive response, Seitz says, “We’re a community market. I want to encourage others that anything is possible.”

C.J. Seitz, owner of The Produce Outlet, has been working in the produce business for 14 years. As a child, his first job was at the Mobile Farmers’ Market. After spending some time working in Philadelphia, Seitz returned to Mobile last year, and to his surprise, struggled to find a job. “I applied for unemployment benefits and received a $250 check,” he recalls. “That’s the only C.J. Seitz unemployment check I cashed, and I took it all to my old boss at the farmers’ market. I bought $250 worth of fruits and vegetables from him and sold them on the side of the road.” Seitz took his revenue back to the farmers’ market the next day to purchase more produce, and his roadside business grew from there. Location: 2700 Pleasant Valley Rd., in Mobile. For more informa Seitz started saving some of his profits until he had enough tion, call 251-476-5001. See listing on page 11. 8

Mobile / Baldwin Edition

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Changing the Way America Eats Nourishing the Shift to Farm-Fresh Foods

Farmers’ Job Market

by Melinda Hemmelgarn

entucky farmer and writer Wendell Berry states that in order for people to care about their food, “They have to taste it.” Tasting the difference between fresh, local, organic foods and those that travel hundreds or thousands of miles before touching our taste buds is catalyzing a healthy change across America. Consider the growth in patronage of farmers’ markets alone: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports the number of markets has soared, from 1,755 in 1994 to 7,175 in 2011. What’s driving the surge? Incentives include our appreciation of scrumptious seasonal flavor, a comforting sense of community and the reassurance of knowing exactly where our food comes from

Supermarkets must rely on crops and animal products that can withstand longdistance travel and also meet uniform appearance standards. Small farmers serving local markets, on the other hand, can better preserve the legacy of biologically diverse heirloom crops and heritage breeds because of the shorter distances between field and plate. An heirloom tomato picked ripe at peak flavor can’t survive a lengthy commute, but nothing tastes better when it’s plucked fresh from the vine and still warm from the sun. Planting diverse, region-specific crops also reduces the burden of weeds, pests and plant diseases—and any related chemical use—and helps provide safe nourishment for pollinators and wildlife, as well. No wonder the Organic Farming Research Foundation characterizes farmers as the largest group of ecosystem managers on Earth. Everyone can support a cause that feeds us well while caring for the planet.

and who—often on a first-name basis— grew or produced it. Good, healthy food germinates in genuine relationships— between growers and consumers, and farmers and the Earth. Local markets boost hometown economies, too; the USDA predicts a record $7 billion in such food sales this year, delivering a greater proportion of food dollars directly to farmers. Regional food systems also support the biological diversity that is vital to sustainability. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, “different varieties of the same species,” have “statistically different nutrient contents.” In other words, each variety promises a unique mix of healthprotecting compounds.

With 57 being the current average age of American farmers, and more than a quarter 65 or older, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition recognizes the desperate need for more young farmers. When the National Young Farmer’s Coalition recently surveyed 1,000 beginning farmers, it found that access to capital, land and health insurance presented the biggest hurdles to entering farming as a career. The Women, Food and Agriculture Network has identified access to health care as the main challenge facing females that want to farm. While city dwellers tend to idealize farming as a romantic occupation in a bucolic setting, it is actually a risky, physically demanding job. Despite the challenges, farmers say they love their work because they enjoy being outside, working with their hands, producing high-quality food and being their own boss. It helps to be healthy, smart and an optimist at heart.

natural awakenings

March 2012

Sticker Price versus Hidden Costs

To consumers coping in a down economy, the cheapest price may sometimes seem like the best choice. John Ikerd, professor emeritus of agricultural economics at the University of Missouri, notes that, “Americans, on average, are spending only half as much of their disposable income for food today as they were in the 1960s.” However, at the same time, “The percentage spent on health care has doubled.” Scores of studies show that many of today’s chronic diseases are related to poor diet. Factor in medical costs associated with food-borne illnesses, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pesticide- and hormonecontaminated food and water, and it’s easy to understand why Michael Carolan, author of The Real Cost of Cheap Food, declares, “Cheap food... is actually quite expensive.” One way for families to save money on food costs is to reduce waste. Jonathan Bloom, author of American Wasteland, says Americans waste more than 40 percent of the food we produce for consumption, throwing away $100 billion-plus in food a year. Most of it ends up in landfills. Instead of providing incentives to agribusinesses to produce less expensive food, smarter national farm and food policies could prioritize producing higher quality food and wasting less of it. Kathy Bero, board president of NuGenesis Farm, in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, advocates shifting commodity payments to organic farmers. Her nonprofit educational farm promotes “food as medicine,” along with cost-saving, health-boosting consumer strategies such as learning how to garden and cook to maximize nutritional value.

Inspiring Trends

Stephanie Coughlin, a farmer in San Diego, California, says: “If you don’t have local farms, you don’t have local security.” Across the country, communities are proving how a few conscious buyers can improve everyone’s access to high-quality local foods. Farm to Hospital: As director of nutrition services at Fletcher Allen Health Care, in Burlington, Vermont, Registered Dietitian Diane Imrie has the power to influence the economic security and sustainability of her community and surrounding region. Imrie sources approximately 40 percent of the food served at her hospital from farms located within a day’s drive. In 10

Mobile / Baldwin Edition

her work, she helps keep farmers on their land while providing higher quality food to patients and staff. The facility also supports onsite gardens, which yielded $2,000 worth of produce in 2011, despite Vermont’s short growing season. The hospital food is so popular that its café serves downtown businesspeople, further bolstering profitability and community benefits. For local maple sugar producer Bernie Comeau, Imrie’s consistent purchases provide an income he can count on every month. Imrie is glad to note that for farmers, selling their food to the hospital is “like a stamp of approval.” Marydale DeBor, who founded and led the “plow to plate” comprehensive food and disease-prevention initiative associated with Connecticut’s New Milford Hospital, maintains that, “Institutional leadership is critical.” She says that thanks to a supportive CEO that believed in bringing farm-fresh foods to hospital food services, their retail café more than doubled its revenue within two years. DeBor believes that hospital food should set an example for public health. “We need to support beginning farmers, and more food hubs and new distribution systems to facilitate access,” she says. “Consumers need to let their hospitals know they should focus on good food and nutrition.” Farm to Restaurant: Leigh Lockhart, owner of Main Squeeze Natural Foods Café and Juice Bar, in Columbia, Missouri, buys supplies directly from local organic farmers and never quibbles about price. She composts any food waste in her garden, where she grows some of the produce used in her restaurant. Rather than large plates of cheap food, Lockhart serves portions within U.S. Dietary Guidelines, comprising higher quality, more satisfying meals. Relationships with chefs are important to farmers, advises Carol Ann Sayle, owner of Boggy Creek Organic Farm, in Austin, Texas. Farmers can rely on a sure buyer; chefs appreciate dependable and high quality food; and customers return because of the great taste. Farm to School: Organic farmer Don Bustos, program director for the American Friends Service Committee of New Mexico, trains beginning farmers and ranchers in ways to provide food to the Albuquerque Public School District and beyond. For example, farmers grow

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crops during the winter in solar-powered greenhouses, and aggregate their products to meet school needs. Mobile meat processing and distribution networks also create jobs while keeping small farmers economically and environmentally viable, explains Bustos. Local agriculture fuels strong communities and fresh local foods help children thrive. In the Pacific Northwest, AmeriCorps volunteer Emma Brewster works with the Real Food Challenge, a national youthbased program that encourages colleges and universities to shift 20 percent of their food budgets to farm-fresh, locally sourced foods. Brewster works with Lucy Norris, project manager for the Puget Sound Food Network, which creates opportunities beyond farmers’ markets for local area farmers to connect with regional processors, distributors and end users, including Seattle Public Schools.

Hands in the Dirt

Regardless of occupation, many people feel a natural urge to work with the soil and witness the miracle of seeds sprouting new life. Rose Hayden-Smith, Ph.D., a garden historian and a designated leader in sustainable food systems at the University of California–Davis, points out that home, school, community and workplace victory gardens established during World War II succeeded in producing about 40 percent of our nation’s vegetables. In both world wars, she says, our national leadership “recognized that food and health were vital national security issues.” They still are today. Melinda Hemmelgarn, a.k.a. the Food Sleuth (FoodSleuth@gmail.com), is a registered dietitian and award-winning writer and radio host, based in Columbia, Missouri. She co-created F.A.R.M.: Food, Art, Revolution Media – a Focus on Photography to Re-vitalize Agriculture and Strengthen Democracy to increase advocacy for organic farmers (Enduring-Image. blogspot.com). Learn more at Food Sleuth Radio at kopn.org.

Eat Fresh. Buy Local.

Treat your locavore palate to farm-fresh foods while contributing to a healthier planet and a more prosperous local economy. Support these Mobile/Baldwin businesses!

CSAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S (COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE) MAE GRACE FARM

MaeGraceFarm.com MaeGraceFarm@hotmail.com 251-964-5286 Local organic farm operating a 36 week CSA. Shares include produce, herbs and cut flowers. See ad on page 21.

FARMS & APIARIES

THE PURE VEGAN ThePureVegan.com Tracey@ThePureVegan.com 251-510-2418, Like us on Facebook!

YOUR BUSINESS HERE! 123 Address 000-000-0000 YourWebsite.com

Providing fresh healthy and delicious plant-based whole foods, with locally sourced ingredients. Specializing in weekly meal home deliveries. See ad on page 13.

15 word description here. Call today to reserve your spot: 251-990-9552.

SUNFLOWER CAFE I WINDMILL MARKET'S PRODUCE CLUB 85 North Bancroft Street, Downtown Fairhope Info@WindmillMarket.org 251-990-8883

Fresh fruits, veggies, milk, cheese, grass-fed beef and more delivered from local farms to your table every week! See ad on page 22.

320 Eastern Shore Shopping Center, Fairhope 251-929-0055 Va-FairhopeHealthFoods.com

MEAT & SEAFOOD FIDLER FARMS Highway 55 South to Harris Lane Silverhill, Alabama 36576 251-945-5687

Organic cafe serving lunch and Sunday brunch. Local produce, herbs and meats used. Menu online. See ad on back cover.

Family-owned grower of grass-finished all natural beef, Super Jumbo Green and dry peanuts.

SUNFLOWER CAFE II

GROCERY STORES FAIRHOPE HEALTH FOODS

PRODUCE & FARMERS MARKETS

Organic cafe and juice bar. Local produce, herbs and meats used. Menu online. See ad on back cover.

280 Eastern Shore Shopping Center, Fairhope 251-928-0644 Va-FairhopeHealthFoods.com

THE PRODUCE OUTLET

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Comprehensive health food store featuring local products: organic produce, organic milk, meat, eggs, honey and soap. See ad on back cover.

WESTSIDE GROCERY

85 North Bancroft Street, Downtown Fairhope WindmillMarket.org 251-990-8883 Local grocery sells the best produce, meat, cheeses, seafood and sweets that the area has to offer!

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March 2012

Order your Natural Awakenings Network (NAN) Discount Card to receive these food & garden discounts!

Bangkok Thai Cuisine

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Blue Flower Gardens Fairhope, 251-929-3593 30% off organic, perennial garden installation

Fairhope Health Foods

Fairhope, 251-928-0644 10% discount on non-sale items

Moo Che Che Frozen Yogurt

Spanish Fort, 251-626-9992 15% discount

Orlando & Sons Produce

Gulf Shores, 251-948-4538 $5 off purchases of $25 or more

The Pure Vegan

Mobile, 251-510-2418 10% off personal chef services and wellness coaching

Smoothie King

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The Health Food Center

Sunflower Cafe

Grow Alabama

Mobile, 251-661-3065 10% discount on Tuesdays

The Health Hut

Spanish Fort, 251-621-1865 Mobile, 251-633-0485 10% off non-food items

Lopez Family Chiropractic Fairhope, 251-928-5058 20% off nutritional supplement or organic food item

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* CORPORATE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE 12

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CHOOSING FORKS OVER KNIVES Doctors Advocate a Plant-Based Diet by Linda Sechrist

ilm Producer Brian Wendel’s concern for the many Americans suffering from multiple chronic diseases, as well as the strain this puts on our nation’s health care system and economy, sparked the idea for documenting what doctors researching the issue have to say about it. In his latest film, Forks Over Knives, these pioneering thinkers examine the claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases afflicting humanity can be controlled or reversed by avoiding the ingestion of animal-based and processed foods; more, they make a compelling case that switching to a whole-foods, plant-based diet can restore health. Much of the foundational science showing why a plant-based diet of whole foods is not only best for everyone’s health, but also for the planet, comes from noted nutrition research pioneer T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. He has summarized his results in his book, The China Study, co-authored with his son, Dr. Thomas M. Campbell. His 1980 study of 130 Chinese villages, involving 6,500 adults and their families, directly tied the consumption of animal protein-based foods to the development of cancer and heart disease. Based on his research, Colin Campbell, teamed up with Dr. Junshi Chen, currently a senior research professor with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in Beijing, specifically characterized casein, a protein found in

drugs. Anthony Yen and Evelyn Oswick, for example, attest how their lives were saved by switching to a whole-foods, plant-based diet after a lifetime of illness that included multiple heart attacks and surgeries, as well as chronic chest pain. Treatment under the care of Esselstyn succeeded in reversing advanced-stage heart disease in both cases. Today, they enjoy active lives full of friends, family and meaningful work. Social media channels such as Facebook have been vital to spreading the word about the effective solutions presented by the Forks Over Knives film and companion book (complete with recipes). Wendel reports inspiring posts such as, “Your film changed my life,” or “I no longer require diabetes medication.” Potential savings in costs to people and the planet are vast. Consider, for instance, that according to the Polytechnic Institute of New York University, if the entire U.S. population were to adopt a plant-based diet for just one day, the nation would save at least 100 billion gallons of drinking water, enough to supply every person in every home in New England for nearly four months. Wendel foresees the ForksOver Knives.com website ultimately expanding into a news resource, linking people with information provided by leading experts in the whole-foods, plant-based world via various media platforms. It will also provide opportunities to blog with experts, listen to live broadcasts about food preparation and find resources to help individuals transition to a healthier, plant-based diet.

milk from mammals, as “the most relevant carcinogen ever identified.” With concrete evidence in hand, and accounting for other diet and lifestyle factors, the pair went on to conclude that consuming whole, plant-based foods offers the best strategy for improving health and preventing serious diseases. Other solid science presented in the film comes from Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., whose 150 scientific articles complement the 1995 publication of his peer-acclaimed book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, which summarizes the results of his long-term research on arresting and reversing coronary artery disease through nutrition. In his two decades of global research, Esselstyn, who directs the cardiovascular prevention and Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for reversal program at the Cleveland Clinic Natural Awakenings magazines. Wellness Institute, found that wherever people ate a plantbased diet, cancer Eat Well. Live Well. Be Well. and cardiovascular The Pure Vegan Wellness Services diseases were rare. {A Shanti Warrior Company} I n m a ny o f the case histories Health & Wellness Coaching and personal stoYoga Group Classes & Private Sessions ries chronicled in Plant-Based Cooking Classes, Forks Over Knives, Meal-delivery & Menu Consulting diet was used as a treatment for Tracey Winter Glover JD, RYT 200 various diseases AFPA Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant and cited as beLearn more at www.ThePureVegan.com ing more effective tracey@thepurevegan.com • (251) 510-2418 than prescription natural awakenings

March 2012

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High Fiber Trumps Low Fat

Strawberry Jerry LoFaro After ruling out his initial career choices of paleontologist, zoologist, baseball player and Good Humor ice cream man, Jerry LoFaro parlayed his lifetime interest in dinosaurs and other animals, fantasy, art history and literature into a successful career as an illustrator. His art—always striking and often humorous—has been featured on book covers for major publishers and in advertising and promotional campaigns for clients including Nike, Disney, National Geographic, The Discovery Channel and TIME magazine. Celestial Seasonings has commissioned LoFaro to create tea, coffee and seasonings package designs, even entrusting him to update the company’s famous icon, Sleepytime Bear. Recently, he was honored with a gold medal from the Society of Illustrators. “Superficially, I’d describe my work as realism,” says LoFaro. “However, much of what I’ve done in content is conceptual, with surreal flourishes.” Prior to 2002, he worked primarily with acrylics; now, he uses Photoshop to create digital art. LoFaro also treasures the rural beauty of his New Hampshire surroundings and confides, “My life revolves around walking out to my studio in the woods, listening to great music, and being creative.” View the artist’s portfolio at JerryLoFaro.com. 14

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hen food shopping, concentrate on fiber content, rather than just the amount of fat, suggests a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. New Michigan State University (MSU) research suggests that foods high in fiber—but not necessarily low in saturated fats or cholesterol— are tied to lowering the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes in teens; it’s a generation noted to be at high risk for developing chronic disease, due in part to the popularity of processed foods with this age group. The researchers found that due to low consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans, the teens’ total dietary fiber intake was about 13 grams a day, well below the recommended 26 grams and 38 grams for female and male adolescents, respectively. “Our study reinforced the current dietary recommendations for fiber intake by including a variety of plant-based foods,” says lead author Joseph Carlson, a registered dietician and associate professor at MSU. “It may be better to focus on including these foods than to focus, as is commonly done, on excluding foods high in saturated fat.” Teens are not the only ones that benefit from a fiber-rich diet. A recent report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that adult women and men that eat at least 26 grams and 30 grams of fiber a day, respectively, had a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious and respiratory diseases.

HEALTHY WEIGHT FOR HEALTHIER GUMS

egular brushing and flossing is vital for keeping teeth and gums healthy. Surprisingly, so is managing our weight. Case Westnew, in-depth guide to the benefits ern Reserve University researchers have of grass-fed beef is now availfound that the body is better at fighting able from Animal Welfare Approved, a national nonprofit organization that gum disease when fat cells disappear. audits, certifies and supports farmers Excess weight often triggers damagthat raise their animals according to the ing inflammation throughout the body, highest welfare standards, and outdoors and inflammation from gum disease can on pasture or range. The Grassfed Primer, available as a free download at erode bone, lead to tooth loss and create AnimalWelfareApproved.org/consumers/ fissures in the gums, allowing harmful food-labels, notes that grass-fed meat oral bacteria to enter the bloodstream. and dairy products offer health benefits Such bacteria have been linked to via higher levels of omega-3 essential preterm births, fetal death, heart disfatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid ease, diabetes and arthritis, according to (CLA) and vitamin E, and can reduce the Nabil Bissada, chair of the department of risk of E. coli infection. Scientists now believe that CLA may be one of human- periodontics at the university’s School of ity’s most potent defenses against cancer. Dental Medicine.

GRASS-FED BENEFITS

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

Little Thumbs

Gardening Helps Children Grow Gardening provides many varieties of engagement for children: designing, planting and maintaining a garden patch; harvesting, preparing and sharing food; working cooperatively in groups; learning about science and nutrition; and creating art and stories inspired by their garden experiences. When third, fourth and fifth grade students participating in a one-year gardening program were surveyed for life skills, they showed significant increases in self-understanding, interpersonal relationship skills and the ability to work in groups, compared with nonparticipating students. Qualitative surveys of 52 second and third grade students working in a community garden classroom program in San Antonio, Texas, further revealed the children were likely to have more positive bonding experiences with their parents and other adults. A study of children with learning disabilities that engaged in gardening measured increases in nonverbal communication skills, awareness levels of the advantages of order, understanding of how to participate in a cooperative effort, and the ability to form positive relationships with adults. Juvenile offenders that gardened showed improved self-esteem, interpersonal relationships and attitudes towards school. Overall, gardening has been recognized by many studies as a therapeutic healing activity that can positively impact mental health and well-being. Source: University of Colorado-Denver; Health Sciences Center

Freeing Minds

Yoga Mitigates Prison Recidivism Overcrowding is a serious issue in American prisons partly because the rate of recidivism (return) is high. A 1994 study showed that 67.5 percent of the 300,000 adult prisoners released in 15 states were re-arrested within three years. James Fox, founder of the nonprofit Prison Yoga Project (PrisonYoga.com) believes that part of the problem is that the U.S. prison system overly emphasizes punishment during incarceration and that programs such as yoga classes might lower the rate of recidivism. He is an advocate for restorative justice and has worked with prisoners for 10 years. The theory is that yoga and meditation help prison inmates develop important emotional and social skills, including impulse control and willpower, and thus reduce tendencies toward antisocial and criminal behaviors. Fox observes how anyone that adheres to the practice can develop mindfulness, patience, diligence and selfmotivation. The Prison Yoga Project provides training for yoga teachers that want to work in prisons. Fox also would like to maintain a scholarship fund to help former inmates do teacher training, so they can make a career out of the practice. Source: Dowser.org

Our Facebook Fans Share! Last month we asked our fans if they eat locally-sourced food and from where they get it: "We have a veggie garden and absolutely love it! Most of our fall/winter veggies have come from there, but during farmers market season we like to spend Thursday afternoons at the (Fairhope) farmers market. We put effort into eating homegrown, local, or seasonal. But, I have a confession- we have strawberries and grapes in the fridge right now!" ~Mollie R. Mollie will receive a complimentary Natural Awakenings Network (NAN) Discount Card ($108 value) so she can enjoy a year's worth of healthy and green living discounts on us!

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Bee Wary

Nature’s Wake-Up Set to Snooze Bees are awakening earlier each spring, according to a Rutgers University study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Scientists report that global warming over the past 130 years has caused several species of North American bees to emerge about 10 days earlier than they did previously, with most of the shift occurring since 1970. Scientific research known as phenology measures the timing of lifecycle events of animals and plants. “A shift in 10 days is a lot from the point of view of an insect whose lifetime is measured in weeks,” says Rutgers Entomologist Rachael Winfree, co-author of the study. Because bees are the world’s most important pollinators of flowers and plants, any change in this crucial relationship could prove devastating. Study leader Ignasi Bartomeus, Ph.D., says. “If bees and plants responded differently to climate change, bees could emerge in the spring before plants were flowering, in which case the bees would die because they wouldn’t have anything to eat. Or plants could flower before the bees emerged, in which case the plants would not be pollinated and would fail to reproduce.” Source: USA Today

for Emotional Health & Infinite Well-Being. “Adwiti has helped me to awaken and connect with my deep inner voice, and brought me to a higher level of Spiritual conciousness that has healed many layers of my being.” ~Joy, Gulf Shores

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RECYCLED SHELTERS

Nigeria Makes Houses from Plastic Bottles Citizens of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, can now live “inside” the plastic water bottles that previously littered their roads, canals and gutters, thanks to a project initiated by the Kaduna-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) Developmental Association for Renewable Energies, with help from foreign experts from African Community Trust, a London-based NGO. The prototype 624-square-foot, two-bedroom bungalow looks like an ordinary home, but it is made from capped, sand-filled plastic bottles. The bottles are stacked into layers and bonded together by mud and cement, with an intricate network of strings holding each bottle by its neck, providing extra support to the structure. Once approved, the country will start construction to alleviate a current deficit of 16 million housing units.

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Give a gift of healing. Therapeutic Massage

Source: PhysOrg.com

The roots of all goodness lie in

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March 2012

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Eliminate the Grocery Tax in Alabama by Heather Barrow

felt a slight tug on my shirt hem while at my local grocery store. I turned and looked down to see a small, rosy-cheeked face staring up at me. A little girl’s blue eyes started welling up with tears as she timidly said, “I’ve lost my mommy.” I assured her we would find her mommy and it would be okay. Just a few aisles over, I saw a woman digging through an accordion folder of coupons with a young child in the seat of her grocery cart. She looked up as we walked towards her and said, “Oh my goodness, I didn’t realize Ashley wasn’t right here.” After thanking me for helping her daughter, we struck up a conversation about how we dislike grocery shopping. We laughed about all the time we both spend on couponing for the sake of saving a few dollars. But as a single mom she noted, “Every penny counts.” I met up with the family in the checkout line and as the woman was paying, she glanced back at me and said, “Hey, I saved enough to cover the tax!” After all the time and energy she spent to save money on her groceries, this single mom’s savings was only enough to cover the taxes on her bill? Struck by this reality and aware that other states’ groceries aren’t taxed at all, I began researching why Alabamians pay tax on these household necessities. Alabama and Mississippi are the only two states that still fully tax groceries. While the dollar amount of savings would fluctuate among households, according to Stephen Stetson, a policy analyst with Alabama Arise, the elimination of Alabama’s 4 percent sales tax on groceries would save a family at least the cost of two weeks’ worth of groceries every year. Alabama Arise, a nonprofit organization that supports issues to help and empower low-income citizens, is on the 18

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forefront of supporting legislation to end grocery sales tax in our state. According to the organization, ending the state portion of the sales tax will put approximately $325 million back into the pockets of Alabamians each year to spend in the local retail economy. While the benefits of lower grocery bills are easy to see from a consumer’s standpoint, the state depends on the revenue generated from the grocery tax. For this reason, the bulk of the Alabama Arise push in recent years has been to counterbalance the loss of grocery tax revenue by closing a tax loophole that benefits the extremely wealthy. This loophole allows a deduction on an individual’s state tax return for the amount of their federal income tax paid. As the tax structure works now, many large corporations with an IRS designation of LLC (limited liability corporation) are able to file as individuals and claim the federal income tax exemption, allowing them to pay much less in state taxes. The most recent proposal, which did not receive enough votes to pass, would have allowed anyone making under $200,000 a year to claim the deduction,

Alabama and Mississippi are the only two states that still fully tax groceries. The elimination of Alabama’s 4 percent sales tax on groceries would save a family at least the cost of two weeks’ worth of groceries every year.

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meaning the loophole would only close for the top earners in the state. Ending the deduction for this specific portion of the state’s population could completely offset losses from the discontinuation of the existing 4 percent grocery tax. While there has been other legislation proposing the elimination of sales tax on groceries, the bills have either had no solution for offsetting lost revenue or require a raise in sales tax on other items. The latter solution would be an impediment to working families, because sales taxes are regressive, and have the most detrimental effect on the poor and working class. Also playing a role in resistance to reform is the apparent disconnect that some of Alabama’s lawmakers have from this issue. Probably due to the fact that they may not do their own shopping, many found it incomprehensible that a reasonable mom would spend more than $100 at the grocery store on a single trip. It is up to the citizens of Alabama to take action by standing up for a tax-free grocery shopping experience. By becoming involved in ending the grocery sales tax, single moms like Ashley’s and everyone else in our state can feed their families the way it’s done in 48 other states. For more information, call Alabama Arise in Montgomery at 334-832-9060 or visit UntaxGroceries.com to find state representative contact information, read the 2012 bill, sign a petition and get updated news about the progression of the bill in the legislature. Heather Barrow is a native Alabamian who has worked on indigent defense, civil rights, and poverty issues in Alabama and the South for more than a decade.

consciouseating

“If we take our time and watch for good deals, we can build a pantry at a low cost,” she says, because such ingredients are basically “blank slates.” As just one example of a low-cost, pantry-based meal, O’Donnel might start with cooked red lentils, then add fresh ginger and garlic, sautéed onion with cumin, and fresh spinach and tomatoes, and then serve it with whole-wheat pita bread.

Ingredient-First Cooking

Jane Zieha, a certified public accountant, knows that feeding people and watching the bottom line can go together. She owns the acclaimed Blue Bird Bistro, in Kansas City, Missouri. An avowed all-natural, organic, sustainable and local foods passionista, Zieha has stayed true to the principles of her Pennsylvania upbringing. “I didn’t eat like anybody else growing up,” she says. “We never ate packaged food. We ate what was fresh. When I was old enough to go to a friend’s house for dinner, I was surprised at how they ate.” Today, both at home and at work, Zieha continues to select the best that local farmers can provide. “I don’t start with a recipe and then find the food, like most chefs and restaurants do,” she explains. “I find the ingredients and then go from there.”

EATING WELL ON A BUDGET by Judith Fertig

In tough economic times, stay on track, she makes it a habit to shop near home and uses cash instead of credit. many families include food Seasonal Shopping in their spending cuts. How “If we shop for seasonal produce and can we tighten our budget freeze or can surplus from our local farmers’ market, we can eat well all year and Meat as a Condiment and yet still eat well? still eat frugally,” advises Rebecca Miller,

ix months ago, Josh Viertel threw down the “value meal” gauntlet in a major way. The Slow Food USA president challenged cooks around the country to create a family-friendly feast for under $5. Many responded, sharing their tips and tricks at SlowFoodUSA. org/5Challenge. Here are some favorites.

Setting a Budget Five dollars per meal for 21 meals a week, plus snacks, neatly totals the $125 weekly food budget set by the Leake family, of Charlotte, North Carolina. Lisa and Jason Leake, parents of two young daughters, first explored what it would be like to eliminate processed food from their diet, which they describe in their blog at 100DaysofReal Food.com. Their success led to the additional challenge of eating real food on a budget. “Having a realistic weekly budget is helpful, because you can’t go too far over budget before you realize you are in trouble,” advises Lisa Leake. To make it even easier to

a macrobiotic and healing foods caterer from Overland Park, Kansas. “When fresh blueberries are $3 a cup at the grocery during the off-season, for example, we can still enjoy canned berries in recipes or thawed from the freezer on our morning oatmeal.”

Eating Down the Fridge Seattle-based Kim O’Donnel, author of The Meatlover’s Meatless Cookbook, blogs about family meals for USA Today. “I regularly emphasize what I call ‘eating down the frig,’” she says. “That means making use of what we’ve got on hand, like generations before us that also went through food shortages. We’re just out of practice.” One way to help ourselves learn, says O’Donnel, is to stock a “smarter” pantry. Staples include different varieties of dried beans; lentils; quick-cooking grains such as quinoa, bulgur, couscous and purple barley; garbanzo beans; brown and black rice; and a few BPA-free canned goods like tomatoes, black beans and chickpeas.

More expensive ingredients, such as heritage turkey, can bring more flavor and texture to an entrée as an ingredient instead of a standalone part of a meal, advises Zieha. She might feature heritage turkey in an enchilada filling, pasta or savory bread pudding, so that a little goes a long way. It also makes sense to shop for varieties of fish or cuts of meat that aren’t widely popular or that take longer to cook. Slow Food’s Viertel, who shops near Brooklyn, New York, remarks: “I buy ‘trash fish’—sea robin, squid, mackerel, sardines—because they are cheaper and I believe, taste best. The same is true of the other meats I buy. I never cook pork chops or filet mignon; I cook oxtail and short ribs.” Then, O’Donnel adds, the frugal cook turns bones of roasted poultry or trimmings from a whole fish into a delicious stock. Any homemade broth can be just the frozen asset we need for yet another tasty “value” meal. Cookbook author Judith Fertig writes at AlfrescoFoodAndLifestyle.blogspot.com.

natural awakenings

March 2012

= Complete Local Food Systems by Gabrielle Wyant

Courtesy of: Mike and Ali Kerr, Southern Exposure Photography. GulfCoastMusicPics.com

Local Gardens + Local Restaurants & Stores

Hydroponic lettuce grown by Will Mastin

he local food movement is one of the greatest trends to hit the country over the past decade, as more people head to farmers’ markets, join community supported agriculture programs (CSA) and cooperatives, participate in community gardens, shop at farm stands and U-picks and demand local food in neighborhood grocery stores, schools and restaurants. Many don’t realize the important role they play in promoting the local and regional food systems that keep wealth in our community. In an attempt to gauge the potential for local foods as a catalyst for economic development, the Food Bank of North America engaged Ken Meter, a national food system expert, to perform the North Alabama Local Farm and Food Economy study. Last month, the results of the study were announced in Montgomery at a Local Foods: Potential to Build Wealth and Health in Alabama presentation, hosted by Food Bank of North Alabama, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) and Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments. According to Meter, North Alabama consumers spend $2.4 billion buying food each year. Of this, $2.2 billion is sourced outside the region. “$2.2 billion is more than Alabama’s general fund budget,” reports Meter. “This outflow of potential 20

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"North Alabama consumers spend $2.4 billion buying food each year. Of this, $2.2 billion is sourced outside the region. $2.2 billion is more than Alabama’s general fund budget." ~Ken Meter

(North Alabama Local Farm and Food Economy Study) wealth occurs each year.” The local food movement is gaining momentum throughout Mobile and Baldwin counties as local farming operations are supplying local restaurants, food banks and farmers markets more and more. Yet, because the stories of these farmers go untold, many people in the region do not realize that food system farmers exist right here in Lower Alabama. One local farmer of hydroponic lettuce and vegetables fits seamlessly into the local food system culture, as he

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shares a vision and philosophy necessary for success in the community. The word hydroponics is derived from two Greek words: water and working. The method is a system in which plants are grown in a medium other than natural soil. All the nutrients are dissolved in the irrigation water and are supplied at a regular basis to plants. Fairhope Landscape Architect Will Mastin is a horticulturist, an avid gardener and farmer of hydroponic vegetables. Mastin combines his organic gardening knowledge and hands-on experience with hydroponics, his passion for growing plants and his authentic inclination to help support others in the effort to cultivate and grow local/regional food systems in Baldwin County.

Hydroponic tomatoes grown by Will Mastin

“The local food movement is taking root in Lower Alabama and I’m trying to be a part of it, encourage it and encourage others to participate, as well,” says Mastin. “I got into gardening after realizing that we were buying tomatoes and cucumbers from Canada, in the winter! It was like a slap in the face to realize that we’re living in this incredibly fertile state with a 10-month growing season, yet we’re buying our produce from a place with a two-month growing season.” Because 90 percent of Alabama’s produce comes from out of state, Mastin decided to utilize his broad range of skills, and now cultivates raised bed organics, from which he harvests tomatoes, peppers, strawberries and herbs such as parsley, cilantro and basil, to be sold at Fairhope’s outdoor farmers’ market. On a much larger scale, Mastin grows lettuce, bok choy, basil, tomatoes, cucumbers and snap peas hydroponically to meet the demand of Fairhope area restaurants, a few retailers and health food stores. These hydroponically grown vegetables are only occasionally sold to the public at Fairhope’s farmers’ market, but his demand is increasing quickly. “I currently have only two greenhouses, but I’m slowly growing, I’m developing, like a photograph in the dark,” jests Mastin, “making sure I have the best possible picture.” By growing his produce in two greenhouses, Mastin can quickly supply healthy, clean, pesticide-free, organic lettuce and vegetables out of season at a competitive price. Hydroponics is becoming a very important way to grow produce because of the high production potential, the high quality of the produce and the efficient water usage and recycling of nutrients. “There are different methods to grow

Hydroponics is becoming a very important way to grow produce because of the high production potential, the high quality of the produce and the efficient water usage and recycling of nutrients. hydroponically. The nutrient film technique (NFT), which is the method I use, is a very shallow stream of water that contains all the dissolved nutrients required for plant growth. This water is recirculated past the bare roots of plants three to four times a day,” explained Mastin. The main advantage of the NFT system over other forms of hydroponics is that the plant roots are exposed to adequate supplies of water, oxygen and nutrients. NFT, because of its design, provides a system where all three requirements for healthy plant growth can be met at the same time. The result of these advantages is that higher yields of high-quality produce are obtained over an extended period of cropping, with zero runoff. “The more I can produce,” said Mastin, “the more

money will be pumped back into the local economy. From my small operation comes a synergy of other businesses benefitting around it. For example, Dragonfly Food Bar, my main customer, gets more return customers because they know about what they will eat, where it was produced and by whom. More chefs use local food to distinguish their restaurant from others. Consequently, they want fresh, high-quality ingredients that are ripe and ready to eat, rather than grown and packaged for a 1,500-mile journey, as most food products are today. While local restaurateurs are being supplied by small farmers, another local organization is filling a niche in many Mobile and Baldwin County grocery stores. Mobile-Arc’s (MARC) is a state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse in Irvington. The organization is a charter member of the Association for Retarded Citizens and a United Way agency. MARC is a community-based, family centered advocacy and service system for all persons with cognitive, intellectual and developmental disabilities. At the time the

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Hydroponic lettuce grown by MARC

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organization began its project in 2009, no one else in the area was practicing the hydroponic method. Program Manager John Grubbs says the greenhouse has the capacity to produce 4,700 heads of butterhead lettuce at a time, with the typical crop starting from seed and after two weeks, moved to the hyperponic area, where artificial light is used to promote growth. From there, the plants are nourished by a computer-guided system that measures the precise nutrients needed until harvest, 35 days later. No pesticides are needed, because of the controlled conditions. Happily for the workers, the hydroponic setup allows the lettuce to be grown on elevated shelves, meaning thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much less back strain during harvest. Over a dozen special-needs employees at the greenhouse have got the process down to a science, harvesting 600 heads

Store. On the Eastern Shore, MARC-it lettuce is available at Allegri Farm Market, in Daphne and at Fairhope Health Foods and The Windmill Market in Fairhope. Several local restaurants are also serving MARC, including LuLu's, The Grand Hotel, The Pillars, The Palette Cafe at the Mobile Museum of Art, Sunflower Cafe and soon, True Midtown Kitchen, in Mobile. As the people of Lower Alabama continue to care about where and how their food is grown, and the people growing it, dollars will be reinvested in the local economy to ensure a sustainable and protected environment. Gabrielle Wyant is the assistant editor for Natural Awakenings Mobile/Baldwin.

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of Bibb, red romaine and arugula lettuce per week. Greenhouse Manager Margot Hamilton affirms that there is a job for everyone, regardless of their physical or mental challenges. "They absolutely love it. They come in here in the mornings and they can't wait to get in and get started. Absenteeism is low in my area, because they love to be here." According to MARC Public Relations and Development Director Lindsay Hutchisson, shoppers are helping special needs clients when they buy the lettuce. "When they purchase that product, it goes back and provides for people that we support. We are not here just to grow lettuce. We are here to provide training and more independence for our employees." Sold under the name Green MARC-it, the lettuce is sold in Mobile at Brunos Supermarkets, on Old Shell Road and Airport Boulevard, and at Virginiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health Food

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Rooftop Raised-Beds

Urban farmers in the United States are now transforming an increasingly significant portion of the country’s millions of acres of flat rooftops. Launched in 2010, New York’s Brooklyn Grange rooftop farm operation (BrooklynGrangeFarm.com), totaling nearly an acre atop a mid-rise warehouse, is among the largest of its kind. Sometimes called “vertigo farming”, because the farmers overlook an urban skyline, these enterprises re-green the landscape, wisely manage rainwater and rebuild affordable local fresh food systems. The Grange grows produce in seven-inch-deep beds using a growing medium made from compost and small, porous stones and annually produces 40 cultivars of organic tomatoes, salad greens, peppers, Swiss chard, beets and carrots. Food is sometimes transported to market via bicycles.

Window Gardens

Windowfarm co-founders Rebecca Bray and Britta Riley (Windowfarms.org/story) help homeowners grow some of their own food in window spaces year-round. Their research-and-developit-yourself hydroponic system project facilitates plant cultivation without soil, using nutrient-infused water pumped through a series of growing containers. To date, more than 20,000 people have downloaded plans for their own Windowfarm.

UNCONVENTIONAL

Alleyway Wonders

In the East Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, flowers, ferns and ivy gardens have replaced concrete alleyways thanks to Podmajersky, a local real estate development firm. The lush gardens provide a tranquil sanctuary from city bustle and an aesthetically pleasing and inspiring surrounding for the Chicago Arts District, home to 1,500 artists and other creative entrepreneurs. In Monroe, Wisconsin, one resident turned a humble downtown alley into a welcoming nature-scape. Taking advantage of the “heat-island effect” generated in paved urban areas from hard-surface buildings and a nearby parking lot, as well as a southern exposure, his Midwest gardens even include cacti.

GARDENS No Space? No Problem. by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko

or everyone that feels surrounded by a concrete jungle occasionally relieved by a pocket park, green strip or landscaped median, the concept of finding a place to grow their own food may seem like a fantasy. Fortunately, backyard, rooftop and community gardens are good ideas that are coming on strong. Around the country, productive green spaces are replacing paved lots and lawns with edible perennials and seasonal crops that enable folks to eat better and fresher, while reducing the family food bill. “Food plants can be grown anywhere, including on a highrise balcony, miles from the nearest farm,” says David Tracey, author of Urban Agriculture: Ideas and Designs for the New Food Revolution. “You just need to meet the plant’s basic requirements for sunlight, water and a few nutrients. Cities are great places to grow specific kinds of food; they tend to have plenty of niche areas such as empty lots, rooftops and the ends of streets that new urban gardeners are using for growing fresh crops like salad greens and tomatoes.”

Go Fish

Aquaponics is a well-organized way to sustainably raise fish and fresh produce together. “It mimics natural recirculation of resources in wetlands in a constructed dual-use ecosystem; the only inputs are fish feed and a small amount of power,” explains Sylvia Bernstein, author of Aquaponic Gardening and founder of TheAquaponicSource.com. “Because an aquaponic system can be set up anywhere, including warehouses, parking lots and exhausted fields, it is ideally suited to help localize food production and provide an alternative to clearing more land to feed our future.”

Patio Paradise

“When your space is limited, you start to think creatively about how to best use it,” notes Tracey. “Consider all three dimensions of a balcony or other narrow areas to maximize growing potential. natural awakenings

March 2012

Garden-Fresh Recipes LocalHarvest.org lists some 2,500 community gardens in its database, as does the American Community Gardening Association (CommunityGarden.org). Climbing vines such as grapes and berries, hanging pots with tomatoes and nasturtium, and fruit trees in half-barrels are great ways to grow more food in a small space. The crops don’t know they’re in a pot.” Herbs also love containers. Some plants, like tomatoes, can even be grown upside-down to more efficiently use limited space.

Vacant Lots

“Community gardens are an excellent solution for those with the garden itch and no good land to scratch,” advises Roger Doiron, founder of Kitchen Gardeners International (Kitchen Gardeners.org), a nonprofit community of 20,000 members that has been cultivating change since 2008. Community gardens have taken over empty city lots, church lawns and schoolyards that are collectively farmed for food, relaxation or social camaraderie. Co-gardening a neighbor’s lot and sharing the harvest is another option.

Eating the Lawn

Put into food production, America’s 25 million acres of lawns could go a long way toward reducing the environmental cost of transporting produce hundreds or thousands of miles. Americans growing their own food isn’t a pie-in-the-sky fantasy. As University of California garden historian Rose HaydenSmith confirms, “During the peak year for Victory Gardens, 1943, some government estimates indicated that up to 40 percent of the fresh fruits and vegetables consumed on the American home front were produced in school, home, community and workplace gardens.” “One of the first steps in bringing healthy foods to the forefront of society is bringing them to the front and center of our living spaces,” concludes Doiron. “Growing food in small spaces is all about doing what you can with what you have. It’s a matter of changing our notion of potential food-producing landscapes.” It does wonders for people’s connection to nature, too. John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist are co-authors of Farmstead Chef (FarmsteadChef.com), ECOpreneuring and Rural Renaissance. Their award-winning Inn Serendipity B&B (InnSerendipity.com) operates completely on renewable energy. 24

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Lemon Balm Iced Tea Yields 8 servings

Lemon balm grows prolifically and is ideal for a refreshing summertime iced tea. Slowly simmer the flavor out of the lemon balm in a slow cooker or simmer on the stove. Vary proportions depending on the pot size and desired sweetness. Big bunch of fresh lemon balm stalks with leaves ½ cup honey ¼ cup lemon juice 8 cups purified water 1. Stuff as much rinsed lemon balm into a slow cooker as will fit. Cover with approximately 8 cups of water, depending on the size of the slow cooker, and let simmer about three hours on low heat. 2. Drain the resulting liquid into a pitcher. 3. While it’s still warm, add honey and lemon juice. It is easier to add the honey while the tea is still warm, because it readily dissolves. Add more water to taste. 4. Chill before serving.

Vegetarian Nori-Wrapped Sushi Yields 6 servings

Creatively rolled layers of nori, a super-nutritious dried seaweed paper, plus fish, rice and vegetables, make an amazing visual display. This veggie sushi travels well, though it’s best eaten within the first five hours, as the rice dries out and may harden over time. 2 cups cooked sushi rice, cooled ½ cup carrots, julienned (1/8-inch-thick “matchsticks”) ½ cup sugar snap peas ½ cup lettuce, shredded ½ cup spinach, shredded 4 sheets (standard size) nori ¼ cup soy sauce (for dipping) 1. Cook rice and cool. 2. Place nori on a flat surface. Arrange approximately ½ cup rice and ½ cup vegetables on long edge of nori. Use carrots, sugar snap peas, lettuce, spinach or any preferred combination. 3. Gently roll nori, starting with the rice/veggie side. 4. Using a serrated knife, slice nori into 1-inch pieces. Slicing on a diagonal makes attractive pieces. Serve as a vegan appetizer with soy sauce on the side. Source: Farmstead Chef, by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko

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Get Informed About Genetically Engineered Food

by Angela Jordan

here is an ongoing experiment being conducted in the United States concerning the effects of genetically engineered (GE) food, and the entire population is participating. That’s because GE foods are already being used in the U.S. food supply and labeling is not required by U.S. law—that decision was made by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1994, when GE foods first came onto the market. GE foods, also referred to as genetically modified organisms (GM or GMO), are plants or animals that have had their DNA artificially altered in a laboratory; typically, to add genes from other organisms such as viruses, bacteria, or other plants and animals, in order to add traits that the foods do not naturally possess. Nearly 50 other countries do require labeling of GE foods, including all of the European Union, Japan, Australia, China, South Korea and Brazil. Some states, including California, currently have labeling initiatives underway, but at this point, any labeling done in the U.S. is voluntary. There is not enough current scientific data to prove that genetically engineered foods are either safe or unsafe. No longterm studies of their effects on human health have been done, but there is a

growing body of research that suggests that GE foods can cause harm. Some research has found no problems with GE foods, but these studies are often funded by the GE industry, which has a vested interest in maintaing that GE foods are completely safe. The oversight process, described on the FDA website is that developers of GE foods perform their own scientific and regulatory assessment of the food, which the FDA then reviews. GE foods go through a far less rigorous approval process than pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, the lack of labeling makes it much harder to track potential health effects. Because wind and insects are natural vectors for cross-pollination, it is impossible to control the spread of modified genes to nearby crops or other plants. This means that the genetic integrity of crop diversity cannot be maintained, which is important in cases of catastrophic crop failure. Cross-pollination also poses a serious issue for organic farmers, which are prohibited from using GMOs; if their crops are accidentally contaminated by nearby GE plants, they can lose organic certification and the ability to sell their products. Local farmer Gwen Snyder, of Fairhope’s Bee Natural Farm, knows firsthand the ef-

fects of gene spread. She says they can no longer order their favorite variety of beet seed, because all the stocks have been genetically contaminated. A separate issue is that of corporate control of the food supply. All GE crops are developed under tightly controlled patents, and the patent owner can sue for patent infringement if farmers are found to have crops affected by crosspollination. Farmers using GE seed must sign a contract agreeing not to save and replant the seed, so they are dependent upon corporations to supply seed, instead of using their own husbandry and initiative. Also, widespread adoption of GE foods in large-scale industrial agriculture results in monoculture, making our food supply more vulnerable in the event of disease or infestation. Patent control also restricts independent researchers from adequately studying and publishing their work on GE foods. This is another issue that concerns Snyder, who says, “It hasn’t been researched as much as it could or should be, but whether we like it or not, it’s going to impact us.” The industry claims that GE foods are necessary for increasing the world food supply, because they produce higher yields than conventionally grown foods. However, according to a 2009 report by Dr. Doug Gurian-Sherman, a former EPA and Center for Food Safety scientist, traditional plant breeding has thus far been far more successful at producing

What are the most common genetically engineered foods? Ninety-three percent of all soybeans and 86 percent of all corn grown in the U.S. in 2010 was genetically modified. More than 90 percent of all sugar beets, canola and cotton grown in the U.S. are genetically modified, as is 80 percent of Hawaiian papaya. Genetically engineered alfalfa, commonly used to feed livestock, was deregulated in 2011. Bovine growth hormone, given to dairy cows to increase their milk production, is genetically engineered.

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March 2012

high-yielding varieties than has genetic engineering. For example, traditional gene identification methods allow conventional breeders to find gene markers that they can then select for. Genetic engineering is also used to create plants that produce more of particular types of vitamins or delay ripening for longer shelf life. One of the most common uses is to add herbicide resistance. Conventional agricultural methods utilize selective herbicides that do not harm the crops, but are often ineffective at removing all types of weeds present. As a result, multiple, selective herbicides are often required. When growing an herbicideresistant GE crop, a single application of a non-selective herbicide can be used, which means less spraying and lower operating costs. However, some weeds are developing resistance to herbicides, therefore requiring increased herbicide use and the engineering of multiple-herbicide-resistant plants. Snyder says this is also a problem for the organic farmer, who has to deal with the resulting “superweeds” without the benefit of the usual biological controls. Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, writes that, “Genetically modified food offers the consumer no tangible benefit.” Consumers that are trying to avoid GMOs can buy certified organic products, because genetic engineering is not permitted under the USDA Organic standards. Some manufacturers are participating in a voluntary certification program called The Non-GMO Project, which offers North America’s only third-party verification and labeling for non-GMO food and products. Other manufacturers may indicate that they use no GMOs in their products, but these claims are not certified and cannot be verified. As more citizens begin to inquire about the health and environmental risks of GMOs, the controversy surrounding their use in the U.S. food supply continues to grow. Until more conclusive research is available, consider taking an active role in supporting regulations that ensure the safety of these food sources for human consumption and environmental sustainability.

Tips to Avoid GE Foods • Buy certified organic foods. • Avoid processed foods and artificial sweeteners, both of which contain soy and corn; prepare food from fresh, whole ingredients. • Grow your own food and/or buy from small local farms. • Look for meat and eggs from animals raised only on pasture, with no supplemental grain. • Look for dairy products from cows not treated with rBGH (bovine growth hormone). • Look for the Non-GMO Project label. • Join the call for GMO labeling at JustLabelIt.org, and tell your elected representatives that you want them to support legislation requiring labeling of GE foods.

Angela Jordan writes GulfCoastLocalFood. org, a blog about eating locally and healthfully, gardening, community food projects and sustainable agriculture. 26

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the challenges they experienced, to help them troubleshoot the next time.” Leapin’ Lizards is one of 34 STEM programs nationwide awarded funding through the 2011 Ashoka Changemakers’ Partnering for Excellence competition, backed by U.S. corporate heavyweights like Google, ExxonMobil and Amgen. Many participating companies are investing in STEM school programming to fill the pipeline of homegrown talent for potential future hires.

Preparing Kids for Tomorrow’s Jobs U.S. Companies Pair Scientists with Schools

Citizens Off the Sidelines by April Thompson

Career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math are projected to grow 70 percent faster than other occupations—with 2.4 million job openings in those fields during the next six years.

hat’s great news for tomorrow’s jobseekers. Yet, most American youth are matriculating out of the country’s schools ill-equipped to compete for these high-tech, high-wage jobs; among developed nations, U.S. high school students currently rank 23rd in science and 31st in mathematics. Now, hundreds of schools are working to better prepare students by harnessing outside resources to reinvigorate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curricula in classrooms and afterschool programs. Forget rote memorization of the periodic table of the elements that previous generations may equate with science class. Kids in STEM programs are designing video games, programming robots and building solar cars—fun, hands-on, practical projects that add zest to technical subjects. The extra excitement helps, because many STEM programs extend the school day, either as a mandatory late-day module or an optional afterschool session.

Psyched about Science

Kids like Camerino Sanchez-Park can’t get enough. “Robotics helped me learn a lot about science and battery-powered objects and engines,” says this fifth-grader at Faller Elementary School, in Ridgecrest, California. “The best part was working with the cool, high-tech robots. I would definitely do it again!” Sanchez-Park is one of 87 youths psyched about science as a result of handson afterschool programs run by a local nonprofit, High Desert Leapin’ Lizards. It taps the brainpower of scientists and engineers from a nearby naval base to instruct in subjects like renewable energy, chemistry and robotics. Rather than focusing on abstract concepts, students create working windmills or robots capable of tackling obstacle courses. “It not only sparks an interest in science, it teaches them how to think like a scientist,” says Program Administrator Sandra Goldstein Birmingham. “For example, the kids maintain an engineering journal of

Another Ashoka winner, Citizen Schools, sees the challenge as a supply-anddemand problem that includes a lack of teachers trained to meet the current needs for STEM education. Consider, though, the 10 million professionals currently working in related fields, and Americans have a system-wide solution. “If we can put just 1 percent of them in the classroom, we could more than double the math and science teachers in the country,” advises Managing Director John Werner. Citizen Schools recruits corporate volunteers from the ranks of top technology, architecture, finance and other fields to lead afterschool “apprenticeships” for disadvantaged kids in public middle schools. Participating states include California, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts and Texas. Collaborating on real-life problems in small groups develops more than tangible skills, attests Marianne DeModena. Her sixth grade son, Christian Deguglielmo, completed apprenticeships with Google at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and with investment advisors Cambridge Associates, both in Boston. “Christian came home a different kid,” says DeModena. “It’s brought out his leadership abilities, school pride, social skills and confidence… it’s really opened up this other side of him. He says Citizen Schools is his favorite subject.” The program’s success is more than anecdotal: A longitudinal study by Policy Studies Associates, Inc. found that kids enrolled in Citizen Schools afterschool programs significantly outperformed a comparison group on a range of indicators, including school attendance, proficiency test scores and graduation rate.

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Courtesy of JohnWernerPhotography.com and Citizen Schools

Gateway to the Stars

Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science, or (MS)², taps into higher institutions of learning as another rich source of STEM prowess. Founded in 2005, the Washington, D.C., public charter school is located at the university, one of the nation’s preeminent historically black colleges. Every (MS)² classroom includes at least one undergraduate teaching assistant, providing youths with collegiate role models in STEM fields, while giving university students an opportunity to test their teaching skills. Executive Director Yohance Maqubela recognizes that not every student will end up pursuing a career in a STEM field, but that science and technology will permeate whatever discipline they choose. Above all, STEM curricula are designed to address one of the most frequently asked student questions: “Why am I learning this?” By making learning more relevant, these programs are helping kids stay motivated, think critically about their surroundings and connect the dots so they see the big picture. It’s a mindset that will serve them well, wherever life leads them. April Thompson is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C. Connect at AprilWrites.com.

Boot Camps for the Career-Bound by April Thompson

amps specializing in STEM-related subjects are cropping up across the nation. For a period of a week or more, they give children the chance to steep themselves in a favorite subject with peers that share their passions. Handson projects such as sleuthing crime scenes and assessing environmental habitats give kids a taste of what it’s like to work in a particular field and stretch their brains and muscles in the process. Here are just a few of the types of STEM-oriented camps offered. Visit KidsCamps.com for a comprehensive listing. Experimenting: General science camps make it possible to sample its different branches, from astronomy to zoology, and learn how things work through fun, interactive experiments. These group-oriented camps foster leadership and teamwork, as well as curiosity and discipline; key characteristics for any career in science. Animals: Veterinary camps teach skills ranging from basic animal handling to diagnosing disease. Often co-sponsored by university animal science programs, these camps typically blend lab and classroom work with fascinating field trips. Beachcombing: Marine sciences camps help introduce kids to Earth’s precious and complex maritime and underwater ecosystems. These camps often involve enjoyable activities like tidepooling, beach surveys and canoeing, while teaching skills such as conservation principles and sampling methods. Mystery: Crime scene investigation (CSI) camps introduce youths to the field of forensic sciences. Campers learn the art and craft of evidence collection, while developing observation and problem-solving skills. They may get to practice DNA testing, ballistics analysis, autopsy techniques and other tools of the trade. Robot building: Robotics camps make the challenging field of engineering approachable for children of all ages. Students are taken step-by-step through the engineering process, from designing and building through programming and testing. The sessions often culminate in a competition in which camp robots are pitted against each other on a ball field or obstacle course.

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certain foods, like chicken or wheat, adds Delaney. “Feeding a dog food that’s not commonly used in the pet food industry— a food that he’s naïve to—reduces the potential that the animal will develop an allergic reaction to it.”

Shopping for Choices

Dish Up Variety Treat Your Dog to Good Health and Good Taste by Wendy Bedwell-Wilson

“B

roiled chicken, brown rice and steamed broccoli again?” When you sit down to dinner, you prefer some variety, and so does your dog, who may well inquire, “What, kibble again?” Day after day of the same mix of protein, carbohydrates, fats and veggies can hamper any appetite, human or canine. But a diet packed with different food types can make eating more enjoyable. Before concocting your own dog food blends, it helps to learn more about potential ingredients and the benefits of a varied diet, as well as how to successfully introduce new foods.

Healthful Variety By definition, a varied diet is dense in nutrients and changes regularly; a decided departure from the stick-to-the-same-food 30

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routine encouraged by dog food experts of the past. Dr. Sean Delaney, a boardcertified veterinary nutritionist in Davis, California, says that today’s varied diet for dogs should resemble a cornucopia, filled with healthy meats, whole grains, legumes, dairy, fruits and vegetables. “For optimum health, it’s better to have the food in a natural, unprocessed state,” he says. To start, dogs require 12 amino acids in their diets, so foods that contain all of them would provide the best quality protein for dogs, advises Dr. Rebecca Remillard, Ph.D., a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and founder of Veterinary Nutritional Consultations, in Hollister, North Carolina. “Egg and liver are of the highest protein quality because of their amino acid profiles,” she advises. A varied diet even reduces the chances of dogs developing an allergy to

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Dr. Tracy Lord, a holistic veterinarian based at the Animal Clinic and Wellness Center, in Williamsburg, Virginia, says that older theories once claimed that dogs would become picky eaters or experience indigestion on a varied diet, but that perspective has since been questioned. To the contrary, variety brings excitement and interest to the table—or the bowl. For instance, Lord points out, “If you feed your child a dinner of chicken, broccoli, brown rice and cantaloupe, you can pat yourself on the back for providing a well-balanced nutritious meal. But if you feed this same meal to your child three times a day throughout his life, you would start to see nutritional deficiencies.” Plus, no one would be surprised to hear that the child is tiring of it. The same holds true for dogs, she says. Their bodies appreciate the different sources of nutrition, while their taste buds respond to delicious change-ups. One popular type of varied diet centers on taking commercially prepared, top-quality, frozen, canned or dry foods and simply rotating them, as long as the owner provides a consistent number of calories. This approach will ensure that a dog receives the right balance of nutrients, says Remillard. She explains that, “Federally regulated, commercially prepared foods have processing methods and quality assurance programs that limit the potential for food-borne illnesses in pets and offer guarantees, a nutritional profile and bioavailability of nutrients.” Remillard further notes, however, that not all products are equal when it comes to highly desirable ingredients, so as with any other processed food, consumers must read labels. Varied diets also may be prepared at home. That’s where home chefs can get creative with different types of meats, grains and vegetables, but they should follow guidelines prepared by a trained nutritionist, Remillard cautions.

“Unless properly formulated by a nutritionist, diets developed at home are not likely to be complete and balanced,” she says. “The nutritional profile of any diet—including homemade diets—depends on how the recipe was formulated, the nutrient content of the ingredients and how the owner prepares the food. Homemade diets may also contain contaminants and food-borne microbes if the owner isn’t careful.” Sometimes, just adding a little something special to a dog’s bowl will give him the variety he’s craving. For example, “If we’re making something our dog loves, like grilled salmon or ahi, we’ll cook a little piece for her and give her a little less kibble in her dish,” relates Alyce Edmondton, who lives in Redmond, Washington. “We always share our dog-safe leftovers with her. We figure that if it’s good for us, it’s good for her, too.” Wendy Bedwell-Wilson’s healthy living pet articles regularly appear in national and international magazines. Her latest of six books on dogs, Shih Tzu, is part of the DogLife series. Connect at PetWriter@live.com.

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natural awakenings

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calendarofevents All calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Go to HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com to submit entries. Mark Your Calendar events are $40. during the Festival with lots of adoptable animals. Free. Greer's Market, 75 S Section St, Fairhope. The Haven: 251-929-3980.

CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY MARCH 8

SATURDAY, MARCH 17

Viva la femme: 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day.

Guest Teacher Ginger Dunaway – 10:30am-12pm. Join Ginger for a powerful class based on the Kripalu tradition of shedding the layers of our being to reveal the blissful state within us all, also delving into the psychology of yoga. Pay what you can. Space 301, Downtown Mobile. 251-202-YOGA. KulaYogaCommunity.org.

For activities worldwide, visit InternationalWomensDay.com.

THURSDAY, MARCH 1

Art for Animals – 6:30pm. Create some fun art at Paint and Pals and help the Haven animals. Pay $40 to participate. Half will go to The Haven. Wine and refreshments will be offered. Reservations required. $40. Paint and Pals, 28600 Hwy 98, Daphne. The Haven: 251-929-3980. CSA Membership Open Enrollment – The Mae Grace Farm’s 36-week CSA season opens in March with a tentative first delivery date of Mar 20. Weekly shares include organic produce, herbs and fresh cut flowers. Memberships are available. Please see website for additional information including cost. $20-$40. Loxley. MaeGraceFarm.com.

FRIDAY, MARCH 2

MaxMOMS of South Alabama – 11:30am12:45pm. Guest Dr. Maegan Davis, Chiropractor and Restorative Endocrinology Specialist, sharing "Balancing Female Hormones Naturally." MaxMOMS' monthly meeting purpose is encouraging learning, leading and maintaining maximized lives through 5 Essentials; Maximizing Mind, Nerve Supply, Nutrition, Exercise and Minimizing Toxins. Childcare available. Free. Mars Hill Cafe, Mobile. Facebook: MaxMOMS Mobile or JenniferBucknell@ gmail.com. Crystal Bowl Sound Healing Workshop with Jay Schwed – 7pm. In the ancient lands of Egypt, healers used a special healing crystal bowl called the “Faience Bowl”. It was tuned to the note of F# for the “high heart” to facilitate healing by opening the high heart that connects the hearts of all beings, to the One, to spirit, to God. $25. Rosie Bluum, 6A Bancroft St, Fairhope. 251-517-5326 or 251-5175626. RosieBluum.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 3

Healing Crystal Bowl Concert – 6-8pm. Jay Schwed returns to Middle Earth with his crystal bowls to facilitate this powerful healing experience. "The ancients believed that the way to facilitate healing is by opening the high heart that connects the hearts of all beings." $25. Middle Earth Healing and Learning Center, Citronelle. 251-833-7204. HealingCrystalBowls.com.

cially available at this time of the month. We become instruments of divine blessings to the planet earth, humanity and our loved ones. Learn to achieve stillness and illumination! RSVP. $10 donation. Mobile. Deana: 251-454-0959.

SATURDAY, MARCH 10

Creating Health Using Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils – 10am-12pm. Questions and health issues will be addressed using essential oils. Learn how to make your own natural products, listen as others share their own personal testimonies and best of all you get a chance to experience therapeutic grade essential oils. Love offering. Conscious Mile Spiritual Center, 1230 Montlimar Dr, Mobile. Judith Wilson: 251-656-6696. Adoption Event – 11am-3pm. Adoption event at Petsmart. Loads of adoptable animals will be there, transported by The Haven's Mobile Adoption Rescue Unit. Free. Petsmart, Eastern Shore Shopping Plaza, Spanish Fort. The Haven: 251-929-3980. A Moment of Peace/Meditation Flash Mob: GCA – 6-7pm. For one hour, join millions of people around the globe and unite in silent meditation. This is not a protest but a gathering of souls. Free to all walks of life. South of the Fairhope Pier near the Marietta Johnson statues. Free. Facebook: Meditation Flash Mob: Gulf Coast Alabama. 251-990-9552.

TUESDAY, MARCH 13

Creating Health Using Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils – 10am-12pm. Questions and health issues will be addressed with therapeutic essential oils. We will have personal experiences using the oils. Love offering. Conscious Mile Spiritual Center, 1230 Montlimar Dr, Mobile. Sue Sides: 251-232-2292. Fairhope Elementary Chorus Performance – 6:30pm. The FES Chorus will perform during Silent Auction Night in the FES gym. Public welcome to attend silent auction and performance. Free. FairhopeElementary.com.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

MONDAY, MARCH 5

Fairhope Elementary Chorus Performance – 10am. The FES Chorus will perform during the Arts and Crafts Festival. Free. Corner of Section St and Magnolia Ave. FairhopeElementary.com.

Full Moon Meditation – 6:30pm. Experience the tremendous downpour of spiritual energy that is espe-

Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival – 11am-3pm. Mar 16-18. The Haven will be at Greer's Market

Intro to Energy Healing – 2-4pm. Energy based healing technique designed to teach anyone how to heal mild to severe ailments. Learn about prana, chakras, auras, energetic hygiene and meditation for blessing all, stress reduction and illumination. Activate hands to feel energy, plus much more. $10 donation. Mobile. Deana: 251-454-0959.

SUNDAY, MARCH 18 Plant Based Nutrition and Cooking Workshop – 1-3pm. Eat well. Live well. Be well. The how’s and why’s of plant based eating. In this two hour class, learn how to cook (and sample!) several delicious and healthy plant based proteins including a mouthwatering sweet and spicy Indonesian tempeh. $25/per person or $45/two. Virginia’s, Mobile. 251-510-2418. Tracey@ThePureVegan.com.

MONDAY, MARCH 19 OceanCamp Spring Break Camp – 8am-4pm. Mar 19-23. Each day is filled with games, crafts, art and total love for ocean animals. Children ages 5-12 plus counselor-in-training ages 13-17. Indoor activity room, pool, beach, volleyball, certified marine education and teachers. $200 per week. 1054 West Beach Blvd. Gulf Shores. 251-802-8605. Local Food Production Initiative Meeting – 6:30pm. Field botanist Fred Nation will speak about edible wild plants in Baldwin County. Free, open to the public. Homestead Village Ballroom, 924 Plantation Blvd, Fairhope. 251-928-4646. FairhopeLocalFood.org.

SATURDAY, MARCH 24

Pranic Healing Class Level 1 – 9am-5pm. Mar 2425. This comprehensive energy-based healing system utilizes prana (chi) to facilitate the body's innate ability to heal. Anyone can learn these simple techniques for practical use in daily life and to heal yourself or your loved ones. CEUs for LMTs and nurses. Call for information. Mobile. Deana: 251-454-0959. Manifest Your Natural Abundance – 12-7pm. Become a magnet for abundance. A powerful workshop to open up your ability to make more money, success, health and unlimited prosperity. Use spiritual principles to change your beliefs and create your own reality. Connect with your unlimited potential now. $88 before March 8. $108 after. Yoga Birds, 209 S Section St, Fairhope. 251-609-1251. Alive@AliveWithAdwiti. com. AliveWithAdwiti.com

natural awakenings

March 2012

SATURDAY, MARCH 31 Vinyasa Yoga with Julie Wilkins – 10:30am-12pm. Join Julie for a powerful, dynamic and vigorous flow yoga class. Julie's vinyasa classes are creative expressions of asana complete with inspirational themes and skillful alignment instruction for a total mind-body experience. Pay what you can. Space 301, Downtown Mobile. 251-202-YOGA. KulaYogaCommunity.org.

FRIDAY, APRIL 13

Annual Homestead Village Health and Wellness Fair – 9am-12pm. This event offers visitors a morning filled with resources galore from a wide variety of vendor participants. Vendors will offer their healthcare services, wellness screens, educational advice & planning, give-away & samples, interactive games, and door prize raffles. Free. Homestead Village of Fairhope, Fairhope. 251-929-0250.

SATURDAY, APRIL 14

Big and Bold Moves: A Journey into Spinal Extension and Arm Standing – 1-7pm. In this course we will work towards proper alignment, range of motion, strength building and the proper mechanics students will need for their journey into back bending and arm standing with confidence. PMA approved course (5 CEC). $200. Pilates on Highland, 2827 Highland Ave S, Birmingham. 205-323-5961. Register at PilatesOnHighland.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 15

Big and Bold Moves: A Pilates and Yoga Inspired

Movement Intensive – 9am-12pm. This Pilates/ yoga-inspired movement class will give students an opportunity to go deep into the practice of arm standing and back bending. Please bring a yoga mat. $40. Pilates on Highland, 2827 Highland Ave S, Birmingham. 205-323-5961. Register at PilatesOnHighland.com. Yoga for Newbies – 2-5pm. Three hours of basic poses and breathing and a Q&A discussion yoga. Movement is interspersed with meditation and discussion, making the workshop appropriate for all bodies. All poses are modifiable for those with limitations. Bring water and wear comfy clothes. $25 suggested donation. Space 301, Downtown Mobile. 251-202YOGA. KulaYogaCommunity.org.

SUNDAY, APRIL 22

Earth Day Mobile Bay 2012 – 10am-6pm. Alabama’s largest and most fun Earth Day Celebration. This year’s 42nd Annual Earth Day of family fun will host over one hundred environmental displays and activities. Live entertainment will start at 10am and live music will continue throughout the day. Free admission at the Fairhope Pier in Fairhope. Carol Adams-Davis, Earth Day Mobile Bay 2012, Publicity Coordinator: 702-496-5050. MCAdamsDavis@ earthlink.net. Meditation Flash Mob: Gulf Coast Alabama – 12:30pm. 30 minutes of basking in collective peace during the Earth Day celebration in Fairhope. Honor the Earth by sending waves of loving energy to heal her wounds. By joining together, we are helping to raise the collective consciousness of the entire world and, in turn, are replacing negativity and fear with positivity and love. All walks of life are welcome.

Fairhope Pier. Facebook: Meditation Flash Mob: Gulf Coast Alabama. 251-990-9552.

FRIDAY, APRIL 27

Ashtanga Yoga Weekend with Jodi Blumstein – Fri 6:30-9pm. Sat 1-3pm/3:30-5:30pm. Sun 10am-1pm. Senior teacher Jodi Blumstein leads four progressive sessions on Ashtanga at the roots of vinyasa yoga. Includes asana, pranayama, history, philosophy and meditation. See website for session descriptions. Sample Jodi's classes on YogaGlo.com. $155/weekend, $45/session. Space 301, Downtown Mobile. 251-202-YOGA. KulaYogaCommunity.org. JodiBlumstein.com.

FRIDAY, MAY 18

Kula Yoga Teacher Training – Fri 6-9pm. Sat 1-7pm. Sun 12-6pm. May 18, 2012- Apr 21, 2013. In this year-long program lead by Dana and Amanda, students meet one weekend/month to learn philosophy, meditation, history, breathwork and different styles of physical practice. See website for pricing and application. Center for Spiritual Living, Mobile. 251-202-YOGA. KulaYogaCommunity.org.

TUESDAY, JUNE 5

Summer Camp – 9am-12pm. 1-4pm. Jun 5-22. Sea, Sand and Stars in Orange Beach will host Ocean Camp in a beautiful aquarium learning center. Each week's theme: Ocean Animals, Ocean Scientists, Ocean Explorers! $125 per child ages 5-12. 4900 Wilson Blvd, Orange Beach. 251-802-8605.

ongoingevents All calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month prior to the month of publication and adhere to guidelines. Go to HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com to submit entries.

sunday Discounts on Supplements – Every Sunday get 15% off supplements at Fairhope Health Foods, 280 Eastern Shore Shopping Center, Fairhope. 251-928-0644. Give Us This Day, Our Daily Bread – Inspirational quotes. We all need a little inspiration from time to time. ShantiWarrior.com/DailyBread. Center for Spiritual Living Service – 10am. Make every step, every choice, every word, a conscious one. Center for Spiritual Living, 1230 Montlimar, Mobile. Rev. Sherrie Quander: 251-343-0777. CMSpiritualCenter.org. Sunday Service – 10:30am. Explore a spiritual pathway with Mobile Unitarian Universalists, 6345 Old Shell Rd, Mobile. UUFM.org. Sunday Service – 10:30am. Questioning, understanding and growing together spiritually as we enjoy the adventure of life. Center for Joyful Living, 60 N Ann St, Mobile. 251-391-6960. Sunday Worth-ship Celebration – 10:30am. Find strengthen and celebrate a connection with Divine Spirit. Donation. One mile north of US Hwy 104. Unity on the Eastern Shore, 22979 US Hwy 98, Montrose. 251-990-8934. UnityEasternShore.org.

Mobile / Baldwin Edition

Sunday Worship – 11am. Celebrate Spirit in this special and sacred space. Between Hillcrest and Knollwood. Unity Mobile, 5859 Cottage Hill, Mobile. 251-661-1788. Live Music Sundays – 11am-2pm. The Windmill Market features live music every Sunday at lunch. Bring the family by for lunch, some shopping and some great live, local music. Free. Windmill Market, 85 N Bancroft St, downtown Fairhope. 251-9908883. WindmillMarket.org. Open Table: A Community of Faith Worship Service (United Church of Christ) – 5pm. Weekly progressive Christian worship. Free. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 1050 Azalea Rd, Mobile. 251-545-1011. Ellen.OpenTable@gmail.com. OpenTableUCC.org.

monday Marine Education Field Trips – Mon thru Fri. Science field trips specializing in aqua science and environmental science. Balanced daily schedule of lecture/visuals, outdoor fieldwork, team games, real world problem solving. Dependent on number in group- $15-$25 per student. 1054 West Beach Blvd. Gulf Shores. 251-802-8605. Tai Chi – 7am daily. Mon thru Fri. Tai Chi routine

www.HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com

is lead with Qi Gong and martial art applications. A traditional mind, body and spirit exercise. $5/day, $20/week, $60/month. The Yoga Center, 809 Gulf Shores Pkwy, Gulf Shores. GulfShoresTaiChi.com. Power Yoga with Tamara – 9am. Join Tamara as you power into the week with some revitalizing morning yoga. Enjoy some sweet sweat and bring the zest back into the day. Embrace the joy. Synergy Yoga & Pilates, Mobile. 251-473-1104. Synergyoga.net.

Pilates Sculpt with Lynette – 9:15-10:15am. Some experience necessary. Blends Pilates and yoga principles (primarily Pilates) with traditional strength training exercises. May include equipment such as stability balls, light weights or resistance bands to stimulate core muscles. Promotes mind-body-breath connection focusing on quality movements. $5/1st time, $10/preregister, $15/drop-in. Integrated Fitness, Fairhope. 251-554-4121. Youth Exploring Exercise and Nutrition – 4-5pm. Mon and Thurs. This class develops a variety of movement skills to improve flexibility, balance, strength agility and endurance by exposing students to a variety of activities; yoga, Pilates, strength training, rock wall climbing and obstacle course. Designed to encourage, empower and educate students. Cost varies. Integrated Fitness, Fairhope. 251-554-4121. La Leche League Enrichment Meeting – 6:30pm. Last Mon. La Leche League provides encouragement,

information and support for nursing and expectant mothers. Free. Call for location. 251-689-2085. Pranic Healing and Meditation – 6:30pm. Come experience healing for your mind, body and soul. We address specific physical and emotional ailments, followed by the Meditation on Twin Hearts. Let us take the stress off and balance your aura. Classes also available. CEU's -LMTs and Nurses. $10 donation. Mobile. Deana: 251-454-0959.

tuesday Reiki and Hypnotherapy Sessions – Tues and Thurs by appointment. Promote peace, serenity and physical well-being. Call to schedule an appointment or for more info on training and CEUs. Foley. 251-979-9851. RioBarlow@ymail.com. Vinyasa Flow – 9:30am. 75 min. All levels. Tracey, RYT-200 incorporates yogic philosophy and breath work. These challenging and soothing flow of postures are designed to increase inner and outer strength and flexibility while stilling the mind and opening the heart. Quiet Mind Massage. Midtown Mobile. 251-476-6463. ShantiWarrior.com. A Modern Day Guide for Improving Eye Sight – 6-7:30pm. Thru Apr 3. These classes will be taught via Skype from San Francisco. Download free E-book course review at EnvisionSelfHealing. com. $15 donation per class, $80/all six classes. Meditation Center of Alabama, 3821 Airport Blvd, Mobile. RSVP at Happiness072@gmail.com. For questions/details call 251-344-9960. Rise and Shine Yoga – 6:30-7:45am. Tues and Thurs. Start the day with an invigorating Hatha Yoga practice. Class includes a mixture of flow yoga, Pranayama, restorative and meditation. Fellowship, coffee and some of mom's homemade bread follows. $7/drop-in, $50/10 class package, $75/family. Trinity Yoga Studio, Highway 98 East, Foley. 251-987-1147 or 251-609-5541. Chair Yoga – 8:30-9:30am. A Vinyasa flow class that is designed for those with a limited range of motion, yet all are welcome. All poses executed while standing or sitting in a chair. $7/drop-in, $50/10 class package, $75/family. Trinity Yoga Studio, Highway 98 East, Foley. 251-987-1147 or 251-609-5541. La Leche League Series Meeting – 10:30am. Second Tues. La Leche League provides encouragement, information and support for nursing and expectant mothers. Free. Call for location. 251-689-2085. Gentle Yoga with Martha – 12pm. Take a break in the middle of the day. Join Martha Collier in the land of "ahhhhs" for a relaxing class to sooth the spirit, calm the mind and replenish the soul. Synergy Yoga & Pilates, Mobile. 251-473-1104. Synergyoga.net. Kids Meditation – 4-4:30pm. Ages 5-12. Parents welcome to join. Love offering appreciated. Rosie Bluum, 6A Bancroft, Fairhope. 251-517-5626. RosieBluum.com. Yoga with Adrienne – 5:45pm. Relax and renew at the end of a long day. Enhance balance, strength and suppleness with Adrienne while your mind experiences pure delight. Synergy Yoga & Pilates, Mobile. 251-473-1104. Synergyoga.net. LA Hikers Meeting – 6-7pm. First Tues. Free and open to the public. 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, Spanish Fort. LAHikerMeetings.Blogspot.com. Energize and Relax Yoga – 6-7:15pm. Tues and Thurs. This class emphasizes flow yoga with Pranayama and some Kundalini. Meditation follows the energizing portion to calm in preparation for the

day. $7/drop-in, $50/10 class package, $75/family. Trinity Yoga Studio, Hwy 98 East, Foley. 251-9871147 or 251-609-5541. Positive Parenting Class – 6-8pm. Kids don’t come with a set of instructions. Learn tools and skills to create a happy, healthy family. Free. The Family Center, 601 Bel Air Blvd, Ste 100, Mobile. 251479-5700. Kids101@comcast.net. Sierra Club Meeting – 6-8pm. First Tues. Open to the public. 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, Spanish Fort. Foundations of Yoga – 6:15pm. A great intro (or re-intro) to yoga practice. Learn and practice the basics of yoga in a slow paced class format. Focus is given to proper form and alignment in essential poses. $15. Yoga Birds, 209 S Section St, Fairhope. 251-990-3447. YogaBirds.com. Creative Spark Writing Group – 7-8pm. Love offering encouraged and appreciated. Rosie Bluum, 6 A Bancroft St, Fairhope. 251-517-5626. RosieBluum.com. Mobile Bay Canoe and Kayak Club Meeting – 7-8:30pm. First Tues. For pro-paddlers and those brand new to the sport. Open to the public. 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, Spanish Fort. BayKayaker. Blogspot.com. Spiritual Book Study Group – 7-9pm. First and third Tues. Read and discuss spiritual books chosen by the members. Mobile. Contact Joy: 251-3824215. CWG_Mobile_Group@yahoo.com. Spiritual Cinema Group – 7-9pm. Second and fourth Tues. View and discuss spiritual movies received from “Spiritual Cinema Circle.” Contact Melissa: 251-452-0393. CWG_Mobile_Group@ yahoo.com.

wednesday Viniyoga with Rhonda – 6:45am. A yoga for all ages. Viniyoga is directed toward healing. Join Rhonda to refresh your breath, awaken your body and renew your spirit. Synergy Yoga & Pilates, Mobile. 251-473-1104. Synergyoga.net. Gentle Stretching and Meditation – 9am. Wed and Thurs. Love offering appreciated. Rosie Bluum, 6 A Bancroft St, Fairhope. 251-517-5626. RosieBluum.com. Power Yoga – 9:15-10:25am. Some experience necessary. A vigorous flow based class. May include inversions such as hand stand, forearm stand or back bend exploring poses with a playful mindset and modification options. Includes core strengthening and ends with a relaxation pose. $5/1st time, $10/preregister, $15/drop-in. Integrated Fitness, Fairhope. 251-554-4121. Positive Parenting Class – 9:30-11:30am. Kids don’t come with a set of instructions. Get the tools and skills to create a happy, healthy family. Free. The Family Center, 601 Bel Air Blvd, Suite 100, Mobile. 251-479-5700. Kids101@comcast.net. Lunchtime Vinyasa with Tracey – 12pm. 75 mins. All levels. Feed the soul, quiet the mind and restore vitality through a challenging sequence of asanas. Designed to increase strength, balance and flexibility. Quiet Mind Massage Therapy and Yoga Studio. Midtown Mobile. 251- 476-6463. ShantiWarrior.com. Unusual Film Series – 2pm. Third Wed. Adults only. Thought provoking cutting-edge films shown on big screen in meeting room. Free. Popcorn and drinks included. Foley Public Library. 251-9437665. FoleyLibrary.org.

Therapeutic Yoga – 4pm. This class focuses on rehabilitating common sports and over use injuries in a heated class (85-90 degrees). Learn and apply alignment and heightened breath awareness to heal and bring balance for optimal athletic performance and enjoyment. $10. Yoga Birds, 209 S Section St, Fairhope. 251-990-3447. YogaBirds.com. Guided Meditations – 5:30pm. Nonprofit, nonreligious meditation. Relax the body, rest the mind and find inner peace. Guided meditation with venerable monks from around the world via Skype. $10 suggested donation. Meditation Center of Alabama, 3821 Airport Blvd, Suite C, Mobile. 251-623-4485. MeditationCenterOfAlabama.Weebly.com. International Association of Near Death Studies (IANDS) – 6-7:30pm. Second Wed. Ongoing discussion and support group affiliated with IANDS. Discussion expands to include intuition, after death communication, consciousness studies and related areas of interest to attendees. Free. West Regional Branch, Mobile Public Library. 251-340-8555. Guided Meditation with Rosie Bluum – 7-8pm. Practice guided meditation at Rosie Bluum and experience an inner journey which heals the heart, mind, body and soul. Nurture the spirit. Love offering appreciated. Rosie Bluum, 6 A S Bancroft St, Fairhope. 251-517-5626. RosieBluum.com.

thursday Tropical Flow and Glow – 12pm. Celebrate the body and deepen the mind body connection with vinyasa flow yoga. This is a challenging, dynamic flow class featuring a series of sun salutations, standing poses, twists, backbends, forward bends, arm balances and hip openers. $10. Yoga Birds, 209 S Section St, Fairhope. 251-990-3447. YogaBirds.com. Youth Exploring Exercise and Nutrition – 4-5pm. Mon and Thurs. This class develops a variety of movement skills to improve flexibility, balance, strength agility and endurance by exposing students to a variety of activities; yoga, Pilates, strength training, rock wall climbing and obstacle course. Designed to encourage, empower and educate students. Cost varies. Integrated Fitness, Fairhope. 251-554-4121. Energy Healing – 5-6pm. Experience energy healing from trained practitioners. $10 suggested donation. Meditation Center of Alabama, 3821 Airport Blvd, Suite C, Mobile. 251-623-4485. MeditationCenter OfAlabama.Weebly.com. Group Reformer Class – 5:15pm. Catch the wave of classical fitness and join Adrienne for a Pilates reformer class. Stand taller, get toned and be both leaner and stronger. Call for reservations. Synergy Yoga & Pilates, Mobile. 251-473-1104. Synergyoga.net. YogAthlete – 5:15-6:25pm. Designed for athletes, fitness buffs and those with yoga experience. A challenging class incorporating various core conditioning exercises and flowing sequences emphasizing breath and posture awareness. Class includes longer held poses to open hip and shoulders. $5/1st time, $10/preregister, $15/drop-in. Integrated Fitness, Fairhope. 251-554-4121. Illumination Yoga Meditation Experience – 5:306:30pm. Stacy Hann will lead light yoga poses to help move you from outside distractions. She ends with a guided meditation to help you let go completely so you leave with a feeling of renewal. Love offering. Moonstone Massage, 314B Magnolia Ave, Fairhope. Stacy Hann: 251-222-2963. Yoga.Adagio@yahoo.com. Guided Meditations – 6:30pm. Nonprofit, nonreligious meditation. Relax the body, rest the mind

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and find inner peace. At MCA facilities, via Skype, guided meditation takes place with venerable monks from around the world. $10 suggested donation. Meditation Center of Alabama, 3821 Airport Blvd, Suite C, Mobile. 251-623-4485. MeditationCenter OfAlabama.Weebly.com.

Restorative/Gentle Yoga with Jenn – 7:15pm. Unwind and enjoy non-supported and supported gentle postures with focus on breathing and mindfulness. Delight in the sounds of soothing music. Minimal heat may be added for maximum comfort. A class accessible to everyone, so come and pamper yourself. Synergy Yoga & Pilates, Mobile. 251-473-1104. Synergyoga.net.

friday Fab Fifteen Friday – Get an extra 15% off purchases. Back to Health Nutrition and Natural Foods, 1600 N McKenzie, Foley. 251-970-2225. BackToHealthNutrition.com. Weekly Meal Delivery – Vegan personal chef services. Get your orders in. Weekly menus posted Monday. Orders must be placed by Friday for delivery the following week. View menu and place orders: ThePureVegan.com.

Core Barre with Dana – 10am. Work your body to a fusion of ballet, Pilates, yoga and classic fitness. Lift your assets while moving to fun music. This is one hour that can really change your shape! Synergy Yoga & Pilates, Mobile. 251-473-1104. Synergyoga.net.

Friday Brown Bag Lunch – 11:30am-1:30pm. Every Friday the Windmill Market offers free live music during the lunch break. Come start your weekend early with delicious food by one of our restaurants and enjoy the music on our outdoor patio. Free. Windmill Market, 85 N Bancroft St, downtown Fairhope. 251990-8883. WindmillMarket.org.

Tropical Slow Flow Yoga – 4pm. Release the stress of the work week and slow down for the weekend with this slower paced tropical class. The heated class (80-90 degrees) allows you to cultivate strength and flexibility by exploring the poses. Water and towel recommended. $15. Yoga Birds, 209 S Section St, Fairhope. 251-990-3447. YogaBirds.com.

saturday Pet Reiki at Rosie Bluum – 10am-3pm. Third Sat of month. $20. Rosie Bluum, 6 A Bancroft St, Fairhope. 251-517-5626. RosieBluum.com.

Restorative Yoga – 10:30am. This passive practice of yoga is a profound sequence of restful, nourishing postures, breathing techniques and simple meditations. Poses are supported by yoga props: bolster pillows, blankets, straps and blocks. Effective for stress management. $15. Yoga Birds, 209 S Section St, Fairhope. 251-990-3447. YogaBirds.com. Live Music Saturdays – 11am-2pm. Every Saturday the Windmill market has free outdoor live music on our patio. Come have lunch in one of our restaurants, do your grocery shopping and enjoy our live music. Free. Windmill Market, 85 N Bancroft St, downtown Fairhope. 251-990-8883. WindmillMarket.org.

Mobile / Baldwin Edition

classifieds Rates for classifieds start at $20 per month. Listings must be received by the 10th of the month prior to publication. Email Publisher@ HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com for details. Volunteer opportunities are listed for free as space is available.

OPPORTUNITIES GREEN DRINKS ORGANIZER – Mobile Bay Area Green Drinks is a local chapter of an international organization that meets informally at local eateries to discuss, promote and network about local and global green issues. A volunteer leader is needed to organize the chapter's monthly gatherings. Email MobileBayAreaGreenDrinks@gmail.com for more information. Cheers! GROW ALABAMA AREA MANAGER – Promote the availability of locally and sustainably grown farm products to new subscribers and service existing customers. Base pay plus commission. Call 205-266-5130. JOIN THE GREEN CLEAN TEAM! – Green Clean provides environmentally friendly, non-toxic cleaning services. If interested in becoming part of our team, please call 251-508-3796 for an interview. LICENSED HAIRSTYLIST NEEDED – Eastern Shore. Call 251-377-0796 for details. SALES PROFESSIONAL FOR HEALTHY AND GREEN LIVING MAGAZINE – Natural Awakenings Mobile/Baldwin has an opportunity for you to generate income through magazine ad sales and healthy living discount card sales. Be a part of a nationally published family of monthly magazines and earn a residual income by selling ad space to the rapidly growing Natural Health industry and Green living businesses. Our selling method is proven in over 80 major markets. As an independent contractor you’ll have a protected territory and the ability to make your own schedule. Enjoy a generous pay structure, lead generation and participate in ongoing industry training. Our product offerings are as attractive as they are diverse, giving you true flexibility in making the sale and providing your advertisers with an excellent growth platform. We have territories in Mobile and Baldwin counties available. Contact Publisher@HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com.

SERVICES COLOR THERAPY – Learn to use colors in all parts of your life and create changes you desire. Discover how they affect moods, emotions and why you’re drawn to certain colors. Rosie Blu: 251-5175326. RosieBlu.com.

www.HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com

ENGAGING GUEST SPEAKER AVAILABLE - Veterinarian Dogtor J, a local and global expert in Food Intolerance in Pets and Their People, educates and energizes groups of all types with health information that changes lives. Audiences enjoy fascinating food for thought with a healthy side of laughter. Contact Dr. Symes: 251-343-7110 or 251-391-9694. DogtorJ.com MARI ASSESSMENTS – MARI is a comprehensive system using colors and symbols to create a visual snapshot of the self. Reveal your inner voice, find guidance through personal issues and better understand your true self. 251-517-5326 or 251-752-6509. MARIByRosie.com. NEGATIVE EMOTIONS? Gone! Guaranteed! The Delta Institute, Dr. Diana Sturm, Certified EFT Practitioner. Private sessions and workshops. 251-219-4574. DeltaInstitute.net. YOGA WHEN AND WHERE YOU WANT IT! – YogaSource offers classes at your home or business for fitness and relaxation. Single or groups. Props provided. 251-202-YOGA. Kula YogaCommunity.org.

VOLUNTEER OPPS AZALEA CITY CAT COALITION – Volunteers needed in any capacity: transporting cats, trapping and adoption events. Contact Susan Young: 251-648-7582. SusanYoung@ AzaleaCityCats.org. BARC! –Baldwin County Humane Society needs customer service volunteers from either 9am-12pm or 12:30-4pm, Mon-Thur. Duties mainly include greeting customers and answering the phone. For a complete list of volunteer opportunities, visit BaldwinHumane.org or call 251-928-4585. DOG RIVER CLEARWATER REVIVAL STORM DRAIN MARKRE PROJECT– Volunteers needed to educate the public about the storm drain system. Supplies and instructions provided. Work at your convenience. Contact Janet Miller: J46Miller@yahoo.com, 251-654-1827. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF SW AL – Volunteers needed Tues-Sat, 8am-4pm. No experience necessary. Must be at least 16. 251-476-7171 ext 231 or JTidwell@HabitatSWAlabama.org.

naturaldirectory

ESSENTIAL OILS JUDITH Z. WILSON, MEM. #759523 Healthy Living With Essential Oils 251-656-6696, AromaLife@bellsouth.net YLWellness.com/AromaLife

Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Natural Directory, email Publisher@ HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com to request our media kit. Rates begin at $36 a month.

ART FAIRHOPE ARTIST GALLERY 18 South Section Street, Fairhope 251-990-8763 FairhopeArtistGallery.BlogSpot.com Come and be inspired by local affordable art in this uniquely creative atmosphere. Look for “ART” and a golden palette above the door. Open Mon-Sat 10-5. Classes offered.

Workshops held the 2nd Saturday of every month, 10 a.m., 1230 Montlimar Drive, Mobile. Join us and learn how essential oils can help you. Call 251-656-6696 for more information.

CONSCIOUS MILE SPIRITUAL CENTER OF MOBILE Sundays at 10am 1230 Montlimar Drive, Mobile 251-343-0777, CMSpiritualCenter.org Rev. Sherrie Quander invites you to visit a loving, inclusive spiritual community where we aim to make every step we take, every choice we make, every word we speak a conscious one. See ad page 26.

B-BUTTERFLY SALON 103A North Bancroft Street, Fairhope 251-990-9934 BButterflySalon.com

A certified organic salon offering organic products and services including hair color, perms and shampoo. Keeping you and the Earth beautiful. See ad on page 31.

CHILDBIRTH SERVICES KATRINA BREELAND Made for Love Childbirth Classes and Doula Services 251-554-5704 Facebook.com/MadeForLoveMobile DONA and Birthing from Within™ trained doula and mentor offers a holistic and mindful approach to childbirth preparation.

CHURCHES CENTER FOR JOYFUL LIVING 60 North Ann Street Mobile, AL 36695 251-391-6960 Questioning, understanding and growing together spiritually as we enjoy life’s adventure. Center for Joyful Living in Mobile. Sundays, 10:30 a.m.

BURRIS FARM MARKET & BAKERY 3100 Hickory Street Loxley, AL 36551 251-964-6464

Hwy 59 on the way to Gulf Shores. Fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh baked strawberry shortcake, ice cream and much more. Your first and last stop to the beach, or any other time.

OPEN TABLE: A COMMUNITY OF FAITH (UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST)

BEAUTY

FOODS AND NUTRITION

1050 Azalea Road at St Luke’s Episcopal Church, Mobile 251-545-1011, OpenTableUCC.org

No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here! Pastor Ellen Sims and the congregation invite you to join them on Sunday evenings at 5:00 p.m. Childcare provided. See ad on page 39.

FAIRHOPE HEALTH FOODS AND THE SUNFLOWER CAFÉ 280 Eastern Shore Shopping Center 251-928-0644 Café 251-929-0055 Va-FairhopeHealthFoods.com

Comprehensive health food store and organic café, featuring organic food, free-range meat, vegan options and organic wine. Store open 7 days a week. Serving the public 35 years. See ad on back cover.

CLEANING SERVICES GREEN CLEAN, LLC Nicoll Mastin 251-508-3796 Green Clean, LLC provides environmentally friendly, non-toxic cleaning services for residential properties. Regular and deep-cleaning services are available, as well as green cleaning products and kits. See ad on page 32.

VIRGINIA’S HEALTH FOODS AND THE SUNFLOWER CAFÉ II 3952 Airport Boulevard, Mobile 251-345-0494 Café 251-345-0495 Va-FairhopeHealthFoods.com

Comprehensive health food store and organic café, featuring organic food, free-range meat, vegan options and juice bar. Store open 7 days a week. Serving the public 35 years. See ad on back cover.

DENTISTRY DR. DAYTON HART, DM IAOMT Protocol 225 West Laurel Avenue, Foley 251-943-2471, DrDaytonHart.com Free book for new patients: Mercury Free Dentistry. Offering ozone; laser (no-suture) gum surgery; testing for compatible materials and cavity-causing bacteria; examine for gum disease and bacteria; laser cavity diagnoses; saliva pH check; oral galvanic screening; no fluoride used. See ad on page 39.

HEALING ARTS THE DELTA INSTITUTE

Dr. Diana Sturm, Certified EFT Practitioner 5901 Airport Boulevard, Suite 208, Mobile 251-219-4574 DeltaInstitute.net Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a safe, gentle, non-invasive way to release emotional and energetic blockages allowing harmony and balance for natural healing.

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MARQUERITE DILLON, RN, BSN, HCN Holistic Mind-Body Therapy 4313 Momote Drive, Mobile 251-463-1570, Dillon@MobileHypnosis.co MobileHypnosis.co Achieve goals, control cravings and conquer personal challenges with natural and holistic therapy. Individual and group sessions available. Smoking cessation sessions at Synergy Yoga in Mobile, see calendar for dates.

MEDITATION MEDITATION CENTER OF ALABAMA

3821 Airport Boulevard Suite C, Mobile 251-408-7902, 251-623-4485 Happiness072@gmail.com MeditationCenterOfAlabama.Weebly.com Nonprofit, nonreligious. Relax your body, rest your mind, find inner peace. Guided meditation with instructors from around the world via Skype 5:30 p.m., Wednesdays; 6:30 p.m., Thursdays. Energy healing by trained practitioners at 5-6p.m., Thursdays. $10 suggested donation.

PRANIC HEALING IN MOBILE

SOUND THERAPY MARTHA UMPHREY 251-752-8122 MarthaUmphrey@yahoo.com Offering sound therapy as a natural solution for tinnitus or diminished hearing due to injury, stroke or aging.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING GULF COAST LOCAL FOOD BLOG GulfCoastLocalFood.com A blog about eating locally and healthfully, gardening, community food projects and sustainable agriculture.

PET CARE

Deana Lannie 251-454-0959 Free healing nights and group meditations every Monday. Pranic Healing classes and the advanced technique of Superbrain Yoga.

BELTLINE ANIMAL HOSPITAL

John B. Symes, D.V.M. (aka Dogtor J) 1212 West I-65 Service Road S, Mobile 251-343-7110, DogtorJ@bellsouth.net DogtorJ.com Blending traditional medicine with a holistic approach, Dr. Symes specializes in conditions related to food intolerance: chronic allergies (skin/ears), gastrointestinal issues, "autoimmune" disorders, epilepsy and more. Find out how diet affects your pet's health. See ad on page 31.

REIKI AND HYPNOTHERAPY

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Rio Barlow 251-979-9851 RioBarlow@ymail.com

VICTORIA WEBB PHOTOGRAPHY

Promote peace, serenity and physical well-being. Offering Reiki therapy and hypnotherapy sessions by appointment.

251-716-9699 VictoriaWebbPhotography@hotmail.com VictoriaWebbPhotography.com Lifestyle portraits and wedding photography.

This logo indentifies businesses that are Natural Awakenings Network Discount Providers. Visit Tinyurl.com/NANCard for details and to order your card.

MIDDLE EARTH HEALING AND LEARNING CENTER 20205 Middle Earth Road, Citronelle 251-866-7204 MiddleEarthHealing.com Middle Earth is an evolving education center, modeling permaculture, sustainable living and the interconnection of the health of the planet and the health of her inhabitants. See ad on page 22.

YOGA YOGA BIRDS 209-A South Section Street, Fairhope 251-990-3447 YogaBirds.com Fairhope's yoga studio with classes for everyone: Anusara-Inspired®, Foundations, Vinyasa Flow, Tropical Yoga Birds, Restorative, Chair Yoga, weekend workshops and more. View full schedule and sign-up for classes and special events at YogaBirds.com. See ad on page 29.

Holy Molé Cartoon

See more at HolyMoleCartoon.com. 38

Mobile / Baldwin Edition

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Facebook.com/HolyMoleCartoon

Web Sites | Design | Marketing

Eco-Friendly Marketing Ask us about stylish e-newsletters, recycled paper options and more. opteracreative.com info@opteracreative.com 251-960-5438

NEVER PLACE A PERIOD WHERE GOD HAS PLACED A COMMA. God keeps speaking through science and scripture, through literature and life. Open Table: where your mind is nourished as much as your soul.

o p e n table united church of christ

5 pm Sunday worship | opentableucc.org | phone: (251) 545-1011 1050 Azalea Road, at St. Lukeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Episcopal Church | Mobile, Alabama

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We make it easy and delicious to eat healthy.

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The Sunflower Cafés offer full organic lunch menus. Featuring free-range meats, farm-fresh produce, organic wines and options for special dietary needs (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free).

Asian Fusion • Mediterranean • Italian • Tex-Mex • Thai Pizza • Sandwiches • Pasta • Salads Catering service and take-out available. Menus online. Call for specials.

Located next door to Fairhope Health Foods and inside Virginia’s Health Foods in Mobile.

Fairhope: 251-929-0055

Mon-Sat 10:30am-4pm; Sunday Brunch 10:30am-2pm

Visit VA-FairhopeHealthFoods.com and follow us on Facebook for Monthly Specials!

Mobile: 251-345-0495

Mon-Sat 10:30am-3pm; Closed Sundays

Natural Awakenings Network Cardholders receive 10% off of all store & cafe purchases!

OrganicProduce OrganicMeats

Holistic Pet Food OrganicWine

Essential Oils

Books

Supplements

AlabamaOrganicMilk Wheat&Gluten-Free

Bath&BodyProducts GreenCleaningProducts dairy-free BabyProducts Sports Nutrition

Bulk Spices, Herbs & Teas

Wellness begins here. 280 Eastern Shore Shopping Ctr 251-928-0644

3952 Airport Blvd in Mobile 251-345-0494