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MERRY SCIENTISTS MUNCHING EXPLORE LOVE Sugar-Free Treats Kids Love
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BEING LOVE
Holidays are an Opportunity for Unity
December 2016 | South Houston/Galveston
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natural awakenings
December 2016
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Dietary Intake Isn’t Always Enough For Preventing Thyroid-Related Health Conditions Once a rare problem in the Western world, iodine deficiency is on the increase in North America. This could be related to radiation, environmental pollutants and modern, industrial agricultural practices causing a decrease of minerals in the
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letterfrompublisher
T
ime flies and change is ever constant. This holiday season, I wanted to share with you a poem a friend shared with me. My gift to our valued readers and business partners, here is hoping you have an amazing holiday season! Happy Holidays!
Roxanne, Bandit, Smokey & Luna (& Charlie, still trying to find him a forever home!)
Great Mystery, Awaken Our Hearts!
Great Mystery, awaken our hearts! Break us open and bring us back from crazed and numb self-destruction! Bring us together, overflowing with love and daring to believe we are never too late and no action is ever too little! Let us feel the ocean of love moving through us, the strength of our ancestors lifting us up, the yearning of our descendant’s to be born in a more beautiful and peaceful world, and a fierce and unrelenting determination to recognize our blind spots, face our fears, remember our deepest truths, hold the highest possible vision of ourselves and each other, and give everything we’ve got to creating a world where people have clean water, fresh air, nourishing food, safety, dignity, hope, purpose and love. Great Mystery, Awaken us now! — Hunter Flournoy
contact us Publisher Roxanne Pirooz Editor Sara Blumenfeld Graphic Design & Layout Patrick Floresca Gabrielle Wyant-Perillo Accounting Michele Valerio Administrative Manager Pat Delgado Sales & Marketing Roxanne Pirooz Natural Awakenings of Southeast Texas P.O. Box 3603, Houston, TX 77253 Phone: 409-939-8156 NA-SETexas.com Roxanne@NA-SETexas.com Follow us on: Facebook.com/nasetexas
©2016 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.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Print subscriptions are available by sending $28 (for 12 issues) to the above address. To sign up for a copy of our monthly digital magazine, email
Info@NA-SETexas.com Natural Awakenings is printed on recyclable paper with soy-based ink.
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contents 9 6 newsbriefs 8 healthbriefs 10 globalbriefs 10 herbofthemonth 12 ecotip 13 community spotlight 10 16 healingways 18 consciouseating 21 locainspiration 22 healthykids 26 naturalpet 27 inspiration 28 calendar 29 classifieds 30 resourceguide 12 advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 409-939-8156 or email Roxanne@NA-SETexas.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Info@NA-SETexas.com. Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: Info@NA-SETexas.com. Deadline for calendar: the 5th of the month. 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 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.
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.
13 SERVING COMMUNITY FAMILIES
With Nutrition & Chiropractic Care
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by Maria Adolphs
14 LOVING LARGE Scientists Say We’re All Connected by Linda Sechrist
16 HEAL ADRENAL
FATIGUE NATURALLY
Practical Ways to Regain Vitality by Linda Sechrist
18 HEALTHY HOLIDAY LIBATIONS
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Restorative Drinks Revive Good Cheer by Judith Fertig
21 A LOVING CHOICE by Rev. Kyra Baehr
22 MERRY MUNCHING
Sugar-Free Treats Kids Love by Judith Fertig
26 FETCH, STRETCH, DANCE Make Your Dog an Exercise Buddy
22
by Sandra Murphy
27 LIVE AS YOUR HEART LIVES
26
by Lyric Benson Fergusson
NA-SETexas.com natural awakenings
December 2016
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newsbrief A Rare Technique for Whole Body Rebalancing
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olfing (named for its founder, Dr. Ida Rolf), or structural integration, is a process of manipulating the connective tissue, or fascia, to release, realign, and balance the whole body. While chiropractic therapy works with the bones, and massage therapy works with the muscles, rolfing works with the tissue connecting the bones, muscles and organs. Many things can cause imbalances, lack of flexibility, and pain, including gravity over time, injury, and emotions held in the body. Everyone has areas of contraction or constriction, and the release that rolfing provides can be felt throughout the body because all of the fascia is connected. After a series of rolfing sessions, each session building on the previous ones, the body will feel more at ease and flexible. Phillip McLean, LMT, owner of Bayou Rolfing, started his career in construction, but a back injury led him to studying massage therapy and, later, rolfing. After significant training, he graduated from the Rolfing Institute of Structural Integrity in 1998 and has been helping clients restore their well-being ever since. For more information, visit RolfingHoustonTexas.com or contact Philip at 281-9104782. See CRG, page 31.
Hi Tech Body Transformation Course
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s soon as the holidays end, most of us want to get back on track with a healthier body. How about body transformation starting on January 15? Nutrishop Pearland, who is celebrating one year in business in January, has a 9-week Body Transformation Course that shows clients where they are, and helps them get to where they want to be. With the In-Body analysis machine, they can determine such things as body water content, muscle mass, and fat mass, which is monitored every two weeks. Wellness classes, meal plans, and nutritional supplements work together to create positive body change. Owner Saundria Berry says, “It’s a great way to start a healthy new year!” For more information, visit NutrishopPearland.com or contact Saundria at NutrishopPearland2@gmail.com or 713-436-5444. See ad, page 8.
DO YOU HAVE INFORMATION TO SHARE? Submit editorial to info@na-setexas.com. (Deadline: the 10th of the month prior to the month of publication)
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Unique Group Drumming Experience Now in Friendswood and League City
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ara Blumenfeld, a spiritual coach and teacher in the Clear Lake area is bringing the uncommon experience of drumming circles to southeast Texas. Using the HealthRHYTHMS® protocol, a researchbased and evidence-backed system, participants experience benefits such as reduced stress, a greater feeling of connection and community, enhanced creativity, and increased inner balance and well-being. She uses the rhythm of a drum circle to help participants communicate feelings, connection, and offer support. Amateur drummers have called it a unique and life affirming experience. Through leading the circles, Sara has witnessed dramatic changes in people from where they were emotionally at the beginning of the drum circle, and where they were at the end. “This type of support is really needed at this time of year,” she said. “A lot of people have so much on their plate, that taking time to nourish their soul and give and receive support can make a huge difference!” Circles being offered in December are on Wednesday the 14th at Unity Bay Area in League City, and on Friday the 16th at Sundance Yoga in Friendswood. For more information about Drumming Together and local upcoming circles, visit DrummingTogether.org or email DrumCircle@DrummingTogether.org. See ad, page 24 and Calendar, page 28.
Staying Peaceful through the Season
D
ecember can be a challenging month, with extra family and social responsibilities, disruption of normal eating patterns, and financial worry associated with gift buying. It can also be a sad time, as people miss family and friends who are unable to be with them. Practicing self-care at The Yoga Haven in Galveston can be a valuable way to add balance and peacefulness to this busy season. When time is set aside to support and refresh body, mind, and spirit, it makes everything in life flow with more ease. The Yoga Haven has a wide variety of classes for every level of experience. Yoga Nidra or Restorative Yoga provide the experience of connecting the body and the breath in a relaxed way. Or work off some steam with a more dynamic practice such as Vinyasa yoga. Taking time to be in a nurturing environment with like-minded people can provide the needed boost to make the holiday season more joyful. For more information, visit TheYogaHaven.net. See ad, page 25.
ONLY 100% GMO Free Local Organic Co-op for Miles!
N
atural Living Organic Food Co-op is now the only 100% GMO-FREE food store in Southeast Texas! With all the “green washing” happening to dilute the word “natural” and the rise of GMOs, it’s getting more difficult to find truly clean GMO-free foods. Lisa Piper started the co-op in League City about 7 years ago as a place to get affordable healthy organic foods and support in our community. Lisa is a certified raw food chef, herbalist and raw nutritionist. She has worked as a personal chef and teaches cooking classes for adults as well as children, and offers nutritional consults, and a host of other health related classes. You don’t have to be a member to shop there, and co-op membership is flexible. Members are sent a weekly list of what will be included in the small or large organic produce shares, and only order when they want to. Membership is only $42 per year. Co-op share pick-up is every Friday 3-7 pm and Saturdays 9-2 pm. During this time the store also has an Open Market, which is like a mini farmers market. Besides produce, they also have organic meat and bulk products, like organic grains and spices.
event spotlight 2nd Annual Walk a Mile in My Shoes
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ASA of Galveston County is hosting their 2nd Annual “Walk A Mile in My Shoes” event on Saturday, December 3. CASA of Galveston County is a non-profit organization which provides trained, court-appointed volunteers to serve as advocates for the best interests of abused and neglected children in Galveston County. A CASA (court appointed special advocate) assists the child and the judge to find the best solution for the child’s well-being. Registration is $20 (which includes a T-shirt and other giveaways). It can be paid at check in, 7:30 am at the Rotary Pavilion, Doyle Center, 2010 5th Avenue, Texas City. The walk begins at 8 am. Participation in this walk increases community awareness about the need for a CASA to assist these children during their journey through the child welfare system and represent their best interest in court. For more information, visit CASAGalveston.org.
For more information, visit Natural Living at 219 N. Michigan Avenue in League City, ShopNaturalLiving.com, or call 832-632-2937. See CRG, page 31.
The best thing to hold onto in life is each other. ~Audrey Hepburn
natural awakenings
December 2016
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Why Some Kids Grow Up with Fewer Allergies
healthbriefs
Cranberries Reduce Urinary Tract Infections
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Duplass/Shutterstock.com
matka_Wariatka/Shutterstock.com
ranberries, a staple on most holiday tables, can help women reduce their risk of urinary tract infections (UTI). A recent study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research tested the impact of consuming whole-cranberry fruit powder on women that had experienced two or more UTIs in the previous 12 months. Of the 182 study participants, 89 were given 500 milligrams of the cranberry powder daily for six months. The remaining 93 women ingested a placebo. The cranberry group reported significantly fewer infections than the placebo group. In addition, it took the women in the cranberry group more time to develop a first UTI than the women in the control group.
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esearchers from the University of São Paulo Medical School, in Brazil, have found high levels of tinnitus, a ringing or buzzing in the ear, and hearing loss in adolescents that use ear bud speakers. They examined the hearing of 170 students between the ages of 11 and 17 and asked them about their experiences with tinnitus in the previous year. More than half of the respondents had experienced the condition. The principal investigator for the study, Tanit Ganz Sanchez, an associate professor of otolaryngology at the medical school, notes that the prevalence of tinnitus among adolescents should be viewed as an early warning of a serious hearing loss risk. She says, “If this teenage generation continues to expose themselves to very high noise levels, they’ll probably suffer from hearing loss by the time they’re 30 or 40.”
Claudia Paulussen/Shutterstock.com
Teens Hooked on Ear Buds Prone to Tinnitus
study in the journal Pediatrics, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, has found that the common childhood habits of thumb sucking and nail biting can reduce the risk of adolescent and adult allergies. Researchers followed more than 1,000 individuals from 5 through 32 years old, monitoring these two habits at ages 5, 7, 9 and 11. The subjects were tested for allergies at 13 using a skin-prick test and again at 32. Of all participants, 31 percent were frequent thumb suckers and nail biters, and those children had a lower incidence of allergic reactions than the others. These results support a hygiene hypothesis suggesting that early exposure to microbial organisms reduces the risk of developing allergies.
To market your business or services in our next issue, contact us:
409-939-8156 Info@NA-SETexas.com 8
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A Cup of Peppermint Tea Boosts Alertness
Bright Lights Encourage Healthy Eating
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Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. ~Oscar Wilde
esearch published in the Journal of Marketing Research links bright light to healthier food choices. The study observed 160 diners at four separate metropolitan locations of a chain dinner restaurant between 6 and 8 p.m. Two of the restaurants used bright lighting (250 lux luminance) and the other two locations had dim lighting (25 lux luminance). The researchers found that diners at the well-lit locations were more likely to choose healthy options such as baked or grilled fish and chicken than the patrons at the dimly lit restaurants. These results were replicated in a laboratory test of 700 college students where scientists attributed students’ healthier choices to the alert feelings that being in a bright room elicits.
Chones/Shutterstock.com
R LubaShi/Shutterstock.com
esearchers from Northumbria University, in England, have discovered that drinking peppermint tea can improve working and long-term memory. After 180 healthy adults filled out questionnaires about their mood, they were selected at random to consume one of three drinks—peppermint tea, chamomile tea or water—and then rested for 20 minutes. The subjects were then tested for memory and other cognitive factors and given a second mood questionnaire. Those that drank peppermint tea exhibited improvements in both types of memory and were more alert than the other two groups. The participants that drank chamomile tea displayed reductions in both memory and attention functions compared to the others. Researcher Mark Moss, Ph.D., notes, “The enhancing and arousing effects of peppermint and the calming, sedative effects of chamomile observed in this study are in keeping with the claimed properties of these herbs and suggest beneficial effects can be drawn from their use.”
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natural awakenings
December 2016
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Flu Bomb Recipe
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n this month of colder weather and holiday not-quite-so-healthy eating, herbal essential oils can naturally ward off illness. Try this should the flu land on you! Happy Holidays! 4 drops Thieves essential oil 4 drops Lemon essential oil 3 drops Oregano essential oil 2 drops Melalena (tea tree) essential oil 2 drops Frankincense essential oil Put the essential oils into an empty 001 size gel cap and top off with olive oil or honey. Take twice a day after a meal. For more information, call 832-2024391, visit TheHerbalistJournal. com or visit Susie at the Silver Bee Boutique, 180 S. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood. See CRG ad, page 30.
PLEASE RECYCLE
Solar Sidewalk
Missouri Debuts Energy-Generating Pavers Missouri is rolling out a set of energy-generating photovoltaic pavers along a section of the iconic Route 66 highway in a sidewalk pilot project—the first on a public right of way—in the U.S. The street pavers were developed by Solar Roadways, a company created by inventors Scott and Julie Brusaw, which raised more than $2.2 million in crowdfunding in 2014 to bring their technology to market. The Brusaws claim that replacing all of America’s roads and parking lots with their solar pavers would generate more than three times what the country consumed in electricity in 2009. The Missouri Department of Transportation considered their own crowdfunding campaign to support their energy experiment; plans called for the hexagonal solar panels to be fully installed and operational by the end of this year. Source: NBC
Greening Planet
Satellites Reveal Unexpected Plant Growth The study Greening of the Earth and its Drivers, published by an international team in the journal Nature Climate Change, shows significant greening of a quarter to onehalf of the Earth’s vegetated lands based on satellite data from the past 33 years. This represents an increase in leaves on plants and trees that produce sugars using sunlight energy to mix atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) with water and nutrients from the soil. These sugars are the source of food, fiber and fuel for life on Earth. More sugars are produced when there is more of this greenhouse gas in the air in a process called CO2 fertilization. About 85 percent of the Earth’s land is free of ice and covered by vegetation, currently encompassing 32 percent of the planet’s total surface area. Lead author Dr. Zaichun Zhu, a researcher from Peking University, in China, states, “The greening over the past 33 years reported in this study is equivalent to adding a green continent about two times the size of mainland USA, and has the ability to fundamentally change the cycling of water and carbon in the climate system.” The effect may serve as a carbon sink to help counter climate change. Source: Boston University
Don’t let the past steal your present. ~Taylor Caldwell
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Somchai Som/Shutterstock.com
by Susie Lyons
courtesy of Solar Roadways
HERB
of the month
globalbriefs
Wise Woodsmen
The Norwegian Parliament Standing Committee on Energy and Environment has pledged that the government will follow a deforestation-free public procurement policy, meaning that any product that contributes to deforestation will not be used by the country as part of an Action Plan on Nature Diversity. Rainforest Foundation Norway was the main lobbying influence behind this recommendation and has worked for years to bring the pledge into existence. “This is an important victory in the fight to protect the rainforest,” says Nils Hermann Ranum, head of policy and campaign for the committee. “Over the last few years, a number of companies have committed to cease the procurement of goods that can be linked to destruction of the rainforest. Until now, this has not been matched by similar commitments from governments. The Norwegian state is now following suit and making the same demands when it comes to public procurements.” Deforestation is estimated to comprise about 15 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change and disrupting natural cycles and livelihoods, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Removal of trees can disrupt a region’s water cycle, resulting in changes in precipitation and river flow that also contribute to erosion.
Ivan_Sabo/Shutterstock.com
Norway Bans Deforestation Products
Source: EcoWatch.com
America Outdone Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com
Venezuela Bans GMOs
Venezuela has passed a law that imposes some of the world’s toughest regulations on genetically modified organisms (GMO) and patenting of seeds in order to consolidate national food sovereignty, regulate the production of hybrid seed, reject the production, distribution and import of GMO seeds and ban transgenic seed research. Canada’s Centre for Research on Globalization describes it as one of the most progressive seed laws in the world. The country intends to establish a national seed system to implement the new law. The group will monitor and sanction any agricultural violations, with a focus on the protection of traditional seeds.
Patient Pets
Hospital Allows Cats and Dogs Pet dogs and cats are visiting with their seriously ill owners, reducing stress and improving morale, at the Juravinski Hospital, in Hamilton, Ontario. The Zachary’s Paws for Healing program, the first of its kind in Canada, was founded by Zachary Noble and his aunt, Donna Jenkins. Before each visit, the animals are thoroughly cleaned so as not to introduce harmful germs, and brought in on covered, wheeled carts away from all other patients during their one-hour weekly visits. The all-volunteer program plans to offer foster care to pet owners that enter the hospital for treatment.
Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com
Source: gmwatch.org
Learn more at ZacharysPawsForHealing.com. natural awakenings
December 2016
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FRIENDSWOOD
Thank You!
To the local businesses that share Natural Awakenings Magazines! Thanks to these local businesses, you can pick up a complimentary copy of Natural Awakenings in South Houston, Galveston County, Brazoria County and Matagorda County. They include coffee shops, grocery stores, health food stores, yoga & Pilates studios, gyms, healing centers, vitamin shops and more! Below are a few locations where you can find us: • Southeast Hypnosis Center • Old South Essentials at Silver Bee Boutique • Bay Area Pilates & Barre • Dreamcatcher Massage • Dunn Bros Coffee • Melange Spas • Hope Village Resale Shop • Redding Chiropractic & Pro-Fit Sports Therapy • Rite of Passage Women’s Health & Birth Center • South Texas Foot Specialist • TCBY • Sundance Yoga Studio • Charleston Tea Room & Café • Betty’s Salon • Lessinger Chiropractic • Anytime Fitnes • Allure Salons • Friendswood Chiropractic Center • Best Body • Select Spine & Sport • Gimmea Bark • Stepping Stone Therapy • Friendswood Family Chiropractic, Premier Sports Chiropractic • Ann’s Massage • Houston Methodist Ortho & Sports, • Pilates Powerhouse • Bergeson Chiropractic
Read the Digital Edition at NA-SETexas.com 12
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ecotip Eco-Toy Story
Safe, Fun Gifts for Kids During the holiday gift buying season, it’s good to recall the days of old-fashioned toys. Simple, wooden toys made with non-toxic paints are far safer than those sprayed with varnishes and paints containing lead and volatile organic compounds. Plastics can emit unhealthy chemicals used during manufacturing, which also produces environmental pollution. Pieces can break off, possibly injuring soft skin, or be consumed by toddlers with dangerous results. A recent report by Environment California, a research and policy center, found that products designed for babies and young children, such as soft plastic teethers, bath accessories and others, contain phthalates. Many toys require batteries containing heavy metals like mercury and cadmium. ChasingGreen.org recommends eco-conscious makers of toys available at GreatGreenBaby.com, including organic cotton stuffed animals; BabyBunz.com, featuring sustainably harvested cherry wood rattles and organic Egyptian cotton animals; and GreenToys.com, with play meal cookware and serving pieces made from bioplastic, consisting of a corn and starch resin. Here are other factors to consider. Educational toys can “enhance language, conceptual understanding and numerical and spatial cognition,” according to a study in the journal Mind, Brain and Education. Six-to-8-year-olds can gain an appreciation for archaeology playing with Smithsonian toys available at Barnes & Noble and BarnesAndNoble.com. PristinePlanet.com sells wood puzzles, solar-powered robots and board games from the Golden Gate National Park Conservancy. The Discovery Channel Store has safe toys and books for kids. Follow age guidelines in choosing gifts, advises Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Toy Industry Association. “Age-grading has nothing to do with how smart a child is—it’s based on the developmental skills and abilities at a given age and the specific features of a toy.” Practice conservation while saving money by canvassing thrift and consignment shops for classic card and board games.
Love is, above all, the gift of oneself. ~Jean Anouilh
kavring/Shutterstock.com
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communityspotlight
SERVING COMMUNITY FAMILIES WITH NUTRITION & CHIROPRACTIC CARE by Maria Adolphs
G
rowing up on a dairy farm in the small community of Little Falls, Minnesota, and moving to Texas in 1990 with her husband and children, Mary Brechtel was searching for her life's path. After attending college off and on, she was still undecided about her career until she began working at a chiropractic office in the Clear Lake area. Her youngest child at the time had frequent ear infections. After several rounds of antibiotics, it seemed as if surgically inserting tubes into the eardrum was the only remaining treatment option. Fortunately, her employer, a chiropractor, suggested adjustments as a safe, conservative alternative. Tubes could still be inserted if chiro-practic adjustments failed. After only five adjustments, her son’s ear infections resolved, and never returned. So impressed with her son’s success, and witnessing the success of other patients within the practice, Brechtel says, "I fell in love with this healing
profession." Thus her path within the chiropractic profession became clear. Mary Brechtel graduated from Texas Chiropractic College and completed a chiropractic internship in spine sur-gery at UTMB in Galveston. She loved the beautiful beaches and friendly people, and decided to open her prac-tice in Galveston. Mary’s love affair with Galveston has continued for the past 16 years, and when not treating patients at Health Matters Chiropractic, you can find Dr. Brechtel diving with sharks—she is a PADI dive ma-ster—kayaking, and paddle boarding. Dr. Brechtel quickly realized the importance of nutrition, and after pursuing a post-doctoral program in clinical nutrition,” she opened her store, HerbalQuest. Through HerbalQuest, Dr. Brechtel offers Galveston unprece-dented access to nutritional testing and counseling, as well as high-quality nutraceuticals and supplements. When treating or advising her clients, Brechtel looks at the
whole person, and says that while chiropractic ad-justments help people from "the outside in"—supporting the nervous system (which runs everything in the body)—proper nutrition helps from "the inside out." Dr. Brechtel uses these tools and others in creating a total approach to health and wellness. Brechtel says the greatest successes from doing this work she loves comes when "an entire family comes in and appreciates how chiropractic helps their whole family stay healthy." Over the years, Dr. Brechtel has added to her certifications in Pediatric Chiropractic and Acupuncture. "Acupuncture has been a great addition to our practice. Sometimes patients come to our office in so much pain it is difficult to help them. Acupuncture can decrease their pain levels enough so we can treat them." In 2012, Brechtel built her own building, which is the home of HealthMatters Chiropractic and the storefront for HerbalQuest nutrition. At this location, she and several associates practice family, sports, and pediatric chi-ropractic, as well as acupuncture and massage therapy. A new second location nearby (HealthMatters Sport and 85th Street PT) offers physical therapy, Active Release Technique, personal training, and massage. One may wonder how Dr. Mary Brechtel manages to create a balance in her life with so much going on, which she admits can be difficult. "I carve out some time in my schedule every week to read, relax, and walk on the beach. I also get a chiropractic adjustment regularly and try to fit in exercise every day." She also loves travel-ing with her husband, who is a veterinarian that offers animal chiropractic care. Health Matters Chiropractic is located at 6825 Stewart Road, on Galveston Island. For details, call 409-744-2225, or visit HealthDoesMatter.com. See ad page 25. Maria Adolphs is a freelance writer who lives and writes from her home on Galveston Island, Texas. She is a graduate of University of Iowa's Creative Writing Program, is published in a variety of local publications and currently working on her first novel. MariaAdolphsWriter@gmail.com.
natural awakenings
December 2016
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LOVING LARGE Scientists Say We’re All Connected
Cosmic View
by Linda Sechrist
T
rue love is not something reserved exclusively for soulmates, couples, children, friends or family. Observations by sages for millennia and by enlightened scientists more recently are increasingly aligned with the point of view articulated by renowned meditation teacher Jack Kornfield that true love and awareness—a sense of universal connectivity and the idea that divinity, or the sacred, is found in all things—are indistinguishable.
Scientific View
This state of being, generally denoted by strong feelings of love or acceptance toward others, brings us into contact with universal energy which connects all of humanity with the natural world. Clues to our united commonality are explored in two 21st-century books, Love 2.0: How Our Supreme Emotion Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become, by Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D., and A General Theory of Love, by medical doctors Thomas Lewis, Fari Amini and Richard Lannon. These authors explore the brain science that’s related to love and awareness.
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Although trying to grasp love intellectually may be like eating soup with a fork, the authors of A General Theory of Love cite feelings as a good starting point. Fredrickson describes love as “the momentary upwelling of three tightly interwoven events: a sharing of one or more positive emotions between you and another; a biochemical synchrony between your and the other person’s biochemistry and behaviors; and a reflected motive to invest in each other’s well-being that brings mutual care.” Fredrickson, director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, believes love is a complex physiological response; a “positivity resonance.” She describes key factors in love’s ability to biologically transform us as oxytocin, a hormone active in social bonding and attachments, and the vagus nerve deep within the brain stem that connects with numerous organs, including the lead “character” in this relationship, the heart. The neural synchrony of positivity resonance between the brains of two individuals is a connected oneness that
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During their 30-year friendship, Bob Staretz collaborated with astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Sc.D., the lunar module pilot on Apollo 14 and founder of the Institute of Noetic Sciences, to research and write “The Quantum Hologram and the Nature of Consciousness,” published in the Journal of Cosmology. Their scientific theory explains how all of creation learns, self-corrects and evolves as a selforganizing, interconnected holistic system through love. “Without exception, everything in nature exists and works together in total balance, resonance and harmony, interacting as one. From this perspective, Edgar and I reached the obvious conclusion—the organizing principle of the cosmos is agape love, an ultimate form of unconditional love that accepts all things existing in nature without regard to conditions, expectations, shortcomings, flaws or faults,” explains Staretz. The former executive director of Eternea, an organization focused on spiritually transformative experiences and the study of consciousness, Staretz says individuals that undergo such an experience attest that loving one another and all
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Fredrickson notes is far more ubiquitous than previously thought possible. Her research shows that it requires only connection, not the intimacy or shared history that comes with any special bonds. Micro-moments of the connected oneness we feel as life-giving reverberations occur via shared smiles or laughter, a common compassion or an engaging story. Humans all hunger for such moments. The prerequisites are perceived safety and authentic sensory connection with another, even if it’s fleeting. In Fredrickson’s perspective, such neural coupling is a biological manifestation of oneness in which a habitual focus on “me” expands to a life-expanding “we”.
of nature, of which we are a part, is the central reason for our existence. Anita Moorjani’s latest book, What If This Is Heaven? reiterates the life lesson she learned from her dramatic near-death experience in which she identified herself as a state of pure consciousness connected with everything in the cosmos. She clearly heard: “Your only work is to love yourself, value yourself and embody this truth of self-worth and self-love so that you can be love in action. That is true service, to yourself and to those who surround you.” This message continues with her, and she explains that by not loving ourselves, we are denying the part of God that expresses itself through us. An overarching insight from her lifechanging journey is, “Unconditional love is a state of being, not an emotion. It’s not just one side of the coin—it’s the whole coin.”
If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. ~William Blake
How-to Resources Interest in this deeper perspective led The Shift Network, which offers online transformative education, to host a recent Advanced Teachings for Truly Loving Yourself with Margaret Paul, P.h.D., co-author of Do I Have to Give Up Me to Be Loved By You? Many others are working to spread the word about a larger sense of lifegiving love, including Cleveland, Ohio, intuitive psychologist Debra L. Reble, Ph.D., author of Being Love: How Loving Yourself Creates Ripples of Transformation in Your Relationships and the World. She says, “Our soul’s purpose is to be and express love. We dream of love, yearn for love and make love, but rarely do we realize that we are love, a source of divine energy.” Reba Linker, a New York City life coach and author, hosts a Leaders in Self-Love Facebook page and the Paint Yourself into The Picture online coaching show. Linker’s philosophy on love resembles that of New Thought leader Michael Beckwith, minister, author and founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center, in Culver City, California—
to discern that our true nature is love is to know that we are created in the very image and likeness of love, the essence of life itself. Gary Sinclair, author of Healing Memories in Seconds, views his life from an altitude of oceanic oneness. His 35 years of study in a field that uses energy to heal spirit, mind and body led him to develop Soul Link, a memory energy therapy. His work is changing the face of therapy for those with post-traumatic stress disorder and led to the revelation, “Love pulls whatever it touches to its highest potential.” Teaching what he knows “beyond a shadow of a doubt” helps to shift his students’ worldview. “All of creation is made up of electromagnetic energy vibrating at different frequencies. We are energy beings who can learn to manage our energy to heal ourselves. We are all connected by omnipres-
ence, the energy of love, a heart connection of life. Consciously choosing this awareness allows us to be ‘love living life.’” Kamini Desai, director of education for the Amrit Yoga Institute, in Salt Springs, Florida, lends her yogic perspective to love. “We are each a wave on the ocean of existence. Even though we are separate waves, we carry the essence of the same ocean. When that essence manifests in us as spirit, its quality is a healing force of love surrounding our cells, causing our heart to beat and regenerating our organs. This intelligence guides and directs the universe in the same manner that it heals and maintains our body. In yoga, we learn to listen to its subtle voice so that we can follow its urges and energetic impulses to the source from which it springs.” The perceptions of California’s HeartMath Institute founder Doc Childre, dedicated to helping people access their intuitive insight and heart intelligence, are generally aligned with those of Fredrickson. Both approaches recognize how order and balance in the nervous system and smooth, harmonious and coherent heart rhythms enhance our ability to clearly perceive a far larger universe of experience. The ensuing connections widen the windows of perception to view ourselves as no longer separate, but part of a unified whole. Accumulated micro-moments of love communicated through synchronized gazes, touches and vocalizations forge a shared subjective appreciation of connection and oneness. We feel ourselves embodying positive resonance and experience easier and more immediate rapport in familial, familiar and even new relationships. We discover abundant opportunities to feel love, loved and loving as we make ourselves available to them. Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.
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December 2016
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Heal Adrenal Fatigue
NATURALLY Practical Ways to Regain Vitality by Linda Sechrist
F
atigue due to physical or mental exertion is common in those beleaguered by stress, poor eating habits and insomnia, struggling to balance the needs of family and career and too often using caffeine and other stimulants to artificially rebound energy. James L. Wilson, Ph.D., a doctor of chiropractic and naturopathy, educates medical professionals about an even more serious health issue he identifies as “adrenal fatigue”; it’s characterized by below-optimal adrenal function induced by an overload of such stressors. Our two walnut-sized adrenal glands, one atop each kidney, produce vital hormones that help control heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and many other functions, including how the body deals with stress.
Identifying the Core Issue
In his book, Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, Wilson sheds light on the scope of the problem. “The fact that adrenal fatigue is unrecognized by conventional medicine has left millions of people suffering from an untreated problem that interferes with their ability to function normally and capacity to enjoy life. For those whose adrenal glands are ‘running on empty’, even something as basic as happiness seems almost out of reach,” comments Wilson, who resides in Tucson, Arizona. Individuals suffering from adrenal fatigue are most concerned about their low moods, energy, mental acuity and libido, for which conventional medicine typically prescribes antidepressant and anti-anxiety drugs. These medications do nothing to revive adrenal functioning. This faulty condition also affects weight gain and a propensity toward the development of some diseases, including
fibromyalgia. “Your resiliency, energy, endurance and very life depend on the proper functioning of the adrenals,” Wilson says. We’ve inherited our sympathetic nervous system and its stress response of fight-or-flight from our prehistoric ancestors. It hasn’t evolved to differentiate between an acute threat to survival and the chronic threats from looming deadlines, financial pressures and other modern-day worries. “The adrenal stress response to physical danger or any perceived psychological threat is identical—the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine responsible for cascading physiological reactions,” explains Dr. Vijay Jain, who treats fatigue from an integrative perspective at his Mind Body Wellness Center, in Palm Coast, Florida.
Suggested Treatments
Adrenal fatigue is mainly a self-induced health problem that doesn’t just appear. It results from an accumulation of ongoing choices that we can change. Jain applies ayurvedic principles to reestablish balance in the body’s three prominent mind-body types that influence personal well-being. These are known as vata, pitta and kapha. For people primarily characterized by vata and pitta typology, fatigue is the result of being overactive and burning the candle at both ends. For those with kapha constitutions, fatigue is the outcome of a sedentary lifestyle with insufficient movement and eating the wrong foods for them. He further recommends getting more sleep with regular bedtimes, practices such as yoga nidra meditation, pranayama (yogic breathing) and a slower-paced yoga practice with longerheld meditative poses, as well as massage and a diet designed to restore our biological energies, or doshas, to a balanced state. “Depending on a patient’s constitution I advise some to slow down and burn 50 percent less of their candle, while I tell others to increase their physical activity and improve their diet.” Jain also recommends a type of ayurvedic purification and detoxification treatment that involves a series of five therapies including massage and herbal treatments. Performed in sequence, these allow the body and mind to drop into a state of peacefulness. Acupuncture treatments are also helpful, along with a regimen of adaptogenic herbs such as ginseng, schisandra and ashwagandha, according to Jain. In Happy Healthy Thyroid: The Essential Steps to Healing Naturally, author Andrea Beaman writes about how she recovered naturally from adrenal fatigue. To restore energy and vitality to the body, she further recommends the healing practices of hatha yoga, qigong and tai chi. “These modalities build energy, whereas power yoga, and cardiovascular exercises drain energy in fatigued individuals,” advises Beaman. She notes that it can take six months to two years to restore desired energy levels. Beaman counsels individuals with behavioral characteristics that make it more challenging to burn less of their candle. She grabs their attention with the critical nature of their situation. “‘You are in and out of life in a blink. If you’re exhausted at age 48, how are you going to live a vibrant, happy and exuberant life right up to the finish line?’ That generally works,” she says.
More Tips to Beat Fatigue by Linda Sechrist
T
he earliest signs of adrenal fatigue are low energy and the need for several strong shots of caffeine to kick-start the morning or get through an afternoon slump. If these symptoms arise, take steps to begin nourishing, restoring and de-stressing the adrenal glands. Eliminate stressors. Reevaluate daily schedules to make room for a regular session of yoga, meditation, tai chi or qigong. Establish a regular sleeping schedule aligned with the body’s natural cycle. Slipping between the sheets no later than 10 p.m. can mean better and deeper rest. Make dietary changes, starting with 40 grams of protein each morning. Limit the intake of stimulants, including caffeine. Eliminate sugar and processed grains. Add adaptogenic herbs and organic coconut and olive oils to dishes and food preparation. Eat nutritious foods such as greens and brightly colored vegetables. As a result, blood sugar and insulin levels will take fewer rollercoaster rides, easing the work of the adrenals. Refrain from over-exercising. Excessive cardio or endurance training is hard on the adrenals, so substitute more relaxing forms of exercise. Practice calming mindfulness and deep, controlled, diaphragmatic breathing.
Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com. natural awakenings
December 2016
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Healthy Holiday
LIBATIONS Restorative Drinks Revive Good Cheer by Judith Fertig
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uring jam-packed special occasions like holidays, our drinks should multitask, too. We need festive tipples to refresh us without overdoing it, restore equilibrium if we overeat or drink or revive us when we’re feeling low from a seasonal cold or flu. In addition to traditional offerings that family and friends might expect, why not add a new and improved signature drink to everyone’s repertoire? These feel-good beverages, featuring winter fruits high in vitamin C, anthocyanins, therapeutic herbs and fresh ginger, deliver delicious boosts to help us feel our best.
Refresh
The season of hospitality is happily also the season of pomegranates, blood oranges and Meyer lemons (a sweeter, thin-skinned, aromatic variety). These vibrant fruits give a taste of good cheer to anything we can pour, shake, muddle or simmer. Whether we offer fresh-squeezed blood orange juice in the morning, a nonalcoholic cocktail of pomegranate juice and sparkling water, or a squeeze of Meyer lemon juice in a hot toddy or tea, the tart flavor is a sure pick-me-up. The red color in antioxidant-rich blood oranges and pomegranates indicates the presence of anthocyanins, compounds that might help prevent cancer and heart disease, as well as treat eye disorders, according to an article published in the Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology. Meyer lemons are a good source of vitamin C, essential for producing collagen needed to support the formation of new bone, blood vessels, ligaments and tendons, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
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Restore
After an evening of over-imbibing, our systems need to reboot. The stomach needs help in processing alcohol, plus we may be dehydrated and feeling a little queasy. Filtered water, coconut water or a sweet, caffeine-free coffee or carbonated beverage of the lemon-lime variety rehydrate, as well as help our digestive system break down and flush out the alcohol. According to Registered Dietitian Aicacia Young, in Austin, Texas, founder of ClimbHealthy.com, the simple act of drinking water before we go to bed can assist in the recovery process. Research published in the Food & Function journal found that lemonlime soda helps the body metabolize alcohol better by speeding up its ability to process the compound aldehyde dehydrogenase, the main cause of hangover symptoms. For nausea and motion sickness, ginger or peppermint tea can help, according to studies in the American Journal of Physiology and the French Prescrire International.
Revive
Sometimes the stress of holiday to-dos, often combined with travel, can lower the resilience of our immune system. When we feel symptoms of a cold or flu coming on, the classic hot toddy can help us feel human again. The alcohol in whiskey is a natural decongestant; plus, it helps get us to sleep. Honey soothes and perky lemon juice gives us hope that we’ll feel better the next day. Judith Fertig writes cookbooks and foodie fiction from Overland Park, KS. Connect at JudithFertig.com.
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Seasonal Drinks that Revitalize
and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain out the ginger slices and serve in a mug.
Blood Orange French 75 Yields: 1 serving In a champagne flute, pour a jigger of gin, the juice of half a blood orange and a squeeze of Meyer lemon juice. Top up with champagne. Courtesy of Kathryne Taylor, a whole foods and vegetarian blogger; Search CookieAndKate.com.
Holiday Sangria Yields: 8 servings Combine 1 liter of cabernet sauvignon, a quart of pomegranate juice, ¼ cup agave nectar, 1 thinly sliced Meyer lemon and 1 thinly sliced pear in a pitcher. Add ice and stir. Pour into glasses to serve.
Courtesy of Judith Fertig, Alfresco FoodAndLifestyle.blogspot.com.
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The best holiday drinks are festive and taste great. They should also be easy to fix. Here are five to get us started.
Meyer Lemon Hot Toddy Yields: 1 serving Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Remove from the heat. Stir in the juice of half a Meyer lemon, a tablespoon or two of honey and a jigger of whiskey. Serve hot in a mug. Courtesy of Judith Fertig, Alfresco FoodAndLifestyle.blogspot.com.
Fresh Hot Peppermint Tea Yields: 1 serving Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. While it’s boiling, place 7 to 10 fresh organic mint leaves in a tea cup. Pour the hot water over the mint leaves and let them steep in the cup for 5 minutes. Strain out leaves as desired, and enjoy. Courtesy of Heather Crosby, author of YumUniverse: Infinite Possibilities for a Gluten-Free, Plant-Powerful, WholeFood Lifestyle; YumUniverse.com/ fresh-peppermint-tea.
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Fresh Hot Ginger Tea Yields: 2 servings Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, and then add 1 small knob of fresh ginger, precut into thin slices. Reduce the heat
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December 2016
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localinspiration
A LOVING CHOICE Rev. Kyra Baehr
D
uring the holiday season, we are especially aware that ‘love is in the air.’ We often decide if we are going to experience the holiday with wonder and joy based on our current outer experience and history, or if we are going to disdain the holiday in a perception of separation, pain, and aloneness. The key is to remember we have a choice. When we are feeling low or alone, let’s make a loving choice to turn to our Higher Nature and realize the love that we are. When we choose to BE LOVE, opportunities arise to share ourselves in ways that take us beyond the boundaries of self. We become part of love’s movement into the world. Sometimes in something as simple as a smile or a warm ‘hello.’ Love is an expression of our True Nature, the core Essence of all of life that harmonizes and aligns our vibrations into a higher frequency. Love is an active movement of Infinite Source by whatever name you give to the Creative Power of the Universe. As we align ourselves to the Truth of our Inner Divinity through meditation or awareness, we often experience a relaxation into this harmonizing healing Essence as Love. Let’s give ourselves the gift of surrendering to unity
consciousness through our inner union where we remember our Divine radiance and magnificence as Love. Let this be your holiday practice. Honor your Inner Spirit of Love. See what harmonizes in you and those around you, as you experience all of life in its interconnected splendor. You are a radiating presence for love and ‘love is in the air’ everywhere you are when you make a loving choice to BE LOVE. May Love have Its’ way in you throughout the holidays and everyday.
Change your
thoughts and you change your world. ~Norman Vincent Peale
Rev. Kyra Baehr is Minister at Unity Bay Area Houston in League City, Texas. See ad page 23.
natural awakenings
December 2016
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healthykids
inspired by The Nutcracker’s Sugar Plum Fairy.
MERRY MUNCHING Sugar-Free Treats Kids Love by Judith Fertig
W
hen sugar was a commodity only the wealthy could afford, “visions of sugarplums” danced in the heads of children ensconced in Clement Moore’s ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. Now, cheap candy is everywhere and not all that special. What is special is making memories aligned with contemporary traditions while enjoying naturally sweet, healthy treats that kids will remember helping to create. “It’s important to limit sugary snacks, even during the holidays,” says Claire McCarthy, a Boston Children’s Hospital pediatrician, Harvard Medical School assistant professor of pediatrics and senior editor for Harvard Health Publications. She is also a mother of elementary school kids. “We need to use the opportunity—any opportunity these days—to teach children and families about eating healthy.”
Healthier Holiday Snacks Mothers Amy Roskelley and Natalie Monson, of Provo, Utah, agree that raising healthy kids is a challenge. Dealing with picky eaters, getting family members to exercise and sourcing organic baby care products are all in a day’s work for them. It’s why they founded SuperHealthyKids.com. Subscribers have access to meal plans, recipes and healthy parenting tips. Recent advice includes ditching prepackaged popcorn (listing unpronounceable ingredients) and instead making the treat at home— popping kernels in coconut oil and topping the result with maple snickerdoodle flavorings. Many moms turn to online boards for party ideas. Fun photos posted there guide kids in creating naturally sweet treats, such as fresh fruit skewers shaped like elves or magic wands
Natural Awakenings recommends using organic and non-GMO (genetically modified) ingredients whenever possible.
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“Building a gingerbread house is a time-honored tradition for many families,” says Jacquie Fisher, a Kansas City, Missouri, mom who masterminds the educational blog and kid-friendly adventure postings at KCEdventures. com. Learning to construct the edible structure is intriguing fun. “Testing out how to balance the walls, construct a roof and put together a fun little structure is the perfect intro to some basic physics principles,” she notes. Because she’s not a fan of sugar icing and candy add-ons, Fisher’s kids connect over how to make Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’s stable with whole-wheat graham crackers “glued” together with a homemade maple caramel mixed with coconut milk. They decorate using dried fruit, nuts, dry cereal and flaked coconut.
Christmas Stocking Stuffer and Hanukkah Gelt For healthy alternatives to sugary candy, savvy parents source sweet treats made with 100 percent fruit juice and fair trade chocolate available at health food stores and markets. Registered Dietitian Abbie Gellman, in New York City, reinvents the Hanukkah gelt, or foil-wrapped chocolate coins, that Jewish children traditionally receive. She flattens dried apricots with a kitchen mallet, dips them in melted dark chocolate and then sprinkles the treats with sea salt. We can always make wonderful memories true to the spirit of holiday traditions, and do it today in a healthier way. Judith Fertig writes cookbooks and foodie fiction from Overland Park, KS (JudithFertig.com).
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Gingerbread House Update
Sugarplums Update Healthy Sweets for Kids Apricot Gelt Yields: 12 servings (6 pieces per person) 1½ lb dried apricots 1 lb dark chocolate chips 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt Using a heavy skillet or mallet, flatten apricots to ¼-inch thickness and set aside.
Maple Snickerdoodle Popcorn
Place chocolate in the top of a doubleboiler over simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted.
Popcorn: 1 tsp coconut oil, melted ½ cup popcorn kernels
Dip each apricot in chocolate, coating ½ to ¾ of the apricot. Place on wire racks set over parchment or wax paper and sprinkle with sea salt. Let stand until set.
Maple Snickerdoodle Topping: 1 Tbsp coconut oil 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup ½ tsp cinnamon Sea salt to taste
Transfer apricots to baking sheets lined with parchment or wax paper and refrigerate until firm. The gelt may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.
Heat the coconut oil in a medium saucepan, with a lid, over medium heat. Add 3 kernels of popcorn and wait for them to pop. Once the test kernels start to pop, add the rest, cover and allow to pop, shaking occasionally until popping slows to a near stop.
Adapted from a recipe by Abbie Gellman, SPECertified.com/blog/view/ apricot-gelt-recipe.
Yields: About 5 cups
Today you are you. That is truer than true. There is no one alive who is you-er than you! ~Dr. Seuss
He who has not
Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. ~Roy L. Smith
Pour the popcorn into a large bowl and set aside.
Serve immediately making additional sea salt available. Courtesy of Amy Roskelley and Natalie Monson, SuperHealthyKids.com/ maple-snickerdoodle-popcorn.
iuliia_n/Shutterstock.com
For the topping, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup and cinnamon, until well combined. Pour over the popcorn and mix well. Sprinkle the top with a few pinches of sea salt, mix again and taste.
natural awakenings
December 2016
23
photo by Stephen Blancett
Fruit Skewer Elves Yields: 12 servings
12 cocktail sticks or short bamboo skewers 12 seedless green grapes 12 strawberries, hulled 1 firm banana, peeled and cut into 12 thin rounds 1 mozzarella stick, cut into 12 rounds
photo by Stephen Blancett
To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity. ~Nelson Mandela
For each skewer, thread a green grape to the bottom of the skewer to create the elf face. Top with a round banana slice to make the pale trim around the hat, then an upside-down hulled strawberry to form the pointy hat. Add a mozzarella round to make the pompom at the point of the hat. Serve right away.
Holiday Fairy Wands
Yields: 12 servings
12 long bamboo skewers 24 seedless green grapes 12 chunks of fresh pineapple 12 strawberries, hulled 2 starfruit (carambola), cut into 12 slices For each skewer, thread a green grape 3 inches from the bottom of the skewer, leaving room to hold the wand. Next, thread a chunk of pineapple, then another grape. Thread a strawberry, pointed end up. Add a slice of starfruit to make the star on the end of the wand. Serve immediately.
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HealthMatters Chiropractic
Rudolph the Reindeer’s Stable Yields: 1 stable Graham crackers Small paintbrushes Assorted fresh and dried fruits for decoration, such as blackberries, pomegranate arils and kiwi fruit Dry cereal, such as Rice Chex, and flaked coconut for decoration Pecan halves for roof shingles Vegan Maple Caramel “Glue”: 1 cup canned coconut milk (shake the can well before opening and measuring) 3 Tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract Pinch sea salt
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Season’s Greetings
For the vegan maple caramel, place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Keep cooking until the caramel thickens and darkens to a caramel color, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool until just warm to the touch, then use for glue. If you like, make the caramel mixture ahead, store in the refrigerator and then microwave until just warm. Dab the bottom of 1 double graham cracker with the maple caramel glue; then attach it to a dinner plate to make the stable floor. Glue on three walls, a fence and a roof. When the structure is solid, use more warm caramel mix to attach the desired decorations on the stable, fence and perhaps a courtyard out front. If necessary, reheat the edible glue in the microwave. Let dry for 1 hour. Courtesy of Jacquie Fisher, KCEdventures.com/blog/healthygingerbread-house-ideas.
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A backyard agility course can complement or even substitute for walks. It’s easy to make with weave poles, jumps and tunnels. Vary the order of the obstacles and run alongside the dog to call out each one. When it’s excessively wet, cold and icy or hot outside, create an indoor agility course. Use blankets and upturned chairs for tunnels, cardboard boxes to designate a weaving trot and a hula hoop for jumps. Set it up on top of rugs that foster firm footing. Balance can also be improved with exercise balls. While some dogs only see a soccer game, others try to balance on the ball, strengthening core muscles like their humans. Learning doga, or yoga for dogs, incorporates a canine’s natural trainability, flexibility, mimicry of human moves and desire to please. Kristen Corral, who’s also certified in animal massage, teaches Anima yoga fusion classes for people and pets of all ages in Las Vegas. “Anima means an expression of one’s true inner self,” she explains. “We work on balance and never force the dogs into poses. They’re excited during the first sessions, but as you move and breathe
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an and woman’s best four-legged friend can activate and energize even the most reluctant couch potato or exhausted owner, making the family dog an excellent exercise buddy. Regardless of how lax we may be, everyone feels better after some kind of workout. A study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology confirms that working up a sweat outdoors affords an appealing boost of energy, enjoyment and improved state of mind. Dogs love routine, so they’ll be waiting by the door for their daily walks. Make each outing mindful by letting the pet choose the route and pace. While they stop to sniff, do hamstring stretches by leaning against a wall, fence or tree. Once the warm-up portion is completed, add sprints to burn more calories. Ask for a sit, pick a goal a short distance away and then give the cue to run together fast. After arriving at the goal, ask for another sit. “Our favorite time to go is before 7 a.m. to avoid cars and when the asphalt isn’t too hot for his paws,” says Monica Weintraub, a food and travel blogger currently working from Beijing, China. “Carl loves the burst of energy, and we both build muscle.”
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by Sandra Murphy
together, it becomes a calming and relaxing activity.” Floor exercises with the help of a dog also helps strengthen core muscles. Do leg lifts and teach the pet to walk under a raised leg to ensure it stays raised for the proper amount of time. Incorporate fetch games with sit-ups; throw the toy when sitting up and accept it back while reclining. Alternate arms—the dominant one has better aim, while the other one adds steps for the dog as it runs to fetch an errant toss. For chair exercises, use a toy to lure the dog under the chair, moving it from side-to-side, simultaneously working the waistline. Fetch lets the dog chase the toy before dropping it in front of the chair, giving the owner’s core muscles a workout when bending to pick it up each time. Dogs love to play hide-and-seek. It’s easy with two people; one holds the dog while the other hides. If solo, teach the pet to sit until a timer goes off before starting the hunt. “I ask Felix, my mixed-breed dog, to hold a sit-stay while I go hide,” says Chantelle Wallace, a professional writer who volunteers to exercise animals at Skyline Pet Care and Fitness, in Austin, Texas. “Hide and seek activates both mental focus and physical exercise.” Dancing to favorite tunes expends lots of energy. Dogs may perform obedience moves to the beat or, like humans, dance like nobody’s watching. Scientists at the University of Missouri are among those that have found that music improves moods, too. Teaching a dog to help around the house impresses everybody and takes advantage of bad weather to catch up on chores. They can tour a laundry basket to bedrooms, pick up trash or place items for recycling in a bin. Select individual items to be carried up or down stairs for a muscular workout. Take some tips from Jesse, a most helpful dog, at Tinyurl.com/HouseholdHelpPooch. When our will to exercise is wavering, an eager dog will help keep an exercise routine interesting and on track. The dog’s goal is always to have fun with their favorite person. Connect with freelance writer Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@ mindspring.com.
inspiration
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Live as Your Heart Lives by Lyric Benson Fergusson
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here your mind wavers, your heart overcomes.
Your heart can tame any monster, your heart can devour any fear. Your heart’s chivalry is incomparable. Your heart’s genius outsmarts what’s written on parchment or etched on stone tablets. Your heart sees an ogre as an angel, Just waiting to be born… (with a soft kiss). Are you brave enough to pucker up? Your mind would rather run from sleeping tigers that had, several decades ago, promised to eat you, than face the unknowns of life.
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Your heart knows that overwhelming darkness is a miracle waiting to happen. Which lens do you choose to see this world through? Your heart or your mind? Baby, it’s all about perspective. Source: French Kissing God, a collection of poems by Lyric Benson Fergusson (FrenchKissingGod.com).
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December 2016
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calendarofevents
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14
NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 5th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Standard listings are $18 and Expanded listings are $32. Please submit in formats shown below to Info@NA-SETexas. com. We reserve the right to edit for readability and word count. No phone calls or faxed listings accepted.
Full Moon Drum Circle - 7:30-9pm. The full moon is a time to celebrate completion and releasing. While most of the event is indoors, this group drumming experience will feature an opportunity to drum outside in celebration and reverence. Drums provided, or bring your own. No experience necessary. Love donation to benefit building of the labyrinth. Unity Bay Area Houston, 1911 Hwy 3 S, League City. 512-659-6694. DrummingTogether.org.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15
Holiday Open House & Tree Lighting – 5–6:30pm. Come join us for caroling at the Tree and Santa Clause! Santa arrives at 5pm and the tree lighting ceremony begins at 6:30pm. Free. Helen Hall Library, 100 W Walker St., League City. 281-554-1111.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2
Pictures with Santa and the Gingerbread House – 6:30–8:30pm. Santa will be in the lobby of the hotel in front of the gingerbread house for photos (bring your own cameras). Live Holiday music, cookies and punch in lobby as well. Free. South Shore Harbour Resort and Conference Center, 2500 South Shore Blvd., League City. SSHR.com. Hometown Christmas Festival – 7-10 pm. The traditional lighting of the city’s Christmas tree and a special visit from Santa begins at 7pm. The tree will be located in front of the Pavilion, and lit with the help of Mayor Tom Reid and the jolly ole Elf. Free. Pearland Town Center, 11200 Broadway Street, Pearland. www.pearlanparks.com.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3
Flapjack 5K Fun Run & Kids K – 7–10:30am. Hosted by the City of Friendswood Parks and Recreation Department. All proceeds benefit city park improvements. Free pancake breakfast served after the run provided by Whataburger. Fees $10$20. Stevenson Park, 1100 S. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood. 281-996-3220. Christmas Parade – 6 pm. This year’s theme will be the “12 Days of Christmas”. The route will travel east on FM 518, beginning on Old Alvin Road and ends at Pearland Parkway. Spectators may park in the shopping centers along the parade route. Food and drinks allowed. Free. Pearland Junior High East, 2315 Old Alvin Road, Pearland. 281-412-8907.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4
Holiday Half Marathon & 5K Moody Gardens – 8 am. There’s something for everyone in your family during the weekend and we hope you’ll join us for a spectacular weekend of family friendly events along with a great half marathon & 5K! Registration fees $40 & up. Moody Gardens, 1 Hope Blvd., Galveston. MoodyGardens.com.
Share Your Events! Share events online at: NA-SETexas.com, click on Calendar. There are no charges for the online calendar.
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Southeast Texas
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6
Sea Shell Searchers of Brazoria County – 7pm. Learn about the fascinating world of sea shells and interact with other collectors interested in malacology. Meetings free and open to the public. Bring a covered dish for an informal supper with other shellers! Brazosport Museum of Natural Science, 400 College Blvd., Clute. 979-265-7831.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8
Rock The Block Ugly Christmas Sweater – 5-7pm. Don your ugliest Christmas Sweater or T-shirt to join us at Downtown Bay City. Be prepared to sing out your favorite Christmas Carols in our Christmas Carol Karaoke contest. Stores open late, restaurants open too with drinks & food specials. Free. Downtown, 1900 Fifth Street, Bay City. 979-245-8081.
Seagull II Harbor Tour & Dolphin Watch Texas Seaport Museum’s 50-foot twin-engine motor vessel is a perfect platform for waterborne experiential learning. Tickets at the Texas Seaport Museum Gift Shop at Pier 22, hours vary seasonally. Call day of the tour to confirm availability. Adults $10, Youth $8. Galveston Harbor Tours, 2200 Harborside Dr, Galveston. 409-763-1877.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16
Full Moon Drum Circle - 7:30-9pm. November’s HealthRHYTHMS-based group drumming event was off the charts amazing, so we decided to hold one monthly on the Friday nearest the full moon. Besides drumming simple patterns, the circle provides opportunities to use the drum to communicate feelings and offer and receive support. Drums provided, or bring your own. No experience necessary. Love donation. Sundance Yoga Studio, 128 S. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood. 512-6596694. DrummingTogether.org.
Holiday Gifts with Essential Oils – 7pm. Join us for a FUN Holiday Make-n-Take using Essential Oils. Each guest will create easy, versatile holiday gifts perfect for gifting or keeping for yourselves - Silent Night Bath Salts, Lavender/Orange Foaming Hand Soap, and Lime Vanilla Hand Scrub. $15. RSVP preferred, but not required. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17 Spring Creek BBQ Meeting Room, 2710 Gulf Christmas Bird Count – 5am. Come for the birds, Freeway S., League City. iDropforWellness@ the fun, & see how many species can we find? We typically tally around 150 species and attribute gmail.com. 979.429.drop. much our success to the many dedicated counters each year! Volunteers needed. Armand Bayou SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10 Home for the Holidays – Santa in the Park Nature Center, 8500 Bay Area Blvd., Pasadena. – 3-8pm. Tree lighting ceremony, fireworks, ABNC.org. amusement rides, coloring contests, music, A “Frosted” Christmas Tea Party – 4-8:30pm. dancers, choirs, holiday arts and crafts market, That famous ice princess and her snowy sidekick and a snow hill. Kids can ride the train and take will stop by for a visit and photo, and little ones pictures with Santa. Free. Stevenson Park, 1100 S will have the opportunity to have some Christmas Friendswood Dr, Friendswood. 281-996-3220. fun (all included in the ticket price). Holiday/ Christmas Boat Parade – 6pm. Ring in the holidays with the Clear Lake/League City tradition. The parade features more than 100 brightly decorated power and sailboats that will traverse the Clear Lake channel from South Shore Harbour Marina and the Nassau Bay Lagoon to Galveston Bay. Free. South Shore Harbour Marina, 2500 South Shore Blvd., League City. ClearLakeArea.com.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11
Brazosport Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert – 2:30pm. Celebrate the Holidays with Mary Desmond and the Brazosport Symphony Orchestra under the direction of John Ricarte. Discover the magic of Christmas with this rising young star. Mary can be seen covering pop hits on her YouTube channel, where she has more than 44,000 followers. Tickets $22. The Clarion at Brazosport College, 500 College Drive, Lake Jackson. 979-230-3156.
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princess attire encouraged! Kids $20, Adults $25. The Tea House under The Oaks, 610 E. Main, League City. 832-905-3909.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18
Santa Hustle 5K & Half Marathon – 8am. Thousands of Santas race along the streets and the oceanfront path in Galveston. Jingle all the way through the course with candy and cookies, festive music, creative Christmas images, and so much more, it is all designed to get you in the perfect holiday mood. Dress up and join us at this event sponsored by Galveston County Food Bank. Registration $45 & up. Course location TBD. SantaHustle.com.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21
Seasonal Sunrise Labyrinth Walk: Winter Solstice – 7am. The public is invited to participate in Seasonal Sunrise labyrinth walks. Each walk begins approximately 10-15 minutes before sunrise. The Moody Methodist Labyrinth, 2803 53rd St, Galveston. 409-744-4526. Galveston.com/Labyrinth.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31
New Year’s Eve Celebration – 7pm. Celebrate New Year’s Eve at the Hilton Galveston Island Resort! Enjoy a delectable dinner buffet, live entertainment by The Grateful Geezers and a midnight champagne toast with balloons and party favors. $199 couples. Hilton Galveston Island, 5400 Seawall Blvd., Galveston. For additional information or to reserve a room at a special rate, please call 409-744-5000. Share Your Events! Share events online at: NA-SETexas.com, click on Calendar. There are no charges for the online calendar.
classifieds Fee for classifieds is a minimum charge of $30 for the first 30 words and $1 for each additional word. To place an ad, email info@NA-SETexas.com. OPPORTUNITIES BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: LAKE JACKSON or ANGLETON – Do you enjoy this magazine, or know someone who does? We are growing and looking for support in the Lake Jackson/Angleton areas. Part time with base pay & growth potential. Email to set up a phone appointment. Info@NA-SETexas.com. GRAPHIC DESIGNER NEEDED – Do you know InDesign and enjoy creative design? Join the NA team creating print & online ads for our business partners. Able to work on tight time frames, have portfolio & positive attitude. Contact Info@NA-SETexas.com. LOOKING FOR DRIVERS – We looking for drivers in your area to help readers find this magazine. Drop off copies ONE day a month during the week to local businesses. Must have a driver’s license, car and valid insurance. Positive attitude preferred. Email your name, phone number & area you live to Info@NA-SETexas.com.
SPACE AVAILABLE AVAILABLE SPACE? – Market your available rooms or space for rent here to individuals reading this magazine, looking for space to grow. Email Info@NA-SETeas.com for more information.
lookingahead 2017 MONDAY, JANUARY 2
Lake Jackson Chair Yoga - 10-11am. Join our weekly chair yoga class with instructor Sheila Conner. All experience levels welcome! Bring a yoga mat if you have one. Free. Clute Public Library, 215 N. Shanks St., Clute. 979-265-4582.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 21
Horseshoe Trail Run 50K, 25K, 10K & 5K – 6-8am. Jack Brooks Park offers a mix of climbing, drops and windy single track in the trees. An adventure through the park. The start/finish line will be just outside Galveston County Fair Grounds Parking Lot. Registration fees $45-$100. Jack Brooks Park, 5700 FM 2004 & SH6, Hitchcock. HoustonRunningCalendar.com. KFB Tree Giveaway – 8-10am. More than 100 trees (one per family) will be given away. This is first come first serve and only for residents. The trees are 15 gallon trees so bring transportation. Free. Friendswood City Hall, 910 S. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood. 281-996-3220.
MONDAY, JANUARY 23
Health and Wellness with Essential Oils – 7pm. We’ll teach you how to utilize essential oils effectively and how cost effective and versatile they are at pennies per drop. Attendees will receive FREE samples of various products. Alvin Public Library Meeting Room, 105 S. Gordon Street, Alvin. iDropforWellness@ gmail.com. 979.429.drop.
ongoingevents sunday
wednesday
Galveston’s Own Farmers’ Market – 9am1pm. Offering locally grown produce, prepared foods and edible farm products. 2508 Postoffice St, Galveston. 832-819-1561. Facebook.com/ GalvestonsOwnFarmersMarket.
Small Dog Socialization – 7:30-8:15pm. Bring in small dogs to have fun and socialize. Gimmie a Bark, 101 E Edgewood Dr, Friendswood. 281-482-1911. GimmieABark.com.
Yoga Nidra – 7pm. A soft flow of yoga asanas to prepare the body and mind for the deep, guided meditation of yoga nidra (yogic sleep), to calm the restless mind and deepen conscious awareness. Bring towel and mat. $15/drop-in. The Yoga Haven, 2507 Market St, Galveston. 409770-9995. TheYogaHaven.net.
thursday
monday Yoga 101 – 5:30-6:45pm. With Kathleen. Foundational hatha yoga for students new to yoga or returning to practice. Fine tune basic skills that will deepen your understanding and enjoyment of the practice of yoga. Bring towel and mat. $15/dropin. The Yoga Haven, 2507 Market St, Galveston. 409-770-9995. TheYogaHaven.net.
tuesday Senior Tuesday – All day. On Tuesdays, anyone 65 years and up can visit Moody Gardens for $5/attraction per senior. Restrictions may apply. Moody Gardens, 1 Hope Blvd, Galveston. 800-582-4673. MoodyGardens.com.
Transition Grief Support Group – 1pm. If someone you know has transitioned to the other side, visit us to help you work with your grief. Unity Bay Area Houston, 1911 Hwy 3 S League City. 281-554-2450. UnityOfBayArea.org.
saturday Clear Lake Shores Farmers’ Market – 9am1pm. A nonprofit outlet operated by volunteers offering locally grown fruit, vegetables and other homemade products. Texas certified farmers’ market. 1020 Marina Bay Dr, Clear Lake Shores. FarmersMarketAtCLS.com. Vinyasa Yoga – 10am. A dynamic flow class using surya namaskar (sun salutations) as a thread woven throughout the practice. This dynamically paced series builds internal heat, strength, stamina, focus and flexibility. Prior yoga experience is recommended. Bring towel and mat. $15/drop-in. The Yoga Haven, 2507 Market St, Galveston. 409-770-9995. TheYogaHaven.net.
Meditation – 9:30-10:30am. Unity Bay Area Houston, 1911 Hwy 3 S, League City. 281-5542450. UnityOfBayArea.org.
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December 2016
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communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Info@NA-SETexas.com to request our media kit ACUPUNCTURE HOOKED ON ACUPUNCTURE Clint McCallum, LAc 2505 Market St, Galveston 409-241-3199 HookedOnAcupuncture.com
Hooked on Acupuncture community clinic in Galveston is a healing place that is affordable, welcoming, nurturing, inspiring and educational. We heal with acupuncture and herbs. See ad, page 24.
BEAUTY & SKINCARE
DRUM CIRCLES DRUMMING TOGETHER
Sara Blumenfeld, Facilitator League City & Surrounding Areas 512-659-6694 DrumCircle@DrummingTogether.org DrummingTogether.org Customized theme-based Drum Circles for your group or business using the researchbacked HealthRHYTHMS® protocol. Contact Sara to explore the benefits and possibilities of this unique and powerful experience! See ad, page 24.
NYR ORGANIC
Felecia Hunt, Independent Consultant League City 832-226-6957, huntfelecia@gmail.com Bit.ly/NYRFeleciaHunt Ethical organic products from London since 1981 offering s k i n c a r e , b a t h , b o d y, aromatherapy, mommy/baby, herbal remedies, supplements, teas, gifts & more. Contact Felecia to schedule a no obligation consultation or for free samples!
CHIROPRACTIC
EDUCATION PAT FREEZE
Special Education Advocate League City & Surrounding Areas 281-733-0422 PFreezeAdvocate.com
ARD meetings.
BAY COLONY CHIROPRACTIC Dr. Donna Sanders 350 FM 517 W, Dickinson 281-337-3337 BayColonyChiros.com
FITNESS STUDIO
Offering supplements, wellness products, specialty foods including gluten free and vegan options. Our experienced staff can help you find the RIGHT wellness products. Mention Natural Awakenings for 10% off Tuesdays!
NATURAL LIVING ORGANIC CO-OP 219 N Michigan Ave, League City 832-632-2937 ShopNaturalLiving.com
SE Texas’s ONLY 100% GMO Free Organic Food Co-op. Offering the community locally grown produce, dry goods and free-range meats. Allergen-free baked goods and bulk herbs. Come in to learn more! OPEN: Mon, Tues 11a-2p; Wed, Thurs 9a-4p; Fri 9a7p; Sat 9a-4p (closed Sun).
HERBALIST THE HERBALIST JOURNAL Susie Lyons Pearland 832-202-4391 TheHerbalistJournal.com
Natural health and skin care products (Old South Essentials), classes on herbs, plant medicine and essential oils. Get your body in balance – naturally. See column, page 10.
607 S Friendswood Dr, Suite 21, Friendswood 281-797-6442 UndergroundPilatesTX.com
GALVESTON BRAIN CHANGERS
home demo!
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Offering commercial grade household streamers for deep cleaning WITHOUT toxic fumes or chemicals. Lots of before/after pictures on our FB page, call now for a FREE in-
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1021 61st Street, Galveston 281-546-3725 Facebook.com/340Steamers
Brainwave Optimization ® (BWO) is science-based, effective and holistic; a non-inv asive method of achieving brain balance and harmony. By acting es like a mirror to brain patterns, t to n , isla n d BWO allows the brain to autocorrect itself with individually tailored real-time methodology for brainwave activity using EEG technology. Appointments only. See ad, page 9. rainwork s db
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340 STEAMERS
Brainwave Optimization® 2220 Post Office St, Galveston 713-299-2277/409-599-7268 IslandBrainWorks.com
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Specializing in reducing symptoms of many disorders by improving the brain & body’s ability to relax utilizing neurofeedback and Christian counseling. Our goal is to help our clients achieve improved physical, emotional, and spiritual health. See ad, page 11.
GREEN PRODUCTS
ISLAND BRAINWORKS, LLC
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Dr. Stephanie McClung 3607 Broadway Ave, Galveston 409-300-3117 GalvestonBrainChangers.com
HOLISTIC CENTER
as
Underground Pilates& Barre is a fitness studio implementing the equipment and techniques of Joseph P i l a t e s a n d To t a l Barre™. It is a fully equipped studio, offering private, semi-private and small group classes with our certified instructors. See ad, page 19.
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We use the most current techniques with gentle chiropractic care to alleviate pain and ailments throughout the body. Stop by to learn more about natural solutions to your common health problems.
Southeast Texas
1840 7th Street, Bay City 979-245-3833 HFCottage.com
BAY AREA PILATES TX
COUNSELING
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HEALTH FOOD COTTAGE
isla n
See ad, page 17.
I work with parents of special needs children to help them get the educational services their children need. I can guide parents through the confusing process and make sure their voices are heard in
HEALTH FOOD STORE
HYPNOSIS SOUTHEAST HYPNOSIS CENTER Dr. Rose Klein 607 S Friendswood Dr #1, Friendswood 281-996-8000 SoutheastHypnosis.com
Southeast Hypnosis Center has helped thousands of people make positive changes in their lives through personalized one-on-one hypnosis sessions to stop smoking, lose weight, improve confidence and reduce stress. Call for free hypnosis interview. See ad, page 3.
SPORTS NUTRITION NUTRISHOP PEARLAND 5038 W Broadway, Pearland 713-436-5444 NutriShopPearland.com
Our goal is to offer the most competitive prices for the most effective, high-quality sports nutrition & supplements, weight loss, and vitamin products. NUTRISHOP’S mission is to help you succeed in all your health and fitness goals and aspirations. Free INBody Analysis Test! See ad, page 8.
YOGA
MASSAGE WELLNESS INTEGRATION CENTER
AFRO YOGA
5517 West Broadway St, Suite D, Pearland 832-294-9640 WellnessLC.com
Pearland & Friendswood 281-451-1676 AfroYogaInternational.com
We l l n e s s c e n t e r featuring massage and yoga, and offering reflexology and reiki. We strive to provide our community healing services to support individual wellness needs. Book online any time at WellnessIC.com. New clients: mention Natural Awakenings for a special discount.
Explore ways to feel easeful in your own body using breath and gentle deliberate movement as your tools. Private and small group sessions serve all ages: athletes, veterans, seniors, pre/post-surgery, families, and pre/post-natal. Call for more information.
PSYCHIC MEDIUM HEAVEN KNOWS
Heather Hildebrand 1120 Nasa Parkway, Ste 220A, Clear Lake 409-457-4375 HeatherHildebrand.com I am a Psychic Medium, Angel Therapy Practitioner, Speaker & Spiritual Counselor. I help people work through life transitions, whether connecting with a deceased loved one, channeling messages from their angels or through my teachings and workshops. Set up an appointment through my website. See ad, page 21.
ROLFING STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION BAYOU ROLFING
Phillip McLain, Certified Rolfer 1002 Gemini St, Houston 281-910-4782 RolfingHoustonTexas.com Enhance your posture and release muscle tension by experiencing this unique massage technique which works on connective tissue to release, realign and balance the whole body. Call today for a consultation & mention Natural Awakenings!
$59
Monthly Directory Listing PRINT & ONLINE Each listing includes: • Category Heading • Color Photo/Logo • 4 Company/Contact Lines • 25 Word Description RE PUNRCATCUTIC ACUIR OP URE
THE YOGA HAVEN
2507 Market St, Galveston 409-770-9995 TheYogaHaven.net For 10 years offering the path of yoga for vibrant body, awakened mind and open heart, the studio provides an inspiring environment for yoga classes. Daily classes for students of all levels; special workshops and events offered. See ad, page 25.
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For details and rates call:
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email roxanne@na-setexas.com or visit, NA-SETexas.com
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natural awakenings
December 2016
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Spreading Light and Love to Over 4 Million Readers s from Through 90+ Publication Center n Coast to Coast and the Caribbea Huntsville, AL Gulf Coast AL/MS Phoenix, AZ Tucson, AZ East Bay Area, CA San Diego, CA Boulder/Ft. Collins, CO Denver, CO Fairfield County , CT Har tford, CT New Haven/Middlesex, CT Washington, DC Daytona/Volusia/ Flagler, FL - NW FL Emerald Coast - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Jacksonville/ St. Augustine, FL - Melbourne/Vero, FL - Miami & theFlorida Key s - Naples/Ft. Myers, FL - Nor th Central FL - Orlando, FL - Palm Beach, FL - Peace River, FL - Sarasota, FL - Tampa/St. Pete., FL - Treasure Coast, FL - Atlanta, GA - Hawaiian Islands - Chicago, IL IL - Chicago Western Suburbs, IN is, pol - Indiana - Baton Rouge, LA - Lafayette, LA - New Orleans, LA - Boston, MA - Ann Arbor, MI - East Michigan - Wayne County , MI - Western MI - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN - Charlotte, NC - Lake Norman, NC - Raleigh/Durham/ Chapel Hill, NC
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Southeast Texas
- Bergen/Passaic, NJ - Central, NJ - Hudson County , NJ - Mercer County , NJ - Monmouth/Ocean, NJ - Nor th Central NJ - South NJ - Santa Fe/Abq., NM - Las Vegas, NV - Albany , NY - Buffalo, NY - Central NY - Long Island, NY - Hudson Valley W., NY - Manhattan, NY NY - Westchester/Putnam Co’s., OH tral Cen - Cincinnati, OH - Toledo, OH - Oklahoma City , OK - Por tland, OR PA - Bucks/Montgomery Co’s, PA , Co’s are law /De ster Che - Harrisburg/York, PA - Lancaster/Berks, PA - Lehigh Valley, PA - Philadelphia, PA - Pocono, PA/Warren Co., NJ - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA - Rhode Island - Charleston, SC - Columbia, SC - Greenville, SC - Chattanooga, TN - Austin, TX - Dallas Metroplex, TX - Dallas/FW Metro N - Houston, TX - San Antonio, TX - S. Houston/Galveston, TX - Richmond, VA - Seattle, WA - Madison, WI - Milwaukee, WI - Puerto Rico - Dominican Republic
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