Natural Awakenings Southeast Texas March 2016 by NA-SETexas

H E A L T H Y

FREE

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

P L A N E T

feel good • live simply • laugh more

The Eyes MEATY Taste the Have It TRUTHS Rainbow A 20/20 View of Bodily Health

Choosing Meat that’s Sustainable and Safe

March 2016 |

Expand Your Palate with Colorful Veggies

Southeast Texas Edition | NA-SETexas.com natural awakenings

March 2016

Good-Bye Fat Bridesmaid, Always a fight

I’ve struggled with weight my whole life. It got really out of control and stayed that way no matter what I did. I hated it! I looked terrible in clothes, I felt like people were judging me, and I never felt like I fit in. It was miserable just walking around in my life. It seemed the more I tried, the fatter I got.

Not Good Enough

“Not good enough” ran in my head all the time. Even when people gave me compliments. IF they only knew me! I had no confidence when I became a teacher and NEVER in social situations. Dating wasn’t even a remotely possible, even though I dreamed of being married and having a family. Somebody might want to date me? There’s NO WAY!

First Big Job

My first year of teaching I felt like I was drowning. I doubted myself and my ability to be a good teacher even though I wanted to be good in the classroom more than anything. I actually wanted to hide from the other teachers because I was so uncomfortable and felt so much less than them. Going to work meant I had to face my insecurity every single day.

My Therapist was Out of Options

I was desperate to find something to change my life. My therapist referred me for the free screening to see if I would be a good candidate for hypnosis. Nothing else seemed to work - diets came and went, medical advice… all failed.

Hypnosis was My Answer!

When I first came to Southeast Hypnosis, the goals sounded outrageous – I thought: “never going to happen!”. Then I met my first one. and my second one. It was easy! And fun. That surprised me. I got more confident because I had successes early and consistently. It was different from anything else I tried… and it worked.

Hello Size 6 Girl Friend! 50 pounds and 8 pant sizes

That’s not a “size 8 pants” size… that means I LOST 8 pants sizes! I’m actually a size 6! And I love being social now. When I began my program, and I thought about meeting new people or even dating, I could only think, “there’s no way!”. Now, I’m dating for the first time, and in a relationship!

10 on a scale of 10

My happiness level is definitely a 10!! The transformation has been amazing. Hypnosis did more than I could imagine.

Big Changes

I started my first year of teaching afraid, unsure and no faith in myself. Now I just finished my second year, and I’m the lead 3rd grade teacher in my school! I’ve gained a tremendous amount of self esteem. Oh and did I mention how much I lost??

In order to determine if you can be accepted as a client you will need to attend a free 30-minute hypnosis screening. There are several programs available and individual results vary.

CALL NOW for your FREE Screening 281-996-8000 2

Southeast Texas

NA-SETexas.com

CHIROPRACTOR CONFESSION:

“I’ve Never Healed Anyone of Anything.”

eople come to me with their headaches, migraines, chronic pain, neck pain, shoulder/arm pain, whiplash from car accidents, injuries from accidents on the job, backaches, ear infections, asthma, allergies, numbness in limbs, just to name a few. Several times a day patients thank me for helping them with their health problems. But I can’t really take the credit. My confession is that I’ve never healed anyone of anything. What I do is perform a specific spinal adjustment to remove nerve pressure, and the body responds by healing itself. We get tremendous results. It’s as simple as that.

You Benefit from an Amazing Offer – Look, it shouldn’t cost

you an arm and a leg to correct your health. You are going to write a check to someone for your health care expenses, you may as well write one for a lesser amount for chiropractic. MENTION YOU SAW US IN NATURAL AWAKENINGS TO RECEIVE MY ENTIRE NEW PATIENT EXAM FOR $27.That’s with consultation, exam, x-rays, report of findings…the whole ball of wax. This exam could cost you $150 elsewhere.

Great care at a great fee – Please, I hope that there’s no misunderstanding about quality of care just because I have a lower exam fee. You’ll get great care at a great fee. My qualifications…I’m a Cum Laude graduate from Texas Chiropractic College. I graduated with academic honors from the University of Maryland, with my Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. I’ve been entrusted to take care of tiny babies to collegiate athletes. After practicing in Nederland as an associate for two years, I opened my own practice in Galveston. I just have that low fee to help more people who need care.

Here’s what some of my patients had to say:

“Dr. Duchon has made a big impact on my life. I have no more headaches.”– C. Flores - Galveston, TX “No more numbness in my feet!”– K. Smith - Galveston, TX My assistants are Shannon, Barbara, and Judy. They are really warm and friendly people, and we try our best to make you feel welcome and at home. We have wonderful service, at an exceptional fee. Come see us at: GALVESTON PHYSICAL MEDICINE 2724 61STStreet (right behind Island Car Wash) Call us Today at 409-744-9355 for an appointment. We’ll get you feeling better in no time. We can help you. Thank you and God Bless. – Dr. Chad Duchon

Chiropractor P.S. When accompanied by the first, I am

also offering the second family member this same examination for only $10. P.P.S. I am now an “In-Network” doctor for Cigna, Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United, American National, as well as being “In-Network” for many other plans.

natural awakenings

March 2016

letterfrompublisher

contact us Publisher Roxanne Pirooz Editor Cheryl Hynes Design & Production Irene Sankey Accounting Michele Valerio 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

©2015 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.

Dear readers, I love spring. This season and summer are my favorites, the days become longer as we enter into the light half of the year, and life begins to bloom again. Personally I feel as if I am lifting out of my winter cocoon and becoming more alive. Participating in the Texas Yoga Conference and the Houston Tea Festival in February was part of this. I met a number of regular Natural Awakenings readers, and introduced the magazine to many others. Everyone I spoke with was happy to see a publication like this locally, and took available issues we had on the table, signed up for the free digital magazine email list, or BOTH! Many also Roxanne, Publisher took some to share, which is great. I was able to share our great articles, interesting healing services in the area, events, and share in the growing community buzz. Natural Awakenings will also be involved with the Celebrating Women Conference in Galveston on Thursday, April 14th (see ad pg 31). There will be a number of interesting speakers on the elusive topic of happiness, and how that one feeling alone affects our lives. I mention this also because, about this time last year, much was happening for me that was quite stressful, both personally and professionally. I think sometimes we can be like that frog in a pot of water which slowly boils, and not realize until over time, we have hit the boiling point of “not happy”. We may be over-tired, over-worked and under-‘fun’-ed, and not realize it until that epiphany moment, which may come about in a very ‘un-fun’ way. Through working with a Happiness-focused Life Coach, I learned that we don’t have to be victims of our circumstances. We can mentally re-frame problems into opportunities, and become the architects of our lives. Now I had some earlier experiences of happiness which started me on an upward spiral, until I allowed someone or something to kick me off into the downward spiral. Life is meant to FEEL GOOD, and for me, meant to BE FUN. When I meet people who are neither, I either flip the switch in my mind to feel good, change my circumstances, or how I perceive them (so they change). I know managing my thoughts has helped change my circumstances, become more excellent and be more of service to this community, bringing me more peace and joy overall. Although I do get knocked down time and again, I try to remind myself, each day is a new day, each moment is a new moment, and the entire world can begin anew any time I choose. So my wish for you is to start now on that upward spiral of happiness. Name three things you are currently truly grateful for, and feel the happiness those things or people bring to your life. Do this daily, or more frequently, and you will see how happiness begets more. Here is hoping you are having a great day today,

Roxanne

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 soybased ink.

Southeast Texas

NA-SETexas.com

glossy IS NOT green

contents 6

6 8 10 11 15 16 18 20 21 22 22 24 28 29 30

newsbriefs healthbriefs globalbriefs eventspotlight consciouseating healingways naturalpet inspiration community spotlight herbof themonth greenliving healthykids calendar classifieds resourceguide

advertising & submissions

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.

MEATY TRUTHS Choosing Meat thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sustainable and Safe by Melinda Hemmelgarn

WHY VEGAN?

The Connection Between Humans, Animals and the Planet by Tracey Narayani Glover

15 TASTE THE RAINBOW

Expand Your Palate with New Colorful Veggies by Judith Fertig

16 THE EYES

TELL OUR STORY

How Integrative Doctors See Into Whole-Body Health by Linda Sechrist

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.

18 WELL-MANNERED CATS Simple Ways to Get Kitty to Behave

by Sandra Murphy

20 COLOR ME CALM

Grownups De-Stress with Adult Coloring Books by Avery Mack

22 DEVELOPING GARDENS INSTEAD OF GOLF COURSES

Agrihoods Use On-Site Farms to Draw Residents

by April Thompson

24 NIGHTTIME PARENTING Fostering Healthful Sleep by Stephanie Dodd

NA-SETexas.com natural awakenings

March 2016

newsbriefs Gluten Certified Doctor at Galveston Wellness Center

r. Pedro Lozano D.C., B.S., D.PSc. of the Galveston Wellness Center has recently acquired his Certified Gluten Practioner Certification to allow him to bring to his clients this scientifically-based knowledge concerning some of America’s most common life-long debilitating diseases (Gluten Sensitivities, Autoimmune Conditions, Celiac Disease and more) that frequently go undetected. He has been successful in helping people with these and similar health disorders for years, and this latest training complements his expertise and adds to his numerous ongoing certifications supporting his practice of functional wellness. Functional wellness is the area of holistic medicine that focuses on moving a person from ‘average’ health and/or diseased state to “optimal” wellness by supporting the body using a natural, easy-to-follow systematic approach. Additionally, Galveston Wellness Center has added Amy Robison to its staff as its Wellness Coordinator. Amy is currently working towards her Certification as a Holistic Nutrition Consultant. She is a certified yoga instructor and nutrition coach, bringing her expertise in diet and spiritual wellness to the Center. She also provides cooking workshops and grocery tours as part of her programs. Galveston Wellness Center offers a series of free informational dinner talks covering many health-related topics in order to bring powerful awareness to the public, with support from locations in both Galveston and Friendswood. Location: Galveston Wellness Center, 520 20th Street, Galveston. To learn more about the free educational health seminars, or to schedule a personal appointment, call 409-621-2225 or email Info@GalvestonWellnessCenter.com. GalvestonWellnessCenter.com. See ad page 19.

Running the Causeway The UTMB Health School of Health Professionals is hosting a 5K fun run on Saturday, March 5th. The event benefits student scholarships and represents an investment in the future of health care for the region. The run starts at the Galveston Daily News Building parking lot and proceed to the top of the Galveston Causeway where participants will turn around and return to the starting line. The 5K run will be timed, the walk will not. Individuals or teams may join. The race is sponsored by a number of local companies and generous benefactors, all benefitting local health professionals. For information call the SHP Causeway FunD Run Hotline at 409-772-3006 or SHPEvents@UTMB.edu.

Southeast Texas

NA-SETexas.com

Brave the Shave! March 5th for Kids with Cancer

ssociated Credit Union of Texas has partnered with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to help raise money to find a cure for children of all ages diagnosed with cancer. Everyone is invited to join dozens of people shave their head to help support the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-driven charity that funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. The event includes a silent auction, food trucks, live music, a bean bag tournament, jumping balloons and dozens of locals who will brave the shave for cancer. The event is free and open to the public. Everyone is invited to join by either shaving their head, donating or getting involved in other ways, such as being a volunteer. All proceeds raised will be donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Event is March 5, from 10am to 3pm at ACU of Texas in League City. Location: ACU of Texas, 1095 W. League City Parkway, League City. For more information contact Tiffany Sexton 281-476-3520 Marketing@ACUTX.org, or visit STBaldricks.org/events/ACUTX.

Body Transformation Contest Winner Brings It Local

bout six months ago, Shelley Hayes, decided she was looking for a change and improvement in her overall health, energy and physical appearance. Relatively, Shelley was a healthy person and friends would say she really did not need to lose weight. But something was missing. She came across the Unicity International product line which offers a 90-day transformation program. Not only did she get results losing a combined 8 inches off her waist/hips, 11 body fat percentage points, 22lbs of total body fat and 23 cholesterol points, but she won $2,500 placing 2nd in a nationwide Prime Challenge Contest. With this experience, she realized that having the combination of the right kind of nutrition along with coaching and support is what leads to success in improving your overall health and weight. Through this program she, along with many others that she has helped are now able to maintain these results in order to prevent, improve and even reverse chronic illnesses. After working for a well renowned Nutritionist, she decided to branch off on her own and become certified in the field of nutrition herself, creating her own niche. She now integrates Unicity’s nutraceutical products into her consulting business as well as the same 90-day program which includes weekly coaching, products and overall meal planning. These products are medically endorsed, clinically proven through many prestigious universities such as The Cleveland Clinic and Stanford University. They are backed by the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association. By treating all five aspects of metabolic syndrome simultaneously, the program helps many significantly decrease, if not eliminate, their medications in just 90 days. Everyone knows that eating right and exercise leads to overall health, and now this impactful nutritional plan is available locally. Shelley is holding an informational seminar on Wednesday evening, March 29th, see Calendar page 28 for details. For more information, contact Shelley Hayes at My Nutrition Worx, 832-274-4853 or ShelleysNutritionWorks@gmail.com. See ad page 23.

Celebrate Your Life Comes to Houston

or the first time in Houston, Celebrate Your Life Unity brings some of the world’s top spiritual teachers to the area. Past events have been held in Chicago and Phoenix, and now Texas is on the map with speakers and authors such as Anita Mooriani, Marianne Williamson, Iyanla Vanzant, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Dr. Jean Houston, Gay Hendricks, Sunny Dawn Johnston and Bryant McGill. They will share their collective wisdom regarding selfawareness and spirituality in a 2-day Soul-awakening event. Other attendees to these events have gained insights and knowledge, and enjoyed connections with other like-minded individuals at the event through this unique experience. Seating is limited and tickets are now available. The event will be held at Unity Houston on May 13th and 14th. For more information, visit CelebrateYourLife.org or call 877-300-7352. See ad page 32 **Editor’s note: In the world of self-help and spiritual development, these speakers and authors are world renown and have been interviewed in movies/documentaries. We are privileged to have them visit the southeast Texas area and I hope many of you can join what I believe to be, will be an expansive, enlightening and uplifting event!

Land & Sun Run at the Galveston Dolphin Festival

ntering its 4th consecutive year, the run and Dolphin Discovery Zone continues to be not only a major fundraiser for the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, but also a unique run that takes participants over Galveston’s beaches and onto the road surrounding the wetlands. The run is complimented by The Dolphin Discovery Zone which brings marine education and conservation together in a fun, hands on, interactive festival area for the whole family. For 2016, morning festivities have expanded adding a kid’s obstacle course, kite contest, food and beverages. The Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network does not receive any guaranteed federal or state funding to operate. It relies upon minimal grants, public support and volunteers to continue its dolphin conservation efforts. By supporting the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network at the local level, community members have an opportunity to be a positive influence in the rescue, conservation, education and research that is so vital to the vast Texas shoreline and the mammals that call it home. The Land and Sand Run has proven to be a huge draw for local and regional families to attend. It is also a challenging course that attracts the area’s most elite runners. 2016 is set to be the Network’s biggest event yet with a target goal of 750 run participants with 2,500 total attendees. Event will be held Saturday, March 19th. For more information, visit GalvestonDolphinFestival.com.

natural awakenings

March 2016

healthbriefs

Neti Pot Solutions for Sinus Problems

Neti pots, used for centuries in Asian cultures to support nasal health and eliminate toxins from the nasal mucosa, have become increasingly popular in the Western world. People use the small Aladdin’s lamplooking pots to help flush sinuses, usually by pouring a mild solution of unrefined sea salt and water from one nostril through the other (avoid common table salt because it can irritate mucous membranes). The process flushes out unwanted mucus, bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms. Frequent nasal flushing is credited with preventing and relieving sinus infections. Some experts recommend a stronger remedy if an infection is present. “The bacteria and fungus stick rather well to the nasal mucosa and few are flushed out with saline flushes,” remarks Herbalist Steven Frank, of Nature’s Rite. LLC. “Most of these nasty pathogens adhere to the mucosa with what is called a biofilm. Within this slime layer, they are well protected and thrive within the warm moist sinuses, so a small saline bath once a day doesn’t bother them much at all.” To deal with stubborn sinus problems, Frank likes using the neti pot with a colloidal silver wash that is retained in the nostrils for ten minutes. This can be supported with regular intra-nasal spraying of the colloid throughout the day. For more information, call 888-465-4404 or visit NaturesRiteRemedies.com. See ad, page 25.

Probiotics Reduce Aggressively Negative Thoughts

Recent research from the Netherlands’ Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition has discovered that negative and aggressive thinking can be changed by supplementing with probiotic bacteria. The triple-blind study followed and tested 40 healthy people over a period of four weeks that were split into two groups; one was given a daily probiotic supplement containing seven species of probiotics and the other, a placebo. The subjects filled out a questionnaire that measured cognitive reactivity and depressed moods using the Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity, which measures negative and depressed thinking. After four weeks, the probiotic group showed significantly lower scores in aggression, control issues, hopelessness, risk aversion and rumination, compared to the placebo group. “The study demonstrated for the first time that a four-week, multispecies, probiotic intervention has a positive effect on cognitive reactivity to naturally occurring changes in sad mood in healthy individuals not currently diagnosed with a depressive disorder,” the researchers concluded.

Southeast Texas

NA-SETexas.com

Losing Pancreatic Fat Reverses Diabetes

A study from Newcastle University, in England, has found that losing fat content in the pancreas can alleviate Type 2 diabetes. The researchers tested 18 obese people between the ages of 25 and 65 that were diagnosed with diabetes alongside a control group that were not. Subjects received gastric band surgery before eating an appropriately healthful diet for eight weeks. During this time, subjects in both groups lost an average of nearly 13 percent of their body weight and around 1.2 percent of their body fat. More importantly, the diabetes group lost about 6.6 percent of triglyceride pancreatic fat, or about 0.6 grams. The weight loss and loss of triglyceride fat from the pancreas allowed the patients to produce normal amounts of insulin. Professor Roy Taylor, the head researcher of the study, says, “For people with Type 2 diabetes, losing weight allows them to lose excess triglyceride fat out of the pancreas and allows function to return to normal.”

It is health that is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver. ~Mahatma Gandhi

Apple Munching Makes for Healthier Shopping

Channel-Surfing Couch Potatoes May Lose Cognitive Skills

Eating an apple before buying groceries may help consumers make healthier shopping decisions. This was the finding of three studies on healthy food purchasing conducted by Aner Tal, Ph.D., and Brian Wansink, Ph.D. In the research, published in the scientific journal Psychology and Marketing, 120 shoppers were given an apple sample, a cookie sample or nothing before they began shopping. The researchers found those that ate the apple purchased 28 percent more fruits and vegetables than those given the cookie, and 25 percent more fruits and vegetables than those given nothing. A related study by Tal and Wansink investigated virtual shopping decisions. After being given a cookie or an apple, 56 subjects were asked to imagine they were grocery shopping. They were shown 20 pairs of products—one healthy and the other unhealthy—and asked to select the one they would buy. Consistent with the results of the first study, those that ate the apple most often chose the healthy option.

Metal and Mineral Imbalances May Produce Migraines

Research from Turkey’s Yüzüncü Yil University has concluded that migraines may be linked with higher levels of heavy metals in the blood and deficiencies in important minerals. The research tested 50 people, including 25 diagnosed with migraines and 25 healthy control subjects. None of those tested were taking supplements, smoked, abused alcohol or drugs or had liver or kidney disease or cardiovascular conditions. Blood tests of both groups found that those with frequent migraines had four times the cadmium, more than twice of both the iron and the lead and nearly three times the levels of manganese in their bloodstreams compared to the healthy subjects. In addition, the migraine group had about a third of the magnesium, about 20 times less zinc and almost half the copper levels compared to the healthy group. “In light of our results, it can be said that trace element level disturbances might predispose people to migraine attacks,” the researchers stated.

Researchers from the University of California at San Francisco, working with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and other research agencies, have found that watching television may affect cognition, specifically as it relates to executive function and processing speeds. The study followed 3,247 people over a 25-year period, beginning in their early adult years. Those that frequently watched television during their early adult years had a 64 percent higher incidence of poor cognitive performance compared to less frequent television watchers. This was after adjusting results for the effects of many other known lifestyle factors that affect cognition such as smoking, alcohol use and body mass index. The effects of television watching worsened when combined with reduced physical activity during young adult years. Those with low physical activity and a high frequency of watching television were twice as likely to have poor cognition compared to those that had low television viewing combined with high physical activity during that period.

The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there. ~Robert M. Pirsig

natural awakenings

March 2016

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

Nixing Monsanto Guatemala Just Says No

The government of Guatemala has repealed legislation dubbed the “Monsanto law”, which was approved last year to grant the biotech giant special expansion rights into ecologically sensitive territory, after widespread public protest. The demonstrations included groups of indigenous Mayan people, joined by social movements, trade unions and farmers’ and women’s organizations. Following political party battles, the Guatemalan Congress decided not to just review the legislation, but instead cancel it outright. The Monsanto law would have given exclusivity on patented seeds to a handful of transnational companies. Mayan people and social organizations claim that the new law would have violated their constitution and the Mayan people’s right to traditional cultivation of the land in their ancestral territories. Lolita Chávez, of the Mayan People’s Council, states, “Corn taught us Mayan people about community life and its diversity, because when one cultivates corn, one realizes that a variety of crops such as herbs and medicinal plants depend on the corn plant, as well.” Source: UpsideDownWorld.org

Food Fight

College Cafeterias Lead the Way in Sustainable Eating Colleges and universities are changing how they purchase and prepare food in their dining halls to provide students healthy, sustainable meal options, with many of them working to source food locally. American University, in Washington, D.C., purchases more than a third of the food served in its cafeterias within 250 miles of its campus. McGill University, in Montreal, spends 47 percent of its food budget on produce from its own campus farm and growers within 300 miles. Middlebury College, in Vermont, partners with seasonal local vendors, including those operating its own organic farm. Taking it a step further, Boston University cafeterias serve meal options that include organic, fair trade, free-range, vegetarian-fed, hormone- and antibioticfree, sustainably harvested food items to students. Cornell University composts about 850 tons of food waste from its dining halls each year. At Duke University, surplus food is donated to food banks, and both pre- and post-consumer scraps are composted. Other steps include the University of California, Berkeley’s new Global Food Initiative to address food security in a way that’s both nutritious and sustainable, and efforts at the University of Illinois to recycle cooking oil for biodiesel production. Source: EcoWatch.com

Southeast Texas

NA-SETexas.com

Fossil-Fuel-Free Food Trucks Go Solar

The food truck industry is good for a quick, cheap meal or even a gourmet meal, but emissions from these portable feasts are a growing concern, given the estimated 3 million trucks that were on the road in 2012. New York state has launched an initiative to put 500 energy-efficient, solar-powered carts on city streets this summer. A pilot program gives food truck vendors the opportunity to lease the eco-carts for five years at little to no extra cost. They are expected to cut fossil fuel emissions by 60 percent and smogcreating nitrous oxide by 95 percent. If the technology was implemented nationwide, it could spare the atmosphere an enormous carbon footprint. Conventional mobile vendors may spend more than $500 a month on fossil fuels; in addition to the gasoline consumed in driving, truck lighting and refrigeration systems are powered by diesel generators and propane fuels the grills, sometimes all running up to 10 hours a day. The annual nationwide load can add up to hundreds of billions of pounds of carbon dioxide per year. Source: EcoWatch.com

Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it. ~Charles R. Swindoll

High Harvest

eventspotlight

Indoor Gardening is Looking Up The world’s largest indoor farm, in Japan, covers 25,000 square feet, with 15 tiers of stacked growing trays that produce 10,000 heads of lettuce per day, or about 100 times more per square foot than traditional methods. It uses 99 percent less water and 40 percent less power than outdoor fields, while producing 80 percent less food waste. Customized LED lighting helps plants grow up to two-and-a-half times faster than normal, one of the many innovations co-developed by Shigeharu Shimamura. He says the overall process is only half automated so far. “Machines do some work, but the picking is done manually. In the future, though, I expect an emergence of harvesting robots.” These may help transplant seedlings, harvest produce or transport product to packaging areas. Meanwhile, Singapore’s Sky Farms, the world’s first low-carbon, hydraulically driven, urban vertical farm, runs on a Sky Urban Vertical Farming System, making the most of rainwater and gravity. Using a water pulley system, 38 growing troughs rotate around a 30-foot-tall aluminum tower. A much bigger project, a 69,000-square-foot vertical indoor garden under construction at AeroFarms headquarters, in Newark, New Jersey, will be capable of producing up to 2 million pounds of vegetables and herbs annually. Source: Tinyurl.com/JapaneseIndoorFarm

Corporate Conscience

Unilever Reduces its Carbon Footprint Consumer goods giant Unilever has pledged to eliminate coal from its energy usage within five years and derive all of its energy worldwide solely from renewable sources by 2030. The company will become carbon-positive through the use of renewable resources and by investing in generating more renewable energy than it needs, selling the surplus and making it available to local communities in areas where it operates. About 40 percent of the company’s energy use currently comes from green sources. Paul Polman, company chairman, says the goal is “really doable.” He cites a new factory in China powered by wind and solar energy and a Paris office building that already contributes green electricity to the power grid. Source: The Guardian

Surging Organics

Costco Shoots Past Whole Foods Market Whole Foods Market, founded in 1978, grew to be the number one seller in the nationwide movement toward organic and natural eating, with more than 400 stores. But mainstream grocers such as Wal-Mart and Kroger have since jumped on the bandwagon, and smaller players like Trader Joe’s and The Fresh Market have proliferated. Now Costco has moved into the current number one position, illustrating the market potential of budgetconscious consumers that desire to eat better. Source: The Motley Fool

Galveston Mind Body Spirit Conference The Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with UTMB Health, is HAPPY to present this year’s 2016 Celebrating Women: Mind, Body, Spirit conference featuring keynote speaker Gretchen Rubin, New York Times bestselling author of “The Happiness Project.” Rubin has an enormous readership, both in print and online, and her books have sold more than two million copies worldwide, in more than thirty languages. This ninth annual conference will attract over 800 dynamic decision-makers and women from across the region. Event activities include educational topics on women’s health and wellness. The growing Vendor Market allows attendees to shop for clothing, shoes, cosmetics, jewelry, unique gifts and more. The day also includes continental breakfast, lunch, fitness breaks, complimentary parking, dozens of door prizes, official conference gift bag, and complimentary happy hour cocktails with professional and social networking opportunities. Natural Awakenings is sponsoring this event and working with local organizers to develop a Wellness Zone of local vendors for attendees to visit which will include fitness studios, alternative and integrative medicine centers, and all support for all things Health and Wellness! For more information, visit GalvestonChamber.com/Womens-Conference, or call 409-763-5326. See ad page 31.

natural awakenings

March 2016

Meaty Truths Choosing Meat that’s Sustainable and Safe by Melinda Hemmelgarn

n his essay The Pleasures of Eating, Wendell Berry, a Kentucky farmer and poet, writes: “If I am going to eat meat, I want it to be from an animal that has lived a pleasant, uncrowded life outdoors, on bountiful pasture, with good water nearby and trees for shade.” He, like a growing number of conscious eaters, wants no part of the industrial meat system in which animals are raised in concentrated animal feeding operations. Media coverage has helped educate consumers previously unaware of how their food is produced and why it matters. The documentary film Food Inc., as well as books like Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser and The Chain, by Ted Genoways, describe common livestock industry practices that mistreat animals, pollute water and air, endanger workers and threaten public health. With increased understanding of the connections between diet and health, climate, environment and social justice, even many Americans that still like the taste of hamburger and steak have sided with Berry; they want sustainably raised, humane and healthful red meat.

Unsustainable Corporate Lobby Every five years, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines are revised to reflect the

Southeast Texas

latest nutritional science. In 2015, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee attempted to include the concept of sustainability. The committee, which included top nutrition scientists, defined sustainable diets as “a pattern of eating that promotes health and well-being and provides food security for the present population while sustaining human and natural resources for future generations.” It made the case that a diet higher in plant-based foods and lower in animalbased foods both promotes health and protects the environment—resulting in lower greenhouse gas emissions, and less energy, land and water use. But political pressure from the livestock industry prevailed, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell jointly announced, “We do not believe that the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the appropriate vehicle for this important policy conversation about sustainability.” Instead, they advised the committee to focus solely on nutritional and dietary information. In her book Food Politics, nutritionist and author Marion Nestle explains that recommendations to decrease consumption have never been popular with the food industry. Nonetheless, Roni Neff, Ph.D., who directs

NA-SETexas.com

the Center for a Livable Future’s Food System Sustainability and Public Health Program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in Baltimore, recommends consuming less red meat in particular, because of its large environmental footprint. Neff points out, “Thirty percent of greenhouse gas emissions are connected to red meat.” However, not all red meat is created equal. In her book Defending Beef, environmental lawyer and cattle rancher Nicolette Hahn Niman makes a case for sustainable meat production, noting, “Well-managed grazing could be part of an effective strategy to combat climate change.” In their book The New Livestock Farmer, authors Rebecca Thistlethwaite and Jim Dunlop praise the increase in farmers producing pasture-raised, ethical meats and the growing number of farmers selling directly to people that reject the industrial system. Neff likewise supports such sustainable livestock agriculture, which integrates pasture-raised animals on farms, rather than isolating them on feedlots, where they typically eat a grain-based diet (such as genetically engineered corn) and receive growth stimulants, including hormones and antibiotics.

Risky Hormones and Antibiotics Mike Callicrate, a St. Francis, Kansas, rancher educated in the industrial model of meat production, is considered an expert on its negative consequences. He served as an advisor for Food Inc., and Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Callicrate observes, “The same chemical compounds that athletes are banned from using in baseball are used to produce our food animals, which our children eat in the hot dogs at the ballgame.” According to the USDA, about 90 percent of feedlot cattle receive hormone implants to promote growth. Yet the European Union Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures Relating to Public Health reports that the use of natural and artificial growth hormones in beef production poses a potential risk to human health, especially among children. Concerns about growth-promoting drugs led the American Academy of

Because climate change is accelerating and is already causing a multitude of adverse effects, and the footprint of our current food system is massive, we urgently need to create a national food supply that is both healthy and sustainable. ~Dr. Walter Willett, Harvard School of Public Health Pediatrics to call for studies that directly measure their impact on children through milk and meat. The President’s Cancer Panel Report on Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk also states, “Growth hormones may contribute to endocrine disruption in humans.” Their dietary recommendations include choosing meat raised without hormones and antibiotics.

Rising Resistance Antibiotic resistance is now one of the world’s most critical public health problems, and it’s related to misuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Antibiotic resistance— when bacteria don’t respond to the drugs designed to kill them—threatens to return us to the time when simple infections were often fatal.” Veterinarian and food safety consultant Gail Hansen, of Washington, D.C., explains that bacteria naturally develop resistance anytime we use antibiotics. “The problem is overuse and misuse; that’s the recipe for disaster.” She explains that more than 70 percent of the antibiotics sold in the U.S. are not used to treat sick animals, but to promote growth and reduce the risk of infection related to raising animals in unsanitary, overcrowded spaces. A recent report by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states: Adding antibiotics to the feed of healthy livestock “often leave the drugs ineffective when they are needed to treat infections in people.”

The AAP supports buying meat from organic farms, because organic farming rules prohibit the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics. Stacia Clinton, a registered dietitian in Boston who works with the international nonprofit Health Care Without Harm, assists hospitals in both reducing meat on their menus and increasing purchases of meat from animals raised without antibiotics. The goal is to reduce the growing number of antibiotic-resistant infections that cost hospitals and patients billions of dollars each year. A Friends of the Earth report, Chain Reaction: How Top Restaurants Rate on Reducing Use of Antibiotics in Their Meat Supply, revealed that most meat served by American’s top chain restaurants come from animals raised in industrial facilities where they are fed antibiotics. Only two out of 25 chains, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera Bread, report that the majority of their meat is raised without routine antibiotics. A recent study by Consumers Union also found antibiotic-resistant bacteria on retail meat samples nationwide. In California, Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 27, making his the first state to ban the use of routine low doses of antimicrobial drugs that are medically important to humans to promote livestock weight gain or feed efficiency. The bill doesn’t go into effect until January 2018, but will contribute to making meat safer and antibiotic drugs more effective.

Red and Processed Meats Targeted Dietary advice to reduce the consumption of red and processed meats, regardless of how the animals are raised, is not new. Kelay Trentham, a registered dietitian in Tacoma, Washington, who specializes in cancer prevention and treatment, points out that joint reports from the World Cancer Research Fund International and American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) since 2007 have recommended restricting consumption of red meat to less than 18 ounces a week and avoiding processed meats. In 2015, the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified processed meat (like hot dogs, ham, sausages, corned

beef and beef jerky) as “carcinogenic to humans” and red meat (beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, horse and goat) as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Risk increases with amount consumed, and the evidence is strongest for the relation of processed meats to colorectal cancer. Trentham explains some factors that make red and processed meats risky. “Heating or smoking meat creates cancer-causing compounds. Processed meats contain salts, nitrates and nitrites; a chemical mélange of preservatives that can increase risk,” she says. Trentham and Karen Collins, a registered dietitian and advisor to the AICR, concur that the form of iron found in meat also contributes to cancer risk. Still, the IARC report recognizes, “Eating meat has known health benefits.” Meat is a rich source of protein and B vitamins, iron and zinc. Livestock feed further influences nutritional composition, with meat from cattle raised on pasture (grass) containing higher levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids compared to meat from animals fed grain. According to medical doctor and National Institutes of Health researcher Captain Joseph Hibbeln, consuming fewer omega-6 fatty acids and more omega-3s may be one of the most important dietary changes for cutting the risk of chronic diseases, reducing inflammation, improving mental health, enhancing children’s brain and eye development and reducing worldwide incidence of cardiovascular disease by 40 percent. When it comes to eating meat, the agricultural practices, quantity consumed, and methods of processing and cooking make a difference. It turns out that what’s good for the environment is good for animals and people, too. Melinda Hemmelgarn is an awardwinning registered dietitian, writer and Food Sleuth Radio host with KOPN.org, in Columbia, MO. Connect at FoodSleuth@gmail.com. **Editor’s note: We realize our readers enjoy a diverse diet and make choices based on their personal needs. As part of our ongoing effort to serve the community, we offer a wide range of educational articles to provide information about various dietary choices.

natural awakenings

March 2016

Why Vegan Vegan?? The Connection Between Humans, Animals and the Planet by Tracey Narayani Glover

oo often human beings fail to see the interconnection that exists between the non-human animals and the environment that surrounds us. As some vegans adopt a plant-based diet upon learning about the suffering of farmed animals, others are influenced by the devastating impact of animal agriculture on the environment, while many make the switch to benefit their own health. The truth is, these issues are not separate. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector consumes more edible protein—40 percent of the entire world’s agricultural output—than it produces, while occupying 30 percent of the planet’s total land surface. Animal-based foods such as meat, dairy and eggs are highly resourceintensive, compared to plant-based foods. Product labeling indicating varying levels of humane and sustainable practices entices conscious consumers, but is often misleading. As an example, it cannot be assumed that a grass-fed label is indicative of sustainability. Living conditions involve less suffering and fossil fuel use than in factory farms, but according to a study published in Environmental Science and Technology, pasture-raised cattle produce at least 20 percent more methane than grain-finished animals, on a per-poundof-meat basis, and they also require more land and water. The United Nations reports that at least 20 million people worldwide die each year as a result of malnutrition, while estimates have been made that if Americans alone reduced their meat intake by just 10 percent, 100 million people could be fed with the land, water and energy that would be freed up as a result. As pointed out by The World Watch Institute, the continued growth of meat output

Southeast Texas

NA-SETexas.com

creates competition for grain between affluent meat-eaters and the world’s poor. As much of the world’s population struggles to obtain enough food, many Americans are consuming too much protein and suffering from “diseases of affluence” that correlate with the consumption of animal protein. But there is good reason for hope, as a growing body of nutrition science shows that a high percentage of these diseases can be prevented, or even reversed, with diet. According to Nutritional Biochemist T. Colin Campbell, who co-authored The China Study, “The same diet that is good for prevention of cancer is also good for the prevention of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and other diseases. That diet is a whole foods, plant-based diet.” Note that there’s more to worry about than the antibiotics, steroids and hormones found in most animal products available today, making organic options less than ideal as well. “The real danger of animal products is the nutrient imbalances, regardless of the presence or absence of those nasty chemicals. Long before modern chemicals were introduced into our food, people still began to experience more cancer and more heart disease when they started to eat more animalbased foods,” says Campbell. Is it a coincidence that the diet that can prevent suffering of animals is the same diet that can reverse the process of global warming and keep humans healthy into old age? What is good for the animals is good for the planet and good for our own health. Tracey Narayani Glover, JD, E-RYT 200, is an animal advocate, writer, chef/owner of The Pure Vegan and a yoga and meditation teacher in Mobile, AL. Connect at ThePureVegan.com and ARCForAllBeings.org.

consciouseating

Eating a rich variety of plant-based foods is fast, easy and satisfying. ~LeAnne Campbell

Taste the Rainbow Expand Your Palate with New Colorful Veggies by Judith Fertig

mericans’ vegetable habits are in a rut. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly 50 percent of the vegetables and legumes available in this country in 2013 were either tomatoes or potatoes. Lettuce came in third, according to new data released in 2015, advises Tracie McMillan, author of The American Way of Eating. Further, 87 percent of U.S. adults did not meet basic vegetable serving recommendations from 2007 through 2010, a fact cited in the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey. Yet, urban supermarkets overflow with a wealth of common and exotic vegetables, often displayed sideby-side: broccoli and broccolini, green bell and Japanese shishito peppers, and iceberg lettuce and leafy mâche, or lamb’s lettuce. Trying one new vegetable dish a week is a great way to increase our vegetable literacy, says functional medicine expert Terri Evans, a doctor of Oriental medicine in Naples, Florida. “Our diet should be 60 per-

cent produce—40 percent vegetables and 20 percent fruit,” she says. “To keep this sustainable for the long term, we should eat what tastes good, not what we think is good for us. Some days, we crave the sweetness of carrots; other days, the bitterness of artichokes or the heat of hot peppers. Our bodies can tell us what we need.”

Keep Expanding Choices

Going Green. Dark green and slightly peppery arugula is good with a little olive oil and lemon juice. Finely shredded Brussels sprouts bulk up a mixed salad, while adding the benefits of a cancer-fighting cruciferous vegetable. Instead of mineral-rich baby spinach, try baby Swiss chard, suggests Matthew Kadey, a registered dietician in Waterloo, Ontario. He also suggests microgreens, the tiny shoots of radishes, cabbage, broccoli and kale, all rich in vitamins C and E. Squash It. Varieties of summer and winter squash add color, body and flavor to one-dish meals, with the added benefits of B vitamins, magnesium and fiber. LeAnne Campbell, Ph.D., author of The China Study Cookbook, simmers a mix of fresh chopped vegetables including yellow summer squash or

zucchini, and flavors with coconut and curry powder. Vegan Chef Douglas McNish, of Toronto, makes an okra and squash gumbo in the slow cooker. Sneak in a Smoothie. Change up a smoothie routine by swapping out the usual baby spinach for a blend of cucumber, apple and fresh mint, or else sweet potato and carrot, suggests Sidney Fry, a registered dietitian and Cooking Light editor, in Birmingham, Alabama. Snack Attack. An array of colorful vegetables served with dips and spreads can be an easy way to experiment with veggies. Carrots in deep red, vibrant yellow, purple and orange are delicious raw and supply beta-carotene, promoting eye health. Leaves from pale green Belgian endive spears are tender and crunchy. Orange or “cheddar” cauliflower has a more creamy and sweet flavor than its pale cousin. “Colors equal health, and the more colors we eat, the better our overall health,” says Susan Bowerman, a registered dietitian, lecturer in food science and nutrition at California State Polytechnic Institute, San Luis Obispo, and co-author of What Color Is Your Diet? “We also have to be willing to try new foods or new varieties of foods, or maybe to prepare unfamiliar foods in a way that will make them taste good, so that we will be willing to add more plant foods to our diet.” Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFoodAndLifestyle.blogspot. com from Overland Park, KS.

natural awakenings

March 2016

healingways

The connection between overall health and eye health is rarely addressed during conventional eye exams, which are based on standard protocols for prescribing eyeglasses, drugs or surgery.

The Eyes Tell Our Story

How Integrative Doctors See Into Whole-Body Health by Linda Sechrist

o poets, the eyes have long been known as windows to the soul. Systemically trained ophthalmologists, optometrists and functional medicine doctors see these organs as a potential indicator of high blood pressure, diabetes, stress-related effects and nutritional deficiencies, as well as sites for potential glaucoma and macular degeneration. The connection between overall health and eye health is rarely addressed during conventional eye exams, which are based on standard protocols for prescribing eyeglasses, drugs or surgery. Conventionally trained optometrists and ophthalmologists, lacking education in nutrition and alternative approaches, treat the eyes as isolated organs. In contrast, systemically oriented, holistic eye experts treat them as integrated parts of the whole body. Eye doctors like Marc R. Grossman, doctor of optometry, a co-founder of Natural Eye Care, Inc., of New Paltz, New York, and Edward C. Kondrot, a medical doctor and founder of the Healing the Eye & Wellness Center, in Fort Myers, Florida, take such a

Southeast Texas

preventive and integrative approach. They recommend good whole foods nutrition, supplemented with antioxidants and plant-based formulations of omega-6 and omega-3 oils, together with adequate sleep and exercise. Key complementary treatments can be effective in improving sight and reversing some conditions. Grossman, also a licensed acupuncturist, explains in his book Greater Vision: A Comprehensive Program for Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Clarity how he incorporates the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of vision into his philosophy of eye care. At Somers Eye Center, in Somers, New York, he uses a full range of mind-body therapies, combined with conventional methods to address dry eye syndrome, nearsightedness, farsightedness, macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma. Kondrot, a leading board-certified homeopathic ophthalmologist, uses a slit-lamp binocular microscope to examine the complex living tissue of the eyes. The author of 10 Essentials to Save Your Sight, he’s experienced in regeneration nutrition and maintains that our

NA-SETexas.com

overall health impacts our vision. His toolbox includes multimodal protocols like homeopathy, detoxification, oxygen therapy, low-level microcurrent to stimulate cellular activity, palming (using the hands over closed eyes) and other alternative methods to reverse visual loss. He regularly uses the Myers’ cocktail, an intravenous therapy with a high concentration of B-complex and C vitamins, taurine (an amino sulfonic acid), trace minerals and zinc. “Regardless of your eye condition, regular eye exercises can increase eye muscle flexibility and support circulation for better delivery of oxygen, essential nutrients and the flow of energy to the eyes,” says Grossman. He notes that “Aerobic Exercise Protects Retinal Function and Structure from Light-Induced Retinal Degeneration,” a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience in 2014, was the first of its kind to link physical exercise with improved retinal health and prevention of common eye diseases. While Kondrot emphasizes that vitamins A, C, D and E are essential to eye health, particularly in preventing macular degeneration, he cautions that taking a supplement is no substitute for expanding the diet to include foods such as kale, spinach, parsley, collard greens, cooked broccoli, green peas, pumpkin and Brussels sprouts. All include lutein and zeaxanthin, two types of important carotenoids contained within the retina and found in the leaves of most green plants. Digestive enzymes, probiotics and the amino acid betaine are also necessary to facilitate better absorption of nutrients. Dr. Connie Casebolt, board certified in family medicine and founder of GFM Wellness, in Greenville, South Carolina, practices with a whole body-mind perspective and incorporates supplements in patient disease prevention and

wellness plans. “As the eye is bathed in the same chemicals and nutrients as the rest of the body, eye conditions can be affected by problems affecting the rest of the body,” she says. “Low adrenals can contribute to macular degeneration. Additionally, disruption of the energy flowing through acupuncture meridians related to teeth affected by root canals can also affect the eyes. “ She likes the book Whole Body Dentistry, by Mark Breiner, a doctor of dental surgery, because it includes numerous case histories of systemic illnesses, including eye disorders, that improve with better oral health. “Trying to sustain good health and avoiding toxins such as tobacco and excess sugar can definitely help in maintaining good vision,” explains Casebolt. Sensitive, complex and composed of more than 2 million working parts, the eyes are their own phenomenon. Annual eye exams are important at every age to help us do what’s needed to maintain our precious gift of sight. Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.

Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted. ~John Lennon

Take back your health! Join our 5 week nutrition program.

Improve your

• Energy • Sleep • Weight (and more)

A proven program that is part education, part detox, & part support group.

306 S. Friendswood Dr., #C4, Friendswood, TX 77546

March 2016

naturalpet

WELL-MANNERED

CATS

Simple Ways to Get Kitty to Behave by Sandra Murphy

hree million cats end up in shelters every year, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Owners cite landlord restrictions or allergies in the family as leading reasons. Often, the animal is blamed for an easily fixed behavior problem; the Wake County Animal Center, in Raleigh, North Carolina, interprets rationales such as, “Kitty has a sensitive stomach [throws up] or pees under the bed [likely a urinary tract infection].” “I prefer to call such things issues, not problems. They’re often evidence of natural instincts that need to be redirected,” says Anne Moss, owner of TheCatSite.com, from Tel Aviv, Israel. “A vet visit will rule out physical concerns so you can move on to behavioral issues.” Once a cat’s adapted to living with humans, life becomes more pleasant for everyone. Cats can be trained. Dallas cat owner Bettina Bennett of WhichBoxMedia.com advises, “Start early, attach rewards and be consistent. Our four cats don’t scratch the furniture, come when called and know when it’s bedtime.” Clicker training works well, adds Becky Morrow, a doctor of veterinarian medicine who teaches at Duquesne University, in Pittsburgh. “I have 13 cats living in my home and a sanctuary housing 65 more. They’ve learned to walk on a leash and obey commands.” Dr. Jeff Werber, a Los

Southeast Texas

NA-SETexas.com

Angeles veterinarian, has found that scratching furniture, biting people, nocturnal activity, throwing up and ignoring the litter box are the five most common complaints. Scratching lets Kitty leave her scent, stretch and shed old claws. He suggests, “Get a scratching post, but don’t put it in an-out-of-the-way location. Cats like to be where we are. Start with it in the center of the room and gradually move it to the corner.” Measure how tall a cat is when standing on her hind legs with front legs fully extended. Get a post that is half again as tall so she can really stretch. Gently rub her paws on the post first, and then dab on a bit of catnip as added enticement. Cats don’t like unfamiliar textures, so avoidance training tools can include laying aluminum foil or backing-side-up carpet runners over furniture arms and cushions plus double-sided sticky tape at the corners to preserve upholstery. When humans become a target for a cat’s pounces, use toys as decoys. A short play session will satisfy their desire to hunt. Leave curtains open so she can see outside, clear shelves for climbing and have a cat tree or window shelf for optimum viewing. A nearby bird feeder will hold a feline’s attention for hours. Werber advises, “For undisturbed household sleep, get the cat toys out about an

hour before your bedtime. Fifteen minutes of play will tire a pet. Let him calm down and then feed him. A full cat is a sleepy cat.” Some cats nibble, while others gulp food and then throw up. The recommended antidote is to feed smaller amounts several times a day. Cats should eat both dry and wet food to get carbohydrates and meat, Werber advises. Throwing up can be a sign of hairballs, even if unseen. Put the cat on a natural hairball remedy once a day for four days, then two times a week, until the vomiting stops. A touch of non-petroleum jelly on the cat’s nose or a bit of fish oil or pumpkin in her food will work. When cats ignore the litter box, note what’s changed— the type of litter, location of the box, a lurking stray cat or the pet’s health. Arthritic cats find it hard to climb into a tall-sided box. Felines feel vulnerable when using the box, and like to know what’s around them—a lidless box makes them feel safer says Werber. The rule is to have one more litter box than there are cats. If the house is more than one story tall, food, water, beds and litter should be available on every level. “All cats should be kept indoors, microchipped and wearing a colorful collar and tags,” says Werber. Colors give birds fair warning if a cat ever goes outside. With time and attention, any cat can become an active, well-behaved family member. Connect with Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@ mindspring.com.

natural awakenings

March 2016

relax • unwind • destress

inspiration

COLOR ME CALM Grownups De-Stress with Adult Coloring Books by Avery Mack

oloring books are no longer solely the domain of children. Immersion in this fun, creative pastime by adults even for just 30 minutes can constitute a focused meditation that relieves stress. Doctor of Psychology Nikki Martinez, in Chicago, says that famed psychotherapist Carl Jung believed coloring helps patients release anxiety. “It uses both sides of the brain and improves organizational and fine motor skills,” says Martinez. “After I underwent a major surgery, I was on bed rest for eight weeks, and adult coloring books were a lifesaver. They passed the time, were pretty and kept me in a constant state of calm. I devoured them.” Publishers Weekly reported combined 2015 sales of 1.75 million copies for the 10 bestselling adult coloring books through November. This trend was years in the making, originating when parents colored with their kids and sometimes on their own. Adults around the world now join coloring book clubs, hold related parties and take coloring breaks at work. Last fall, Barnes & Noble hosted the one-day AllAmerican Art Unwind, where customers colored and uploaded their results to Instagram and Twitter. Hallmark sent a crew of artists and calligraphers to select locations to help customers color their greeting cards. “We scheduled a coloring session for a 55-plus community workshop,” relates Ninah Kessler, a licensed clinical

social worker with the Sparks of Genius Brain Optimization Center, in Boca Raton, Florida. “People had so much fun they wouldn’t leave. It’s creative, portable and inexpensive. You never face blank paper because the lines are there; you just pick the colors. There’s no stress about possibly making mistakes.” “Animals, jungle or floral themes, and Zen-inspired mandalas are popular. Customers like realistic, intricate drawings,” explains Idalia Farrajota, a Dallas executive with Michaels craft stores, which offers free, in-store coloring sessions and provides supplies. (Download a free sample book at Tinyurl.com/ BotanicalColoringPages.) Johanna Basford, a renowned illustrator from Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is a hit with colorists, catering to their penchant for nature with Secret Garden, Enchanted Forest and her latest, Lost Ocean. “My daughter wanted to color her life, not do generic drawings,” says Dieter Marlovics, prompting him to establish ReallyColor.com, in Chicago. “Really-Color converts photos into coloring book pages to make individually tailored pages.” Try these eco-tips: Sprout pencils, made with sustainable wood and fruitand-vegetable-based dyed clay instead of lead, are topped by non-GMO seeds that can be planted when the pencil becomes short. Inktense’s water-soluble brightly colored pencils mimic pen and ink; add water for translucency. Select recycled paper books, soy crayons, watercolor paints and non-toxic markers.

March is Color Therapy Month

YOU’RE THE

ARTIST

Southeast Texas

NA-SETexas.com

communityspotlight

Happiness is Beautiful at

Happy Pretty You

nnie Willow didn’t know I’ll be successful.” always dedicate Sure enough, she became her days to making the master stylist and spa others feel beautiful. The supervisor at the island’s upbeat proprietor of Happy 4-star resort, Moody GarPretty You! Reiki Salon & dens Hotel & Spa where she Spa had an earlier career established her local reputain Dallas as a senior level tion for excellent customer financial executive. Despite service and client care. her success, she yearned Though Willow loved for a more creative outlet. her career, she was nearly Though she enjoyed paintforced to abandon it. Years Annie Willow ing as a hobby, she laughingof exposure to salon chemily says she “didn’t want to sell paintings cals led to a diagnosis of corneal erosion, out of the trunk of my car.” The thought which her doctor warned would lead to occurred to her that “color is color” and, blindness if she continued working. She with her affinity for people, she decided reluctantly left her job, determined to to devote her creative talents to the beauty find a way to continue doing what she industry. “My friends thought I was crazy, loved while maintaining her health. For leaving a successful, six-figure career to three years, she studied alternative healgo to beauty school,” she says, “but I’ve ing, devoting 70 to 80 hours per week to learned that when people start telling me what she calls a “self-paced holistic Ph.D. I’m crazy, I’m on the right path.” program.” Willow became a Reiki Master In beauty school, Willow learned Teacher, learned aromatherapy, reflexolthat she did have a natural talent for color. ogy, and crystal, color and vibrational She opened her first salon in North Plano, sound therapies. and soon had enough business to open a When she returned to her doctor, second in Arlington. She was doing what he was shocked to discover that Willow’s she loved, but the pace of running two corneas had fully regenerated, even callsuccessful salons felt “like getting caught ing it a miracle. “That’s when I knew this up in the rat race again.” Plus, she had really works,” she says, and decided then long desired to live on the coast, having to open a holistic salon using those theravisited Galveston many times over the pies, along with products free of harmful years. “Growing up, when my son heard chemicals. That was in 2008, and though me shout ‘surf’s up, dude,’ he knew he Hurricane Ike delayed the salon’s openhad 15 minutes to pack a bag because we ing for six weeks, Willow enjoyed quick were headed to the beach,” she says. success, earning 5-star ratings online and Willow decided to turn her Dallas steady referral business. salons over to her stylists and headed to Her approach to hair color is unique, Galveston. She had no job there, but hav- custom blending and hand-painting to ing learned to thrive despite a challenging achieve “hair color so beautiful, it has to childhood, she was confident she’d be be natural.” She begins each appointment fine. “Big, blind leaps of faith don’t worry with a shoulder massage, using lavender me,” Willow maintains. “As long as I’m essential oil and Reiki to “restore peace to passionate and following my dream, I’ll mind, body and spirit.” Willow enjoys lav-

ishing individualized attention on clients as a sole proprietor, though she employs a team of cosmetologists for spa and wedding parties. Many local clients have been with her since the salon’s opening, and tourist clients schedule appointments a full year in advance. Committed to affordable quality products, Willow developed her own organic and botanical based skin care line called Happy Pretty Skin, which is available in Sensitive, Clarifying and Renewal formulas. She also carries the full line of gloMinerals pharmaceutical grade mineral make-up. The self-described “pied piper of happiness” also created Happy Thoughts University, which includes a short daily program designed to eliminate “batwings,” Willow’s term for those negative thoughts that can stand in the way of happiness. “I know it works because I’m living the life of my dreams,” she says. She pays it forward by volunteering with several community organizations. Willow believes that her extensive tool kit of holistic therapies and premium products allow her to provide exactly what each person needs, and invites new clients to “come in for the pretty, and leave feeling happy because it’s all about you.” Happy Pretty You! Reiki Salon & Spa is located at 1615 23rd Street. For more information, call 409-765-5502 or visit HappyPrettyYou.com. See ad, page 22.

natural awakenings

March 2016

greenliving

HERB of the month by Susie Lyons

Bilberry –

Vaccinium myrtillus

ilberry is a medicinal plant used by herbalists to improve vision, treat cataracts and other retinal disorders, treat heart conditions and issues with the circulatory system, such as varicose veins and hardening of the arteries, and ease pain from mouth sores, ulcers and sore throats. The tannins and flavonoids in billberry are the active chemicals that make it a good medicinal plant. The berries and leaves can be used in teas and tinctures and can also be crushed and applied directly to the inside of the mouth for sore gums, mouth ulcers and sore throats. The berries themselves make excellent (and tasty) jams and jellies. Nothing better than a medicinal plant that tastes good! For more information, call 832202-4391, visit TheHerbalistJournal.com or visit Susie at the Old South Essentials booth, Clear Lake Shores Farmers Market, 1st and 3rd Saturday, 10am-2pm.

Developing Gardens Instead of Golf Courses Agrihoods Use On-Site Farms to Draw Residents by April Thompson

or thousands of homeowners in “agrihoods” across the U.S., homegrown is a way of life. Planned developments incorporating neighborhood agriculture are sprouting up in record numbers, according to Ed McMahon, a senior resident fellow specializing in sustainability with the Urban Land Institute. He estimates there are a few hundred agrihoods nationwide, in all regions and at all price points. “The trend is the convergence of several things, including a growing interest in local business, local food, healthy lifestyles and the foodie culture,” says McMahon. He adds, “Today’s developers have to differentiate their properties to survive, and farms have become the new golf course of real estate development.” Agriculture is a far lower-cost amenity that can even return a modest profit by selling its harvest to the community.

Southeast Texas

NA-SETexas.com

Beyond food, agrihoods help grow community, a huge draw for those living in isolated suburban areas. In 2014, Abby and Michael Wheatfill moved their family to Agritopia, a planned community in Gilbert, Arizona, near Phoenix. Billed as an urban farm, the central feature of Agritopia’s 166 acres, knitting together commercial, agricultural and open space with 450 residential homes, is a working farm, with roving pigs, lambs and chickens, a citrus grove and rows of heirloom vegetables. Farm, family and community life are interwoven. The Wheatfills lease a plot in an on-site community garden. Other residents buy shares in the community supported agriculture project or purchase produce or eggs from the community farm on the honor system. “We especially love the narrow, tree-lined streets and wide porches, and that we can walk or bike to fun,

locally sourced restaurants,” says Michael, a technology consultant. Private backyards are small in favor of community space, nudging residents to meet each other, Abby says. The Cannery, in Davis, California, is one of the newest agrihoods and also one of the few that redeveloped an industrial tract. This 100-acre development, still under construction, will feature 547 new homes on the former site of a tomato processing facility, in addition to affordable rentals for low-income families. Its heart and soul is a working farm that will feed the community’s households and supply its restaurants. The Cannery is a pioneer in clean green energy, with solar-powered homes, connections for electric cars, and many other energyconserving features. Thirsty homeowner lawns are prohibited in most of The Cannery’s mini-neighborhoods, but no home is more than 300 feet from public green space. Samrina and Mylon Marshall, both physicians in their mid-50s, will be among the first residents to move in this spring. “We like that it’s a green energy community featuring multigenerational living. We’re also big on eating locally and seasonally, so the urban farm was a key draw,” says Mylon. North Atlanta family Gil and Jeny Mathis and their two daughters, 12 and 14 years old, discovered Serenbe, a planned community in Chattahoochee

Hills, Georgia, two years ago. Now it’s literally their second home. “It provides a different life for our children on weekends they couldn’t otherwise have. The community aspect has penetrated our lives in a way that we couldn’t have predicted,” says Gil. Both girls love it, and the younger sibling is lobbying to relocate there full time. The family likes the people Serenbe draws and the opportunities to engage with them, the consistent access to natural and organic food and its artist-in-residence program. Serenbe was the inspiration for the Olivette Riverside Community and Farm, a 346-acre, back-to-the-land project near Asheville, North Carolina. Its owners are transforming a failed high-end gated community and adjacent historic farm along the French Broad River into an agri-centered development featuring a blueberry orchard, community gardens, vegetable farm and greenhouse. “It’s vital that we re-localize our food supply,” says Olivette co-owner Tama Dickerson. “One of the first things we did was to incorporate this farm and see what areas we could preserve, because what you keep is just as important as what you develop.” Future plans include hiking trails, artist live-work spaces, tiny houses, little free libraries and a K-8 school. Agrihoods aren’t solely for agriburbs. Creative public housing

developers are bringing agriculture to high-density neighborhoods. The smoke-free Healthy High-Rise Arbor House, a 124-unit, low-income apartment in the Bronx, in New York City, features a 10,000-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse and a living lobby wall that grows organic vegetables for the community year-round. Residents can obtain a discounted share from the farm using SNAP benefits (food stamps) and take free classes in cooking fresh. Arbor House also allocates 40 percent of its rooftop crop harvests for the larger community. Agrihoods can take many forms, including those involving gardens cropping up in schools, parks and hospitals nationwide, as well as informal, guerilla gardens in vacant lots. Many cities, including Falls Church, Virginia, and Takoma Park, Maryland, have even changed local zoning laws so residents can keep chickens and bees in their backyards for eggs and honey, according to McMahon. “The era of the 2,000-mile Caesar salad has come to an end,” says McMahon, citing high transportation costs that make locally sourced food good for businesses and consumers alike. “The trend of growing food closer to home—in some cases at home—is here to stay.” Connect with April Thompson, of Washington, D.C., at AprilWrites.com.

natural awakenings

March 2016

positively. Law of Attraction specialist Cassie Parks, of Denver, Colorado, advises, “When you focus on the feeling you desire once a child is peacefully asleep, rather than the feeling you want to move away from, your chances for success greatly increase.” Noting how we envision nighttime unfolding or creating a nighttime vision board can help focus and maintain these feelings.

healthykids

Releasing Stress

Nighttime Parenting

Fostering Healthful Sleep by Stephanie Dodd

arents frequently awakened by a child’s interrupted slumber typically are torn between the need to care for their own health and that of their child. The goal is to meet everyone’s needs, so that adequate adult sleep doesn’t feel like child neglect. Solutions are feasible if the parent is emotionally equipped to feel continuing empathy for their little one and secure in their choices for resolution, regardless of setbacks or delays. Uncovering the real reasons that a child stays alert at bedtime or wakes during the night—such as inconsistent timing of sleep cycles, excessive fatigue, insufficient physical activity, hunger, pain, anxieties, inadequate downtime or a desire for continued interaction with a parent—is the first step. With so many variables, frustration can impede the workings of parental intuition, which is key to the process, as is testing individual possible solutions long enough to assess the result and then confidently move forward.

Southeast Texas

Internal Calm Expecting a child to feel so empowered that they can fall asleep on their own is a good beginning. Lindsay Melda, of Atlanta, relates, “Our daughter used to wake us up by coming into our bed each night. Once I realized I was anxious about her sleeping alone in her room and was able to instead trust she was okay, she easily slept through the night, waking more rested. My own anxiety was causing her sleep disturbances.” Christine Gipple, of Oaklyn, New Jersey, a practitioner of non-violent communication, shares, “When my daughter is chatty at bedtime and I’m past ready for her to be in bed, I have to consciously pause, or I can snap at her, thus delaying bedtime. Granting myself just five minutes to reset myself and be present in the moment before I gently re-engage is critical to the outcome.” Such checking in with ourselves helps keep a parent thinking

NA-SETexas.com

One method parents have successfully used is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). It involves light tapping on specific points along the body’s energy meridians, like the collarbone or between the eyebrows, often accompanied by attention to current thoughts and feelings, in order to restore a balanced feeling. Karin Davidson, of Media, Pennsylvania, co-founder of the Meridian Tapping Techniques Association, says, “Including tapping with a supportive nighttime routine can be a godsend. It can relieve distress, whatever its source, increase feelings of security and promote a peaceful transition to sleep.” In clinical studies from the National Institute for Integrative Healthcare, EFT has been shown to counter the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, contributing to decreased sleep disturbances. Marissa Wolf, of The Woodlands, Texas, relates, “We moved here from San Diego when my son was 34 months old. He was acting out in ways I’d never seen before, mourning the loss of his routine. Within weeks after we started tapping before school and at night, he was back to his happy self. Last night, he simply went to bed and fell asleep. Now when I see his builtup emotions, I know we need to tap.” (To learn more about EFT methods, visit emofree.com.)

Nourished Rest Good nutrition is also important to healthy sleep. According to Health Coach Sarah Outlaw, owner of the Natural Health Improvement Center of South Jersey and an advanced Nutrition Response Testing practitioner, “Children may be devoid of minerals because

of the filtered water we drink. Supplementing with minerals like magnesium or enriching the diet with trace minerals, sea salt and mineral-rich bone broth will promote a healthy immune system, along with a nervous system programmed for sleep.” Outlaw also advises, “A whole foods diet is paramount to children’s health and sleep ability. Parents should limit or eliminate artificial flavors, sweeteners and sugar; preferably at all times, but at least an hour before bedtime.” When a parent takes the time to plan each step toward their goal of optimum sleep and feels secure in following through, they can create a personalized and consistent bedtime routine that fosters a sense of safety for children that feel heard and tended to and know what to expect. Children that gain the ability to naturally develop sleep skills reap lifelong health benefits. Stephanie Dodd is the author of the international bestseller, Good Baby, Bad Sleeper. She blogs at HeartCentered Sleep.com.

Finding How Much Sleep is Enough Insufficient sleep puts us at risk for Alzheimer’s, diabetes, accelerated aging and other degenerative conditions. Learning to get better quality sleep is a powerful health strategy. Our health history, current well-being, stress load and sleep efficiency all contribute to our sleep requirement. The best gauge of our ideal sleep dose is to look at how many hours we sleep on vacation when we wake naturally without the effects of excessive indulgences or crazy hours. Seven to eight hours of sleep is the normal range for healthy sleep. Less than six hours of sleep per night is assuredly brain damaging. During sleep is when brain bathing takes place; when the brain rids itself of toxins produced and ingested, and it repairs and renews its structures. Without a good bath of restorative sleep, we can accumulate degradation of brain tissue, structures and function. More than nine hours of sleep per night, on a regular basis, is not good either; it may suggest an underlying metabolic problem. Many people have trouble falling

asleep, staying asleep or sleeping restfully. A major factor is cortisol, the stress hormone; when called into action late in the day, it interferes with the production of melatonin, the hormone naturally produced in deep restorative sleep and required for brain and body repair. To minimize cortisol production before bedtime, avoid eating, working in front of a computer screen, watching violence or bad news on television or engaging in arguments or stressful conversations. The best strategy for getting a night of healthy sleep is to develop a sleep routine as much as possible. Have a consistent bedtime and targeted waking time and replace bedtime snacking with sleep-support teas such as chamomile, valerian root, kava-kava and passion flower. Light doses of relaxing aromatherapy like lavender or geranium can also be helpful.Sherron Marquina, DC, is the owner of Health InSyncs. For more information, visit HealthInSyncs.com.

Sleep Apnea Relief

Natural solutions FO R AL L YOUR HEA LT H NEEDS • Sleep Apnea • Bruises, Strains, tissue damage • Sinus Infection • Skin Rash Designed for my family, Shared with yours.

Order online at MyNaturesRite.com or call 800-991-7088

Helps ensure deep, steady breathing throughout the night, improving the efficiency of the lungs and relaxing muscles to address sleep apnea.

Injury Repair Ankle sprains, bruises, painful elbows and shoulders all need help during repair. Bruise, Strain & Tear Repair clears the bruising and keeps the healing process going for as long as you apply it. Get a complete repair naturally.

Sinus Infection Sinus Relief offers a nasal spray that is both anti-fungal and anti-bacterial in a convenient spray bottle. Super Neti Juice offers the same antimicrobial power with soothing, subtle peppermint. Powerful tools to combat germs.

Rash Relief This powerful herbal lotion is designed to relieve the pain and itch of eczema, while correcting the cause and repairing the skin. A healthy and natural approach to correcting skin rash without dangerous drugs.

natural awakenings

March 2016

Every Day Can Be A Day Without Pain! A

Try Natural Awakenings Topical Pain Relief Plus

cute pain from an accident, burn or insect bite may cramp your style at the family picnic, but the kind of pain that recurs every day and every night can make us miss out on the best times of our life. Missed opportunities like playing with our children and grandchildren, participating in sports and other healthy activities like dancing don’t give you a second chance for fun. Natural Awakenings Topical Pain Relief Plus relieves arthritis pain, stiff joints, cramps, tired sore muscles, headaches, general aches and pains, knee, neck and back pain and much more. It also relieves strains and sprains and substantially reduces recovery time. Natural Awakenings Topical Pain Relief Plus works by penetrating deep into skin and muscle tissue. For optimum relief, apply a generous amount

Publish a Natural Awakenings Magazine in Your Community Share Your Vision and Make a Difference • Meaningful New Career • Low Initial Investment • Proven Business System • Home Based Business • Exceptional Franchise Support & Training

Natural Awakenings recently won the prestigious FBR50 Franchise Satisfaction Award from Franchise Business Review. To learn more visit: franchisebusinessreview.com

Southeast Texas

NA-SETexas.com

Enjoy safe and effective relief from:

of Natural Awakenings Topical Pain Relief Plus directly onto the area of pain or discomfort, allowing it to be absorbed for two to three minutes. Don’t wipe away any that is not absorbed; massage it into the surrounding areas, and use it as often as needed—there are no side effects! Using it three times daily is ideal. Regular use will continue to alleviate pain and help keep it from returning as often or as intensely.

• Arthritis Pain • Stiff Joints • Cramps • Headaches • Neck & Back Pain • Inflammation • Sore Muscles

Natural ingredients include:

• Certified Emu Oil • Aloe Vera & Herbs • Glucosamine & Condroitin/MSM I have been using this spray • Vitamins & Antioxidants for years now to help my • Botanical Extracts osteoarthritis pain and it really works. I had tried everything 4-oz spray $24.99 $19.99 – 8-oz spray $39.99 $34.99 else on the market and this is 10% OFF-Use Code: GIFT10 (+$5 shipping) the only product that gives me Order online today at relief. I have recommended it ShopNaturalAwakenings.com to many of my friends. or call: 888-822-0246 ~ Patricia Like us on Facebook.com/NAWebstore

{

}

The Spray That Saved Me!

Natural Awakenings publishes in over 95 markets across the U.S. and Puerto Rico • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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 Hartford, CT New Haven/ Middlesex, CT Washington, DC Daytona/Volusia/ Flagler, FL NW FL Emerald Coast Ft. Lauderdale, FL Jacksonville/St. Aug., FL Melbourne/Vero, FL Miami & Florida Keys Naples/Ft. Myers, FL North Central FL Orlando, FL Palm Beach, FL Peace River, FL Sarasota, FL Tampa/St. Pete., FL FL’s Treasure Coast Atlanta, GA Hawaiian Islands Chicago, IL Chicago West. Suburbs

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Indianapolis, IN Baton Rouge, LA Lafayette, LA New Orleans, LA Portland, ME Boston, MA Ann Arbor, MI East Michigan Wayne County, MI* Western MI Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN Charlotte, NC* Lake Norman, NC* Triangle NC Bergen/Passaic NJ* Central NJ Hudson County, NJ Mercer County, NJ Monmouth/Ocean, NJ North Central NJ South NJ Santa Fe/Abq., NM Las Vegas, NV Albany, NY Buffalo, NY Central NY Long Island, NY Manhattan, NY* Lower Hudson Valley West, NY • Rochester, NY • Westchester/ Putnam, NY

• Central OH • Cincinnati, OH* • Toledo, OH • Oklahoma City, OK • Portland, OR* • Bucks/Montgomery Counties, PA • Harrisburg/York, PA • Lancaster/Berks, PA • Lehigh Valley, PA* • Pocono, PA/ Warren Co., NJ • Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre, PA • Rhode Island • Charleston, SC • Columbia, SC • Grand Strand, SC* • Greenville, SC • Chattanooga, TN • Memphis, TN • Austin, TX • Dallas Metroplex, TX • Dallas/FW Metro N • Houston, TX • San Antonio, TX* • SE Texas • Richmond, VA • Seattle, WA • Madison, WI* • Milwaukee, WI • Puerto Rico *Existing magazines for sale

For more information visit our website NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/mymagazine or call 239-530-1377

natural awakenings

March 2016

calendarofevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Info@NA-SETexas.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please.

TUESDAY, MARCH 1 March Instagram Challenge! – Follow @ AfroYoga for weekly prizes in March 2016. Hosts, sponsors and prizes to be announced on website and Instagram. AfroYogaInternational.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2 Spring Cleaning and Spectacular Eating! – 6:309pm. Cooking class with Chef Cat about embracing clean eating, spring fruits, veggies & more! $55/ person. The Kitchen Chick, 528 23rd St, Galveston. 409-497-2999. TheKitchenChick.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 5 Causeway FunD Run/Walk – 7:45-10:30am. Hosted by the UTMB Health & School of Health Professions benefits SHP student scholarships. $25. Galveston Island Causeway, 8522 Teichman Rd, Galveston. MAConley@UTMB.edu. CausewayRun.com. Brave a Shave for Kids with Cancer – 10am. Lots of ways to get involved in our event, contact us for more information. ACU of Texas, 1095 W. League City Prkwy, League City. Tiffany Sexton, Marketing@ACUTX.org. STBaldricks.org/ Events/ACUTX. Cooking Class: Tea Time – 2-4:30pm. Chef Bailey teaches how to make tea time favorites! $60/person. The Kitchen Chick, 528 23rd St, Galveston. 409-497-2999. TheKitchenChick.com Galveston ArtWalk – 6-9pm. Enjoy a coordinated evening of opening receptions & art-related events hosted in existing commercial galleries, nonprofit arts spaces, retail stores & restaurants. Galveston. 409-763-2403. GalvestonArtsCenter.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 8 Container Gardening – 1-2pm. Texas City Garden Club members instruct how to prepare and maintain a container garden. Moore Memorial Public Library, 1701 9th Ave North, Texas City. 409-643-5977. TexasCity-Library.org

THURSDAY, MARCH 10 Garden Lecture – 7pm. Pearland Recreation Center, 4141 Bailey Rd, Pearland. PearlandTX.gov.

SATURDAY, MARCH 12 Pearland Old Townsite Farmers’ Market – 8am-Noon. 2nd & 4th Saturday. Zychlinski Park, 2243 Grand Blvd, Pearland. PearlandOldTownSiteFarmersMarket.com Ocean Discovery Day – 9am-3pm. Visit the lab to find out what NOAA does, and learn about sea life. Free. NOAA, 4700 Avenue U, Galveston. Shelley. Dupuy@NOAA.gov.

MONDAY, MARCH 14 PI Day Celebration – 8am-5pm. A day of math challenges and math fun to celebrate 3/14 or the day of Pi and Albert Einstein’s birthday. Includes kayak

Southeast Texas

trip, pool party & prizes! $50/person or $80/pair. Sea Scout Base Galveston, 7509 Broadway, 5th Flr, Galveston. 409-572-2560 x1005. Galveston.com. Reducing Stress through Meditation – 6:308pm. Join William Smith, retired Army Lt. Colonel as he discusses the benefits of meditation. Free. Helen Hall Library, 100 W Walker, League City. LeagueCityLibrary.org.

SATURDAY, MARCH 19 Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon - 7:30a. The Luckiest Marathon in Texas! Held on the Seabrook nature trails surrounded by a diverse habitat. SeabrookMarathon.org. Depot Market Days Farmers Market – 9am-2pm. Old fashioned produce stands, unique handmade gifts, shopping and local fare. Alvin Train Depot, 200 Depot Centre Blvd, Alvin. 281-388-1299. Easter Egg Dive – 1-3pm. Floating eggs fill the pool in a non-traditional egg hunt. After eggs gathered, participants turn them in for a prize, and enjoy a special appearance by the Easter Bunny (no baskets). Free. Natatorium, 4141 Bailey Rd, Pearland. PearlandTX.gov.

Lights Out Easter Egg Hunt – 8PM. The Easter Bunny hides all glow-in-the-dark eggs for children to find, hosted by City of Alvin Parks & Recreation. Bob Briscoe Park, Alvin. Free. 281-388-4299.

SATURDAY, MARCH 26 Pearland Old Townsite Farmers’ Market – 8am-Noon. 2nd & 4th Saturday. Zychlinski Park, 2243 Grand Blvd, Pearland. PearlandOldTownSiteFarmersMarket.com

MONDAY, MARCH 28 Special Needs Support Group Meeting – 11am1pm. Children are welcome to attend and can watch a movie or play video games while professionals, caregivers, parents, etc. meet for a discussion of local resources, best practices, legislative issues and job training. Free. Rosenberg Library (Randall Room), Galveston. 737-247-8142. Info@ InternationalAutismMinistry.com.

plan ahead

SUNDAY, MARCH 20

SATURDAY, APRIL 2

Seasonal Sunrise Labyrinth Walk: Vernal Equinox – 7:15am. 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. Galveston.com/Labyrinth.

Gator Gallop 5K – 7-11am. 5K & 1 Mile Run/ Walk; BASF Kids Run. $17-22. Organized by Brazosport College, 500 College Dr, Lake Jackson. 979-230-3000. Brazosport.edu.

MONDAY, MARCH 21 JLGC Flashback 5K/10K Fun Run and Kids Dash – All Day. Family friendly fundraiser featuring music from the 60’s – 80’s. Parking lot of The Lakes Professional Center on South Shore Blvd. VisitLeagueCity.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23 Unicity Transformation Seminar - 7-8:30pm. Come learn about our medically endorsed 90 day Health & weight loss transformation program. Hear how we can reverse type 2 diabetes and manage type 1. Clinically proven through the Cleveland Clinic. All core products are medical PDR listed. 100% money back guaranteed. Seating limited. RSVP required. Hampton Inn & Suites, 2320 Gulf Fwy S., League City. ShelleysNutritionWorks@ gmail.com. 832-274-4853. Full Moon Labyrinth Walk: Worm Moon – 8pm. The public is invited to participate in full moon labyrinth walks. Each walk begins approximately ½ hour after sunset. The Moody Methodist Labyrinth, 2803 53rd St, Galveston. Galveston.com/Labyrinth.

Third Annual Stampede Mud Run – 8am. A 5K mud run for people who enjoy obstacles, trail running, and MUD! $50 entry fee. Briscoe Park, 3201 Texas 35, Alvin. AlvinMusicFestival.com. KinseyVasquez@yahoo.com . 832-244-7271. “Sale for Tails” Garage Sale. – Apr2: 8am-2pm, Apr3: 8am-12pm. Galveston Island Humane Society sponsors first ever garage sale fundraiser. There is a Friday Night Preview PAW-ty for advance viewing, PAW-ty tickets $10. Sale is open to the public. 3628 35th St, Galveston. 409-740-1919. 2016 Women Build 5K - 9am. Bay Area Habitat for Humanity Women Build project encourages women by engaging them in the entire home building process. Walter Hall Park, 807 Hwy 3N, League City. 281-337-3590. BAHFH.org. Paws in the Park – 10am-4pm. Enjoy a full weekend of activities and entertainment with your furry friend. Event begins with a Fun Run. Free. Pearland Town Center, 11200 Broadway, Pearland. 281-412-8907. NBowen@PearlandTX.gov.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9

THURSDAY, MARCH 24

Clute: ‘Don’t Mess with Texas’ City Wide CleanUp – 8am-12pm. T-shirts and refreshments for volunteers. Clute Municipal Park, 101 Brazoswood Dr., Clute. 979-265-2541x105. www.Ci.Clute.TX.US.

Galveston Vegan Meetup – 6:30-8:30pm. Attendees are encouraged to bring a vegan dish share. RSVP requested. Oasis Juice Bar, 2501 Market St, Galveston. Meetup.com/Galveston-Vegan-Meetup.

Spring Sparkle: Community-wide Clean up Event – 8am-2pm. Centennial Park, 2200 S. Friendswood Dr, Friendswood. Parks and Recreation Department, 281-996-3220.

NA-SETexas.com

ongoingevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Info@NA-SETexas.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please.

sunday 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. 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. 409-770-9995. TheYogaHaven.net..

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/drop-in. 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. 800582-4673. MoodyGardens.com. Meditation – 9:30-10:30am. Unity Bay Area Houston, 1911 Hwy 3 S, League City. 281-5542450. UnityOfBayArea.org.

Yoga with Vanessa - 6:30-7:30pm. All levels welcome. Class centered around beginners/ intermediate. Hatha style teaching, expect to feel stretched out and relaxed. $15 drop-in & other payment options. First session FREE. 713-594-2128

classifieds

wednesday Oneness Blessing Meditation – 6:30-8pm. Visit for a unique experience that brings each person into a closer connection with one another and God. Unity Bay Area Houston, 1911 Hwy 3 S, League City. 281-554-2450. UnityOfBayArea.org. Small Dog Socialization – 7:30-8:15pm. Bring in small dogs to have fun and socialize. Gimmie a Bark, 101 E Edgewood Dr, Friendswood. 281-4821911. GimmieABark.com.

thursday

Fee for classifieds is a minimum charge of $20 for the first 20 words and $1 for each additional word. To place an ad, email Info@NA-SETexas.com. ADVERTISING ADVERTISE HERE – Are you: hiring, renting property/oﬃce space, selling products, offering services, or in need of volunteers? Advertise your personal/business needs in Natural Awakenings’ classified ad section. To place an ad, email Info@ NA-SETexas.com.

OPPORTUNITIES Yoga with Vanessa - 6:30-7:30pm. All levels welcome. Class centered around beginners/ intermediate. Hatha style teaching, expect to feel stretched out and relaxed. $15 drop-in & other payment options. First session FREE. 713-594-2128

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..

LIVE IN LAKE JACKSON? – Natural Awakenings is looking for a local sales and marketing representative in the Lake Jackson area to help local businesses market themselves in the wellness community. Energy and positive attitude required, sales experience preferred. Email your name and phone number to Info@NA-SETexas.com.

SERVICES HOLISTIC BODY WORK – Bayou Rolfing can re-align the body to ease pain or correct posture. Rolfing smooths connective tissue for better movement. 281-910-4782.

Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another. ~John Dewey

Love’s in Bloom, Find Your Sweetie! the largest database of healthJoin conscious and eco-minded, spiritual singles and manifest an extraordinary relationship!

Try for FREE or sign up for new memberships at NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com natural awakenings

March 2016

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

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

HOOKED ON ACUPUNCTURE

GALVESTON WELLNESS CENTER Dr. Pedro Lozano D.C., PSc, B.Sc. 520 20th Street, Galveston 409-621-2225 GalvestonWellnessCenter.com

ISLAND BRAINWORKS, LLC

GALVESTON PHYSICAL MEDICINE Dr. Chad Duchon 2724 61st St, Galveston 409-744-9355 GalvestonSpine.com

HEALTHY DINING OASIS JUICE BAR & MARKET

HERBALIST

GALVESTON BRAIN CHANGERS Dr. Stephanie McClung 3607 Broadway Ave, Galveston 409-300-3117 GalvestonBrainChangers.com

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, pages 14.

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 22.

HAPPY PRETTY YOU! Reiki Salon & Spa 1615 23rd St, Galveston 409-765-5502 HappyPrettyYou.com

A full service salon and day spa in a private and relaxing environment. We combine personal attention with a healing touch for naturally beautiful hair & skin in an oasis of peace. See ad, pages 22.

Southeast Texas

HYPNOSIS SOUTHEAST HYPNOSIS CENTER Dr. Julie Nise 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 2.

NUTRITION MY NUTRITION WORX

DAY SPA

COUNSELING

Oasis in the heart of downtown Galveston offers freshly made juices, smoothies, coffee, tea and healthy breakfast options. Lunch options include sandwiches and creative salads. We also offer an organic products market. See ad, page 19.

Brainwave Optimization ® (BWO) is science-based, effective and holistic; a noninvasive method of achieving brain balance and harmony. By es acting like a mirror to brain t to n , isla n d patterns, BWO allows the brain to auto-correct itself with individually tailored realtime methodology for brainwave activity using EEG technology. Appointments only. See ad, page 9. rainwork s db

l.l.

409 25th St, Galveston 409-762-8446 OasisJuiceBar.com

Brainwave Optimization® 2220 Post Office St, Galveston 713-299-2277/409-599-7268 IslandBrainWorks.com

g al

The team here serves the people of Galveston with the best in medical and alternative care. Call today to schedule a consultation, mention Natural Awakenings to receive entire New Patient Exam for only $27. See ad, page 3.

i-CRYO offers local and whole body cryotherapy, cryo facials, chiropractic services, HIPAA compliant health assessments, Normatec Compression Therapy, health & nutrition assessments. Cryotherapy helps muscle recovery, reduce inﬂammation and pain. See ad, page 18.

CHIROPRACTIC

Attend one of our FREE DINNER talks to learn about what you can do to REVERSE DIABETES, manage stress hormones & health, learn the TRUE cause of belly fat and IMPROVE thyroid hormone imbalances. Check calendar and call to learn more See ad page 19.

1260 East League City Parkway, League City 832-905-2962 i-CRYO.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 23.

I-CRYO

isla n

Clint McCallum, LAc 2505 Market St, Galveston 409-241-3199 HookedOnAcupuncture.com

HOLISTIC CENTER

NA-SETexas.com

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly, you are doing the impossible. ~Francis of Assisi

Shelley Hayes/Nutrition Consultant 832-274-4853 ShelleysNutritionWorks@gmail.com Shelley, an expert in nutrition and body transformation with her 90-day program using medically endorsed, clinically proven Unicity products. With her caring coaching and support, you are GUARANTEED to get results! Call now. See ad pg 23.

WELLNESS NUTRITION & BODYWORK Jennifer Steakley, LMT, NTP 306 S Friendswood Dr, #C4, Friendswood 713-714-3700 ThatWellnessPlace.com

YOGA

If you’re

AFRO YOGA

Individualized nutrition counseling for clients dealing with chronic health issues. Group nutrition classes using the RESTART Program. Let me show you how to eat your way to wellness! See ad, pages 17.

REAL ESTATE YOUR PEACE OF PARADISE Dee Richmond, Realtor, CNE The House Company 409-370-4572 YourPeaceOfParadise.com

Pearland & Friendswood 281-451-1676 AfroYogaInternational.com 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.

quiet, you’re not living. You’ve got to be noisy and colorful and lively.

THE YOGA HAVEN

~Mel Brooks

2507 Market St, Galveston 409-770-9995 TheYogaHaven.net

From the city to the beach, where you live, work and play. Let me help you buy, sell or lease your Peace of Paradise on beautiful Galveston Island. I will be there every step of the way. See ad, page 17.

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 19.

6 6

Thursday, April 14th, 2016 Moody Gardens Convention Center Galveston Island, Texas

GRETCHEN RUBIN

F E AT U R I N G

Author of New York Times bestsellers, Better Than Before, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home

JENTRY KELLEY Renowned Owner of Jentry Kelley Cosmetics and Creator of ‘Cute in Carpool’ makeup series

THE LATEST IN WOMEN’S HEALTH INFORMATION FROM UTMB HEALTH PHYSICIANS • DYNAMIC SPEAKERS

Promoting and Advocating for Business and Community Development Since 1845

• BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• EXCITING VENDOR MARKET

• AND MUCH MORE!

For Tickets, Sponsorship or Vendor Information, visit www.GalvestonChamber.com or call (409) 763-5326

Produced in partnership with:

Like us! facebook.com/GalvestonCelebratingWomen

natural awakenings

March 2016

ESTABLISHING AN ENVIRONMENTALLY RESONSIBLE SOCIETY BEGINS WITH US Advertise in Natural Awakenings’

Everyday Sustainablilty April Issue Contact us at:

409-939-8156 or Info@NA-SETexas.com

Conscientious consumers are seeking eco-friendly providers like: • Earth-Friendly Landscapers • Eco-Interior Designers • Electric Vehicle Dealers • Energy-Saving Equipment • Green Builders • Lighting Consultants 32

Southeast Texas

NA-SETexas.com

• Organic Bedding Stores • Plant Care Specialists • Recycling Services • Solar Panel Providers • Wood Alternative Sources • Xeriscapers — and many more!