Natural Awakenings Toledo April 2015 by Natural Awakenings Toledo

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NATURE’S WISDOM

Celebrate Earth Day

Spring House Greening Local Cottage Food Kids Confront Climate Change Dogs in Libraries

April 2015 | Toledo, OH / Monroe County, MI Edition | NaturalAwakeningsToledo.com

contents 6 4 newsbriefs

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.

6 healthbriefs 8 globalbriefs 10 NATURE’S WISDOM Its Lessons Inspire, 13 naturalpet Heal and Sustain Us 8 14 consciouseating by Christine MacDonald 8 16 healingways 13 DOGS WITH LIBRARY CARDS 18 wisewords Kids Love Reading to Animals 19 inspiration by Sandra Murphy 20 greenliving 14 THE FOOD ARTISANS 19 22 healthykids NEXT DOOR Homemade Delicacies, 25 calendar Direct from Our Neighbors by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko 30 classifieds 30 resourceguide 16 SPRING GREENING

Easy Ways to Detox a House

by Lane Vail

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 419-340-3592 or email Publisher@NA-Toledo.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@NAToledo.com. Deadline for editorial: the 10th of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Visit our website to enter calendar items – Natural AwakeningsToledo.com. You will receive a confirmation email when your event has been approved and posted online, usually within 24 hours. Events submitted by the 10th and meet our criteria will be added to the print magazine as space permits.

18 HEALING JOURNEYS

Paul Stutzman Finds Universal Truths on His Treks by Randy Kambic

19 STRONG WINDS

STRONG ROOTS What Trees Teach Us About Life

by Dennis Merritt Jones

20 HOME-GROWN

ORGANIC MADE EASY 10 Time-Saving Tips for a Healthy Garden by Barbara Pleasant

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.

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22 EARTH IN PERIL Children Confront Climate Change by Avery Mack

publisher'sletter “Until a man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so-called scientific knowledge. Remedies from chemicals will never stand in favorable comparison with the products of nature, the living cell of a plant, the final result of the rays of the sun, the mother of all life.” ~Thomas Alva Edison

stablished 45 years ago by peace activist John McConnell and U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson to honor our planet, Earth Day is now observed every April 22. This year, more than a billion people in 192 countries will celebrate our

universal home.

Because I publish this eco-friendly magazine from a home office, I don’t have

to fight the traffic or weather to commute to work. It also means that I can stay inside all day if I need to and sometimes become so engaged that I never step a foot outside. Those are the days I end up feeling somehow out of sorts. Once I get outdoors to smell the air and feel the sunshine on my face, I immediately feel reenergized and more myself.

Christine MacDonald’s feature article, “Nature’s Wisdom,” explains the many

reasons why this is true for everyone. It’s a rare conscious being that can remain

National Editor S. Alison Chabonais Editorial Martin Miron Patti Radakovich Design & Production Stephen Blancett Kim Cerne Patrick Floresca Calendar Sherry Ann Franchise Sales 239-530-1377

unaware of and grateful for the generous blessings bestowed daily upon us by Mother Earth. In reading the piece, I loved gaining a new and healthy perspective on the term “self-medicating”, which when performed by nature does a heart, soul, body and mind good.

As vital as it is to reap the benefits of the great outdoors, it’s also important to

make sure the inside of our home supports healthy living, too. If you’re looking for help on how to do that, Lane Vail’s article, “Spring Greening, Easy Ways to Detox a House,” provides a stepped summary that can get us there quickly.

These are just two of the valuable contributions you’ll find when you turn the

page. Our thanks go to Natural Awakenings’ loyal advertisers, who enable us to bring you this magazine free of charge every month. Please support them in their efforts to support your well-being. To healthy living on a healthy planet,

P.O. Box 5452 Toledo, OH 43613 Cell: 419-340-3592 Fax: 419-329-4340 Publisher@NA-Toledo.com NaturalAwakeningsToledo.com © 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.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $20 (for 12 issues) to the above address.

Vicki Perion, Publisher

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

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April 2015

newsbriefs Glass City Marathon is Boston Qualifier

ated as one of the top 25 fastest courses in America, the Glass City Marathon is an official Boston Marathon qualifying race. Events start and finish at the University of Toledo Glass Bowl on April 26. The Findley Davies Kid’s Marathon will be held on April 25 on the University of Toledo campus. The 2014 marathon included more than 7,000 participants, from 43 states, Canada, Kenya and China. The event is limited to the first 9,000 participants: 2,000 marathon; 3,500 half marathon; 300 teams/1,500 five-person relay; 2,000 5k. Race Director Clint McCormick says, “We are expecting each distance to come close, if not sell out completely this year. Field limits have again been increased to accommodate this continued growth of our time-honored event.” This family event offers multiple distances to fit every level of participant. Events include the full marathon, the Owens Corning Half Marathon, the five-person marathon relay presented by Yark Subaru and the kid’s marathon. The nonprofit Toledo Roadrunners Club (ToledoRoadrunners.org), which has produced the race since 1976, is open to anyone with an interest in jogging and/or running, regardless of sex, race, age or ability. The club offers fun runs, prediction jogs and races most weekends.

Chiropractic Talk and Demonstration for Pregnant Women and Babies

hiropractic doctors Jeff and Rachel Elmore will be speaking about maintaining a proper alignment during pregnancy, in the labor process and for postpartum recovery, at 6:15 p.m., April 22, at Lullaby Lane in the Shops at Fallen Timbers. Jeff says, “Seeing firsthand the positive experience of Dr. Rachel’s pregnancy and delivery, I cannot stress enough the important role that chiropractic care played during that nine months and after. We want to teach other moms the ease in which the whole beautiful process can be!” They will adjust their 9-month-old son as a demonstration at the end of the talk in order to address the importance of having a baby adjusted soon after delivery and during childhood. The husband-and-wife team offers chiropractic and holistic healing at Turning Point Chiropractic, in Perrysburg, Ohio. They perform upper cervical chiropractic care that involves no twisting, popping or cracking of the neck. Admission is free. Location: 3100 Main St., Maumee. For more information, call 419-874-4840 or visit MyTurning PointChiro.com. See ad, page 30.

Natural Awakenings Earns Top Franchise Business Award

rtomatic 419!, the region’s largest non-juried, multimedia arts event, will take place from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., April 11,18 and 25 and from noon to 5 p.m., April 16 and 19, at One Lake Erie Center. Held every other year, the event expects more than 800 visual, performing and literary artists to participate and 12,000 people to attend. Presented by The Arts Commission in partnership with the local arts community, Artomatic 419! activates underutilized space and the local arts community by enlivening buildings in and around downtown Toledo with art, music, poetry and dance. More than 100 volunteers pull together to make the event a success. Artomatic 419! is inspired by the original Artomatic held annually in Washington, D.C., founded by Bowling Green native George Koch.

atural Awakenings has been named one of 200 companies in the Franchise Business Review’s 2015 Top Franchises Report. The healthy living magazine was one of five franchise companies cited as best-in-class in the advertising and sales category. To select the top franchises across industries and performance categories, the organization surveyed more than 28,500 franchisees. “We feel privileged that it was our franchisees’ expression of high satisfaction that earned us this award,” says Sharon Bruckman, CEO of Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. “Gaining this recognition proves that our process of providing franchisees with editorial, promotional and operational support, partnered with their enthusiastic dedication in individual markets, serves communities well. Together, we are nourishing and growing a healthy living consciousness in America.” The network now encompasses nearly 100 franchisees nationwide and in Puerto Rico. Franchise Business Review, headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is a national franchise market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction and franchise buyer experiences. 2015 marked its 10th annual Top Franchises Report.

Location: 600 Jefferson Ave., Toledo. To volunteer, call 419254-2787. For more information, visit TheArtsCommission. org/programs/artomatic.

For more information, call Anna Romano at 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com and FranchiseBusinessReview.com. See ad, page 31.

Find registration and event details at GlassCityMarathon.org.

Artomatic 419! Returns

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Celebrate Toledo’s Sister Cities

he sixth annual Toledo Sister Cities International Festival will be held from noon to 8 p.m., April 18, in the student union at the University of Toledo. A Parade of Nations opens the event at 12:15 p.m. Toledo has sister cities in Spain, China, Hungary, Poland, Japan, Tanzania, Germany, Lebanon, Pakistan, India and Egypt, and additional sister cities are in the works. Highlights include ethnic food, dancing, music and performances by participants to celebrate cultures from around the world. Last year, 2,000 people attended to see 23 local community groups perform and enjoy international fare from six area restaurants. World beers will be available for sale and vendors will offer crafts and other goods. For more information, call Executive Director Dr. Susan Miko at 419-966-1048 or email smiko@bright.net. Tickets and the program are available online at Toledo SisterCities.org.

Holistic Psychic Fair in Ann Arbor

n Intuitives Interactive Spring Holistic Psychic Fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., April 11, at Washtenaw Community College’s Morris Lawrence Building, in Ann Arbor. There will be presentations on topics that include flower essences, love astrology, sound healing and psychic awareness, held concurrently with mediumship gallery reading, in which a medium gives messages to the audience from departed loved ones. “Many people don’t realize that we have many talented mediums right here in the metro Detroit area,” says Amy Garber, fair director and founder of Intuitives Interactive. Other reading services for purchase include tarot and angel cards, palm reading, channeling, chakra and aura reading, and intuitive artwork. There will be dozens of vendors of metaphysical products, opportunities to have an aura photograph taken, make a mandala and get the latest body and energy work with healers from a wide variety of modalities.

Reach Your Target Market Secure this ad spot! Contact us for special one-time ad rates. 419-340-3592

$10 admission includes eight free presentations; prices for services vary. Location: 4800 E. Huron River Dr., Ann Arbor, MI. For more information, email Intuitives Interactive@hotmail.com or visit IntuitivesInteractive.com.

Happy Earth Day!

Healthy Planet, Healthy You Earth Day celebration will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 25, at the MBT Expo Center at the Monroe County Fairgrounds. Highlights include a rain barrel demonstration by the Monroe Conservation District, gardening demonstration, cooking demonstration by Public House Restaurant, an awards ceremony for green schools and healthy schools and a beekeeping demonstration by the Monroe County Beekeepers Association. There will be free activities, entertainment, exhibits for youth and adults, health screenings, a YMCA kids fitness area, a What’s the Buzz school program exhibit, story time presented by the Monroe County Library System, kids yoga by Mindful Movement and Tai Chi class from Monroe Tai Chi. Visitors will receive a chance to win a La-Z-Boy chair and one-year household membership to Monroe Family YMCA, plus free food and refreshments. Call 734-240-7900 or visit us at GreenMonroeCounty.com for more information. natural awakenings

April 2015

healthbriefs

Acupuncture Increases Quality of Life for Allergy Sufferers

esearch from Berlin’s Charité University Medical Center suggests that acupuncture is an effective treatment for patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, in 2013, the study analyzed data on the costs and quality of life of 364 allergy patients that had been randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments: rescue medication alone (taken when symptoms are greatest); acupuncture treatment plus rescue medication; or sham (nontherapeutic) acupuncture plus rescue medication. Patients receiving acupuncture incurred higher total treatment costs, but also gained significantly more quality of life compared with the rescue medication-only groups.

Strawberries Reduce Blood Pressure

study published in the World Journal of Diabetes concluded that the regular consumption of a flavonoidrich strawberry beverage reduces blood pressure in people with Type 2 diabetes. The study divided 36 subjects, all with moderately high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, into two groups—the first drank the equivalent of one serving of fresh strawberries per day made from freeze-dried berries, and the other group drank the same amount of an imitation strawberry-flavored drink over a six-week period. Blood pressure was tested at the beginning and end of the study for all participants. At the end, the group drinking the real strawberry beverage registered significantly lower diastolic blood pressure than at the outset; it was also lower than the imitation strawberry group. The average diastolic blood pressure of the group drinking real strawberries went down by 6.5 percent and the systolic dropped by 12 percent. The strawberry-flavored group’s systolic blood pressure was also reduced, but only by 3.7 percent.

THE COLOR GREEN MAKES EXERCISE FEEL EASIER

esearch from the University of Essex, in England, suggests that viewing natural green images while exercising may be better than being exposed to other colors. The researchers tested 14 people doing moderate-intensity cycling while watching video footage of predominantly gray, red or green imagery. Each of the participants underwent three cycling tests—one with each of the videos— along with a battery of physiological and mood testing. The researchers found that when the subjects watched the green-colored video, they had better moods, with a lower relative perception of exertion than when they exercised while watching the red and grey videos. They also found those that exercised while watching the red video experienced greater feelings of anger during their exercise. 6

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Memory Works Better Reading Real Books

esearchers from Norway’s Stavanger University and France’s AixMarseille Université found that readers remember a story better if it’s on paper. The study tested 50 people that read the same 28-page short story. Half of the group read the paper version and the other half read the story on a Kindle e-reader. The researchers discovered that readers of the digital version could not remember details from the story or reconstruct the plot as well as the group that read the paper copy. The researchers found that the feedback of a Kindle doesn’t provide the same support for mental reconstruction of a story as a print pocket book does. “When you read on paper, you can sense with your fingers a pile of pages on the left growing, and shrinking on the right,” explains Stavanger University’s Anne Mangen, Ph.D. These findings confirm a study performed a year earlier, also led by Mangen. Seventy-two 10th-graders were given text to read either on paper or on a computer screen. The students that read the paper text versions scored significantly higher in reading comprehension testing than those reading digital versions.

Local Toxins Increase Risk of Autism

onfirming previous findings, a large study from the University of Chicago has found that autism is linked to toxic environmental exposure. The research examined data from nearly a third of the U.S. population, which showed that both autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities increased as exposure increased in region-by-region testing. The research measured clusters of autism incidence together with exposure rates in different counties and states across the country. The areas with greater environmental toxin exposures had significantly increased autism rates. The correlation was significant among both boys and girls, but stronger among girls. Proximity to urban areas also increased autism incidence. For every 1 percent increase in urbanization, there was about a 3 percent rise in autism and intellectual disabilities. Influential toxins include pesticides, plasticizers, lead and pharmaceuticals.

Olive Oil Boosts Healthy Cholesterol

n an effort to understand what makes olive oil so good for heart health, a study from Europe’s Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group and the U.S. National Institutes of Health has found that olive oil’s polyphenols significantly increase the size of high-density lipoproteincholesterol (HDL) in the blood and enhance the HDL’s ability to inhibit formation of the abnormal fatty deposits, known as plaque, within the walls of arteries. Polyphenols are natural compounds from plants known to help prevent cancer and heart disease. In the three-week study, researchers isolated the effect of polyphenols by dividing 47 healthy European men into two groups: one ate a diet containing polyphenol-poor olive oil and the other consumed polyphenol-rich olive oil. The enriched diet resulted in increased size, fluidity and stability (resistance to oxidation) of the HDL molecules by reducing their triglyceride core. The researchers note that the oxidation of cholesterol lipids such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is linked with arteriosclerosis.

HEAL SAFER, CHEAPER AND HAPPIER WITH GREEN CLEANING

t is estimated the pollution inside our homes is two to five times higher than it is outside. Considering we spend about 90 percent of our time indoors, this is a staggering statistic. Much of this indoor air pollution is caused by the toxic residue we put in to our homes via the harsh chemicals we use to clean with. The substances we are using to rid our homes of bacteria and germs are the same substances that could be making us sick. There are known carcinogens found in many cleaning products we use every day. Green cleaning offers a simple, safe and less-expensive alternative to the toxic chemicals found in the cleaning aisle of the supermarket. Recipes are simple to make and are sometimes more effective than the store bought counterparts for ridding our homes of bacteria and germs. Research has clearly linked the use of natural aromatic compounds in certain essential oils to be effective in lifting our mood, so using essential oils in these recipes can even lift our spirits as we clean. Essential Connection, Ltd. Is conducting a free webinar at 8:30 p.m., April 28, for education about affordably making an all-natural, green cleaning cabinet and sharing recipes. Register at anymeeting.com/PIID=EB57DF80894E3F See ad page 15.

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April 2015

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

Vanishing Wildlife

50 Percent Gone in Under 50 years The latest World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Living Planet Report shows that the Living Planet Index (LPI), which measures more than 10,000 representative populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, has declined by 52 percent since 1970. The report is widely considered the leading science-based analysis on the health of our planet and the impact of human activity (Tinyurl.com/WWF-LivingPlanet-Report). In fewer than two human generations, populations of vertebrate species—the life forms that constitute the fabric of life-sustaining ecosystems and serve as a barometer of how humans are impacting nature—have dropped by half. Nature conservation and sustainable development go hand-in-hand; it’s not only about preserving biodiversity and wild places, but about safeguarding the future of humanity. Living Planet Report partners include the Zoological Society of London, Global Footprint Network and Water Footprint Network. Marco Lambertini, director general of WWF International, states, “We need leadership for change. Sitting on the bench waiting for someone else to make the first move, doesn’t work. Heads of state need to start thinking globally; businesses and consumers need to stop behaving as if we live in a limitless world.”

Thriving Eco-Towns

Malaysian Villages Model Sustainability

photo by MIGHT

Innovations being successfully pioneered in Malaysia offer ideas for improving the world, according to the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), including the construction of high-tech, self-sustaining ecological “smart” villages. These villages are lifting incomes for scores of rural families while promoting environmental sustainability. Each 50acre community consists of about 100 affordable homes, advanced educational, training and recreational facilities and an integrated, sustainable farm system that provides villagers with food and employment that on average, triples their monthly income. Low-cost, 1,000-square-foot homes are built in 10 days and the communal farming operations include a cascading series of fish tanks, or “aquafarms”. Filtered fish tank wastewater irrigates trees, grain fields and high-value plants grown in “autopots”, a three-piece container with a valve that detects soil moisture levels and releases water as required, reducing the need for fertilizers and pesticides. Free-range chickens feed on the fast-reproducing worms that process the plant compost. This system optimizes nutrient absorption, minimizes waste and enables crops to be grown on previously non-arable land. The village’s solar-generated power is complemented by biomass energy and mini-hydro electricity. A community hall, resource center, places of worship, playgrounds and educational facilities equipped with 4G Internet service support e-learning and e-health services. 8

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Corporate Do-Gooders

U.S. Recognizes Companies for Earth-Sound Policies Each year, the U.S. Department of State presents Awards for Corporate Excellence recognizing U.S.-owned businesses that play vital roles worldwide as good corporate citizens. Parameters include supporting sustainable development, respect for human and labor rights, environmental protection, open markets, transparency and other democratic values. The 2014 winners, announced last December, include the EcoPlanet Bamboo Group, in Nicaragua, for fostering sustainable development by regenerating degraded pasturelands. The company dedicates 20 percent of its plantations as natural habitat that protects biodiversity by prohibiting illegal hunting. EcoPlanet also focuses on employing persons with disabilities and empowering women through recruitment to managerial positions. Wagner Asia Equipment, LLC, in Mongolia, a heavy equipment dealership, is recognized for its commitment to public/private partnerships with Mongolia’s local and national governments designed to protect the environment. Initiatives include planting more than 900 trees, conducting workshops for students on environment and ecology, implementing a project to build a community garden and rehabilitating a toxic waste site. Other finalists include the Coca-Cola Company, in the Philippines; Chevron Corporation, in Burma; ContourGlobal, in Togo; General Electric, in South Africa; General Electric International, in Tunisia; GlassPoint Solar, in Oman; and the Linden Centre, in China. For more information on finalists, visit Tinyurl.com/ACE2014Finalists.

Soil Salvation

Organic Farming May Counteract Greenhouse Effect The nonprofit Rodale Institute, the United Nations and the Soil Association are reporting that modern, chemicalintensive industrial farming is stripping the soil’s natural ability to take carbon back out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis and store it in the soil. Rodale researchers say that by returning to small-scale organic farming, more than 40 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions could be captured in the soil, and if the entire world’s pasture and rangelands were managed using regenerative techniques, an additional 71 percent of those emissions could be sequestered. Further, organic practices could counteract the world’s yearly carbon dioxide output while producing the same amount of food as conventional farming. Rodale claims that using regenerative organic agriculture—like low or no-tillage, cover crops and crop rotation—will keep photosynthesized carbon dioxide in the soil, instead of returning it to the atmosphere. The institute cites 75 studies from peerreviewed journals, including its own 33-year Farming Systems Trial, which directly compare organic farming with conventional farming.

Buzzing Buddies

‘Flying Doctor’ Bees Prevent Cherry Disease

People in the United States waste more than a third of all of the food they produce, but more than 180 cities and towns are beginning to realize that wasted food can be valuable; they are asking residents to separate unwanted food from the rest of their trash and put it in a curbside compost bin. The idea is to stop sending food waste to the landfill, where it generates harmful methane gas pollution, and start turning it into something useful, like compost. In 2011, Portland, Oregon, launched a curbside compost program in which residents are encouraged to put food scraps into the city’s green yard waste bin. Since then, the amount of garbage sent to the landfill has decreased by 37 percent. According to Bruce Walker, the city’s solid waste and recycling program manager, the program also reduces the environmental footprint of the trash heap. Getting people to separate their food waste, however, can be difficult. To motivate its residents to put more food waste in the compost bin, the city of Seattle, Washington, has proposed both making curbside composting mandatory and fining residents a dollar every time they put a disproportionate volume of food waste in their trash.

University of Adelaide researchers are introducing a “flying doctor” method of employing bees as preventive medicine. Project leader and bee researcher Katja Hogendoorn, Ph.D., says, “All commercial cherry growers spray during flowering to control the later development of cherry brown rot. Instead of spraying fungicide, we’re using bees to deliver a biological control agent right to the flowers, where it’s needed.” The innovative delivery works via entomovectoring. This is a new technique for Australia, with potential application in many horticultural industries. The biological control agent contains spores of a parasitic fungus that prevents another fungus that causes the brown rot from colonizing the flower. Future applications of the small, winged medics are expected to become available for disease control in almonds, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, apples, pears and stone fruit.

Source: NetNebraska.org

Source: Adelaide.edu.au

Source: OrganicConsumers.org

Curbside Composting

No Food Scraps Need Go to Waste

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April 2015

Nature’s Wisdom Its Lessons Inspire, Heal and Sustain Us by Christine MacDonald

The environment is not separate from ourselves; we are inside it and it is inside us; we make it and it makes us. ~ Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, Amazon shaman

hile the idea that we humans stand apart from—or even above—nature is a prevailing theme in much of modern civilization, naturalists and other clever souls throughout the ages have observed that the opposite is true: We are part of, depend on and evolve with nature— and we ignore this vital connection at our peril. “If one way is better than another, that you may be sure is nature’s way,” admonished the Greek philosopher Aristotle, in the third century B.C.E. “Time destroys the speculation of men, but it confirms the judgment of nature,” Roman politician and philosopher Cicero ruminated two centuries later. Nobel Prize-winning physicist and philosopher Albert Einstein remarked, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Today, more of us are looking to nature for ways to improve physical, mental and emotional health, develop

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intelligence, innovate, overhaul how we build homes and neighborhoods, and raise our children.

Healthful Nature

As Henry David Thoreau wrote in his classic 1854 book Walden, “We need the tonic of wildness.” While we know firsthand how walking in the woods can elevate mood, scientists have documented that a regular dose of nature has other far-reaching benefits. It can lower stress hormone levels, blood pressure and undesirable cholesterol; help heal neurological problems; hasten fuller recovery from surgery and heart attacks; increase cancer-fighting white blood cells; and generally aid overall health (Health Promotion International research report; also Nippon Medical School study, Tokyo). Regular playtime outdoors helps children cope with hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders, accord-

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ing to research published in Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care. Exposure to nature can help adults escape from today’s wired lives; reinvigorate, be fitter and less likely to suffer from obesity, diabetes and heart disease, as reported in studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and a University of Washington research summary. It can also unlock understanding of the spiritual essence of life. Hours regularly spent by youth outdoors stimulate imagination and creativity and enhance cognitive development, helping them learn. Nature also helps youngsters develop social awareness, helping them better navigate human relations (Tinyurl.com/ OutdoorHealthBenefits Research). “It’s strange and kind of sad that we are so removed from nature that we actually have to ask why nature is good for us,” says Dr. Eva Selhub, a lecturer at Harvard Medical School, author of the new book Your Health Destiny, and co-author of Your Brain on Nature. “The fact is our brains and bodies are wired in concert with nature.” Recognition of nature’s positive effects has grown so much in recent years that physicians increasingly write their patients “prescriptions” to go hiking in the woods, counting on the healthy exercise and exposure to sunlight, nature and soothing views to address health problems stemming from poor diets and sedentary lifestyles. Healthcare clinics and hospitals in Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, Indianapolis, Albuquerque, New Mexico, California’s Bay Area and elsewhere have launched Prescription Trails programs aimed at objectives from preventing obesity in children to healthful activities for retirees (Tinyurl.com/AmericanHealthTrails). Bestselling author Richard Louv calls the positive nature effect “vitamin N” in The Nature Principle. He contends: “Many of us, without having a name for it, are using the nature tonic. We are, in essence, self-medicating with an inexpensive and unusually convenient drug substitute.”

Such ideas are commonly accepted in many cultures. The Japanese believe in the restorative power of shinrin-yoku, which could be translated as “forest medicine” or “forest bathing”. Indigenous peoples like the Brazilian tribe led by Shaman Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, fighting to preserve their land and way of life in the Amazon, profess to be at one with the innate riches of sustainable rainforests (SurvivalInternational.org/parks).

Innovative Nature

Scientists, inventors and other innovators are increasingly inspired by nature. Biomimicry, part social movement and part burgeoning industry, looks to how Earth’s natural systems work and solve problems. University of Utah researchers, inspired by the durable homes built by sandcastle worms, are creating a synthetic glue that one day could help repair fractured bones. Architectural components manufacturer Panelite makes energy-efficient insulated glass by mimicking the hexagonal structure that bees use in honeycombs. (Find other precedents at Tinyurl.com/ BiomimicryCaseExamples). The inspiration for biomimicry comes from many places, says Dayna Baumeister, Ph.D. co-founder of Biomimicry 3.8, a Missoula, Montana, company working with other companies and universities to propel biomimicry into the mainstream. “People are recognizing that

Scientific studies show that a regular dose of nature has far-reaching health benefits. More doctors now write “nature” prescriptions for their patients. they’ve been disconnected to the natural world,” she says. “We also realize that [as a species] we are in trouble. We don’t have all the answers, but we can look to other species for inspiration” for clearing pollutants from our bodies and environments. Plants and fungi are now commonly used to clean up old industrial sites that resemble nature’s way of removing pollutants from water and soil. A University of California, Berkeley, meta-study confirms that farmers currently using organic farming methods and solar power achieve roughly the same crop yields as conventional techniques with far less dependence on fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gases and petrochemical pesticide and fertilizer pollution.

Cyclical Nature

These breakthrough technologies emulate the way nature uses the building blocks of life in an endless cycle of birth, reproduction, decay and rebirth.

It’s part of a broad rethinking of the principles behind sustainability— building, manufacturing and living in greater harmony with natural systems, perhaps eventually eliminating landfills, air and water pollution, and toxic site cleanups. “A toxin is a material in the wrong place,” says architect William McDonough, of Charlottesville, Virginia. The only individual recipient of the Presidential Award for Sustainable Development, he is co-author of Cradleto-Cradle, a groundbreaking book that calls for re-envisioning even the nastiest waste, and The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability—Designing for Abundance. McDonough imagines a world where waste becomes raw material for new buildings, furniture and other goods— akin to how a forest reuses every deceased tree and animal to nourish the ecosystem and spawn new life. With 80 percent of U.S. residents currently living in urban areas, architects, builders and municipal planners are likewise pivoting toward nature, prompted by the scientific evidence of the many ways that human health and general well-being rely upon it. While this contact is preferably the kind of “stopping by woods” that inspired New England poet Robert Frost, even a walk in a city park will work. “Urban nature, when provided as parks and walkways and incorporated into building design, provides calming and inspiring environments and

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April 2015

True-Life ‘Aha!’ Reads 10 Lessons from Nature to Inspire Our Everyday Lives by David Miller, Tinyurl.com/10InspiringLessons FromNature 9 Amazing Lessons from Nature to Inspire Your Everyday Life by Annie Hauser, Tinyurl.com/9InspiringLessons FromNature Intelligence in Nature by Jeremy Narby Life Lessons from Nature by Elvis Newman Cathedrals of the Spirit by T. C. McLuhan Your Brain on Nature by Eva Selhub

and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.

Toledo/Monroe edition

~George Perkins Marsh, Man and Nature (1864) encourages learning, inquisitiveness and alertness,” reports the University of Washington’s College of the Environment, in Green Cities: Good Health. The American Planning Association stresses the importance of integrating green space into urban neighborhoods. Not only does so-called “metro nature” improve air and water quality and reduce urban heat island effects, urban wilds such as Pittsburgh’s Nine Mile Run and Charlotte, North Carolina’s Little Sugar Creek Greenway also restore natural connections in densely populated city centers.

Natural Intelligence

Character is like a tree

~Abraham Lincoln

Man is everywhere a disturbing agent. Wherever he plants his foot, the harmonies of nature are turned to discord. The proportions and accommodations that ensured the stability of existing arrangements are overthrown. Of all organic beings, man alone is to be regarded as essentially a destructive power.

A growing number of scientists say that research about our place in nature has sparked fresh thinking about our role and devastated quaint notions about our species’ superiority. “Single-celled slime molds solve mazes. Brainless plants make correct decisions and bees with brains the size of pinheads handle abstract concepts,” points out Anthropologist Jeremy Narby, author of the groundbreaking book Intelligence in Nature. At a national conference of Bioneers, an organization based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and San Francisco that gathers nature-minded social and scientific innovators, Narby said: “We are nearly identical to many animals. Many behaviors once thought to be exclusively human are shared by other species. The zone of the specifically human, as determined by science, has been shrinking.” We haven’t lost the ability to tap that primal animal inside, even if most of us are more likely to “venture into the forest” by watching a movie or playing video games. We may feel cut off from our instincts, but studies show time in the woods can do wonders to

NaturalAwakeningsToledo.com

restore the keenness of our senses to connect with the subtle changes in natural habitat, the movements of other species and the changing seasons. The rise of human civilizations may have taken “survival of the fittest” in new directions, often decidedly tamer ones, but experts ranging from scientific researchers to lifestyle analysts say humankind is still hardwired by our more primitive past. Despite the ingenious ways we’ve devised to exploit other life forms, capitalize on Earth’s resources and protect ourselves from nature’s sometimes terrifying power, our fate remains linked to natural laws and limits, from nurturing our body’s immune system to resolving planet-sized problems like climate change. “‘Nature’ is our natural environment,” according to Selhub. We don’t have to move to the country to reconnect, she says. “Even spending 20 minutes a day outside has an effect.” Houseplants, nature photos and aromatherapy Earth scents can also help indoor environments better reflect our own nature. The wealth of research and common sense wisdom is aptly summed up by celebrated author Wendell Berry in The Long-Legged House. “We have lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong. We must change our lives so that it’ll be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires we make the effort to know the world and learn what is good for it.” Christine MacDonald is a freelance journalist in Washington, D.C., whose specialties include health and science. Visit ChristineMacDonald.info.

naturalpet

photo courtesy of Jean Maclean

National Library Week, April 12 to 18, celebrates the program Unlimited Possiblities @ Your Library

Dogs with Library Cards Kids Love Reading to Animals by Sandra Murphy

The goal of Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ), launched in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1999 as part of Intermountain Therapy Animals, is to improve children’s literacy skills with the mentoring help of certified therapy teams. Its reach has spread through library programs across the U.S. and Canada and internationally, with other therapy groups following suit.

“

octors told the parents of an 11-year-old autistic son that he would never read… so quit trying to teach him,” says Suzanne Vening, an organic farmer in Jackson, Mississippi. “The doctor didn’t count on Adam, my Australian shepherd.” Abused and abandoned before being adopted by Vening, she had trained him for therapy work. Vening knew nothing about autistic or learning-disabled children, but she knew Adam could work miracles. The boy made eye contact with Adam during his library visit and read a few words. His parents were overjoyed as his reading continued to improve. “It’s hard to include children with special needs in many family activities,” Vening says. “A library is a place the whole family can enjoy.” She advises, “Designate a safe corner where a child can escape if feeling overwhelmed. After entering the room, han-

dlers should sit on the floor with the dog lying beside them. A standing dog can cause too much excitement. It’s important to trust that your therapy dog will know how to approach a child that’s afraid, has tremors or can’t sit up or sit still.” “An animal’s heartbeat seems to call to kids,” observes Rachael Barrera, a children’s librarian at Brook Hollow Public Library, in San Antonio, Texas. “Dogs have come here once a week for more than a year. Now older kids that are comfortable with the reading program are showing younger ones how to choose a book.” At California’s Benicia Public Library, kids read to Honey, a friendly brown dog, on Wednesday afternoons. Sheila Jordan, managing editor and owner of Booklandia, founded in Bend, Oregon, says her 8-year-old, Chase, found it difficult to concentrate because of ADHD (attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder). “The Tales and Tails program was a big help. All summer, we went every week and chose books he said the dog would love.” Jordan’s reward was a more focused child; Chase’s reward was a dog of his own last fall. North Carolina’s Charlotte Mecklenburg Library offers 14,000 free programs a year throughout its 20 locations, including Paws to Read. Librarian Cathy Cartledge, reading program coordinator for the Morrison Regional branch, shares this story from Jaylee’s mom, Jill. “Jaylee was tutored in reading for a year. After she also began reading to Zoey, a great Pyrenees, or Hunter, a golden retriever, I saw improvement in fluency, confidence and enjoyment. It worked miracles compared with the hours and money spent for tutoring,” her mom remarks. The Mount Prospect Library, near Chicago, has an age requirement for its Tales to Tails program. “Rachael, 8, will hardly put a book down now,” says her mom, Nicole Sasanuma, a senior associate with Business Communications & Advocacy, in Northbrook, Illinois. “Her sister, Emi, 6, is anxious for her next birthday so she ‘can read to doggies,’ too.” Reading programs aren’t limited to libraries or schools. Jean Maclean, of Lompoc, California, trains her two dogs in agility and rally skills. For a change of pace, they visit the Chumash Learning Center, in Santa Ynez, once a month. The Chumash people value education from both its elders and teachers outside the tribe. Maclean relates that Donny, age 11, was afraid of dogs until he met hers, after which his teachers saw his reading improve three levels in one semester. Animals help kids relax and become teachers to the dogs. Researchers at the University of California, Davis have found that reading skills for kids that read to dogs during a 10-week literacy program improved by 12 percent. Children in the same program that didn’t do the same showed no improvement. Dogs and other pets prove that reading out loud doesn’t have to be scary. All it takes is a good book and a good listener. Connect with freelance writer Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@mindspring.com. natural awakenings

April 2015

The Food Artisans Next Door Homemade Delicacies, Direct from Our Neighbors by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko

Neighbors in most states can now legally buy fresh breads, cookies and preserves from local food artisans.

he locavore movement of eating locally produced foods continues to expand, thanks to 42 states passing cottage food laws that permit community members to make certain foods at home to sell to neighbors. Some enterprises use a contract packer to deliver on a scale not possible domestically, or even operate from a commercially licensed production facility. From sauerkraut and distinctive jams and organic jellies to gluten- or peanut-free cakes and regional artisanal breads, some of the most flavorful products are being produced with no chemical preservatives, artificial colors or other laboratory ingredients. Nearly all are made in small batches, and usually by the owner. Many source local ingredients or serve special dietary needs largely underserved or ignored

Toledo/Monroe edition

by larger food businesses. “In a sharing economy, individuals look less to big chain stores for their food needs and more to each other, making fresher, tastier and often healthier foods more accessible,” explains Janelle Orsi, co-founder of the Oakland, California, Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC), citing its Policies for Shareable Cities report partnered with the nonprofit Shareable. The Specialty Food Association reports that sales of specialty foods— primarily at grocery retailers, but also cottage operators via farmers’ markets and direct orders when allowed by their state—grew 22 percent from 2010 to 2012, topping $85 billion.

Healthy as it Comes

“All of our products are made by hand

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photo courtesy of Epiphany Gluten Free Bakery, Naples, FL

consciouseating

and in small batches daily,” says Ruth Wardein, co-owner, with Andrew Amick, of Epiphany Gluten Free Bakery, in Naples, Florida, which she launched from her home kitchen. Besides glutenfree cookies, cakes and breads, she’s always “perfecting” her Paleo cookies, brownies and pancake mix. Paleo recipes contain no grains, dairy, yeast or refined sugars, explains Wardein. “They require nut and seed flours, coconut oil and natural sugars like honey or maple syrup. So they are naturally higher in protein and fiber and lower in carbs than the average glutenfree recipe.” “We’re experimenting with the community supported agriculture model with local fruit,” says Erin Schneider. She and her husband, Rob McClure, operate Hilltop Community Farm, in LaValle, Wisconsin, which produces value-added products with organically grown crops. “We have salsas, pickles and jams. Our black currant and honey jam is sold before it’s made. Rob’s garlic dills have their own following.” Wisconsin’s cottage food law restricts sales to only high-acid foods.

Quality over Quantity

In Royal Oaks, California, Garden Variety Cheese owner, cheesemaker and shepherd Rebecca King feeds her 100 milking ewes organically raised, irrigated pasture grass and brewer’s grain to yield award-winning farmstead easier-to-digest sheep cheeses from her Monkeyflower Ranch. “Many first-time customers like my story as a small producer and want to buy direct from the farm. They keep buying because of the taste,” says King. “My marinara and pizza sauces are made in small batches by hand in a home kitchen, enabling us to hot pack them to retain the ingredients’ natural favors,” says Liz James, owner of The Happy Tomato, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Her sauces are also low in sodium and contain no sugar, saturated fat or gluten. James’ production is facilitated by Virginia’s home food processor license, which lets her work from home and sell wholesale. Whole Foods Market is among her major retail accounts. When home-based cottage food businesses are spurred into expansion

to keep up with demand, a situation sometimes complicated by state limits on sales volume, many opt for renting space in the growing number of incubator, or community, kitchens nationwide. “We did farmers’ markets for three years and went from seven customers to thousands,” says Wardein, who now rents a commercial kitchen space. “Returning customers are the momentum that has pushed us forward.” “By growing food in and around our own neighborhoods and cities, we decrease our dependence on an oftentimes unjust and ecologically destructive global food system and build stronger, more connected and resilient communities,” affirms Yassi Eskandari-Qajar, director of SELC’s City Policies program. “We think it’s important to produce what grows well on our soil and then sell it, so that ecology drives economics, rather than vice versa,” says Schneider. “Random things prosper in our area, like paprika peppers, elderberries, hardy kiwi, garlic, pears and currants. It’s our job as ecologically-minded farmers to show how delicious these foods can be.”

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April 2015

healingways

Spring Greening Easy Ways to Detox a House by Lane Vail

or most individuals, odorous chemicals are simply unpleasant. For those that are sensitive and susceptible, however, even common chemical exposures may evoke a toxicant-induced loss of tolerance (TILT) marked by multiplesystem symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, autoimmune disease, asthma, depression and food intolerance. Since the post-World War II expansion of

Toledo/Monroe edition

petrochemicals, the incidence of TILT has increased dramatically, says Claudia Miller, a medical doctor, researcher and professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and co-author of Chemical Exposures: Low Levels and High Stakes. “Fortunately, public awareness has also grown significantly in the last few years,” says Rick Smith, Ph.D., a Cana-

NaturalAwakeningsToledo.com

dian environmentalist who co-authored Toxin Toxout. “Now companies and governments worldwide are moving toward making safer products.” We can support progress by leveraging some practical tips in greening our home. Start somewhere. Many volatile organic compounds (VOC) that include formaldehyde and benzene are concealed in household items such as couches, chairs, particleboard furniture, mattresses, box springs, carpeting, rugs, synthetic flooring, wallpaper and paint. Green TV host and Fresh Living author Sara Snow implores us not to become overwhelmed, disheartened or fearful. “Creating a healthy home is a gradual process that doesn’t require throwing all the furniture out,” she advises. Start by scrutinizing labels and choosing not to bring new toxins in. For example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is widely found to be associated with reproductive toxicity and is found in many waterproofed and flexible plastics. Select PVC-free toys, shower curtain liners and mattress covers. In the kitchen, avoid potentially carcinogenic perfluorinated chemicals (PFC) found in nonstick coatings of pots and pans. Toss the Teflon when it scratches, says Snow, and upgrade to stainless steel or cast iron. Weed out bisphenols, the DNA-disrupting chemicals found in plastics and epoxy resin can liners. Even “BPA-free” products likely contain alternative and equally harmful substances, according to a recent study published in Chemosphere. Choose clear glass instead of plastic containers. When remodeling, look for zeroVOC items, Miller says, plus materials free of stain-resistant sprays and flame retardants whose efficacy is questionable. Consider natural fiber rugs like jute or wool. Forest Stewardship Council-certified hardwoods or alternative flooring like cork or glass tile are safer investments in long-term well-being. Clean green. Conventional cleaners are among the worst offenders, and even some “eco-cleaners” can be deceptively unsafe, says Smith. He recommends avoiding antibacterial products containing triclosan, which proliferates antibiotic-resistant bacteria that prolong and exacerbate illnesses, as well as phthalates, a chemical oil

that carries artificial aromas and has been repeatedly linked to cancer and abnormal fetal development. “Even so-called natural fragrances are often complex petrochemicals that outgas and contaminate the air,” notes Miller. Snow advises formulating products at home using staple pantry ingredients, including distilled white vinegar for disinfecting, baking soda for scouring, liquid castile soap for sudsing, lemon juice for degreasing and olive oil for polishing. Freshen with fresh air. Americans spend about 90 percent of their time amid indoor air pollutants that are significantly more concentrated than outdoor pollutants, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports. “Most energy-efficient homes are well sealed with ventilation systems that recirculate indoor air, so opening the windows helps dilute accumulated airborne toxins,” says Miller. Snow further recommends bringing air-purifying plants into the home such as Gerbera daisies, bamboo palms and English ivy. Vacuum and dust. Vacuuming with a high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filter and dusting with a moist

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Even small changes can measurably reduce your family’s daily exposure to healthdamaging chemicals. ~Rick Smith cloth eliminates allergens such as pet dander, mites, pollen and mold, and helps remove phthalates, flame retardants, lead and pesticides that “latch onto house dust and accumulate in dust bunnies,” says Smith. Weed out lawn chemicals. “Organophosphate pesticides are profoundly neurotoxic,” says Miller, especially to the developing brains of children. Instead try integrated pest management, which involves controlling pests’ food sources and applying non-toxic deterrents. Eliminating potentially carcinogenic herbicides might mean managing more weeds, says Snow, but it’s worth it. Eat green. “Buying produce as close to its source as possible, from a farmer or farmers’ market, provides threefold benefits,” says Snow—less wasteful

packaging, reduced exposure to chemical plastics and greater concentration of health-promoting nutrients. Buy in bulk and favor glass containers or rectangular cardboard cartons. Take tests. Radon, an invisible, odorless gas that can emanate from the ground and accumulate in homes, annually causes 21,000 U.S. lung cancer deaths, according to the U.S. EPA. Lead, a neurotoxin that may occasionally leach from home water pipes, can also hide in pre-1978 paint. Testing for both and implementing reduction or precautionary measures is simple, advises Smith. Most hardware stores stock test kits. Take action. Join with other concerned citizens by launching a pertinent petition at Change.org; campaigning with organizations like the Environmental Working Group (ewg. org) or Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families (SaferChemicals.org); and supporting cleaner, greener companies with family purchases. Lane Vail is a freelance writer and blogger at DiscoveringHomemaking.com.

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natural awakenings

April 2015

wisewords

Healing Journeys

Paul Stutzman Finds Universal Truths on His Treks by Randy Kambic

P has been ranked in the best 50 in its size class among 200 companies named in the Franchise Business Review’s 2015 Top Franchises Report. The healthy living magazine was one of five franchise companies cited as best-in-class in the advertising and sales category. To select the top franchises across industries and performance categories, the organization surveyed more than 28,500 franchisees. Franchise Business Review, headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is a national franchise market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction and franchise buyer experiences. 2015 marked its 10th annual Top Franchises Report.

aul Stutzman was a successful executive with a family restaurant chain and a happy father and husband married for more than 30 years when his wife, Mary, passed away from breast cancer in 2006. Questioning his faith as to why this happened, Stutzman quit his job to hike the 2,168-mile Appalachian Trail (AT), advising everyone he encountered, “Don’t take spouses and families for granted.” His book, Hiking Through, recounts this extreme adventure and relates his subsequent thoughts about grief, healing and life. Stutzman chronicled his second journey, a 5,000-mile-plus crosscountry trek, in Biking Across America. This time, he perceived a “noble, yet humble America that still exists and inspires.” More recently, the author has turned to fiction with The Wanderers and Wandering Home, both enriched with reflections upon the values of his Amish Mennonite upbringing and marriage.

What kept you going? Early on, I realized how soothing nature was to my grieving soul. Still, there

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were times it would have been easy to abandon my journeys and head for the safety of home. The desire to discover if my life held any meaning after such a great loss kept me moving forward. I kept telling myself on both journeys, “If my wife can fight cancer for four years, I can overcome any obstacle I encounter.” I was determined to write about what I was being taught by nature. I also believed books written by and about someone seeking solace via an incomplete pilgrimage would be cheating the reader.

What do such journeys teach about nature and our response to experiencing it? I find comfort in nature. I believe the beautiful streams and waterfalls, the grand views from mountaintops and the wildlife were all created for our enjoyment. When we absorb this beauty and wonderment, the stresses in life slowly melt away. Granted, not everyone will be able to do what I did; however, a stroll through a local park, along a beach or in a flower garden can have similar effects.

Did these extended physical endeavors make mental demands that catalyzed unexpected self-growth? Treks like these into the unknown are physically demanding. With time and effort, one’s body gets into shape for extended hiking and biking. The mental hurdle must be crossed next. You’ll miss home and loved ones. Loneliness will set in. This is where you discover who the real you is. Are you tenacious enough to push through the desire to abandon the pilgrimage or will you succumb to the allure of comfort and safety? On my journeys, I had to make difficult choices. There is a saying that applies to folks planning to hike the AT end-to-end through 14 states: “If hiking the entire Appalachian Trail isn’t the most important thing in your life, you won’t accomplish it.” My daughter gave birth to my grandson while I was hiking. Although she asked that I come home for the event, I declined. I kept on hiking because I knew I wouldn’t return to the trail if I went home. I’d spent my lifetime trying to do the right things for my three children, but now had to do what was right for me.

What did you learn about Americans along the way? I discovered that most Americans are kind, law-abiding citizens. Most are still willing to help a stranger in need. Unfortunately, I feel we focus too much time and energy on the minority of malcontents.

How have these experiences informed your creative process? America is a great country. The beauty I’ve witnessed from a bicycle seat and on two feet hiking the mountains is a continual source of inspiration. Many folks are unable to do what I do. My ongoing desire is to describe the images imprinted in my mind in such a way that others can feel as if they are there walking with me. For more information, visit PaulStutzman.com. Randy Kambic is an Estero, FL, freelance writer and editor who regularly contributes to Natural Awakenings.

inspiration

Strong Winds Strong Roots

What Trees Teach Us About Life by Dennis Merritt Jones

great experiment in the desert called the biodome created a living environment for human, plant and animal life. A huge glass dome was constructed to house an artificial, controlled environment with purified air and water, healthy soil and filtered light. The intent was to afford perfect growing conditions for trees, fruits and vegetables, as well as humans. People lived in the biodome, for many months at a time, and everything seemed to do well with one exception. When the trees grew to a certain height, they would topple over. It baffled scientists until they realized they forgot to include the natural element of wind. Trees need wind to blow against them because it causes their root systems to grow deeper, which supports the tree as it grows taller. Who among us doesn’t long for a perfect growing environment for ourselves, with no disruptions from outside influences? We strive to avoid the times of contrast and tension, when

life’s daily challenges push against us. When they do, the normal tendency is to curse them. If trees could talk, would we hear them curse the wind each time they encountered a storm? We can learn a great deal from nature’s wisdom at work if we are open to the lesson. Watch how a tree bends and sways gracefully when the wind blows against it. It does not stand rigid, resisting the flow of energy. It does not push back. The tree accepts the strong wind as a blessing that helps it grow. Such experiences develop our character and deepen our spiritual roots. When we grow deep, we too, stand tall. Dennis Merritt Jones, D.D., is the author of Your Re-Defining Moments, The Art of Uncertainty and The Art of Being, the source of this essay. He has contributed to the human potential movement and field of spirituality as a minister, teacher, coach and lecturer for 30 years. Learn more at DennisMerritt Jones.com.

natural awakenings

April 2015

Healthy Choices at Every Step

greenliving

Home-Grown Organic Made Easy 10 Time-Saving Tips for a Healthy Garden by Barbara Pleasant

Organic gardening experts share strategies for growing a great garden and having a life, too.

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he arrival of planting season has a stunning effect on veggie gardeners. We talk to our seedlings as if they were children, and don’t mind working until dark if that’s what it takes to get the fingerling potatoes in the ground. Then, complications like crabgrass and cabbageworms appear, and keeping up with all the details feels impossible. We can lighten looming chores by using these time-saving tips, which will reduce later workloads when storms and the hot summer sun threaten to squelch the magic. Mulch to reduce watering and prevent weeds. “You can cut your watering time in half by mulching crops with a three-to-four-inch layer of straw or shredded leaves,” says Niki Jabbour, award-winning author of The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener and Groundbreaking Food Gardens: 73 Plans That Will Change the Way You Grow Your Garden. “Crops like tomatoes, potatoes, kale, broccoli, cucum-

NaturalAwakeningsToledo.com

bers and squash all benefit from a deep mulch, which reduces the need to water and also prevents weeds, saving even more time.” Grow herbs in convenient containers. Family cooks will harvest kitchen herbs every day, in all kinds of weather, so don’t waste footsteps. Grow some parsley, basil and other herbs in large containers near the kitchen door. Try promising perennials. Plant them once, and vegetables like asparagus and rhubarb come back year after year in cold winter climates like the Midwest and Northeast. Where winters are mild, artichokes or chayote (pear squash) are long-lived and productive. Many resilient herbs will return each spring, too, including sage, mints, thyme and oregano. Tarragon and marjoram make trusty perennial herbs in the Sun Belt. Stock up on organic seeds. “As a year-round vegetable gardener, I try to come up with a list of all the seeds I’ll need for every season when I place an-

nual seed orders,” Jabbour says. “That way, I will place fewer orders and have everything on hand at the proper planting time, saving both time and money.” Organic seeds in consumer seed catalogs and retail racks won’t be genetically modified or treated with pesticides. Be generous with organic compost. With each planting, mix in organic compost along with a balanced organic fertilizer. Food crops grown in organically enriched soil are better able to resist challenges from pests and diseases, which simplifies summer tasks. Grow flowers to attract beneficial insects. Reducing or eliminating pesticides and increasing plantings of flowers can radically improve the balance between helpful and harmful insects in a garden. Horticulturist Jessica Walliser, co-host of Pittsburgh’s The Organic Gardeners KDKA radio show and author of Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden, recommends starting with sweet alyssum, an easy-to-grow annual that can be tucked into the edges of beds or added to mixed containers. “The tiny blossoms of sweet alyssum are adept at supporting several species of the non-stinging parasitic wasps that help keep aphids and other common pests in check,” Walliser says. In warm climates where they are widely grown, crape myrtles have been found to serve as nurseries for lady beetles, lacewings and other beneficial insects.

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Protect plants with fabric barriers. Pest insects seeking host plants won’t find cabbage or kale if they’re hidden beneath hoops covered with fine-mesh fabric like wedding net (tulle) or garden fabric row cover. “Cover the plants the day they are transplanted into the garden,” advises Walliser. As long as the edges are securely tucked in, row covers will also protect plants from wind, hail, rabbits and deer. Hoe briefly each day. Commit 10 minutes a day to hoeing. While slicing down young weeds, hill up soil over potatoes or clean up beds ready to be replanted. Look out for small problems to correct before they become big ones. No more misplaced tools. Time is often wasted searching for lost weeders,

pruning shears and other hand tools, which are easier to keep track of when painted in bright colors or marked with colored tape. Jabbour uses a tool stash basket placed at the garden entrance. Stop to smell the flowers. Use moments saved to sit quietly, relax and soak up the sights, sounds and smells of the garden. Pausing to listen to the birds or watch a honeybee work a flower is part of the earned reward of any healthy garden that can’t be measured by the pound. Barbara Pleasant, the author of numerous green thumb books, including Starter Vegetable Gardens: 24 No-Fail Plans for Small Organic Gardens, grows vegetables, herbs and fruits in Floyd, Virginia. Connect at BarbaraPleasant.com.

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April 2015

healthykids

EARTH IN PERIL Children Confront Climate Change by Avery Mack

nounced that last year was the hottest in 135 years of recordkeeping, with rising ocean temperatures driving the global heat index. Nine of the 10 hottest years have occurred since 2000. The odds of this taking place randomly are about 650 million to 1, especially without an El Nino influence, according to University of South Carolina statistician John Grego. “The globe is warmer than it has been in the last 100 years,” says climate scientist Jennifer Francis, Ph.D., of Rutgers University, in New Jersey. “Any wisps of doubt that human activities are at fault are now gone with the wind.”

At Sea

“We do more damage to the planet than we think.” ~ Peri, age 9

We only have them from inheriting what his month, Home Box Office (HBO), one home. If we they believe is a dying in collaboration with planet in desperate need of New York City’s American mess this one up, healing. Museum of Natural History, where do we will air the new documenIn the Atmosphere go next? tary, Saving My Tomorrow. “We need to know the Scientists representing truth, because adults ~Hippocrates, age 8 clearly aren’t doing enough the museum discuss how temperature change affects to stop this.” ~Zoe, age 12 life on Planet Earth, but the majority of voices are those of children. Their words The National Oceanic and Atmospheric cry out for universal action to prevent Administration and NASA recently an-

IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER!

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Toledo/Monroe edition

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In the same 100 years, sea levels have risen seven inches, mostly due to expansion as the water warms. “We have over 2 million preserved fish in our collection. We study them to see the effect of temperature change,” says Melanie Stiassny, Ph.D., curator of ichthyology at the museum. “The mummichog fish is less than an inch long. It’s a bottom feeder and that’s where pollution like mercury lies. When the water is warm, fish eat more and mercury is stored in their bodies.” The contaminants move up the food chain, bringing the effects of pollution to our dinner table. A 2006 study by Nicola Beaumont,

Ph.D., with the Plymouth Marine Laboratory UK, found that 29 percent of the oceans’ edible fish and seafood species have declined by 90 percent in the past 100 years. The international team of ecologists and economists led by Boris Worm, Ph.D., of Dalhousie University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, predict total saltwater fish extinction by 2048 due to overfishing, pollution, habitat loss and climate change. Rising ocean acidity due to absorption of increasing carbon dioxide and other emissions from burning fossil fuels impacts creatures large and small, like dissolving the shell of the tiny sea butterfly, a vital link in the ocean’s food chain. Americans currently consume 4.5 billion pounds of seafood each year.

living longer and migrating to higher altitudes to kill more trees. Forest fires follow the dry timber line.

All Are Needed

“I don’t have time to grow up before becoming an activist.” ~Ta’Kaiya, age 12

on ecology, the environment, global warming and climate change. Disasters are instant news, constantly streaming through digital media. Kids are aware that they need adults to work with them to keep Earth habitable.

“Get your parents involved.” ~Teakahla, age 11

HBO will air all four parts of Saving My Tomorrow starting Apr. 22. Check local listings—and watch as a family. See Tinyurl.com/SavingMyTomorrow.

Children are more informed now than ever before. Schools offer classes

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

Members receive multiple choices in the following fields:

On Land

“Each species was put here for a reason. We are the caretakers.” ~a youth at a climate rally Scientists look back to look ahead. Henry David Thoreau fell in love with the wilderness around Concord, Massachusetts, 160 years ago. From his renowned journals, scientists know when flowers like the pink lady slipper (Cypripedium acaule), bird’s-foot violets (Viola pedata) or golden ragworts (Packera aurea) used to bloom. Today, with temperatures six degrees Fahrenheit warmer than in Thoreau’s time, these species now bloom two weeks earlier. The Canada lily (Lilium canadense), plentiful before, is now rare, unable to adapt to the new reality. Paul Sweet, collections manager of the museum’s ornithology department, studies “skins” (stuffed birds). He says, “The skins show us how birds lived years ago.” In just the past 100 years, bird species that have gone extinct range from the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) to the onceabundant passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) and Carolina parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis). In Colorado, 70 percent of the lodgepole pines have been lost, with pines in other states also in trouble. Pine beetles feed on the pines. Historically, winter brings death to both the beetles and weakened trees, which fall to feed a renewed forest. Due to warmer temperatures, the beetles are

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27121 Oakmead Dr., Suite C Perrysburg, OH 43551 Phone 419-897-6490 Fax 419-874-3512 Please visit faircare4all.com to learn how easy health care should be and put to use the smartest plan yet.

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Laboratory Physical Therapy X-Ray / CT Scan / MRI Alternative to Emergency Room Care Physician House Calls Ultrasound Discount Prescriptions Compounding General Surgery Family Practice Orthopedics Durable Medical Equipment In-Home Health Care Counseling Supplements Chiropractic

April 2015

earthdayevents

Walk for Water Toledo 2015 April 19, 1 to 4 p.m. University of Toledo, Centennial Mall, 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo. Fundraising 5K Walk/Run to increase awareness of the worldwide lack of access to clean water.

EARTH

DAY 2015

Green Science at Imagination Station April 21 through 26, 10 a.m-5 p.m. Imagination Station, One Discovery Way, Toledo.

by Julianne Hale

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Find new uses for old items and earn your green thumb by digging in our unconventional garden.

Hope for Our Future

hen we learn about the condition of our most valuable resource—this spinning planet we call home—we may feel a sense of urgency, desperation or even defeat. Global climate change is a powerful foe, and current efforts may seem like a losing race against time. Yet, mounting evidence suggests that the global community is making progress, giving rise to the possibility that climate change may not be the insurmountable obstacle we once thought. The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) article, “We Can Do This: 10 Reasons there’s Hope for our Climate,” by Dan Upham, summarizes a speech given by EDF President Fred Krupp at the 2014 Aspen Ideas Festival (Tinyurl. com/HopeForTheClimate). Here are some encouraging highlights. The price of solar energy panels has dropped by 75 percent in the U.S. since 2008, and affordable wind energy is increasingly available. According to a study published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, carbon dioxide emissions from energy in this country dropped by 10 percent between 2005 and 2012. In addition, China, the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases, is actively seeking ways to reduce emissions. Proof of progress is also found in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan to cut billions of tons of pollution, a goal supported by two-thirds of Americans, according to a survey conducted by Harstad Strategic Research. Aligned with this, the government is requiring that manufacturers double automobile fuel mileage by 2025.

Toledo/Monroe edition

Perhaps the best argument for hope reflects the priorities of America’s younger generations. A recent bipartisan poll of young voters conducted by Benenson Strategy Group and GS Strategy Group suggests that 80 percent of voters under the age of 35 support the president taking action to address climate change, making it an issue that both major political parties must take seriously. It’s time to realize that mankind is making decided progress, that the majority of us do care, that what local communities accomplish has a positive effect and that the global community can take the steps needed to avert catastrophic climate change. Become a part of the solution by attending one or more of the community events listed here. Refer to Calendar of events in back of issue for reservation details and costs. Wastewater Treatment Becoming Resource Recovery Plants lecture April 14, 7:30 to 9 p.m. Lourdes U, The Franciscan Center, 6832 Convent Blvd., Sylvania. Featured speaker Michael N. Maringer, manager of municipal development at Quasar, in Wooster. Rediscover the MetroParks April 17, 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Lourdes U, The Franciscan Center, 6832 Convent Blvd., Sylvania. Presentations on new land acquisitions, gardening incentives and volunteer opportunities.

NaturalAwakeningsToledo.com

Earth Day Celebration April 22, 5:30 p.m. Wildwood Metropark, Oak Openings Preserve, 5100 W. Central Ave., Toledo. Learn how to protect our local natural resources with family-friendly land stewardship projects and a guided nature walk highlighting the incredible biodiversity of the Oak Openings region. 10th Annual Monroe County Earth Day Expo 2015 April 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. MBT Expo Center, Monroe County Fairgrounds, 3775 S, Custer Rd,, Monroe, MI. “Healthy Planet, Healthy You” is this year’s theme, which emphasizes buying and living locally. Climate Hope Through Local Foods April 27, 6:30 to 8 p.m. 577 Foundation, 577 E. Front St., Perrysburg. Learn how soil quality and locally grown, organic and non-GMO foods are related to responsible environmental behaviors and human health.

calendarofevents

SUNDAY, APRIL 12

Visit our website to enter calendar items – NaturalAwakeningsToledo.com. You will receive a confirmation email when your event has been approved and posted online, usually within 24 hours. Events submitted by the 10th and meet our criteria will be added to the print magazine as space permits.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 Spring Break Day Camp-Fostoria – (April 1-2) – 9am-4pm. Girl Scouts 2-day camp, geared toward girls in Kindergarten-Fifth grade. Come play games, sing songs, help the planet and make new friends. $20/2-day. Fruth Outdoor Ctr, 10130 West St, Route 18, Fostoria OH. More Info Lauren Light 567-2253560 or laurenlight@gswo.org. How to Interpret Your Blood Tests – 7-9pm. Jay Nielsen, MD, gives this lecture on nutritional and complementary medicine with slides, interrupted by questions, heckling and controversy. Free. Nova Faith Church, 5105 Glendale Ave, Ste G, in Kroger Plaza just off Reynolds Rd.

MONDAY, APRIL 6 Essential Oils 101 – 6:15-8:15pm. For people who are just getting acquainted with using essential oils for a healthier life. Learn the who, what, when, where, why and how of oils for a multitude of health and wellness concerns. Food and beverage available but not included. Free. Charlie’s Greek Restaurant, Meeting Room, 6945 W Central Ave, Toledo OH. Please RSVP Jackie Goff 419-304-8408.

TUESDAY, APRIL 7 Community Health and Wellness Group – 11:30am-1pm. Penny Saks, Biomat Distributor, will be speaking about the healing and therapeutic properties of the Amethyst Crystal Biomat. $12 (includes Mediterranean style lunch). The Grape Leaf, 909 S McCord Rd Holland OH. Bio-Identical Hormone Restoration lecture – 6:308:30pm. Matt Buderer, R.Ph., FIACP, Compounding Pharmacist will discuss the biochemistry and balance of hormones in the male and female bodies. Topics include estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol and stress. Free. Buderer Drug, 26611 N Dixie Hwy #119, Perrysburg OH. Seating is limited. Please call 419-873-2800 to reserve a seat. Basics of Essential Oils for Healing – 7-8pm. Learn how to use oils for a variety of health, emotional and physical issues which can benefit both adults and children. Free. New Beginnings Healing Ctr, 202 N McCord, Toledo OH. Please RSVP 419-861-7786 or visit NBHCToledo.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8 Take Back Your Health Care with the Use of DoTerra Essential Oils – 1-2pm and 6-7pm. Free. Visions Salon and Spa, 110 E.S. Boundary. Perrysburg OH. RSVP to Visions Salon 419-874-1986.

THURSDAY, APRIL 9 Learn about Physical Rehab at CPW! – 12-1pm. We will have a panel consisting of CPW’s therapists. They will provide information on the different aspects of physical rehab. Diane Crawford, therapist at CPW, will be able answer all of your questions and

more! Free. Lunch is provided. Call 419-841-9622 to sign up. CPW Health Center, 3130 Central Park West Dr., Ste A.,Toledo OH. Consult with Sandy Brown, Psychic Medium – 5:30-8pm. Let Sandy help you answer questions and guide you with her unique skills. $20/15 mins, $40/30 mins. New Beginnings Healing Ctr, 202 N McCord, Toledo OH. RSVP 419-861-7786 or visit SandyBrownPsychic.com or NBHCToledo.com. Women’s Self-Defense Seminar at MCCC – 7-9pm. Learn to recognize threatening situations, methods of responding to them and how to mentally and emotionally gather the confidence that you need to survive an attack. $29/adults, $14.50/senior citizens. Monroe County Community College, 1555 S Raisinville Rd. Monroe MI. Register at MonroeCCC.edu/CCS/Lifelong.htm or call Mary Lunn 734-384-4330 or e-mail MLunn@MonroeCCC.edu.

SATURDAY, APRIL 11 Breast Cancer Survivorship Conference – 8:30am-2pm. The Lucas County Breast Health Coalition hosts this event, which features educational sessions on yoga, nutrition, intimacy and cancer, and financial needs. Guest Speaker Molly McDonald discusses My Winged Victory. Space is limited to 100 attendees. $10. Lourdes University, Franciscan Ctr, 6832 Convent Blvd, Sylvania OH. Pre-registration required by 4/6/15. Contact Center for Health and Successful Living 419-530-5199. Healthy Monroe Strides 5K Walk/Run – Starts 9am. Scheduled in conjunction with Celebrate Public Health Week, this event is sponsored by the Live Well, Be Well committee at Monroe County Health Dept and the Monroe Milers Running Club. There will be T-shirts, refreshments and door prizes (t-shirts not guaranteed for late registrants). $20/adults, $10/kids 17 and under if registered before 3/27/15; $25/adults, $15/kids 17 and under if registered after that date. Sterling State Park, 2800 State Park Rd, Monroe MI. Registration form at co.monroe.mi.us/government/ departments_offices/public_health/docs/Registration_Form_FINAL.pdf. More Info Maura Barrett 734-240-7867 or LiveWell_BeWell@monroemi.org. Literacy in the Park – 10am-1pm. Featuring Laura Numeroff, author of If You Give a Moose a Muffin, this event will have literacy-based activities for the entire family, new exciting booths and activities, prizes, crafts, goodie bags with an autographed book by Laura and snacks. Please Pre-register at Tinyurl.com/LiteracyInThePark. Stroh Center, 1535 E Wooster St, Bowling Green OH. Baby Massage – 1-3pm. Massage therapist Pamela Rezk will teach how to soothe, stimulate and bond with your baby. Bring a blanket and your baby. Both parents are welcome. Space is limited; call to reserve a spot. $40. New Beginnings Healing Ctr, 202 N McCord, Toledo OH. RSVP 419-861-7786 or NBHCToledo.com.

Find Out Where You Came From – 1-4pm. RootsMagic workshop. This Learning About Your Past series is sponsored by RootsMagic Inc. and is an 11part series held from Jan. thru Nov 2015. All topics range from starting genealogy research to publishing your own family history. Free. Rutherford B Hayes Presidential Ctr, 1 Spiegel Grove, Fremont OH. Preregistration requested at 419-332-2081, Ext. 231 or e-mail BHill@RBHayes.org.

MONDAY, APRIL 13 Gluten Free Baking Class – 1-3pm OR 5:307:30pm. Donna Lark-Weiner leads these classes on exploring the world of gluten-free cooking and baking. Leave with a GF bread mix to try your own creation. Class is limited to 12. $20. 577 Foundation, 577 E Front St, Perrysburg OH. Register at 577Foundation.org/Take A Class. Healthcare the Natural Way – 2-3pm. Discussion of testimonials on success of essential oil usage. Join us for this informative class/discussion. Free. Panera Bread, Spring Meadows Airport Hwy. RSVP Lynn Lehnert 419-304-5522. Essential Oils: Boost Your Immune System and Medicine Cabinet Makeover – 6:15-8:15pm. Focus is on getting and staying healthy with essential oils, and how toxins affect our immune system. Learn how oils can replace most over-the-counter products found in your medicine cabinet. No prior experience with oils is required. Food and beverage available but not included. Free. Charlie’s Greek Restaurant, Meeting Room, 6945 W Central Ave, Toledo OH. Please RSVP Jackie Goff 419-304-8408. Share the gift of doTerra – 7-8:30pm. Essential Connection Monthly Team Banquet. This time is set aside each month for training, food, fellowship and recognition! We will be discussing the benefits of the Aromatouch Technique and how to give an AromaTouch hand technique so bring your favorite oil to practice! Free. Charlie’s Restaurant, 1631 Toll Gate Dr, Maumee OH. RSVP Karla 419-265-3219 or EssentialConnection@yahoo.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 14 Immune Support Class – 5-6pm. The Rehabilitation Specialists conduct classes on the 2nd Thursday of each month on flu prevention and care. Participants are also taught to perform the thoracic pump, a hands-on procedure that can stimulate the immune system’s ability to fight off disease. Free. Center for Progressive Health & Wellness, 975 S Monroe St, Ste C, Monroe MI. More info call 734-241-0560. Wastewater Treatment Becoming Resource Recovery Plants lecture – 7:30-9pm. Science Alliance for Valuing the Environment Inc. (S.A.V.E.) is offering this free public lecture with Speaker Michael N. Maringer, Mgr of Municipal Development at Quasar in Wooster. Free. Lourdes U, The Franciscan Ctr, 6832 Convent Blvd, Sylvania OH. More Info contact Sr. Rosine Sobczak OSF 419-824-3691 or rsobczak@lourdes.edu.

THURSDAY, APRIL 16 Beyond the Family Physician Kit – 6:30-7:30pm. Jill Barnes, doTerra Silver Wellness Advocate will present. doTerra essential oils can empower you to take care of your family in infinite ways on a daily basis. Jill will introduce you to some of her favorites oils. Zyto Scans will be available for $5. Free. RSVP

natural awakenings

April 2015

Jill 419-410-6395 or CPW 419-841-9622. CPW Health Center, 3130 Central Park West Dr., Ste A.,Toledo OH.

tion Station, One Discovery Way, Toledo OH. More Info 419-244-2674 or ImaginationStationToledo.org.

Garden Prep – 6-8pm. Sister Rita Wienken leads this class which is suitable for either new or experienced gardeners. Learn the ABC’s of planning your garden, preparing your garden, alternatives to compost for soil building material, etc. Class is limited to 30. $10. 577 Foundation, 577 E Front St, Perrysburg OH. Register at 577Foundation.org/Take A Class.

Essential oils 101 - 5-6:30pm. What is all this essential oil hoopla that everyone is talking about? Free. 3546 Stillwater Blvd, Maumee, OH. RSVP Patti 419-7796310 or natorgeo@buckeye-express.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 17 Rediscover the MetroParks – 11:15am-12:45pm. Presentations will be on various topics, from new land acquisitions, gardening incentives to volunteer opportunities. Lunch of soup, sandwiches and dessert. Reservations are strongly encouraged by April 10th. $10/members, $15/non-members. Lourdes U, The Franciscan Ctr, 6832 Convent Blvd, Sylvania OH. More Info 419-824-3999.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18 Spring Yoga Retreat – 9am-1pm. Zen in the District is hosting this retreat, with yoga for all levels, break out sessions, guided meditation and a light lunch. The event will be benefitting Toledo Streets and Toledo SeaGate Foodbank. Sunrise Park and Banquet Ctr, 1460 Woodville Rd, Millbury OH. More details at ZenInTheDistrict.com. Find Out Where You Came From – 9:30-11:30am. Topic is Ancestry.com and Paid the Genealogical Websites. This Learning About Your Past series is sponsored by RootsMagic Inc. and is an 11-part series held from Jan. thru Nov 2015. All topics range from starting genealogy research to publishing your own family history. $10/adults, $5/students thru high school. Rutherford B Hayes Presidential Ctr, 1 Spiegel Grove, Fremont OH. Pre-registration requested at 419-3322081, Ext. 231 or e-mail BHill@RBHayes.org.

SUNDAY, APRIL 19 Walk for Water Toledo 2015 – 1-4pm. This fundraising 5K Walk/Run is to increase awareness of the worldwide lack of access to clean water. Walkers are encouraged to carry jugs filled with water (to simulate the work women and children in developing countries do every day to obtain water). There will also be a water-carrying competition, and participants can carry as much water as possible (but no backpacks and no wheels). $15/adults, $10/students, $8/t-shirts. University of Toledo, Centennial Mall, 2801 W Bancroft St, Toledo OH. More info and registration contact Lucy Hosenfeld lhosenfeld@outlook.com. Garden Diseases – 2-4pm. Leader Vicki Gallagher will teach you to identify, combat and cure common plant diseases in your fruits, veggies and flowers. This class counts toward master gardener certification. Class is limited to 30. $20. 577 Foundation, 577 E Front St, Perrysburg OH. Register at 577Foundation.org/Take A Class. Consult with Sandy Brown, Psychic Medium – 4-8pm. Let Sandy help you answer questions and guide you with her unique skills. $20/15 mins, $40/30 mins. New Beginnings Healing Ctr, 202 N McCord, Toledo OH. RSVP 419-861-7786 or visit SandyBrownPsychic.com or NBHCToledo.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 21 Green Science at Imagination Station – (Apr 21-26 2015) – 10am-5pm. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Find new uses for old items, and earn your green thumb by digging in our unconventional garden. Imagina-

Toledo/Monroe edition

Herbal Tea Tasting and Making – 6-7:30pm. This is a fun and experimental class in tea making. Learn the medicinal qualities of each tea blend and proper brewing procedures. Each participant will craft their favorite tea from the ingredients available. Class is limited to 10. $25. Moving Into Freedom LLC, 3450 W Central Ave, Ste 320-F, Toledo OH. Reserve your spot at 734-347-1547 or e-mail MQuirogapt@ gmail.com. More info visit MovingIntoFreedom.net.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22 Earth Day Celebration – Starts 5:30pm. Learn how to protect our local natural resources with some family-friendly land stewardship projects and a guided nature walk highlighting the incredible biodiversity of the Oak Openings region. Wildwood Metropark, Oak Openings Preserve, 5100 W Central Ave, Toledo OH.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25 2015 World Tai Chi and Qigong Day – Starts 9:45am. Beginners are encouraged to come early, and wear loose attire. Performances from various area Tai Chi groups. Free and open to the public. Wildwood MetroPark, off Central Ave by the Stables, 5100 W Central Ave, Toledo OH. More info TR Statum 419-474-9056 or wtrs48@accesstoledo.com. 10th Annual Monroe County Earth Day Expo 2015 – 10am-2pm. “Healthy Planet, Healthy You” is this year’s theme, which emphasizes buying and living locally. This year will have exhibitors in the health and wellness field to promote the connection between green living and personal health. Family-friendly activities, entertainment, kid crafts and prize drawings. Free admission. MBT Expo Center, Monroe County Fairgrounds, 3775 S Custer Rd, Monroe MI. Health and Wellness Expo – 10am-6pm. With over 40 vendors, you can purchase office merchandise and discounted fitness merchandise. Univ. of Toledo, Savage Hall Sports Arena, 2801 W Bancroft St, Toledo OH. More Info e-mail expo@GlassCityMarathon.org. Spirit Circle – 1-2:30pm. Positive Perspectives host and Medium Melinda Carver leads this session. Individual appointments are available after the group session for an additional cost. Space is limited, call to reserve a spot. $35. New Beginnings Healing Ctr, 202 N McCord, Toledo OH. RSVP 419-861-7786 or visit NBHCToledo.com. Auto Immune Disease lecture – 2-4pm. Please come listen to Dr. Gary Smith speak on Auto Immune Disease with a focus on Thyroid, MS & Crohn’s disease. There will be time for questions & answers. Free. Maumee Library, 501 River Rd., Maumee OH. Questions to Dr. Gary Smith 419-902-7101.

MONDAY, APRIL 27 Essential Oils 101 – 6:15-8:15pm. For people who are just getting acquainted with using essential oils for a healthier life. Learn who, what, when, where, why and how of oils for a multitude of health and wellness concerns. Food and beverage available but not included. Free. Charlie’s Greek Restaurant, Meeting Room, 6945 W Central Ave, Toledo OH. Please RSVP Jackie Goff 419-304-8408. Climate Hope Through Local Foods – 6:30-8pm.

NaturalAwakeningsToledo.com

Learn how soil quality and locally grown, organic and non-GMO foods are related to responsible environmental behaviors and human health. Presenters Jodi Haney, BGSU and Xcite Learning with Sam Evans, Maumee High School. Class is limited to 25. $10. 577 Foundation, 577 E Front St, Perrysburg OH. Register at 577Foundation.org/Take A Class.

TUESDAY, APRIL 28 Sustain Your Brain – 6:30-8pm. Lecture by Lynn Ritter, educator for NWO Alzheimer’s Association. Free and open to the public. Bring friends and family. Center at Alternative Physical Therapy, 440 S Reynolds Rd, Ste D, Toledo OH. More info 419-578-4357. Make Over Your Cleaning Cabinet - 8:30-9:15pm. It might surprise you to know you can make simple and inexpensive non-toxic cleaners from essential oils and ingredients already in your home. Free. Learn how you can ditch the rubber gloves and join us from the comfort of your own home to learn how to make your own cleaning products for a true “green cleaning” experience. To register for this FREE webinar go to the following link: anymeeting.com/ PIID=EB57DF80894E3F.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 Community Health Fair – 8-11am. Sponsored by St. Luke’s Hospital Health Connection and The Lakes of Monclova. Promedica St. Luke’s Hospital, Auditorium and Classrooms, 5901 Monclova Rd, Maumee OH. More Info 419-893-5911. Tap Away Stress and Anxiety – 6-7pm. Learn about EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques, an effective, holistic, self-soothing acupressure tool for people of all ages. Free. Tapp Toledo, 6635 W Central Ave, Toledo OH. Register with Cindy Baker 419-3760844 or e-mail CindyBaker001@gmail.com or visit TappToledo.com.

savethedate

Intuitives Interactive Spring Holistic Psychhic Fair

Saturday, April 11, 10am-6pm

Intuitive readers, tarot & angel cards, aura photography, energy workers, metaphysical products. Free presentations: Love Astrology, Sound Healing, Mediumship Gallery Reading. Flower Essences, Psychic Awareness. $10/ admission, $30/20-min reading. Washtenaw Community College, Morris Lawrence Bldg, (US23 exit 37A-Ypsi), Ann Arbor MI. More info at IntuitivesInteractive.com

savethedate

Aromatouch Technique Training Saturday, May 2, 9am-4pm

The AromaTouch Technique incorporates simple hand techniques with the power of essential oils to create a powerful whole body wellness experience. Open to the public. Registration fee is $149.00. Healing Arts Institute, Perrysburg,OH. To register and for more information visit Eventbrite.com/e/aromatouchtechnique-training-tickets-16165910674.

ongoingevents sunday Spirituality Gathering Without the Religion – Starts 9am. The Center for Conscious Living promotes human unity, service to community, meditation, prayer and interfaith alliances. Each gathering begins with stimulating spiritual discussions, followed by live music and speakers that are both locally and internationally known. The Center for Conscious Living, 7410 Noward Rd (off Rte 64), Waterville OH. More Info call 419-873-5768 or visit Facebook.com/cclnwo.org. Hot YogAlign – All Levels: 9:30-10:45am. Level II: 11am-12:15pm. Postural-based yoga classes that focus on enhancing natural body alignment thru specialized techniques that release tension and increase strength, stability and flexibility. Level tailored to participant; see website for prerequisites. Please bring water bottle. $15/drop-in. Free mat/ towel rental and cooling lavender face cloth offered 1st class. 29101 Hufford Rd, Graystone Hall Rm 103, Perrysburg OH. 419-345-0885. Register at HotYogaWithJoe.com. Adult Art Class – 2-3:30pm. Projects include naturescapes, group cooperative art, gem trees, dream boards/boxes, jewelry-making, herbs and more. The same class will be offered on Sunday and Tuesday. $10/week. New Beginnings Healing Ctr, 202 N McCord, Toledo OH. All classes are pre-registration and pre-pay (click on gift cert tab) at NBHCToledo. com or 419-861-7786.

monday Reserve Your BioMat Time – It’s as close to a tropical island experience that you can get. You’ll receive a total body tune-up, strengthening all organs and functions. Try 30 mins on the BioMat with meditation. $30. 5800 Monroe St., Bldg A, Sylvania OH. Schedule an appointment with Pennie 419-283-7337. https://BioMatHelp.com. Monthly Memorial Ceremony – 3rd Mon. A gathering for those that have lost a beloved pet and want to remember them and share their memory with other pet lovers. Please bring a picture of your pet. Free. Canine Karma, 6128 Merger Dr, Holland OH. RSVP: 419-290-8237. Fitness After 55 – 9am. Every Monday. The Center provides the setting for seniors to communicate and share with each other. Living alone, eating alone, being alone – these circumstances are not necessary in a community which has a Senior Citizens Program like Bedford’s. Bedford Senior Citizens Center, 1653 Samaria Rd, Temperance MI. Call for Info 734-856-3330. Hot YogAlign – All Levels: 9:30-10:45am and 6-7:15pm. Postural-based yoga classes that focus on enhancing natural body alignment thru specialized techniques that release tension and increase strength, stability and flexibility. Level tailored to participant; see website for prerequisites. Please bring water bottle. $15/drop-in. Free mat/towel rental and cooling lavender face cloth offered 1st class. 29101 Hufford Rd, Graystone Hall Rm 103, Perrysburg OH. 419-345-0885. Register at HotYogaWithJoe.com.

Yoga-Connecting Within – 11am-12:15pm. With Sandy Earl. Awaken the true connection between body, mind and spirit by incorporating the practice of yoga into a lifestyle. Come and experience the many benefits yoga offers. All levels welcome. $15/ drop-in. Presence Yoga at Westgate Village Office Bldg, 3450 W Central Ave, Ste 320F, Toledo OH. 419-351-7409. SandyEarl_Rower@hotmail.com. I Love Kickboxing! – 5:15-6:15pm. Come and join us for some kickboxing fun! Find out what it’s all about. $19.99/3 classes. I Love Kickboxing, 4185 Chappel Dr, Perrysburg OH. More dates, classes on our website. Sign up on ILoveKickboxing.com or More info 419-931-6435. Gentle Yoga Class – 5:45-6:45pm. Ideal for individuals with health or mobility issues. Space is limited to 9 students. $100/10 classes, $60/5 classes, $15/drop-in. New Beginnings Healing Ctr, 202 N McCord, Toledo OH. All classes pre-registration and pre-pay (click on gift cert tab) at NBHCToledo.com or 419-861-7786. Building Strong Adolescents – (Mondays Mar 9-Apr 13 2015) – 6:30-8:30pm. This 6-wk parenting program is offered by Michigan State Univ Extension, and is geared toward parents and caregivers of young people ages 9-16. Topics include teen development, setting limits, using consequences, building independence and encouraging self-esteem, school success and positive friendships. Talking about difficult subjects like alcohol, drugs and sex is also covered. $30/person OR couple. Monroe County MSU Extension Service, 963 S Raisinville Rd, Monroe MI. Pre-registration is required BY MARCH 6th call 734-240-3179.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) – 7-8:30pm. Food addicts offers help and hope for people with eating disorders. Epworth United Methodist Church, 4855 W Central Ave, Rm 206, Toledo OH. Contact Joyce Treat 419-699-1007 or jtreat@bex.net or visit foodaddicts.org. Hot Kettlebells – 7:30-8:30pm. A 60-minute total body workout that will tone muscles and burn fat. Be ready to sweat and get fit! Please bring water bottle. $13/drop-in. Free mat/towel rental 1st class. 29101 Hufford Rd, Graystone Hall Rm 103, Perrysburg OH. 419-345-0885. Register at HotYogaWithJoe.com. Meditation and Recovery Meeting – Starts 8pm. This class is geared toward helping persons in recovery from addiction, but is not affiliated with AA. Sessions begin with 5 minutes of silent prayer, followed by basic meditation, then 20 minutes of silent meditation. Open discussion of participants sharing (which is voluntary) how the practice has helped them in their recovery. Free. Great Heartland Buddhist Temple of Toledo, 6537 Angola Rd, Holland OH.

tuesday Reserve Your BioMat Time – It’s as close to a tropical island experience that you can get. You’ll receive a total body tune-up, strengthening all organs and functions. Try 30 mins on the BioMat with meditation. $30. 5800 Monroe St., Bldg A, Sylvania OH. Schedule an appointment with Pennie 419-2837337. https://BioMatHelp.com.

Hot YogAlign – All Levels: 9:30-10:15am. Level I: 6-7:15pm. Postural-based yoga classes that focus on enhancing natural body alignment thru specialized techniques that release tension and increase strength, stability and flexibility. Level tailored to participant; see website for prerequisites. Please bring water bottle. $15/drop-in. Free mat/towel rental and cooling lavender face cloth offered 1st class. 29101 Hufford Rd, Graystone Hall Rm 103, Perrysburg OH. 419-345-0885. Register at HotYogaWithJoe.com. Active Older Adults Class – 9:30-10:30am. Bring a friend to exercise with! $3/class. Lighthouse Landing, 4441 N Summit St, Pointe Place, Toledo OH. More Info contact Addy at Francis Family YMCA 734-850-9622. Babytime – 10-10:45am. For babies 12 months and under, Babytime teaches early literacy skills through stories, rhymes, music, etc. Free. Sylvania Branch Library, 6749 Monroe St, Sylvania OH. T’ai Chi For Health – 10:30-11:30am. Instructor Marie Criste presents a soft movement class, designed for those wanting to try t’ai chi. Each class is divided into three parts including warm up, senior form and yang form. Beginners should arrive at 10:15am. Bedford Branch Library, Bedford Community Room, 8575 Jackman Rd, Temperance MI. 734-847-6747. Monroe.Lib.Mi.Us. Arthritis Foundation Tai Chi – 12:15-1pm. Learn the ancient discipline of Tai Chi, which combines small steps, joint-safe exercise and mental strength to improve mobility, breathing, and relaxation. Will help people of all ages take control of their physical, emotional and mental health. $25/month or included in $45/month fee. CPW Rehab Center, 3130 Central Park West Dr, Ste A, Toledo OH. Call Jennifer for more info 419-841-9622. jschrickel@cpwrehab.com Take the Diabetes PATH to Better Health – (Tues, Apr 7-May 12 2015) – 1:30-4pm. This 6-week workshop is designed to help patients with diabetes to improve their health and manage their symptoms through nutrition and exercise. Participants who complete the program will receive a $25 gift card. $15. Sanctuary at Marian Place, 408 W Front St, Monroe MI. Pre-Registration required with Kristin Wilson 248-262-9226 or Kwilson@aaa1b.com. More info contact Patti Albert 734-241-2414 or albertp@trinity-health.org. Yoga with Weights – 5:30-6:30pm. Bring your own weights for this active practice that builds strong arms, cores and glutes. $10. Canine Karma, 6128 Merger Dr, Holland OH. Call to reserve a spot. 419-290-8237.

Nature always

wears the colors of the spirit. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

natural awakenings

April 2015

Adult Art Class – 6-7:30pm. Projects include naturescapes, group cooperative art, gem trees, dream boards/boxes, jewelry-making, herbs and more. The same class will be offered on Tuesday and Sunday. $10/week. New Beginnings Healing Ctr, 202 N McCord, Toledo OH. All classes are pre-registration and pre-pay (click on gift cert tab) at NBHCToledo. com or 419-861-7786.

wednesday Hot YogAlign – All Levels: 6-7:15pm. Level II: 7:30-8:45pm. Postural-based yoga classes that focus on enhancing natural body alignment thru specialized techniques that release tension and increase strength, stability and flexibility. Level tailored to participant; see website for prerequisites. Please bring water bottle. $15/drop-in. Free mat/towel rental and cooling lavender face cloth offered 1st class. 29101 Hufford Rd, Graystone Hall Rm 103, Perrysburg OH. 419-345-0885. Register at HotYogaWithJoe.com. Body Better – 12:15-1pm. The Body Better program incorporates low-impact resistance training, functional movements, stretching and relaxation to improve mental and physical strength and health. Improve balance and stability, increase postural awareness and flexibility. Get healthy and stay healthy! $45/month unlimited visits or $25/month once a week. CPW Rehab Center, 3130 Central Park West Dr, Ste A, Toledo OH. Call Jennifer for more info 419-841-9622. jschrickel@cpwrehab.com. Beginner Yoga – 1-2pm. A gentle practice for those that are new to yoga and want deep relaxation. $10. Canine Karma, 6128 Merger Dr, Holland OH. Reserve a spot. 419-290-8237. Transition-Mind Works – 1-2:30pm. (2nd Wed every month). Individuals with early stage memory loss and their family and friends can attend for social/educational opportunities, fun brain games and group sharing. Free. Alzheimer’s Association-NW Ohio Chapter, 2500 N Reynolds Rd, Toledo OH. Register 1-800-272-3900. More Info Contact Brenda Hendricks 419-537-1999 or bhendricks@alz.org. Aquatic Exercise for Survivors – 6-7pm. Free to survivors of any type of cancer through a grant received by The Victory Center from The Rotary Club of Toledo. CPW Health Ctr, 3130 Central Park West Dt, Ste A, Toledo OH. Must Register with Penny McCloskey at The Victory Center 419-531-7600. Weight Loss Support Group – 6:30-7pm. Uses various techniques to deal with the emotional aspects of weight release. $20/week, including materials. New Beginnings Healing Ctr, 202 N McCord, Toledo OH. Registration required 419-861-7786 or visit NBHCToledo.com. I Love Kickboxing! – 6:30-7:30pm. Come and join us for some kickboxing fun! Find out what it’s all about. $19.99/3 classes. I Love Kickboxing, 4185 Chappel Dr, Perrysburg OH. More dates, classes on our website. Sign up on ILoveKickboxing.com or More info 419-931-6435. Meditation class – 6:30-8pm. Anna V. moderates this guided meditation class best suited to participants who want to do serious meditation. Free. Lourdes University, Sophia Ctr, 6832 Convent Blvd, Sylvania OH. Yoga for 8-12 Year-Olds – 7-7:45pm. Children ages 8-12. Connecting minds, bodies and hearts with Di-

Toledo/Monroe edition

ane Ausmus. Through flowing sequences, balancing poses, partner poses, cooperative games, breathing exercises, creating relaxation techniques and much more. Children will gain body awareness, flexibility, strength and an open heart. Summerfield-Petersburg Branch Library, 60 E Center St, Petersburg MI. 734279-1025. Register: Calendar.Monroe.lib.mi.us.

thursday Hot YogAlign – All Levels: 9:30-10:15am. Level I: 6-7:15pm. Postural-based yoga classes that focus on enhancing natural body alignment thru specialized techniques that release tension and increase strength, stability and flexibility. Level tailored to participant; see website for prerequisites. Please bring water bottle. $15/drop-in. Free mat/towel rental and cooling lavender face cloth offered 1st class. 29101 Hufford Rd, Graystone Hall Rm 103, Perrysburg OH. 419-345-0885. Register at HotYogaWithJoe.com. Mothers’ Center of Greater Toledo Mtg – 9:4511:30am. Established in 1984 for both stay-athome and working mom’s and their families, this group meets weekly for fun, food and friendship. Reliable and safe childcare provided. Playdates, a working moms’ group and many family activities. See website for weekly mtg topics. Not affiliated with McCord Rd Church. McCord Road Christian Church, 4765 N McCord Rd, Sylvania OH. More Info at motherscenter.net. Boomer’s Meeting – Starts 11:30am. Networking and lunch for people born between 1946-1964 to discuss various areas of interest including wellness, finance, education, travel and entertainment, jobs/ employment, and community development. Boomers Resource Network Lake Erie Region. Uncle John’s Pancake House, 3131 Secor Rd, Toledo OH. More info 419-536-9442 Active Older Adults Class – 1:30-2:30pm. Bring a friend to exercise with! $3/class. Lighthouse Landing, 4441 N Summit St, Pointe Place, Toledo OH. More Info contact Addy at Francis Family YMCA 734-850-9622. Yoga-Connecting Within – 5:30-6:45pm. With Sandy Earl. Awaken the true connection between body, mind and spirit by incorporating the practice of yoga into a lifestyle. Come and experience the many benefits yoga offers. All levels welcome. $15 drop-in rate. Presence Yoga at Westgate Village Office Building, 3450 W Central Ave, Ste 320 F, Toledo OH. 419-351-7409. SandyEarl_Rower@ hotmail.com. Essential Oils 101: Learn the Basics – 6-7pm. Learn how dōTERRA’s CPTG essential oils can keep your family healthy with all-natural 100% organic oils. Free. Bob Evans, 652 Tecumseh St. Dundee, MI. RSVP Ann 419-356-5428. Zumba! – 6-7pm. Join Instructor Toni Quinn for an energizing session with a live drummer in a fantastic environment. Shake the stress away! Studio Fitness, 1413 Bernath Pkwy, Toledo OH. More Info contact Toni 419-480-7547 or e-mail toniquinnfit@ yahoo.com. Ladies Night Out-Art Exploration – 6-7:30pm. Different projects every week, such as naturescapes, group cooperative art, gem trees, dream boards/ boxes, jewelry making, herbs and more. You do not need to be artistically-inclined. Find us on Facebook for each week’s project. Light snacks, fun and laughs. $10/wk. New Beginnings Healing Ctr,

NaturalAwakeningsToledo.com

202 N McCord, Toledo OH. RSVP 419-861-7786 or visit NBHCToledo.com. Healthy Cooking Classes – 6-8pm. Our series of healthy, simple cooking classes feature an amazing green dish each week. $15. The Andersons, Sylvania Market Café, 7638 Sylvania Ave, Sylvania OH. RSVP 24 hrs in advance at 419-913-7328 or BeyondBasicsHC.com. Second Sole Group Runs – Starts 6:30pm. Free group runs or walks for all skill levels on a 5K course that winds down the blvd and around the exterior of Levis Commons. Different promos each week such as freebies, prize raffles and wear test items. Second Sole, 4130 Levis Commons Blvd, Perrysburg OH. More info call 419-931-8484 or Facebook.com/ Second Sole Toledo. Pet Loss Support Group – (1st & 3rd Thurs. each month) Starts 6:30pm. Participants grieving a beloved pet will have an opportunity to share their feelings with compassionate facilitators and others who are suffering a similar experience. All are welcome. River House-IHM Spirituality Ctr, 805 W Elm Ave, Monroe MI. Please register at 734-240-5494 or RiverHouse@IHMSisters.org. “Let’s Talk About” Series – 7-8:30pm. Weekly informal discussions with Andrea Mondine about everything from health/wellness, better food choices, environmental toxins and natural cures. $15/session. New Beginnings Healing Ctr, 202 N McCord, Toledo OH. RSVP RedRoadReiki.com or 419-932-5096 or 419-861-7786. Visit NBHCToledo. com for each weekly topic and more info. Hot Kettlebells – 7:30-8:30pm. A 60-minute total body workout that will tone muscles and burn fat. Be ready to sweat and get fit! Please bring water bottle. $13/drop-in. Free mat/towel rental 1st class. 29101 Hufford Rd, Graystone Hall Rm 103, Perrysburg OH. 419-345-0885. Register at HotYogaWithJoe.com.

friday Qigong – 7-7:30am. With Jen Lake. Driven Fitness Studio, 819 Kingsbury St, Ste 102, Maumee OH. First class free. To register or for more info. DrivenFitnessStudio.com. Hot YogAlign – All Levels: 9:30-10:15am. Posturalbased yoga classes that focus on enhancing natural body alignment thru specialized techniques that release tension and increase strength, stability and flexibility. Level tailored to participant; see website for prerequisites. Please bring water bottle. $15/ drop-in. Free mat/towel rental and cooling lavender face cloth offered 1st class. 29101 Hufford Rd, Graystone Hall Rm 103, Perrysburg OH. 419-345-0885. Register at HotYogaWithJoe.com. T’ai Chi – 1pm. Join in the Chinese martial art that combines controlled movements with deep breathing. T’ai chi provides health benefits that include reducing stress, lessening chronic pain, and improving the immune system. In addition, balance and blood pressure often show improvements. Monroe Center for Healthy Aging, 15275 S Dixie Hwy, Monroe MI. 734-241-0404. Yoga for Kids – 4-5pm. Now signing up children in age groups 4-9 and 10-16. A five-week yoga class to teach children fun ways to manage stress and anxiety. Instructor: Jennifer Dubow, LISW, Clinical Therapist, Certified Child Yoga Instructor. $20/class, $100 total for five weeks, can bill insurance. 3335

natural awakenings

April 2015

Meijer Dr Ste 450, Toledo OH. Call for class dates and times. 419-699-3659. JenniferDubow@bex.net.

saturday Hot YogAlign – All Levels: 9:30-10:45am. Posturalbased yoga classes that focus on enhancing natural body alignment thru specialized techniques that release tension and increase strength, stability and flexibility. Level tailored to participant; see website for prerequisites. Please bring water bottle. $15/ drop-in. Free mat/towel rental and cooling lavender face cloth offered 1st class. 29101 Hufford Rd, Graystone Hall Rm 103, Perrysburg OH. 419-345-0885. Register at HotYogaWithJoe.com. Essential Oils 101: Learn the Basics – 10-11am. Learn how dōTERRA’s CPTG essential oils can keep your family healthy with all-natural 100% organic oils. Free. Barry Bagel’s, 3366 Sterns Rd, Lambertville MI. RSVP Ann 419-356-5428. I Love Kickboxing! – 10-11am. Come and join us for some kickboxing fun! Find out what it’s all about. $19.99/3 classes. I Love Kickboxing, 4185 Chappel Dr, Perrysburg OH. More dates, classes on our website. Sign up on ILoveKickboxing.com or More info 419-931-6435. Hot Kettlebells – 11am-noon. A 60-minute total body workout that will tone muscles and burn fat. Be ready to sweat and get fit! Please bring water bottle. $13/drop-in. Free mat/towel rental 1st class. 29101 Hufford Rd, Graystone Hall Rm 103, Perrysburg OH. 419-345-0885. Register at HotYogaWithJoe.com. Free Unheated Community YogAlign Class – 12:30pm-1:45pm. Find out what YogAlign is without the concern of practicing in the heat. This Level I class is taught by our apprentice teachers. Class is limited to 18. Please bring water bottle and yoga mat. $2/rent a mat. 29101 Hufford Rd, Graystone Hall Room 103, Perrysburg OH. 419-345-0885. Please Pre-register at HotYogaWithJoe.com. Uncork The Artist – 7-10pm. Painting parties with a twist. Classes for both adults and kids. Register thru website and see the painting to be created each evening. All art supplies provided. Uncork the Artist, 5228 Monroe St, Toledo OH. 419-283-2484. Much more Info at UncorkTheArtist.com.

classifieds Fee for classifieds is $1 per word per month. To place listing, email content to Publisher@NA-Toledo.com. Deadline is the 10th of the month.

OPPORTUNITIES NATURAL WAX CANDLE COMPANY LOOKING FOR DISTRIBUTORS. Get your candles at wholesale! Contact me at 419-519-0588 or WhatsTheScents.biz.

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

CHIROPRACTOR TURNING POINT CHIROPRACTIC 353 Elm Street, Suite B Perrysburg, OH 43551 419-874-4840 MyTurningPointChiro.com

Jeff and Rachel Elmore are Upper Cervical Chiropractors focusing on helping patients achieve wellness using a procedure that does not involve twisting, popping or cracking of the neck. Ideal patients at TPC are families who are seeking a more holistic lifestyle.

Debra Wilkins, LMT, CLT, Reiki Master 8336 Monroe Rd, Lambertville, MI (Olde Schoolhouse Commons) 419-260-1811 Debra has over 8 years experience in her field. Detoxifying mind, body and spirit she offers Lymphatic cleansing, Reiki, manual and medicupping Massage, auricular acupuncture and BioMat sessions. BioMat, doTerra and Crystalsynergy representative.

ESSENTIAL OILS ESSENTIAL CONNECTION, LTD.

Karla Gleason, dōTERRA IPC #224532 Aromatouch Technique Certified Maumee, OH 43537 419-265-3219 Gleason.Karla@gmail.com Essential-Connection.MyOilProducts.com Looking for answers to your health problems? dōTERRA CPTG essential oils are nature’s perfect health solution! Essential oils offer a safe, effective and versatile solution to a tremendous range of health concerns. Contact Karla for a FREE Wellness Consultation today! See ad page 15.

SERVICES

Toledo/Monroe edition

Jackie Goff, Young Living ID#2128898 Essential Oil Educator Toledo, OH 43623 419-304-8408 JGoffSylvania@aol.com Find out what everyone is talking about! In 2014, over 500,000 people discovered the significant benefits of therapeutic grade essential oils for health and wellness. Essential oils can improve the quality of your physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Contact Jackie for schedule of upcoming (FREE!) classes including Oils 101, Bye Bye Blues, Immune Boosting and more. Come and learn!

LYMPHATIC WELLNESS, LLC

HEALING AND WELLNESS FOR MIND BODY SPIRIT - Reiki, Healing Touch, Meditation, Ear Candling, Mindfulness, Personal Coaching, Crystal Therapy, Chakra Balancing, Pain Relief, Individual Counseling. Caring Alternatives 734242-8711.

OIL UP TOLEDO!

NaturalAwakeningsToledo.com

FITNESS POSITIVELY FIT

Maryellen Grogan, CPT, MES 108 E Dudley, Maumee, OH 43537 419-893-5105 Studio Getting Fit is Not “One-Size-FitsAll.” Everyone Is Unique. Exercise needs, nutrition needs and goals are unique for each person. We take individuality into account and build a complete fitness program that’s right for you. To become “Positively Fit,” all elements of fitness and health must be in balance. See ad page 21.

Positively Fit

• Personal Training • Strength Training & Conditioning • Complete Body Wellness

HEALTH AND WELLNESS MARK S. NEUMANN, D.O.

1715 W Dean Rd, Ste B, Temperance, MI 734-847-4700 419-474-4700 corner of Dean & Jackman Rds DrMarkNeumann.com Graduate, 1981 from Palmer Chiropractic College and 1996 from Des Moines School of Osteopathic Medicine. He is also fellowship trained in Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement. Dr. Neumann states, “Our goal is to increase people’s quality and quantity of life.” In addition, the office offers weight loss programs, deep tissue laser therapy, hormone replacement and laser hair removal. See ad page 11.

SENSORY LEARNING PROGRAM – TOLEDO 3454 Oak Alley Court Suite 209 Toledo, OH 43606 419-578-0057 SensoryLearning-Toledo.com Dr. Jeffrey G. Schmakel, O.D. Director

NUTRITION NUTRI-HEALTH

MASSAGE THERAPY REHABILITATIVE MASSAGE THERAPY Christy Smalla, LMT Enhancing Mobility and Mind 5800 Monroe St. Building A, Sylvania, OH 419-480-7950 WMMRehabMassage@gmail.com

What is Kinesiology? The study of the principles of mechanics and anatomy in relation to human movement. Our Therapists specialize in Fitness, Nutrition, Mobility, Chronic Pain and Injury. So come on in, ask questions, and don't just feel better; MOVE better! See ad page 21.

Lisa Kelly PT, CSCI 440 South Reynolds Rd, Ste D, Toledo, OH 419-578-4357 • 419-578-6918 fax AlternativePhysicalTherapy.com

Feeling out of balance? Wonder how the body responds to stress? Discover the blueprint for the body’s metabolism through hair mineral analysis. Helping clients achieve better health through nutrition and supplementation with over 40 years of experience. See ad page 21.

Lisa Kelly is a Physical Therapist and a Maumee native. She has over 36 years of experience and specializes in mobilizations, aquatic therapy and advanced Neurological rehabilitation. Lisa treats infants through adults for pain, sports injuries and joint/spinal rehab. Her clinic is located in a 3,600 sq. ft. facility with 5 individual treatment rooms, an extensive rehabilitation gym and an offsite pool. Acupuncture and massage available. Insurance, cash, credit cards accepted.

PHYSICAL REHAB AND WELLNESS

WELLNESS CENTER

CPW HEALTH CENTER

3130 Central Park West Dr, Ste A Toledo, OH 419-841-9622

WELLNESS RX INC.

Dr Jay Nielsen, MD 27121 Oakmead Dr, Ste C, Perrysburg, OH 419-897-6490 • 419-874-3512 fax Jay@WellnessRx.org

With over 27 years of experience, CPW Health Center has been the premier provider of physical rehabilitation and Medical Fitness Programs. Best known for the 94° heated therapeutic pool. Perfect for those with arthritis and chronic pain. We are now excited to expand our Women’s Health and Wellness Services as we partner with other exemplary providers in order to provide a fuller continuum of care.

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

ALTERNATIVE PHYSICAL THERAPY

Jack Grogan, Certified Nutritionist 8336 Monroe Rd, Lambertville, MI 734-856-9199 • 734-854-1191 fax

Marjorie A. Hunter, B.S. Ed. Administrator

The Sensory Learning Program-Toledo is a 30 day, drug-free, intervention that treats sensory issues as seen in Autism, Aspergers, ADD/ADHD, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Strokes, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, Learning Disabilities, Speech and Language Delays, and Behavior Issues. See ad page 17.

PHYSICAL THERAPY

Dr. Nielsen is a board-certified family physician with 38 years experience helping patients avoid orthopedic surgical procedures using Prolotherapy, Platelet Rich Plasma, Bioidentical Hormones and Supplements. Specializes in fatigue, chronic pain, mood disorders and accepts BWC worker injuries. See ad page 23.

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natural awakenings

April 2015