March 2013

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

P L A N E T

feel good • live simply • laugh more

GET YOUR GARDEN ON

FREE

Growing Advice for Urbanites

Sacred Silence Truth-Filled Healing

Toxic Waste onTap Fluoridated Water Hazards

Support for Sick Pets Holistic Care is Best

March 2013 | Birmingham, AL | NABirmingham.com March 2013 | Birmingham, AL | NABirmingham.com

publishersletter

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e have made it through the winter and the warmth of spring is just around the corner. This month’s featured article is on Urban Farming. The article is filled with ideas that everyone can implement.

I am very excited about gardening this year. Last fall I planted my garlic in a raised bed. This was my first time to plant garlic, so I was worried I may have planted it too late. After a week of the cloves being in the ground, I could not resist seeing how it was doing. So I dug up one of the cloves, and sure enough, the tiny roots had started to grow. After another week, I dug another one up and the roots were about 3 inches long and it had a one-inch sprout at the top. I was satisfied at that point that they were going to be okay. Now with green shoots over eight inches high, they will soon be ready to pull from the ground and be replaced with other plants.

There is something about planting seeds and plants and seeing them grow and flourish. My dining room table is now filled with tiny containers of sprouted strawberry seeds, onions, tomatoes, pepper plants, marigolds and various other herbs. I have pampered and tended to these everyday—watering, rotating, and giving them light and warmth to give them the best chance at maturing and producing great fresh vegetables to eat and preserve.

With the rising cost of food, I encourage everyone to plant a garden or just grow some favorites in pots on the patio. Not only will it help out on grocery bills, but you will have a great source of nutritious foods right at your fingertips.

We would like to invite you to the Clover Crawl on March 30 at the Vulcan from 10am-4pm. There will be vendors of green service and products, food, music, activities for kids, electronic recycling, and paper shredding. Come by to say hello and pick up the new issue of Natural Awakenings. Hope to see you there.

contact us Publisher Tom Maples Tom@AlabamaAwakenings.com Cell: 404-395-9634 New Business Development Advertising Sales Cindy Wilson Cindy@AlabamaAwakenings.com Cell: 256-476-6537 Design and Production Karen Ormstedt

Natural Awakenings Birmingham 14 Woodland Ave. Trinity, Alabama 35673 Office: 256-340-1122 Fax: 256-217-4274 NABirmingham.com © 2013 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 $25 (for 12 issues) to the above address.

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

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contents 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.

10 5 newsbriefs 10 healthbriefs 13 wisewords 14 naturalpet

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9 HAYNES WELLNESS BLASTS OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH WEIGHT LOSS SERVICES

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by Meredith Montgomery

18 inspiration 22 calendar 29 resourceguide

12 THE ROAD TO REAL HEALTH

by Elizabeth Campbell Korcz, M.D.

13 WALKING THE TALK Marlane Barnes Fosters Rescue Dogs

by Sandra Murphy

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE Display Ads due by the 10th of the month prior to publication.

Contact Us to advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit. 256-476-6537 -or- Editor@AlabamaAwakenings.com

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS* Newsbriefs due by the 10th of the month. Limit 50-250 words.

Content limited to special events and other announcements.

No advertorials, please.

Articles and ideas due by the 5th of the month. Articles generally contain 250-850 words, with some exceptions. No advertorials, please.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Calendar of Events and Ongoing Calendar listings due by the 10th of the month. Limit 50 words per entry. Please follow format found in those sections.

ADVERTISE WITH US TODAY 256-476-6537 -or- Editor@AlabamaAwakenings.com *All submissions are subject to editing and will be printed at the publisher’s discretion. Article space often fills in advance. Deadline dates refer to the month prior to next publication and may change without notice due to holidays, shorter months, or printing schedules.

4 Birmingham NABirmingham.com www.NABirmingham.com

14 HOLISTIC IS BEST

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Natural Care for a Sick Pet

by Dr. Shawn Messonnier

16 URBAN GARDENING TAKES ROOT Feeding Ourselves Well

by John D. Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist

18 THE HEALING POWER OF SILENCE

by Robert Rabbin

20 CUTTING THROUGH THE NUTRITION NONSENSE Toxic Waste on Tap: The Dirty Little Secret Behind Fluoridated Water

by Steve Dupont, RD, LD

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newsbriefs Clover Crawl 2013 Green Expo

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n Saturday, March 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Green Resource Center for Alabama (GRCA) will present Clover Crawl Green Expo 2013, Birmingham’s premier “green” lifestyle expo.

Held beneath the feet of Vulcan at Birmingham’s historic landmark park, this free event educates the public on the latest trends in green products and services for the home, office and garden and offers a fun afternoon for the whole family to enjoy. Attendees can eat, listen to live music, enjoy kids’ activities, and take in spectacular views of the Magic City while perusing the park grounds.

Clover Crawl 2013 will feature about 30 vendors and other eco-friendly groups that will help demystify all things “green” by informing the public about the common-sense ways they can be more energy efficient, reduce water usage and waste, recycle and make simple changes that can help them save money and protect the environment at the same time.

Representatives from Technical Knock Out and Cintas will also be onsite to collect electronic devices for recycling and papers for secure document destruction.

For more information, log on to GreenAlabama.org or VisitVulcan.com.

Admission to the expo and park grounds is free. Regular admission applies to Vulcan’s Observation Tower and Museum (adults $6; seniors 65 and up $5; children ages 5-12 $4; kids four years and under admitted free). See Ad on Page 15.

Natural Awakenings Offers New Dating Website

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atural Awakenings is premiering a new online dating site, NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com, in partnership with the Conscious Dating Network, the Internet’s largest and oldest conscious/spiritual/ green dating site.

Niche, online dating offers singles an efficient way to screen and date potential partners who share similar values and interests and are ready to be in a loving relationship.

NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com is designed to facilitate this enlightened way of meeting, dating and connecting.

The site will allow singles to join, create a full profile, upload photos and videos, send hellos, indicate interest, and even read and reply to private messages and IM's, all for free. Upgrading, which allows members to initiate personally written messages and IM’s, is inexpensive compared to other online dating sites, with packages ranging from $7.97/ month to $16.97/month.

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. CEO Sharon Bruckman says, “I’m really excited about this new alliance, which enables us to offer our 80-plus Natural Awakenings publishers around the country yet another way to help their readers connect with like-minded people, this time for the purpose of creating conscious relationships. I can’t wait to hear the new love stories!”

For more information, visit NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com. See Ad on Page 15.

In Gratitude...

It is the many practitioners and businesses who advertise that make Natural Awakenings possible. ● They are providing you with one of the most valuable resources for healthy living in Alabama. ● Through their dedication and commitment we work together for happier, healthier communities. ● Please support these practitioners and businesses who are making a difference. ●

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Coming in April

THE TWILIGHT BRIGADE Compassion in Action Training, April 12-14

Natural Awakenings’

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SPECIAL ISSUE GREEN LIVING Celebrate the possibilities of sustained healthy living on a flourishing Earth.

he Birmingham Chapter of THE TWILIGHT BRIGADE Compassion in Action will be holding a 20-hour weekend intensive training the weekend of April 12-14. The Twilight Brigade is committed to the active practice of compassionate service through the worldwide mobilization and training of volunteers to provide a loving presence for those approaching death, thereby helping ensure that no one need die alone. Since its inception in 1997, The Twilight Brigade has recruited nearly 6,000 volunteers. With more than 76 million Baby Boomers now confronting the mortality of family members and friends, the program is providing a much-needed link to assure quality in end-of-life care.

During the training, participants are taught how to confront and resolve their own fears of death, as well as how to be fully present with people who are dying. It is appropriate for lay volunteers, as well as medical and mental health professionals.

There are three vital areas of focus: 1) Learning what to do and how to be with the dying, 2) Addressing personal fears and unresolved issues that prevent trainees from serving, and 3) developing techniques for self-care and avoiding burn-out in order to continue serving this very special population. These trainings are dynamic, powerful, and often life altering. Therefore, classes tend to fill up quickly. The cost of the training is $100, which is tax-deductible.

Training will be held at Unity of Birmingham church, 2803 Highland Ave, April 12-14. For more information or to register for the training, please contact: Mary Ann Wise, Director, The Twilight Brigade-Birmingham at MaryAnnWise1@ gmail.com or 205-305-0772.

Natural Awakenings Magazine Welcomes Dr. Ashley Lundy to Trussville

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For more information about advertising and how you can participate, call

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atural Awakenings would like to welcome Dr. Ashley Lundy to Trussville. She grew up in the Panhandle of Florida and later moved to Orlando to pursue her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science and then a Master’s Degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. In 2004 she was selected to participate in an internship program in Yantai, China where she worked in a Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital. Dr. Lundy felt it was important to have this experience so she could see first hand how Chinese Medicine works in a place where this type of treatment was widely accepted and made a part of people’s everyday life. Being immersed in the Chinese culture and philosophy on medicine gave her a fresh perspective on how effective and life changing this form of medicine could be.

Upon graduation she worked with a Chinese Master in Melbourne, Florida who taught her the most effective way to treat patients to achieve quick results.

She has been very successful at treating all types of pain, high blood pressure, fertility issues, insomnia, fibromyalgia, and weight loss.

Dr. Lundy moved to Trussville with her husband and two little boys to be closer to her family and is very excited to bring her knowledge and understanding of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine to the Trussville and Birmingham area. Her Office is located at 4735 Norrell Dr. Ste #5, Trussville, AL 35173 inside Eastern Chiropractic. See Ad on Page 23.

Self Care, Energetically Speaking

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erri A. Heiman, owner and founder of Natural Forces Studio is offering a Self Care Workshop, Energetically Speaking, on Saturday March 23, 8am-3pm, for

massage therapists, body workers and health care providers.

This workshop will focus on the importance and principles of self care for the healer within each of us. The information presented in this course addresses ways to utilize physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual techniques and provides the therapist with insight into understanding first and foremost their own energy system. It will provide information on the body’s energetic structure from the chakras and meridians to the auric field. It empowers the therapist with knowledge and practice that will enhance their energy levels and improve health and well being for self care in order to better serve one’s clients. This workshop will suggest ways to maintain energetic boundaries so as not to take on energy of others as well as how to rid the body of others' energy, providing tips and protocols. Registration required.

Certificate of Attendance awarded. National Certification Provider for Continuing Education for Therapeutic Massage & Bodyworkers. NCBTMB: 6 CE hours available. $125.

For more information contact Terri Heiman at Natural Forces Studio, 605 37th Street South, inside Birmingham Yoga. She can be reached at 205-201-6985 or Terri@ NaturalForcesStudio.com. NaturalForcesStudio.com/blog.

See Ad on Page 25 and CRG on Page 29.

Join the Movement

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irmingham Yoga will be leading two donation based classes in the month of March to raise funds and awareness about Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The vision of the MS Society is to have a world free of multiple sclerosis. Funds raised go toward cutting edge research to eliminate MS, and programs and services to assist those living with and caring for those with the disease. Over 4,100 people in the Alabama-Mississippi chapter area have been diagnosed with MS and it is the goal of Ingrid Propst, co-owner of Birmingham Yoga to raise $1 for each person living with MS in her chapters area. Come out and Join the Movement to eliminate MS and assist Ingrid in reaching her goal. Classes will be held March 13, 6-7:15pm and March 24, 3-4:15pm. These are all level classes led by Ingrid Propst. For more information call Birmingham Yoga at 205-637-4228.

Excellence in Academics Enlivened by the Arts – Early Childhood through Grade 8 –

Alabama Waldorf School is a community dedicated to educating responsible world citizens. We combine academic excellence, critical thinking development, and a sense of shared social responsibility. Students learn the skills and values to prepare them for success in high school, college and life. Through a rigorous curriculum of arts and academics, and a teaching approach that honors the individual child, our students learn how to meet life with courage, conviction and compassion for others.

Call (205) 592-0541 to schedule a tour.

Inquiries about tuition adjustment are welcome.

Voted “Best Preschool” and “Best Private School” in Birmingham Magazine’s 2011 Parent’s Choice Awards and voted “Best Private School” in 2012

1220 50th Street South Birmingham, AL 35222

alabamawaldorf.org

Developing Intuition—Are You Psychic

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o you have an innate ability in intuition? Do you know when things happen right before they happen?

Can you feel the energy in a room when you walk into it?

Can you hear guidance that always seems to be the right advice within?

Join me in this 6-week workshop as we look at the 4Cs… Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Clairsentience, Clairessence.

It is easy to sit up and take notice; what is difficult is getting up and taking action. ~Honoré de Balzac natural awakenings

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We bring the Farmer’s Market to you!

Consistent & reliable organic produce service since 2002.

Always 100% Certified Organic fruits & vegetables.

Support your US & local organic farmers.

Your Choice: MIXED Vegetable & Fruit share

ALL FRUIT share JUICING share Simply place your order online www.offthevine.org or call 850-374-2181 Serving Birmingham and Montgomery What’s Fresh This Month!

Local Southeast organic produce: strawberries, tangerines, grapefruits, green beans, beets with tops, yellow squash, zucchini, butter lettuces, cucumbers, turnips, rainbow chard, broccoli and tomatoes!

OTV Recipes OTV Organic Strawberry Salsa!

1 3/4 cups fresh strawberries, 2 tbsp local honey, 2 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice, 1/4 red onion - small, 1 mango, dash of cayenne pepper.

Mix the honey, OJ, cayenne and (chopped) red onion together in a bowl and fold in the (sliced) strawberries and mango! Great topping for grilled fish or sauteed greens!

OTV Basic Organic Fruit Sauce Add a level of flavor over your favorite sliced fruits or desserts...quick and easy to make! 2 cups fruit such as pineapple, strawberry,mango or peaches, 1/2 cup agave syrup. Place ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.

Will keep for 3-4 days in fridge.

Order produce as needed or on a schedule.

“It’s easy to order & eat fresh with OTV!”

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This is the first level class of this series. Each week, we will learn and practice techniques to enhance our intuition & psychic abilities. We will explore ways to first clear our energy, tap into the divine as we shift away from confusion, blocks and feeling stuck and into a place that offers freedom, expand choices and increase awareness as we uncover the answers that block our path. We will learn how to trust our own intuition and guidance.

This workshop meets for 6 Mondays from 6:30-8:30pm beginning March 7 and ending April 8. The cost is $100 for the complete workshop or $20 for drop-in sessions.

For more information contact Terri Heiman at Natural Forces Studio, 605 37th Street South, inside Birmingham Yoga. She can be reached at 205-201-6985 or Terri@NaturalForcesStudio.com. NaturalForcesStudio.com/blog. See Ad on Page 25 and CRG on Page 29.

EFT Workshop

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erri Heiman will be doing an Emotional Freedom Technique Workshop to be held at Natural Forces Studio on March 17 from 12-2pm. Learn the fundamental techniques for the basic tapping points to help you remove the emotional blocks held in the body. This workshop will help you learn how to tap the issues right out of your system—a technique where astonishing emotional relief leads to profound physical healings. This workshop applies to all issues including pain relief, anger, addictions, anxiety, weight loss, fear, etc. According to the founder, Gary Craig, “The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.” As we learn to remove these blockages, greater health and wellness occurs. Join us for an afternoon of tapping and learn a simple technique that is physician approved. Registration required. $55.

For more information contact Terri Heiman at Natural Forces Studio, 605 37th Street South, inside Birmingham Yoga. She can be reached at 205-201-6985 or Terri@NaturalForcesStudio.com. NaturalForcesStudio.com/blog. See Ad on Page 25 and CRG on Page 29.

Kirtan Concert with Rahasya At Birmingham Yoga

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oin us on March 15 for a blissful evening of Kirtan with Rahasya.

The Rahasya vision spawned in 2004, growing from the mystical fusion of Surdas Ji and Vajra Yogini. Both lifetime musicians and yoga teachers, the duo tours the southeast and beyond, collaborating with extraordinary musicians, visionary artists, and yogis along the way. In 2009, they joined with Gershon (keyboardist of Dubconscious). The music is a sonic tapestry of love and devotion, resonating with potent Sanskrit mantras, African chants, hip hop grooves, southern gospel breakdowns, and heart opening poetic expressions.

The roots are in kirtan (call and response), but the branches reach out into modern styles. Chanting is interspersed with the elevating raps of Surdas, along with the soulful vocal improvisations of Vajra. The rhythmic pulse is driven by afro-caribbean, hip hop, funk, and gospel beats, inspiring spontaneous dancing and celebration. Music, in its highest expression, has always served to unify communities and catalyze spiritual awakening. Surdas and Vajra are truly grateful to be a part of this living tradition.

The concert is from 7:30-9:30pm. The cost is $15 in advance and $20 the day of the event. For information call Birmingham Yoga at 205-637-4228. See CRG on Page 30.

Haynes Wellness Blasts Off the New Year with New Weight Loss Services

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nterested in starting your 2013 resolution of losing weight? Consider programs offered exclusively by Haynes Wellness. Haynes Wellness is proud to announce the expansion of our wellness services with a focus on weight management.

Most of us who diet do well the first few months, but then fall back into bad habits. We tend to lose the will power to stick to our diet and end up gaining back all the weight we lost. If you are ready to stop that cycle once and for all, come in to Haynes Wellness and inquire about the expanded weight loss services that will focus on HCG weight loss program, SlimTabs, Serotonin Plus, and nutraceutical supplement programs. All programs are offered at each location starting in 2013.

gonadotropin. This is a hormone produced by the placenta during pregnancy. HCG stimulates the brain to mobilize fat out of fat storage cells so the body can burn it for energy. The HCG hormone is safe for males to use.

About our New Services and how they can help you.

are available upon consultation. Oral drops of HCG are also available in

How long is the program?

Two programs are available, one is 26 days and the other is 40 days. Either way, patients must follow the strict protocol to lose weight. Program packages include:

place of injections. We offer a free consultation to determine if you are a candidate for HCG weight loss.

Patients that have followed the program as outlined have experienced great success. Some have experienced weight loss up to a pound per day. After completing the program, patients have looked better and said they feel better.

Slim Tabs These small dissolvable tablets are placed under your tongue 20-30 minutes before meals. The fast acting ingredients are designed to assist in curbing your appetite, resulting in less food consumption at the dinner table.

On average most people eat twice as much as their body really needs. The body then stores this excess food as fat.

SlimTabs support your ability to control your appetite resulting in weight loss.

SEROTONIN SECRET Oral serotonin supplements act as a natural appetite suppressant and significantly reduce carbohydrate cravings. We utilize natural supplements and lipotropic to jumpstart the metabolism.

LIPO B FAT BURNING SHOTS These can be added in with any program to give you energy and further help with weight loss and control.

26-Day Program Package Basic Program Includes • Consultation • Follow-ups • HCG injections and supplies • Weight loss program guide

Packages for the 40-Day Program

Call us today to make an appointment for your free consultation to determine a program that is right for you in 2013.

In Birmingham, call 205-988-3733 or visit DrStacyHaynes.com. See Ad on Back Cover.

The Haynes Wellness HCG weight loss programs consist of two parts that, when combined together and followed as instructed, will help you lose weight.

This combination uses the Simeon protocol consisting of a customized meal program and the use of a series of injections of HCG. Patients are monitored by our medical director from consultation through the end of the program, resulting in successful weight loss and a healthier you.

What is HCG? HCG stands for human chorionic natural awakenings

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healthbriefs

Battle of the Bulge

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ccording to the American Heart Association, about one in three American kids and teens is overweight or obese today, nearly triple the rate in 1963. A new report by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation advises that if adult obesity rates continue on their current trajectories, by 2030, 13 states could have rates above 60 percent; 39 states above 50 percent; and all 50 states above 44 percent.

A study published in the International Journal of Obesity, based on research at 10 universities, points to the use of hormones in factory meat production as a major reason for this trend. Pesticides are another culprit; the average American is exposed to 10 to 13 different types each day via food, beverages and drinking water, and nine of the 10 most commonly used are endocrine disrupters linked to weight gain. Genetically modified U.S. food crops are also sprayed heavily with biocides. Findings presented at the 2007 annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science linked bisphenol A (BPA)—an industrial chemical contained in plastic soda, drinking and baby bottles—with abnormal estrogen function.

To win the battle of the bulge, Americans need to eat balanced diets and exercise regularly, but additional steps can further help: choose organic, grass-fed meat instead of corn-fed; use glass instead of plastic containers for beverages and food storage; avoid canned food unless the label states BPA-free; and consume yogurt daily or take a high-quality probiotic to help restore healthy intestinal flora.

Drinks Tied to Tooth Trouble

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hen replacing lost fluids during or after a workout, consider how beverage choices can affect the health of teeth. A recent study published in General Dentistry, the journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that increased consumption of sports and energy drinks is causing irreversible damage to teeth, especially among adolescents.

A reported 30 to 50 percent of U.S. teens regularly imbibe energy drinks, and as many as 62 percent down at least one sports drink a day. “Young adults consume these drinks assuming that they will improve their sports performance and energy levels and that they are ‘better’ than soda,” says Associate Professor Poonam Jain, lead author of the study, who serves as director of community and preventive dentistry at the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine.

“Most of these patients are shocked to learn that the drinks are essentially bathing their teeth with acid.”

In testing the effect of acidity levels on samples of human tooth enamel immersed in 13 sports and nine energy beverages, researchers found that damage to enamel was evident after only five days of exposure. Moreover, energy drinks were twice as harmful as sports drinks. “These drinks erode or thin out the enamel of the teeth, leaving them more susceptible to decay and sensitivity,” says Jain.

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WHY WE MIGHT NEED MORE VITAMIN C

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esearchers at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, a leading global authority on the role of vitamin C in optimum health, forward compelling evidence that the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin C should be raised to 200 milligrams per day for U.S. adults, up from its current levels of 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. The RDA of vitamin C is less than half of what it should be, scientists argue, because medical experts insist on evaluating this natural, but critical, nutrient in the same way they do for pharmaceutical drugs, and consequently reach faulty conclusions.

The researchers base their recommendations on studies showing that higher levels of vitamin C could help reduce chronic health problems including heart disease, stroke and cancer, as well as underlying causal issues such as high blood pressure, chronic inflammation, poor immune response and atherosclerosis. Even at the current low RDA, U.S. and Canadian studies have found that a quarter to a third of the total population is marginally deficient in vitamin C and up to a fifth of those in such groups as students, smokers and older adults are severely deficient in it.

Dining App for Special-Needs Diets

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oodCare’s new EveryoneEat! Android and iPhone app allows anyone to make informed meal decisions at 180,000 restaurant locations nationwide, based on their nutrition needs and meal preferences. Users enter their basic information such as age, gender, height, weight and activity level, plus any chronic health conditions and special dietary restrictions, at FoodCare.me. Instant analysis enables them to search for dishes at restaurants by type of cuisine or restaurant name.

“People need to easily answer the basic question: ‘Does this dish meet my dietary guidelines?’ and if not, “What’s off and by how much?’” says CEO Ken Marshall.

According to the U.S. government’s Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, which monitors the use and cost of health care and insurance coverage, nearly half of Americans today are living with a nutrition-related chronic disease. The National Restaurant Association estimates that Americans order 47 percent of all of their meals from restaurants.

Yogurt Hinders Hypertension

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ating yogurt could reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, or hypertension, according to new research presented at the American Heart Association 2012 Scientific Sessions. During their 15-year study, researchers followed more than 2,000 volunteers that did not initially have high blood pressure and reported on their yogurt consumption at three intervals. Participants that routinely consumed at least one six-ounce cup of low-fat yogurt every three days were 31 percent less likely to develop hypertension.

Bad Fats Are Brain-Busters

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ew research from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, has found that consumption of “bad” saturated fats may be associated with a decline in cognitive function and memory in older women.

The research team analyzed the BWH Women’s Health Study, focusing on four years of data from a subset of 6,000 women older than 65. Those that consumed the highest amounts of saturated fat, like that found in red meat and butter, exhibited worse overall cognition and memory than peers that ate the lowest amounts. Women that consumed mainly monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, demonstrated better patterns of cognitive scores over time.

NOT SO NICE RICE

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ew research by the nonprofit Consumers Union (CU), which publishes Consumer Reports, may cause us to reconsider what we place in our steamer or cookpot. Rice—a staple of many diets, vegetarian or not—is frequently contaminated with arsenic, a known carcinogen that is also believed to interfere with fetal development.

Rice contains more arsenic than grains like oats or wheat because it is grown in water-flooded conditions, and so more readily absorbs the heavy metal from soil or water than most plants. Even most U.S.-grown rice comes from the south-central region, where crops such as cotton were heavily treated with arsenical pesticides for decades. Thus, some organically grown rice in the region is impacted, as well.

CU analysis of more than 200 samples of both organic and conventionally grown rice and rice products on U.S. grocery shelves found that nearly all contained some level of arsenic; many with alarmingly high amounts. There is no federal standard for arsenic in food, but there is a limit of 10 parts per billion in drinking water, and CU researchers found that one serving of contaminated rice may have as much arsenic as an entire day’s worth of water.

To reduce the risk of exposure, rinse rice grains thoroughly before cooking and follow the Asian practice of preparing it with extra water to absorb arsenic and/or pesticide residues; and then drain the excess water before serving.

See CU’s chart of arsenic levels in tested rice products at Tinyurl.com/ ArsenicReport.

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in our twenties. That’s right, we’re talking about 116/74. Now, we are faced with the fact that who and what we are, currently, does not meet the image of the ideal. What to do?

On to step two, which is change the everyday thinking. If we want that ideal to become reality, we know things have to switch around in our life. We start making a plan. Okay, cut the salt in our diet, start a walking program after lunch, maybe join a gym. Rent a yoga DVD and give it a try. There have to be a few ways to bring down that pressure.

The Road to Real Change

by Elizabeth Campbell Korcz, MD

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ur world is constantly in flux— ever ebb and flow, wax and wane, etc. So much is said about there being “a season” for everything, that I suppose it’s true. And yet, they say that people never change. In some ways, that too is the truth. Often, our personalities become rigid with time, and our habits become just that: habit. Many things can inspire change. In medicine, we are often forced to change, in the face of new research, or failing practices. In our jobs, it is the wake-up call of getting fired or laid off that inspires change. Perhaps in personal lives, it is the friend who finally tells us to stop taking abuse from a relationship. But, when it comes to our selves, it is a difficult process, and takes the realization that the status quo is no longer working.

What is it for you? Some come to me having tipped the scales to the 200mark, saying “This is too much for me.

I’m ready to make the change.” What is the driving force, really? Wanting to fit into those skinny jeans cannot be the only answer. Is it wanting to be well?

Truly well? Or, just “getting’ through the day.” Can that still be okay?

Coming to a place of true change is really a transformative process. We

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must alter our ideas and especially our ideals. Then, our daily thinking begins to change and we form a plan.

This is followed by a shift in our actions. Finally, it shows in our life as a physical manifestation of our inward transformation. Want that change? You can do it! However, be warned that real changes are lasting, and take hard work. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it usually requires time, energy, and investment, but you will reap the benefits for years.

Let’s talk about your health, now. More preventive care today helps avoid bigger, painful, and all-consuming issues later in life. A prime example is this: Weight loss plan and wellness efforts today help you avoid developing Diabetes, which can lead to the big heart attack, heart failure, and foot amputation down the road. (Makes weight loss sound good, doesn’t it?)

So, step one is to re-vamp the ideas, and image of the ideal. Getting by is no longer acceptable. Watching that blood pressure get higher and higher on the pharmacy’s free monitor is no longer okay. It’s up to 150/102. The ideal is now to have the blood pressure we did

Step three involves putting the plan into action. We start drinking more water instead of soda or coffee, eating more vegetables, and actually go out in the rain for that walking program with a co-worker. After a few weeks, it actually starts being fun, and we commit even more to the adjustments in our lifestyle.

Suddenly, it begins to transform us.

As we feel better, other things become easier. We stop smoking, drink alcohol less, and feel better about ourselves. That pharmacy pressure monitor’s numbers start dropping, and so does the scale. We start to change old habits like stopping at the doughnut shop on the way home, in favor of the fruit stand, instead. A few more months go by, and the image in the mirror looks more like the ideal.

Finally, our friend we haven’t seen in a while sees us and asks, “You look different…you look great! What have you been doing?” And we can answer, “Oh, I just made a few changes.”

Dr. Elizabeth Campbell Korcz has a growing, innovative practice in Hoover that augments Traditional Family Medicine with Complementary and Alternative medical therapies and practices. She is currently accepting new patients. Hoover Alt MD, 3421 S. Shades Crest Rd, Suite 111, Hoover. Call 205-733-6676 to schedule an appointment today. See ad on page 2.

wisewords

How can caring people help?

WALKING THE TALK Marlane Barnes Fosters Rescue Dogs

by Sandra Murphy

A

ctress Marlane Barnes recently made her feature film debut as Maggie of the Irish Coven, in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II, building on a growing rĂŠsumĂŠ of films, TV and theater credits. A current resident of Los Angeles, she actively supports the nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society, a local no-kill facility, and serves as national spokesperson for Spay First. To date, her foster dogs include India, Birdie, Archie and Wally, with more to come.

Why is fostering rescue dogs important?

Fostering is a good way to find the right dog for your personality and circumstances. Dogs aren’t accessories, chosen on looks alone. Fostering allows you to see what breed, size, temperament and activity level works best.

When India, the first dog I fostered, was adopted, she went to a home that suited her nature and needs. Birdie, a 6-year-old golden retriever-beagle mix, came to me when her shelter time was up. After two months, Birdie was placed with a family that was willing to deal with an older dog’s health issues, and it’s worked out well for all parties.

What do you try to teach the dogs to make them more adoptable?

We take a lot of walks during our six to eight weeks together. Teaching them to sit, be petted, take treats gently and behave well on a leash all helps.

I also expose them to new experiences. We visit the coffee shop, meet kids and take hikes; in these ways, I

learn what the individual dog enjoys. It takes some of the guesswork out of the equation. Fostering is like a halfway house for dogs; after living with them, I can vouch for them, as well as voice any concerns about the family situation.

I feel strongly that the dog must be treated as part of the family, whose schedule has to work with having a dog, and that dog in particular. It’s a matter of finding the right person for the animal. We want every adoption to be the best match possible.

Who takes care of your foster dog when you are at work?

I have a group of creative friends who jump in to help. It’s easy to ask them to help with a foster dog because it lets them be part of the rescue. That way, they are doing a favor more for the dog than for me.

How do spay/neuter programs benefit shelter animals?

When I was 10, I volunteered at the Humane Society in Fort Smith, Arkansas, so being the spokesperson for Spay First is a natural fit. High volume/low cost spay/neuter programs are the fastest way to reduce pet overpopulation and the number of animals ending up in shelters.

Every year, taxpayers spend billions of dollars to house, euthanize and dispose of millions of animals. Spay/neuter is a commonsense way to permanently solve the problem. Spay First works to keep the cost less than $50, especially in rural and lower income areas, and actively campaigns to make this a community priority around the country.

Donate money or items found on a shelter or rescue unit’s wish list. Walk a shelter dog to keep it social and active. Foster a dog to see if having a dog fits and enhances your life. The rescue group pays the bills, support is available and it’s a good way to explore the possibility of adoption. Once you know for sure, adopt.

Also talk about the benefits of fostering and adopting dogs and the importance of affordable spay/neuter programs for dogs and cats in your community.

Spread the word that it is not okay to buy a puppy or kitten in a store when we are discarding millions of shelter animals each year that desperately need homes. Puppies are cute, but older dogs already are what they’re going to be— what you see is what you happily get.

For more information or to make a donation, visit SpayFirst.org.

Sandra Murphy is a regular contributor to Natural Awakenings magazines.

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March 2013

13

naturalpet

Holistic is Best Natural Care for a Sick Pet

by Dr. Shawn Messonnier

T

he best course of action for any pet that appears to be sick is to see a holistic vet early, before a disease can progress or before the pet has been made even more ill by improper conventional treatment.

Downsides of Conventional Treatment Many sick pets brought to a holistic vet’s office may not have been formally diagnosed, even if they’ve been receiving medical treatment by a conventional doctor for weeks or months.

In most cases, the standard blanket prescriptions of antibiotics and corticosteroids—regardless of the cause of illness—have failed to produce positive results. Worse, such drugs carry side effects that can make the pet even sicker; indiscriminate use of antibiotics, for example, has led to antibiotic resistance in bacteria, making it harder to treat serious infections when antibiotics are the only viable treatment option.

So by the time the holistic doctor sees them, the condition of these pets may have worsened. The good news is that with precise diagnosis of the underlying issues, most sickly pets can be treated with good success. Because a holistic approach to

healthcare relies on individual factors, the exact treatment will vary according to the patient and situation. A cookiecutter treatment will not be very helpful.

Holistic Nutrition Therapy Helps Owners can take several steps to provide relief for a suffering pet right away while awaiting the results of proper diagnostic tests. In my practice, three vet-supervised nutrition therapies have been shown to be effective in stabilizing a sick pet for the 24 to 48 hours needed to return test results before the appropriate treatment can be initiated. Ask the attending veterinarian for other safe, comforting measures he or she likes to recommend.

First, most sick pets benefit from receiving fluid therapy (intravenous or subcutaneous) in a veterinary hospital.

The fluids rehydrate and help detoxify the pet by causing increased urination that flushes out cellular toxins.

Second, injectable vitamins C and B complex added to the fluids often have a temporary pick-me-up effect, reducing lethargy and improving appetite.

Third, using supplements selected to restore homeostasis also helps make the pet feel better and encourages healthy eating. I like to use a natural immunity support I developed called Healthy

Chi, which contains amino acids, potassium, green tea, ginseng, gotu kola and the herb astragalus. Homeopathic combinations also can be useful; I’ve developed a natural remedy combining gallium, colchicum, hydrastis, anthraquinone and glyoxal.

Case Studies Exemplify Success Two recent cases illustrate the benefit of an informed holistic approach. Gus, a 7-year-old male standard poodle, had a history of inflammatory bowel disease and gastrointestinal cancer. He did well immediately following cancer surgery, but then became lethargic and showed a disinterest in food. So, we conducted a fecal analysis and complete blood profile. While awaiting test results, I prescribed the recommended nutrition therapies, along with a special diet. The next morning, the owner reported that Gus was feeling and acting much better, including showing more interest in eating. His owner was pleased with this rapid response and relieved to avoid unnecessary medication.

A young Persian cat arrived in our office with a chronic herpes virus infection. Percy’s owner made an appointment because the feline had a congested nose and wasn’t eating as much as normal. Natural treatment for the herpes virus began with the amino acid lysine and the herb echinacea, both also helpful in preventing cold and flu.

Supportive care for the general malaise and lack of appetite relied on the same recommended nutrition therapies and again resulted in overnight improvements in the pet’s attitude and appetite; the nasal congestion left during the following week.

While antibiotics and corticosteroids can be helpful in properly diagnosed cases, using natural therapies can provide quick relief without the harmful side effects often seen from the use of conventional medications.

Shawn Messonnier, a doctor of veterinary medicine practicing in Plano, TX, is the award-winning author of The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats and Unexpected Miracles: Hope and Holistic Healing for Pets. Visit PetCareNaturally.com.

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Feeding Ourselves Well

Urban Gardening Takes Root

Butterfield, the association’s research director, estimates that nearly 70 percent of these gardens are in urban or suburban areas.

“We’re seeing a new crop of farmers that defy stereotypes,” observes David Tracey, owner of EcoUrbanist environmental design in Vancouver, Canada, and author of Urban Agriculture. “Some are office workers leaving unsatisfying jobs, techie types learning the trade in universities and back-to-the-land folks that happen to live in cities. Others are activists taking on the industrial farm system, folks adopting trends or entrepreneurs that see opportunities in the rising prices of quality food and the proximity of millions of customers.”

Opportunities and Pitfalls

by John D. Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist

“I

n just one-twelfth of an acre, including lots of paths and a compost heap, our family grows the vast majority of the fresh vegetables we need, plus a decent chunk of our fruits and berries,” says Erica Strauss.

“It’s not a huge garden, but we still feel nearly overwhelmed with the harvest in late August.” Her family of four tends a diversity of edibles on their urban lot in a suburb of Seattle, Washington.

Word has spread because Strauss writes about her experiences via Northwest Edible Life, a blog about food growing, cooking and urban homesteading. “Every kid on the block has picked an Asian pear off my espalier and munched on raw green beans,” she notes. “Even picky eaters seem pretty interested when they can pick tasty treats right from the tree or vine.”

We don’t need to live in a rural area or on a farm to grow our own food. By the close of World War II, nearly 40 percent of all fruits and vegetables supplying Americans stateside were grown in victory gardens

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in the communities in which they were consumed.

Today, these small plots are often termed kitchen gardens, comprising parts of household lawns, schoolyards, balconies, patios and rooftops. Fresh taste and the security of local food supplies in case of manmade or natural upheavals are drawing more people to gardening.

Garden Cities “Urbanization, a major demographic trend, has implications for how we grow and consume food,” observes Roger Doiron, founder of Kitchen Gardeners International. “If we agree that feeding more people fresh, local foods is a priority, we’re going to need to landscape and, in many cases, retrofit urban and suburban areas for increased food production.”

Millions of Americans now participate in growing mainstay foods.

According to a 2009 study by the National Gardening Association, 31 percent of all U.S. households grew food for their families in 2008, and more have since the economic downturn. Bruce

Urban gardening has unexpected advantages in its use of organic waste like coffee grounds from a local coffee house and rainwater from area rooftops.

Converting lawns at schools, churches and empty city lots into community gardens fosters community connections, improves access to affordable nutritious foods and creates employment opportunities.

A widespread challenge to the trend is dealing with the quality of urban soil and testing for possible toxins. Often, urban soil must be improved using compost and other nutrients before plants can prosper. A nearby irrigation source is also required.

“One potential problem for urban gardeners may be the community reaction to an edible landscape,” admits Strauss. “In some cities, edible gardens in the front yard or even the common parking strip are celebrated and even officially encouraged. But in communities where lawn is still king and city codes regarding vegetation are vague and open to interpretation, one complaint from an anonymous neighbor can become an exhausting political and legal fight.”

Feeding Community Community gardens often transform vacant lots and other marginal land into green growing places. In Chicago, The Peterson Garden Project, an awardwinning nonprofit program, has been turning unsightly empty lots into raised-

beds in which residents learn to grow their own food since 2010.

“Nationally, it’s been found that having a community garden on unused land increases property values, decreases crime and promotes a sense of unity with neighbors and others,” explains LaManda Joy, president and founder of the project. “We work with property owners on the short-term use of their land to enhance the community in which they eventually plan to develop.”

“Participating in a community garden serves up a lot of individual victories,” says Joy. “Improved health and nutrition, learning a new skill, teaching kids where food comes from, productive exercise, mental well-being, connecting with others and saving money—community gardens help make all of this possible.”

Being Prepared “How many recalls have we seen because some food item has been contaminated and people have suffered or died as a result? I am concerned about the safety and security of our food supply,” says Wendy Brown, whose family tends a quarter-acre garden with raised and landscaped beds and containers wrapped around their home plus an onsite greenhouse in a beach resort suburb of Portland, Maine. “As a mother, it concerns me that I might feed my children something that will hurt them. High-fructose corn syrup, genetically engineered crops and BPA-lined cans are all making headlines. It just seems smarter to grow it myself; that way, we have more control over what our family is eating.”

Brown is one of more than 3 million Americans that are following FEMA recommendations in preparing for any event that might disrupt food supplies.

Her book, Surviving the Apocalypse in the Suburbs, shares everything her family has done to safeguard themselves, including growing produce, caring for animals and canning, freezing, drying, cold storage or fermenting foods for later use.

“For me, it’s more about being prepared for the everyday things that are happening, like increases in food and fuel prices or a loss of family income,” Brown says. “If we’re growing at least

some of our own food, I have a lot less to worry about when such things happen.”

The family also keeps rabbits and ducks, plus egg-laying and meatproviding chickens that can total 40 animals in the summer at their “nanofarm”. These also supply natural fertilizer for the crops. Nearby beehives provide 20 pounds of honey each year.

Because the foods they produce are solely for their personal use, the Browns are exempt from regulatory restrictions.

“Our neighbors love what we’re doing,” says Brown, whose house is close enough they can chat across their front porches. “One says our initiative reminds him of growing up in Maine pretty much self-sufficient. The other tells friends and coworkers they aren’t worried if things really go bad because they have us as neighbors.”

Growing Green Thumbs “With some effort, urban gardeners can grow great vegetables anyplace that affords enough light and warmth,” advises Strauss, who gardens primarily in raised beds in her front and back yards. “I garden on the scale I do because I love it. It’s both relaxing and challenging, and we eat well.”

Urban gardening methods are as diverse as the growing conditions, space limitations and financial

resources of the gardener.

“Lasagna” gardening—layering newspaper or cardboard and other organic materials on top—can be effective in urban areas because it involves no digging or tilling. Just as with making compost, alternate between brown and green layers. Once the materials break down, add plants to the newly created growing bed.

Urban dwellers with limited space may employ square-foot gardening, intensively growing plants in raised beds using a growing medium of vermiculite, peat moss and compost.

This method can yield fewer weeds and is easier on the back. “It’s an easy concept to grasp for new gardeners,” remarks Joy. “We use it to both maximize output in a small area and ensure healthy, organic, contaminantfree soil.”

Rooftop gardens are becoming more common as larger agricultural operations use them to grow income crops. The U.S. Department of Agriculture considers anyone that sells more than $1,000 of produce to neighbors or area restaurants a farmer, rather than a gardener, so regulations may apply.

For renters, just a few tomato plants in a well-maintained container on a patio or deck can yield as much as 50

Helpful Resources Green Restaurant Association, DineGreen.com Kitchen Gardeners International, KGI.org Northwest Edible Life, NWEdible.com The Peterson Garden Project, PetersonGarden.org Uncommon Ground, UncommonGround.com Urban Farm Online, UrbanFarmOnline.com Urban Garden Magazine, UrbanGardenMagazine.com Urban Gardens, UrbanGardensWeb.com natural awakenings

March 2013

17

pounds of tomatoes by taking advantage of its microclimate, influenced by wind blocks, heated surfaces and reflected light from windows.

Urban gardening is also thriving indoors in terrariums, window boxes and small greenhouses. Even partially lit rooms can support certain vegetables or herbs with grow lights. Aquaponic gardening, a closed-loop system that involves both fish and vegetables, expands the self-sufficient possibilities of a hydroponic system of growing plants fed by liquid nutrients.

inspiration

The Healing Power of Silence

by Robert Rabbin

Feeding Ourselves With more than 80 percent of Americans currently living in urban and suburban areas, the questionable nutrition of many mass-produced foods, increasing pesticide and herbicide use by non-organic farmers, greenhouse gas emissions from food transport and weather patterns altered by climate change, it’s past time to take back some control. Operating our own gardens and preparing our own meals turns us back into producers, not merely consumers.

“For the most part, we’re just average suburbanites,” concludes Brown. “We just choose to have less lawn and more garden. A huge benefit is that we need less income because we’re buying less at the grocery store. Our goal is to semiretire in our mid-50s—not because we’ve made a bunch of money, but because we’ve needed less money to live along the way.”

John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist, co-authors of Farmstead Chef (FarmsteadChef.com), ECOpreneuring and Rural Renaissance, operate the award-winning Inn Serendipity Bed & Breakfast, in Browntown, WI. They grow 70 percent of their organic food; the cost savings helped them become mortgage-free in their mid-40s.

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O

ne day I disappeared into Silence…

of our heart, where it breaks open to reveal another heart that knows how to meet life with open arms. Silence It was more than grace, an epiphany or a knows that thoughts about life are mystical union; it was my soul’s homenot life itself. If we touch life through coming, my heart’s overflowing love, my Silence, life touches us back intimately mind’s eternal peace. In Silence, I experi- and we become one with life itself. enced freedom, clarity and joy as my true Then the mystery, wonder, beauty and self, felt my core identity and essential sanctity becomes our life. Everything nature as a unity-inbut wonderment falls love with all creation, anger, fear and When I return from away; and realized it is within violence disappear as this essence that we silence I am less than if they never existed. learn to embody healKnowing Silence when I entered: less is knowing ing in our world. our self This Silence harried, fearful, anx- and our world for the belongs to us all—it rst time. We only ious and egotistical. fihave is who and what we to be still until are. Selfless silence Whatever the gift of that Silence comes knows only the present from within to ilsilence is, it is one of forth moment, this incredluminate and embrace ible instant of pure life lessening, purifying, us, serving as the when time stops and teaching and softening. The “I” that teacher, we breathe the high-alpath, redeeming and titude air we call love. returns is more loving restoring us in love.

Let us explore Silence In this truth-filled than the “I” who left. moment, as a way of knowing we enter our and being, which we Self fully and deeply. ~ Rabbi Rami Shapiro know, which we are.

We know our own Silence is within. beauty, power and It is within our breath, magnificence. As the like music between thoughts, the light embodiment of Silence, we are perfecin our eyes. It is felt in the high arc of tion itself, a treasure that the world birds, the rhythm of waves, the innoneeds now. Right now the Universe cence of children, the heart’s deepest needs each of us to be our true Self, exemotions that have no cause. It is seen pressing the healing power of our heart, in small kindnesses, the stillness of in Silence. nights and peaceful early mornings. It is present when beholding a loved one, As a lifelong mystic, Robert Rabbin is an joined in spirit. innovative self-awareness teacher and In Silence, we open to life and author of The 5 Principles of Authentic Living. Connect at RobertRabbin.com. life opens to us. It touches the center

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Cutting Through the Nutrition Nonsense

by Steve Dupont, RD, LD

Toxic Waste on Tap: The Dirty Little Secret Behind Fluoridated Water

Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is

closing,

that we see too late the one that is

open.

- Alexander Graham Bell

Y

es, there’s toxic waste in your tap water. On purpose.

In fact, Birmingham Water Works Authority (BWWA) spends upwards of $250K per year to put it there, under the auspices of improving dental health. In other words, they’re drugging you without your consent— with a substance never clinically tested or approved for medical use—with no regard to dose or contraindications.

But it gets worse.

This substance, which the FDA labels an “unapproved new drug” is not the pharmaceutical-grade stuff used in toothpaste. It is fluorosilicic acid (FSA)—designated by the Environmental

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Protection Agency (EPA) as “hazardous waste.” A byproduct of phosphate fertilizer production, it is devastating to the environment. Decades ago, before tougher regulations, this very substance decimated farmers’ crops and killed livestock across vast stretches of land surrounding phosphate mines, mostly in Florida. Today, vast quantities of sludge contaminated not only with fluoride derivatives but other “nasties” like arsenic, lead, mercury and even uranium, sits idle in waste ponds. It cannot be disposed of by any environmentally acceptable, or legal, means.

But guess what? Once sold as a “product,” it can be dumped in your municipal water supply. Drink up, America!

Hard to believe. Yet I confirmed all this by speaking with (very friendly) managers at BWWA and (not so friendly) reps from one of several chemical suppliers/middlemen in the supply chain. Disturbingly, I was unable to trace the HFSA back to its original source. However, I did obtain the actual Material Safety Data Sheet for the HFSA in our water. It reads: “This product, as produced, is classified as a hazardous waste under US EPA regulations—characteristic: corrosive.”

To their credit, many EPA scientists are concerned about this (as well they should be). In 1999, the EPA’s largest union of scientists in Washington, DC published an open letter detailing why they oppose water fluoridation, citing numerous health concerns. You can read the letter for yourself on the EPA’s website.

How toxic is FSA? Enough to be approved for use as rat poison and pesticide! So what do you think it does to humans?

Funny you should ask. At diluted concentrations it doesn’t eat through your stomach lining or blood vessels, thankfully. However, fluoride is well documented in numerous scientific studies—not to mention microbiology textbooks (that I own) and even reports from the independent National Research Council—to be an endocrine disruptor, enzyme poison and promoter of calcification in soft tissues. In layman’s terms, it disrupts the function of your thyroid gland (chief regulator of metabolism), pineal gland (regulates sleep/wake cycle and sexual maturation via melatonin production) and kidneys (waste/toxin filtration).

Even in bones, too much fluoride can be troublesome. A recent study out of Harvard University showed that “Among males, exposure to fluoride at or above the target level was associated with an increased risk of developing osteosarcoma (or bone cancer). The association was most apparent between ages 5-10 with a peak at 6 to 8 years of age.”

And yet, the precautionary principle falls by the wayside as the Centers for Disease Control continue to promote fluoridation as the greatest gift to mankind since government cheese or Teflon frying pans (also toxic, incidentally).

To their credit, the CDC recently lowered its high-end recommendation for fluoride in drinking water—from 1.2 parts per million (ppm) to 0.7 ppm.

Why? Their own studies showed an astounding 41% of children aged 12-15 exhibited dental fluorosis, a mottling of the teeth which signals an overexposure to fluoride. And keep in mind, if the teeth are oversaturated with fluoride that means all the aforementioned bodily tissues are, too!

Could this be contributing to problems like early sexual maturation, reduced IQ, sleep disorders, diabetes and obesity? Many doctors and scientists think so. I suspect (and fear) they may be right.

The icing on the cake, so to speak, is that overwhelming data show drinking fluoride makes no difference in preventing cavities (just like drinking sunscreen does not protect against sunburn). According

to numbers from the World Health Organization, dental health has improved across the industrialized world regardless of whether a country fluoridates its water or not. By the way, the vast majority of the world’s nations have rejected water fluoridation.

In my opinion, it’s time we do the same.

Steve Dupont, RD, LD, is a registered dietitian and founder of Dupont Dietary Consulting LLC. A “true believer” in the power of nutrition, Steve is committed to serving those wishing to enjoy delicious food while reaping its health benefits. Specialties include weight loss, energy balance, supplements, cooking and meal planning.

205-213-7953. SteveDupont.com.

Get Up, Stand Up Stand up for your rights—not to be drugged and literally poisoned against your will.

Personally I think the best way to fight fluoridation would be for municipalities to lobby the BWWA—or better yet, sue them. Perhaps for false advertising…regardless, this starts with you going to your city council and educating them. Chances are they are clueless to the many health concerns associated with fluoridation, not to mention where the “fluoride” comes from.

I also suggest you contact the BWWA directly. Be nice—but not too nice. Tell them you know their dirty little secret and you want the so-called “fluoride” out of the water. My primary contact has been Darryl Jones (darryl.jones@bwwb.org), an upper manager who oversees administration of the fluoridation program. You’re welcome to tell him I sent you.

In the meantime, avoid fluoridated water as much as possible.

Unfortunately, the fluorine ion is so small that pitcher-style (i.e., Brita) water filters won’t catch it. Consider investing in an under-sink reverseosmosis water filtration system, which typically run $500-1000 but are well worth it in my opinion for the health benefits of pure water, as well as the crisp, clean taste.

Another option is a “gravity-fed” filtration system fitted with special fluoride/arsenic filters. I own a unit from Berkey (about $250 including filters), which can process about 5,000 gallons on a set of filters. ProPur is another brand I’ve heard good things about, although I don’t have personal experience with it.

Clean water is so important. Please make it a priority in your life—and share this information with family and friends so they, too, can make truly informed decisions about their health.

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calendarofevents FRIDAY, MARCH 1 Alabama Waldorf School Summer Programs Registration – through March 31. Alabama Waldorf School will be having registration for their Summer Programs. The programs are available for children ages 2 1/2 to 8 years old. Join us for a Waldorfinspired Summer Camp with activities and crafts celebrating “Fairy Tales Around the World!” May 29-Aug. 13. For more information, visit Alabama Waldorf.org or call 205-592-0541.

Art by Chip Cooper – Chip Cooper was former Director of Photography at the University of Alabama for 33 years and is now artist in residence in the Honors College and a faculty member in the Arts and Sciences College. Cooper’s photography books include, Hunting: The Southern Tradition, Alabama Memories, Silent In The Land, Common Threads, Crimson: The University of Alabama, Tin Man and Old Havana. The Library Theatre, 200 Municipal Dr, Hoover, AL 35216. 205-739-7124.

Painterly Impressions with David Nichols – 9:30am-12:30pm, same on March 15. David Nichols is accomplished in the mediums of oil, watercolor and acrylic and even though each has its own attraction, he finds the richness of color and the buttery nature of oils the most alluring. He has exhibited in juried art exhibitions throughout the Southeast and has received numerous awards for his paintings.

Admission charged. Forstall Art Center, 402 Palisades Blvd, Palisades Shopping Center, Homewood, AL 35209. 205-870-0480. ForstallArtCenter.com.

WASH, by Margaret Wrinkle: Photography Exhibition –10am-5pm, through March 29. This is an exhibition of photographs taken by Margaret Wrinkle at slavery-related sites around the South.

These photographs were taken while Wrinkle was conducting research for her debut novel, WASH, which reexamines American slavery in ways that confound our contemporary assumptions about race, history, and healing. Space One Eleven, 2409 Second Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203.

205-328-0553. SpaceOneEleven.org.

February Arts Show: A Celebration of African American History, Heritage, and Art – 10:30am2pm, through March 2. City Arts is a new concept boutique combining a gallery, shop, and on-site studios. The boutique presents an eclectic mix of art, handmade arts and crafts, unique clothing and jewelry, all created exclusively by local Birmingham artists. City Arts Boutique, 5528 1st Ave South, Birmingham, AL 35212. 205-902-3181. CityArts Boutique.com.

Forstall Art presents ArtBar for Winter 2013 – 5-7pm. ArtBar showcases professional artists and helps you learn by watching them paint or draw.

A Q&A session will follow each demo. Whether

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you’re an artist or not, wine, cheese and art are the perfect way to enjoy a winter evening. Forstall Art Center, 402 Palisades Blvd, Palisades Shopping Center, Homewood, AL 35209. 205-870-0480.

Healing Through Movement – 6-8pm. This Class focuses on healing our body and minds through movement. Participants will learn how our bodies talk to us and how to start healing our minds and bodies to deepen our connection to the truest sense of ourselves. All levels of Pilates practitioners are welcome. Cost is $30. Class will be held at Pilates on Highland, 2827 Highland Ave South, Birmingham, AL. For more information or to RSVP call 205-2020-9198 or go to PilatesOnHighland.com.

RUINED – 8-10pm, through March 17. RUINED is a haunting, probing work about the resilience of women during times of war. Set in a small mining town in present-day Congo, it centers on a shrewd bar and brothel owner named Mama Nadi. Winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Admission charged. Virginia Samford Theatre, 1116 26th St South, Birmingham, AL 35205. 205-251-1206.

CityEquityTheatre.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2 Sand Rock: Rock Climbing – 8am. Beginners and experienced climbers are welcome to climb at one of Alabama’s best climbing locations. This sandstone climbing area includes a series of tall boulders strewn along the side of the mountain varying in height from 30 feet to 90 feet. The trip will be run by experienced UAB trip leaders and a certified rock climbing guide. Admission charged. UAB Campus Recreation Center, 1501 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35205. 205-996-4913.

Capturing Light in Still Life Painting with Gamblin Paints and Jonathan Simon – 10am-4pm.

Students will examine a still life composition and lay in a drawing by massing in the dark and light shapes to establish value and local color. Participants must have previous oil painting experience. Admission charged. Forstall Art Center, 402 Palisades Blvd, Palisades Shopping Center, Homewood, AL 35209.

205-870-0840. ForstallArtCenter.com.

Brian McKnight – 8pm. This talented singersongwriter, pianist and arranger is a favorite of Birmingham audiences. Admission charged. Alys Robinson Stephens Performing Arts Center, 1200 Tenth Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294. 205975-2787. AlysStephens.uab.edu.

SUNDAY, MARCH 3 Restorative Yoga with Lauren Brown – 10am12pm. Cost is $25 for one class or $90 for 4

classes. Classes held at Embody Practice Center 3918 Montclair Rd, Ste #100 Birmingham, AL 35213.

Cahaba River: Paddling, AL – 1pm. Spend the day on the rive paddling through beautiful Alabama forests with scenic islands and rock outcroppings.

Admission charged. UAB Campus Recreation Center, 1501 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35205. 205-996-4913. UAB.edu.

Coffee Tastings at the Plaza – 2:30-3:30pm. Coffee-ol-ogy Coffee CafÊ presents fun and interactive programs on food and coffees from around the globe.

Complimentary samples provided. Hoover Public Library, 200 Municipal Dr, Hoover, AL 35216. 205-444-7821. Coffeeology.net.

Independent Mission Marketer

Mary Achatz t Toxic-free skin and body care t Living, raw, organic and gluten-free foods

t Products to help jump start diets and cleansing mlac@otelco.net 256-509-0823 www.maryachatz.mybeyondorganic.com

MONDAY, MARCH 4 KoronisFest PSA and Poster Contest Call for Entries – Have your entry screened at KoronisFest during National Public Health Week and at the renowned Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, Alabama. The contest will have three categories: PSA Live Action (60-seconds or less), PSA Animation (60-seconds or less), and Poster (11�x 17�). University of Alabama at Birmingham Campus, 1400 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35291. 205-578-2070. Koronisfest.org.

Basic Computer Class: The Internet – 9:30am. Trainees will be able to define what the Internet is. Define terms associated with the Internet; explain the development of the Internet; identify the different types of search engines; and be aware of Internet dangers and precautions. West End Branch Library, 1348 Tuscaloosa Ave SW, Birmingham, Alabama 35211. 205-226-4089.

Ashley L. Lundy, LAc. Doctor Of Oriental Medicine

"$616/$563& t $)*/&4& )&3#"- .&%*$*/&

4735 Norrell Drive, Suite 5 Trussville, AL 35173

(239) 240-5428

alacupuncture.com

doclundy@alacupuncture.com

Imagine Birmingham – 10am-6pm, through March 24. Imagine Birmingham invites student artists, in grades 8-12th and attending Birmingham City schools, to submit paintings, sculptures, collages and other works of visual art inspired by the student artist’s interview of a person from their neighborhood who lived through the events of 1963. Vulcan Park and Museum will select approximately 20 works to exhibit throughout March 2013. Vulcan Park and Museum, 1701 Valley View Dr, Birmingham, AL 35209. 205-933-1409. VisitVulcan.com.

Creative Writing Workshop with author Robert Inman – 9pm, through March 7. Participants will have the opportunity for instruction in the full range of topics for writing fiction whether it be short stories or novels. Topics will include character and plot development as well as creating effective dialogue.

Information about how to get works published will also be covered including publishing in electronic formats. Admission charged. Shelby County Arts Council Gallery, 104 Mildred St, Columbiana, AL 35051. 205-620-6419.

ShelbyCountyArtsCouncil.com.

TUESDAY, MARCH 5 Dog Training: Mastering the Basics – 7pm. Mastering the Basics for dogs over 6 months. This class builds on the foundation of Respect you have built and uses that to strengthen the skills needed for a lifetime with your dog. Admission charged. Creative Dog Training, 2703 19th Place South, Homewood, AL 35209. 205-871-3130. CreativeDogTraining.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6 Ready, Set, Grow – 4pm. Participants will grow ingredients for tacos, pizza, ratatouille, salad, and more. Springville Road Regional Library (BPL), 1224 Old Springville Rd, Birmingham, AL 35215. 205-226-4085.

Experience Energy “Medicine� Scans Detects and Corrects Body & Emotional Imbalances Clement Wellness .BSZ $MFNFOU 1I % +% .48 SE "WF 4PVUI t #JSNJOHIBN

ClementWellness.com 205-538-7290 or 615-206-1553 ClementOnSouthWaterAvenue@gmail.com natural awakenings

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THURSDAY, MARCH 7

SATURDAY, MARCH 9

SUNDAY, MARCH 10

Viewing of Standing on my Sisters’ Shoulders – 11am. The award-winning documentary “Standing on my Sisters’ Shoulders” looks at the civil rights movement in Mississippi during the 1950s and 1960s, from the view of courageous women who lived it. These women stood up and fought for the right to vote and equal education. Titusville Branch Library (BPL), 2 6th Ave SW, Birmingham, AL 35211. 205-322-1140. BPLOnline.org.

Mulberry River: Kayaking, AL – 8am. Paddle open kayaks down one of Alabama’s best white water rivers; the Mulberry Fork of the Warrior River. Just one hour from Birmingham you’ll find scenery and fun rapids. Admission charged. UAB Campus Recreation Center, 1501 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35205. 205-996-4913.

Change Your Perspective: An Exploration of Handstand & Forearm Balance – 10am-12pm.

Join us as we explore inverted asanas, learning key actions through a conscious flow to help you boldly fly with grace and help you conquer your fears of going upside down. Cost: $30 if registered by March 3; $35 for late registration.

Instructor: Nancy Kate Williams (NancyKateYoga. com). Birmingham Yoga, 605 37 St South, Birmingham, AL 35222.

Literacy Council Tutor Orientation – 11:30am12:30pm. This tutor training program ensures that educators are well versed in the most current methods for teaching adult basic literacy and ESOL, whether it is one-on-one or in a classroom setting.

Literacy Council, 2301 1st Ave North, #102, Birmingham, AL 35203. 205-326-1925. AlLiteracy Council.wordpress.com.

7th Annual Walk With Me Benefiting Easter Seals of the Birmingham Area Pediatric Clinic – 8:30am-12:30pm. All proceeds raised through this walk will benefit the Pediatric Clinic in Pelham, Alabama. This year’s walk will be a 3-mile walk to gain awareness and education of Easter Seals and the children that we serve. Walk with Me has a goal of $67,000 and that is achieved through corporate sponsors, individual teams and general donations.

Admission charged. Veterans Park-Hoover, 4800 Valleydale Rd, Hoover, AL 35242. 205-314-2187.

EasterSeals.com.

Music from the Civil Rights Era – 6pm. Wenonah High School Choral Department will present “Negro Spirituals and Music from the Civil Rights Era.” In 1963, the world turned its attention to Birmingham as peaceful civil rights demonstrators faced police dogs and fire hoses in a battle for freedom and equality. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Birmingham’s civil rights struggle, the Birmingham Public Library is sponsoring the Year of Birmingham, a 12-month series of lectures, documentary films, performances and panel discussions. Powderly Branch Library (BPL), 3301 Jefferson Ave SW, Birmingham, AL 35221.

Southeastern Outings Dayhike on the Chinnabee Silent Trail in the Talladega National Forest – 9am. This is one of the most scenic trails in Alabama, following at its end Cheaha Creek with seven or eight pools, each fed by its own waterfall. We’ll stop for a look at largest pool as we walk on the trail down towards Lake Chinnabee. Leeds Highway 78 Gravel Parking Lot Meeting Location, 6995 Parkway Dr, Leeds, AL 35094. 205-410-9996. SEOutings.org.

Reiki Circle – 6:30-8pm. Experience hands of Reiki energy in restorative yoga poses. Relax, refresh and release stress. Open to all as well as Reiki practitioners to practice their skills or to just receive energy. $15 drop in. Terri Heiman, Natural Forces Studio, 605 37th Street South, inside Birmingham Yoga.

NaturalForcesStudio.com/blog.

The Book as Art Object with Doug Baulos – 10am-4pm. Using original images and calligraphy attendees will work with a variety of spine constructions and expose the creative potential of the book/ journal as an artistic object. Participants will also learn various expressive techniques towards making an exciting and archival book/journal, envelope for collection, and object of art. Admission charged.

Forstall Art Center, 402 Palisades Blvd, Palisades Shopping Center, Homewood, AL 35209. 205-8700480. ForstallArtCenter.com.

FRIDAY, MARCH 8 ArtPlay Parlor Music Series presents Charlie Albright – 7pm. Part of the Patty McDonald Presents ArtPlay’s Parlor Music Series featuring Young Concert Artists. Experience the music up close and personal in the grand parlor of the beautiful Victorian mansion known as ArtPlay, the ASC’s home for education and outreach, as the popular ArtPlay Parlor Music Series continues. Admission charged. ArtPlay-UAB Alys Stephens Center Arts Education & Outreach Program, 1006 19th St South, Birmingham, AL 35205. 205-975-2787.

AlysStephens.UAB.net.

The Black Jacket Symphony presents Prince’s “Purple Rain” – 8-10pm, through March 10. Don’t miss the chance to see one of the most anticipated albums the Black Jacket Symphony has ever performed. This is an 18+ show. Admission charged.

Workplay, 500 23rd St South, Birmingham, AL 35233. 205-879-4773. WorkPlay.com.

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Alabama Parkinson’s Fighter Walk – 9pm-12am.

Join for a 1-mile fun walk to fight Parkinson’s Disease. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Vendors will be on-sight to provide health information. Net proceeds from the walk will support the Parkinson’s Unity Walk, the largest grassroots fundraiser for Parkinson’s disease research in the country.

Admission charged. Alabaster Veteran’s Park, 7305 Hwy 119, Alabaster, AL 35007. 205-837-4900.

The Art of Pilates – 1-4pm. This workshop focuses on discovering the purest sense of the your Pilates.

Your first experience with Pilates is figuring out the crazy breath, building strength and improving flexibility. Learning to balancing the connection between mind and body. All levels welcome. Cost: $30. Pilates on Highland, 2827 Highland Ave South, Birmingham, AL. For information or to RSVP call 205-202-9198 or go to PilatesOnHighland.com.

Digging Deep: Connecting to Inner Strength, Wisdom & Intuition – 2-4pm. Let’s practice digging deep within ourselves to connect to our own inner strength, personal power and intuition to trust the wisdom within. The workshop will be held at Birmingham Yoga. Cost: $30 if registered by March 3; $35 for late registration.

Instructor: Nancy Kate Williams (NancyKateYoga. com). Birmingham Yoga, 605 37 St South, Birmingham, AL 35222.

MONDAY, MARCH 11 Larry Moore, the Magic Man – This Birmingham favorite brings a show full of magic, comedy, juggling, balloon-sculpting and more at The Plaza.

Hoover Public Library, 200 Municipal Dr, Hoover, AL 35216. 205-444-7833. HooverLibrary.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 12 Tomato Container Gardening – 6:30pm. Classic Garden’s Chris Keith will deliver his nationally recognized “Tomato Talk,” in which Mr. Keith will explain step-by-step how to grow 300 lbs of tomatoes in a single container. Springville Road Regional Library, 1224 Old Springville Rd, Birmingham, AL 35215. 205-226-4081.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13 Culture and Connection: Examining the Gee’s Bend Interviews – 10:30am. In the late 1970s, journalist and folklorist Kathryn Tucker Windham interviewed and recorded the residents of Gee’s Bend, Alabama. Kelsey Bates, director of development at the Birmingham Public Library, will discuss the interviews and the residents’ comments on cooking and eating traditions, politics, religion, and family. Five Points West Regional Library, 4812 Ave W, Birmingham, AL 35208. 205-226-4013.

BPLOnline.org.

The Last Reef IMAX – The Last Reef is a new Giant Screen movie that aims to explore the world’s reefs and the ecosystems they support, in a plea to halt their destruction. Fly across iridescent tropical reefs, brush through a cloud of a million jellyfish, visit an alien world where the closer you look, the more you see. Admission charged. McWane Science Center, 200 19th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203.

205-714-8414. McWane.org.

THURSDAY, MARCH 14 The Historic Significance of Birmingham – 10am.

Today, Birmingham is now recognized around the world as a symbol of both racial intolerance and racial reconciliation. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Birmingham’s civil rights struggle, the Birmingham Public Library is sponsoring the Year of Birmingham, a 12-month series of lectures, documentary films, performances and panel discussions.

Smithfield Branch Library. 18th Ave W, Birmingham, AL 35204. 205-324-8428. BPLOnline.org.

to Tannehill Trade Days in search of tools, clothing, jewelry, knives, furniture and other treasures.

Admission charged. Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park, 12632 Confederate Parkway, McCalla, AL 35111. 205-477-5711. Tannehill.org.

blocks held in the body. This workshop will help you learn how to tap the issues right out of the body. Registration required. $55. Terri Heiman, Natural Forces Studio, 605 37th Street South, inside Birmingham Yoga. NaturalForcesStudio.com/blog.

Maggie’s Glen Hike – 10am. This is a half mile walk on easy to moderate terrain. Dress for the weather and bring water. Also well behaved, leashed pets are welcome on this hike. Admission charged.

Oak Mountain State Park, 200 Terrace Dr, Pelham, AL 35124. 205-620-2520

St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt – 1-5pm. Participate in our green scavenger hunt and learn about some of the myths and legends of St. Patrick’s Day. Return your completed scavenger hunt to the front desk and receive your very own pot of gold prize. Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, 1214 81st St South, Birmingham, AL 35206. 205-833-8264. RuffnerMountain.org.

Angel Healing Circle – 6:30-8pm. Angels are always around us offering us their love and support.

All we have to do is ask and call on them. Join us for an evening of healing and heart linking with the angels. Find out which angels guide you, support you, and watch over your spirit. Angel empowerments offered to each participant. $15 drop in. Terri Heiman, Natural Forces Studio, 605 37th Street South, inside Birmingham Yoga. NaturalForcesStudio.com/blog.

Non Native Invasive Plant – 12:30-4:30pm. This workshop, taught by two invasive plant specialists with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Auburn University, will give a regional, in-depth and up-to-date perspective on invasive plants, their identification, modes of introduction, effects on native ecosystems, and management. Admission charged. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223. 205-414-3950. BBGardens.org.

Art Of Living Course – 6:30-9:30pm Thurs March 14, and 9am-1pm March 15-17. This course introduces a unique breathing technique known as Sudarshan Kriya, which incorporates specific natural rhythms of the breath which harmonize the body, mind and emotions. This unique breathing technique eliminates stress, fatigue and negative emotions such as anger, frustration and depression, leaving you calm yet energized, focused yet relaxed. For adults 18+ yrs. Venue: 2504 Panorama Pl, Vestavia Hills, AL. Contact: Alok Ranjan. 205-835-6782. Alok.

Ranjan@artofliving.org. ArtOfLiving.org.

SUNDAY, MARCH 17

FRIDAY, MARCH 15 The Magic Flute – 9am-5pm, through March 17.

The Magic Flute is the story of true lovers who must survive magical ordeals and the evil forces of the Queen of the Night before they can be together.

Mozart’s perfect comedy blends onstage hilarity and touching musical moments which together spell fun for all ages. Admission charged. Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Dr, Birmingham, AL 35229. 205-322-6737.

OperaBirmingham.org.

MONDAY, MARCH 18 Monday’s Mammals – 10am. Learn all about the many different species of mammals that call Alabama home. Admission charged. Oak Mountain State Park, 200 Terrace Dr, Pelham, AL 35124. 205-620-2520.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19

Emotional Freedom Technique Workshop – 122pm. Learn the fundamental techniques for the basic tapping points to help you remove the emotional

Tuesday’s Tweets – 10am. Learn all about the many different bird species that call Alabama home.

Admission charged. Oak Mountain State Park, 200 Terrace Dr, Pelham, AL 35124. 205-620-2520.

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Cumberland Plateau Falls: Hiking in Tennessee 5pm. The Cumberland Plateau lies just west of the Appalachian Mountains and is home to scores of beautiful waterfalls. Many of these fall over large cliffs into beautiful rock amphitheaters including Fall Creek Falls, which is the largest single plunge waterfall east of the Rockies. Spend this spring weekend hiking among these beautiful gorges and waterfalls with Outdoor Pursuits. Admission charged. UAB Campus Recreation Center, 1501 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35205. 205-9964913. UAB.edu.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16 Tannehill Trade Days – 8am-4pm, through March 17. Shoppers and swappers come from far and near

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The A,B,C’s of Medicare with Karen Haiflich – 12-1pm, and 6-7pm. Have you been wondering about all the new changes to our Medicare Benefits? Karen Haiflich will answer all your questions about the how benefits are currently computed, how to become insured, and how to file a claim. Homewood Public Library, 1721 Oxmoor Rd, Homewood, AL 35209.

205-332-6620. HomewoodPublicLibrary.org.

Sidewalk E-Series Screening and Panel: “The Economics of Happiness” – 5:30-8:30pm. Sidewalk Film Festival is proud to present the “E-Series”, a year long film and discussion series about four key community issues relevant to the Birmingham metro area - Economic Development, Environment, Equality and Education. Admission charged. RMTC Cabaret Theatre, 301 19th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203. 205-324-0888. SidewalkFest.com.

Documentaries After Dark-Machu Picchu – 6:308:30pm. Machu Picchu is one of the earth’s magical places. The ruined city seems to be the work of giants, full of mysteries, unwilling to reveal its secrets. Nevertheless, more than any other place, it has become the symbol of the vanished culture of its architects, the Incas. Emmet O’Neal Library, 50 Oak Street, Mountain Brook, AL 35213. 205-445-1117. EOLIB.org.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20 In the Woods Wednesday – 10am. Learn about the fun things that can be discovered in the woods.

Bring binoculars, a nature journal, or whatever you need to help you explore. Admission charged. Oak Mountain State Park, 200 Terrace Dr, Pelham, AL 35124. 205-620-2520.

The Woman Gather – 6pm. An evening of poetry, drama and music featuring local artists to celebrate the contributions of women. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, 520 Sixteenth Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203. 205-328-9696. BCRI.org.

Garden as though you will live forever. ~William Kent

THURSDAY, MARCH 21 Export 101 – 10am-12pm. The Alabama International Trade Center, along with the Export Alabama Alliance, will conduct a hands-on program teaching how to get started in the export business and what resources are available for small and medium size businesses. Hoover Public Library, 200 Municipal Drive, Hoover, AL 35216. 205-444-7816.

Crystal, Color & Light Therapy – 6:30-8pm.

This month we will focus on the properties of color and light through crystal projection to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a kind of depression that occurs at a certain time of the year, usually in the winter. This healing circle offers the body, mind and spirit minerals and vitamins through color to alleviate winter depression. $15 drop in. Terri Heiman, Natural Forces Studio, 605 37th Street South, inside Birmingham Yoga. NaturalForcesStudio.com/blog.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22 Restorative Yoga with Lauren Brown – 10am12pm. Cost is $25 for one class or $90 for 4 classes.

Classes held at Embody Practice Center, 3918 Montclair Rd, Ste #100 Birmingham, AL 35213.

Kick Start a Spring Garden – 2-4pm. Stop by the Children’s Department to put together the perfect spring addition to your garden. You will take home a cup of dirt and watch a seed sprout into a living plant. All ages welcome. Homewood Public Library, 1721 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, AL 35209. 205332-6619. HomewoodPublicLibrary.org.

RED, by John Logan – 8-10pm. Renowned artist Mark Rothko is working in his New York studio on the now-famous murals in the exclusive Four Seasons restaurant. Can the voice of his muse be heard above the siren call of the big commission dollars? Admission charged. Birmingham Festival Theatre, 1901 ½ - 11th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205. 205-933-2383. BFTOnline.org.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23 The Healer Within: Massage Therapists & Body Workers – 8am-3pm. This workshop explores the principles of self care for the healer within each therapist. It empowers the therapist with knowledge and practice that will enhance their energy levels and improve health and well being for self care in order to better serve their clients. $150. NCBTMB-6 CE. Terri Heiman, Natural Forces Studio, 605 37th Street South, inside Birmingham Yoga. Natural ForcesStudio.com/blog.

Magic City Choral Society’s Spring Masquerade: A Night in an Enchanted Forest – 7pm-12am.

Attendees enjoy a whimsical night in an enchanted forest. Wear your fantastical masks or buy one from our handmade masks. Admission charged.

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Avondale Brewing Company, 201 41st St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 205-478-4615. Magic CityChoralSociety.org.

The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain and Desoto State Park – 8:30pm. The first night of this event will be spent exploring select areas on Desoto State Park, located atop Lookout Mountain, later spending the night in the State Park. Participants must arrange their own travel, meals and accommodations, of which there are several affordable types to choose from in the park. Admission charged. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223. 205-414-3950. BBGardens.org.

MONDAY, MARCH 25 Dream Interpretation Classes with Jungian Analyst Lucie Magnus – 6-7pm. Dreams are a way of communicating and acquainting yourself with the unconscious, revealing something about yourself, your relationships with others, and situations in your waking life. Lucie Magnus will discuss the history of dream analysis, common dreams, and how to develop the necessary tools to interpret your dreams. Homewood Public Library, 1721 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, AL 35209. 205-332-6620.

HomewoodPublicLibrary.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 26 Alabama American Diabetes Alert Day 2013 – 10:30am-1:30pm. American Diabetes Association Alert Day is a one-day “wake-up call” asking the American public to take the Diabetes Risk Test to find out if they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The Diabetes Risk Test asks users to answer simple questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. University of Alabama at Birmingham Campus, 1400 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35291. 404-731-3710.

Vermiculture: Worms for Fun and Compost – 6:30pm. Ms. Jan Rogers, Master Gardener, will show attendees how to build a worm bin, choose the right type of worms, how to care for them and how to harvest that wonderful soil that they create. Springville Road Regional Library, 1224 Old Springville Rd, Birmingham, AL 35215. 205-226-4083.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27 Four Legged Gardening- Brown Bag Lunch and Learn – 11:30am-12:30pm. Discover how to create a safe space for pets by learning the difference between pet-friendly and unfriendly plants.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223. 205-414-3931.

GreenAlabama.org.

THURSDAY, MARCH 28 Bachelor of Fine Arts II Exhibition – 8:30am-1pm.

Durbin Gallery of the Doris Wainwright Kennedy Art Center & Azar Studios, 900 Arkadelphia Rd, Birmingham, AL 35254. 205-226-4929. BSC.edu.

Savasana & Sound Healing – 6:30-8pm. In this class we will combine the vibrations of the crystal healing bowls with the many benefits of savasana.

The tones produced by crystal bowls are not just heard by the ear, you feel them in your body, with certain tones affecting your energy centers for healing, balancing and deep meditation. $15 drop in. Terri Heiman, Natural Forces Studio, 605 37th Street South, inside Birmingham Yoga. Natural ForcesStudio.com/blog.

FRIDAY, MARCH 29 Full Worm Moon Hike – 6pm. Names for each full moon were given by Native American tribes to keep track of the seasons. Join us for the Full Worm Moon hike on this brisk winter evening. We will hike to the wetlands to enjoy the glow of the moon, light snacks, and star gazing. Admission charged. Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, 1214 81st St South, Birmingham, AL 35206. 205-833-8264.

RuffnerMountain.org.

SATURDAY, MARCH 30 Spring-flowering Native Plants – 8:30am12:30pm. One of the most exciting annual events in the southeast is the flowering of our native spring wildflowers, many of them ephemeral. This class will examine what makes a plant an ephemeral and some of the special characteristics they possess.

Admission charged. Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223.

205-414-3950. BBGardens.org.

Clover Crawl Green Expo 2013 – 10am-4pm.

Birmingham’s premier “Green” Lifestyle Expo will be held at the feet of Vulcan Birmingham’s historic landmark park from Free admission to the expo but regular admission does apply to Vulcan’s Observation Tower and Museum. There will be over 30 vendors and other eco-friendly groups participating. Vulcan Park and Museum, 1701 Valley View Dr, Birmingham, AL. 205-933-1409.

Wine and Cheese Hike – 5pm. We will hike to Hawk’s View Overlook and watch the sun set over Birmingham. This is a great opportunity to socialize in the great outdoors while partaking in food, drink, and a spectacular view. Admission charged.

Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, 1214 81st St South, Birmingham, AL 35206. 205-833-8264.

RuffnerMountain.org.

ongoingevents come and observe. Embody Practice Center, 3918 Montclair Rd, Crestline (next to Post Office). Taught

by Stephen Guesman of Dancing Stone Tai-ji Quan.

205-919-6231. GreenWorks.sg@gmail.com.

sunday Mysore Yoga – 10:30am–12pm. Brent. Student works individually, with guidance and adjustments from a teacher on the Ashtanga series of postures.

Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

Sunday Service – 11am-12:30pm. Unity of Birmingham, 2803 Highland Ave, Birmingham, AL 35205. 205-251-3713. UnityBham.com.

Community Yoga – 5-6:15pm. Lindsey. Open to all levels. A beginners flow Vinyasa Yoga Class based on the Ashtanga System Donation based class.

Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

monday Ashtanga Flow Yoga, Level 2 –12-1:15pm. Shawn.

A flow practice highly influenced by Ashtanga primary series this is a great class to boost your energy during your lunch break. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-6374228. BirminghamYoga.com.

Ashtanga Improv Flow Yoga – 6-7:50pm. Akasha. An exploration of 1st & 2nd series. Students should be familiar with Ashtanga primary series.

Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

Developing Intuition – 6:30-8:30pm, Mondays, March 7-April 8. Do you have an innate ability in intuition? Join this 6 week workshop as we look at the 4′Cs…Clairvoyance, Clairaudience, Clairsentient, Clairessence. Cost is $100 for the complete workshop or $20 for drop in sessions. For more info, contact Terri Heiman, Natural Forces Studio, 605 37th Street South, inside Birmingham Yoga.

NaturalForcesStudio.com/blog.

Kundalini Yoga and Meditation – 5:30-6:45pm.

Kerry. This class is great for all levels. In a Kundalini class we will practice an asana or set of asanas using a specific breath in each pose to initiate the energy to move upwards. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228.

BirminghamYoga.com.

Ashtanga Yoga, Level 2 – 6-7:30pm. Akasha. Level 2 will build on the practice from beginner series, taking the Primary series postures a bit deeper.

Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

Restorative Yoga – 6:45-8pm. Bliss Wood. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

wednesday Pranayama and Kundalini/Meditations – 5:157:30am. Akasha. During this class we will practice an asana set, usually from the Kundalini tradition, to awaken and energize the body. Following will be breathing exercises based on the Ashtanga Pranayama Series, and healing chants (mantras) and meditations. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228.

BirminghamYoga.com.

Mysore Yoga – 7:30-9am. Akasha. Student works individually, with guidance and adjustments from a teacher on the Ashtanga series of postures. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

Heated Vinyasa Flow Yoga – 9:15-10:30am. Pilar.

A strong flowing practice where the body and breath are integrated with music to create a visceral experience of oneness. Room is heated to 80 degrees.

Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

Basic Hatha Yoga Class – 12-1pm. Lyndsey Robinson. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. Birmingham Yoga.com.

tuesday Mysore Yoga – 6:30-8am. Brent. Student works individually, with guidance and adjustments from a teacher on the Ashtanga series of postures. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

Tai-ji Quan (Tai Chi) – Beginners class at 5:30pm, Intermediates at 6:30pm. First Class free or just

Prenatal Yoga – 5:30-6:30pm. Nancy Roberts. A special class for mothers to be. Prenatal class focuses on the gentle needs of a pregnant woman’s body to ease the discomforts of pregnancy and prepare for the miracle of birth. Pranayama (breathwork) and calming meditations are also used to help relieve stress and bond mother to her new baby. A doctor’s waiver is required for all new students. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222.

256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

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Mysore Yoga – 6:35-8:30pm. Brent. Student works individually, with guidance and adjustments from a teacher on the Ashtanga series of postures. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

for all levels and great follow up from Intro and Ashtanga Series. $48 for series. Drop-ins welcome.

Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

friday

thursday Pranayama Yoga – 6-6:30am. Akasha. During this class we use certain healing chants (mantras) Breathing exercises based on the Ashtanga Pranayama Series and meditations. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228.

BirminghamYoga.com.

Mysore Yoga – 6:30-8am. Akasha. Student works individually, with guidance and adjustments from a teacher on the Ashtanga series of postures. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

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Mantra/Meditations – 8-9am. Akasha. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

Earth Fare’s Family Dinner Night – 4-8pm. Every Thursday from 4-8pm kids eat free. One adult meal of $5 or more receives up to 6 free kids meals. The kids can choose their main item (pizza, pasta, sandwich, quesadilla, etc.), and they will always receive fresh fruits and veggies. Parents can choose anything from the hot bar, salad bar, deli case, sushi, pizza or sandwiches. We have a cafe where families can sit and eat, or we can package everything to go. Earth Fare, 3230 Galleria Circle, Hoover, AL 35244. 205988-2938. EarthFare.com.

Kundalini Yoga and Meditation – 5-6pm. Akasha.

This class is great for all levels. In a Kundalini class we will practice an asana or set of asanas using a specific breath in each pose to initiate the energy to move upwards. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228.

BirminghamYoga.com.

Core Vinyasa, 4 Class Series – 6:35-8:05pm. Melissa Scott. A strong vinyasa flow practice with an emphasis on developing deep core strength. Good

Pranayama and Kundalini/Meditations – 5:157:30am. Akasha. During this class we will practice an asana set, usually from the Kundalini tradition, to awaken and energize the body. Following will be breathing exercises based on the Ashtanga Pranayama Series, and healing chants (mantras) and meditations. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228.

BirminghamYoga.com.

Mysore Yoga – 7:30-9am. Akasha. Student works individually, with guidance and adjustments from a teacher on the Ashtanga series of postures. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

Community Ashtanga Flow – 5:30-6:45pm.

Christine S.A. Release stress from the week and welcome your weekend with this energizing and relaxing flow class. Class is donation based, suggested donation is $10. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228.

BirminghamYoga.com.

saturday Shiva Flow Yoga, Level 2 – 10-11:30am. Lauren. lnspired by the Ashtanga Primary & Secondary Series, this vinyasa flow class is good for experienced beginners and experienced yogis looking for a heatbuilding practice. Room is heated to 80-85 degrees.

Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-637-4228. BirminghamYoga.com.

Slow Flow Yoga– 12-1:30pm. Jennifer H. A flowing style of yoga that deeply integrates breath, movement, awareness and alignment. Birmingham Yoga, 605 37th St South, Birmingham, AL 35222. 256-6374228. BirminghamYoga.com.

Animals are such agreeable friends —they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms. ~George Eliot

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communityresourceguide

FELDENKRAIS (SOMATIC EDUCATION)” JENNIFER ROWLEY, LMT # 1039, CF

ACUPUNCTURE

CSAS AND FOOD COOPS

ASHLEY LUNDY, LAC.

OFF THE VINE ORGANIC PRODUCE

Doctor of Oriental Medicine 4735 Norrell Dr, Suite 5 Trussville, AL 35173 239-240-5428 Alacupuncture.com DocLundy@alacupuncture.com

Serving Birmingham and Montgomery 850-374-2181 Support@OffTheVine.org OfftheVine.org

Specializing in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine. Using noninvasive treatment to help treat pain, high blood pressure, fertility issues, insomnia, fibromyalgia, and weight loss. Located inside Eastern Chiropractic. Call today for your appointment.

Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner 1025 23rd Street South Suite 205 Birmingham, AL. 35205 205-595-3671

All organic—all the t i m e ! We b r i n g t h e farmers market to you.

Check our new selection every Friday and pick up the following week.

Pick up or delivery available.

FOOD & SUPPLEMENTS OFF THE VINE ORGANIC PRODUCE

ENERGY HEALING CHIROPRACTIC CHIROPRACTOR & HERBALIST Dr. Jeanne R. Chabot 2116 Rocky Ridge Road Hoover, AL 35216 205-822-2177 ChabotChiropractic.com 36 years of Chiropractic experience, certified herbalist and Reiki Master. Dr. Chabot provides physiological therapeutics, conventional Chiropractic adjustments, decompression therapy, as well as gentle adjustments according to your preference and need. Private treatment rooms provided for your comfort.

Also available at the clinic:Massage therapy, Hypnotherapy, Energy Work, Mediation classes, Personal Training, and Yoga classes. Most insurances accepted.

COLON HYDROTHERAPY

CLEMENT WELLNESS 4003 3rd Ave South Birmingham, AL 35222 205-538-7290 or 615-206-1553 ClementWellness.com ClementOnSouthWaterAvenue@gmail.com Body/mind/spirit rejuvenation through space-age computer programs & emotional techniques. Call for private sessions, classes and workshops.

Detox your body with Colon Hydrotherapy, Infra Red Sauna, and BioCleanse Therapy. We are the only hydrotherapist in Alabama providing colonics with ionized, microclustered, anti-anti-oxidant, alkaline water. We also offer Lipoex®, a non-invasive way to melt fat, reduce cellulite, and tighten skin.

Computerized Biofeedback, Massage therapy, pain management, infra red sauna, light therapy, Koreanstyle Hip Bath, and VibaBody Slimmer are also available. Come and experience the difference. Be sure to ask about the QXCI, “the computer that can tell if your are well.” It is a must for anyone who is serious about improving wellness. Open Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:30pm and Sunday 9am-4pm.

Serving Birmingham and Montgomery 850-374-2181 Support@OffTheVine.org OfftheVine.org All organic—all the t i m e ! We b r i n g t h e farmers market to you.

Check our new selection every Friday and pick up the following week.

Pick up or delivery available.

REV. TERRI A. HEIMAN, RMT Natural Forces Studio, LLC 605 37th Street South Inside Birmingham Yoga Birmingham, AL 35222 516-457-3885 Terri@NaturalForcesStudio.com NaturalForcesStudio.com

GREEN PRODUCTS TONYA HAYES, INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT

Reiki Certification Program, Energy Medicine, Vinyasa Krama Yoga.

Crystal, Color & Light Therapy.

Private sessions, classes and workshops.Walk-in Reiki Clinic.

HEALING WATERS COLON HYDROTHERAPY Bernadine Birdsong I-ACT & NBCHT Certified Instructor and School 720 23rd St South, Birmingham, AL 205-323-7582 MoreThanColonics.com

Learn to move more easily and with less effort. Learn to move beyond your habitual patterns of movement and posture that may be causing pain or limitations.

The Feldenkrais Method® of Somatic Education (www.feldenkrais.com) offers a way to live more comfortably in your body. Over 28 years experience of assisting others to move better. Call for more information or to schedule a movement lesson.

Celadon Road 256-394-3763 CeladonTHayes@gmail.com MyCeladonRoad.com/THayes Celadon Road markets its organic, eco-friendly and fair-trade products for home, children, kitchen and personal wellness exclusively through its network of Independent Consultants. Call me to schedule a spa party or a consultation to learn more about our products. Become an independent consultant with this young company with a solid background. This is a ground-floor opportunity. Let’s talk.

FAMILY MEDICINE HOLISTIC HEALING

HOOVER ALT MD Elizabeth Campbell Korcz, M.D. 3421 S. Shades Crest, Suite 111 Hoover, AL 35244 205-733-6676 hooveraltmd.com

NTEGRATIVE HEALING

Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Wellness/Natural Medicine, Acupuncture, Weight Loss/ Fitness, Hypnosis, Aromatherapy, Biofeedback, Counseling, Addiction, Botox/ Fillers, Facials.

“A different kind of practice, a deeper kind of care."

Rama S. Khalsa, LMT #238, DAC 1025 23rd Street South Suite 205 Birmingham, AL. 35205 205-329-1272 Ramask10@gmail.com Offering an integrative treatment approach for optimal health and wellness through massage, acupuncture, yoga (trained by yoga master Yogi Bhajan), ayurvedic nutritional counseling and energy healing. If you are seeking more vitality through a balanced state of being, please call for more information or to schedule an appointment.

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HOMEOPATHY CONSULTANT

MASSAGE THERAPY

JOAN SCOTT LOWE

STEPHEN WADE, LMT #2390

Homeopathic Consultant 1901 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. South Birmingham, AL 35209 205-939-0071 Joan@HomeopathyBeWell.com HomeopathyForWellness.com

1025 23rd St. South Suite 205B Birmingham, AL 35205 205-792-1967

Call or email Joan Scott Lowe, Homeopathic Wellness Consultant, to determine your individual constitutional remedy, the FDA-approved nontoxic homeopathic remedy based on the totality of your mental, emotional, and physical condition, chosen according to the Law of Similars ("like heals like"). Achieve wellness and freedom from illness!

Whether you’re looking for a peaceful retreat from the daily pressure of life, needing therapeutic sports massage to complement your active lifestyle or for tension and pain relief. I would like to help you so call today for your appointment. Over 5 years’ experience. Specializing in neck and shoulder relief.

HYPNOTHERAPY

NATURAL PRODUCTS

LORRI HELLER, C.HT. 205-862-6888 Birmingham-hypnosis.com Irondale and Pelham locations Providing personalized sessions in hypnotherapy in addition to utilizing other proven methods such as NLP and EFT. You can lose weight, stop smoking and eliminate other bad habits. You can eliminate stress, fears, phobias and limiting beliefs that interfere with your being able to selfmotivate and Achieve Your Goals!

MASSAGE THERAPY

Healing touch for everyone.

Offering traditional therapies such as Swedish and Deep Tissue, and specializing in restorative techniques, including Oncology Massage and Manual Lymph Drainage. Located near CVS and Piggly Wiggly on Hwy 31. Available Monday-Saturday by appointment.

Call to ask about out-call appointments and special rates for multi-session packages. AL License #2313

JUDY BOWLES LMT #556, NMT 1025 23rd Street South Suite 205 Birmingham, AL. 35205 205-563-5839 HeyJudy99@gmail.com Massage therapist with 18 years of therapeutic bodywork experience.

I specialize in back, neck/shoulder pain; help with headaches/migraines and range of movement. Deep Tissue, NeuroMuscular Reprogramming, Structural Integration, Thai Massage and Sports Therapy.

Let me help you be pain free.

By appointment only.

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TRANSCENDING WISDOM Terry Lowry, PSYCH-K Facilitator 2100 Southbridge Pkwy, Suite 650 Birmingham, AL 35209 205-414-7559 TrancendingWisdom.com PSYCH-K is an interactive process.

Within minutes a limiting belief held in the subconscious mind can be changed into a positive belief.

PSYCH-K incorporates Educational Kinesiology, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), acupressure, Ericksonian hypnotherapy, and various psycho-spiritual healing systems. Call to set up an appointment for a free demonstration.

TONYA OLIVER 3979 Parkwood Rd, Suite 115-182 Bessemer, AL 35022 1-888-407-6397 GoFunPlaces.ws Tonya@GoFunPlaces.ws Dead Sea Skincare Products, Whole Food Derived Health and Nutritional Products, Green Home and Pet Products, Green Toys, Waterless Stainless Steel Cookware and Cutlery, Bedding and Bath Items, Natural Healing Jewelry, Healthy Coffee and Beverages, Clothing, Deeply Discounted Travel Deals, Electronics, and much more.

I am giving away up to $300 for free so you can take advantage of all the shopping, travel, luxury products and services for up to 100% off or at fractions of the cost you would pay through traditional retail outlets. It’s simple; register for free, log into the website, shop, apply free dollars and checkout with free shipping.

INSPIRED MASSAGE THERAPY Nicole Morris, LMT, CMLDT 1915-B Courtney Drive Homewood, AL 35209 205-907-7977 InspiredMassageTherapy.com

PSYCHOLOGICAL KINESIOLOGY

TAI CHI TAI-JI QUAN (TAI CHI) Stephen Guesman 205-919-6231 GreenWorks.SG@gmail.com Tai-ji Quan (Tai Chi) is the slow motion Chinese martial art and moving meditation. It promotes physical and emotional balance, with particular emphasis on breathing (Chi Kung). Appropriate for all ages and abilities. This short yang style is learned in the Beginner I & II Tai-ji Class before progressing to the ongoing Intermediate Class. Group classes held on Tuesdays, 5:30pm beginners, 6:30pm intermediates at Embody Practice Center located at 3918 Montclair Rd. Suite 100 Birmingham, 35213. First class visit is free or just come observe. Taught by Stephen Guesman of Dancing Stone Tai-ji Quan.

NUTRITION AND GIFTS GOLDEN TEMPLE, NOW 3 LOCATIONS 1901 11th Ave. South, Birmingham: 205-933-6333 3309 Lorna Rd, Suite 7, Hoover: 205-823-7002 110 N. Chalkville Rd, Suite 148, Trussville: 205-655-0353 Since 1973, we have been bringing you the best in healthy living. We offer a wide variety of merchandise including vitamins, herbs, supplements, natural foods, organic produce, incense, clothing, books, and gifts.

ORGANIC FOOD AND PRODUCTS MARY ACHATZ Beyond Organic Independent Mission Marketer 256-509-0823 MaryAchatz.MyBeyondOrganic.com Mlac@otelco.net Beyond Organic is a direct selling company offering products that go “beyond organic” within the categories of cleansing and detoxification, toxic-free skin and body care, live snacks and beverages, pure mountain spring water, and nutrient dense beef and dairy products shipped direct from the Beyond Organic farm and facility to your family.

YOGA BIRMINGHAM YOGA STUDIO 605 37th Street South Birmingham, AL 35222 205-637-4228 Contact@BirminghamYoga.com BirminghamYoga.com Serving the community, Birmingham Yoga offers and hosts: ongoing yoga classes in two beautiful studios, 200-hour yoga teacher training accredited with Yoga Alliance, morning meditation, exciting workshops and class series, monthly community kirtan, musical events, and rental space for guest speakers and teachers.

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