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April 2014
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contents 8 newsbriefs balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal 16 healthbriefs growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle. 18 globalbriefs 21 ecotip 28 22 GOOD RIDDANCE 22 healingways TO BAD VIBES Escaping Electromagnetic 18 32 healthykids Exposure by Priscilla Goudreau-Santos 33 inspiration 28 LIVE GREEN, SAVE BIG 36 fitbody Five Eco-Friendly Life Decisions 38 wisewords that Can Actually Save Us Money 39 consciouseating by Crissy Trask 32 32 BACKYARD BIRDS 42 naturalpet AND BUTTERFLIES 44 greenliving Native Habitats Draw Critters and Delight Kids 47 calendar by Avery Mack 33 WILDERNESS IN 21 51 classifieds SIDEWALK CRACKS 52 resourceguide
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April 2014
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perspectives
W
hen we are driving our cars down a road and we want to change lanes, common sense kicks in and reminds us to check our blind spot before moving the vehicle over into another lane. Of course, we have all "temporarily forgotten" at some point and neglected to check, scaring the heck out of us when we hear someone lay on their horn as we swerve to avoid a collision. The result is like a jolt to our bodies, a full blown cardio session seated firmly behind the steering wheel as our heart thumps loudly. Generally we ease into some form of gratitude and begin to count our blessings that we didn't get into a car accident. Why do we avoid car accidents? Aside from being costly and often time consuming, accidents usually cause a great deal of pain in the aftermath. We want to avoid the PAIN: A trip to the hospital, death or just the ache of sore muscles that can go on for days. The same is often true in our spiritual/emotional lives. We either think we don't want to know, or energetically, in terms of emotional energy, it's something that would be too painful or humiliating; or our own self judgment is so intense that we can't face what we are doing and we end up projecting it out. Common sense helps us remember our "blind spot" while on the road, but it can also prevent us from seeing the very blind spots we possess that effect us daily on our spiritual path. The tricky thing about our personal "spiritual blind spots" is that often times we don’t even know we have them! We truly come by them honestly. This can be for a variety of reasons: cultural factors, personal history, beliefs, opinions, emotions or thoughts. There is no getting around it, each of us has our very own blind spot or blind spots. Just like your car, blind spots are a standard component of the human vehicle. We can be blinded in a number of ways: Sometimes we are just in the dark about something and can’t see it. We could be blinded by the light of a personal belief that's so strong we don’t notice anything else. There are times one can become spiritually blinded by a traumatic event in our past or we can just as easily become blinded through narrow views in our thoughts, emotions and opinions. We don’t have a 360 degree perspective on ourselves. But just like in a car, we have mirrors to see behind us. Our mirrors will generally be in the form of other people. We can learn a lot from our relationships with others. Keeping a student attitude is a powerful cure for blindness. If we explore life as a school filled with learning opportunities, we will witness our vision expanding. I have personally experimented with not having an opinion about whether or not a specific situation is "good or bad". It is hard to do, but in this space of nonjudgment and acceptance, we become more accepting of others, even if their path isn’t in alignment with ours. I try to practice learning so I can expand my thoughts and remain open to new perspectives. I've emotional tornados where someone has strong emotions that overtake them, making them completely blind to the thoughts and feelings of anyone around them. I have recently learned some powerful breathing techniques that have not only helped me to remain calm and centered, they've allowed me to release tension around various areas of my life. They have helped me so much, that I have thank my teacher for sharing and for loving me so much that she reminds me when I forget. If you want to learn more about these techniques, see page 8 for a news brief covering an upcoming breath work certification as well as page 31 for a powerful invocation she shared with me at a recent workshop. Thank you Murshida Va for your love and support...Gosh knows I'm full of blind spots. :) With Love and Gratitude,
KATIE KOONTZ
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“Times may change, but the actual “rules” to a happy, healthy life are non-negotiable. Love, acceptance and forgiveness are the key catalysts in a successful life.” — The Art of Flow
W
hen I was young, spring was a rowdy time; a time to get out and play in the woods, a time for sports and occasionally a schoolyard scuffle as all the boys were feeling their oats. Back in the day, when there was a scuffle, the principal or teacher didn’t call home. They sent a note. The reason was because they always handled the event on the spot. They made you make up in that moment, and usually in front of half the school. Many times the person you had a difference with became a close friend because of the camaraderie you shared by having gone through that experience together and the respect you developed for each other. It would seem that over years these little things would lose their meaning; however, I believe they really don’t. My case in point is that the other day I received a call from someone with an issue to address with me, and there was an immediate misunderstanding. Due to the nature of the call, the intensity ramped up quickly and we had a 20-to-30-minute heated conversation. In the end, the only thing that happened was we both got worked up and neither one of us understood for a minute what the other was trying to convey specifically or why, for that matter. That night as I lay in bed, I began to go over the event that had taken place and found myself still full of anger, both for him and myself. Then I remembered to run through the exercises in The Art of Flow and added a little prayer and meditation in there. The next morning I woke up and knew exactly what I had to do. I had to call him and apologize for my part in what had occurred. I had to explain that I had assumed some things and never really asked what it was I could do to resolve his issue. Much to my amazement, and just like kids on a schoolyard back in the day, he humbly apologized for his unprofessionalism as well, and we found a common meeting ground. We had another 20-to-30-minute conversation and solved what we needed to in order to move forward, which resulted in a great conversation and an alignment in personal principles I would never have suspected existed. This was a perfect example for me of the power that we hold within ourselves to shift our perception and energy regarding any matter in our lives. We create our personal reality. When we accept things as they are, forgive ourselves and others when things don’t feel right and move forward with a connection to the love in our hearts, everything comes together and we find peace and happiness. Oddly enough, I can remember this being the same process, with a different label, that our teachers forced us to do when we had those schoolyard scuffles. I have heard people say that the more things change, the more they stay the same, and I really believe this is true, specifically in the case of being taught how to handle breakdowns in our lives. We may change and the types of conflicts may change, but the principles and solutions remain the same if we wish to be happy and resolved in life. I am proud to announce the release of my book, The Art of Flow, which is now available in print, as well as digitally, on Amazon.com. If you purchase it, please be sure to contact me for a free audio supplement. You can choose now to create the life you desire.
Freddie Zeringue Jr.
Serendipity Robin Mead Robin Mead sees her whimsical, colorful art as an “expression of joy,” translated onto paper, canvas and the digital screen. “My creations are highly stylized and working with subjects like birds and flowers gives me artistic freedom. I can go wherever I want with them and still have them seem believable,” she says. Mead loves to spend time in nature looking for inspiration, but always carries a bag of art supplies, ready to create wherever she goes. Serendipity was completed in the waiting room of a health practitioner’s office. Mead’s work spans media and subject matter from acrylic and mixed media paintings of birds and flowers to watercolor landscapes and gardens. She also likes to hand-make multicolored crocheted afghans and art journals as joyful creations for everyday use. Mead was a full-time social worker before attending art school on Long Island, New York, which turned her lifelong passion into a career. Her work can be found in homes around the world, as well as in album covers, books and art tutorials. Mead and her husband recently relocated from New York to a small farm in Elberton, Georgia, where the family will raise cows, chickens, vegetables, bees and flowers. View the artist’s portfolio at RobinMead.ArtistWebsites.com or her blog at InsightsAndBellyLaughs.com.
natural awakenings
April 2014
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newsbriefs Fresh Health Hydroponics and Natural Market comes to San Marco
Breathwork Certification at Peaceful Living Center
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he Peaceful Living Center is beginning a new certification course, HSM Breathwork, for yoga Instructors (RYT 200/500) in Jacksonville. Level 1, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., April 12, is The Secret Shivasana, and certification qualifies the instructor for classroom Shivasana. Level 2 and level 3 qualify the instructor to teach a full-day workshop to student, and to certify other RYT yoga teachers, respectively.
resh Health Hydroponics and Natural Market has opened at 1738 Kings Avenue, with the best one-on-one customer service and highest quality products available to help nourish what they like to call, “fresh health”, the wonderful sort of health that we enjoy when we eat and live in an optimum way. Whether customers need help with an indoor or outdoor garden, have questions about hydroponic or organic gardening or are looking for nutrient dense, organic, foods, fruits and veggies, Fresh Health Hydroponics and Natural Market has the knowledge and resources to provide everything needed to experience fresh health. Stop in Fridays to see the organic produce co-op bags. Coming this spring are heirloom organic starter plants, hydroponics 101 classes and an organic herbal apothecary. For more information, call 904-398-8012 or visit FreshHealthHydro.com. See ad page 11.
City Wellness Relaunches with New Services
C The instructor, Murshida VA, is a senior teacher in the Lineage of PirO-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan (the Universal Sufi Message) and founder of the Heart Spirit Medicine Project (HeartSpiritMedicine.com), an enterprise devoted to the inner way of sex, spiritual education, the arts and healing. Breath is the foundation of all spiritual practice. Consciously directed breath quiets the mind, regenerates the cells, reverses the aging process and accesses the infinite field of potentiality from which all manifestations arise. Tuition for Level 1 certification is $325. Location: 1250 McDuff Ave. S. To register, visit Eventbrite.com/e/ hsm-breathwork-the-secret-shivasanalevel-1-certification-for-ryts-200500-tickets-11026084315? For more information, email va@murshidava.com.
ity Yoga-Dolce Spa name has changed its name to City Wellness to better provide health and wellness services for our clients. This rebranding also marks their first anniversary since expanding. City Wellness offers massage, facials, yoga, nutritional counseling, body treatments, ayurveda and much more. Visit their new website at CityWellnessFl.com to view services, practitioners and upcoming events. St. Johns County residents receive 20 percent off their first spa treatment. Location: 2225 A1A S., Ste. B 6-8 St. Augustine. For more information, call 904671-2860.
Explore the Benefits of Yoga
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presentation will be given by Heather Fisse-Repole, LMHC, RYT, LMT, at 1 p.m., April 12, at Jacksonville Health and Wellness Center. In this lecture, she will explore traditional yoga, which is broken down into eight limbs. These limbs represent the eight paths that are involved in living a meaningful and purposeful life and should be used as a guide for moral and ethical conduct, as well as selfdiscipline. They allow for optimal focus on one’s health, wellness and embrace the spiritual connectedness of human-beingness. In the United States, most of us associate yoga with the practice of physical postures and have viewed it as a means to obtaining a long lean, and flexible body. This is just one small component of the traditional practice of yoga and postures, or asanas, offer the most limited benefits when compared to the other aspects of yoga practice. Admission is free. Location: 9957 Moorings Dr., Ste. 403, Jacksonville. For more information and to sign up, call 904-268-6568 or visit DrRepole.com. See ad page 41.
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Spiritual Uplifts Provide Uplifting Activities
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piritual Uplifts Metaphysical Store provides not only a unique variety of resource not found elsewhere, but offers a full schedule of events and activities to educate and connect the metaphysical community.
It’s important to recognize that humans are not the measure of all things... The Earth is the measure of all things.
Ongoing instruction includes a mediumship class from 2 to 4 p.m. every Sunday at a cost of $10. Julia’s New Age Book Club meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month to discuss a metaphysical topic selected by group vote. A healing event will be held from 1 to 3 p.m., April 5, and the first Saturday of every month, during which Reiki practitioners will work on customers for a love offering. Learn Protection and How to Cleanse Your Home from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., April 12, for $15. Aura Painting is offered from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., April 19, for $15. The Magic Tool six-week class will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m., beginning April 23, concerning essentials for spell casting concerning, protection, blessings, love, and abundance. The cost is $140 and some supplies are included. Location: 3491 Pall Mall Dr., Jacksonville. For more information, call 904292-4555. See ad page 15.
~James Balog
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natural awakenings
April 2014
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newsbriefs Awakening into Divine Consciousness
S
piritual teacher Mirabai Devi is coming to Jacksonville to share her divine teachings and light transmission, a profound experience described as grace being shot like an arrow to the heart. Her first workshop will be held from 2 to 6 p.m., May 31, at The Cultural Center of Ponte Vedra Beach, 100 Executive Way, in Ponte Vedra Beach. Tickets are $60 in April, $75 after May 1. Her second program will take place from 3 –to 5 p.m., June 1, at the Peaceful Living Center, 1250 South McDuff Avenue, in Jacksonville’s Avondale area. Tickets are $40 in April, $55 after May 1. Mirabai’s programs offer a transformative spiritual experience to heal negativity and suffering and create union with the divine nature in each of us. Jacksonville is one of many stops on Mirabai’s 2014 American Tour. As an instrument of Divine Light, she hopes to reach at least 100,000 people to promote consciousness and healing across the globe. Tickets are available at Tinyurl.com/ph78lew. For more information, email mawilson1@me.com or Diane@AuthenticClarity.com. See ad page 9.
Raw Beauty Exhibiting at One Spark in Jacksonville
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aw Beauty will be exhibiting at One Spark under the category of Innovation as a consumer product from April 9 to 13 in Downtown Jacksonville in a local gift shop called Diversions. Raw Beauty expert Tie Cooper discovered her passion while completing a final graduation requirement as an esthetician; making all-natural chocolate skincare products. During the project, Cooper realized that there were few skincare products that contained only raw, natural and organic ingredients, so she set out to make a few products and was amazed at the results they produced. She eagerly started her own product line called Raw Beauty, an all-natural skincare line that provides high-quality products that have those very ingredients, purely sourced from nature to restore, rejuvenate and nourish the skin and provide it with what it needs on a deep cellular level. Location: 201 N. Laura St., Jacksonville. For more information, visit RawBeautyProducts.net or Facebook.com/RawBeautie.
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natural awakenings
April 2014
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newsbriefs
Yoga Laughter Therapy in Jacksonville
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athe Carrow, BA, TH, CLL, a former educator/therapist in Duval and Pinellas counties, will be holding a Yoga Laughter workshop at 1 p.m., May 4, at the Peaceful Living Center. in Jacksonville, to celebrate World Laughter Day. The whole family is welcome. Carrow, a certified laughter leader, says that is it is time to get serious about laughter. She has worked with an array of clients with a variety of issues, and they always end up laughing. Laughter Yoga is also known as laughter/breathing techniques. Research shows that laughter can boost self-confidence, relieve pain, enhance the immune system and reduce anxiety, fear and depression. Studies have revealed that forced laughter is just as valuable as spontaneous laughter. We don’t have to be a really funny person or even have a good sense of humor to benefit from laughter. Laughter truly is a win/win situation. Location: 1250 McDuff Ave. S. For more information, call Carrow at 904-955-3613.
Work to Conquer Allergies
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Heal for the Cure fundraising event will be held from 1 to 4:30 p.m., April 26, at Spiritual Uplifts, by the Kids with Food Allergies Foundation (KFA). They want to educate families and communities about practical food allergy management strategies to save lives and improve the quality of life for children and their families. The event will include Pranic Healing, Reiki, crystal healing, tuning forks, massage, tai chi and seminars on stress relieve and diet. Admission to the fundraiser is by donation. Location: 3491 Pall Mall Dr., Jacksonville. For more information, call 904-2924555. See ad page 15.
Set the Table for Butterflies
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iscover how to cater to the life cycle needs of a spectacular array of butterflies that live in Florida from 2 to 4 p.m., April 17, at the St. Johns County Windstorm Training Center. Beverly Fleming, Florida master naturalist and nature columnist, will explain how to offer not only nectar plants for the adult butterflies, but also delicious foliage for the babies. By planting host plants, we provide food for caterpillars and can enjoy watching them grow and transform into adult butterflies. Invite butterflies to the yard by gardening with native plants. Admission is free. Location: 3111 Agricultural Center Dr., St Augustine. For more information, call 904-692-3927 or visit NativePlantConsulting.com.
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Purifying Negative Karma
Open up to Deeper Connections
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The Way of Council Four Directions of Human Nature Rites of Passage Work Personal Life / Spirit Guide
aitreya Kadampa Buddhist Center, in Atlantic Beach will host a blessing empowerment of Buddha Vajrasattva on April 12 and 13. An empowerment is a blessing ceremony and guided meditation through which participants make a deep connection with Vajrasattva, the Buddha of purification. Through this connection and subsequent practice, negative karma and obstructions, the cause of suffering and problems, can be purified. Kadam Carol Lutker, Resident Teacher at the Center, will offer this empowerment and commentary from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 12, and guided practice from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., April 13. For information call 904-222-8531. Register online at MeditationInJacksonville.org.
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April 2014
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Mandala Magic
Is Busting Out All Over
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ring Mandala Magic into your life at the Peaceful Living Center, in the Avondale/ Riverside area at 6:30 p.m., April 11, for a small love donation of $10. A mandala workshop will take place from 1 to 6 p.m., April 19. An introduction to mandala making will he conducted at 6:30 p.m., May 9, at Sacred Spirit, LLC, for $10 and a workshop is scheduled there for 1 to 6 p.m., May 17, for $125, as well. Mandalas are a spiritual, holistic form of art, but mandala, meaning “circle” in Sanskrit, has become an almost generic term to describe any form of geometric or symbolic art presented in a circular context. A circular shape is unique. From the center, each point is equally accessible and every point around the perimeter is equidistant. Historically, a circle has been the icon of oneness. A traditional mandala utilizes both a circle and a square and is usually understood as a “squaring the circle”. A square is a matrix of the rational, materialistic interpretation of the world, while the circle symbolizes unity. A mandala in this sense is a spontaneous creative act of our deeper self to reconcile the material and rational with the spiritual and emotional; a visual presentation of human totality. There are different kinds of mandalas. Some Eastern religions utilize mandalas for making symbolic offerings to the universe. The patterns used are specific to the ritual or lesson that is being practiced. Mandalas are executed in a state of rapture. The Swiss Psychoanalyst Carl Jung explored the unconscious through the drawings he and his patients created and observed a circular orientation spontaneously reappearing. Individuation, or merging the subconscious and conscious, was the heart of his research, and his insight has shed light in areas that include the collective unconscious, archetypes and dream analysis.
Spiritual Counseling, Psychic Readings, Spiritual Teaching, Metaphysical Lectures or Psychic Events Spiritual Counselor, Psychic and Medium, Reverend. Judy Zarnes
904-477-4427 call or text
Reiki Healing Sessions
Training on Levels I, II & III
Reiki Master Clarence Zarnes Reiki Practitioner and Teacher
904-651-1804
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Creating a mandala starts with a circle. This circle becomes a sacred space to make an expression during union with the divine source. It becomes a window to the soul. Mandala Magic workshops explore the mandala through the Jungian symbolism of self-representation and the mystique of sacred geometry. Participants are led through a meditation designed to connect to the divine source of all that is, blessing the materials to be used and go within. Creating a mandala will allow the maker to practice non-judgment and to trust yourself as you choose which color to use, where to draw lines and allow images to surface. When we understand how to read mandalas through the symbolism of color, numbers, shape and form, our subconscious is revealed. How can mandala magic benefit us? Creating something while in a meditative state allows us to have a trigger that will connect us to that space. While in meditation, we can feel enlightened and peaceful. Then we must come back to “reality” and all of the demands placed on us. In the face of all our tasks, the peaceful state we just visited can quickly dissipate, and we feel stress come back into our being. Having a mandala will help bring that state of peace back to us. Healing occurs with the mandala work because they act as a personal compass. The power of intention comes through in this process. When we ask for a healing symbol or a visual cue to help us reach our goal, it will come. Our mandala will remind us of our goal and aid us in conceiving our path to reach it. Our mandala is the spiritual energy laying dormant under the threshold of consciousness. When the elements that surface are understood and the message is clear, it will work to aid us to repair, restore and guide us on our journey. No artistic experience is required, only willingness is needed.
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Sacred Spirit, LLC, is located in the Ocean Executive Center, 1153 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach. Call Summer at 904466-2801 or Olena at 904-521-3957 for reservations or questions or visit SacredSpiritJax.us.com. natural awakenings
April 2014
15
healthbriefs
Home Renovations Aggravate Childhood Asthma
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ew research suggests that renovation planning should involve more than just picking the right colors and styles; doing it right may help prevent childhood respiratory conditions. Researchers from St. Louis University, in Missouri, linked home renovations with increased wheezing, asthma and chronic coughing among children living in the home. The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, followed 31,049 children between the ages of 2 and 14 years old from seven Chinese cities over a two-year period. Previous research has also reached a similar conclusion, identifying some specific materials responsible for increased childhood respiratory disorders. A Russian study of 5,951 children ages 8 to 12 found that increased asthma and wheezing were related to recently completed painting, as well as the installation of new linoleum flooring, synthetic carpets, particleboard and wall coverings. That study, published in the same journal states, “Exposure levels are the highest during and shortly after painting, but low levels of exposure may remain for several months. Wooden furniture, as well as painted or varnished and new furniture, is likely to emit chemical substances.” A 2002 study of New York children published in the Journal of Urban Health found similar results.
Ventilation and Cleaning Hinder Indoor Pollutants
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roperly ventilating and frequently cleaning our homes and offices are both important to our health, concludes a new European study published in the Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Researchers analyzed bacterial and fungal counts and suspended particulate matter in indoor air samples of 40 homes and offices. They determined that 45 percent had indoor pollution levels greater than that recommended by the current European Concerted Action Report on air quality standards. An analysis of a Canadian government Health Measures Survey discovered 47 different indoor volatile organic compounds (VOC) among more than half of the 3,857 households surveyed throughout Canada. Most of the VOCs identified there have also been present in separate European and U.S. studies. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), VOCs are carbon chemical compounds that can evaporate under normal indoor atmospheric conditions. The concern with indoor VOCs is their potential to react with indoor ozone to produce harmful byproducts that may be associated with adverse health effects in sensitive populations. Benzene, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene and xylene top the list of common VOCs inside U.S. households, according to an EPA report. Typical sources comprise common household chemicals, furnishings and décor, as well as indoor activities such as unventilated cooking, heating and smoking. 16
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Orange Oil Calms Kids in Dental Chairs
F
or centuries, aromatherapy using orange oil has been heralded in traditional herbalism for its ability to alleviate anxiety. Research published in the journal Advanced Biomedical Research now finds that aromatherapy using the same ingredient can significantly reduce a child’s anxiety at the dentist’s office. The study, conducted at Iran’s Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and published in the peer-reviewed journal Advanced Biomedical Research, tested 10 boys and 20 girls between 6 and 9 years old. In this crossover design study, participants were assigned randomly into two groups. Half the children were treated with water instead of any essential oil (control) initially and received orange aroma in the second session (intervention). Another 15 children received treatment under orange aroma in the first encounter (intervention) and were treated without any aroma the second time (control). When the children were given orange oil aromatherapy, they experienced significantly reduced heart rates and lower salivary cortisol levels compared with those not receiving it. The results corroborate findings from a 2000 study from the University of Vienna, in Austria, published in Physiology and Behavior.
Olive Leaf Outperforms Diabetes Drug
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live leaf may provide nature’s answer to diabetes treatment. A recent study from the University of Auckland, in New Zealand, suggests that olive leaf extract can help reduce insulin resistance and increase insulin production by beta cells in the pancreas. The researchers tested 46 middle-aged, obese adults at risk for developing metabolic syndrome-related Type 2 diabetes. In the double-blind, placebo-controlled study, olive leaf extract outperformed the diabetes drug metformin and “significantly improved insulin sensitivity and pancreatic beta-cell secretory capacity,” according to the researchers. Insulin helps escort glucose into the body’s cells.
Supplements Could Save $70 Billion in Medical Costs
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n a Frost & Sullivan study report authored by Christopher Shanahan and Robert de Lorimier, Ph.D., the use of dietary supplements, including B vitamins, phytosterols and dietary fiber, could reduce the cost of treating coronary artery disease in the U.S. by nearly $50 billion over the next seven years. In addition, healthcare costs related to diabetes, vision problems and osteoporosis could be reduced by nearly $20 billion collectively with the use of certain supplements. The projections were based on cost-benefit analysis comparing a series of scenarios to assess the effect on overall disease management costs if an identified high-risk population were to avoid costly medical events by increasing their intake of dietary supplements purchased out-of-pocket versus no supplement usage. “The healthcare system spends a tremendous amount of money treating chronic disease, but has failed to focus on ways to reduce those costs through prevention,” says Steve Mister, president of the Council for Responsible Nutrition Foundation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 3 percent of U.S. healthcare costs are spent on the prevention of chronic diseases.
Air Conditioning Cleans Up Indoor Air
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ir conditioning does more than keep us cool. A study of 300 adults and homes concludes that central air conditioning removes significant levels of volatile organic compounds and pollution particulates from indoor air. The research, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, finds that using air conditioning with windows closed reduced indoor air pollution the most. One caveat, however, is that the research was conducted in Taipei, China—notable for its extreme outdoor pollution. Another recent study published in Environmental Science confirms the general premise. A research team in Zhejiang, China, found that air conditioning reduced the presence of potent atmospheric pollutants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAC) by 23 percent. PACs contain compounds that are carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic (damaging to fetuses).
Tomatoes Prevent and Even Treat Liver Disease
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omatoes are widely known for their outstanding antioxidant content, anti-inflammatory and cancerfighting properties, plus benefits to heart health. Now, research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center, at Tufts University, in Boston, Massachusetts, has found that consuming tomatoes—particularly their lycopene content—can also help prevent and even treat both liver disease and cancer of the liver. The researchers combed through 241 studies and scientific papers to connect the dots. They report that lycopene up regulates the sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) protein, meaning it increases the number of receptors on cell surfaces, thereby increasing cellular response to it. SIRT1 activation is recognized to protect against obesity-induced inflammation and degeneration of the liver, explain the study’s authors. Lycopene was found to protect against fatty liver disease, liver fibrosis and the formation of cancer in the liver and lungs. Multiple studies have shown cooked tomatoes and tomato sauce offer increased bioavailability of healthful lycopene.
natural awakenings
April 2014
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globalbriefs
Pick-Me-Up Books
News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.
Alice Mills smiles as she looks at the box that sits on her lawn in Hutchinson, Kansas, an act of kindness for neighbors and the community. Inside the box is a miniature library. Books sit on two shelves; the bottom with short stories for children and the top with novels for adults. After her children grew up and moved away from home, they took the books they wanted with them. The rest sat on a bookshelf collecting dust. “If they’re here, they’re not being read,” Mills says. The concept for the Little Free Library began in 2009 to promote literacy and the love of reading, as well as to build a sense of community, according to LittleFreeLibrary.org. They are now popping up around the world in the United States, Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Pakistan, Spain, Turkey and the Congo. A recent Pew Internet & American Life Project survey shows that Americans strongly value the role of public libraries in their communities, both for providing access to materials and resources and for promoting literacy and improving the overall quality of life. More than half used a public library in a one-year period, and 72 percent say they live in a “library household”. Most Americans say they have only had positive experiences at public libraries and value a range of library resources and services. National Library Week begins April 13.
Food Charter
United Nations Blueprints Sustainability Goals A new publication, Trade and Environment Review: Wake Up Before it is Too Late, from the United Nations Commission on Trade and Development, declares that transformative changes are needed in current food, agriculture and trade systems to increase diversity on farms, reduce use of fertilizer and other inputs, support small-scale farmers and create strong local food systems. Key indicators of needed transformation in agriculture include increased soil carbon content and better integration between crop and livestock production; more incorporation of agroforestry and wild vegetation; reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of livestock production; reduction of GHG through sustainable peatland, forest and grassland management; optimization of organic and inorganic fertilizer use; reduction of waste throughout the food chains; changing dietary patterns toward climate-friendly food consumption; and reform of the international trade regime for food and agriculture. The report includes contributions from more than 60 international experts, including a commentary from the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy. Source: iatp.org
Is This You?
Mailbox Libraries Gain Worldwide
Contributing source: HutchNews.com
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CO2-Correct Food
Trees are Trying
Menus Minimize Greenhouse Gases Experts at the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, at Aberdeen University, in Scotland, have created a new menu plan that is healthy and nutritious, as well as good for the environment. The researchers compiled a shopping list of 52 foods arranged in categories according to how much climate-changing greenhouse gases are produced to make and transport them (Tinyurl.com/ScottishDiet). They then devised a weekly weight allowance for each food, which when followed, would reduce the use of greenhouse gases by about a third. Surprisingly, the list features foods such as chocolate, ice cream and red meat, but anyone wanting to reduce their carbon footprint must only eat them in relatively tiny quantities. Some food groups, such as dairy products and meat, produce much bigger emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide than others because of the way they are manufactured and brought to market. The production of fruit, vegetables and legumes is much less likely to produce such high emissions. Source: Scotsman.com
GMO Go-Ahead
Feds Give Dangerous Green Light The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a draft statement essentially giving the green light to the marketing, sale and planting of Dow Chemical’s genetically modified (GM, GMO, GE) corn and soybeans resistant to 2,4-D, which will trigger a huge increase in the use of the toxic herbicide. The determination under the Plant Pest Act comes despite intense opposition over the past two years from farmers, more than 400,000 other individuals and some 150 farm, fishery, public health, consumer and environmental groups and private businesses. Meanwhile, the Grocery Manufacturers Association has issued talking points against GMO labeling laws for food industry lobbyists that claim the laws are unconstitutional, violating the First Amendment, although other legal experts say the assertion is baseless.
Forests Have Limited Powers to Save Us
Forests have a finite capacity to soak up atmospheric carbon dioxide, according to a recent study from Northern Arizona University. Results published in the online journal New Phytologist illustrate how today’s rising atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) might alter the carbon and nitrogen content of ecosystems. In contrast to expectations, research over an 11-year period showed that ecosystem carbon uptake was not significantly increased by high CO2. While plants did contain more carbon in the presence of higher CO2 levels, the soil lost carbon content due to microbial decomposition. These factors essentially canceled each other out, signifying that nature cannot entirely self-correct against climate change.
Marine Maneuvers Harnessing the Ocean’s Power Potential
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has updated its “red list” of threatened species, upgrading two kinds of albatross. However, the okapi, or “forest giraffe”, has taken a turn for the worse in Africa; the species is now listed as endangered and its numbers are dwindling, say IUCN officials. Among species that saw an increase in population are the black-browed albatross, which was promoted from endangered to near threatened, and the black-footed albatross, which went from vulnerable to near threatened. With stripes on its legs similar to those on zebras, the okapi is revered in its native habitat within the Democratic Republic of the Congo and even appears on the country’s currency. Protecting the species has been difficult amid political turbulence because armed rebels, elephant poachers and illegal miners encroach on parts of the okapi’s range, say conservationists.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is investing $16 million on 17 tidal and wave projects to sustainably and efficiently capture energy from waves, tides and currents. The projects will also help gather crucial data on how these devices interact with the surrounding environment. The DOE will also spend $13.5 million on eight projects to help U.S. companies build durable, efficient wave and tidal devices that reduce overall costs and maximize the amount of energy captured. Specifically, the projects will focus on developing new components and software that predicts ocean conditions and adjusts device settings accordingly to optimize power production.
Source: Mother Nature Network
Source: Ecoseed.org
Take action at Tinyurl.com/PushToLabelGMO. Learn more at OrganicConsumers.org.
Albatross Advance
Other Endangered Animals Continue to Decline
natural awakenings
April 2014
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When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier. ~Roy E. Disney
globalbriefs Hot ‘n Sunny
Cheaper Solar Panels Spur Job Growth Solar industry jobs are up nearly 20 percent in the 14 months through November 2013 as cheaper panels and rising electricity rates spurred people to turn to solar, according to a report by the nonprofit Solar Foundation research group. At latest count, solar companies employ nearly 143,000 solar workers, up more than 23,000 from September 2012—a job growth rate that’s 10 times faster than the national average and is helping local economies, according to the foundation. The industry is expected to create 22,000 new jobs in 2014, although at a slower pace than 2013. Cuts of 8,500 positions are projected in the sector that generates electricity from fossil fuels. Solar firms surveyed in the report said that more than 50 percent of their business and homeowner customers turned to solar to save money, while nearly 23 percent said they invested in panels because costs are now comparable with utility rates. The report noted that the cost of solar equipment has fallen about 50 percent since the beginning of 2010, motivating more people to go green.
Porous Pavement
Widespread Use Awaits Cleaning Machines Rainwater flows through porous pavement, allowing it to quickly reach soil, which helps keep pavement clearer from ice and snow in the winter and reduces the amount of pollutants that rain washes off of streets and into bodies of surface water. “It works about 50 percent of the time,” says David Drullinger, an environmental quality professional with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. He explains that dirt, sand and other debris get stuck inside the pavement; for it to be effective again, it must be cleaned. More machines capable of unclogging these road surfaces are needed before widespread installation is viable. As more contractors gain experience working with the new material, the more effective it may become. Several communities in Michigan already are adopting the use of porous pavement for its benefits. Source: GreatLakesEcho.org
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ecotip Heirloom Home
A Fresh Look at Furnishings that Last Why not expand on the spring tradition of home cleaning by appraising existing home furnishings and décor to see how rearrangements can freshen the whole presentation? Employing a few basic creative strategies will yield long-lasting beauty, cost savings, health benefits and utility, all adding up to enhanced sustainability. Secondhand items readily spruce up interiors when they are thoughtfully selected. Look for gently used, new-to-you items—ranging from furniture and lamps to accent pieces like pottery and wall art—at antique and thrift shops, yard and estate sales or via online forums such as CraigsList.com and Freecycle.org. Seeking out fair trade items helps support a fair wage for artisans around the world. Plants enliven and beautify any space while cleaning indoor air, according to a recent study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Associated Landscape Contractors of America. Plants cited as especially effective in removing formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide from the air include bamboo palm, Chinese evergreen, English ivy, gerbera (African) daisy, chrysanthemum and peace lily. Pot them in used jars or other repurposed containers to conserve materials and add character and more personality to home décor. Overall balance is key. “An imbalanced room has large furniture grouped together at one end and lightweight furniture and bare walls at the other,” says professional designer Norma Lehmeier Hartie, author of Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify & Energize Your Life, Your Home & Your Planet. “The effect is like being on a tilting boat in a storm.” Furniture arrangements are best when they allow light to flow through spaces with
ample allowance for moving about the room. The ideal setup facilitates worktable projects and small-group conversations. Round tables help make everyone feel like they belong, according to green living expert Annie Bond. Sustainable kitchen wares are often the classiest. Sturdy pots, pans and kettles, like Le Creuset and Picquot Ware, may offer replacement parts and lifetime guarantees; Bialetti and Bodum coffee makers and Littala glassware are durable and long-lasting. While some may cost more upfront, their longevity saves money over time. Then there’s always grandma’s iron skillet. Additional sources: GreenPages.org and GreenAmerica.org
natural awakenings
April 2014
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healingways
Good Riddance to Bad Vibes
Escaping Electromagnetic Exposure by Priscilla Goudreau-Santos
W
e crackle with activity. “The institute energy. Natural “Just because usually finds that when a electromagnetic someone isn’t patient doesn’t respond fields within us regulate to treatment by an energy feeling symptoms healer, it’s because of how our bodies work. Plus, we continually the environment. I try from exposure encounter many outside to neutralize its effect to energy fields from Wi-Fi, to electronic help the body regulate cell phones and towers, technology, that properly,” Traver says. power lines, microwave While protection in ovens, computers, TVs, doesn’t mean highly occupied famsecurity devices and that it’s not having ily areas is important, radar. A growing number providing protection in of experts see these sur- an effect on DNA.” bedrooms is especially rounding frequencies as vital, due to the amount ~ Camilla Rees an increasing danger to of time we spend there our well-being. for rest and restoration. Traver’s diag Applying modalities like acupunc- noses sometimes suggest remediation ture, Reiki, Touch for Health and Eden measures that involve an electrician Energy Medicine can help us maintain grounding currents and adding selective a healthy energy balance internally. shielding materials to block frequencies They work to harmonize the body flowing from electronic devices. “Magto protect against stress, trauma and netic fields from outside the house are associated illness. hard to control, but 98 percent of what Phyllis Traver, owner of Safe & I find can be fixed,” she advises. Sound Home, in Boston, is certified by When Terry Mollner, 69, was the International Institute of Buildinghaving trouble sleeping, he contacted Biology & Ecology to detect, measure Traver, who receives client referrals from and counter in-home electromagnetic energy healers. “The conclusions were 22
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stunning,” Mollner says. “The detector’s measurements went off the charts in the bedroom. It wasn’t the flat screen TV at the foot of my bed, but how the room’s wiring was done. The electrician installed a relay so I can switch off the power on that side of the house at night. Now, I sleep six or seven hours,” which he characterizes as “a profound change.” He also suggests turning off and moving cell phones away from beds. Mollner then hardwired the computers in his home, eliminated Wi-Fi and rearranged the electronic equipment in his home office. Kim Cook, an energy practitioner in Mission Viejo, California, specializes in Eden Energy Medicine and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). Cook decided not to buy a house she was initially interested in because it was in a hot spot. When Cook used her meter to chart frequencies at home, it also prompted her to move her bedroom clock radio to a different bureau. “It’s no longer sitting right at our heads,” she notes. Plus, “I don’t put my cell phone on my body and it bothers me that my son puts his in his pocket.” An overarching observation from Cook’s professional practice is that increasing numbers of people in pain are interested in energy medicine because they’re so frustrated with Western medicine. She observes, “Pain is blocked energy, and people are learning how to unblock it naturally.” The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the International EMF Project in 1996 because of rising public health concerns due to the surge in EMF sources. After reviewing extensive research and thousands of articles, the organization can’t confirm—or deny—the existence of health consequences from exposure to lowlevel EMFs. But in 2011, the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer classified the electromagnetic radiation from cell phones as possibly carcinogenic to humans, based on increased risk for glioma, a malignant brain cancer. Lloyd Morgan, a senior researcher with the nonprofit Environmental Health Trust and lead author of the internationally endorsed report, Cellphones and Brain Tumors, goes
further, unequivocally stating, “Cell phone radiation is a carcinogen.” In our own environment, we can regulate EMF, says Iowan Camilla Rees, founder of the educational petition website ElectromagneticHealth.org and Campaign for Radiation Free Schools on Facebook; she is the co-author of Public Health SOS: The Shadow Side of the Wireless Revolution and Morgan’s cell phone report. Says Rees, “You can buy a meter, avoid using cordless phones and baby monitors, and change your cell phone behavior. The harmful effects of cell phones decrease with distance; just by holding the cell phone six inches from your head, there is a 10,000-fold reduction of risk.” Priscilla Goudreau-Santos is a freelance writer and owner of Priscilla Goudreau Public Relations & Marketing, in Charlotte, NC.
Ways to Reduce Risk Although electromagnetic field (EMF) activity vibrates all around us, there are simple ways to reduce adverse health effects in daily indoor environments.
Computers 4 Hardwire all Internet connections instead of using Wi-Fi. 4 Power a laptop using a three-prong grounded plug and then plug in a separate, hardwired keyboard (this minimizes both the exposure to wireless radiation and the effects from the laptop battery’s magnetic field). 4 Use a grounding mouse pad to minimize effects of the electric field from the computer. 4 Don’t position any laptop or tablet computer on the lap.
General 4 Don’t live within 1,500 feet of a cell tower. 4 Use battery-powered LCD alarm clocks (not LED), keeping them several feet away from the body. 4 Don’t use an electric blanket. 4 Turn off all wireless devices before bedtime and generally minimize usage at other times.
Phones 4 Replace cordless phones with corded landlines or use cordless phones only when needed; otherwise, unplug them. 4 Never hold the cell phone directly against the head or body. Use the speaker phone function, other hands-free device or another device that meets the Environmental Health Trust guidelines at Tinyurl.com/CellPhoneUsageTips. 4 Protect children, pregnant women and men that want to become fathers. Sperm are especially vulnerable. Children absorb twice as much radiation as adults.
Home is where
4 Be wary of a weak signal. Phones work harder and emit more radiation when the signal is weak or blocked.
you feel at home and are treated well. ~The Dalai Lama
4 Don’t sleep with a cell phone nearby. Place it several feet away from the bed or across the room, turn it off or put it in airplane mode. 4 Find more helpful information at Tinyurl.com/EMF-ProtectionTips and Tinyurl.com/CellPhoneRadiationDanger.
April Class:
If you like Oprah and Deepak Chopra... If you get your kicks from Esther Hicks... And if Wayne Dyer makes you think... You'll Love Us!
The Spiritual Path April 6th and 27th from 12-2pm
Join Us on Sunday Mornings at 10:30am April Theme: I Am Love in Action 904-398-4353
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April 2014
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Botanical Medicine is a Missing Piece of American Healthcare by Todd Robinson
B
otanical medicine is the oldest form of healing on the planet, used for thousands of years by nearly every culture around the world. Even today, Germany, Japan, South Korea and China still use botanical medicine extensively. In these countries, it is not merely an alternative approach, but deeply integrated into their highly developed systems of modern medicine. It is not a lesson in history, but an active specialty their researchers are advancing every day. The United States also has a significant tradition of botanical medicine; unfortunately, we have abandoned this heritage. Our physicians choose Ambien and Prilosec over valerian and licorice. Our researchers are not studying the use of herbs for antibiotic-resistant infections. Our oncologists are not prescribing herbal formulas to improve conventional cancer care. On the whole, our current medical model largely rejects or ignores the value of plant medicines. Many think that it is past time for our healthcare system to recognize the important contributions botanical medicine can make. Herbs are remarkable, versatile therapeutic tools, capable of bringing powerful treatment options to even the most modernized systems of medicine. To understand more about their unique value, one must understand more about their unique properties. The unofficial mantra for conventional drugs is “one molecule, one action, one use”; namely, prescription drugs typically have one active ingredient that works in one way for a single purpose. Medicinal herbs are very different. Rather than this highly reductionist approach, medicinal herbs naturally contain dozens, if not hundreds, of active chemical compounds, each with their own effects in the human body. Take the humble ginger root as an example. Prized in both Eastern and Western herbal traditions, ginger has anti-nausea, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as digestive stimulant properties, and is useful in many therapeutic contexts. The secret to ginger’s versatility is its chemical complexity and the diverse effects of its many active compounds. This chemical complexity makes herbal medicine very different from modern drugs, and also sets the stage for some of its most important benefits. 24
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An important benefit unique to botanical medicine is synergy, which occurs when one compound in an herb supports the action of another. In other words, a single herb performs a symphony of healing actions that is much greater than the sum of its parts. Each compound works in its individual way, but cooperatively, to naturally enhance the herb’s overall medicinal effects. Research has shown that several compounds in St. John’s wort work together to create a powerful, yet gentle effect on mood. Specifically, the antidepressant effects of the hypericin and pseudohypericin found in St. John’s wort are boosted by the procyanidins also found in the herb because it helps improve their solubility. The result is a comprehensive healing effect much gentler than prescription drugs and with fewer side effects. Herbs also have medicinal actions that conventional drugs do not. Asian ginseng is an excellent example. By broadly interacting with the endocrine, immune, nervous and circulatory systems (synergy and chemical complexity once again), ginseng acts as a wholebody tonic to improve overall vitality. This remarkable action has demonstrable benefits in situations ranging from fatigue to advanced cancer. No conventional drug has a similar effect. Herbal medicine is replete with other examples of these unique benefits. The medical implications of such benefits are staggering. For example, medicinal herbs could be the answer in our fight against antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Bacteria typically cannot develop resistance to antimicrobial herbs due to the action of multiple plant compounds overwhelming the bacteria’s ability to adapt (complexity and synergy). This phenomenon deserves much more attention and research, and is one critical example of how unique herbal actions
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can be of benefit to modern medicine. We deserve the best treatment available. Medicinal herbs clearly offer unique benefits not found in conventional drug therapy, and it is also equally clear that most patients are not currently receiving those benefits. It is time to bring botanical medicine back into the fold of American healthcare, not as a replacement for Western medicine, but as an important therapeutic tool in its own right.
Yoga Den Studio and Boutique
Yoga-Den.com
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Todd Robinson, ND, owns Wellness Working Group, a naturopathic consultation service in Jacksonville Beach, specializing in botanical medicine, personal wellness plans and the formulation of customized tincture blends. For more information, visit WellnessWorkingGroup.com.
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Qigong Teachings on Fitness and Food Reaching Your Highest Energetic Potential in One Lifetime (Part 1 of 2) by Qigong Practitioner Jeff Primack
Q
igong is the art of harnessing qi (life force or vital energy) which directly affects blood flow and is an exercise that makes your blood pulse. This pulsing occurs by moving qi using specific breathing techniques along with postures and slow, graceful movements. Qigong also encompasses the use of healing foods, herbs, acupressure, and yogic stretches, all of which energize the body, increase vitality and accelerate metabolism. Qigong is circulation; the term “blood flow” is synonymous to “moving Qi”. Many studies confirm practicing Qigong reduces drug withdrawal in heroin addicts by 50 percent. Several Qigong instructors we’ve certified are teaching with huge success at Florida drug rehab clinics. Studies also reveal that Qigong boosts the immune system and is beneficial for those fighting cancer. Dr. Oz was quoted as saying that if you want to
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live to be 100, do Qigong. These techniques originated over 3000 years ago with mountain wanderers, people who were activated by qi. Most acupuncturists are strong believers in Qigong, and some prescribe exercises to their patients for use in between treatments.
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Qigong is different from yoga primarily because it requires slower, more gracious movements to harness your electromagnetic field. Some Qigong exercises build muscle or speed, but most are a pulsation of qi through the body. Qigong is the “sensation of energy” and is highly tangible. A few advanced systems of yoga, like Kriya Yoga, have striking similarities to Qigong. However, compared to most systems of yoga, Qigong has a much greater emphasis on precise breathing techniques. Qigong deals with smaller movements of the abdomen to circulate qi, and more precise movements of the hands, rooting into the earth and opening up pathways of energy. Yoga works with energy, but to a lesser degree, and although we practice and love yoga, Qigong does what yoga cannot. We train many thousands of yoga teachers and they are always blown away by the tangibility of qi experienced. Within 10 minutes of qi breathing, many feel electricity in their hands. “The Buzz”, as it is called in the Qigong family, is a reaction caused by increased levels of oxygen and ions, which I believe accelerates the vibration of our mitochondria. Many describe the inner buzzing or vibrational feeling as a natural high, and it has the obvious effect of stimulating endorphins. Many people describe “permagrin” where the gratitude is so overwhelming and the joy so potent that they can’t stop smiling for a short time.
One Qigong student taking Xanax bars from his doctor several times a day to stay functional reported that after the Breath Empowerment he was more relaxed than any time in his life. This man later used his God-given breath and willpower to wean off Xanax and back into his natural state. Qigong is best in the morning as a practice to extend life and beauty. For days when time is short I recommend cleansing your body with oxygen and energy first thing in the morning. My practice is to wake up, brush my teeth and hair, drink some hot tea outside, and do the 9-Breath Method five times, absorbing/retaining large amounts of oxygen in my bloodstream. Gentle power breathing awakens the cellular vibration and stimulates metabolism. As I wake up slowly for 10 minutes each morning, my senses become heightened and I watch the birds in my garden. This is a quick and powerful method which we spend hours thoroughly teaching at the Qi Revolution Conference. Qigong uses food, herbs and mushrooms to reverse many types of illness. A big part of what we teach is how “specific foods REVERSE specific diseases.” Many foods like kiwi have helped hundreds of our Qigong students reverse asthma. Our food protocols laid out in the book Conquering Any Disease have been tested with tens of thousands of real live people all over the country. I have seen dozens of people with cancer reverse it within a few months following strict dietary and Qigong practice guidelines. Adding the avocado seed to a delicious fruit and vegetable smoothie is a great way to maximize your phytochemical intake along with blending the seeds and skins of the apple. Sunlight, breathing techniques and high vibration foods are God’s natural medicine. Jeff Primack has studied with many Qigong masters from all over the world and has trained 50,000 people in live Qigong seminars since 2003.
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Arm Balance With Gregg April 26th @ Mandarin
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grow a strong bond with your home.” Securing a much smaller dwelling than what we originally had designs on can lead to a lifetime of savings. With less space to furnish, heat, cool, light, clean and maintain, we can enjoy greater financial freedom, less stress and more time for fun.
2. Deciding Where to Live
LIVE GREEN,
SAVE BIG Five Eco-Friendly Life Decisions that Can Actually Save Us Money by Crissy Trask
E
very pivotal life decision, from choosing where we live to eating healthier, can support our best interests environmentally, as well. The good news is that it is possible to afford a sustainable way of life. Eco-friendly choices for housing, vehicles and food— generally perceived as expensive for the average individual or family—often are not only attainable when pursued in a thoughtful way, but can actually save us money compared to maintaining the status quo.
1. Buying a Home
When considering a move to a new place, we often find out how much house we can manage and then proceed to invest to the hilt. But if hitting our spending limit will leave a deficit in the amount of green and healthy home features and furnishings we can achieve, we could end up with a residence that makes neither financial nor ecological
sense, and isn’t good for our health. A solution is to scale back on costly square footage. Spending 25 to 40 percent less than we think we can on a smaller home provides more possibilities when planning the renovation budget, enabling us to create a home that is more deeply satisfying. Nicole Alvarez, an architectural designer with Ellen Cassilly Architect, in Durham, North Carolina, who blogs at IntentionallySmall.com, says that if we value quality over quantity, place over space and living more intentionally in every aspect of our lives, we are ready for a small home. Occupying less space has profoundly influenced her daily life and happiness. Alvarez has found, “When space is limited, everything has a function and a purpose. Everything has to be intentional. Over time, as you grow in the home, you make small modifications to personalize it more to adjust to your routine. You
Urban, suburban or rural, where we live incurs long-term repercussions on the natural environment. Choosing an established community within or close to an urban center tends to be more protective of air, water and land quality than living in a distant, car-dependent suburb, yet many families feel either drawn to or resigned to the suburbs for the lower housing prices. But as Ilana Preuss, vice president at Washington, D.C.-based Smart Growth America, explains, “There is more to housing affordability than how much rent or mortgage we pay. Transportation costs are the second-biggest budget item for most families. In locations with access to few transportation choices, the combined cost of housing and transportation can be more than 60 percent of the total household budget. For families with access to a range of transportation choices, the combined cost can be less than 40 percent.” In most suburbs, where the only practical transportation choice is a personal vehicle, dependency on a car takes a toll on us financially and physically. Driving a personal vehicle 15,000 miles a year can cost about $9,122 annually in ownership and operating expenses, according to AAA’s 2013 Your Driving Costs report, and hours spent daily sitting behind the wheel being sedentary is eroding our health. Lack of transportation options is a leading detriment to the nation’s collective wellness, according to the federal agency Healthy People. Sustainable cities provide many transportation options, including public buses and trains, car-sharing services and all forms of ride sharing; and perhaps most importantly, they are bike- and pedestrian-friendly. Choosing communities that make it possible to reduce driving and even go car-free much of the time can save us money, reduce stress and improve our health.
4. Buying American
Eco-friendly choices for housing, vehicles and food, generally perceived as expensive for the average individual or family, often are not only attainable when pursued in a thoughtful way, but can actually save us money compared to maintaining the status quo.
3. Choosing a Car
We know two primary facts about cars: They are expensive and those with internal combustion engines pollute during operation. Still, many of us need one. Reducing the total impact and burden of owning a car can be as simple as prioritizing fuel efficiency. It helps that fuelsippers now come in more sizes than just small, yet small subcompacts remain a good place to start our research because of their budget-friendly prices and high fuel economy. A subcompact that averages 32 miles per gallon (mpg) and has a sticker price below $15,000 can save us so much money compared with a top-selling compact SUV—upwards of $16,000 over five years, according to Edmunds. com—that if we need a larger vehicle on occasion, we can more easily afford to rent one. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), both small and midsized, can be an even better choice, averaging 41 mpg. Cost comparisons show that an HEV can save a heavily travelling city driver nearly $1,000 in fuel costs annually versus a comparably sized conventional gasolinepowered car. Although a 2014 midsized HEV has an average suggested retail price of $28,431, the category has been around long enough to create a market in previously owned vehicles. A used hybrid that is just two years old can cost up to 25 percent less than a new one.
According to Consumer Reports, many shoppers prefer to buy products made in the USA, but with more than 60 percent of all consumer goods now produced oversees, finding American goods is not always easy. The good news is that buying American doesn’t mean only buying American made. We back the U.S. economy and jobs when we purchase used items that have been renewed or repurposed by enterprising citizens. Creative reuse supports new and existing businesses that collect, clean, sort, recondition, refurbish, remanufacture, update, refinish, reupholster, repair, tailor, distribute and sell used parts, materials and finished goods. Sarah Baird, director of outreach and communications of the Center for a New American Dream, an organization working to shift consumption away from wasteful trends, loves the history of used items. She says, “An item that has already lived one life has a story to tell, and is infinitely more interesting than anything newly manufactured.” Another reward is the big savings afforded by previously owned durable goods; not even America’s big-box discount retailers can beat these genuine bargains. Of course, not everything is available in the used marketplace, but when it makes sense, we can proudly know that our purchases support American ingenuity and workers.
5. Getting Healthy
Going green is healthy in innumerable ways. In addition to driving less, banning toxic products from our household cupboards and dinner plates is another solid place to start on the road to improved well-being for ourselves and the planet. Toxic consumer products pollute the planet, from manufacture through use and disposal. They aren’t doing us any favors. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that the average human body now contains an estimated 700 industrial compounds, pollutants and other chemicals due to exposure to toxic consumer products and industrial chemicals. After researching proper local disposal of such hazards, replace them on future shopping forays with safer choices. It’s an investment in our health that can save untold pain and money and pay off big
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The newest hybrids have been around for more than a decade, and the batteries have held up extremely well, lasting 150,000 to 200,000 miles in some cases.
n Large-home inhabitants may go all day without seeing one another and communication and togetherness can suffer. Family members living in small homes can more easily cultivate strong communications and cohesion.
~ CNN.com time in avoiding health problems ranging from cancer, asthma and chronic diseases to impaired fertility, birth defects and learning disabilities according to the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families Coalition. To reduce exposure to the toxins that are commonly sprayed on conventional crops, select sustainable and organic versions of foods to prepare at home whenever possible. Such choices help keep both our bodies and the environment healthy and can be surprisingly affordable compared with eating out and consuming prepackaged convenience foods. By substituting whole foods for prepared foods, cooking more meals at home and practicing good eating habits—like eating less meat and downsizing portions—the average person can enjoy highquality food for $7 to $11 per day. This matches or falls below what the average American daily spends on food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Considering that diet-related diseases can cost afflicted families thousands of dollars a year, better food choices can make us not only healthier, but wealthier, too.
n Dense neighborhoods encourage interaction and cooperation among neighbors, nurturing a cohesive community that can reward us with social connections, collective responsibility and assistance when needed. n Urban homes give vandals and thieves fewer opportunities because neighbors are close by and passersby may be more readily noticed.
3 The factor by which occupied living space per household member has increased in the last 60 years.
8 The percentage of goods sold in the U.S. in 1960 that were foreign made.
377 The number of hours the average American needs to work each year in order to own and operate a car, equivalent to 9.4 standard work weeks.
13,000 The dollars a person requires annually to treat Type 2 diabetes, a preventable, diet-related disease. Sources: Go Green, Spend Less, Live Better, by Crissy Trask; In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan
Source: GreenMatters.com
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recharge a plug-in electric hybrid vehicle battery.
n The footprint of a small dwelling uses a fraction of the buildable lot, leaving more outdoor space for planting gardens that can nourish bodies and souls.
Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine
30
1 The average dollar cost to fully
n Small homes can encourage disconnecting from technology and getting outside. When the TV can be heard throughout the house, parents are more likely to urge outdoor playtime for kids.
Crissy Trask is the author of Go Green, Spend Less, Live Better. Connect at CrissyTrask.com.
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not an author or a mother and not a sex goddess, for example). Who said so? In most cases, these limitations we place on ourselves are arbitrary, and yet we buy into them, taking them for granted as the truth, only to end up wondering why it is we feel so hollow or incomplete. The Invocation for Calling Back is a 21st-century soul retrieval method that anyone can do for themselves. It is an invocation for calling home personal power and blessing, a process for dismantling the mechanisms of unfruitful sacrifice within the self. It is simple to perform and can be completed in a few minutes.
The instructions are as follows:
How to Call Yourself Home from Soul Loss S
by Murshida VA
oul loss is endemic to modern life. It can be considered a pandemic. Modern civilization has its foundations in the “age of reason”, but our current social structures were simply not built to take the soul into consideration. Money, power, influence, status, the church we belong to, the car we drive or where we went to college—the soul doesn’t care about any of that. The soul only cares about experiencing itself, knowing itself, expressing itself and realizing itself. This may sound utterly self-absorbed, and it is. Until we realize that the “self” the soul is absorbed in is an infinite, exquisitely beautiful, omniscient, omnipresent being, animating the container called “our body”, looking out through “our eyes”, awake and aware and experiencing everything as us while also simultaneously being entirely connected to the rest of itself, which is absolutely everything that is everywhere. The soul is connection. Most of the structures of our world are based on separation. We define ourselves as “thisand-not-that” (a doctor and not an artist or a plumber and
Breathe into your heart and call aloud, fiercely, across time and space, “Whatever parts of myself I have knowingly or unknowingly given away which were only meant for me to experience and enjoy and which were never meant to be given away to others, I humbly ask forgiveness from The Ancestors for my ignorance in failing to treasure the precious gift of wholeness which life has given me, and I call all of the scattered parts of myself home to my body now! “Whatever personal power I have knowingly or unknowingly given away which was only meant for me and which was never meant to be given away to others, I humbly ask forgiveness from The Ancestors for my ignorance and misuse of my power and call all of my of power back home to me Now! “Whatever blessings and protection I have knowingly or unknowingly given away which were only meant for me and which were never meant to be given away to others, I humbly ask forgiveness from The Ancestors for my ignorance in giving away and not completely treasuring what they meant for me to have for myself, and I call all of my blessings and protection back home to me now!” You may also do this once, fiercely, for each relationship and experience in your life. If you ever experience that you give your self, your power or your blessings and protection away again, repeat it. If you discover you have a pattern of inappropriately giving yourself away, you will gradually begin to understand the mechanism of that pattern of unfruitful sacrifice and you will be able to dismantle it. In the meantime, this practice will keep you safe by giving you the means of restoring yourself to yourself. Murshida VA is the founder of the Heart Spirit Medicine Project, an enterprise of 21st-century shamanism. She works with individuals and groups internationally. Contact her at HeartSpiritMedicine.com. natural awakenings
April 2014
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healthykids
Backyard Birds and Butterflies Native Habitats Draw Critters and Delight Kids by Avery Mack
C
reating a backyard wildlife habitat provides valuable teaching moments. With planning and care, birds, bats, butterflies and bunnies can view yards as safe havens and sources for food, water and shelter, providing endless fascination. Josh Stasik, a father of three and owner of SweetSeed.com, in Syracuse, New York, sees firsthand how feeding winged wonders can be an inexpensive way to start a new family activity. “My mom taught me about flowers and bird feeders. I hope my kids will someday pass the information along to their children,” he says. Habitat plantings and available foods determine what creatures will visit. “Native plants attract native bugs that are eaten by native birds and bats,” observes Stasik, noting that 32
Hummingbird Nectar Recipe Measure one part ordinary white sugar to four parts water (no unhealthy red dye needed). Boil the water first, and then mix the nectar while the water is hot; the sugar will easily dissolve.
Northeast Florida Edition
Source: TomatoEnvy.com www.najax.com
staff at extension services and garden centers can provide helpful advice. Based on his own research, Stasik knows, “Bird species have definite tastes in food. Bluebirds love mealworms. Hummingbirds like floral nectars. Orioles look for citrus fruit. Butterflies are eclectic sippers of both floral and citrus.” Hummingbirds pose particular appeal for kids and adults because they appear always on the move. Hummingbirds.net/map.html follows their migration sites. Videographer Tom Hoebbel, owner of TH Photography, outside Ithaca, New York, builds birdhouses and nesting boxes with his kids. They also participate in the annual Christmas bird count for the Audubon Society (Birds.Audubon. org/Christmas-bird-count).
The Great Backyard Bird Count, a joint project between nonprofits Audubon and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, follows in February (gbbc.BirdCount. org). “In our yard, we have five nesting boxes made from reused wood. Once or twice a week, we check to see who lives there and how many eggs there bird photos courtesy of Susan are,” says Hoebbel. Gottlieb, of Venice, California “So far, we’ve seen bluebirds, chickadees and house wrens.” He laments the rapid decline of bats in the Northeast due to pesticides killing bugs, the main course for birds and bats. “In the winter, bats live in caves, so we put one-by-one-foot boxes in the yard for their summer homes.” Warm evenings on the patio are more enjoyable when bats clean up the mosquito population; a single bat can eat as many as 1,000 in an hour. The monarch butterfly population is another favorite species in decline, with the spectacular annual migration on the verge of disappearing due to illegal deforestation, climate change, expansion of crop acreage and imposition of genetically modified plants that reduce the growth of native species. “You can help them by planting perennial milkweed in your garden,” advises Brande Plotnick, founder of Tomato Envy, in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. Milkweed is the food of choice because it makes the caterpillars and butterflies toxic to birds and other predators. Also consider planting garden phlox, coneflower and lantana. Migrating monarchs live about nine months and fly up to 30 miles per hour. Plotnick also suggests planting an herb garden that includes parsley. “Swallowtail butterflies will lay eggs on parsley, caterpillars hatch and feed on it, and eventually create a chrysalis,” she says. “You’ll be able to see the entire butterfly life cycle.” Rabbits add another dimension to backyard wildlife. Just as birds and butterflies need trees, bushes and plants to land on and hide in, bunnies need ground cover. The Virginia Department of Game and Fisheries counsels that brush piles should start with a base of large limbs, logs or stones to raise the floor above ground and create tunnels and escape routes, plus a home base. Top with smaller branches
and maybe a recycled Christmas tree or dead plants. Encourage structural density and permanence with live vines. The resulting brush pile should be igloo-shaped and about six to eight feet tall and wide. Visit Tinyurl.com/BunnyShelters. City ordinances or subdivision regulations might prohibit brush piles in ordinary yards. Find out how to gain certification as a wildlife habitat through the National Wildlife Federation at Tinyurl.com/CertifiedWildlifeHabitat. Rabbits can have as many as seven babies per litter, depending on the species. Make sure their space is sufficient. Before attracting bunnies to the yard, be aware of local predators—hawks, owls, coyote, dogs and stray cats. The brush pile may also attract other animals like skunks, raccoons and reptiles. A wildlife habitat is a fun, ongoing learning experience. It calls on math skills for bird counts, geography to follow migration maps and woodworking to build homesites and feeding spots. It becomes a lesson in local ecology and the roles of native plants and animals. When children comprehend they can help save wildlife, it’s also a lesson in hope. Avery Mack is a freelance writer in St. Louis, MO. Connect via AveryMack@ mindspring.com.
Habitat Tips Recognize the basic needs of all wildlife; food, water, cover and safe places to raise young. 4 Determine the most desirable species to attract and learn their specific needs. 4 Evaluate current yard habitat conditions for missing elements. 4 Develop a plant list; select for wildlife value, emphasizing native plants suitable for the region. 4 Realize that habitat will grow larger and mature. 4 Certify the family’s backyard wildlife habitat through the National Wildlife Federation. Source: Education Department at Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, GA
inspiration
Wilderness in Sidewalk Cracks Small Nature Reaches Out to City Kids by Greg Hanscom
C
ity kids are often taught that nature is out there beyond the city limits, but one science educator and photographer shows how everyday nature has the power to transform. You can take Molly Steinwald out of the city, but you’ll never get the city out of her. Growing up as a free-schoollunch kid on the outskirts of Manchester, New Hampshire, she notes, “I didn’t do the skiing and mountain climbing thing.” Instead, she found solace watching ants parade across the sidewalk or tracing the intricate lines on a leaf. Yet when she graduated from high school, Steinwald traveled as far as she could from those city streets, earning a degree in biology, and then a master’s degree in ecology researching kangaroo rats in Arizona’s Chiricahua Mountains. Still, the city always tugged at her. “I was really excited about big nature,” Steinwald says. “But I kept coming back to small-scale, mundane nature that I knew as a kid. I felt I needed to get back to help people who never see this stuff.” Today, Steinwald is doing just that. She is now pursuing a Ph.D. researching human interactions with nature in built environments. As director of science education and research at the Phipps Conservatory, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she has been charged with reimagining urban environmental education and reaching out to at-risk youth. Her basic assumption is: One doesn’t have to go to a national park, or even a city park, to connect with the natural world. It’s crawling past us on
the sidewalk or drifting through the air right under our nose. That, she says, is where city kids can forge a lasting connection with nature—if they’re paying attention. As one of the many ways to get kids to tune in, Steinwald directs programs that arm them with digital cameras and challenges them to take pictures of the fragments of nature they find on the streets. The approach is a departure from the belief held by some that “nature” is defined as parks or green spaces—places apart from our everyday lives. Lisa Graumlich, dean of the University of Washington School of the Environment, in Seattle, Washington, says Steinwald is making waves in environmental education circles: “She was an urban kid. She brings the voice of someone from a different economic class to the table.” Graumlich says it makes intuitive sense that connecting with street-level nature will help build a lasting bond with the natural world. The next challenge is figuring out how to provide kids with more of these experiences: “It may be as simple as a mom walking home from the bus stop with bags of groceries and two children in tow, feeling like she has time to look at a sidewalk crack with them.” “A lot of nature in the city is really small,” Steinwald observes. “I want to show these kids that even if their nature is small, it’s still darned good nature.” Greg Hanscom is a senior editor for Grist.org, in Seattle, WA.
natural awakenings
April 2014
33
Creating a Chemical-Free Home with Essential Oils by Curt Coenen and Belinda Casper
W
e all want to go green. It’s better for our health and the health of our family and environment. We think we are doing things right because we buy organic and recycle. But the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 grandfathered in up to 100,000 chemicals currently on the market and in products and foods today. These chemicals have not been tested and little is known about their long-term effects. The TSCA is protected by trade secret laws that keep the ingredients a secret. Essential oils, on the other hand, have been used for millennia and offer an answer to help heal ourselves, our home and planet. The dangerous side effects of these products in our lives cannot be ignored. Since the 1940s, non-smoking cancers have increased quite a bit: prostate, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, 200 percent; thyroid cancer, 155 percent; testicular cancer, 120 percent; adult brain and nervous system cancer, 70 percent; female breast cancer, 60 percent; and childhood cancers, 35 percent. The American Cancer Society estimates a 50 percent rise in cancer rates by the year 2020. Some of the most toxic ingredients used are alcohol in mouthwash, aluminum in deodorants and vaccinations, 34
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DEA/TEA, a potential carcinogen in shampoos, bubble bath, shaving gels and cosmetics, propylene glycol, an antifreeze solvent found in deodorants, shampoos, toothpaste, face creams and ice cream, sodium lauryl sulfate, an engine degreaser found in shampoos, toothpastes, mouthwash, cleansers, and talc, directly linked to ovarian cancer and found in baby powder, feminine powder and cosmetics. These are just a small sampling of the threats to our health. Also among them are infectious agents like bacteria, viruses and fungi. There are many essential oils on the world market today, yet 98 percent of them have very few therapeutic properties. Even though a label may say 100 percent pure therapeutic oil, it is only required to have 5 percent oil and the rest can be a carrier or synthetic extender, which may contain one of the products protected by the TSCA. The remaining 2 percent of the oils on the market that truly are 100 percent pure, 98 percent of those are produced by Young Living Essential Oils. Because they own their own farms, they handle the process from seed to seal, guaranteeing purity and the full potency required work their powerful influence. Curt Coenen and Belinda Casper are Young Living Essential Oils representatives. For more information visit EssentialBalancingOils.com and TrinityWellnessToday.com.
DON’T COMPARE Apples to Oranges in Food Labeling
I
t’s easy to think of the terms “organic” and “non-GMO” as interchangeable. They sit comfortably beside each other in the same grocery stores, including at Whole Foods Market. Culturally, they also seem to occupy the same space as rejected aspects of mainstream industrial agriculture. But that’s where the similarity ends. The non-GMO label has become to be perceived as a cheaper alternative to organic, but only addresses a single aspect of production, and many retailers are not in a hurry to point this out. “More and more, there’s concern [among organic food companies] that they created a monster,” says Mark Kastel, a pro-organic activist and co-founder of the Cornucopia Institute. Allen Williams, a farmer near Cerro Gordo, Illinois, straddles this divide. He grows everything: lots of organic crops; non-GMO corn and soybeans; and some genetically modified crops. Williams will get a higher price for his non-GMO soybeans and corn, but it’s not a huge premium over the standard commodity price; about 15 percent for soybeans, 10 percent for corn. The organics cost a lot more to meet stringent USDA requirements and consequently bring a higher price at market. His nonorganic fields are treated essentially the same, whether the crops are non-GMO or genetically modified. Williams keeps those fields weed-free with chemical herbicides, although he has to use different chemicals on the non-GMO fields. He adds standard commercial fertilizer to keep the soil fertile. Basically, it’s just conventional farming. No food retailer likes high costs. If they can offer a cheaper product that attracts the same consumers,
they will do it. According to Kastel, that’s how Whole Foods and others are using non-GMO labels. “This is a potent marketing vehicle designed to blur the line between organic and non-organic,” he says. David Bruce, director of eggs, meat, produce and soy for Organic Valley, a major organic food company, says the non-GMO labels definitely are diverting some consumers away from organic food. “We call it ‘trading down’,” he says. Bruce thinks organic companies need to draw a clear line that sets organics apart from any alternatives. “The goal is to educate consumers that ‘non-GMO’ or ‘natural’ products are not the same as an organic product,” he says. Jeffrey Smith, consumer advocate and author of Seeds of Deception, says about GMO plants, “Foods with added bacterial or viral genes were quietly slipped into your diet two decades ago. Using the excuse that GMOs weren’t that much different, the FDA didn’t require labels or even a single safety study from GMO makers like Monsanto. But a lawsuit forced the agency to release their files and the truth finally came out.” FDA scientists warned that GMOs could create allergies, toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems, and that rigorous safety testing was needed. The industry’s own research is widely criticized as “tobacco science”, carefully designed to cover up problems. Let’s demand independent, comprehensive long-term safety studies and transparent labeling. Until then, don’t be misled by marketing that equates GMO-free with USDA Organic.
natural awakenings
April 2014
35
fitbody
Qi Whiz
Qigong Steps Up Vitality and Serenity
by Meredith Montgomery
A proven practice for supporting health and self-healing, qigong has been used in China for millennia to maintain and improve physical, mental and emotional well-being.
“Q
i” (pronounced chee) refers to the life force or vital energy present in all things throughout the universe while “gong” means dedicated effort or steady practice of a skill. Qigong is the art of working intensely with this energy, cultivating life force. Acupuncture physician and qigong instructor Walter Hayley, in Bonita Springs, Florida, became passionate about qigong while working
as a stockbroker in need of stress relief. He compares qigong’s movement of energy in the body to water running through a hose: “Qi is concentrated in channels throughout the body. Think of the qi as water and those channels as a garden hose branching out to every aspect of the individual. Stress, whether physical or emotional, can kink the hose. Qigong helps get the kinks out,” he explains. “It relaxes the body, letting
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energy flow more efficiently, allowing the body to heal itself.” Qigong styles vary, but Hayley remarks that most involve slow movement, focused awareness and special breathing techniques. Many describe the practice as a moving meditation. Qigong teacher Judith Forsyth, in Mobile, Alabama, says, “It’s often described as the mother of tai chi. When the quiet, internal energy art of qigong mixed with the powerful external martial arts, it developed into tai chi.” She emphasizes that the focus of qigong is less on its physical mechanics and more on understanding how the vital force moves through the body and can be used to enhance health and longevity. Inside the body, there’s an integrated network of subtle energy centers that international Qigong Master Robert Peng believes are connected to the capacity for genuine happiness. The goal is to awaken and pack these centers with qi. “By repeating slow, gentle movements over and over, you can develop the body’s capacity to draw qi from the universe. It can be stored in these centers and later channeled back through the body to empower your daily activities,” explains Peng, author of The Master Key: The Qigong Secret for Vitality, Love, and Wisdom. He focuses on three of the body’s big energy portals: the “third eye”, located between the eyebrows; the “heart center”, at the center of the chest on the sternum and the “sea of qi”, just below the navel. The idea is that when energy is accessed in these three centers, specific spiritual qualities are accessed: wisdom, love and vitality (respectively). Harmonizing all three is ideal. Peng advises that when these essential elements are woven together in balance, dynamic happiness is possible. “You begin to project more wisdom, love, vitality, inspiration and peacefulness. Conversations flow more smoothly. Your life becomes more productive, meaningful and serene,” he says. “Whatever the challenges encountered, you’ll be better equipped to deal with them, while
By adding qigong to their daily routines, children learn to channel energy and enhance concentration; office workers reduce stress; seniors enhance balance and quality of life; and caregivers and midwives advance abilities to help others. ~ The National Qigong Association remaining inwardly content.” Forsyth was first guided to qigong when the prescribed rest, drugs, exercise and physical therapy following an accident left her with linger-
ing neck and back problems. She recalls, “After eight weeks of practice, I experienced significant physical improvement, not only where I had considerable pain, but in my overall energy level, ability to sleep and the condition of my skin and hair. The peace and harmonizing meditation benefits of qigong were also affecting me positively in other ways. I became less worried, less of a perfectionist, less stressed out and began to experience more joyfulness.” While all styles benefit overall health, specific qigong exercises may be prescribed for specialized needs, from athletic conditioning to management of chronic conditions such as arthritis, hypertension or cancer. The gentle movements can be performed by almost anyone at any age and ability level, even those confined to a chair or bed. “Qigong speaks to the body and the body then addresses the condition,” Hayley remarks. The experts advise that qigong
is best practiced every day, even if for just five minutes. “A group class offers a synergy that a home practice lacks, but the more important practice is at home,” observes Hayley. Some personal instruction is ideal so the practitioner receives feedback, but books and videos make qigong accessible to everyone, everywhere. Hayley reminds newbies, “Just be patient. If one form doesn’t suit you, remember there are thousands of different forms to try.” Peng’s advice to beginners is, “Be happy! Think of the exercise as lighthearted play and remember to smile as you move.” Meredith Montgomery is the publisher of Natural Awakenings Mobile/ Baldwin, AL (HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com).
natural awakenings
April 2014
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wisewords
Ice Chaser
James Balog’s Dramatic Images Document Climate Change by Christine MacDonald
N
ational Geographic photographer James Balog says he was skeptical about climate change until he saw it happening firsthand. Watching once-towering glaciers falling into the sea inspired his most challenging assignment in a storied 30-year career— finding a way to photograph climate change. In exploring Balog’s Extreme Ice Survey, a breathtaking photographic record of vanishing glaciers, and his award-winning documentary, Chasing Ice, Natural Awakenings asked about the challenges he faced to bring this dramatic evidence of climate change to a world audience.
How did seeing glaciers shrink “before your eyes” move you to endure sometimes lifethreatening conditions to get these images on record? I fell in love with ice decades ago as a young mountaineer and scientist. I loved to get up before dawn and hike out on a glacier in Mount Rainier or one in the Alps, watch the light come up and hear the crunch of the frozen ice underfoot. On a trip to Iceland early in the project, I was looking at these little diamonds of ice that were left behind on the beach after the glaciers broke up. The surf had polished them into incredible shapes and textures. Walking the beach, you’d realize each one was a unique natural sculpture that 38
Northeast Florida Edition
existed only for that moment before the return of high tide stole it away. Nobody would ever see it again. That was an amazing aesthetic and metaphysical experience. I realized that I wanted people to share this experience, to see the glaciers disappearing. This visual manifestation and evidence of climate change is here, happening right before our eyes. It is undeniable.
Why do these photos and videos help us grasp the scale of Planet Earth’s climate changes already underway? When people encounter Extreme Ice Survey images, their response is typically immediate and dramatic. It is the first step toward caring about a distant landscape most will never experience in person, enabling them to connect the dots between what happens far away and the rising sea levels, extreme weather events and other climaterelated issues closer to home.
What can an everyday person do to help underscore the global scientific consensus and urgency of addressing global warming? Lobbyists and pundits seek confusion and controversy, because ignorance seeks to hide within a noise cloud of false information. As long as the public thinks climate change isn’t real or that science is still debating it, fossil fuel industries protect their profits. Without
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social clarity, the political leaders financially beholden to fossil fuel industries have no motivation to act. Market signals don’t help us make correct decisions when the military, health and environmental costs of fossil fuels that spread throughout the economic system don’t show up in today’s gasoline prices and electricity bills. Science and art seek clarity and vision. Clear perception is the key to changing the impact we’re having on our home planet. With social clarity, the policy, economic and technological solutions to wise energy use and countering climate change can be widely implemented. The path forward is being traveled by individuals committed to improving their own lives and communities; by school children who can’t stand the inaction of their elders; by innovative entrepreneurs and corporations eager to make or save money; by military generals seeking to protect their country and their soldiers; and by political leaders of courage and vision. We are all complicit with action or skeptical inaction; we can all participate in solutions to climate change.
What’s next on the horizon for you? We will continue to keep the Extreme Ice Survey cameras alive. This project doesn’t end just because the film came out. We plan to keep observing the world indefinitely. We’ll install more cameras in Antarctica; funding permitting, we also hope to expand into South America. I intend to continue looking at human-caused changes in the natural world, which is what I’ve been photographing for 30 years. I’m developing a couple of other big ideas for conveying innovative, artistic and compelling interpretations of the world as it’s changing around us. I will continue doing self-directed educational projects through our new nonprofit, Earth Vision Trust. Overall, I feel a great obligation to preserve a pictorial memory of vanishing landscapes for the people of the future. Christine MacDonald is a freelance journalist in Washington, D.C., whose specialties include health and science. Visit ChristineMacDonald.info.
consciouseating
Culinary Mushroom Magic Delicate Powerhouses of Nutrition and Medicine by Case Adams
T
oday, fungi cuisine in the West is typically limited to Agaracus bisporus—the relatively mild button mushroom, which matures into the acclaimed portobello. But digging deeper into available options reveals chanterelle (Cantharellus sp.), oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus), morel (Morchella sp.) and shiitake (Lentinula edodes) species. These culinary mushrooms provide a virtuosity of delicate flavors harboring nutritional and medicinal benefits, according to those that study them. University of California-Berkeley research scientist and Mycologist Christopher Hobbs, Ph.D., explains that shiitake and oyster mushrooms follow the button as the most widely cultivated around the world. “They come in many colors, varieties and species and are typically the most easily digested and utilized of all mushrooms,” he notes. “Mushrooms are an amazing health food,” says Hobbs. “Most edible fungi are high in fiber, good-quality protein, key vitamins, micronutrients, phosphorous and potassium, and low
in fat and calories. It’s one of nature’s perfect diet foods.” As protein powerhouses, portobello and other button mushrooms, shiitake and oyster varieties all deliver between 30 and 35 percent protein by weight. The fiber content can range from 20 grams per 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) in the case of portobello to a lofty 48 grams per 100 grams in the Phoenix oyster mushroom. Mushrooms also supply potent B vitamins. One hundred grams (about 3.5 ounces) of portobello contains more than four milligrams (mg) of riboflavin (B2), 69 mg niacin (B3) and 12 mg pantothenic acid (B5). Shiitake’s comparable numbers are three, 106 and 17 while pink oyster delivers 2.45, 66 and 33 mg of the three nutrients. Thus, they deliver significantly more than recommended daily allowances (RDA)—for example, niacin’s adult RDA ranges from 14 to 16 mg and riboflavin’s is just 1.1 to 1.3 mg. Mushrooms also present one of the few food sources of vitamin D—
primarily D2—but some also contain small amounts of vitamin D3, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture research. Also, their D2 levels spike dramatically when sun-dried sporeside-up, confirmed in research by internationally recognized Mycologist Paul Stamets. Mushrooms contain important minerals, too. Portobello contains 4,500 mg, oyster 4,500 mg and shiitake 2,700 mg of potassium per 100 grams, all with low sodium levels. Plus, they deliver usable amounts of copper, zinc and selenium. Beyond the nutrient numbers lies mushrooms’ bonus round: They contain special complex polysaccharides—long-chain molecules within cell walls—that have been the subject of intense research at leading institutions around the world, including Harvard, Yale and the University of California. Mushrooms’ (1-3)-betaglucan complexes have been shown to inhibit many cancers and suggest potential solutions for diabetes, heart disease and immune-related conditions. Stamets explains that mushrooms also contain sterols, shown to benefit cardiovascular health. “Shiitake and other mushrooms like reishi have cholesterol-normalizing effects,” adds Hobbs. Can we take these benefits back to the kitchen? “Most mushrooms have to be cooked to release their health-giving benefits,” explains Hobbs. Stamets concurs: “Cooking liberates mushroom nutrients from their matrix of cells. They are tenderized upon heating, making their nutrients bioavailable for digestion.” Thankfully, finding these tasty superfood delicacies has become easier as entrepreneurial fresh-mushroom growers have emerged throughout the United States in recent years. Case Adams is a California naturopath and author of 25 books on natural healing. Learn more at CaseAdams.com.
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on deluxe nachos. They taste as good as they smell, and like chili they taste almost better as leftovers.
Then add remaining ingredients and braise on low heat. Allow mixture to cook down to desired consistency.
Fills 12 large tacos, or more paired with fillings such as chopped leafy lettuce or guacamole.
Mushroom Pâté Present a perfect appetizer for dinner with friends. The savory quality of mushrooms—what the Japanese call umami—make them a welcome alternative to meat-based pâtés.
by Cate Moss
1-2 cups of chopped stropharia, shiitake or maitake mushrooms 1 cup crumbled tempeh or other healthful protein source ¼ cup chopped onions ½ cup sunflower seeds or chopped almonds ¼ cup sesame seeds 1 cup corn 1 chopped sweet pepper (add hot peppers if desired) 1 small handful of chopped olives 4 shakes of soy sauce 1 Tbsp spiced hot chocolate 2 Tbsp chili powder 1 Tbsp ground cumin ¼ cup nutritional yeast 2 cloves of chopped garlic 1 cup broth or water
Makes a healthy filling for tacos and enchiladas, or crumble as a topper
Sauté mushrooms, protein and onions until crispy (uncrowded in the pan).
Finely chop the hazelnuts in a food processor and set aside.
Healing
Nourishment Mushrooms are so versatile we can eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They add a note of delicious creativity to diverse dishes. Plus they deliver protein, vitamins and protective compounds. Fresh is always best and just-picked is better, although dried can work in a pinch.
My Tacos
by Andrew Lenzer
Approx 4 cups whole fresh shiitake mushrooms (2 cups after chopping) Approx 4 cups whole fresh maitake mushrooms (2 cups after chopping) 12 oz cream cheese or rice-based cream cheese substitute 2 cloves garlic 2 cups dry roasted hazelnuts 2 sprigs parsley Soy sauce Olive oil Sesame oil Salt and pepper to taste
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Coarsely chop the shiitake (including the stems) and maitake mushrooms in a food processor. Coat the surface of a wok in olive oil and sauté mushrooms in 1-cup batches over medium-high-to-high heat, adding soy sauce as needed to keep the mixture from burning, for approximately 10 minutes per batch. Add a touch of sesame oil just before removing each batch.
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Place hazelnuts, mushrooms, cream cheese, garlic, salt and pepper in the food processor and blend until smooth but still slightly grainy. Add parsley and blend until parsley is finely chopped and evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
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Serve with crackers or fresh crusty bread. Recipes courtesy of employees of Fungi Perfecti, LLC; photos courtesy of Paul Stamets.
Coming Next Month
FREE EDUCATIONAL LECTURE:
April 12th @ 1pm: Exploring The Benefits of Yoga
In this lecture, we will explore traditional yoga – which is broken down into Eight Limbs. These limbs represent the 8 paths that are involved in living a meaningful and purposeful life and should be used as a guide for moral and ethical conduct as well as self-discipline. They allow for optimal focus on one’s health, wellness and embrace the spiritual connectedness of human-BEINGNESS. Please call or sign up through our website to reserve your space
Jacksonville Health and Wellness Center
9957 Moorings Drive, Suite 403, Jacksonville, Fl 32257 (Conveniently located off of San Jose Blvd. in Mandarin)
904.268.6568
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April 2014
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Traveling Together
naturalpet
Pooch Protocol
Good Manners Make a Dog Welcome by Sandra Murphy
I
t seems dogs travel just about everywhere with their humans these days. They’re spotted at home improvement stores, happy hours, drive-through restaurants and workplaces, in addition to their usual hangouts. To get Sparky invited into even more people places, he must have good manners. “Just like with kids, not every venue is appropriate for dogs,” advises Eileen Proctor, a pet lifestyle expert in Denver, Colorado. “Some dogs are more introverted and want a quiet spot to relax. Others love a party. Know your dog and socialize him accordingly; never force him into an uncomfortable situation.” Instead, help him acclimate to new locales gradually, from a distance; stop when he shows signs of stress. A yawn, averted eyes, hiding behind his owner or nervous pacing are clues that a fourlegged pal has had enough. “Good manners at home might not translate to public manners,” Proctor notes. “Take practice runs to see how your dog handles distractions.” Day care or play dates with other dogs help hone canine social skills, while basic obedience—leave it, sit, stay, down, off, an effective recall and walking nicely on a leash—form the basis for good 42
Northeast Florida Edition
manners. Reward good behavior with praise, treats or a favorite activity.
Eating Out
Amy Burkert, the on-the-road owner of GoPetFriendly.com, says, “After a long day at the office or a ‘ruff’ week at work, it’s nice to include your dog when eating out. Pet-friendly restaurants with outdoor seating areas where the dog can join you are becoming more common, but always ask first. “Dogs in dining areas should lie quietly under your table or by your chair,” she continues. “This is not the time to socialize. Diners may find it unappealing to be approached by your dog while they’re eating. Choose a table where your dog can be out of the way of customers and the wait staff.” It will take practice. “If he acts up, apologize, leave and know that you’ll do better next time,” says Burkert. A good process for teaching good restaurant manners begins with sitting quietly with the dog when there are few people around, and then moving on. The next time, order an appetizer. Increase the amount of time the pet is expected to wait quietly, as well as the number of distractions.
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Christina Mendel, an international business coach with offices in Germany and Italy, adds that dogs need a safe and secure retreat from excessive activity. Her Chihuahua mix, Balu, is small enough to fit into a carry bag. He can take a nap, people watch or have a snack without fear of human interference. “The carry bag helps when I take clients to dinner, drive or fly to onsite appointments,” she says. “Many of my clients are dog owners, so we bond because he’s well behaved and knows tricks.” Flying presents its own challenges because airlines limit the number of pets on each flight. Check the company’s rules for pet size, weight and type of crate required. Dogs ride as cargo unless they are small enough to fit in a carrier under the seat. Other passengers might be fearful or allergic, so respect their boundaries. In the car, a dog needs to be calm and wear a special seat belt, be crated or otherwise restrained to keep him safe, not distract the driver and prevent lunging out the window.
At Work
Dogs may be welcome in the workplace. Alexandra Blackstone, design director for Killer Infographics, in Seattle, Washington, takes her corgi puppy, Buster, to the office. “He was good when he was the only dog at work,” explains Blackstone. “When an older dog and another puppy were there, he barked and tried to herd them.” He didn’t read other dogs well, so to further Buster’s dog-to-dog communication skills, Blackstone enrolled him in doggie day care twice a week. She advises first introducing dogs outside of the office setting. “Communicate with coworkers as to what your dog is working on, so everyone is consistent in their behavior toward him,” Blackstone advises. “Be clear how to correct any inappropriate behavior if someone else shares responsibility for walking him.” She reports that with positive training techniques, Buster is learning to respond well and now splits his time between day care and the office. “It’s your responsibility to make
Protect Your Child
from Bugs and Harsh Chemicals
Find tips for walking dogs in crowded urban areas at Tinyurl.com/RulesOfTheDoggyRoad. taking the dog along a good experience for all,” counsels Proctor. “That includes using a leash and always picking up after him, every time.” Connect with freelance writer Sandra Murphy of St. Louis, MO, at StLSandy@mindspring.com.
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greenliving
Washing soda, a caustic chemical cousin of baking soda, softens water and removes stains. Bond advises, “It’s a heavy duty cleaner as powerful as any toxic solvent,” so wear gloves. Hydrogen peroxide is considered an effective disinfectant and bleach alternative by the Environmental Protection Agency. Use it to whiten grout and remove stains.
HOMEMADE ECO-CLEANERS
Essential oils derived from plants infuse cleaners with fragrance and boost germ-fighting power. Tea tree, eucalyptus and lavender oils all boast antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. The Jabs advise that although they can be pricy, “The investment will pay for itself many times over.”
DIY Recipes Keep Your Home Naturally Clean
Lemon juice or citric acid cuts through grease, removes mold and bacteria and leaves dishes streak-free.
by Lane Vail
Coarse kosher salt helps soften dishwasher water and acts as a scouring agent.
A
mericans use 35 million pounds of toxic household cleaning products annually. According to the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition, in Los Angeles, traces of cleaning chemicals can be found throughout the human body within seconds of exposure, posing risks like asthma, allergies, cancer, reproductive toxicity, hormone disruption, neurotoxicity and death. Equally sobering is the decades of research suggesting a relationship between the overuse of powerful disinfectants and the rise of antibiotic-resistant super bacteria like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), as well as concerns over these toxins entering water supplies and wildlife food chains. Cleaning product labels lack transparency, says Johanna Congleton, Ph.D., a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, because “manufacturers aren’t required to specify ingredients.” One approach to assure safe ingredients is do-it-yourself (DIY) products. For Matt and Betsy Jabs, the authors of DIY Natural Household Cleaners who blog at DIYNatural.com, creating homemade cleaners is a rewarding exercise in sustainability and simplicity. “We’re cutting through all the marketing and getting back to basics,” says Matt. Affordability is another benefit: 44
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The Jabs’ homemade laundry detergent costs five cents per load, compared with 21 cents for a store brand. Annie B. Bond, a bestselling author and pioneering editor of the award-winning Green Guide, dispels a DIY myth: “What’s time-consuming isn’t making the cleaners; it’s making the decision to switch and figuring it all out,” she says.
Nine Basics
Find these multitasking ingredients in local groceries and health stores or online. White vinegar effectively cleans, deodorizes, cuts grease and disinfects against bacteria, viruses and mold. Castile soap in liquid or bar form serves as a biodegradable, vegetable-based surfactant and all-around cleaner (avoid mixing with vinegar, which neutralizes its cleansing properties). Baking soda cleans, whitens, neutralizes odors and softens water. It’s an excellent scrubbing agent for bathrooms, refrigerators and ovens. Borax, a natural mineral, improves the effectiveness of laundry soap. Although classified (as is salt) as a low-level health hazard that should be kept away from children and animals, borax is non-carcinogenic and isn’t absorbed through skin.
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Home Formulas
All-purpose cleaner: Homemade Cleaners: Quick-and-Easy Toxin-Free Recipes, by Mandy O’Brien and Dionna Ford, suggests combining one cup of vinegar, one cup of water and 15 drops of lemon oil in a spray bottle. Use it anywhere, including glass and mirrors. For serious disinfecting, follow with a hydrogen peroxide spray. Foaming hand/dish soap: Shake one cup of water, a quarter-cup of castile soap and 15 drops of essential oil in a foaming dispenser. Use in bathrooms and kitchens. Dishwashing detergent: DIYNatural recommends mixing one cup of borax, one cup of washing soda, a half-cup of citric acid and a half-cup of coarse kosher salt. Leave it uncovered for several days, stirring often to prevent clumping. Cover and refrigerate. Use one tablespoon per load with a half-cup of citric acid in the rinse to combat streaks. Laundry detergent: Combine one cup of borax, one cup of washing soda and one 14-ounce bar of grated castile soap. Use one tablespoon per load, adding a half-cup of lemon juice to the rinse cycle. Prior to washing, use hydrogen peroxide as a stain remover (test first; it may lift color).
More than 95 percent of “green” products manipulate labels by providing irrelevant information (declaring a product is free of an already illegal chemical), being vague (masking poisons as natural ingredients), outright lying (claiming false endorsements) and other maneuvers. ~ TerraChoice Group Bathroom soft scrub: Bond recommends creating a thick paste with liquid castile soap and a half-cup of baking soda. Scour tubs, showers and stainless steel surfaces with a sponge, and then rinse.
Hard floor cleaner: Environmental Working Group’s DIY Cleaning Guide suggests combining a half-gallon of hot water with one cup of white vinegar in a bucket to mop.
Toilet bowl cleaner: Sprinkle one cup of borax into the toilet at bedtime and then clean the loosened grime with a brush the next morning, advises Bond. Wipe outer surfaces with the all-purpose spray.
Carpet cleaner: Freshen rugs by sprinkling baking soda at night and vacuuming in the morning, suggests Bond. For deeper cleaning, combine one cup of vinegar and two-and-a-half gallons of water in a steam cleaner.
Wood polish: Bond recommends mixing a quarter-cup of vinegar or lemon juice with a few drops of olive and lemon oil.
Before
Lane Vail is a freelance writer in South Carolina. Connect at WriterLane.com.
At the table: Cloth napkins enhance mealtime. Buy or make plain napkins (by hemming cotton fabric squares) for everyday use and celebrate holidays with fancypatterned fabric rolled into napkin rings.
After
For more information, go to:
TheReconnection.com or call Carol Kines
to schedule an appointment
904-237-2706 or 904-998-3714
by Lane Vail
In the kitchen: Use washcloths or repurpose cotton T-shirts into 10-by10-inch squares to use regularly with a homemade all-purpose cleaner on surfaces. Replace paper towels with cloth towels for drying hands.
Healing Then Experience It For Yourself Experience Reconnective Healing
Cloth Tools Replace Paper Americans, comprising less than 5 percent of the world’s population, use 30 percent of the world’s paper, according to the Worldwatch Institute. Some 13 billion pounds of this comes from paper towels, mostly landfilled because grime-soaked paper is non-recyclable. Ecological and economical alternatives include cloth dishrags, towels, napkins, wipes and handkerchiefs plus washable diapers and menstrual pads. Jean Calleja, co-owner of the Eco Laundry Company, in New York City, suggests customers buy recycled, organic, unbleached cloths and local products when possible.
Find Out What’s Baffling The Medical Community Reconnective
In the bathroom: Substitute chlorineladen disinfecting wipes with homemade reusable ones. DIYNatural.com recommends mixing three-quarters of a cup of white vinegar, three-quarters of a cup of water and 25 drops of essential oil in a glass mason jar. Stuff five to seven washcloths into the jar, seal with a lid and shake, so the solution is absorbed into each wipe. Pull out a ready-made disinfecting wipe for a quick clean. Laundering linens: Change cleaning rags often, hang-drying them thoroughly before adding to the laundry basket. Wash kitchen and bathroom rags (added to the bathroom towel load) separately each week. According to Calleja, “Presoaking rags overnight in a non-toxic, chlorine-free, whitening solution can make a huge difference in getting them clean.” Combine a halfcup of hydrogen peroxide with two to three gallons of water, spot-testing every fabric first for colorfastness. Calleja also likes using a white vinegar and eucalyptus oil rinse aid to dissolve soap residue, soften fabric and leave a fresh scent.
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April 2014
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calendarofevents
Mark the Date SATURDAY, APRIL 12
NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email submissions to calendar@najax.com, guidelines can also be requested via the same email. No phone calls or faxes, please. You may also visit www.najax.com to submit calendars online and review our guidelines. Once on the site, the link to calendars is on the top toolbar.
TUESDAY, APRIL 1 Exploring Our Environment: From the Ocean to the River – 9am-4pm, 4/1-4/4. In this “summer camp” for adults, join biologists from University of Florida and other locations as they team up to provide hands-on learning experiences in this oneweek program. Lunch not included. Register. $100. Information: StJohns.ifas.ufl.edu/sea/education. html; Register: OceanToRiver.eventbrite.org. Open House – 6-7pm. Tour our facility and meet Dr Pautz, MD. Learn more about the holistic philosophy of the practice. Persephone Healing Arts Center, Holistic and Internal Medicine, 485 6th Ave, Jacksonville Bch. RSVP. 904-246-3583. DrPautz.com.
SATURDAY, APRIL 5 Guided Cultural Hike – 8:30-10:30am. Visitors learn about the cultural history of the Guana Penensula during this guided hike. Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes. Please RSVP. Free; $3/parking fee. GTM Research Reserve Trailhead Pavilion, west of the Guana Dam, Ponte Vedra Beach. 904-823-4500. GTMNERRCulturalHike.eventbrite.com. Healing Event – 1-3pm. Practitioners will be practicing Reiki on customers. Love offerings. (This event is the 1st Sat of each month) 3491 Pall Mall Dr, Jacksonville. 904-292-4555. The Human Race – 8am. Raise money for Catholic Charities and Camp I Am by selecting them as the organization you want your entry fee to support. For individuals, students, families and large groups. Wheelchair and stroller accessible. HandsOnJacksonville.org/race. Matanzas Inlet Guided Hike – 9-10:30am. Hike to the Matanzas Inlet shores to learn about inlet dynamics and movements of sand as the sea constantly rearranges the land. Reservation required. Free. Meet at the Westside parking lot on Hwy A1A, north of the Inlet Bridge, by 8:30am. 904-823-4500. GTMNERRMatanzasHike.eventbrite.com.
SUNDAY, APRIL 6
the dunes need protection, plus much more. Please RSVP. Free. Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve Marineland field office, 9741 Ocean Shore Blvd, Marineland. 904-823-4500. GTMNERRMarinelandBeach.eventbrite.com.
TUESDAY, APRIL 8 Friends of the GTM Reserve Meeting – 5-6pm. The public is most welcome to attend this monthly meeting. 904-823-4527.
Center, 505 Guana River Rd, S Ponte Vedra Beach. RSVP. 904-823-4500. GTMNERRWantedToKnow. eventbrite.com.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9
Pure Mind, Pure World: Blessing Empowerment of Buddha Vajrasattva – 10am-4pm. Special ceremony to connect with Buddha of Purification, remove obstacles and negativity-commentary, and practice with Kadam Carol Lutker. Everyone welcome! $55, includes lunch. Maitreya Kadampa Buddhist Center, 85 Sailfish Dr, Atlantic Beach. 904-222-8531. MeditationInJacksonville.org.
One Spark: The World’s Crowdfunding Festival – through 4/13. Creators from all over the world will light up downtown with projects in art, innovation, music, science and technology. Free; contributions welcome. Downtown Jacksonville. Support@ BeOneSpark.com. BeOneSpark.com.
THURSDAY, APRIL 10 Healing Circle – 7pm. $10. The Cosmic Church of Truth, 1637 Hamilton St, Jacksonville. 904-3847268. TheCosmicChurchOfTruth.net.
FRIDAY, APRIL 11 Couples Weekend Getaway and Workshop – 7pm-Sun 2pm. Join Richard and Diana Daffner, authors of Tantric Sex for Busy Couples, for a romantic beach getaway. Bring joy, intimacy and passion to your relationship, celebrate and connect on a soul level. $695/couple. Siesta Key Beach, Sarasota. Additional information, dates and locations available. 941-349-6804.
SATURDAY, APRIL 12 2nd Saturday Trail Hike – 8:30-10:30am. This 1.5-mile walk is perfect for the entire family. Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes. Please RSVP. Free; $3/parking fee. Meet at the GTM Research Reserve’s Trailhead Pavilion, located west of the Guana Dam. 904-823-4500. GTMNERR2ndTrailHike. eventbrite.com.
Healing Oils of the Bible – 2-5pm. Learn how healing oils of ancient times were as prized as gold. Enjoy hands-on experience of 12 oils referenced in the Bible and how they can benefit your health. Free. Osprey Pointe Clubhouse, 13775 Osprey Point Dr, Jacksonville. 904-891-3838. TrinityWellness@ MarketingScents.com; TrinityWellnessToday.com.
Exploring the Benefits of Yoga – 1pm. Learn more about yoga in addition to the practice of physical postures. We will explore the Eight Limbs, which represent the eight paths that are involved in living a meaningful, purposeful life. Given by Heather Fisse-Repole. Free. Jacksonville Health and Wellness Center, 9957 Moorings Dr, Ste 403. 904-2686568. DrRepole.com.
Loving Love in Action – 10:30am, Celebration of Life; 9-10am, Qigong; Class: 12-2pm, The Spiritual Path. Center for Spiritual Living Jacksonville, Sheraton Hotel, 10605 Deerwood Park Blvd. 904398-4353. CSLJax.org.
Learn Protection and How to Cleanse Your Home – 1:30-3:30pm. Learn cleansing rituals that can influence energies and encourage positive surroundings, making the house more comfortable to live in. $15. 3491 Pall Mall Dr, Jacksonville. 904-292-4555.
MONDAY, APRIL 7
More Than You Ever Wanted to Know – 11am12pm. Learn all you ever wanted to know about plant and animal life found in estuarine habitats. Free with paid entrance. Environmental Education
Marineland Beach Walk – 9-10:30am. Learn how beach vines and sea oats help anchor down and why
The Secret Shivasana-10am-6pm .HSM Breathwork for yoga Instructors (RYT 200/500).Certification qualifies the instructor for classroom Shivasana. Tuition for Level 1 certification is $325. Location: Peaceful Living Center, 1250 McDuff Ave. S. To register: Eventbrite.com/e/hsm-breathwork-the-secret-shivasana-level-1-certification-for-ryts-200500-tickets-11026084315? For more information: va@murshidava.com.
Yoga Kids ® Teacher Training Foundations with Jackie Morrison – 4/12-15.Gain the tools to empower children through yoga, and awaken the YogaKid in you in this groundbreaking certification program that introduces the YogaKids® approach to asana, reathing, teaching and relaxation. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-8247454. DiscoveryYoga.com.
Mark the Date SUNDAY, APRIL 27TH Find joy and Humor in the Lessons of Life – 11am-12pm. Join us for an engaging spiritual roundtable discussion. All welcome. Free contemplation CD and spiritual guidebook. Jacksonville Eckankar Center, 6636 Arlington Rd, Jacksonville. 904-725-7760. Meetup.com/ Jacksonville-Florida-Eckankar.
SUNDAY, APRIL 13 Living Love in Action – 10:30am, Celebration of Life; 9-10-am, Qigong; 12pm, Board meeting. Center for Spiritual Living Jacksonville, Sheraton Hotel, 10605 Deerwood Park Blvd, Jacksonville. 904-398-4353. CSLJax.org. Community HU Song: Let Go and Let GodChant HU – 11-11:30am. Learn to sing HU and tap into your potential for greater happiness, love and understanding. Followed by light refreshments. All welcome; free HU CDs and Spiritual Guidebook available. Jacksonville Eckankar Center, 6636 Arlington Rd, Jacksonville. 904-725-7760. Meetup. com/Jacksonville-Florida-Eckankar.
MONDAY, APRIL 14 Reiki Attunements for Psychic Enhancement. - Receive psychic attunements, followed with a psychic development circle, with Reiki Master Clar-
natural awakenings
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ence Zarnes and Spiritual Counselor Judy Zarnes. $20. JudyZarnes.com.
TUESDAY, APRIL 15 Community HU Song: Let Go and Let GodChant HU – 7-7:30pm. See April 13 for details. Beaches Regional Branch Library, 600 3rd St, Neptune Bch. 904-725-7760. Meetup.com/JacksonvilleFlorida-Eckankar. Guided Trail Walk at River to Sea Preserve – 1-2:30pm. Join other nature lovers through the wooded hammock between the ocean and the Matazas River. RSVP. Free. In the town of Marineland, turn west at the River to Sea Preserve entrance, follow directional signs to the parking lot. 904-8234500. GTMNERRMarinelandTrail.eventbrite.com. Twin Hearts Meditation – 6pm. This advanced meditation technique is aimed at achieving illumination or universal consciousness. This service will bring more positive awareness and harmony to the community. Seventh Wonder Day Spa, 5393 Roosevelt Blvd, Ste 4, Jacksonville. 904-381-8686.
THURSDAY, APRIL 17 GTM Research Reserve Marineland Lecture – 10-11am. This month’s speaker is Joseph Burnes, a biologist specializing in reptiles and amphibians will speak. His theme is “Learn to Love the Snakes You Hate.” Reservation Required. Free. GTM Research Reserve Marineland Field Office, 9741 N Ocean Shore Blvd, Marineland. 904-823-4500. GTMNERRMarinelandLecture.eventbrite.com. Set the Table for Butterflies – 2-4pm. Discover how to cater to butterflies’ life cycle needs. Free. St Johns County Windstorm Training Center, 3111 Agricultural Center Dr, St Augustine. 904-692-3927. NativePlantConsulting.com.
FRIDAY, APRIL 18 Dances of Universal Peace – 7:30-9pm. Circle dances honoring all religious paths, held monthly. Dances and songs are taught in the circle. $10-$15 love offering. Discovery Yoga, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. Lynn Haqqiqa: 352-870-8558, LynDeluck@ msn.com; Holly Levinson, LCSW: 904-471-1414, Holly@thc-hal.com.
SATURDAY, APRIL 19 Guided Beach Exploration – 8:30-10am. During this “Beaches 101” event, learn about the animals that call this beach their home as well as things like seashells and other interesting facts. Please RSVP with email and phone number in case of need to cancel due to inclement weather. $3/parking fee; additional fee to visit EEC after the exploration. GTM Research Reserve South Beach Access Lot, 1798 Ponte Vedra Blvd A1A, Ponte Vedra. 904-823-4500. GTMNERRBeachExploration.eventbrite.com.
SUNDAY, APRIL 20 Aura Paintings - $15. Learn to use paints to create your aura on paper, and interpret what the colors of the aura mean. $15. Pall Mall Dr, Jacksonville. 904-292-4555. Awakening to Love in Action – 10:30am. Celebration of Life. Center for Spiritual Living Jacksonville, Sheraton Hotel, 10605 Deerwood Park Blvd, Jacksonville. 904-398-4353. CSLJax.org. Trance Channeling – 1-3pm. With Rev. Mary Cox.
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$20. The Cosmic Church of Truth, 1637 Hamilton St, Jacksonville. 904-384-7268. TheCosmicChurchOfTruth.com.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23 The Magic Tool Class – 7-8:30pm, six-week class. Create a tool box to carry essentials for spell casting for protection, blessings, love and abundance. Explore moon phases, holidays, alters and use of ribbons, crystals and more. $140; some supplies included. 3491 Pall Mall Dr, Jacksonville. 904292-4555. Psychic-Medium Spiritual Development Class – 7-9:30pm. Designed as an ongoing class. Included meditation, lesson, hands-on practice to develop your personal skills. $25. Marilyn Jenquin, International Foundation for Spiritual Knowledge. Held in private home, call for location. 407-673-9776. IFSK.org.
Teen and Pre-Teen Class – 10am-2pm. With Rev. Mary Cox. The Cosmic Church of Truth, 1637 Hamilton St, Jacksonville. 904-384-7268. TheCosmicChurchOfTruth.net.
SUNDAY, APRIL 27 Innersky Yoga & The Intuitive Body: Decoding the Language of Sensations with Christopher Baxter & Lynn Willoughby – 9am-1pm. Rediscover your intuitive essence. Explore the wisdom of belly, heart, hands and hips... a journey from exuberant “aha’s” to deep inner stillness. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-824-7454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Many Hands, One Heart – 10:30am, Celebration of Life; 12-2pm, Class: The Spiritual Path. Center for Spiritual Living, Jacksonville, Sheraton Hotel, 10605 Deerwood Park Blvd. 904-398-4353. CSLJax.org.
THURSDAY, APRIL 24
TUESDAY, APRIL 29
Healing Circle – 7pm. $10. The Cosmic Church of Truth, 1637 Hamilton St, Jacksonville. 904-3847268. TheCosmicChurchOfTruth.net.
Twin Hearts Meditation – 6pm. See April 15 listing for details. Seventh Wonder Day Spa, 5393 Roosevelt Blvd, Ste 4, Jacksonville. 904-381-8686.
Open House – 6-7:30. See April 1 for details. Persephone Healing Arts Center, Holistic and Internal Medicine, 485 6th Ave, Jacksonville Bch. RSVP. 904-246-3583. DrPautz.com.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30
Psychic Medium Spiritual Development Class -1-3:30pm. See April 23 listing for details. Caring Palms Massage and Reiki, 301-B 10th Ave, Jacksonville Beach. 407-673-9776. IFSK.org.
SATURDAY, APRIL 26 Family Seining at the GTM Research Reserve – 8:30-10:30am. Visitors will get the chance to pull a seine net through the Guana Lake collecting species of fish, crabs and much more. Please RSVP. Free with paid entrance. Environmental Education Center, 505 Guana River Rd, Ponte Vedra. 904823-4500. GTMNERRFamilySeine.eventbrite.com. Heal for the Cure – 1-4:30pm. This fundraiser is for the Kids with Allergies Foundation. It will include Pranic healing, Reiki, crystal healing, tuning forks, massage, Tai Chi and seminars on stress relief and diet. Cost: donations. 3491 Pall Mall Dr, Jacksonville. 904-292-4555. Kundalini Yoga & Gong with Kim Holton – 10:30am1:30pm. Experience this unique blend of posture, movement, breathing, mantra and meditation as a means to build energy and soften into the moment. Then enjoy an extended savanasa (final relaxation) with live gong. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904824-7454. DiscoveryYoga. com.
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Florida’s Birding and Photo Fest – 4/30-5/4. The GTM Research Reserve’s Environmental Education Center is the new home to Florida’s Birding and Photo Fest. The festival features world-renowned photographers, rare birding opportunities and infield programs. Environmental Education Center, 505 Guana River Rd, Ponte Vedra. Register online. FloridasBirdingAndPhotoFest.com.
ongoingevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email submissions to calendar@najax.com, guidelines can also be requested via the same email. No phone calls or faxes, please. You may also visit www.najax.com to submit calendars online and review our guidelines. Once on the site, the link to calendars is on the top toolbar.
Sunday Unity Church of Jacksonville – Services: 9am Contemplative; 11am Celebratory with youth education and nursery. A positive path for spiritual living. Rev. Therese Lee. Energetic healing offered after each service on 2nd and 4th Sundays. 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-3555100. UnityJax.org. Lessons In Truth – 10:30am. Lessons in Truth lecture. Love offering. The Church of Cosmic Truth, 1637 Hamilton St, Jacksonville. 904-384-7268. TheChurchOfCosmicTruth.com. FREE Community Yoga – 11am-12:30pm. Donations appreciated. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-824-7454. DiscoveryYoga. com. Center for Spiritual Living Jacksonville – 10:30am. April Theme: I Am Love in Action! Center for Spiritual Living Jacksonville, Sheraton Hotel, 10605 Deerwood Park Blvd. 904-398-4353. CSLJax.org. Unity Church for Creative Living Sunday Service – 10:30am. With Rev Mona Krane. A positive path to realize divine potential. 2777 Race Track Rd, St Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com. Unity Spiritual Enrichment Center – 10:30am. Inspiring lesson and meditation. Loving fellowship. Hilton Garden Inn, 9745 Gate Pkwy, Jacksonville. Rev Betty Sikking: 904-268-5991. UnityChurchJacksonville.org. Youth Ministry on Sunday – 10:30am. Classes for all ages. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com. Mind Body Yoga –10:45am. With Analise. Yoga Den, 2929 Plummer Cove Rd, Jacksonville. 904268-8330. Yoga-Den.com. Mediumship Classes – 2-4pm. Mediumship potential is present in every person. Our spirit guides and loved ones on the other side want to communicate with us and help us as much as possible. $10. Spiritual Uplifts, 3491 Pall Mall Dr, Jacksonville. 904-292-4555.
Monday Insight Meditation – 6:45-7:30am. Join us with Jonathan Hunt of Just Sit Jacksonville. Love offering. Sanctuary of Unity Church of Jacksonville, 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-355-5100. UnityJax.org. Yin Yoga – 9-10:30am. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-824-7454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Qigong for Health – 4:45-5:45pm. Relieve arthritis, anxiety and stress symptoms. Free trial. Kam Lee’s TKA, 1835-5 E W Pkwy, Fleming Island. 904-2156111. TaijiKungFuAcademy.com. Vinyasa Flow – 5:30-7pm. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-824-7454. Discov-
eryYoga.com. Yoga – 5:45-6:45pm. Gentle Level I with Beth Daugherty. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com. Mind-Body Yoga – 6pm. With Kate. Yoga Den, 2929 Plummer Cove Rd, Jacksonville. 904-2688330. Yoga-Den.com. Tai Chi Gung – 6:15-7:15pm. $15/walk-in; $45/ month. Arch Pilates (behind Bonos on San Jose in Manderin), 3491 Pall Mall Dr, Ste 102, Jacksonville. 904-294-7219. Free to Be AA – 6:30pm. Lesbian, gay, bi and trans 12-step group. Unity Church of Jacksonville, 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-355-5100. UnityJax.com. Monday Night Meditation – 7-7:30pm. Singing bowls or lead meditation. Love offering. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com. Bosom Buddies: A Support Group – 7-8:30pm. Providing emotional support and education for survivors of breast cancer and women at high risk. Facilitator Bobbi de Cordova-Hanks. Women’s Center of Jacksonville. 904-722-3000. Conscious Singles Group – 7-8:30pm. Identify and share strengths, passion and info, ideas about being single and in relationships, together. The Heart Center, St Augustine. Register, Holly Levinson, LCSW: 904-471-1414. Holly@thc-hal.com. How to Read the Tarot – 7-9pm. The class is led by Rev. Mary Cox. $10. 904-384-7268. TheCosmicChurchOfTruth.net. Healing Energy Group – 7-10pm. Experience divine healing energy treatments given by master energy healers. $5 love offering. 3491 Pall Mall Dr, Jacksonville. 904-292-4555.
Tuesday Sun Power Yoga – 7:30am. With Sandra. Yoga Den, 2929 Plummer Cove Rd, Jacksonville. 904268-8330. Yoga-Den.com. Kripalu Yoga Basic Practice – 9-10:30am. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-824-7454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Morning Meditations and Practical Buddhist Teaching – 10-11:30am. Learn to meditate and explore new possibilities. Everyone welcome! $10. Maitreya Kadampa Buddhist Center, 85 Sailfish Dr, Atlantic Beach. 904-222-8531. MeditationInJacksonville.org. Prayer and Meditation Service – 10:30-11am. Guided and interactive prayer and meditation. Prayer requests encouraged. Unity Church of Jacksonville, Peace Prayer Chapel, 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-355-5100. UnityJax.org. UNITY Yoga – 12-1pm. Join Jim Ernstsen to welcome beginner and intermediate level students. Please bring a floor mat and use May Street entrance.
Love offering. Unity Church of Jacksonville, 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-355-5100. UnityJax.org. T’ai Chi – 5:30-6:30pm. With Elizabeth Alexander. Beginners-intermediate. Love offering. Unity Church of Jacksonville, 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-355-5100. UnityJax.com. Move, Melt and Meditate – 5:30-7pm. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-8247454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Prenatal Pilates – 6:30pm. Arch Pilates & Physical Therapy, 3491 Pall Mall Rd, Ste 103, Jacksonville. 904-860-5392. ArchPilates.com. Yoga Basic Training – 6:30-8pm. For continuing beginners. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St. St Augustine. 904-824-7454. DiscoveryYoga.com Food Addicts Anonymous – 6:30-7:30pm. Unity of Church of Jacksonville, 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-355-5100. UnityJax.com. Integrative Yoga: Mind-Body-Spirit – 6:307:45pm. With James P Ryan, RYT-200. Multilevel class. Ponte Vedra Beach. 280-4130. Change@ rwhypnosis.com. RWYogaTherapy.com. Julia’s New Age Book Club – 7-8:30pm. Each book is selected by group vote. Relax, read and discuss spiritual matters with us. Spiritual Uplifts, 3491 Pall Mall Dr, Jacksonville. 904-571-2586. Insight Meditation – 7:30-9pm. See Monday listing for details. Love offering. Sanctuary of Unity Church of Jacksonville, 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-355-5100. UnityJax.org. Parent Support Group – 7-8:30pm. For parents of a child with a mental health disorder, including depression, bipolar and schizo-affective disorder. Beaches Resource Center, 700 Seagate Ave, Neptune Beach. 904-270-8200. Pilates Mat Core Class – 7:35pm. Beginner and intermediate. Arch Pilates & Physical Therapy, 3491 Pall Mall Rd, Ste 103, Jacksonville. 904-860-5392. ArchPilates.com. Power Yoga Basics – 7:45pm. With Khristi. Yoga Den, 2929 Plummer Cove Rd, Jacksonville. 904268-8330. Yoga-Den.com.
Wednesday La Leche League of Jacksonville – 10am. 3rd Wed. Grace Church of Avondale. Chrissy: 904-389-0484. Lori: 904-485-0861. Kripalu Yoga, All Levels – 10-11:30am. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-8247454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Galaxy Jax: Breastfeeding Support and Advocacy – 10:30am. 1st Wed. Come alone or bring the baby. Jacksonville Beach. 904-945-4540. Meetup.com/ galaxyjax. Chair Yoga Class – 11am-12pm. Get fit where you sit with this healing, gentle seated yoga practice. Perfect for all ages. Ocean Yoga, 51 Pine St, Atlantic Beach. 904-874-4094. OceanYoga.biz. Mid-Week Market – 3-6pm. Featuring local, healthy, fresh and green foods. Bull Park, 716 Ocean Blvd, Atlantic Beach. Tinyurl.com/a4xegwv. Yoga – 5:15-6:15pm. With Jayne Parker. Beginner and intermediate. BYO floor mat. Unity Church of Jacksonville, Sanctuary, 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-355-5100. UnityJax.com. T’ai Chi Gung Classes – 5:45-6:45pm. With Pat Burke for exercise, relaxation and improved health.
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Unity Church for Creative Living, St Johns. 904287-1505. UnityInJax.com. Kripalu Yoga, Mulit-level – 5:30-7pm. Some experience required. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-824-7454.DiscoveryYoga.com. T’ai Chi Gung Class – 5:45-6:45pm. Exercise, relaxation and improved health. Love offering. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com. A Course in Miracles – 7pm. Unity of Jacksonville Beach, 1079 Atlantic Blvd, Atlantic Bch. 904-2461300. The Quest Discussion Class – 7-8:30pm. With John Zimmerman. Discussion based on book by Richard and Mary Alice Jafolla. Love offering. Unity Church of Jacksonville, 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-3555100. UnityJax.com. Psychic/Medium Spiritual Development Class – 7-9:30pm. One Wed per month. Marilyn Jenquin, International Foundation for Spiritual Knowledge. $25. Held in private home, call for location. 407673-9776. IFSK.org.
Thursday Insight Meditation – 6:45-7:30am. See Monday listing for details. Love offering. Sanctuary of Unity Church of Jacksonville, 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-355-5100. UnityJax.org. The Quest Discussion Class – 10:30am-12pm. With Brooke Stephens and Robert Freeman. Discussion based on book by Richard and Mary Alice Jafolla. Love offering. Unity Church of Jacksonville, 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-355-5100. UnityJax.com. Yin Yoga – 9-10:30am. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-824-7454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Chakra Yoga – 9-10:30am. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-824-7454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Mind Body Class – 11:30am. With Alyson. $40/ four classes. Yoga Den, 2929 Plummer Cove Rd, Jacksonville. 904-268-8330. Yoga-Den.com. Kripalu Yoga All Levels – 11:30am-1pm and 5:30-7pm. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-824-7454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Psychic/Medium Spiritual Development Class – 1-3:30pm. One Thursday per month. Marilyn Jenquin, International Foundation for Spiritual Knowledge. $25. Caring Palms Massage and Reiki, 301-B 10th Ave N, Jacksonville Bch. 407-673-9776. IFSK.org. Yoga/Pilates for Preschool, Bendy Bodies – 2pm. Arch Pilates & Physical Therapy, 3491 Pall Mall Rd, Ste 103, Jacksonville. 904-860-5392. ArchPilates.com. MEDA Eating Disorder Group – 3-4pm. Mentor, empower, develop and advocate. UNF Counseling Center, Bldg 2, Jacksonville. 620-2602. Kripalu Yoga Basic Practice – 5:30-7pm Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-8247454. DiscoveryYoga.com. UNITY Yoga – 6-7pm. With Jim Ernstsen. Beginner and intermediate. BYO floor mat. Love offering. Unity Church of Jacksonville, May St entrance. 634 Lomax St, Riverside. 904-355-5100. UnityJax.com. Integrative Yoga: Mind-Body-Spirit – 6:307:45pm. With James P Ryan, RYT-200. Multilevel
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class. Ponte Vedra Beach. 280-4130. RWYogaTherapy.com. Change@rwhypnosis.com. Free Introductory Soul Healing Workshops – 6:30-8:30pm. Join Certified Soul Teacher & Healer Geho Gold to learn powerful Soul Healing knowledge, wisdom & practices based on Master Sha’s teaching. Be Healed Within Healing Center, 20A Oriole Cir, Ormond Beach. Pre-register. 386-3416260. BeHealedWithin.com. Tergar Meditation Community – 6:30-8pm. Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Beginners welcome. Free. Body Wise Center, 2706 Old Moultrie Rd, St Augustine. 904-687-8482. Tergar.org. Yoga Basic Training – 6:30-8pm Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-824-7454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Open Reiki Circle – 7-9pm. 1st & 3rd Thursday evening each month in Orange Park with Reiki Master Clarence Zarnes. Cost: donations. JudyZarnes.com. Spiritual Matters Book Club – Contact for time. 2nd Thursday evening each month in Orange Park with Spiritual Counselor Rev. Judy Zarnes. Donations graciously accepted. 904-477-4427. JudyZarnes.com. Reiki Healing Circle – 7pm. Reiki healing circle with Rachael Amos. $10. The Church of Cosmic Truth, 1637 Hamilton St, Jacksonville. 904-3847268. TheCosmicChurchOfTruth.net. Spirituality 101 – 7-8:30pm. Share questions, answers and lively discussion with like-minded people in an informal setting. The Heart Center, St Augustine. Register; Holly Levinson, LCSW: 904471-1414. Holly@thc-hal.com. Yoga Basics – 7:45pm. With Khristi. Yoga Den, 2929 Plummer Cove Rd, Jacksonville. 904-2688330. Yoga-Den.com.
Friday Pilates Props and Boots – 9am. A Pilates boot camp to burn calories. Arch Pilates & Physical Therapy, 3491 Pall Mall Rd, Ste 103, Jacksonville. 904-8605392. ArchPilates.com. Mommy ‘N Me Pilates – 10am. Ages 6 weeks-24 mos. Arch Pilates & Physical Therapy, 3491 Pall Mall Rd, Ste 103, Jacksonville. 904-860-5392. ArchPilates.com. Kripalu Yoga – 10-11:30am. All Levels. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-8247454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Hemming Plaza Farmers’ Market – 10am-2pm. Local and fresh plants, flowers, fruit, vegetables, jewelry and live entertainment. Monroe St and N Hogan St, Jacksonville. 904-634-0303. Friday Market – 10am-2pm. Rain or shine. Featuring locally grown produce, baked goods, plants, pottery and more. Jacksonville Landing Market. 904-703-2727. Market@jacksonvillelanding.com. Tai Chi Gung – 11am-12pm. $15. Anytime Fitness Lakewood, 5613-2 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville. 904-294-7219. Mind Body Class – 11:30am. With Alyson. $40/ four classes. Yoga Den, 2929 Plummer Cove Rd, Jacksonville. 904-268-8330. Yoga-Den.com. Kripalu Yoga – 5:30-7pm. All Levels. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-8247454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Psychic Awareness Gathering – 7pm. The Cosmic
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Church of Truth,1637 Hamilton St, Jacksonville. 904-384-7268. TheCosmicChurchOfTruth.net.
Saturday Integrative Yoga: Mind-Body-Spirit – 8:309:30am. With Joan Ryan, E-RYT-500, IYT-1000. Multilevel class. Ponte Vedra Beach. 904-280-4628. RWYogaTherapy.com. Joan@RWYogatherapy.com. Guided Cultural Hike – 8:30-10:30am. 1st Sat. Wear comfortable closed-toe shoes. The GTM Research Reserve, Trailhead Pavilion west of Guana Dam, Marineland. RSVP: 904-823-4500. Trail Hike – 8:30-10:30am. 2nd Sat. 1.5-mile guided walk. Wear comfortable closed toe shoes. The GTM Research Reserve, Trailhead Pavilion west of Guana Dam, Marineland. RSVP: 904-823-4500. Vinyasa Flow – 9-10:30am. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-824-7454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Qigong – 9-10am. Relieve stress, anxiety and pain. Gain energy, balance and strength. Free trial. Kam Lee’s TKA, 1835-5 E W Pkwy, Fleming Island. 904-215-6111. TaijiKungFuAcademy.com. Farmer’s Market – 10am-2pm. Featuring organic produce, BBQ ribs and chicken, baked goods, prepared foods, seafood and live music. Unity Church for Creative Living, 2777 Race Track Rd, St Johns. 904-287-1505. UnityInJax.com. Meditation – 10:30-11:30am. Need a place to meditate? I will go over some techniques to help with meditation along with a 20-30 minute meditation. Bring a yoga mat or you can use a chair. Reservation required. $5 love offering. Spiritual Uplifts, 3491 Pall Mall Dr, Jacksonville. 904-571-2586. Metaphysics of the Book of Revelation – 10:30am12:30pm. Discussion with Rev. Joanne Dator. Love offering. Please use May Street entrance. Unity Church of Jacksonville, 634 Lomax St, Jacksonville. 904-355-5100. UnityJax.org. Kripalu Gentle Yoga – 11am-12:30pm. Discovery Yoga Center, 3 Davis St, St Augustine. 904-8247454. DiscoveryYoga.com. Free Soul Healing Miracles Daily Practice – 121pm. Receive profound soul healings for every aspect of life. Experience the power of hundreds of Divine Healing Hands Soul Healers & Divine Channels as they offer soul healing blessings for you, humanity and Mother Earth. Global teleconference. Register 888-339-6815. Drsha.com/freedivine-services/#s1_5. Beaches Green Market – 2-5pm. Jarboe Park, 301 Florida Blvd, Neptune Beach. 904-270-0273.
classifieds Fee for classifieds is $1.50 per word per month. To place listing, email content to NAclassifieds@naturalawakeningsmag. com. Deadline is the 10th of the month. BOOKS FOR SALE YOUR HEALTH PROTECTION – Get your copy of a practical HIV/AIDS prevention book title STD/HIV PREVENTION ACTION Let’s Protect Each Other from YourHealthProtection. Weebly.com FOR RENT/LEASE/SALE Professional Office for rent in a Psychotherapy practise in St. Ausustine Beach area. $350 month, including utilities. Inquiries call: 904 436 5576 2BDR & BATH Spacoius FOR RENT/Shared Conscious roomates , organic gardens saltwater pool 700 per mo. (Incl jea). Available Mid-April Text Duende 434-8468 RETREATS & WORKSHOPS Need a place for retreats/conferences? Fullservice facility, Georgia Mountains. www.enota. com 706-896-9966, 800-990-8869 WANTED We are looking for a Massage Therapist and Aesthetician to join a holistic medical practice in Jacksonville Beach. Please send resume with cover letter and 3 professional references to phaccraigslist@gmail.com.
All gardening is landscape painting. ~William Kent
Thai Massage Brings Unique Benefits
T
hai Massage, or Thai Yoga Massage, is an ancient healing system based on a combination of influences from Indian, Chinese and Southeast Asian traditions of natural medicine developed more than 2,000 years ago. This style of healing massage is thought to have originated with Shivago Komarpaj, also known as the “father” of Thai medicine and believed to have been the physician for Buddha himself. This ancient practice combines assisted yoga postures with acupressure, energy or chakra balancing techniques and Indian ayurvedic traditions to promote general health and well-being, as well as curing a variety of specific ailments that include migraine headaches, high blood pressure, asthma and diabetes. Practitioners of modern Thai massage believe that the body is saturated with air called “lom”, which after entering the body through the lungs, travels throughout the body along 72,000 pathways called “sen”, which are the focus of the therapist’s manipulation. It is believed that the body’s vital life energy follows these pathways and that all illness stems from an imbalance or blockage somewhere in these pathways. Those who practice a more traditional approach to Thai medicine focus on the five layers of the body—skin, tissue, channels, bone and organs. These practitioners use massage to manipulate the layers to stimulate the corresponding body elements of earth, water, wind and fire within the body system. What to expect today from a
skilled Thai massage therapist, whether in a spa setting or a healing center, is a spiritual and physical experience that is as beneficial for the giver as it is for the receiver. Because the experience involves a higher degree of involvement from the recipient, they remain clothed in comfortable, loosefitting attire that allows for stretching and movement Depending upon individual needs, they may be on their stomach, back, side or sitting, and will be most comfortable on a mat on the floor. The therapist will use his or her thumbs, palms, knees and elbows to apply pressure and to guide and stretch the body into yoga positions. An experienced therapist will know how to apply just the right amount of pressure and stretching to free any blockages of the body’s pathways. Throughout the session, the therapist remains focused and aware of his or her own body, thus creating a synchronous and peaceful movement between the giver and receiver of the Thai massage. Falli Shah is an advanced Pranic Healer, Reiki master, esthetician, and founder of Seventh Wonder Day Spa, which has been voted the number one spa in Jacksonville. Contact her at 904-381-8686 or Seventh-Wonder.com.
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communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide email advertising@najax.com to request our media kit.
HOLISTIC MEDICINE PERSEPHONE HEALING ARTS CENTER, P.A.
A. SCHAEFFER-PAUTZ, M.D. Board Certified in Holistic Medicine
Jacksonville Beach, Florida (904) 246- 3583
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We offer a variety of holistic healing modalities: Five Element Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, Medical Qigong, and Yoga. With each of these modalities, we provide personalized treatments and education, and focus on integrating the body, mind, emotions, and spirit. Integrating these levels allows us to heal and manifest one’s true self.
We offer holistic life coaching services to help you gain clarity and balance in your life. Our specialties are stress, anxiety, depression, major life change, relationship concerns and spiritual exploration. See ad page 13.
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COLONICS CHELATION THERAPY COLONICS WITH CARE Glenda Paulich, LMT Phone: 904/868-6414 MA 017653 MM 11054
GET WELL
Pierre Angier, D.O. 904-217-7030 www.GetWellFL.com
Offering IV chelation, glutathione and other alternative therapies, Dr. Angier is conveniently located at 1100 S. Ponce de Leon Blvd in Saint Augustine. Discover how you can benefit from the osteopathic approach to wellness. See ad page 40.
Using FDA Approved “LIBBE” Colon Hydrotherapy. Living “PI” water, Infared Suana, Detoxifying Herbal Body Wraps and I-ACT Certified. NOW Offering Facelift Massage. See Ad Page 25.
LOGICAL THERAPY WELLNESS CENTER
CHIROPRACTIC CARE
555 W. Granada, Ste D-9 386-673-1880 • Ormond
Colon Hydrotherapy with associated detoxs, Microcurrent Therapy and Massage. Hydraulic tables. Qualified therapists, Clean Professional Office. Disposable supplies. MA#50404, MM#21504. See our ad page 15.
JACKSONVILLE HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER
Dr. Jon Repole, D.C. 9957 Moorings Drive, Suite 403 Jacksonville, Fl 32257 (Mandarin) 904 268-6568 www.DrRepole.com
Safe, Gentle Chiropractic Treatment for the whole family. Our treatments include: medical massage (MM 17770), rehabilitation, nutrition, traction, posture, and physical therapy modalities. See ad page 41.
DESIGNED ALLIANCE
Marlo Zarka 904.307.2769 www.designedalliance.com
Designed Alliance: a coaching partnership. Designed Alliance works with each client in a collaborative coaching partnership to clarify, articulate and create action plans toward self identified growth, change and achievement. See ad page 14.
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Northeast Florida Edition
HOLISTIC WELLNESS SPA SEVENTH WONDER DAY SPA 5393 Roosevelt Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32210 (904) 381-8686 www.seventh-wonder.com
Threading, Reiki, Pranic Healing, Shirodhara, Ear Coning, Thai Massage, Facials and Many More Holistic Treatments! Mention this Ad and Receive 10% off your visit!.
HYPNOTHERAPY INNER FOCUS COACHING Heather Shea, CLC, CPH 904.270.9686 www.innerfocuscoach.com
We offer clinical and meta-physical hypnosis services for individuals seeking personal development and spiritual exploration. Explore past lives or get help with eliminating unwanted mental, emotional, and behavioral habits.
INTUITIVE HEALING MIA “MAYA” CLARK
HERBS LAURENCE LAYNE, LMT, HERBALIST
COACHING
A medical center emphasizing quality and natural approaches: Conventional and Holistic Medicine, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Anthroposophic Medicine, Autism, Therapeutic E u r y t h my, E u r y t h my C l a s s e s , Lectures and other events. See ad on back cover.
Healing Waters Clinic & Herb Shop 904-826-1965, St. Augustine www.healingwatersclinic.com MA0010746 MM005595
A holistic center specializing in pain relief & chronic health issues. Certified in Neuromuscular & Deep Tissue Bodywork, Myofascial Therapy, Craniosacral Balancing, East-West Herbalism. Attunement Energy Healing since 1978. See ad page 21.
www.najax.com
Jacksonville, FL 32210 (904) 294-9931 www.miamayaclark.com
“Soul Rejuvenator” healing artist who practices gentle yet powerful intuitive guidance readings, pastlife readings, shamanic soul retrieval journeying, and Munay-Ki rites.
RECONNECTIVE HEALING
Tad Kostek Jacksonville, FL 32244 904 613-7608 recoheal@aol.com
Do you suffer from physical, mental, or emotional pain? Gifted healer’s sessions help restore balance and harmony to the body, mind, and spirit.
LOCAL FARMS LOCAL RAW HONEY
Jacksonville, Fl. Zack 904-517-3614 zackshoneyfarm@gmail.com
Small family Apiary offering local wildflower honey. Our honey is raw, unprocessed and not heated. We also offer starter colonies and wax for sale.
NATURAL PEST CONTROL NATURE’S WAY PEST CONTROL 904-280-7563 Email: natureswaypest@yahoo.com www.natureswaypest.com
Our mission is to use a blend of modern knowledge, ancient wisdom and feng shui to make a safe effective bio-rational pest control product. Our products are all natural and safe for you, your family, your pets and our environment. See our ad page 43.
MYOFASCIAL THERAPY
NATUROPATHIC CONSULTING
MUSCLE MATTERS
WELLNESS WORKING GROUP Todd Robinson, N.D. (904) 372-9074
www.WellnessWorkingGroup.com
A Naturopathic Doctor offering consultation services on holistic approaches, including nutritional, botanical, and lifestyle medicine, to create an individualized plan for your optimal health. See ad on page 12.
MARY St John Larson, CMTPT. LMT Phone: 904-215-9923 email: myomatters@gmail.com Website: myofascialtherapy.org
B O DY a n d M O V E M E N T RESTORATION. 80% of all pain is musculoskeletal. Alleviate it with Myofascial therapy and Anato-ME© 10 second limbering. MOTION is LOTION! Free consultations.
REFLEXOLOGY
NUTRITION JACKSONVILLE HEALTH & WELLNESS CENTER
Dr. Jon Repole, D.C. 9957 Moorings Drive, Suite 403 Jacksonville, Fl 32257 (Mandarin) 904 268-6568 www.DrRepole.com
REFLEXIONS BODYWORK John Guinta, LMT MA69357 1617 Thacker Ave (San Marco) PH# 504-559-4259
Creating individualized dietary recommendations, meal planning, and supplemental guidance for all conditions utilizing food diaries, heart rate variability, questionnaires, body composition, blood, urine, and saliva testing. See ad page 41.
C e r t i f i e d H a n d / Fo o t Reflexology. Give your feet and hands a special treat! Swedish Relaxation Massage also available. Free consultation Call for appointment.
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April 2014
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Internal & Holistic Medicine ~ Classes & Events ~ Spa Services • Primary & Preventive Care • Naturopathy & Homeopathy • Depression & Anxiety • Autism & ADD • Anthroposophic Medicine
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Board Certified in Internal & Holistic Medicine
Healing Arts Center 485 6th Avenue North Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 904.246.3583
MM23812 CE9982573
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DrPautz.com