NALAMAG APRIL 2016

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

P L A N E T

feel good • live simply • laugh more

FREE

Planet-Friendly LIFESTYLES Making Sustainable Choices Every Day

The Power of

Recognition

How LifeCity NOLA Is Making Their Mark

Green Light

New Orleans

The Amazing Free Service You Need To Know About

Millennials’

TAKE ON FITNESS They Like Short, Social and Fun Workouts

April 2016 |

S.E. Louisiana Edition

|

NALAmag.com

natural awakenings

April 2016

1

2

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

contents Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more

balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge 5 5 newsbriefs information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal 8 healthbriefs growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

9 globalbriefs 10 recipeforsuccess 16 12 THE POWER OF 12 coverstory RECOGNITION 9 14 wisewords 18 earthdayevents 14 MARIE KONDO ON THE JOY OF 19 community TIDYING UP

by Anna Schwartz

spotlight

20 consciouseating

18

24 fitbody

25 calendar

by April Thompson

16 EVERYDAY

SUSTAINABILITY

29 localdirectory

Practical Ways We Can Help Out the Planet

31 classifieds

by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 504-975-0344 or email Publisher@NALAmag.com.

Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@NALAmag.com.

Deadline for Editorial: the 5th of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: Publisher@NALAmag.com Call 504-975-0344.

Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month.

Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 1-239-449-8309.

For franchising opportunities call 1-239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

NALAmag.com

Simplicity Invites Happiness into Our Lives

19 GREEN LIGHT

NEW ORLEANS

The Amazing Free Service You Need to Know About

20 EDIBLE HEIRLOOMS Old-Fashioned Fruits and Veggies Return to the Table

19 20

by Avery Mack

24 MILLENNIALS’ TAKE ON FITNESS

They Like Short, Social and Fun Workouts

by Derek Flanzraich

I n the 21st century, I think the heroes will be the people who will improve the quality of life, fight poverty and introduce more sustainability. ~Bertrand Piccard natural awakenings

April 2016

3

letterfromtheeditor Water. It surrounds us. Not only with the contact us Publisher Melissa Burbank

Editor-in-Chief Coco Kunstman

Design & Production Chelsea Rose

Distribution Big Art's Distribution

Editors Michelle Bense Lauren A. Pirosko Sara Peterson

Natural Awakenings S.E. Louisiana Edition: Tell NALAmag what you think Publisher@NALAmag.com Ph: 504-975-0344 Fax: 504-910-3011

© 2016 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call for a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised.

We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscriptions are available, $36 for 12 issues.

Please email Publisher@NALAmag.com.

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soy-based ink.

100% compostable

surrounding oceans and seas but also in every sink, bottle, Brita, shower and garden hose. Other than our life sustaining cell phones, water is something that is always in arm's reach. In 2010 my sister, Aubrey, was finishing her master’s in Public Health at Tulane by enlisting in the Peace Corps. She was stationed in Cameroon, a country nestled on the eastern coast of Africa by Nigeria.

Aubrey expressed to me the need for books at schools they were building as part of their work in the Peace Corps. I started a fund to get books donated to help with the project and traveled to Cameroon to experience the country for myself.

The first thing I had to accept was that this was going to be unlike any experience I had ever had. Growing up in Europe I had done quite a bit of traveling already. I had been to northern Africa (Egypt and Morocco) and Russia. Nothing prepared me for what was to come in Cameroon. Forget about creature comforts like blow dryers and dishwashers. There was no reliable electricity—which meant no refrigeration. No running water—which meant no showers or, more importantly, no flushing toilets. Everyday our water was brought to us by a child of the village we lived in, Bibemi, milkman style.

We then had to sanitize it by boiling and in some cases bleaching it. Every drop was precious. One day while hiking in Rhumsiki, a woman passed us looking serene and pensive. We stopped to speak with her, thankful for the break. We learned that she made this trek every day to visit her friend down the mountain and bring water back from the valley. I can’t imagine part of my daily routine being to climb up and down a mountain to get water. We finished the hike and I was handed a small package of clear liquid.

"Cold water!" I thought, but it was a celebratory shot of bubblegum flavored vodka. Yes, alcohol and Coca-Cola are easier to come by than clean water—thank you imperialism.

Coming back to the United States after this experience was strange. I got a tiny jolt of excitement when I turned on the faucet or flushed the toilet. It was magical. I remember going into the grocery store and feeling tears bubbling in my eyes. It was a cornucopia of color and varieties.

Here are some facts to ponder as you explore the magazine’s theme of sustainability and fresh water scarcity, provided by Water.org: 663 million people—1 in 10—lack access to safe water.

2.4 billion people—1 in 3—lack access to a toilet.

1/3 of the global population lives without access to a toilet.

More people have a mobile phone than a toilet.

Melissa, the Publisher of NALA, reminds me that it is unfair to compare our living situation with that of a developing African nation, and alas, she is right. But it is something to consider in our everyday life. With the recent national highlights of water sanitation issues in Flint, Michigan, it is important to understand that this problem of clean drinking water is in our own backyard. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40 percent of children in Claiborne Parish, 28.6 percent of children in Caddo Parish, 20 percent of children in Ouachita Parish and 14.3 percent of children in Jefferson Parish tested positive for lead poisoning in 2014.

Water is an essential part of life. Take a look of some of the amazing initiatives outlined in this month’s edition and find out what you can do.

Hopefully,

Coco

Coco Kunstman, Editor-in-Chief 4

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

newsbriefs New Orleans’s Annual Veggie Fest

T

he annual New Orleans Veggie Fest, the Big Easy’s signature celebration of all things veggie, will be held 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., May 7, and noon to 6 p.m., May 8, at Kingsley House. The roots of the NOLA Veggie Fest go back to 1990, when the Humane Society held the city’s first all-vegetarian festival at the World Trade Center, in downtown New Orleans.

Veggie Fest offers something for everyone and all are welcome: chefs, seniors, vegans, students, omnivores, flexitarians, foodies, green consumers and anyone interested in eating great food. Attendees can try free food samples, check out local product vendors, attend cooking demos, listen to speakers, get new recipes, watch short films, hang out in the kids area, enjoy a delicious lunch and learn ways to include more veggies in their diet.

Keynote speaker Jane Velez-Mitchell is an acclaimed television journalist, author and one of the nation’s most prominent spokespersons for animal rights. For six years, she hosted her own show on CNN’s Headline News and is often seen commenting on high-profile cases for networks such as E! and TrueTV. In November 2014, she launched Jane UnChained, a social media news outlet focusing on animal advocacy. The winner of four Genesis Awards, she is particularly known for her veganism and for promoting animal rights, which she has called “the social justice movement of the 21st century”.

Location: 1600 Constance St., New Orleans. For more information, visit NOLAVeggieFest.com.

breathe

Go Vegan for a Day

I

nterested in trying a meat- and dairy-free diet? The Humane Society of Louisiana has partnered with the 1,000-member-strong New Orleans Vegetarian Society to observe "Go Vegan for a Day!", April 5th.

On this day, members of both organizations will encourage residents to eat three plant-based diets. Studies show that a vegan diet is healthy for you, the planet (reduces water waste, deforestation and soil depletion) and obviously reduces/eliminates the suffering of farm animals. The largest context behind this special one-day observance is the concept of developing a humane economy—one that is not dependent on and replaces animals for our food, entertainment, clothing and medical benefits.

For more details, contact 1-888-6-humane.

Georganna Ranglack, DVM, PhD Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Greater New Orleans

504-874-1189

Drug-free treatment for common conditions with acupuncture.

House calls or office visits by appointment.

natural awakenings

April 2016

5

newsbriefs Being Well Expo to Return to the New Orleans Community

T

he Being Well Expo 2016, focusing on mind, body and spirit, will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., April 2, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., April 3, at the DoubleTree Hotel, in Kenner. A variety of vendors (including Natural Awakenings), authors and private practitioners from the New Orleans area and beyond will come together under one roof to educate, experience, sample and entertain its patrons on matters of the mind, body and spirit.

One ballroom will include vendors and a conference room will be used to educate and entertain attendees. Events will cover a wide range of topics, from modern paganism to astrology. Daily wellness classes such as yoga and Zumba will also be part of the curriculum. A complete event schedule is available at BeingWellExpo.com.

Cost: $30 for tickets. Location: 2150 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Kenner. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit BeingWellExpo.com. See ad, page 12.

News to share?

Submit information online at Publisher@NALAmag.com

Submittal deadline is the 5th of the month.

6

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

natural awakenings

April 2016

7

healthbriefs

Tai Chi Eases Effects The ‘Dirty Dozen’ of Cancer-Causing of Chronic Disease A Chemicals

S

cientists at the Environmental Working Group published a list of the 12 chemicals that have been most prevalently linked to cancer in numerous research studies. The list encompasses bisphenol A, atrazine, organophosphate pesticides, dibutyl phthalate, lead, mercury, per- or polyfluorochemicals (PFC), phthalates, diethlyhexyl phthalate, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, triclosan and nonylphenol.

The scientists suggest that consumers can reduce their exposure to each of these chemicals by avoiding plastics marked with “PC” (polycarbonates) or the recycling number 7 mark, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics in food packaging, PFC-treated wrappers on food and other products, lead paints, mercury-laden seafoods, phthalates-containing fragrances and plastics, foam products made before 2005, foreign antibacterial soaps, and detergents and paints with nonylphenol. Other proactive measures include drinking only filtered water when in agricultural areas and purchasing organic foods.

The researchers contend, “Given that we live in a sea of chemicals, it makes sense to begin reducing exposures to ones we know are bad actors.”

8

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

review of research from the University of British Columbia tested the effects of tai chi exercise upon people with four chronic diseases: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, osteoarthritis and cancer. Dr. Yi-Wen Chen and his team analyzed 33 studies of more than 1,500 people that participated in tai chi.

The research also tested the effects of the practice on general health, including walking speed, muscle strength, speed in standing up from a sitting position, quality of life, symptoms of depression and knee strength. The heart disease patients among the subjects showed a reduction in depression symptoms, and all shared a reduction of muscle stiffness and pain, increased speeds in both walking and standing from a sitting position and improved well-being.

“Given the fact that many middle-aged and older persons have more than one chronic condition, it’s important to examine the benefits of treatment/exercise interventions across several co-existing conditions,” says Chen.

World Tai Chi & Qigong Day is April 30

globalbriefs

Bee Kind

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

A U.S. federal appeals court has blocked the use of the pesticide sulfoxaflor over concerns about its effect on honeybees, which have been disappearing throughout the country in recent years.

“Initial studies showed sulfoxaflor was highly toxic to honeybees, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was required to get further tests,” says Circuit Judge Mary Schroeder. “Given the precariousness of bee populations, leaving the EPA’s registration of sulfoxaflor in place risks more potential environmental harm than vacating it.” The product, sold in the U.S. as Transform or Closer, must be pulled from store shelves by October 18.

Paul Towers, a spokesperson for the nonprofit advocacy group Pesticide Action Network, comments, “This is [an example of] the classic pesticide industry shell game. As more science underscores the harms of a pesticide, they shift to newer, less-studied products, and it takes regulators years to catch up.”

On another front, an insect form of Alzheimer’s disease caused by aluminum contamination from pesticides is another suspected contributing cause of the well-documented widespread bee colony collapse, according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE. Honeybees studied had levels of aluminum in their bodies equivalent to those that could cause brain damage in humans.

GMO-Free Germany

Five Dozen Countries Now Ban or Label GMO Crops New rules implemented by the European Union now allow individual member states to block farmers from using genetically modified organisms (GMO), even if the variety has been approved on an EU-wide basis. Scotland was the first to opt out and Germany is next, according to German Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt.

Controversy concerning the safety and/or necessity of GMOs persists, but countries like these have decided not to idly sit by while the effects posed by long-term consumption of GMO foods are revealed. This move makes Germany one of between 64 and 74 countries that have instituted some type of ban or mandatory labeling requirements.

Source: CollectivelyConscious.net

The Good Fight for Honeybees

Master King Lam Over 45 years of Martial Arts Experience Improve Balance and Flexibility Rejuvenate Energy Reduce Stress Discover Qi Gong Energy Methods Build Self Confidence Lose Weight

Tai Chi is a moving meditation done in slow flowing rhythmic motions.

These are vital energy exercises to rejuvenate body energy and to help you achieve better mind, body and spirit.

TAMASHII KARATE

& TAI CHI CENTER

504-866-2241

Group & Private Classes – Men, Women & Children

8132 Willow Street, Uptown, New Orleans Kinglam1199@gmail.com • www.KingLamTaiChi-Karate.com natural awakenings

April 2016

9

recipeforsuccess

Grilled Watermelon Summer Salad

A

pril is such a happy month. It makes you want to remember how wonderful it is to be outside… before the humidity makes us forget! This recipe is great for the outdoor brunches, lunches or barbeques that flank the month of April. It is crunchy, sweet, tangy, and delicious. Invite over your friends and family and share in this simple delight!

Yields: 4 servings 8 ounces buffalo mozzarella or feta cheese (feta may be a bit crumbly so stick to mozzarella if you are going for simplicity) ½ large watermelon cut into 8 squares the same size as the cheese 2 cups arugula

10

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

½ cup balsamic crema if you want to create some stunning designs (is also a lot less messy than regular balsamic vinegar) Salt and pepper to taste Olive oil to taste- (the higher the quality the less you need to use) Prepare watermelon sandwiches.

Prepare a grill or grill pan to a very high heat.

Drizzle watermelon with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

Grill VERY quickly, just getting a slight char, (10 seconds per side).

Toss arugula with about a teaspoon or two of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Place watermelon squares on plate, top with cheese, and another watermelon.

Place about ½ cup of arugula on top of watermelon and drizzle with balsamic crema.

Source: Adapted from CookingFor Keeps.com/2014/05/22/grilledwatermelon-feta-stacked-salads.

Publish a Natural Awakenings Magazine in Your Community Share Your Vision and Make a Difference Our publishers ranked us among the highest in franchise satisfaction for our Training, Support, Core Values and Integrity!

As a Natural Awakenings publisher, you can enjoy learning about healthy and joyous living while working from your home and earn a good income doing something you love!

No publishing experience is necessary. You’ll work for yourself but not by yourself. We offer a complete training and support system that allows you to successfully publish your own magazine.

• Meaningful New Career • Low Initial Investment • Proven Business System • Home-Based Business • Exceptional Franchise Support & Training

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

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

• •

• • • • • • •

Natural Awakenings is now expanding into new markets across the U.S. Contact us about starting a magazine in a community of your choice or acquiring an existing publication for sale highlighted in red below.

• Central OH • Charlotte, NC* • Orlando, FL • Dallas Metroplex, TX Huntsville, AL • Cincinnati, OH* • Lake Norman, NC* • Palm Beach, FL • Dallas/FW Metro N Gulf Coast AL/MS* • Toledo, OH • Triangle NC • Peace River, FL • Houston, TX Phoenix, AZ* • Oklahoma City, OK • Bergen/Passaic NJ* • Sarasota, FL • San Antonio, TX* Tucson, AZ • Portland, OR • Central NJ • Tampa/St. Pete., FL • SE Texas East Bay Area, CA • Bucks/Montgomery • Hudson County, NJ • FL’s Treasure Coast • Richmond, VA San Diego, CA Counties, PA • Mercer County, NJ • Seattle, WA Boulder/Ft. Collins, CO • Atlanta, GA • Monmouth/Ocean, NJ • Harrisburg/York, PA • Hawaiian Islands • Madison, WI* Denver, CO • Lancaster/Berks, PA • North Central NJ • Chicago, IL • Milwaukee, WI Fairfield County, CT • Lehigh Valley, PA* • Chicago West. Suburbs • South NJ • Puerto Rico Hartford, CT • Pocono, PA/ • Santa Fe/Abq., NM • Indianapolis, IN New Haven/ *Existing magazines for sale Warren Co., NJ Middlesex, CT • Las Vegas, NV • Baton Rouge, LA • Scranton/ Washington, DC • Albany, NY • Lafayette, LA Wilkes-Barre, PA Daytona/Volusia/ • Buffalo, NY • New Orleans, LA • Rhode Island Flagler, FL • Central NY • Portland, ME • Charleston, SC NW FL Emerald Coast • Long Island, NY • Boston, MA • Columbia, SC Ft. Lauderdale, FL • Manhattan, NY* • Ann Arbor, MI • Grand Strand, SC* Jacksonville/St. Aug., FL • Lower Hudson • East Michigan • Greenville, SC Melbourne/Vero, FL Valley West, NY Natural Awakenings recently won • Wayne County, MI* • Chattanooga, TN Miami & Florida Keys the prestigious FBR50 Franchise • Rochester, NY • Western MI Satisfaction Award from Franchise • Memphis, TN Naples/Ft. Myers, FL Business Review. To learn more, • Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN • Westchester/ • Austin, TX Putnam, NY North Central FL visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com 11 natural awakenings April 2016

coverstory

The Power of Recognition

How LifeCity NOLA is Making Their Mark

by Anna Schwartz

A

five years, LifeCity has presented over n authentic seafood restaurant, 100 awards for sustainable achievea luxury event planner and a bements and empowered change-makers loved community church—what to take on the next steps in their suscould these small businesses possibly tainability missions. Besides the obvious have in common? If you’re stumped, so fun, the owners of these three local were we until we found two powerful businesses explain why LifeCity’s Green links between the unique companies Games Gala is on their schedule. and their passions.

Founder and creative director of

First is their drive to be sustainable, InNOLA Events and Design, Maria Marand while the businesses are different, ginnis says, “I think it is super important they all have successfully implemented to recognize and celebrate local green innovative methods to greenify their businesses in New Orleans because we companies. Second is their belief that are all working together as a communirecognition for being green is essential in order to inspire others to do the Left to right: Anna Schwartz, Liz Shephard, ty to make it a more sustainable place to live and to work.” After planning an same. That’s why New Orleans’s Café Meryl Dakin, Jessica Nehrbass, Zena Christopher, Alexis Royce, event, Marginnis resells each occasion’s Carmo Resturant, InNOLA Events and J​oshua ​Weinberg ​ equipment online to be reused by new Design and First Grace Church are clients in an effort to decrease her comlooking forward to LifeCity’s Fifth Annupany’s waste. For other small business owners looking to al Green Games Gala, held May 12—this year in hopes of be sustainable, Marginnis says, “Start small and take one being awarded as a green business and seeing other local step at a time. The small things add up and can make an leaders in sustainability celebrated for their achievements. impact in the sustainability of your company.”

At the event, New Orleans's sustainability event of the

Pastor Shawn Anglim at First Grace United Methodist year, our city’s business leaders will take over Eiffel Society Church is taking his first small steps by setting green goals for a glamorous awards program honoring the winners and during this year’s lent. From Ash Wednesday to Easter, First featuring networking and live entertainment. Over the last

A Holistic Approach To Dentistry If you are a person who…

1101 Robert Blvd., Ste A Slidell, La 70458

We help people move

• places a high value on your oral health, toward wellness.

• believes that the health of the mouth is intimately related to We are aggressively the health of the whole body, conservative and practice • is looking for a dental practice that listens to you without minimally-invasive dentistry. judgment and will help you get what is important to you, • understands that excellence is a choice that is made each day,

Mike Robichaux, DDS then maybe we are a fit for you! www.mikerobichauxdds.com 985-641-8058

12

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

Grace Church opted to cut back on buying, using and throwing away nonperishable items. Anglim says, “LifeCity has come in and with the help of the staff, we have come up with a plan of collective composting and recycling.”

Most importantly, Anglim talks about getting people on board with the new green goals. “We’ve created this sort of atmosphere of joy, where people have become interested in recycling," says Anglim. "Joy and celebration are much more effective than shame or guilt.” With this in mind, Anglim recounts his favorite small step toward sustainability.

“The other day, we had an older woman come forward and say she recycled for the first time in her life and, of course, we had to celebrate that.”

Today, and for the rest of the weekend, Café Carmo’s founder Dana Honn will be doing just that—celebrating new and green ways to better their business. In his case, bettering his business means discovering new, green ways of catching and cooking fresher fish. “The event is called Slow Fish 2016,” says Honn. “People from all over the world are coming to New Orleans to talk new techniques and innovations.” At the event, there will be chefs, live music, food and new ideas; exactly the kind of event to get people recognizing new ways their businesses can be made more sustainable. At the event, Honn hopes to further greenify his seafood restaurant on top of being a LifeCity member and supporting local economy by buying directly from their New Orleans fishermen.

Seeing these three local businesses and their creative methods of sustainability, we are excited to celebrate all of New Orleans’ achievements in making this a greener city. Like these local leaders described, the positive celebration of green achievements will hopefully inspire others to make changes in their businesses and lives.

Anna Schwartz is a senior at Tulane University. Schwartz will be graduating this year and beginning her assignment with the Peace Corps stationed in Africa.

Participating Businesses Adp • Algiers Auditorium • All American Healthcare Amcref Community Capital, LLC • Auld Sweet Olive Bed & Breakfast Bart's Office Furniture • Bayou Land Rc&D • Bayou Paddlesports Belle Chasse Academy • Bike Taxi Unlimited, LLC • Blue Orleans Bourbon House • Breads On Oak • Bridge House • Cafe Carmo Cake Cafe And Bakery • Casa Borrega • Circle Foods • City Greens Clearesult • Cohen College Prep • Dana Brown & Associates Diversified Energy • Downtown Development District • Ecourban LLC Edward Jones - Nehrbass Branch • Empire Services • Energy Wise Alliance Envirogreen • Fair Grinds Coffeehouse • Fatoush First Grace United Methodist Church • Friends Of Lafitte Greenway Garvey, Smith, Nehrbass & North, LLC • Green Coast Enterprises Services Global Green • Goodwood Nola • Greater New Orleans Foundation Greater New Orleans Inc. • Greenman Dan • Greenstar Roof Coatings Gulf Restoration Network • Habitat For Humanity, Restore Hike For Katreena • Hollygrove Market & Farm • Hotel Modern Innola Events And Design • Joule Energy • La Divina Gelateria Lams Facility Solutions • Landrieu Concrete & Cement Industries Latrobe's On Royal • Laurel Street Bakery • Lighthouse Louisiana Lighting & Electrical Associates • Live Oak Cafe • Living Wild & Precious Louisiana Office Products • Louisiana Pizza Kitchen • Midway Pizza Monkey Monkey Coffee And Tea • Mopho • Natco Food Service New Orleans Boulder Lounge • New Orleans Chamber Of Commerce New Orleans City Park • New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau New Orleans Food Co-Op • New Orleans Green LLC New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation • No Waste Nola Nola Aikido • Nola Brewing • Nola Led • Nola Paint & Supplies Organic Banana • Orleans Coffee Exchange • Pj's Coffee On Poydras Playbuild Nola • Playnola • Posigen • Pro Unum Solutions Progressive Waste Solutions • Project Homecoming • Project Lazarus Pure Water Technology • Raised Visual Media • Raw Republic Rayne Methodist Church • Rebellion Bar & Urban Kitchen Recirculating Farms Coalition • Restoration Thrift • Royal Coatings Sarah's Pet Care Revolution • Schmelly's Dirt Farm Seabrook Harbor & Marine LLC • Seed • Shell Oil Office Of Real Estate Sheraton New Orleans • St. Martin's Episcopal School • Star Service Staylocal / Urban Conservancy • Tchoup Industries • Team Real World The Berger Group • The Green Project • The Other Bar • Thomas Strategies Transform Nola • Twisted Hair Salon • Vivelan Group Waldorf School Of New Orleans • Water Works • Wwoz Zukababy On Magazine St. • Zukababy In Metairie

natural awakenings

April 2016

13

wisewords

Marie Kondo on the Joy of Tidying Up

Simplicity Invites Happiness into Our Lives

by April Thompson

14

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

photo by Ichigo Natsuno

J

apanese organizing consultant Marie Kondo helps us discover happiness through tidiness. Already perusing home and lifestyle magazines by age 5, she spent her childhood “tidying” up her surroundings rather than playing with toys.

The organizing system Kondo went on to develop, the KonMari method, defies most long-held rules of organizing, such as installing clever storage solutions to accommodate stuff or de-cluttering one area at a time. Her New York Times bestseller, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has been published in 30 countries, demonstrating that her methods speak to universal desires, including a hunger for order and simplicity. She’s now released a companion book, Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up.

Kondo’s principles, including vertically stacking clothing and using special folding methods for socks, can seem quirky, yet her approach gets results.

Kondo claims a nearly zero percent “clutter relapse” rate among clients because they’ve become surrounded only by things they love.

How can we begin to get and stay organized?

It’s not about a set of rules, but acquiring the right mindset for becoming a tidy person. Think in concrete terms, so that you can picture what it would be like to live in a clutter-free space. Start by identifying your bigger goal. Ask yourself why you want this, repeating the question to get to the root of the answer. As you explore the reasons behind your ideal lifestyle, you’ll realize that the

ultimate reason is to be happy. Then you are ready to begin.

I recommend cleaning out and organizing your entire space in one go-around. When completed, the change is so profound that it inspires a strong aversion to your previously cluttered state. The key is to make the change so sudden that you experience a complete change of heart. By discarding the easy things first, you can gradually hone your decision-making skills, including knowing who else can use what you don’t need. I recommend starting with clothes, then move to books, documents, miscellaneous items and finally anything with sentimental value.

Is it important to touch every single object in the decision process?

At one point in my life, I was virtually a “disposal unit”, constantly on the lookout for superfluous things. One day, I realized that I had been so focused on what to discard that I had forgotten to cherish the things I loved. Through this experience, I concluded that the best way to choose what to keep is to actually hold each item. As you do, ask yourself, “Does this spark joy?” When you touch something, your body reacts, and its response to each item is different.

The process of assessing how you feel about the things you own—identifying those that have fulfilled their purpose, expressing your gratitude and bidding them farewell and good wishes for their onward journey—is a rite of passage to a new life.

Must keepsakes be included?

Mementoes are reminders of a time that gave us joy, yet truly precious memories will never vanish, even if you discard the associated objects. By handling each sentimental item, you process your past. The space we live in should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.

What do you recommend for organizing what remains after a purge?

The secret to maintaining an uncluttered room is to pursue simplicity in storage, so that you can see at a glance what you have. My storage rules are simple: Store all items of the same type in one place and don’t scatter storage space.

How does this process change us and our relationship to things?

Through it, you identify both what you love and need in your home and in your life. People have told me that decluttering has helped them achieve lifelong dreams, such as launching their own business; in other cases, it has helped them let go of negative attachments and unhappy relationships.

Despite a drastic reduction in belongings, no one has ever regretted it, even those that ended up with a fifth of their earlier possessions. It’s a continuing strong reminder that they have been living all this time with things they didn’t need.

Connect with freelance writer April Thompson, of Washington, D.C., at AprilWrites.com.

L ife is really simple,

but we insist on making it complicated. ~Confucius

natural awakenings

April 2016

15

EVERYDAY SUSTAINABILITY Practical Ways We Can Help Out the Planet

by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko

F

or many Americans, living more sustainably has become a natural part of their daily routine as they consistently recycle, eat healthy and use energy more efficiently. It’s just what they normally do every day.

Every one of them had to start somewhere, growing their efforts over time to the point that nearly every activity yields better results for themselves, their family, their community and the planet. It might begin with the way we eat and eventually expand to encompass the way we work.

New American Way

“The sustainability movement is large and growing in the U.S.,” says Todd Larsen, with Green America, a grassroots nonprofit organization harnessing economic forces to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. “Half a million people turned out in New York City to march for action on climate change. People also are working in their local communi16

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

ties to oppose fracking and pollution, and to support green building and clean energy. Many businesses now include sustainability as a core business practice, including the 3,000 certified members of Green America’s Green Business Network.”

This month, Natural Awakenings profiles the experiences of representative individuals from around the country that are helping to both make the world more sustainable and their own lives richer and more meaningful. From growing and cooking family food and line-drying laundry to powering their business with renewable energy, their approaches are as varied as the places they call home.

First Steps

“Many people start with something small at home, particularly if they’re concerned about the impacts on their family’s health,” says Larsen. “More Americans are approaching sustainability first through food. It’s relatively

easy to change spending habits to incorporate more organic, fair trade and non-GMO [genetically modified] foods, and with the growth of farmers’ markets nationwide, people are able to buy local more easily.”

A focus on food quality is how Wendy Brown and her husband and five children launched their eco-journey just outside of Portland, Maine.

“We started thinking about where our food came from, how it was grown and raised and what we could do to ensure that it was better,” says Brown. “What we don’t grow or forage ourselves, we try to purchase from local farmers.”

Living more simply during the past decade has helped the family cut debt and become more financially stable.

“Our entry point to sustainable living was to grow tomatoes on the steps of an apartment that Kelly and I once called home years ago,” echoes Erik Knutzen, who, with his wife Kelly Coyne, have transformed their 960-square-foot Los Angeles bungalow into an oasis where they grow food, keep chickens and bees, brew, bake and house their bikes.

Gabriele Marewski’s journey also started with what she ate. “I became a vegetarian at 14, after reading Diet for a Small Planet, by Frances Moore Lappé,” says Marewski, who in 1999 turned an avocado orchard in Homestead, Florida, into Paradise Farms. “Forty-seven years later, I’m still a strict vegetarian.

I believe it’s the single most important statement we can make about saving the planet.”

Marewski’s five-acre farm showcases certified organic micro greens, edible flowers, oyster mushrooms and a variety of tropical fruits marketed to Miami-area chefs. Her farm also offers Dinner in Paradise farm-to-table experiences to raise funds for local nonprofits providing food for underprivileged city residents, and bed-andbreakfast lodging.

Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology offers a free online course, Sustainability in Everyday Life, based on five themes: energy, climate change, food, chemicals and globalization.

“People can make a difference by making responsible choices in their everyday life,” says Anna Nyström Claesson, one of the three original teachers.

Consume Less

“Every step toward sustainability is important and in the right direction,” explains Gina Miresse, with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), which will again host the world’s largest energy fair in June in Custer, Wisconsin.

“It’s easy to start at home by adopting one new practice and sticking with it until it becomes a habit; then add a second practice and so on. This keeps people from getting overwhelmed.”

We might, for example, switch to non-toxic home cleaning products when current products are used up.

“There’s no need to throw everything in the trash and replace it all immediately—that would partially defeat the purpose of sustainability,” says Miresse.

Green America, which suggests green alternatives to many products in online publications at GreenAmerica. org, recommends a congruent strategy.

“We see people first change the way they purchase their food, move to reduce their purchases overall and green those they make, and then make their home more energy-efficient,” remarks Larsen. “Next, they consider walking and biking more.”

Pamela Dixon explains, “On a dayto-day basis, it’s really about the products we use, like transferring to eco-friendly cleaners and yard maintenance, recycling electronic devices, paying bills electronically and receiving statements via email.”

She and her husband, David Anderson, own Dave’s BrewFarm, in rural Wilson, Wisconsin, where they grow herbs, hops, raspberries and apples on 35 acres.

“A 20-kilowatt wind generator supplies our electricity, and we use geothermal for heating and cooling,” adds Dixon. Due to career opportunities involving teaching principles of sustainability, the Wisconsin couple is in the process of selling the BrewFarm to move to La Crosse. “At our new home, we’re replacing the windows and appliances with more energy-efficient ones. We also chose our neighborhood so we can walk or bike to local grocery co-ops. We prefer to repair things when they break rather than buying something new, recycle everything the city will accept, compost food scraps and buy clothes at secondhand stores.”

When the MREA Energy Fair began 27 years ago, the majority of attendees

were interested in learning about first steps, such as recycling, relates Miresse. Today, sustainability basics ranging from fuel savings to water conservation are familiar, and they’re focused on revitalizing local economies. “Folks are now considering more ambitious practices such as sourcing food directly from local farmers, producing their own solar energy and incorporating energy storage, driving an electric vehicle or switching to more socially responsible investing.” The fair’s 250 workshops provide tools to help in taking their next steps on the journey to sustainability.

Knutzen and Coyne’s passion has evolved from growing food into a larger DIY mode. “Cooking from scratch is something I prefer to do,” comments Knutzen. “I even grind my own flour.”

Library books provide his primary source of inspiration.

The Brown family likely echoes the thoughts of many American families.

“We have many dreams, but the stark reality is that we live in a world that requires money,” says Wendy Brown.

An electric car or solar electric system, for example, is a large investment.

“The biggest barriers were mental blocks because we ‘gave up’ previous lifestyle norms,” she says. “Most people we know have a clothes dryer and can’t imagine living without one. Line-drying is just part of the bigger issue of time management for us, because living sustainably and doing things by hand takes longer.”

I reuse elastic from worn-out clothing. My travel beverage cup is a sauce jar with a reusable canning lid drilled with a hole for a reusable straw. Such examples show how we live every day.”

Marewski’s love of travel doesn’t interfere with her sustainability quest.

“When I travel, I like to walk or bicycle across countries,” she says. “It gives me a closer connection to the land and spontaneous contact with interesting people.

I’m building a tiny home on wheels that’ll be completely self-sufficient, with solar, composting toilet and water catchment to reduce my footprint even further.”

“Last August, I started a tenure-track position in the school of business at Viterbo University,” says Dixon, who emphasizes how students can pursue sustainability in business and life. “I teach systems thinking, complex systems change and globally responsible leadership, all of which have a sustainability component.”

She’s also faculty advisor to Enactus, a student organization focused on social entrepreneurship and making a positive impact on the community.

“The best part of how we live is when my daughters make everyday eco-minded choices without even realizing it,” observes Brown. “I can see how remarkable it is, because I have the perspective of having lived differently. But for them, it’s just the way things are done.

I think in that way, I’ve succeeded.”

Each Day Counts

Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko’s ecojourney is captured in their books, ECOpreneuring, Farmstead Chef, Homemade for Sale, Rural Renaissance and Soil Sisters. Every day, they eat from their organic gardens surrounding their farm powered by the wind and sun.

“The biggest and most positive impact I have comes from my general non-waste philosophy,” advises Brown. “I try to reuse something rather than throwing it away.

I’ve made underwear out of old camisoles and pajama pants from old flannel sheets.

natural awakenings

April 2016

17

WHY ARE THESE WOMEN SMILING?

earthdayevents

Celebrating Earth Day Locally and Globally

by Meredith Montgomery

They just learned how to put pep in their mojos by reading Natural Awakenings.

Advertise in our

May Women’s Wellness Issue To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

504-975-0344 18

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

R

epresentatives from nearly every country on Earth gathered in Paris for the 2015 United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the Paris Agreement a triumph for people, the planet and multilateralism. The signing ceremony is set for Earth Day, April 22, at UN headquarters, in New York City.

For the first time, every country has pledged to curb their emissions, strengthen resilience to related impacts and act internationally and domestically to address climate change. Other key elements aimed at achieving a state of climate neutrality—having a zero carbon footprint—before the century’s end include transparency, accountability and a plan for developed countries to support climate action in developing countries.

“A big part of the Paris agreement focuses on reduced use of gas, coal and oil, but there is also a focus on preserving trees and expanding forests,” says

Earth Day Network (EDN) spokesperson Timothy McHugh, referring to this year’s Earth Day theme of Trees for Earth.

This year also kicks off a fouryear countdown to the environmental campaign’s 50th anniversary on Earth Day 2020. “By that mark, we hope to have planted 7.8 billion trees—approximately one tree for every person on the planet. Trees are vitally important because they soak up carbon and clean the air,” McHugh explains.

In addition to countering climate change and pollution, EDN’s global tree planting seeks to support communities and local economies, protect biodiversity and inspire environmental stewardship.

From global leaders convening at the UN to people participating in community events close to home, billions of the world’s citizens will celebrate our precious home planet this year. To join the worldwide observance, find an event online at EarthDay.org.

communityspotlight

Green Light New Orleans: The Amazing Free Service You Need To Know About

G

reat local food is part of the flavor that makes New Orleans so unique. Many New Orleanians value the draw of local ingredients, and with Green Light New Orleans’s Backyard Vegetable Garden Program, we have to look no further than our own back yard. Green Light New Orleans invests energy in people by assisting New Orleans residents in person, one household at a time. Their volunteers are focused on educating the city through experience. They set up backyard vegetable gardens at no charge to residents to demonstrate that a mass movement of individual actions creates a significant impact on our environment and community.

Swiss native Andreas Hoffmann founded Green Light New Orleans in 2006 to assist in the sustainable rebuilding of the city. What began as one man’s “light bulb moment,” has led to a movement of 13,000 volunteers serving 26,000 homes in the greater New Orleans area. Over half a million energy efficient light bulbs have been installed, subsequently reducing the carbon footprint of the city by 250 million pounds.

In 2012, Green Light New Orleans expanded its mission to shed light on something very close to our hearts (and stomachs)—access to healthy, fresh food.

Through building backyard vegetable gardens for residents, Green Light hopes to create a stronger community health focus and address the fresh food access gap. Backyard vegetable gardens serve as a tool by which residents can learn the valuable skill of gardening while saving money on recurring costs and reducing their own carbon footprint. Gardens have the added benefit of increasing a family’s access to fresh, affordable produce.

Green Light has developed a simple, raised-bed garden that can be easily constructed by volunteers in residents' yards. Green Light provides the tools, resources, and support to help gardeners learn how to maximize their garden yield. Prior to the garden installation, participants take a free, two-hour “Intro to Gardening” class at the beautiful training garden. Upon completion of the class, Green Light New Orleans then sends volunteers to the participant’s home and assists in the garden build.

When all is said and done, the resident

will have a beautiful 4x4 garden box with fresh seasonal vegetables at no cost. Following the initial garden build, Green Light New Orleans continues to provide support to all garden participants, and has also created partnerships with other urban gardening projects like Parkway Partners, Sprout NOLA, Backyard Gardeners Network, Urban Farmstead and others to ensure participants have access to new seeds and resources throughout the life of their garden.

The goal is to help New Orleans become a healthier, more sustainable city.

Green Light currently has provided 450 backyard gardens, with a 10-year goal of establishing 10,000 gardens. Green Light is committed to long-term impact and will support new gardeners with follow-up calls, site visits and workshops.

To apply for your free vegetable garden installation, call 504-324-2429 or visit GreenLightNewOrleans.org.

The goal is to help New Orleans become a healthier, more sustainable city. Green Light currently has provided 450 backyard gardens, with a 10-year goal of establishing 10,000 gardens. natural awakenings

April 2016

19

consciouseating

Edible Heirlooms Old-Fashioned Fruits and Veggies Return to the Table

by Avery Mack

O

f the 7,500 varieties of apples in the world, 2,500 are grown in the U.S., but only 100 commercially. As of the 1990s, 70 percent were Red Delicious; more recently they’re being replaced with Gala, Granny Smith and Fuji types from taller, thinner trees that can be planted more compactly for easier harvesting, yet are more sensitive to disease and require trellis supports.

Mass-produced fruits and vegetables have been modified over the years to make them look appealing and ship well, while sacrificing taste. Consumers in search of health-enhancing nutrients and robust flavor can find them by instead connecting with the past through food and flowers.

“Heirloom seeds have remained intact and unexposed to commercial pesticides,” says Jere Gettle, owner of Baker Creek Seed Company, in Mansfield, Missouri. “They’re reliable—plants grown now will be the same next year; not so with hybrids.” This cleaner, tastier alternative to the status quo is typi-

20

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

cally packed with more good vitamins than good looks. Heirloom produce often also delivers a unique regional flavor, such as Vidalia onions or Hatch chile peppers.

Exemplary Fruits

Fine restaurants like to feature Yellow Wonder wild strawberries because they taste like cream. The fragrant Baron von Solemacher strawberry, an antique German Alpine variety, is small and sweet, red and full of flavor; it’s been around since the Stone Age. For pies and preserves, pair them with Victorian rhubarb, which dates back to 1856.

Eat only the rhubarb stalks; the leaves contain poisonous oxalic acid.

Aunt Molly’s ground cherry (husk tomato) hails from Poland. “It’s sweet, with a hint of tart, like pineapple-apricot,” says Gettle. “The Amish and Germans use them in pies. Their high pectin content makes them good for preserves.

Heirlooms send people in search of old recipes and they end up creating their own variations. It’s food as history.”

Herbs

Valuable Vegetables

Trending this year are purple veggies like the brilliantly colored Pusa Jamuni radish. Pair it with bright pink Pusa Gulabi radishes, high in carotenoids and anthocyanins, atop a stunning salad with Amsterdam prickly-seeded spinach’s arrow-shaped leaves, a variety once grown by Thomas Jefferson. Add a fennel-like flavor with Pink Plume celery.

Brighten salsas using the Buena Mulata hot pepper, a deep violet that ripens to a sweet red. Serve with pink pleated Mushroom Basket tomatoes or Lucid Gems, with their black/orange peel and striking yellow/orange flesh.

Purple tomatillos are sweeter than green varieties and can be eaten right off the plant.

“Purple sweet potatoes are found in Hawaii, but aren’t common on the mainland,” explains Gettle. “Molokai Purple sweet potatoes keep their deep purple color even when cooked, and are much higher in antioxidants than the orange variety.” To be novel, serve the Albino beet. Baker Creek’s customers use it raw in salads, roasted or fried and don’t let the greens go to waste.

Monique Prince, a clinical social worker in Chester, New Hampshire, grows heirloom organic radishes, greens, herbs, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and pumpkins in eight raised beds.

She received Ganisisikuk pole beans (seventh-generation seeds) and Abnaki cranberry runner beans from a Native American client. Rather than eat the bounty, she’s accumulating the seeds to save the varieties.

Thai basil loves summer heat. Make batches of pesto, then freeze it in ice cube trays for later. Christina Major, a nutritionist in Trevorton, Pennsylvania, grows heirloom herbs that include borage, with its edible flowers, and marshmallow, which is a decongestant when added to tea. Her 300-squarefoot garden supplies summer veggies such as scarlet runner beans, more than 50 kinds of perennial herbs for year-round use and heirloom raspberries, gooseberries and blackberries “that are eaten as fast as they’re picked,” she says.

Heirloom enthusiasts like to exchange seeds to try new varieties. “From December to March, traders swap seeds and plot their gardens,” says Major. “I got 20 kinds of tomatoes by connecting with other traders on Facebook.”

Look for Non-GMOs

Flowers

The Non-GMO Project label on U.S. food products assures consumers they have no genetically modified ingredients. Now a few seed companies are starting to display the butterfly label, as well.

“As demand for non-GMO choices continues to rise, farmers are seeking more non-GMO seed,” says Megan Westgate, executive director of the Non-GMO Project. “Similarly, smaller farms and home gardeners are choosing to plant more organic and non-GMO varieties.”

High Mowing Organic Seeds, in Wolcott, Vermont, is the current leader, with 700 Non-GMO Project-verified seeds. Company President Tom Stearns explains, “We continue to hear about GMO concerns from our customers and while we are certified organic, that doesn’t say anything about GMO contamination.” His team helped develop a verification program for seeds because they wanted third-party verification of their claims.

“We’d spent a huge amount of time implementing preventative measures and did GMO testing, but felt this wasn’t enough,” he notes.

Stearns reports that there are many more genetically engineered plants than most people realize. “Some 40 GMO plant species include petunia and endive,” he says. Plus, “Contamination risks exist even when a GMO crop isn’t commercially approved, like when GMO wheat escapes field trials.”

Connect with the freelance writer via AveryMack@mindspring.com.

Source: EcoWatch.com

Heirlooms extend to trees and bushes. The drought-resistant Fourwing Saltbush has a deep root system and provides cover for songbirds in the West. ~BBB Seed

Of 400,000 flowering plants in the world, 20 percent are in danger of extinction. “Instead of marigolds and petunias, consider old-fashioned annuals. Trying new things is fun,” says Gettle. Four O’clocks, familiar to many Midwesterners, come in a several colors and are easily cultivated from their abundant seeds. The succulent Ice plant, with its white-pink flowers, looks like it was dipped in sugar; its edible leaves taste like spinach. Black Swan’s burgundy poppies have a frill-like edge, while Mother of Pearl poppies offer subtle watercolors.

“Save seeds, share with neighbors and pass them on to the kids,” advises Gettle. “They’re evidence of our culture.”

natural awakenings

April 2016

21

Heat 6 tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy pan. Add in the eggplant cubes and sauté until browned and cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high.

Add the ginger, chiles and cumin, and fry until the cumin seeds have turned brown.

Vegan Eggplant, Chickpea and Spinach Curry Yields: 4 to 6 servings

thrive

22

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, in all; 2 Tbsp reserved 1½ lb eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 Tbsp fresh ginger paste 2 hot green chiles, deseeded and minced 2 tsp whole cumin seed ¼ tsp asafoetida resin 2 cup tomatoes, seeded and chopped 1 Tbsp coriander seed, ground 1 tsp paprika ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper ¼ tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp turmeric ½ cup filtered water 2 cup cooked chickpeas 1 lb fresh spinach, coarsely chopped 2 tsp sea salt ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaf 1 tsp garam masala

Add the asafoetida and stir fry for another 15 seconds.

Add in the tomatoes, coriander, paprika, black pepper, cayenne and turmeric.

Reduce heat to medium and cook until the oil separates from the tomato sauce, about 10 minutes.

Add water and bring the sauce to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and add in the cooked eggplant cubes, chickpeas, chopped spinach and salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Before serving remove from heat and stir in the chopped cilantro and garam masala.

Serve warm with brown rice or naan flatbread.

Source: Adapted from Lord Krishna’s Cuisine by Yamuna Devi.

A DV E RTO RI A L

Every Day Can Be A Day Without Pain!

Natural Awakenings Topical Pain Relief Plus

A

cute pain from an accident, burn or insect bite may cramp your style at the family picnic, but the kind of pain that recurs every day and every night can make us miss out on the best times of our lives. Lost opportunities like playing with our children and grandchildren, participating in sports and other healthy activities like dancing do not give you a second chance for fun. Natural Awakenings Topical Pain Relief Plus relieves pain, strains and sprains while substantially reducing recovery time.

Unique Ingredients are How it Works Natural Awakenings Topical Pain Relief Plus works by penetrating deep into skin and muscle tissue. Key ingredients include certified, refined emu oil, whole leaf aloe vera, MSM glucosamine and chondroitin, in a proprietary blend of essential oils, Oriental herbs, botanical extracts and complex vitamins/antioxidants.

MSM acts as an analgesic and antiinflammator y agent, inhibits muscle spasm and increases blood flow while aloe vera, the only known vegetable source of vitamin B12, Emu oil allows the other ingredients to immediately begin to reduce pain, inflammation and swelling.

Emu oil, an allnatural food byproduct that contains high levels of linoleic acid, known to relieve arthritic pain, is obtained from the fat of the flightless emu bird, and a series of processes refine, sterilize and deodorize it. But not all emu oil sold is of the quality used in Natural Awakenings Topical Pain Relief Plus; some is simply rendered, using added ingredients that pollute the natural oil. As an added benefit, emu oil increases skin layer thickness by up to 56 percent, decreasing wrinkles and age spots.

Follow the Directions For optimum relief, apply a generous amount of Natural Awakenings Topical Pain Relief Plus directly onto the area of pain or discomfort, allowing it to be absorbed for two to three minutes. Don’t wipe away any that is not absorbed; massage it into the surrounding areas, and use it as often as needed— there are no side effects!

Using Natural Awakenings Topical Pain Relief Plus three times daily is ideal—depending on your level of pain—when you wake up, at mid-day or after work and just before bedtime.

Regular use will continue to alleviate pain and help keep it from returning as often or as intensely.

{ The Spray That Saved Me!}

I have been using this spray for years now to help my osteoarthritis pain and it really works. I had tried everything else on the market and this is the only product that gives me relief. I have recommended it to many of my friends. ~ Patricia Enjoy safe and effective relief from:

• Arthritis Pain • Stiff Joints • Cramps • Headaches • Knee, Neck & Back Pain • Inflammation & Swelling • Tired, Sore Muscles

Its natural ingredients include:

• Certified Emu Oil • Aloe Vera • Herbs • Glucosamine & Condroitin • Vitamins/Antioxidants • Botanical Extracts • MSM Topical Pain Relief also helps to stimulate energy, detoxify and promote a healthier quality of life.

4-oz spray $24.99 $19.99 – 8-oz spray $39.99 $34.99 plus $5 shipping • FREE Shipping on orders $75 & over Order online today at

ShopNaturalAwakenings.com or call: 888-822-0246

Like us on Facebook.com/NAWebstore

natural awakenings

April 2016

23

fitbody

Millennials’ Take on Fitness

They Like Short, Social and Fun Workouts

by Derek Flanzraich

M

illennials are a big deal. Most businesses view them as trendsetters for good reason: Born between the early 1980s and early 2000s, they make up 25 percent of the population and represent $200 billion in annual buying power. Like the baby boomers before them, they also have the power to profoundly influence other generations, both young and old.

Millennials have largely rejected previous fitness trends and instead paved a new path to health and wellness. In doing so, they’ve transformed both the business of fitness and the idea of what it means to be healthy.

They’ve created a more personalized approach that encompasses the values of their generation.

What They Are Millennials are a fast-paced, well-informed group. They devour news and information as soon as it’s released and then share it with others, usually via social media. This quick turnover cycle has led to an “out with the old, in with the new” mentality in many aspects of life. For a generation that strives to be trailblazers, things quickly become outdated. Millennials are always seek24

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

ing new ways to get fit and eat healthy, even if it means creating something unique to them.

The Internet has allowed these young adults to find more like-minded people than ever before. They grew up with constant connectivity, which has allowed them to build larger communities of friends online as well as locally, and keep everyone apprised of their fitness goals and progress.

Millennials’ overscheduled lives mean they value shorter, quicker and more convenient options, especially in regard to workouts and healthy meals.

They are more likely than any other age group to track their own health progress and use technologies such as health and fitness apps which monitor such data as steps, heart rate and caloric intake as a complement to their fitness routines.

Being healthy means more than weight loss or looking good to them. For this pivotal generation, health is increasingly about living a happier life.

What They Like Millennials’ values and unique approach to health have fostered the growth of innovative fitness movements, health-focused stores and restaurants

and alternative medicine. Here are the three biggest trends making an impact on the wellness industry.

What’s hot: Shorter, full-body workouts that are also fun.

What’s not: Steady-state cardio exercises as a starting point for losing weight and improving health.

It’s been increasingly shown that steady-state cardio workouts may be the most effective way to lose weight, but they also lack widespread appeal.

Instead of sticking to a traditional treadmill, many millennials have flocked to workout regimens that regularly switch exercises or use high-intensity interval training, such as Zumba, SoulCycle and CrossFit.

What’s hot: A more holistic approach to health.

What’s not: Diets that emphasize rapid weight loss.

Millennials don’t believe that weight is the major indicator of health as much as previous generations have.

Instead, they increasingly think of weight as just one among many key components of a healthy lifestyle.

A higher percentage define being healthy as having regular physical activity and good eating habits.

What’s hot: Alternative workouts that are customizable, fun and social.

What’s not: Inflexible gym memberships and daily attendance.

Instead of hitting the gym, young adults tend to prefer new forms of fitness that can be personalized to their needs. They like obstacle races such as Tough Mudder, fun and distance runs like The Color Run, at-home fitness workouts like P90X, and bodyweight regimens.

As a group, millennials are redefining wellness and changing how following generations will view health.

Their preferences for fun, personalized workouts and holistic wellness have fueled trends with far-reaching implications for the food, tech and healthcare industries, and that’s just the start.

Derek Flanzraich is an entrepreneur on a mission to help the world think about health in a healthier way. He is the founder and CEO of Greatist, a New York City-based media startup working to make healthy living cool.

calendarofevents

Introduction to Insight Meditation – 7pm. With David Chernikoff. Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans. Info: 504-897-9339 or Info@tibetanhouse.com.

Note: All Calendar events must be received via email by April 10 for the May issue. $15/Event Calendar or $10/Ongoing Calendar listing. $25/PlanAhead Events, $99/MarkYourCalendar. Qualified, free, community-wide events are listed for free as space is available. Submit entries to Publisher@NALAmag.com.

Call 504-975-0344 for more information.

FRIDAY, APRIL 15

SATURDAY, APRIL 2 Women’s Health and Pelvic Floor – 9-10:30am.

Four-week course with Andra Aitken. $100. Wild Lotus Yoga Uptown, 4842 Perrier St, New Orleans.

504-899-0047. WildLotusYoga.com.

Being Well Expo – April 2-3. 11am-7pm, Sat; 11am-6pm, Sun. Experience psychics, mediums, healers, speakers and holistic vendors. Free admission and parking. DoubleTree Hotel, 2150 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Kenner. Info: BeingWellExpo.com.

Hippy Hippy Shake – 11:30am-1pm. Do you have a “bum” hip? Does it bother you during or after a walk in the park? In this problem-solving workshop, explore, move, stretch, learn and restore. $25.

Minimum of three participants. Transform NOLA, 8422 Oak St. 985-640-2648. TransformNOLA.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 5 Kids Yoga – 4-5pm. Eight-week course with Libby Hoeffer. Yoga, art and play for ages 4-6. $108. Wild Lotus Yoga Uptown, 4842 Perrier St, New Orleans.

504-899-0047. WildLotusYoga.com.

Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program – 5:30pm. Dr. Debbi Hannan presents: The Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program at Chiropractic Health Center. Free. 101 Clearview Pkwy at Airline Dr, New Orleans. 504-454-2000.

Louisiana Natives – 9am, gates open; 10am, presentation. Dr Bob Thomas, Louisiana Naturalist and Loyola University Professor will present Louisiana Natives and why they are preferred in garden landscapes. On sale: native plants, warm season color and vegetables. Parkway Partners, 1137 Baronne St., New Orleans. 504-620-2224. ParkwayPartnersnola.org.

TUESDAY, APRIL 12 Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program – 5:30pm. Dr Debbi Hannan presents: The Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program at Chiropractic Health Center. Free. 101 Clearview Pkwy at Airline Dr, New Orleans. 504-454-2000.

Deep Tissue Massage Clinic – 6:15pm & 7:45pm.

Also 4/19. Help a student with their education at our student massage clinic. Deep Tissue is muscle specific and really works out the kinks. $30. Blue Cliff College, Clearview Mall, across from food court, Metairie. Info/appointment: 504-293-0972.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13 Deep Tissue Massage Clinic – 12:45pm & 2:15pm.

Also 4/15, 4/20, 4/27 & 4/29. Help a student with their education at our student massage clinic. Deep Tissue is a full body massage that really gets out the kinks. $30. Blue Cliff College, Clearview Mall, across from food court, Metairie. Info/appointment: 504-293-0972.

Crown Chakra Class – 7pm. With Paul Martinez and Brenda Aranda. Examine, reflect on and work with the crown chakra, at the top of the head. A balanced crown chakra opens our subconscious, allowing us to see our true nature and accept that self as part of the universe. Wear the color violet. $10 donation. Unity of Metairie, 3939 Veterans. 504-885-7575.

An Evening with a Tibetan Buddhist Monk – With Tsering Phuntsok. Tegetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans. Details: TibetanHouse.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6

THURSDAY, APRIL 14

Kohl’s Babies and Beyond – 9:30-11:30am. Wednesdays for eight weeks. Meet, play and discuss ways to interact and encourage your baby’s development. Free.

Broadmoor Arts and Wellness Center, 3900 General Taylor St, 2nd Flr, NOLA. 504-249-5130.

Swedish Massage Clinic – 6:15pm & 7:45pm. Also 4/21 & 4/28. Help a student with their education at our student massage clinic. Swedish is good for overall relaxation and increased flexibility. $30. Blue Cliff College, Clearview Mall, across from food court, Metairie. Info/appointment: 504-293-0972.

THURSDAY, APRIL 7

Foundations of Yoga – 7:45-9:30pm. Four-week course with Lauren Sloan. $65. Wild Lotus Yoga Uptown, 4842 Perrier St, New Orleans.

WildLotusYoga.com.

Spiritual Cinema: Brother Sun, Sister Moon – 7pm. A beautiful and moving film based on the great vision of St Francis of Assisi, an extraordinarily complex and difficult figure whose effect on his contemporary society was electrifying. Even today, many people are moved by his visionary message of universal toleration. (Rated PG). $5 donation. Unity of Metairie, 3939 Veterans. 504-885-7575.

SATURDAY, APRIL 16 Psychic Fair – Noon-6pm. Mediums, psychics, healers, astrologer, aura photos, crystals, essential oils, jewelry and more. Free admission. Metaphysical Resource Center, 1708 Lake Ave, Metairie. Info: 504-708-8353 or MetaphysicalResourceCenter.com.

Conscious Connected Breathing Workshop – 2:30-5pm. With Jack Fontana. Relieve stress, fear and anxiety naturally with this transformative breathing practice. Wild Lotus Yoga Uptown, 4842 Perrier St, New Orleans. WildLotusYoga.com.

Metamorphosis: An Evening Benefiting the Broadmoor Improvement Association (BIA) – 7-11pm.

Cocktails, food, music, silent auction and more. Proceeds benefit the hundreds of families that are served through BIA. $35-$100. Rosa F Keller Library and Community Center, 4300 South Broad St, New Orleans. biaMetamorphosis2016.eventbrite.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 17 Ancient Tibetan Fire Puja – 4pm. For healing and purification with Tibetan Buddhist Monk, Tsering Phuntsok. Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans. TibetanHouse.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 19 Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program – 5:30pm. Dr Debbi Hannan presents: The Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program at Chiropractic Health Center. Free. 101 Clearview Pkwy at Airline Dr, New Orleans. 504-454-2000.

Lessons for Us Today: St Francis of Assisi – 7pm. With Paul Martinez and Brenda Aranda. St Francis of Assisi abandoned a life of luxury for a life devoted to Christianity after reportedly hearing the voice of God, who commanded him to rebuild the Christian church and live in poverty.

We’ll discuss some things St Francis taught by word and example and reflect on their relevance. $10 donation.

Unity of Metairie, 3939 Veterans. 504-885-7575.

Kids Yoga – 4-5pm. Eight-week course with Charlotte Mabry. Yoga, art and play for ages 7-9. $108.

Wild Lotus Yoga Uptown, 4842 Perrier St, New Orleans. 504-899-0047. WildLotusYoga.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 8 Tai Chi For Everyone – 10-11:30am. Six-week course with Marilyn Yank. $75. Wild Lotus Yoga Uptown, 4842 Perrier St, New Orleans. 504-8990047. WildLotusYoga.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 9 Akashic Records/Beginner Class – Apr 9-10. 9am-apm Learn how to read the Akashic Records in this beginner’s class. $189. 1581 Carol Sue Ave, Ste 211, Gretna. Frank Trupiano: 504-392-3498. AkashicLight.org.

natural awakenings

April 2016

25

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20

TUESDAY, APRIL 26

An Evening with a Tibetan Buddhist Monk – 7pm.

With Tsering Phuntsok. Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans. Details: TibetanHouse.com.

Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program – 5:30pm. Dr Debbi Hannan presents: The Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program at Chiropractic Health Center. Free.

101 Clearview Pkwy at Airline Dr, New Orleans.

504-454-2000.

FRIDAY, APRIL 22 Swedish Massage Clinic – 12:45pm & 2:15pm.

Help a student with their education at our student massage clinic. Swedish is good for overall relaxation and increased flexibility. $30. Blue Cliff College, Clearview Mall, across from food court, Metairie. Info/appointment: 504-293-0972.

SATURDAY, APRIL 23 Saturday Morning Massage Clinic – 9:15am & 10:45am. Help a student with their education at the Student Massage Clinic. 4/23: NMT; 4/30: Deep Tissue. $30. Blue Cliff College, Clearview Mall, across from food court, Metairie. Info/appointment: 504-293-0972.

Psychic Fair – Noon-6pm. Mediums, psychics, healers, astrologer, aura photos, crystals, essential oils, jewelry and more. Free admission. Metaphysical Resource Center, 1708 Lake Ave, Metairie. Info: 504-708-8353 or MetaphysicalResourceCenter.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 24 Ancient Aramaic Healing Service – 1pm. With Wyming P. According to Aramaic sources, Jesus of Nazareth taught his disciples healing as part of their spiritual training and gave them a ritual to help build their ability and faith. Experience that ritual, including The Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic, singing of hymns to create a quiet, receptive atmosphere and laying on of hands. $15 donation. Love offering.

Unity of Metairie, 3939 Veterans. 504-885-7575.

Unity Bible Study – 7pm. With Paul Martinez and Brenda Aranda. The New Thought Movement promotes the ideas that Infinite Intelligence, or God, is everywhere, spirit is the totality of all things and sickness originates in the mind and “right thinking” has a healing effect. These ideas originated in Christian movements focused on the Bible, but many of us have become “Bible shy” from our experience with literal interpretations of scriptures. Take a look at the Bible through “new eyes.” $10 donation. Unity of Metairie, 3939 Veterans. 504-885-7575.

Blue Cliff College Massage Dept.

Continuing Education CEUs for LMTs

plan ahead

Craniosacral Fascial Therapy

SATURDAY, MAY 7 NOLA Veggie Fest – May 7-8. 11am-6pm, Sat; noon-6pm, Sun. The NOLA Veggie Fest is the Big Easy’s signature celebration of all things veggie.

Join us for a N’Awlins style weekend of fun and fabulous food, as we celebrate compassionate vegan cuisine and healthy lifestyles. Free samples, vendors, speakers, kid’s area, live music. Free to the public, $20/VIP Pass. nolaVeggieFest.com.

THURSDAY, MAY 12 Fifth Annual Green Games Gala – 7-10pm.

Celebrate sustainable business. The Green Game

Find your dream career… VISIT OUR STORE At the Clearview Mall Enroll now for day or GIFTS•BOOKS•COSMO evening classes! & MASSAGE SUPPLIES Satellite Campus Clearview Mall MASSAGE PROGRAM

Monday-Thursday 8am-9pm Friday 8am-5pm Saturday 8:30am-1pm

Massage Therapy Establishment # E2290

• Diploma • Associate in Occupational Studies Degree • Continuing Education Classes COSMETOLOGY PROGRAM NEW!

Main Campus 3200 Cleary, Metairie • CLINICAL MEDICAL ASSISTING • DENTAL ASSISTING • DIALYSIS TECHNICIAN For more information call

Look and feel better with our student clinic services

Student Massage Clinic $30 for 1 hour session Student Cosmetology Hair Services Now Open!

!

Skin and Nail services Coming Soon For an appointment call 504.293.0972 26

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

Awards Gala is New Orleans’ sustainability event of the year. City business leaders will take over the Eiffel Society for a glamorous academy awards like program honoring awardees, networking and live entertainment. $30/early bird tickets. Tickets: Zena@mylifecity.com or MyLifeCity.com.

504.456.3141

Blue Cliff College Blue Cliff College Metarie Main and Satellite Campuses are accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). ACCSC is a recognized accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education. For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit our website at http://bluecliffcollege.com/faq.shtml.

markyourcalendar

November 12-14

The Gillespie Approach Kristen & Michael Myers

December 2-4

DayBreak Geriatric Massage Dr. Sharon Puszko

BCC Clearview Mall, Metairie

504-293-0972

PeggyS@BlueCliffCollege.com

markyourcalendar Deep Theta Meditation

Join as we resurrect, integrate and align our true divine self. Together we will shift vibrationally and consciously, clearing the way for forgiveness, compassion and kindness, as pure conduits of God’s love.

April 6, 13, 20 & 27 Wednesdays – 6:30-8:30pm Southshore location: Journey into Wellness, 3939 Houma Blvd, Bldg 3, Ste 15, Metairie

April 17 • 6:30-8:30pm Northshore location: The Healing House, 1101 Village Walk, Covington

$15/energy exchange 504-931-6494

Facilitator: Cindy Daigle Cindy@outlookdesign.com CindyDaigle.org • nolaBotanics.com

Center for Enlightened Transformation

ongoingevents sunday Sunday Morning Meditation – 9am. Join Mike Wittenbrink as he leads a group meditation designed to bring you silence and stillness as you embrace the new week. Unity Temple of New Orleans, 3722 St Charles Ave, New Orleans. 504899-3390. UnityTempleNewOrleans.com.

A Course in Miracles – 10am. A discussion of an in-depth study of the principle ideas of the text by the same name. Unity Temple of New Orleans, 3722 St Charles Ave, New Orleans. 504-899-3390.

UnityTempleNewOrleans.com.

Science of Being – 10am. Text by Baron Eugene Fersen. As humans enlightened their bodies, minds, and spirits in the physical world with the pure knowledge of the flame of inspiration and love, more would be revealed to mankind through the “all” knowing that resides with their absolute soul. Unity Temple of New Orleans, 3722 St Charles Ave, New Orleans. 504-8993390. UnityTempleNewOrleans.com.

Sunday Celebration Service – 11am. With Jack Fowler, Spiritual Director. Contemporary service with music and heartfelt talks to celebrate the divine presence in all of life. Love offering. Unity of Metairie, 3939 Veterans Blvd, Metairie. 504-885-7575.

UnityOfMetairie.com.

Unity of New Orleans Sunday Service – 11am.

A loving family of spiritual seekers who honor all paths to God. Unity Temple of New Orleans, 3722 St Charles Ave, New Orleans. 504-899-3390.

UnityTempleNewOrleans.com.

A Course in Miracles – 1pm. Healing Center, 2372 St Claude Ave, New Orleans. Malcolm Fugler: 504-220-3223.

Weekend Recovery – 2pm. Vinyasa flow class with breathing emphasis releases toxins and balances your senses. Transform NOLA, 8422 Oak St, New Orleans. 985-640-2648.

monday Nia-Non Impact Aerobics Dance – 8:45-9:45am.

With Carolyn Burns. Martial arts, dance styles, and healing arts intertwine in a positive body awareness technique. High-energy, soul-stirring music. $60/8 classes or $10/drop-in. Pay as you’re able.

Women’s Center for Healing & Transformation, 71667 Leveson St, Abita Springs. 985-892-8111 WomensCenterForHealing.org.

Zen Meditation – Noon-1pm. With Patricia Stout.

Weekly practice in the style of Thich Nhat Hanh, with mindfulness bell and guided phrases leading into silent sitting meditation. Donations appreciated.

Women’s Center for Healing & Transformation, 71667 Leveson St, Abita Springs. 985-892-8111.

WomensCenterForHealing.org.

Beginner Children’s Karate Class – 5-5:45pm.

Build self-confidence, self discipline. 8132 Willow St, New Orleans. Info: Sensei King Lam: 504-866-2241.

Solid Foundations Teenage Meditation and Support Group – 5-6pm. Join Holistic Health Coach Matthew Ancira for this breakthrough teenage med-

itation and support group. Space for 12 participants. $25. RSVP: 504-457-1717 or MatthewAncira.com.

Stronger, Leaner, Longer – 5:30pm. Pilates-based strength class builds muscle and tones. Group screening required. Transform NOLA, 8422 Oak St, New Orleans. (985) 640-2648 Beginner Adult Karate Class – 6-6:50pm. Learn personal safety, self-confidence, keep physically fit.

8132 Willow St, New Orleans. Info: Sensei King Lam: 504-866-2241.

Aerial Yoga – 6:15-7:15pm. $25. Bliss Body NOLA, 5717 Crawford St, Harahan. 504-262-8860.

BlissBodyNOLA.com.

Basic/Beginners Aikido Class – 6:15-7:15pm.

Benefits include self-defense, flexibility, strength, balance, stress reduction, concentration, community and fun. First class free. NOLA Aikido, 3909 Bienville St, Ste 103 in Mid-City, New Orleans.

504-208-4861. Info@NOLAAikido.com.

Men’s Leadership and Support Group – 6:307:30pm. Join Holistic Health Coach Matthew Ancira to create solutions and change your life and the lives of others. $25. Corner pink building with green awning located at 1325 Amelia St (entrance on Coliseum St) downstairs office, New Orleans.

504-457-1717. MatthewAncira.com.

Okinawan Karate Weapons Class – 6-7 pm. 8132 Willow St, New Orleans. Info: Sensei King Lam: 504-866-2241.

Zumba – 6pm. With Noel. Free. Broadmoor Arts and Wellness Center, 3900 General Taylor St, NOLA. 504-249-5130.

Key to Ultimate Success – 6:30pm. Mike Wittenbrink talks on how Powerpath Letters are the secret to ultimate success, to obtaining success of body, mind, heart and soul. Unity Temple of New Orleans, 3722 St Charles Ave, New Orleans. 504-899-3390.

UnityTempleNewOrleans.com.

Meditation Class – 7-8pm. Build your daily practice. Beginners welcome. $10/drop-in or $30/30day. Tibetan House: 4900 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans. TibetanHouse.com.

Introduction to Nichiren Buddhism – 7-8:15pm.

Learn how to activate your greatest potential, increase compassion and achieve absolute happiness.

Free. SGI-USA Buddhist Center, 1331 Prytania St, New Orleans. 504-310-2011.

Energy Psychology – 7-8pm. 1st Tue. With Dr Gail Gillespie. Come to this open community group and learn an all-natural, efficient and effective way to reduce or eliminate physical pain through gentle self-administered acupressure stimulation. By donation. Affordable Healing Arts, 2372 St Claude Ave, Ste 220, New Orleans. 504-442-8762.

tuesday

wednesday

Strong and Flexy Yoga – 8:30am. Also Thurs. An energizing flow that strengthens, lengthens and relaxes. Transform NOLA (Live Oak Dance), 8204 Oak St. 504-264-3551.

Meditation Class – 9-10am. Build your daily practice. Beginners welcome. $10/drop-in or $30/30day. Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans. TibetanHouse.com.

Classical Tai Chi Yang Style – 8:30-9:30am. With Sifu Tommy. Long form and rolling techniques based on classical Tai chi yang style. All levels. $100/month; unlimited classes. 2901 General De Gaulle Dr, New Orleans. 985-630-2859.

Meditation Masters – 10:30-11:30am. Join Holistic Health Coach and Corporate Mindfulness Trainer Matthew Ancira for energy healing meditations and coaching sessions at Higher Purpose Healing, Uptown. $25. Register/directions: 504-457-1717 or MatthewAncira.com.

Crescent City Farmers’ Market/Uptown – 9am1pm. Open-air market with fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables, seafood, baked breads and pies, bedding plants, dairy products and freshly cut flowers. 200 Broadway St, parking lot of Uptown Square, New Orleans. 504-861-4488.

CrescentCityFarmersMarket.org.

Tai Chi and Qigong – 10:50-11:50am. With Marilyn Yank. Nine Beautiful Movements from traditional Yang style. Classes include gentle stretches, deep breathing exercises, and meditation. All levels. $12/drop-in, $40/4 classes. NOLA Aikido, 3909 Bienville, New Orleans. 504-610-3672.

Active Gentle Yoga – Noon. Also Thurs. Yoga that's right for your physical and medical condition, led by a mature teacher. Transform NOLA, 8422 Oak St. 985-640-2648.

Prayer and Healing – 11am. Facilitated by Harriet Stafford. Unity Temple of New Orleans, 3722 St Charles Ave, New Orleans. 504-899-3390.

UnityTempleNewOrleans.com.

Qigong/Dao-In – Noon. Also Thurs. Class designed to de-stress and focus on self-care, join Debra Howard for an hour or so practicing gentle movements with intention. Bring a mat. $5/class. New Orleans Healing Center, 2372 St Claude Ave, 4th Flr. 985467-0900 or dc@affordablehealingarts.com.

Essential Oils 101 – Noon-1pm. Learn the basics of essential oils and how to live a cleaner, natural life.

Free. Light lunch provided. NOLA Float Tanks, 3013 20th St, Metairie. RSVP: 504-975-0344 or Melissa@ YoungLavenderBuds.com. YoungLavenderBuds.com.

Yee Chuen Do – 5-7pm. With Sifu Tommy. Self-defense system based on classical Tai chi. All levels. $100/month; unlimited classes. 2901 General De Gaulle Dr, New Orleans. 985-630-2859.

Crescent City Farmers’ Market/French Quarter – 2-6pm. Fresh produce, pastured meats, seafood, dairy, breads and baked goods. Live music.

1235 N Peters St, New Orleans. 504-861-4488.

CrescentCityFarmersMarket.org.

natural awakenings

April 2016

27

German Coast Farmers’ Market/West Bank – 2:306pm. Open-air market offering fresh produce, rotisserie and fresh meats, fresh pastries/breads, sausage, kettle corn, cracklings, prepared foods, soy candles, goat milk soap and lotions. Arts and crafts fourth Wed. St Charles Plaza Shopping Center, 12715 Highway 90, Luling. GermanCoastFarmersMarket.org.

Beginner Children’s Karate Class – 5-5:45pm.

Build self confidence, self discipline. 8132 Willow St, New Olreans. Info: Sensei King Lam: 504-866-2241.

Embrace the Emptiness-Community Meditation – 6pm. With Jack Fowler, Spiritual Director.

Ride the wavelengths of music, beautiful images and affirmative prayer into the sacred inner self for healing and transformation. Love offering. Unity of Metairie, 3939 Veterans Blvd, Metairie. 504-8857575. UnityOfMetairie.com.

Basic/Beginners Aikido Class – 6:15-7:15pm.

Benefits include self-defense, flexibility, strength, balance, stress reduction, concentration, community and fun. First class free. NOLA Aikido, 3909 Bienville St, Ste 103, in Mid-City, New Orleans.

504-208-4861. Info@NOLAAikido.com.

A Course in Miracles – 6:30pm. Facilitated by Mary Beth Ellis. Unity Temple of New Orleans, 3722 St Charles Ave, New Orleans. 504-899-3390.

UnityTempleNewOrleans.com.

A Course In Miracles: Disappearance of the Universe – 7pm. Join Jack Fowler, Spiritual Director at Unity of Metairie, on a journey into these mind-blowing yet liberating spiritual concepts, which guide us to see the world through the eyes of love instead of fear.

Love offering. Unity of Metairie, 3939 Veterans Blvd (behind Parran's PoBoys). 504-885-7575.

Beginner Tai Chi Class – 7-8pm. Reduce stress, balance, mind and body. 8132 Willow St, New Orleans Info: Sensei King Lam: 504-866-2241.

Discovering Tibetan Buddhism Class – 7-8pm. $10/drop-in or $30/30-day. Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans. TibetanHouse.com.

thursday Classical Tai Chi Yang Style – 8:30-9:30am. With Sifu Tommy. Long form and rolling techniques based on classical Tai chi yang style. All levels. $100/month; unlimited classes. 2901 General De Gaulle Dr, New Orleans. 985-630-2859.

Strong and Flexy Yoga – 8:30am. Also Tue. An energizing flow that strengthens, lengthens and relaxes. Transform NOLA (Live Oak Dance), 8204 Oak St. 504-264-3551.

Active Gentle Yoga – Noon. Also Tue. Yoga that's right for your physical and medical condition, led by a mature teacher. Transform NOLA, 8422 Oak St. 985-640-2648.

Qigong/Dao-In – Noon. Also Tue. Class designed to de-stress and focus on self-care, join Debra Howard for an hour or so practicing gentle movements with intention. Bring a mat. $5/class. New Orleans Healing Center, 2372 St Claude Ave, 4th Flr. 985467-0900 or dc@affordablehealingarts.com.

al songs and sound/movement improvisations. Women and girls 13 and up, no experience needed. Monthly $15-$20 donation. Women’s Center for Healing & Transformation, 71667 Leveson St, Abita Springs.

985-892-8111. WomensCenterForHealing.org.

Yee Chuen Do – 5-7pm. With Sifu Tommy. Self-defense system based on classical Tai chi. All levels. $100/month; unlimited classes. 2901 General De Gaulle Dr, New Orleans. 985-630-2859.

Oneness Meditation – 6-7pm. Free. Broadmoor Arts and Wellness Center, 3900 General Taylor St, NOLA. 504-249-5130.

A Course in Miracles – 7pm. St Tammany Parish Hospital, 1202 S Tyler St, Covington. Malcolm Fugler: 504-220-3223.

Handstand and Flexibility Training – 7:15pm.

Gives everyone the support, time and repetition to build confidence upside down. Transform NOLA, 8422 Oak St, New Orleans. 985-640-2648.

Tai Chi and Qigong – 7:30-8:30pm. With Marilyn Yank. Nine beautiful movements from traditional yang style. Classes include gentle stretches, deep breathing exercises, and meditation. All levels. $12/drop-in, $40/4 classes. NOLA Aikido, 3909 Bienville, New Orleans. 504-610-3672.

friday Meditation Class – 10-11am. Build your daily practice. Beginners welcome. $10/drop-in or $30/30-day. Tibetan House, 4900 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans. TibetanHouse.com.

Yoga – 4:30-5:30pm. With Master Instructor Laura Ates. $20. 5717 Crawford St, Harahan. 504-2628860. BlissBodyNOLA.com.

Yee Chuen Do – 5-7pm. With Sifu Tommy. Self-defense system based on classical Tai Chi. All levels. $100/month; unlimited classes. 2901 General De Gaulle Dr, New Orleans. 985-630-2859.

Meditation and Restorative Yoga – 6:15pm.

Sitting meditation, then restorative yoga practice to release tension. Transform NOLA, 8422 Oak St, New Orleans. 985-640-2648.

Nkiruka African Dance for Kids – 6:30pm. Free.

Broadmoor Arts and Wellness Center, 3900 General Taylor St, NOLA. 504-249-5130.

Ecstatic Dance – 6:30-8pm. A free-form conscious dance space. Connect with your spirit through movement. $14/drop-in. NOLA Yoga Loft, 2042 Magazine St, New Orleans. 504-345-3444.

saturday Vietnamese Farmers’ Market – 6-9am. More than 20 vendors set up shop on blankets spread with produce; beyond the courtyards are shops selling Vietnamese baked goods and imported groceries.

14401 Alcee Fortier Blvd, New Orleans East. GoGreenNola.org/farmersmarkets.

Crescent City Farmers’ Market/Mid-City – 3-7pm. Rain or shine. Farmers’ Market, American Can Co Bldg, 3700 Orleans Ave, New Orleans.

Camellia City Farmers’ Market – 8am-noon. Featuring baked goods, herbs, vegetables, honey, jams, poultry, crafts, flowers, eggs, plants, soap and trees.

333 Erlanger, Griffith Park, Slidell. 985-640-7112.

CamelliaCityMarket.org.

Women’s Choir Experience – 5-6:30pm. With Sarah Lessire and Patricia Stout. Vocal meditations, intention-

Covington Farmers’ Market – 8am-noon. Offering fresh produce, fresh baked breads, prepared foods and

28

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

plants. Covington City Hall, 609 N Columbia St, Covington. 985-966-1786. CovingtonFarmersMarket.org.

Crescent City Farmers’ Market/Downtown – 8am-noon. Open-air market offering fresh locally grown fruits, vegetables, seafood, baked breads and freshly made pies, bedding plants, dairy products and fresh flowers. Cooking demos by local chefs.

700 Magazine, corner of Girod, New Orleans. 504861-4488. CrescentCityFarmersMarket.org.

German Coast Farmers’ Market/East Bank – 8am-noon. Open-air market offering fresh produce, rotisserie meats, fresh meats, fresh pastries/ breads, sausages, kettle corn, cracklins, prepared foods, soy candles, goat milk soap and lotions.

Arts and crafts second Sat. Ormond Plantation, 13786 River Rd, Destrehan. 985-359-0190.

GermanCoastFarmersMarket.org.

Gretna Farmers’ Market – 8:30am-12:30pm.

Featuring fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, baked goods, dairy, native fruit wines and garden plants.

Located in the old train depot, 300 Huey P Long Ave, between 3rd St & 4th St, Gretna. 504-362-8661.

GretnaFarmersMarket.com.

Westwego Farmers’ and Fisheries Market – 8:30am-12:30pm. Open year round, rain or shine.

Featuring fresh produce, seafood, bakery items, dairy, plants, prepared foods and handcrafted items. Plus live music and kids activities. Free parking. 484 Sala Ave, corner of 4th St, Westwego. 504-341-3424 Ext 209.

Mandeville Trailhead Community Market – 9am1pm. Fifty-plus vendors weekly: gourmet foods, art, produce and plants. Tai chi at 9:30am. Parking lot of the Mandeville Trailhead on the St Tammany Trace, off LA59, Mandeville. 985-845-4515.

Kids Yoga Class – 10-11am. $80/6 weeks. 8132 Willow St, New Orleans. Register: 504-886-2241.

Sitting Meditation Group – 10-11am. Practice zazen (sitting meditation) as well as walking meditation. Instruction and discussion also available. 3909 Bienville St, Ste 103, in Mid-City, New Orleans.

Brian: xernaut2@gmail.com. 504-644-7351.

Yoga and Guided Meditation –10-11:30am. Yoga nidra with Katrina Zech. Experience pure rejuvenation and deep relaxation through movement, breath and mindfulness practice. $15 donation. Unity Temple of New Orleans, 3722 St Charles Ave, New Orleans. UnityTempleNewOrleans.com.

Yoga Basic – 11am-noon. Yoga for all ages. Mats provided. 3900 General Taylor St, NOLA. 504-249-5130.

Yoga Class – 11am-noon. With Barbara. By donation. Broadmoor Arts and Wellness Center, 3900 General Taylor St, NOLA. Adult Yoga Class – 11:15-12:15am. $80/6 weeks.

8132 Willow St, New Orleans. Register: 504-886-2241.

Yee Chuen Do – 12:30-2pm. With Sifu Tommy.

Self-defense system based on classical Tai chi. All levels. $100/month; unlimited classes. 2901 General De Gaulle Dr, New Orleans. 985-630-2859.

Qi Gong – 2-3pm. Gentle healing movement class for all levels and ages. Free. Broadmoor Arts and Wellness Center, 3900 General Taylor St, NOLA. 504-249-5130.

Yoga Lessons – 4pm. Join instructor Patrick Somers to set the intentions of health, balance, joy and well-being. Free. Unity of Metairie, 3939 Veterans Blvd, Metairie (behind Parran's PoBoys).

504-885-7575.

localdirectory

YOUNG LAVENDER BUDS

Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Publisher@NALAmag.com to request our media kit. Call 504-975-0344 for more information.

MIKE ROBICHAUX, DDS

ACUPUNCTURE AARON J. FRIEDMAN, M.D.

A Holistic Approach To Dentistry Integrated Pain and Neuroscience

you are a504-300-9020 person who…

PainIsAPuzzle.com

We help people move

1101 Robert Blvd., Ste. A, Slidell 985-641-8058 • MikeRobichauxDDS.com

1101 Robert Blvd., Ste A Slidell, La 70458

places a high value on your oral health, toward wellness.

D r. F r i e d m a n o ff e r s m e d i c a l believes that the health of the mouth is intimately related to We are aggressively he health of the whole body, acupuncture as part of a comprehensive conservative and practice s looking for a dental practice that listens to you without minimally-invasive dentistry. and integrative approach to pain. udgment and will help you get what is important to you, Acupuncture is proven to be beneficial understands that excellence is a choice that is made each day,

Offering a holistic and patient-centered approach to dentistry, because we believe the health of the mouth and overall health cannot be separated. We help those we serve make decisions that are in their best interests, based on their values and goals, by providing state-of-the-art information Mike Robichaux, DDS within a trusting relationship. See ad, page 12.

to for many pain conditions, including n maybe we are a fit you! fibromyalgia, headaches, low back ww.mikerobichauxdds.com 985-641-8058 pain and arthritis.

ANIMAL HOLISTIC MEDICINE JANICE E. POSEY, DVM

315 Lee Ln., Ste. 104, Covington 985-898-3623 Offering a holistic, integrative approach to healing your beloved pet through acupuncture, herbal medicine/nutritional supplements, and food therapy. We treat the patient, not the symptoms.

CHIROPRACTIC CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH CENTER & HOLISTIC WELLNESS SERVICES Dr. Debbi Hannan 101 Clearview Pkwy. at Airline, Metairie 504-454-2000 HannanWellness.com

Experience the difference! We offer total wellness care: Chiropractic, detoxification, nutrition, endermologie, DRX-9000 nonsurgical spinal decompression, cold laser, EB-Cellular Cleanser, Far Infra Red Sauna and the Ideal Protein Diet plan. See ad, page 22.

EDUCATION

BLUE CLIFF COLLEGE Clearview Mall • Metairie 504-293-0972

Train for an exciting, new career as a Licensed Massage Therapist. Earn an Associate’s degree upon completion of advanced massage training. Inquire about financial aid.

See calendar for information about our $30 student massage clinic. Visit our retail shop for massage supplies: Biotone and Therapro cremes and oils, aromatherapy products, books and more.

Monthly specials! See ad, page 26.

ESSENTIAL OILS YOUNG LAVENDER BUDS

Coco Kunstman Independent Distributor Young Living #1491684 • 504-344-7320 Coco@YoungLavenderBuds.com YoungLavenderBuds.com Learn the basics of essential oils and how to live a clean and natural life. This is your first step towards a chemical free and healthy lifestyle. Learn the basics and set yourself on a path to healthy living. All classes are always free. See class schedule in the calendar section.

Melissa Burbank Independent Distributor Young Living #2946391 • 504-975-0344 Melissa@YoungLavenderBuds.com YoungLavenderBuds.com Learn the basics of essential oils and how to live a clean and natural life.This is your first step towards a chemical free and healthy lifestyle. Learn the basics and set yourself on a path to healthy living. All classes are always free. See class schedule in the calendar section.

YOUNG LAVENDER BUDS

Denise Woltering-Vargas Independent Distributor Young Living # 3096166 • 504-376-9492 Denise.Woltering@gmail.com YoungLavenderBuds.com Learn the basics of essential oils and how to live a clean and natural life. Take your first step towards a chemical free and healthy lifestyle. Learn the basics and set yourself on a path to healthy living.

All classes are always free. See class schedule in the calendar section.

FITNESS BLISS BODY

5717 Crawford Street • New Orleans 504-262-8860 • BlissBodyNola.com Yoga- Aerial, Prenatal, Ball, Meditation, Workshops and Programs with Master Instructor Laura Ates. Mat Pilates, Reformer and Chair Pilates, Barre and TRX with expert Mary Mang. Facials and massages too!

DR. IINA ESTER

Health and Fitness Coach 504-758-9192 LiveFreeLaughHardFitness.com Exercise scientist specializing in fitness and nutrition interventions. I specialize in private outdoor and in-home training, designing a program based on your interests, goals, and barriers to being active. For group programs, see calendar section. See ad, page 31.

DENTIST CYPRESS DENTAL, INC. 3138 McIlhenny Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70809 225-248-8400

Offering services including cosmetic dentistry, full-mouth rehabilitation, minimally invasive dentistry, mercury safe environment, non-titanium implants, laser dentistry and treatment for complex conditions; obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, head, neck and facial pain and TMJ dysfunction. See ad, page 2.

natural awakenings

April 2016

29

KARATE/TAI CHI/QI GONG

Grandmaster King Lam 8132 Willow St, Uptown New Orleans 504-866-2241 • KingLam1199@gmail.com KingLamTaiChi-Karate.com Asian Arts to improve health, fitness, personal safety and rejuvenate energy. Achieve a better mind, body and spirit. Serving the New Orleans community for 46 years. See ad, page 9 and calendar for classes.

TAI CHI-GRAND MASTER

Sifu Tommy 2901 General De Gaulle Dr., New Orleans 985-630-2859 All levels welcome. $100/month unlimited classes (at 6 classes/week, that’s up to 24 classes a month or just over $4 apiece). See calendar for classes.

HOLISTIC HEALING CENTERS AFFORDABLE HEALING ARTS 2372 St. Claude Ave. 2nd Floor Upper, Ste. 220 985-467-0900 AffordableHealingArts.com

AHA! is a Community of Healing Arts Practitioners in a Healing Arts Center for the Professional Practice of Alternative, Complementary, Integrative, and Indigenous healing arts by independent practitioners in a shared space environment. See our website, contact a practitioner, make your appointment today! See ad, page 8.

NOLA FLOAT TANKS Flotation Therapy 504-352-6418 NOLAFloatTanks.com

Flotation therapy is a breakthrough treatment involving 800 lbs of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) poured into 200 gallons of water in a small shallow pool. The benefits of just a one-hour session are significant as they relieve stress, reduce blood pressure, ease joint and muscle pain and enhance one’s mood. See ad, page 25.

THE WELLNESS CENTRE OF BR DR. KARIN NIELSEN, ND, CCT 1528 Delplaza Dr, Ste B, Baton Rouge 225-229-6107 WellnessCentreBR.com

Offering full body thermography; detects abnormalities in the earliest stages, to find underlying causes of disease as it looks at the entire body’s behavior after being stressed.

Consultations/follow-up care is offered as well. See ad, page 2.

30

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com

WOMEN’S CENTER FOR HEALING & TRANSFORMATION 71667 Leveson St., Abita Springs 985-892-8111 WomensCenterForHealing.org

Beautiful nonprofit center for w o m e n ’s s p i r i t u a l i t y, e c o psychology and community building. Workshops, speakers, events, healing circles, support groups, and on-site professional mind/body/spirit services, for women, by women. Rent space for your workshop or office. See ad, page 6.

NEW ORLEANS COUNSELING AND HYPNOSIS CENTER, LLC

Cynthia Cuttino Edwards, PhD, DCH, LCSW Clinical Hypnotherapist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker 4038 Canal St, New Orleans 504-669-1980 • CounselingNOLA.com Helping professionals with a wide range of emotional and behavioral issues, Dr. Edwards provides services spanning grief counseling, depression, anxiety, smoking cessation, pain and weight management, fibromyalgia and more. Call today!

FRANK A. TRUPIANO, LCSW

HOLISTIC PRACTICES ANAYA AKIM

Wild n’ Divine Healing Empowerment Healing 318-232-2093 WildNDivineHealin.g.com Are you ready to welcome happiness back into your life? Using Kundalini Reiki, Intuitive Coaching, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and more, you will be guided to empowerment.

I welcome you to embark on an adventure of self-love and manifesting the life you deserve!

THE ENERGY EXCHANGE

Marlene Chaplin 3940 Monroe St, Mandeville 985-778-0299 • 504-258-5416 AllThingsHealing@aol.com Return to yourself by experiencing heart centered healing through Reiki, Healing Touch, Chakra Balancing, Intuitive Coaching, The Art of Emotional Freedom and more. Take a trip of self-love returning home. Offering sessions and classes.

CORPORATE MINDFULNESS TRAINER/ HOLISTIC HEALTH COACH 504-457-1717 • MatthewAncira.com Higher Purpose Healing L3c

Corporate Mindfulness Sessions bring increased productivity, better attendance and overall employee health and satisfaction. Awakens the potential in every individual increasing the strength and effectiveness in the organization.

Holistic Health Coaching for individuals provides freedom from depression, anxiety, chronic pain and helps individuals and couples to realize their gifts and full potential.

MARILYN A. MENDOZA, Ph.D. 504-363-0203 Mamphd12@yahoo.com MarilynMendoza.com

Dr. Marilyn Mendoza, author of We Do Not Die Alone, announces the expansion of her clinical practice to include Past Life Regressions and Akashic Record Readings. For more information or to make an appointment call: 504-363-0203.

Center for Akashic Studies and Holistic Counseling 1581 Carol Sue Ave, Grenta 504-392-3498 • AkashicLight.org Yo u r l i f e i s w a i t i n g t o b e transformed! Experience the power of holistic healing for mind, body, and spirit. Reiki, EFT, The Sedona Method, Psych-K, Hypnotherapy, meditation, Akashic Record readings and classes. Relationship and individual life coaching also available.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE INTEGRATED PAIN AND NEUROSCIENCE 504-300-9020 PainIsAPuzzle.com

Eric Royster, MD, and Aaron Friedman, MD, offer the most comprehensive treatment experience for patients suffering from chronic pain, from acupuncture to more invasive techniques offered exclusively at IPN. New Orleans, Chalmette, Westbank and Slidell locations.

IRENE SEBASTIAN, M.D., Ph.D.

401 Veterans Blvd., Ste. 203, Metairie 504-838-9804 IreneSebastianMD.com Experience the difference that Homeopathic Medicine and Functional Medicine can bring to your health.

Most conditions can be treated using these safe, natural approaches. Safe, less drugs, stimulates innate healing.

See ad, page 21.

MASSAGE VITALITY HOLISTICS

Taylor Tidwell 2372 St Claude Ave, Ste 220 In the New Orleans Healing Center 504-390-6257 VitalityHolistics.net Renew your vitality with Thai Yoga Massage and Integrative Table Massage. Harmonize and bring healing to all systems of the body with these ancient practices. See ad, page 14.

NATURAL FOODS & SUPPLEMENTS NUTRIVERUS POWDER Jeanie Leclere 504-888-4464

Boost your immune system and increase energy levels with a whole-food supplement that combines a matrix of glyconutrients with organic plant- and foodsourced vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. An amazing product. Call for free sample.

NATURAL MEDICINE KARIN NIELSEN, ND, CCT

225-229-6107 1528 Delplaza Dr, Ste B, Baton Rouge WellnessCentreBR.com Offering non-invasive health a s s e s s m e n t s , To t a l Thermography, Lymphatic Therapy and many detox therapies. Specializing in chronic fatigue, Fibromyalgia and Lyme disease for men, women and children. See ad, page 2.

SPIRITUAL CENTERS UNITY OF METAIRIE

Jack Fowler, Spiritual Director 3939 Veterans Blvd, Metairie 504-885-7575 (behind Parran’s) UnityOfMetairie.com Loving, energetic spiritual family honoring all religions, paths and lifestyles! Do you like what Marianne Williamson, Eckhart Tolle and Wayne Dyer have to say? You’ll love Unity of Metairie. Relevant Spirituality for Everyday Life! Join us Sundays 11am. See ad, page 15.

UNITY TEMPLE OF NEW ORLEANS

classifieds To Place a Classified Listing Email to publisher@NALAmag.com. Must be received by the 10th of the month prior to publication. $1 per word. $20 minimum.

Must be prepaid.

OPPORTUNITIES AFLAC – The largest provider of supplemental insurance in the world is now hiring Benefits Consultants. Interested candidates, send your resume to Melissa_Burbank@us.aflac.com.

YOUNG LAVENDER BUDS – A company dedicated to teaching the public about the power of essential oils and how to incorporate them into daily life. To become a distributor and educator, contact Coco Kunstman: 504-344-7320 or Coco@YoungLavenderBuds.com. Visit: YoungLavenderBuds.com.

SERVICES LIFESTYLE MEDICINE OF LOUISIANA Offering Integrative Health Coaching. Individual or three to six month special packages available.

LifestyleMedicineLA.com.

REMODELING/ROOFING/SIDING – 504 Contractor offering free estimates. Ask for free iPad with new roof. 504-373-1779. 504Contractors@gmail. com. 504Contactors.com.

SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS – If you are interested in finding out more about providing supplemental benefits such as accident, disability, dental, vision, cancer, heart, or life policies for yourself and your family, as well as providing benefits to your

employees at absolutely no additional cost to you as a business owner, contact Melissa Burbank at 504-975-0344 or Melissa_Burbank@us.aflac.com.

SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES VEGETARIAN MEETUP GROUP – Meets at least once a month for a veggie meal. See calendar of events at Meetup.com/vegetarian-515/members/7165804/.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES BOYS HOPE GIRLS HOPE – Providing children with arms-around care, safe homes and environments, a first-class education, opportunities to learn more about themselves and the world, and academic, financial and spiritual support through college, Boys Hope Girls Hope empowers children to realize the potential that is within them. Volunteer/donate: BoysHopeGirlsHope.org.

GIRLS ON THE RUN – Inspiring girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. To become involved, visit gotrnola.org.

YOUTH RUN NOLA – Creates and empowers a community of healthy young leaders through running. For more information about volunteering as a coach, running buddy or one of the many other opportunities, email Denali@YouthRunNOLA.org or visit YouthRunNOLA.org.

A forest bird never wants a cage. ~Henrik Ibsen

3722 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans UnityOfNewOrleans.com

The New Orleans home of practical Christianity. We honor all paths to God and welcome all who seek love, peace, and wisdom.

Services on Sun & Wed 11 am; A Course in Miracles class Wed 6:30pm. See ad, page 9.

YOGA WILD LOTUS YOGA

4842 Perrier St, Uptown 2372 St Claude Ave, Downtown 504-899-0047 WildLotusYoga.com Voted Best Yoga Studio 11 years.

Intro Offer: 30 Days Of Yoga For $33 (first time local residents), Intro To Yoga Courses + Over 60 classes a week including Prenatal, Kids, Tweens & Teen classes. See ad, page 22.

natural awakenings

April 2016

31

32

SE Louisiana

NALAmag.com