Natural Awakenings Mercer, NJ March 2014 by Natural Awakenings Mercer

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FOODS Respecting Our Bodies and Our Planet

Gluten-Free On The Go Ideas for Work, Play or Anywhere

Attracting Miracles

Wayne Dyer Reflects upon His Life

March 2014

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No More Pain! Dr. Magaziner can help you recover from Traumatic Injuries

Getting The Proper Care after a Car Accident is Crucial Dr. Magaziner has been caring for accident victims for over 25 years. His philosophy is to provide a comprehensive evaluation as soon as possible after the accident. The reason that timing is critical, even after a low-speed car accident, is that the forces exerted on the body during a collision can cause a lot of hidden softtissue injuries that may not show up until days or weeks after the car injury occurred. Emergency room doctors have to focus on immediate, lifethreatening injuries first. More often than not once a life-threatening injury is ruled out auto accident victims, are sent home from the emergency room with some pain relievers and little to no recommendation for further treatment. This type of trauma commonly causes muscle, ligament, joint and disc injuries which if not promptly treated could lead to more serious and chronic conditions. Absolutely do not under estimate the seriousness of your injuries regardless of the amount of pain you are immediately experiencing. You need to pay attention to the warning signs such as: Neck pain or stiffness, headaches, dizziness, back pain, confusion or trouble

concentrating, numbness or tingling, ringing in the ears, jaw pain, depression and fatigue. Dr. Magaziner specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of acute traumatic injuries. Once an accurate diagnosis is made, Dr. Magaziner will design a specific treatment plan for your condition. Dr. Magaziner’s philosophy is to start with the more conservative treatments (less invasive) first such as physical therapy or chiropractic care. The Center for Spine, Sports, Pain Management and Orthopedics Regenerative Medicine centrally located in North Brunswick, New Jersey, specializes in non-invasive interventional pain treatments designed to reduce pain and heal the injured regions. There are many nonsurgical treatments which are effective

in the treatment of traumatic injuries. Highly respected by his peers, Dr. Magaziner has been the CEO of the New Jersey Interventional Pain Society, a clinical professor at Robert Wood Johnson University and an assistant professor at the New York Medical College. Dr. Magaziner is on the cutting edge of new procedures designed to reduce pain and regenerate injured tissue. He has successfully treated thousands of patient’s who have suffered a traumatic injury. If you have suffered a traumatic injury and have acute or chronic pain, call our office today to schedule a comprehensive evaluation to determine how we can help!

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877-817-3273 • www.painandspinecare.com

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contents 6 newsbriefs 10 10 healthbriefs 12 globalbriefs 15 ecotip 19 business

spotlight 12 20 healingways 22 greenliving 24 healthykids 26 consciouseating 28 naturalpet 30 inspiration 15 3 1 wisewords 32 fitbody 36 calendar 40 resourceguide

Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

16 FRESH FOOD TRENDS Natural Trailblazers in Sustainable Eating

by Melinda Hemmelgarn

20 SUPERHERBS Four Plants that Fight Off Disease by Kathleen Barnes

22 FOOD REVOLUTION IN A TANK

Aquaponics Offers Year-Round Homegrown Fish and Veggies

by Avery Mack

24 ACTION PLAN

FOR PARENTS

Seven Signs of Food Sensitivities by Pamela Bond

advertising & submissions

26 GLUTEN-FREE ON THE GO

HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 609-249-9044 or email LDBeveridge@NAMercer.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month.

by Judith Fertig

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: LDBeveridge@NAMercer.com. Deadline for editorial: the 10th of the month.

by Sandra Murphy

Safe Eating Away from Home

28 DOG SCOUTS OF AMERICA

Dog Troops Also Earn Badges and Go to Camp

30 GARDENING AS

SPIRITUAL PRACTICE

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: Calendar@NAMercer.com or fax to 609-249-9044. Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month.

Cycles of Growth Cultivate Our Divinity

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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Mercer County, County, NJ NJ NAMercer.com NAMercer.com Mercer

by April Thompson

31 FROM “WHY ME?” Wayne Dyer on the Value of Hard Lessons by Linda Sechrist

32 TWEET THOSE

FITNESS GOALS Online Friends Help Us Stay on Track by Tamara Grand

letterfrompublisher

ooray! Spring is just around the corner, bringing the brave budding of crocuses through the damp and chilly soil, followed by splashes of daffodils

and tulips. These harbingers of spring usher in one of my favorite times of the year and have ever since childhood. Growing up in Brooklyn, my parents’ and nana’s yards, although modest in size, flourished with wondrous and beautiful seasonal flowers all appearing at different times, including the aromatic rose bushes that

were Nana’s particular favorite. Our family also made the most of small urban

vegetable plots, growing tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and other goodies, plus herbs. I relished being given permission to pick and eat all the homegrown freshness I could eat.

These days, I delight in being able to do the same for my children, grateful we

can also take advantage of a wide array of local produce at our organic Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. We harvest staples at home and then fill out

Managing Editor Dave Beveridge

Proofreader Randy Kambic

our bounty with what’s in season at the CSA. We all have fun puzzling out dinnertime meals. OK, we have the ingredients; now what do we make with them?

It’s great that the kids also like to eat many veggies raw because that delivers

optimum nutrition. It caused me to consider the possibilities and value of eating herbs raw as well. Many are tasty as solo acts. Did you know the chlorophyll in raw parsley neutralizes bad breath? Basil is our family’s all-time favorite, gracing

Design & Production Melanie Rankin Stephen Blancett

Franchise Sales 239-530-1377

everything from tomato salad and fresh sauces to pesto.

We like to add a new herb to our garden each year, and this year we’ve voted

for ginger. We eagerly anticipate sampling it in scrumptious stir fries, soothing teas and as an extra bite in smoothies. Did you know that ginger even treats bacterial, fungal or viral infections? Check it out in Kathleen Barnes’ Healing Ways article, “Superherbs,” on page 21.

What will be in your garden this year? If you are a newbie, you might try

starting simply with a couple of container pots of herbs, tomatoes or both.

I love this quote by English poet laureate Alfred Austin, “The glory of garden-

ing: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul.” To the joys of spring,

Phone: 609-249-9044 Fax: 609-249-9044 NAMercer.com LDBeveridge@NAMercer.com

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $25 (for 12 issues) to the publisher. Call for details.

Lori Beveridge, Owner/Publisher

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

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March 2014

newsbriefs Studio 2012 Open House in Hamilton: Support Local Arts; Internships Available Do you have a special event in the community? Open a new office? Move? Recently become certified in a new modality?

tudio 2012, a consciousness raising, video/film studio in Hamilton, will host an open house of its production capabilities and viewings of some of its works at 7 p.m. on March 28. Hors d’oeuvres and music will be provided as well. Many of the company’s productions help raise awareness of inner peace, green living and global warming. Owner Yousuf Arain comments, “Studio 2012 is committed to sustainability, awakening humanity and Yousuf Arain transformative education, which is why most of our pro bono projects reflect that consciousness. We hope to inspire humanity through the power of media.” Staffed by dedicated professionals that love their craft, Studio 2012 assists local businesses by offering professional high-quality video productions to promote them via all social media forums as well as on their websites. For individuals, they offer professional quality, artistically produced wedding or event videos that they will be able to enjoy just like a finely crafted film. In addition, Studio 2012 is offering internships in the fields of editing, preproduction, post-production and camera operations. Location: Studio 2012, 2374 Nottingham Way, Hamilton. For more information, call Yousuf Arain at 609-937-9611, email Studio2012@Live.com or visit Studio2012.info. See ad on page 13.

Watershed Nature Camp Open House in Pennington

ummer is just around the corner, believe it or not. Kids ages 3 to 16 and their families can meet Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association Camp Director Tammy Love and learn about the camp and register for this summer from 2 to 4 p.m. on March 15. Additional Nature Camp open house events will be held on April 12 and May 17. The events are free and open to the public.

News Briefs We welcome news items relevant to the subject matter of our magazine. We also welcome any suggestions you may have for a news item. Contact us for guidelines so we can assist you throughout the process. We’re here to help!

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Location: Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd., Pennington. For more information, call 609-737-7592 or visit TheWatershed.org.

A Dummies Guide to Wine Tasting

ample different wines, enjoy cheeses and learn how to fully savor all of the flavors at Crossing Vineyards and Winery’s Dummies Guide to Wine Tasting at 2 p.m. on March 9 in Washington Crossing. The event, which is not affiliated with Wiley Publishing’s Dummies’ Series, includes full instruction and wine tasting. Location: 1853 Wrightstown Rd., Washington Crossing. Cost $30/person. For more information and to register, call 215-493-6500 ext. 19 or visit CrossingVineyards.com.

St. Patrick’s Day Caroline Myss to Explore Parade in Hamilton the Seven Soul Passages

ach year, thousands of Delaware Valley residents line Nottingham Way for the Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Hamilton. No longer considered a local event, the parade, starting at 1 p.m. on March 8, has grown to attract the attention of many people outside the Mercer County area. Initially in 1985, the parade committee consisted of four local Irish-American tavern owners. It then expanded to also include those with greater expertise in growing and organizing the event. However, the problem was none of them had served on such a committee before or had been involved in such a monumental task. Undaunted, they decided to invoke “Murphy’s Law”, that says if something can go wrong, it will. The committee members then decided that the law was too optimistic, so they adopted their own, “Even the impossible will happen so be prepared to handle any crisis.” As a result of that realistic philosophy, the Hamilton St. Patrick’s Day Parade has earned the reputation for being a finely orchestrated, precision production.

orld-renowned speaker and New York Times bestselling author Caroline Myss will give a lecture on behalf of the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) at 7 p.m. on March 30 in Lawrenceville. Proceeds from the lecture, the fifth she’s done for TASK, will support its efforts to feed those that are hungry in the Trenton area and offer programs to encourage self-sufficiency and improve quality of Caroline Myss life. Myss has waived any fee so that a substantial portion of the ticket sales will go directly to TASK. “Her lectures focus on medical intuition, healing, health and energy medicine which speak directly to Natural Awakenings readers and her mission of keeping a finger on the pulse of advancing thought to keep everyone appraised of the best healthy-life choices available to them,” comments TASK Community Relations and Development Coordinator Jay Steinhauer.

Location: Parade route begins and ends on Nottingham Way, Hamilton. For more information, visit HamiltonParade.com.

Cost: $50 general/$100 VIP seating. Location: Bart Ludeke Center at Rider University’s Lawrenceville Campus, 2083 Lawrenceville Rd., Lawrenceville. For more information, call Steinhauer at 609-695-5456 x108, email JSteinhauer@ TrentonSoupKitchen.org or visit TrentonSoupKitchen.org. See ad on page 23.

Exploring the Small Farm Dream? NOFANJ Course Offered in Princeton

f you are considering launching a small farm enterprise, but are unsure of how to start, the Northeast Organic Farm Association/NJ Course is for you. For career changers looking to the next frontier, farm apprentices considering a start-up or for a hobbyist looking to become more profitable, the Explorer class is intended to bridge the gap between ideas and action. Classes meet from 6 to 9 p.m. on March 4, 11, 18 and 25 in Princeton with one Saturday farm tour optional. The course’s goal is to help aspiring farmers learn what’s required in starting and managing their own profitable agricultural enterprise and to help them decide if this is a path they really want or can take. Participants will discuss current opportunities in small-scale agriculture, explore objectives, assess personal skills and financial resources, conduct preliminary market research and develop an action plan for pursuing their interests in food and farming. Location: D&R Greenway Land Trust, 1 Preservation Place, Princeton. Cost $300/$350 NOFA-NJ members/non-members. Half-off discount for second person from same family or farm. For more information or to register, call NOFA-NJ at 908-371-1111 or visit NOFANJ.org.

kudos Princeton BMW and Princeton MINI car dealership recently donated two vehicles to the Saint Gregory the Great Parish’s Casino night held on February 8. The vehicles were donated as part of a raffle event. Winners of the raffle were afforded an opportunity to chose a long weekend and use the luxury vehicles. “Princeton BMW and Princeton MINI want to support and give back to the community,” comments General Manager Greg Zulli. “Involvement with events like this in the community is what sets businesses apart,” continues Zulli. “For those who have not had the opportunity to experience Princeton BMW & MINI, the hope is for members of the community to identify with the dealership and feel comfortable that we can meet all of their automotive needs through supporting events like this.” Earning another kudo, BMW is now offering electric car options for their i3 and i8 models, better for the environment. Location: Princeton BMW & MINI, 3630 Quakerbridge Rd., Hamilton. For more information, call Zulli at 866-845-3329, email GZulli@PrincetonBMW.com or visit PrincetonBMW.com or PrincetonMINI.com. natural awakenings

March 2014

newsbriefs Gardening by Design: A Garden Symposium

oin the Master Gardeners of Mercer County for an exciting program with nationally recognized speakers from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 15 at the Stuart Day School in Princeton. Guest speakers include David L. Culp; award-winning author Lynden B. Miller, public gardens designer and director of the Conservatory Garden in Central Park, New York City; Dan Benarcik, horticulturist at Chanticleer, an innovative garden in Wayne, Pennsylvania, and regional director of the Garden Writers of America; and Mercer County’s own horticulturist, Barbara Bromley. The daylong program will include inspiring lectures covering many featured topics including The Layered Garden, Parks, Plants and People: Beautifying the Urban Landscape; Display Techniques of the Pros that can be Applied to the Home Landscape; and Getting Back to Basics. Cost: $90, pre-registering by mail is required. Location: 1200 Stuart Rd., Princeton. For more information and to obtain registration form, call Suzanne Hickman at 609-883-6397, email MGMCSymposium2014@ gmail.com or visit MGOFMC.org.

Mercer County, NJ

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Colorful Art Display at PEAC in March

s part of its Art on Display Program, PEAC Health & Fitness, in Ewing, will proudly display works of art from local artists James Hogarth and Tyler Bell throughout March plus in anticipation for Autism Awareness month in April. Hogarth, 25, has nurtured a love of drawing that began at age 4 and has continued to blossom into his adulthood. His drawings usually portray common Four Seasons objects, people and animals, and markers and pens by James Hogarth are his favorite medium. “He is extremely detail oriented in his drawings,” says his father, Charlie Hogarth. “He has an original and colorful way of interpreting his subjects.” Hogarth’s artwork has been featured on Toys R Us holiday cards and tote bags. He resides with his family in Bridgewater. Bell, 21, has been visually oriented since he was young, and painting provides him with a joyful and creative outlet for expression that contrasts with his difficulties with language. “Tyler’s paintings represent his Four Rectangles wonderful sense of color as well as his unique perspecby Tyler Bell tive on life,” says his mother, Liz Bell. His paintings have been exhibited at Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Small World Coffee, Sumo Sushi and Hopewell Valley Bistro, as well as sold at a variety of charity events across the country. Tyler and his family reside in Pennington. “We always enjoy exhibiting Tyler’s and James’ artwork,” says Michael Briehler, PEAC president. “They are talented artists and we are proud to support Autism Awareness on their behalf.” Location: 1440 Lower Ferry Rd. For more information, call Christine Tentilucci at 609-883-2000, email CTentilucci@PEACHealthFitness.com or visit PEACHealth Fitness.com. PEAC art display is open to the public.

Want More Abundance?

f you’re ready to learn the principles of prosperity and abundant living, then this workshop is for you. The Center for Spiritual Living Princeton is offering a Prosperity Plus workshop, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on March 29 in Princeton. Imagine if you could achieve a life of true prosperity, enjoying: • A vitally alive, healthy body through which you experience relationships that are satisfying intimate, honest and nurturing. • Work you love so much that it is not work—it’s play. • All the money that you can spend. The workshop will be led by renowned seminar leader, Edwene Gaines, who works with thousands of people each year across the country on personal issues of prosperity, integrity, commitment, forgiveness and finding purpose in their lives. She travels extensively teaching and inspiring people to know, as she does, that God is our source, and that we live in a rich, abundant and generous Universe. She shares with great humor and joy the four spiritual principles of prosperity. Location: Center for Spiritual Living Princeton, 345 River Rd., Princeton. Cost: Love offering. For more information or to register, call 609-924-8422, email RSCPCCL@ AOL.com or visit CSLPrinceton.org.

localhealthbrief Princeton Nurseries Exhibit in Rocky Hill

Vintage view of Princeton Nurseries

he rich history of Princeton Nurseries history will be highlighted in a special exhibit at the Mary Jacobs Memorial Library, in Rocky Hill throughout this month. The free public exhibit is sponsored by the Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands. A family-run business for four generations, Princeton Nurseries was once one of the largest wholesale tree nurseries in the United States, reaching at its peak more than 1,200 acres in the Kingston area. The exhibit will feature historic and contemporary items including plant catalogues, images of nursery structures reproduced from the Rose Photography Studio Collection of Glass Plate Negatives, a 1920s aerial photograph, images of the nurseries’ fleet of vehicles and photos of members of the Flemer family. Books, maps and pamphlets from the library of William Flemer III, who was held in international esteem by the horticultural world, will also be shown along with art inspired by the Princeton Nurseries landscape.

Rate Your Plate to Improve Diets

he Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics proudly announces the seventh annual Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day on March 12. As the nation’s food and nutrition experts, registered dietitian nutritionists are committed to improving the health of their patients and community. The special day commemorates the dedication of RDNs as advocates for advancing the nutritional status of Americans and people around the world. Local Princeton Nutritional Consultant Claire Gutierrez recommends to start assessing your diet, “rate your plate.” Answer the questions below and add up your score. (Answer values are two points for most days, one point for some days and no points for never.) üü üü üü üü üü üü üü üü üü üü

Do you consider nutrition when making food choices? Avoid skipping meals? Include three or more whole grain foods daily? Eat at least 2 ½ cups of veggies daily? Vary veggies with dark green and orange varieties? Eat at least two cups worth of fruit daily? Get at least six glasses of water daily? Choose lean meats and poultry? Vary protein with more fish, beans and nuts? Limit saturated fat and trans fat?

16 to 20 points: Healthy eating seems to be your habit already. 10 to 15 points: You’re on track. A few easy changes will make your total eating plan healthier. Zero to 9 points: Sometimes you may eat smart. For good health, add more smart choices to your eating plan. Claire Gutierrez is a nutritional consultant in Princeton. For more information, call her office at 609-799-3089 or visit VisanoConsulting.com. For more information on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, visit EatRight.org. See listing, page 41.

Location: Mary Jacobs Memorial Library, 64 Washington St., Rocky Hill. Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri., 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Sat., 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call 609-924-7073.

natural awakenings

March 2014

healthbriefs

Chemicals DIY Projects Keep Seniors Moving Harm Pets, Too T T

he British Journal of Sports Medicine reports that a generally active daily life that includes do-it-yourself activities and projects like gardening and car maintenance can cut the risks of heart attacks and strokes by as much as 30 percent and prolong life among adults 60 and over. These routine activities may be as beneficial as exercising for older adults because they decrease total sedentary time, the researchers say. Scientists in Stockholm, Sweden, tracked more than 4,000 men and women for an average of 12.5 years, starting at age 60. At the start of the study, regardless of exercise habits, high levels of other physical activity were associated with smaller waists and lower levels of potentially harmful blood fats in both sexes, and lower levels of glucose, insulin and clotting factor levels in men. Those with higher levels of other physical activity were also significantly less likely to experience metabolic syndrome, a first cardiovascular disease event, and early mortality from any cause. The same was true for individuals that undertook high levels of formal exercise, even if it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t routine. Participants that both exercised regularly and were often physically active in their daily life had the lowest risk profile of all.

Coconut Oil Manages Cholesterol, Shrinks Waistlines

educed physical activity and increased consumption of carbohydrates and saturated fats fuel increased rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance, plus abnormal lipid content in the blood. Although coconut oil is a saturated fat, its chemical composition appears to prevent it from generating negative effects on lipid profiles, according to a growing body of research. In an earlier study published in Lipids, women that exhibited abdominal obesity consumed supplements of either coconut oil or soybean oil. Throughout the 12-week trial, both groups followed the same weight-loss diet. At the end, the coconut oil group presented a higher level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or protective cholesterol, and smaller waistlines, while the soybean oil group showed lower HDL levels and an increase in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) plus a less desirable LDL-to-HDL ratio. In a later study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consumption of coconut oil was again associated with a beneficial lipid profile in pre-menopausal women. Researchers that conducted a concurrent pilot study with male and female subjects found that men also experienced shrinking waistlines when supplementing with coconut oil. They explain that coconut oil contains mainly medium-chain fatty acids, which rapidly convert into energy, thereby circumventing the cycle that makes cholesterol and stores fat (Pharmacology).

Mercer County, NJ

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he nationwide health epidemic of chronic diseases afflicting the human population is also showing up among companion animals. According to a report by the Environmental Working Group, pets, like a canary in a coal mine, may be the environmental sentinels that are now signaling a clear connection between disease and manmade chemicals. In a study that analyzed blood samples of dogs and cats, 48 of 70 industrial chemicals and pollutants were traced, many recording levels that were substantially higher than previously reported in national studies of humans. Dogs displayed double the concentration of perfluorochemicals (used in stain-proof and grease-proof coatings); cats evidenced 23 times the concentration of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) fire retardants and 5.4 times the amount of mercury. PBDE levels in hyperthyroid cats have been linked to eating canned cat food and to the increased use of PBDEs in consumer products during the past 30 years. In humans, high levels of flameretardant chemicals are implicated in endocrine disruption, Type 2 diabetes and thyroid disease. Suggestions for minimizing exposure include avoiding chemicalladen household cleaners, furnishings and carpet; drinking carbon-filtered water; steering clear of food and beverage containers made from or lined with plastic (including cans); and eating organic produce and free-range meat.

Legumes Improve Blood Sugar, Blood Pressure

cup of beans a day may keep the doctor away. In a randomized trial published in the Archives of Internal Medicine of 121 participants diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, daily consumption of approximately one cup of legumes (peas and beans) was found to improve glycemic control and reduce systolic blood pressure and heart rate, thereby reducing participants’ calculated risk score for coronary heart disease (CHD). Body weight, waist circumference and fasting blood glucose and triglyceride levels also decreased on the legume diet. Legumes appear to make dietary carbohydrates digest more slowly and with a lower glycemic index, which has been associated with reduced hypertension and fewer CHD events in pre-diabetic individuals.

Vitamin E Hope for Cancer Care

lusive anti-cancer elements of vitamin E, natural tocopherols, have been identified by researchers at Ohio State University as being able to deactivate an enzyme essential for cancer cell survival. Although both alpha and gamma forms of natural tocopherols worked, the gamma was the most potent in shutting down the troublesome enzyme. Through manipulating the structure of the gamma molecule, the scientists were able to create an agent 20 times more effective than the original vitamin. In mice, this agent reduced the size of prostate cancer tumors. Over-the-counter vitamin E supplements are limited because many use synthetic forms that do not contain the natural gamma tocopherols. The study’s authors, led by Ching-Shih Chen, Ph.D., note that the human body cannot absorb the high dosages of natural vitamin E required to achieve the anti-cancer effect; their goal is to develop a safe pill that could be taken daily for cancer prevention.

Superfoods Defend Against Radiation

wo superfoods show promise for protecting people from radiation damage—cruciferous vegetables and miso, a food paste made from fermented soybeans. Scientists have identified a specific chemical byproduct, 3,3’diindolylmethane (DIM), derived from the digestion of cruciferous vegetables and especially concentrated in broccoli, that is responsible for the defensive effect. The source of miso’s beneficial properties needs further investigation, but appears to stem from the fermentation process. Research led by Gary Firestone, Ph.D., of the University of California-Berkley, and physician Eliot Rosen, Ph.D., of Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C., concluded that administering supplemental DIM before or immediately following lethal levels of radiation exposure protected rats from immediate death. If clinical trials with humans are successful, the compound could be used to minimize acute radiation sickness. A comprehensive research review published in the Journal of Toxicologic Pathology lends credence to miso’s shielding power. Mice that ate miso a week before irradiation appeared to be protected from radiation injury. natural awakenings

March 2014

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

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All gardening is landscape painting.

We don’t have to live in a rural area or even the suburbs to be a farmer these days. According to the Trust for Public Land, the 10 best cities for homegrown veggies from urban gardens are Seattle, Washington (a P-Patch program provides 68 gardens for residents throughout the city); Portland, Oregon (its Produce for People program donates fresh produce to local hunger agencies); Long Beach, California (growing anything from sugar cane and lemongrass to sunflowers and tomatoes); St. Paul, Minnesota (17 community gardens—half run by nonprofits and half open to rent); Honolulu, Hawaii (1,254 plots for public use); San Jose, California (19 community gardens on 35 acres); Baltimore, Maryland (community gardens cover 11 acres throughout the city); Washington, D.C. (a Master Peace Farm program tends area gardens and mentors budding veggie growers at an adjoining middle school); Anchorage, Alaska (a city goal is enabling residents to work together in harmony); and Louisville, Kentucky (Brightside’s community garden program, established 19 years ago, currently manages 10 of Louisville’s 16 gardens). These gardens not only extol the virtues of fresh, local and often organic foods, they also bring communities together. Some produce food for those in need, others have youth programs and some have even been credited with reducing local crime rates. Many community gardens accept new members in the fall; visit acga.LocalHarvest.org to find one nearby and reserve a space. Source: TheDailyGreen.com

Homegrown Access

Creative Paths for Local Food Sourcing Entrepreneurs are creating novel ways to circumvent the commercial food system that ships food, in or out of season, for hundreds or thousands of miles at the cost of quality and too often, accountability. Re:farm Denver, in Colorado, for example, supplies families with everything they need for backyard gardens, from irrigation systems to seeds. In 2013, 200 families participated. Cottage food laws allow artisans to sell breads, jams, candy and other foods made in home kitchens. While specific restrictions vary, 42 states have some type of cottage law. Beth-Ann Betz, who bakes sweets in her New Hampshire kitchen, says, “It gives me the option to be independent and self-employed at 66.” At the Community Thanksgiving Potluck, in Laguna Beach, California, dinner is shared, not served. For 25 years, those with homes and without, single people, families, city council members and the jobless have gathered to share food and community for the holiday. “It’s a wonderful chaos,” says Dawn Price, executive director of the nonprofit Friendship Shelter. At Bottles Liquor, in West Oakland, California, a banner reads “Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Available Here.” Bottles is a member of the Healthy Neighborhood Store Alliance, an effort of the nonprofit Mandela Marketplace to bring pesticidefree produce to corner stores throughout the neighborhood.

~William Kent

Source: Yes magazine 12

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Farm Relief

FDA Wakens to Local Needs Small farms, farmers’ markets, local food processors and community food banks have been given a reprieve, because on December 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided to take a second look at proposed new laws that would have put many of them out of business. The new rules, proposed under the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA), came under fire from consumers, farmers and others with voices that were heard. The FDA said its “thinking has evolved,” and “…significant changes will be needed in key provisions of the two proposed rules affecting small and large farmers. These provisions include water quality standards and testing, standards for using raw manure and compost, certain provisions affecting mixed-use facilities and procedures for withdrawing the qualified exemption for certain farms.” Source: TheDailyGreen.com

Mercury Mystery

How Sinking Organic Matter Plagues Fish University of Michigan and University of Hawaii researchers claim to have solved a long-standing scientific mystery of how mercury gets into openwater fish. Based on their study findings, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, they also project that mercury levels in Pacific fish will rise in the coming years. The researchers discovered that up to 80 percent of the toxic form of mercury, methylmercury, is generated deep in the ocean, most likely by bacteria attached to sinking pieces of organic matter. Mercury found in Pacific fish near Hawaii likely traveled thousands of miles through the air before being deposited in the ocean, the team concludes, blaming industrial nations such as China and India that rely on coal-burning power plants. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration notes that large fish have the highest levels of methylmercury because they live longer and have more time to accumulate it.

Portland on Tap

City Voters Reject Fluoridation Again Portland, Oregon, residents have rejected a plan to fluoridate city water for the fourth time since 1956, making it the largest city (pop. 900,000) in the United States without fluoride in its water supply. In the 1950s, cities throughout the U.S. championed water fluoridation as a way of fighting tooth decay, but the effort backfired when a condition called fluorosis emerged, which ironically is characterized by tooth enamel discoloration and erosion. Anti-fluoride forces say that water treatment is not the key to better dental health for children. Fluoride Action Network Executive Director Paul Connett, Ph.D., has a better idea. “We urge the legalization of dental therapists in Oregon who will treat the low-income children dentists refuse to treat.” natural awakenings

March 2014

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Looming Law

International Pact Could Lower Food Protections The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is the largest global trade pact to be negotiated since the inception of the World Trade Organization. Many details remain a mystery and negotiations are being conducted in secret. Leaked drafts of its provisions indicate that the TPP would give multinational corporations the power to sue countries, states, counties or cities in order to negate laws specifically designed to protect citizens, such as bans on growing genetically modified organisms (GMO). Corporations would be allowed to resolve trade disputes in special international tribunals, effectively wiping out hundreds of domestic and international food sovereignty laws. The TPP would require countries to accept food that meets only the lowest safety standards of the collective participants. If enacted, consumers could soon be eating imported seafood, beef or chicken products that don’t meet basic U.S. food safety standards, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would be powerless to stop imports of such unsafe foods or ingredients. Plus, the labeling of products as fair trade, organic, country-of-origin, animal welfare-approved or GMO-free could be challenged as barriers to trade. Opposition has grown, thanks to petitions by members of the Organic Consumers Association and other groups. More than 400 organizations, representing 15 million Americans, have petitioned Congress to do away with accelerated acceptance of the measure without full debate. For more information, visit OrganicConsumers.org and search TPP.

Vanishing Whales

Illegal Hunting Continues to Decimate Species

Asking these questions before you buy can help you make a green choice.

Whales are still being killed, despite an international ban on commercial whaling. According to Greenpeace, many whale species are down to around 1 percent of their estimated former abundance before the days of commercial whaling. Fourteen whaling nations came together in 1946 to form the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to manage whale stocks and recommend hunting limits where appropriate, but the continuing decline of populations forced the IWC to call for an outright ban on all commercial whaling in 1986. Yet Japan, Norway and Iceland continue to defy the ban, each harvesting hundreds of whales every year. Several green groups, including the Natural Resources Development Council (NRDC), recently petitioned the U.S. government to take action against Iceland under the Pelly Amendment to the Fisherman’s Protective Act. “The Amendment allows the president to impose trade sanctions against a country that is ‘diminishing the effectiveness’ of a conservation agreement—in Iceland’s case, the whaling moratorium and another international treaty that prohibits trade in endangered species,” writes the NRDC. The petition names several Icelandic firms—including major seafood companies with ties to the country’s whaling industry—as potential targets for trade sanctions. To learn more, visit iwcoffice.org, Greenpeace.org and nrdc.org.

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Healthy Food at the Front Door A growing trend is the ringing of a doorbell heralding the arrival of healthy food. In addition to the convenience and time savings, having a grocery delivery van make roundtrips to and from multiple customers’ doorsteps generates far less emissions than traditional shopping. Home deliveries of local and organic fresh fruits and vegetables have customers clamoring for more. After serving most of the New York metro area for more than a decade, online grocer FreshDirect (Fresh Direct.com) began delivering in the Philadelphia metro area in October 2012 and expanded to other parts of Pennsylvania, plus New Jersey and Delaware, last fall. “Our hyper-local, farm-to-fork food systems result in healthy relationships between consumers, food and farmers,” says David McInerney, co-founder of FreshDirect. The company also supports hunger organizations and provides nutritional counseling. Planet Organics (PlanetOrganics.com) serves the San Francisco Bay area. Beginning last fall, Instacart partnered with Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Costco to begin delivering food to homes in 13 neighborhoods in Chicago. Beginning in Colorado, where it’s based, Door to Door Organics (DoorToDoorOrganics.com) now provides its service in Michigan, plus metro areas of Kansas City, Chicago and New York. Green BEAN Delivery (GreenBeanDelivery.com), based in Indianapolis, now also delivers organic and sustainable foods in Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton, Ohio; Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky; and most recently, St. Louis, Missouri. Irv & Shelly’s Fresh Picks (FreshPicks.com) taps into 100-plus farmers within a day’s drive of its Niles, Illinois, center, to serve the Chicago and Milwaukee metro areas. “We’re able to concentrate on reaching people of all incomes and get deep into the communities,” says co-owner Shelly Herman. The eight-year-old company also partners with community groups, food pantries and schools. Going a step further, other companies are delivering prepared healthy meals. In one example, Power Supply (MyPowerSupply.com) recently partnered with Mindful Chef to foster this connection with 50 yoga and other fitness facilities, as well as other businesses in the Washington, D.C., metro area.

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Fresh Food Trends Natural Trailblazers in Sustainable Eating by Melinda Hemmelgarn

Food experts have listed local, regional and sustainable foods among the top food trends for 2014. Consumers’ heightened environmental awareness and their love for fresh flavors are responsible.

here’s even a new term, “hyperlocal”, to describe produce harvested fresh from onsite gardens at restaurants, schools, supermarkets and hospitals—all designed for sourcing tasty, nutrient-rich foods minus the fuelguzzling transportation costs. Adding emphasis to the need to preserve vital local food sources, the United Nations has designated 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming. Here are four thriving food trends resulting from shifts in Americans’ thinking and our growing love for all things local.

Foraging

What could be more entertaining and economical than searching for and gathering wild foods in their natural habitat? From paw paws and persimmons in Missouri to palmetto berries in Florida and seaweed in California, Mother Nature provides a feast at her children’s feet. Commonly foraged foods include nuts, 16

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mushrooms, greens, herbs, fruits and even shellfish. To learn how to identify regional native wild foods and cash in on some “free” nutritious meals, foragers need to know where and when to harvest their bounty. Conservation departments and state and national parks often offer helpful field guides and recipes. Jill Nussinow, also known as The Veggie Queen, a registered dietitian and cookbook author in Santa Rosa, California, characterizes foraging as “nature’s treasure hunt.” Nussinow says she forages for the thrill of it and because, “It puts you very much in touch with the seasons.” On her typical foraging excursions through forests and on beaches, Nussinow notes, “You never know what you might find: mushrooms, berries, miner’s lettuce, mustard pods or sea vegetables. It’s free food, there for the picking.” However, she warns, “You have to know what you are doing. Some wild foods can be harmful.”

For example, Nussinow advises getting to know about mushrooms before venturing forth to pick them. She recommends the book Mushrooms Demystified, by David Arora, as a learning tool, and checking with local mycological associations for safe mushroom identification. She also likes the advice of “Wildman” Steve Brill, of New York City, who publishes educational articles at Wildman SteveBrill.com. “He knows more about wild foods than anyone I know,” she says. Vermont wildcrafter Nova Kim teaches her students not only how to identify wild edibles, but also how to harvest them sustainably. It’s critical to make sure wild foods will be available for future generations.

Fermentation

Kefir, kimchi, kombucha and sauerkraut all owe their unique flavors to fermentation. Sandor Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes From Around the World, is a self-described “fermentation revivalist”. He explains how microorganisms, such as lactic acid bacteria that are universally present on raw vegetables and in milk, transform fresh food into preserved sustenance. Katz recalls how his boyhood love for sour pickles grew to an “obsession with all things fermented.” An abundant garden crop of cabbage left him wondering, “What are we going to do with all that cabbage?” The answer came naturally: “Let’s make sauerkraut.” Subsequently, Katz has become an international expert on the art and science of fermentation from wine to brine and beyond, collecting recipes and wisdom from past generations (WildFermentation. com). He observes, “Every single culture enjoys fermented foods.” Increasing respect and reverence for fermented foods and related communities of beneficial microorganisms is a new frontier in nutrition and medical sciences. For example, several researchers at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics annual meeting last fall in Houston, Texas, described the connections between the trillions of bacteria living in the human gut, known as the “microbiota”, and mental and physical health. Kelly Tappenden, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition and

gastrointestinal physiology with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, explained that gut bacteria play a variety of roles, including assisting in the digestion and absorption of nutrients; influencing gene expression; supporting the immune system; and affecting body weight and susceptibility to chronic disease.

Feed Matters

The popular adage, “We are what we eat,” applies to animals, as well. New research from Washington State University shows that organic whole milk from pasture-fed cows contains 62 percent higher levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids compared to conventional, or non-organic, whole milk. The striking difference is accounted for by the fact that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s national organic program legally requires that organic cows have access to pasture throughout the grazing season. The more time cows spend on high-quality pasture, which includes grass, legumes and hay, the more beneficial the fats will be in their milk. On the other hand, when ruminant animals, designed to graze on pasture, are fed a steady diet of corn and soy, both their milk and meat contain less beneficial fat. According to Captain Joseph Hibbeln, a lipid biochemist and physician at the National Institutes of Health, American diets have become deficient in omega-3 fatty acids over the past 100 years, largely because of industrial agriculture. Hibbeln believes that consuming more omega-3s may be one of the most important dietary changes Americans can make to reduce the risk of chronic

Hyperlocal Superstars Food Corps is a national nonprofit with a mission to improve school food and thus children’s health and lifelong potential. Active in 15 states, it places teams of young teachers in limited-resource communities to establish school gardens, provide food-based nutrition education and supplement school meals with garden fresh produce. Visit FoodCorps.org.

Top 10 Food Trends for 2014 1 Locally sourced meats and seafood

2 Locally grown produce 3 Environmental sustainability 4 Healthful kids’ meals 5 Gluten-free cuisine 6 Hyperlocal sourcing

(e.g. restaurant gardens)

7 Children’s nutrition 8 Non-wheat noodles/pasta

(e.g. quinoa, rice, buckwheat)

9 Sustainable seafood

10 Farm/estate-branded items Source: Restaurant.org diseases, improve mental health and enhance children’s brain and eye development, including boosting their IQs. Coldwater fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines provide excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, dairy and meat from animals raised on pasture can improve our intake, as well.

Faith

How might eating with the “creation” in mind influence food and agriculture trends? Barbara Ross, director of social services for Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri, believes, “People’s common denominator is that we are all part of and integral to the creation.” She considers how “Food, agriculture, environment and economy are bound together in a way that requires we think, plan and act for the dignity of each person and the common good of the human family.” Ross explains that the choices we make in these vital areas affect the richness of our soils, the purity of our air and water and the health of all living things. Marie George, Ph.D., a professor of philosophy at St. John’s University, in Queens, New York, agrees, “The serious ecological crises we see today stem

from the way we think,” and “reveal an urgent moral need for a new solidarity” to be better stewards of the Earth and its creatures. For example, George sees it as contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer; that’s why she opposes gestation crates and the push for cheap food that exploits animals and the environment in the process. Kelly Moltzen, a registered dietitian in Bronx, New York, shares a passion for addressing food justice and sustainability from her faith-based perspective of Franciscan spirituality. She believes that, “When we connect our spirituality with the daily act of eating, we can eat in a way that leads to a right relationship with our Creator.” By bridging spirituality with nutrition and the food system, Moltzen hopes to raise awareness of how people can care for their body as a temple and live in right relationship with the Earth, which she perceives as “the larger house of God.” Fred Bahnson, director of the Food, Faith and Religious Leadership Initiative at Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is the author of Soil and Sacrament: A Spiritual Memoir of Food and Faith. His book takes the reader on a journey to four different faith communities— Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal and Jewish—to explore connections between spiritual nourishment and the cultivation of food. Bahnson speaks about sacred soil and the communities of mystical microorganisms that lie within and create the foundation for sustenance. He also describes the special power of communal gardens, which welcome all and provide nourishing food, yet come to satisfy more than physical hunger. Regardless of religious denomination, Amanda Archibald, a registered dietitian in Boulder, Colorado, believes, “We are in a new era of food—one that embraces and honors food producers and food systems that respect soil, environment and humanity itself.” Melinda Hemmelgarn, aka the “food sleuth”, is a registered dietitian and award-winning writer and radio host at KOPN.org, in Columbia, MO (FoodSleuth@gmail.com). She advocates for organic farmers at Enduring-Image.blogspot.com.

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Superherbs Four Plants that Fight Off Disease by Kathleen Barnes

Mother Nature’s most potent healing herbs are already on most spice racks or growing nearby, often right outside the door.

erbs, respected for their healing properties for millennia, have been widely used by traditional healers with great success. Now clinical science supports their medicinal qualities. Pharmaceutical companies routinely extract active ingredients from herbs for common medications, including the potent pain reliever codeine, derived from Papaver somniferum; the head-clearing antihistamines ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, from Ephedra sinica; and taxol, the chemotherapy drug commonly used to treat several types of cancer, including breast cancer, from Taxus brevifolia. These are among the findings according to Leslie Taylor, a naturopath and herbalist headquartered in Milam County, Texas, and author of The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs. Even among an abundance of healing herbs, some stand out as nature’s “superherbs” that provide an array of medical properties, according to Rosemary Gladstar, of Barre, Vermont, the renowned author of Herbal

Remedies for Vibrant Health and related works. Two of these, she notes, are widely considered nuisance weeds. Plantain (Plantago major): Commonly used externally for poultices, open wounds, blood poisoning and bee stings, it also helps relieve a wider variety of skin irritations. According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology, this common “weed” fortifies the liver and reduces inflammation, which may reduce the risk for many kinds of chronic diseases. At least one study, published in the journal Planta Medica, suggests that plantain can enhance the immune system to help fight cancer and infectious diseases. “Plantain is considered a survival herb because of its high nutritional value,” advises Gladstar, who founded the California School of Herbal Studies, in Sonoma County, in 1978. A new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry confirms it’s an excellent source of alpha-tocopherol, a natural form of vitamin E and beta

carotene that can be used in salads for those that don’t mind its bitter taste. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale): Like plantain, dandelion is one of the most powerful medicinal herbs on the planet. “Dandelion is revered wherever you travel, except in the United States, where it is considered noxious,” observes Gladstar. Americans should reconsider their obsession with eradication. Dandelion root is an effective treatment against several types of cancer, including oftenfatal pancreatic and colorectal cancers and melanoma, even those that have proven resistant to chemotherapy and other conventional treatments, according to several studies from the University of Windsor, in England. Traditionally part of a detoxification diet, it’s also used to treat digestive ailments, reduce swelling and inflammation and stop internal and external bleeding. Turmeric (Curcuma longa): Turmeric gives curry powder its vibrant yellow color. “Curcumin, turmeric’s most important active ingredient, is a wealth of health, backed by substantial scientific evidence that upholds its benefits,” says Jan McBarron, a medical and naturopathic doctor in Columbus,

Herb: A plant or a part of a plant that is used as medicine or to give flavor to food. ~ Merriam Webster Georgia, author of Curcumin: The 21st Century Cure and co-host of the Duke and the Doctor radio show. Several human and animal studies have shown that curcumin can be an effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, both in prevention and to slow or even stop its progress. One Australian study showed that curcumin helps rid the body of heavy metals that may be an underlying cause of the memory-robbing disease. Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that curcumin helped dissolve the plaques and tangles of brain material characteristic to Alzheimer’s. Curcumin is also known to be effective in lessening depression and preventing heart disease, some types of cancer and diabetes, says McBarron. Ginger (Zingiber officinale): Primarily used for its considerable anti-

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inflammatory properties, ginger makes a delicious and healing tea and an enticing spice in a variety of dishes. This herbal powerhouse has at least 477 active ingredients, according to Beyond Aspirin, by Thomas M. Newmark and Paul Schulick. Considerable research confirms ginger’s effectiveness against a variety of digestive problems, including nausea from both morning sickness and chemotherapy. Research from Florida’s University of Miami also confirms its usefulness in reducing knee pain. “Ginger is a good-tasting herb to treat any type of bacterial, fungal or viral infection,” says Linda Mix, a retired registered nurse in Rogersville, Tennesse, and author of Herbs for Life! The health benefits of these four vital herbs are easily accessed by growing them in a home garden or pot or via extracted supplements. Kathleen Barnes is the author of Rx from the Garden: 101 Food Cures You Can Easily Grow. Connect at KathleenBarnes.com. Note: For referenced studies, check the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

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Author’s Corner greenliving Embrace Your Inner Self: Awaken Your Natural Ability to Heal by Sangita Patel Do you feel like a victim in your life and are looking for inner peace? Are you struggling with pain, have tried many ways but still cannot find relief? Do you feel angry, and frustrated towards yourself or others?

f you answered “yes” to one or more to these questions then this book will guide you to start your healing journey and Sangita Patel try various healing modalities that fit you well. In my first 40 years of this circle of life, I was often a victim. I suffered pain and struggled to overcome obstacles after my car accident and losing my only brother. I had so much anger, frustration and sadness inside of me and toward the world. But now my life has changed. When we embrace our inner child, we awaken our natural ability to heal physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Many people do not realize their own power. I did not believe it for most of my life either, but once I had experienced it, I felt like I was reborn again. With this book you will be able to reclaim your inner peace and support the awakening of your inner wisdom. You will be able to develop your own ability to Heal, Harmonize and Organize your life and feel Joy every day. For more information, visit Embrace YourInnerSelf.com. Order this title through local booksellers or preferred online retailers: Barnes and Noble: Bit.Ly/1m6zr9N; Amazon: Amzn.To/1j2rNYO; Balboa Press: Bit.Ly/1dHd28W. 22

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Food Revolution in a Tank

Aquaponics Offers Year-Round Homegrown Fish and Veggies by Avery Mack

icture a salad of mixed lettuces or romaine accented with microgreens and ripe, red tomatoes alongside an entrée of tilapia, complemented by a dessert of fresh strawberries—all organic, eco-friendly and freshly harvested, even in the middle of winter. The ingredients for this meal don’t have to travel many miles to reach the table—they can be found just several feet away, thanks to aquaponics. “Aquaculture is fish farming, hydroponics is soilless gardening,” explains Becca Self, executive director of educational nonprofit FoodChain, in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. “Aquaponics is a mutually beneficial blend of the two. Our indoor aquaponics system produces about 150 pounds of fresh tilapia every month, plus nearly 200 pounds of lettuces, herbs and microgreens.” FoodChain, which shares production space in a former bread factory with Smithtown Seafood and West Sixth Brewing, hosted 2,000 guests and was the destination for 54 field trips last year by farmers, church groups, Rotary clubs and students of all grade levels. The seafood restaurant’s website notes, “We can step outside our back door into the farm for our superfood salad

greens, herbs and tilapia.” FoodChain is also finding a way to use waste grain from the microbrewery as fish food. According to brewmaster Robin Sither, the grain is free of genetic engineering, but not organic. He notes that it’s rare for a brewery to use organic grain. The general hydroponics concept dates back to ancient practices in Chinese rice fields, Egyptian bottomlands flooded by the Nile River and Aztec floating gardens perched on low rafts layered with rich bottom muck. By the early 20th century, chemists had identified solutions of 13 specific nutrients which, added to water, could entirely substitute for fertile soil. That’s when William F. Gericke, Ph.D., of the University of CaliforniaBerkeley, took the science of hydroponics into commercial production. “In today’s space-efficient, closed, recirculating aquaponic systems that combine fish tanks and plant troughs, fish waste provides fertilizer for the plants, while the plants clean the water for fish,” says Gina Cavaliero, owner of Green Acre Aquaponics, in Brooksville, Florida. The 2013 Aquaponics Association Conference, in Tucson, Arizona, reported that aquaponic plants grow

faster and offer higher yields, plus the sustainable technology recycles 90 percent of the water. In Denver, JD Sawyer, president of Colorado Aquaponics, operates a 3,000-square-foot farm in a food desert neighborhood (without easy access to fresh, healthy, affordable food). Koi, tilapia and hybrid striped bass fertilize romaine, bib lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, spinach, chives and strawberries. Other crops include tomatoes, peppers, yellow squash and root vegetables like beets and carrots. Tilapia and bass sell to the community and restaurants; koi are used in livestock ponds. Sawyer remarks, “An aquaponics system can be indoors or out, depending on the climate, for commercial use or in the home. The basement, garage or a spare room is ideal for growing your own food.” Home garden sizes range from a 20-gallon aquarium to a 10-by-20-foot area. Avery Ellis, an ecological designer and permaculture specialist in Boulder, Colorado, builds dynamic, living, nonconventional systems. “The temperature

“We like to use heirloom varieties; we don’t want just pretty plants that have diluted flavor. Butter lettuce is the tilapia of plants—it’s easy to grow for a good yield.” ~ Erik Oberholtzer, Tender Greens restaurants in most homes is near 70 degrees, an ideal temperature for a tropical fish like tilapia,” he says. “A 50-gallon fish tank, a 50-gallon storage bin and a timer to feed the fish automatically and supply light can be a self-sustaining system.” Outdoors, a greenhouse or geodesic dome can house the system. “A harmonious balance maintains itself, and we enjoy maximum yields from little labor,” says Ellis. He reflects that the solutions for feeding the world exist if we just open our eyes to what needs to be done. For those that don’t care to harvest and clean

Aquaponics Advantages 4 Enthusiasts can start small 4 No soil is needed 4 No fertilizer is needed (provided by the fish) 4 No toxic pesticides 4 Uses 90 percent less water than conventional methods 4 Plants help filter indoor air 4 Pests and diseases are easier to spot for treatment 4 Growing basil helps repel pests 4 Operator controls nutrition levels at less cost and waste 4 No nutrients pollute the larger environment 4 Stable, high yields of organic produce and safe-fed fish 4 Year-round production from indoor systems 4 Easy to harvest; fish harvesting is optional 4 Aesthetic enjoyment

fish, decorative koi species work well. Erik Oberholtzer, founder and owner of Tender Greens restaurants, which sources from nearby southern California farms and is exploring ways to install an aquaponics system in each of its restaurants, explains, “The world is suffering from a loss of growing habitat, genetically modified seeds and global warming. Aquaponics enables growers to stay ahead of climate change, making it the future of sustainable farming. It’s an ethical way to make quality food healthy, affordable and profitable.” Aquaponics methods deliver fish free of mercury and genetically modified fish food, plus the freshest vegetables possible, all without the worry of weeds, rabbits, insects, suspect fertilizers, toxic herbicides and pesticides. A home aquaponics system can be one of the best green investments to make in 2014. According to Oberholtzer, “Eating this way should not be a luxury.” Avery Mack is a freelance writer in St. Louis, MO. Connect via AveryMack@ mindspring.com.

Come join us in May for a lecture given by the always inspiring

Caroline Myss A Benefit Lecture for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) New York Times bestselling author of Anatomy of the Spirit, Why People Don’t Heal and How They Can, Sacred Contracts, Entering the Castle and Defy Gravity

Friday, MAY 30, 2014 at 7PM at Rider University in the Bart Luedeke Center Theater

For Tickets or Sponsorship Information please visit:

www.trentonsoupkitchen.org/myss or call (609) 695.5456 x108

Sources: Wikipedia.org, IntegratedAquaponics.net

Trenton Area Soup Kitchen / (609) 695.5456 72 1/2 Escher St. / P.O. Box 872 / Trenton, NJ 08605 www.trentonsoupkitchen.org

natural awakenings

March 2014

healthykids DISCOVER THE POSSIBILITIES...

Action Plan for Parents

Seven Signs of Food Sensitivities by Pamela Bond

I Display your school’s, education center’s or camp’s learning opportunities in

Natural Awakenings’ Mercer County Edition

n recent years, Pediatrician William Sears has seen many more cases of asthma and eczema in his San Clemente, California, office. Dairy and wheat remain the biggest culprits, but experts believe new factors may be contributing to the rise in food sensitivities, including synthetic additives like partially hydrogenated oils, artificial colors and flavors and sweeteners, plus genetically modified ingredients. Often undiagnosed and untreated, food intolerances can cause long-term tissue damage, warns Sears, author of The NDD Book, which addresses what he calls nutrient deficit disorder without resorting to drugs. Increasingly, kids are developing formerly adultonset diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, cardiovascular disease and acid reflux, he says. If it seems that a child is having a dietary reaction, first look for clues. “A lot of parents already suspect the answer,” says Kelly Dorfman, a licensed nutritionist dietitian and author of What’s Eating Your Child? Become a “nutrition detective”, she suggests. Here’s how to assess conditions and find solutions.

Spitting Up

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Suspects: Intolerance to casein—a protein prevalent in dairy cow milk different from its form in breast milk that can get into mothers’ milk or formula—tends to irritate an infant’s gut lining, causing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and then chronic ear infections or constipation, says Dorfman.

Action: Remove dairy from the baby’s and nursing mom’s diet for at least a week. For formula feeding, choose a brand made with predigested casein or whey. To heal baby’s damaged intestinal lining, give 10 billion CFU (colony forming units) daily of probiotic bacteria, mixed in a bottle or sprinkled on food.

Chronic Diarrhea

Suspects: Intolerance to gluten (a protein in wheat and other grains) or lactose (dairy sugar). Diarrhea, the gastrointestinal tract’s way of eliminating problematic substances, plus gas

and bloating, often accompany these intolerances. Lactose intolerance is usually a root cause and is present in nearly everyone that’s gluten intolerant, Dorfman says.

Action: Because itchiness can suggest a histamine response, ask an allergist for an IgE radioallergosorbent (RAST) blood test to detect food sensitivities.

Action: Get a blood test to check for celiac disease, then eliminate gluten for at least a month. Although the diarrhea could end within a week, “You need a few weeks to see a trend,” counsels Dorfman. Consume fermented dairy products like cheese and yogurt, which have low lactose levels; cream dairy products may also test OK.

Suspects: Sensitivity to artificial colors or sugar. According to Sears, children’s underdeveloped blood-brain barrier increases vulnerability to the neurotoxic effects of chemical food additives, including artificial colors and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Chronic Ear Infections

Suspects: Dairy intolerance and for many, soy sensitivity. Some research has shown that 90 percent of kids with recurring ear infections or ear fluid have food reactions, corroborated by Dorfman’s patients. Action: Quit dairy and soy for several months to verify a correlation. Dorfman recommends eliminating soy milk, soy yogurt and tofu, adding that ultrasensitive individuals may need to avoid processed foods that contain soy byproducts.

Itchy Skin

Suspects: Reaction to gluten, casein (in dairy products) and eggs plus oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, lemons, strawberries and pineapple.

Hyperactivity

Action: When possible, buy organic foods certified to contain no artificial colors. Otherwise, scrutinize food labels for the nine petroleum-based synthetic dyes in U.S. foods: Blue 1 and 2, Citrus Red 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3 and 40, Yellow 5 and 6. Avoid ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, glucose, fructose, cane sugar and syrup—all added sugars.

mood and food, possibly signaled by excessive eating of a certain food.

Stunted Growth

Suspects: Gluten sensitivity or zinc deficiency. Because gluten intolerance interferes with nutrient absorption, suffering kids often fail to thrive. “Small size— height or weight—is a classic symptom of celiac disease,” Dorfman advises. Zinc could be another factor; it normalizes appetite and through its relationship with growth hormones, helps the body develop. If levels are too low, growth will be abnormally stunted. In such cases, a child may rarely be hungry, be a picky eater or complain that food smells or tastes funny, Dorfman says.

Suspects: Gluten sensitivity is traditionally associated exclusively with digestive disturbances, but some recent studies have linked it to neurological symptoms, from moodiness and chronic headaches to ADHD and coordination loss.

Action: Eliminate gluten consumption for a month. A blood test by a pediatrician can determine serum zinc levels, or buy a zinc sulfate taste test online. After sipping a zinc sulfate solution, the child will report either tasting nothing (indicating deficiency) or a bad flavor (no deficiency). Zinc-rich foods include beef, chicken, beans, pumpkin seeds, cashews and chickpeas. To counter a deficiency, ask a family healthcare provider for an age-appropriate supplement dose.

Action: Eliminate gluten for a month to assess a potential connection between

Pamela Bond is the managing editor of Natural Foods Merchandiser.

Crankiness

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March 2014

consciouseating

GLUTEN-FREE

Tips to Eat Sustainably, Healthy and Smart n Buy certified organic and local when possible. n Always choose certified organic when shopping for the publicized dirty dozen: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes. n When buying local, but not organic, ask the farmer: “Why not organic?” He or she may be doing something close. n When joining a CSA, ask the farmer if he or she ever adds non-local food to the basket. If so, ask where it comes from and how it is produced. n At a farmers’ market, ask the management how they choose their vendors. Must they be local, or certified organic? How are they screened? n If buying “natural,” learn how the producer defines it (the government definition is vague). n Eat less meat. It uses fewer resources to produce. n Plant something. Try a container garden on a balcony or in a window box. n Learn about good sources of healthy foods in various seasons. n Take a cooking class.

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ON THE GO Safe Eating Away from Home by Judith Fertig

lthough following a diet without gluten has become easier due to increased availability and labeling of gluten-free foods, we still need to know how to make sure which foods strictly qualify. We always have more control in our own kitchen, yet we’re not always eating at home. Natural Awakenings asked experts to comment on reasons for the demand and offer practical tips and tactics for healthy eating on the go. According to the Center for Celiac Research & Treatment, 18 million Americans are now gluten sensitive, 3 million more suffer from celiac disease, and the numbers continue to skyrocket, says Dr. David Perlmutter, a neurologist and author of Grain Brain. Gluten, a naturally occurring protein in wheat, barley and rye, is prevalent in the modern American diet. Perlmutter points to new wheat hybrids and increasing amounts of gluten in processed foods as exacerbating the problem. He particularly cites today’s overuse of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications as contributors to “inappropriate and excessive reactions to what might otherwise have represented a non-threatening protein like gluten.”

Solutions at Work

Jules Shepard, a mother of two in Washington, D.C., and author of Free for All Cooking: 150 Easy Gluten-Free, Allergy-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Can Enjoy who also shares recipes at Blog.JulesGlutenFree.com, remembers when going out for a glutenfree lunch was difficult. “The friendly

lunch spots my coworkers and I used to enjoy on a weekly and sometimes even daily basis were no longer friendly for me,” she says. “There was nothing on the menu I could eat, and it seemed better for everyone if I simply stayed in the office. But it isolated me socially from my colleagues and deprived me of a much-needed midday break that had been such an enjoyable part of my routine.” Attending catered breakfasts or lunches for office meetings also presented difficulties. Shepard learned that it’s best to be prepared and pack something, even if it’s only a snack. “Some of my favorites include fresh fruit, like apples or bananas with peanut or almond butter, washed berries, applesauce, coconut yogurt, hummus and red peppers, trail mix, dry cereals like granola, and nutrition bars. I keep a variety of these bars in my purse and car year-round, so I’m never bored with my choices.” “Gluten-free instant oatmeal is a staple in my life,” advises

Shepard. She never leaves home without it, regardless of the length of the trip. “All you need is a cup or a bowl and some boiling water. Be sure to buy certified gluten-free oats, because regular oats can be contaminated with gluten grains.” Shepard also recommends avoiding pre-sweetened varieties. Kate Chan, a teacher and mother of two in suburban Seattle, Washington, who has been following a gluten-free diet since 2000, has solved the problem of eating healthy at work another way: The family cooks extra the night before. “While cleaning up the kitchen, I just pack the leftovers for lunch. I like to vary the side dishes a bit if I pack side dishes at all, and toss in fruit and more vegetables,” she says. Chan likes to use a bento-style lunch box with several compartments, plus thermal containers, so she can enjoy a variety of gluten-free lunch options.

Our experts suggest delicious, nutritious choices for gluten-free eating at work, play or anywhere we wander. For food safety, keep foods that need to be kept hot and cold in separate thermal containers.

On the Road

4 Asian stir-fry with rice

In Los Angeles, California, Kristine Kidd, former food editor at Bon Appétit, has recently returned to gluten-free eating. On her menu-planning and recipe blog, KristineKidd.com, and in her cookbook, Weeknight Gluten Free, she recommends whole, fresh foods from farmers’ markets that are naturally gluten-free. When she and her husband hike the Sierra Mountains, she carries homemade, high-fiber, gluten-free cookies to eat on the way up and packs gluten-free soups such as butternut squash and black bean, corn tortillas with fresh fillings, and fruit for a delicious lunch upon reaching the peak. Some gluten-free snacks can contain as many empty calories as other types of junk food, notes Registered Dietitian Katharine Tallmadge. “Many ‘gluten-free’ products are made with refined, unenriched grains and starches, which contain plenty of calories, but few vitamins or minerals.” She agrees with Kidd and others that choosing whole, natural, fresh foods, which are naturally gluten-free, makes for healthy eating wherever we go.

4 Baked egg frittata or baked egg “muffins”

Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFoodAnd Lifestyle.blogspot.com from Overland Park, KS.

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natural awakenings

March 2014

naturalpet

Calendar photo by Dog Scouts of America

A wonderful resource for filling your workshops, seminars and other events.

Dog Scouts of America Dog Troops Also Earn Badges and Go to Camp by Sandra Murphy

Scouts, badges, troops and summer camp—they’re not just for kids anymore. Dog Scouts of America is a new twist on tradition that is fun for all ages.

D Two styles available: Calendar of Dated Events: Designed for events on a specific date of the month. 50 words. n

Calendar of Ongoing Events: Designed for recurring events that fall on the same day each week. 25 words. n

609-249-9044

LDBeveridge@NAMercer.com 28

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ogs, their owners and the larger community all benefit when a pet earns the basic Dog Scout certification badge. Any dog can participate, as long as he’s well-behaved. To qualify for the initial badge, he must be able to heel without pulling, greet a person calmly, meet another animal without overreacting and to see food and leave it alone. The test criteria are similar to that used for the Canine Good Citizen certificate from the American Kennel Club. Tests can be videotaped if there’s no organization evaluator in the area. Once the dog’s earned the basic Dog Scout badge, the rest of the badges are optional, depending on how involved human-canine pairs wish to get. Instead of pursuing a particular sport or activity, scouting allows the dog to dabble and find what he likes best. Distinctive badges can be earned in separate ability levels including obedience, community service, trail work, nose work, water sports, pulling, herding and lure coursing (a performance sport first devel-

oped for purebred sighthound breeds). Handlers can also earn badges in canine care, first-aid and sign language. All training is based on positive behavior and reinforcement on everyone’s part. “We don’t want dogs to be an accessory or a lawn ornament; they are part of the family, and a lot of fun, besides,” explains Dog Scouts president Chris Puls, of Brookville, Indiana. “As trainers, we have to figure out how to communicate with another species.” Most members engage in scout activities with more than one dog. Requirements for operating a troop are flexible, but holding four meetings a year is recommended. Meetings don’t have to be formal—a group hike in the woods counts. Other activities may include backpacking, biking, camping and treasure hunts like letterboxing and geocaching. If Sparky would like to try flyball, (timed relay races with balls) or treibball (urban herding of Pilates balls), but has no opportunity for these pursuits on his home turf, summer camp is a good

photo by Martha Thierry

photo by Dog Scouts of America

forum to investigate lots of options. Weekend camps are held in Maryland in July and Texas in November. Weeklong camps are held in Michigan in June and July. “Many people bring more than one dog to camp,” says Allison Holloway, who works in financial account services for the U.S. Department of Defense, in Columbus, Ohio. “I take six dogs with me and each has his or her favorite activity, which I like, because it’s too much for one dog to go from early morning until late at night. New members often say they come to camp just for the fun and camaraderie, but they usually end up collecting badges like the rest of us. It’s a great reminder of what you and your dog did at camp together.” One of Holloway’s dog scouts has special needs. Lottie Moon is a double merle, all-white, Australian shepherd that doesn’t let being deaf or blind slow her down. Last year she surprised her owner by earning an agility badge at camp. “I think she sees shadows and movements. I place a dowel rod in front of the jump and she knows that when she touches it, it’s time to go airborne,” says Holloway. “Lottie inspires and motivates me.” Holloway received the Dog Scout’s 2013 Excellence in Writing Award for her blog at Lottie-SeeingInto Darkness.blogspot.com. Many Dog Scout troops serve their communities to show how dogs can and should be integrated into daily life. In Wyoming Valley, near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Phyllis Sinavage, office manager for a wholesale distributor, reports on recent activities conducted by Troop 221. “We’ve donated oxygen masks for pets to local fire departments and emergency services. We raise funds to buy them and also have oxygen mask angels that donate the price of a mask in memory of a pet. One third grade class raised enough money to purchase two masks after we visited and did a bite prevention class.” The Dog Scouts of America Hike-a-Thon, in May, is the nonprofit organization’s annual fundraiser, open to everyone willing to ask friends and family members to pledge funds for distances walked. It’s a good way to partner with the dog for quality outdoor time, spread the word about Dog Scouts and enjoy the spring weather.

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Learn more and join with others for a troop experience at DogScouts.org. Connect with Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@ mindspring.com. natural awakenings

March 2014

inspiration

Gardening as Spiritual Practice Cycles of Growth Cultivate Our Divinity by April Thompson

“

ardening is not about having or taking; it’s about giving,” says Connecticut psychotherapist Gunilla Norris, author of A Mystic Garden: Working with Soil, Attending to Soul. “And in giving, the garden gives back to you.” She deems the art of practicing gratitude in the garden as an intentional path for cultivating spirituality.“Every day, go out and thank the ground. Life is burgeoning all around us, all the time,” she continues. “If we can just appreciate that, it’s a big deal.” It’s hard not to be humbled and awed by the miracle of life when we see a seedling push its tiny green head above ground, lean toward the sun and unfurl its first set of leaves. Each bit of plant life is simply fulfilling its mission to grow and be. “Gardening enhances our relationship to the Earth. Through gardening, we are helping to heal the planet, which is part of the work we are all called to do,” remarks Al Fritsch, a Jesuit priest in Ravenna, Kentucky, and author of the e-book, Spiritual Growth Through Domestic Gardening (free at EarthHealing.info/garden.htm). Over his lifetime, Fritsch has helped turn a parking lot, a section of church lawn, and overgrown bottomland all into thriving gardens. In his view, “It gives us a sense of home, roots us in place.”

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We can even discover our personal calling through cultivating a garden while gleaning endless spiritual lessons: Here dwells patience and an appreciation for the natural order of things; no fertilizer can force a flower to bloom before its time. Here resides mindfulness as we learn to notice changes in the plants under our care and discern what they need to thrive. Here abides interdependence; we wouldn’t have carrots, corn or cherries without the bats, birds, and bees playing in the pollen. In a garden, we naturally accept the cycle of life, death and rebirth as we bid adieu to the joy of seasonal colors and let flowerbeds rest in peace, anticipating their budding and blooming again. Just as the fruits of growing a garden exceed the doing—the weeding and seeding and countless other tasks—so do the riches of tending a spiritual life surpass the striving. We do well to rejoice in the sacred space created, cherishing every spiritual quality nurtured within and reflected in the Divine handiwork. Breathing in the floral perfume carried by the breeze and reveling in the multi-hued textures of living artistry, we celebrate the fact that we too, are playing our part of the natural miracle of life. Connect with freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com.

wisewords From “Why Me?” to “Thank You!”

Wayne Dyer on the Value of Hard Lessons by Linda Sechrist

fter four decades teaching selfdevelopment and empowerment and authoring more than 30 bestselling books, Wayne W. Dyer, Ph.D., shares dozens of events from his life in his latest work, I Can See Clearly Now. In unflinching detail, he relates vivid impressions of encountering many forks in the road, from his youth in Detroit to the present day, and reflects on these events from his current perspective, noting what lessons he ultimately learned.

these miracles show up. There are 60 chapters in the book. Every time I finished one, I would think: “Now I can see clearly why I had to go through all of these experiences and learn all these lessons.” As a result, I suggest that whenever something happens that leads you to ask, “Why is this happening to me?” shift instead to the awareness that all experiences, no matter what, are gifts.

What has writing this book taught you and how can it help others better understand their own lives?

You describe the influential patterns and motivators in your life as diamonds and stones; how would you characterize your childhood years in foster homes?

My biggest lesson was that our whole life is like a checkerboard. When I looked back on my life, I began to realize this and gained an awareness of the fact that there’s something else moving all of the pieces around. The key to attracting this mystical guidance into your life is to start with awareness that all things are possible and to forget about yourself. When you get your ego out of the picture, your inner mantra isn’t, “What’s in it for me? and “How much more can I get?” Instead, when your inner mantra is, “How may I serve or what may I do for you?” and you practice consistently living this way, you attract this mystical guidance. I have found that the more I do this, the more

I can now see that spending the better part of my first decade in a series of foster homes was all a part of God’s infallible plan for me. I believe I was in a type of training camp for becoming a teacher of higher spiritual and commonsense principles. If I was going to spend my adult life teaching, lecturing and writing on self-reliance, then I obviously needed to learn to rely upon myself and be in a position to never be dissuaded from this awareness. What better training ground for teaching this than an early childhood that required a sense of independence and need for self-sufficiency? Now that I know that every encounter, challenge and situation is a spectacular thread in a

tapestry, and that each represents and defines my life, I am deeply grateful for them all. Each of us has a mission of some kind to fulfill at the moment we make the shift from nowhere to now here, from spirit to form. I’ve seen firsthand how this universe has a creative source of energy supporting it that is literally the matrix of all matter. Nothing occurs by happenstance anywhere, because this universal mind is perpetually on call, going about its miraculous ways in terms of infinite possibilities.

What can you see clearly about your role as a parent? I’ve watched my eight children show up from birth with their unique personalities and blossom into their own awakenings. I know for certain that the one Divine mind that is responsible for all of creation has a hand in this engaging mystery. Same parents, same environment, same culture and yet eight individuals, with their own distinctive character traits. Khalil Gibran stated it perfectly in The Prophet: “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you yet they belong not to you.” Each of my children had their blueprint from God. My job has been to guide, then step aside and let whatever is inside them that is their own uniqueness steer the course of their lives.

What has your life taught you about prayer? I feel that the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi says it best: “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is darkness, let me bring light. Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.” The masters I’ve studied pray to become more godly, more like where we originally came from. My prayer is always, “Help me to remind myself to get rid of this ego and to be like You are. Help me to be my highest self, the place within that is God.” Linda Sechrist is a Natural Awakenings senior staff writer. Visit ItsAllAboutWe. com for the extended interview.

natural awakenings

March 2014

fitbody

Tweet those Fitness Goals Online Friends Help Us Stay on Track by Tamara Grand

friends with similar health and fitness goals. Follow links to motivational photos, low-calorie recipes and athome workouts. Tweeting when feeling the urge to eat virtually guarantees that we’ll receive a helpful response in a minute or two. Twitter chats are also a fabulous way to connect with an established and helpful healthy living tribe.

A visual smorgasbord of clean-eating recipes, at-home workouts and inspirational photos keeps spirits up. Pinterest accesses photos throughout the Internet that we can grab and “pin” to a personal online vision board. It’s also possible to create a visual cookbook, pinning recipes to, for example, clean eating, Paleo, pumpkin and oatmeal themed boards. It’s fun to connect with our favorite healthy living peeps and start following their boards for continuous injections of inspiration and motivation.

Instagram

umans are inherently social creatures. Most of us enjoy the company of others and spend much of our waking time engaging in social interactions with colleagues, friends and family. People that spend a lot of time together often adopt one another’s eating and exercise habits—sometimes for the better, but often for the worse. At least one positive side to wishing to conform socially is unexpected. Finding the right circle of friends—our own personal support group—can make sticking to an exercise schedule or diet easier. It’s a key factor in the popularity of organized weight-loss groups and exercise classes. Studies published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology and the Journal of Obesity demonstrate that just having a weight-loss or fitness support system in place results in better adherence to diet and exercise with more pounds shed and kept off over the long term. Researchers believe that in

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addition to the motivation and accountability supporters provide, benefits are also enhanced by learning through observing; changing our behavior through watching the actions and outcomes of others’ behavior. If we don’t have physical access to a local support group, we can access one online or create our own, using one of the following social media platforms.

Facebook

The leading social networking website includes thousands of community and group pages devoted to weight loss, exercise and healthy living. Its search function helps find one that fits our needs. Make an introduction and join the discussion. Participating in a special challenge helps everyone stay motivated.

Twitter

This micro-blogging site is informal and fast-paced, providing nearly instantaneous feedback. Use Twitter to identify

Love to take photos using a smartphone? Instagram provides a platform for sharing snippets of our day via pictures. Fitness fans regularly “Instagram” their meals and workouts, in part to remain accountable to their online followers, but also to help motivate themselves and others to make healthy choices each day.

YouTube

Our go-to resource for music videos is also home to hundreds of healthy living “channels”. Want to follow someone’s 100-pound weight-loss journey, learn how to cook quinoa or follow along with free, at-home workout videos? This is the place. Watch, share and comment on a favorite YouTube video to become part of its online community. The key to using social media to improve our health and fitness is inherent in the name. It’s a friendly way to interact, participate and engage with others. Tamara Grand, Ph.D., is a certified personal trainer and a group fitness and indoor cycling instructor in Port Moody, British Columbia, in Canada. Her new book is Ultimate Booty Workouts. She contributes to Life.Gaiam.com and blogs at FitKnitChick.com.

healthykids

ECO-CAMPS FOR KIDS by Gail Condrick

Just the mention of summer camp evokes Camp has always proved a perfect time to unplug from daily routines and connect with the extraordinary. As Peg parents’ memories of communal living, Smith, CEO of the American Camp Association, observes: “Camps have been introducing children to the wonder and new challenges and outdoor fun in close beauty of the natural world for 150 years.” Fortunately, the trend continues, in spades. encounters with nature’s wonders. Today’s new generation of eco-friendly camps What’s in Store Eco-friendly camps can prove to be both an educational for our kids offer all of these experiences and experiential immersion in the living of green values for a child, establishing a pattern for life. Many camps mirror and more. the sustainable practices families follow at home, like using

s the Sierra Club notes: “Camping today includes the traditional fun of being outdoors in a group and [at the same time] can also be an experience in ecofriendly living and practices.” Families looking for the perfect green summer camp will find programs for every child, from the nature neophyte to a budding biologist or environmental activist. Campers can choose to dig into organic farming, naturalist explorations, conscious living classes, green building programs or even sustainable living projects in exotic places.

energy-saving devices, composting and encouraging healthy eating and organic gardening. For example, campers entering kindergarten through sixth grade like experiencing farm life at the Gwynn Valley Camp, in North Carolina (GwynnValley.com). Youngsters pick vegetables from the organic garden, milk the cows and gather eggs. This camp grows 70 percent of its food and has implemented many energy-saving practices. In Maryland, at Camp Calleva’s sustainable farm (Calleva.org), attendees learn about environmentally friendly design through hands-on alternative energy projects that natural awakenings

March 2014

“Today’s camps are adaptive and responsive to the needs of today’s families, mentoring tomorrow’s leaders—our children— in navigating the future.” ~ Peg Smith, CEO, American Camp Association change each year. Their Build Green and Grow Green weeks, for instance, have engaged campers in building a rainwater collection system for crops and farm animals, a biofuel project and this summer, a windmill alternative energy design. Likewise, the Green River Preserve, in North Carolina (GreenRiverPreserve.org), offers environmental programs for the academically gifted, creative and curious. Kids take daily hikes with naturalist mentors, learning the science behind their experiences, and help harvest, eat and compost vegetables grown onsite. Of course, traditional camp activities add to the fun. The camp partners with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, which encourages caring stewardship of Planet Earth. Teens from 13 to 17 years old enjoy programs offered at the Omega Teen Camp, in Holmes, New York (search Teen Camp at eomega.org). On top of outdoor adventures, the camp offers 50 class selections, from dance, yoga and tai chi to meditation and “Face Your Fears” consciousness classes. When it’s time for dinner, they enjoy vegetarian and organic food selections, with most meals made from scratch. Know a mature teen, ready for travel and community service? BoldEarth Adventures’ (BoldEarth.com) summer camps include between six and 40 hours of service. Participants might plant and harvest organic vegetables in rural Ecuador, rehabilitate wild animals at an Amazon conservation project, or help restore hiking trails in Colorado.

Find the Best Green Camp

Start an informed search for eco-style kids camps by region, activities, special needs and age groups at AmericanCamp Association.com and ChoiceCamps.com. Individual camp websites typically state their mission and philosophy, camper/staff ratio, counselor qualifications, facility accreditation and camp building and operating practices that promote green living. 34

Mercer County, NJ

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For families who prefer to explore close to home, the Sierra Club gives tips to turn any backyard into a year-round environmental adventure camp. One suggestion involves putting up a tent, unfolding sleeping bags and grabbing flashlights for an outdoor evening looking up at the stars (search Backyard Camping at SierraClub.org). Summer is far from the only season for Earth-oriented experiences. Young people can make the most of environmental programs sponsored by local parks and recreation departments, Scout troops, schools and churches, any time they’re offered.

Benefits of the Natural World Camp allows kids to take a break from electronics and breathe in a renewed sense of nature’s daily miracles. Connecting to nature fights the “nature deficit syndrome,” spotlighted in Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods, in which he comments on the state of too many of our youth today: “A kid today can likely tell you about the Amazon rain forest— but not about the last time he or she explored the woods in solitude, or lay in a field listening to the wind and watching the clouds move.” Louv is founder of the Children and Nature Network (ChildrenAndNature.org). Whether our perfect eco-camp is educational or sustainable, in the mountains or under a backyard tent, the experience of just being in nature can be life-changing for a child and for the whole family. Connect with Gail Condrick, writer and workshop leader, at GaelaVisions.com.

More Youth Wilderness Adventures 4-H Summer Camps 4-H.org Big City Mountaineers Wilderness Program BigCityMountaineers.org Boy Scout Camps Scouting.org Earth School Wilderness Skills LoveTheEarth.com Girl Scout Camps GirlScouts.org Quiet Heart Wilderness School QuietHeart.org Two Coyotes Wilderness School TwoCoyotes.org YMCA Summer Camps YMCA-Summer-Camps.com Other Youth Adventure Camps Search MySummerCamps.com

Outward Bound Eco-Adventures Instill Confidence and Character by Karen Adams

hen Jon Howard was a shy 16-year-old, he took a four-day canoe trip on Florida’s Peace River with Outward Bound that changed his life. “I came away with a belief inside me that no matter what happened in my life, I could deal with it,” he says. Today, he directs the organization’s national at-risk program from his office in Tallahassee, helping kids from around the country similarly gain inner strength. “Many people think of Outward Bound as a physical experience,” Howard says. “It is, but it’s also mental and emotional. When you align all three, that’s when it’s most powerful.” When Katie Pastuszek was 14, she spent 10 days backpacking and rock climbing in the West Virginia wilderness. Her Outward Bound-designed trip instilled a deep love of nature and taught her that she could take on unimagined challenges. “Those characteristics stay with a person for life,” she says. Today, Pastuszek serves as executive director of Outward Bound’s Philadelphia center. The pioneer in adventure-based education programs, Outward Bound has been building confidence, character, leadership and a sense of service in young people around the world for 73 years. Today, the organization is active in 34 countries, with more than a million alumni in the United States alone. All Outward Bound programs challenge participants to go beyond their own self-perceptions. Some trips venture into the wilderness; others explore urban environments and new neighborhoods, where kids often provide community services. They all learn life skills. “Their experiences help these kids overcome challenges when they go back to their daily lives, whether they face gangs or bullies or other pressures,” says Jeff Baierlein, executive director of the Baltimore/Chesapeake Bay center. They see their lives differently, he says, and they learn to make good choices, which often include new activities, peers and goals. By the end of an Outward Bound trip, all the kids share a sense of respect and belonging. “No matter who they are,” concludes Howard, “they definitely become aware that they’re part of a bigger picture.”

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For more information, visit OutwardBound.org. Karen Adams is a Natural Awakenings editor and freelance writer. natural awakenings

March 2014

calendarofevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Calendar@NAMercer.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

SATURDAY, MARCH 1 Safe Sitter, Baby Sitting – 9am-3:30pm. Teaches safe and nurturing techniques, behavior management skills and appropriate responses to medical emergencies. A competency-based, highly structured program for children age 11 to 13. Bring lunch. RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Rd, Hamilton. 609-584-5900. Maple Sugar Memories – 10:30am-12pm and 1:303pm. Bring your family to the Watershed Reserve to enjoy the maple syrup made on site this year. After a short walk to visit our tapped trees and the ‘evaporation station’, take our maple syrup taste test challenge and warm yourself by our fire. Come dressed for wintery weather; boots recommended; 2 sessions offered. Registration and prepayment required. Cost $10/15, member, non-member. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592,

SUNDAY, MARCH 2 Healing Arts Open House – 10am-4pm. Free Massage and Yoga throughout day. Meet staff massage therapist and yoga teachers; learn about full service healing arts center. Offerings include Gentle/Restorative Yoga, Hatha Yoga, beginner Yoga, free chair massage/first come, first serve. Discounted introductory massage and yoga session puchase available. Cost $50/5-class yoga card or 60 minute massage. OM Massage & Yoga LLC, 666 Plainsboro Rd, Ste 635, Plainsboro. 609-306-2618.

TUESDAY, MARCH 4 Read and Explore Program, Composting – 10am. Learn about turning “garbage” back into soil. Read stories about worms and compost. Each child makes a compost container to take home. Registration required. Cost $7/child age preschool to 8. Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Rd, Princeton. 609-924-2310. What’s for Lunch? Preschool Class – 10-11:30am. What do you like to eat? It is very important for humans to have a well balanced diet but what about other animals? We will investigate the different food choices of animals, what they eat, and how they get their food. Dress for outdoor exploration. Registra-

FRIDAY, MARCH 7 Woodcock Watch – 6-7:30pm. Discover the local avian harbinger of spring, the woodcock, on a short hike on the Watershed Reserve trails with Education Director Jeff Hoagland. Join us at dusk as we watch and learn more about their spring courtship dance and fascinating life. Registration required. Cost $5/ person. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592.

SATURDAY, MARCH 8

tion required. Cost $10/$15 member/non-member child. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592. Maintaining a Healthy Weight – 7-8:30pm. Free. Good nutrition and plenty of exercise are critical for lifelong physical and mental wellbeing. Lisa Dobruskin, MD, specializing in bariatric surgery and a member of the Medical Staff of Princeton HealthCare System, and Jane Schwartz, RD, Outpatient& Community Education Dietitian with University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro’s Nutrition Program, will discuss how to establish diet and exercise habits designed for a lifetime of optimal health. Robbinsville Library, 42 AllentownRobbinsville Rd, Robbinsville. 888-897-8979.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5 What’s for Lunch? Preschool Class – 1-2:30pm. What do you like to eat? It is very important for humans to have a well balanced diet but what about other animals? We will investigate the different food choices of animals, what they eat, and how they get their food. Dress for outdoor exploration. Registration required. Cost $10/$15 member/non-member child. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592.

THURSDAY, MARCH 6 Guided Aromatic Meditation – 7-8pm. Develop relaxed awareness and clarity with meditative aromatic essences. Focus will be guided using breath, aroma, and intention attuning to the deepest level of being. Gemma Bianchi aromatherapist. Cost $10. RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Rd, Hamilton. 609-584-5900.

Hypno Birthing – 9:30am-12pm. This four-week class is designed for expectant couples who have a desire to learn deeper methods of relaxation for birthing to help eliminate the fear that causes tension and pain. Parents will learn how to prepare the mind and body for birth through self-hypnosis, comfort measures, breathing techniques and relaxation, plus how the body and baby work as one. Bring exercise mat and two pillows. Cost $195/couple. Hamilton Area YMCA John K. Rafferty Branch, 1315 Whitehorse-Mercerville Rd, Ste 100, Hamilton. 888-897-8979. Pysanky – Ukrainian Egg Decorating – 10am-2pm. The preparation of Pysanky, traditional decorated Easter eggs, is a centuries-old art form that uses a wax-resist process similar to batik. Through successive applications of wax and dye, a plain white egg is transformed into a multicolored gem. Learn this ancient Ukrainian craft from Arts Council of Princeton instructor Ruth Councell. Workshop includes a Naturalist-led hike on the Watershed trails for artistic inspiration. Cost $50/$60, adult member/ non-member. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. Registration through the Arts Council, 609-924-8777. St Patrick’s Day Parade – 1pm start. Nottingham Way, Hamilton.

SUNDAY, MARCH 9 Dummies Guide to Wine Tasting – 2pm. Sample different wines, enjoy cheeses and learn how to fully savor all of the flavors. Cost $30/person. Washington Crossing Vineyards, 1853 Wrightstown Rd, Washington Crossing. 215-493-6500 ext. 19. Brewer’s Plate Beer Festival – 6pm. The Brewer’s Plate is Fair Food’s marquee fundraising event. Participants include the area’s most celebrated restaurants and breweries – all independently owned and located within 150 miles of the city. Supported from locally owned and community-minded people like Cherry Grove Farm. Cost $55/$115, starting general admission/VIP. The Kimmel Center, 300 S Broad St, Philadelphia. 215-670-2300.

TUESDAY, MARCH 11

Got Events? Get Noticed! Thousands of Natural Awakenings readers are looking for healthy options.

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Creatures of the Night Preschool Class – 1011:30am. Have you ever noticed how nighttime noises sound different from daytime noises? Come learn which animals sleep through the night and which animals are wide-awake.We will put faces to the sounds that we hear going bump in the night. Dress for outdoor exploration. Registration required. Cost $10/$15, member-non-member child. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592. Shape for Life: Information Session – 6:30pm. Free. Learn to change your lifestyle and permanently lose weight. Jill Nitz, bariatric coordinator, who specializes in the treatment of obesity, discusses

RWJ Hamilton’s Comprehensive Weight Loss Program – including physician supervised weight loss, a tailored exercise program and nutritional counseling. RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Rd, Hamilton. 609-584-5900.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12 Tiny Tot Walk – 10-11am. Children 18-36 months. Join Naturalist Pam Newitt for an outdoor exploration of the natural world. All children must be walking and accompanied by an adult. Mud boots recommended. Registration is required. Cost $7/$10 per child member/non-member. Stony BrookMillstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592. Creatures of the Night Preschool Class – 1-2:30pm. Have you ever noticed how nighttime noises sound different from daytime noises? Come learn which animals sleep through the night and which animals are wide-awake. We will put faces to the sounds that we hear going bump in the night. Dress for outdoor exploration. Registration required. Cost $10/$15, member-non-member child. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592. Simple Suppers: A Healthy Way to Dine – 6-7pm. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the Healthy Way! Get recipes that fit into most meal plans. A registered Dietician answers your questions related to nutrition and chronic disease. Cost $10. RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Rd, Hamilton. 609-584-5900.

SATURDAY, MARCH 15 BSA ‘Nature’ Merit Badge Workshop – 9am-1pm. This outdoor workshop is designed to cover a wide range of topics to help Boy Scouts earn the ‘Nature’ merit badge. We will learn more about the local ecology, as well as how to identify birds, mammals, insects and plants. Boy Scouts will have some prework to complete before the workshop. To complete badge requirements, boys may purchase wooden bluebird house kits at an additional fee. Registration and prepayment required. Cost $20/Scout 11 year +. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592. Reiki Level II Certification – 9am-6pm. To deepen the effect and experience of Reiki, students learn the use of three symbols and how to access Reiki for distance healing. Pre-requisite: Reiki Level I training and certification. Pam Jones RN. Class awards 7 nursing contact hours. Cost $150. RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Rd, Hamilton. 609-584-5900. Hypno Birthing – 9:30am-12pm. See March 8 listing. Hamilton. 2014 Watershed Nature Camp Open Houses – 2-4pm. Free. Kids aged 3-16 and their families can meet Camp Director Tammy Love, learn about our camp and register for this summer. Stony BrookMillstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592

markyourcalendar Half-Day Retreat Identify and clear obstacles to your success. You will be guided to relax into a fluid state through gentle yoga, meditation and guided visualization with a frame drum. Guided meditation and yoga nidra will assist you in welcoming a more fluid way of relating to yourself and your world.

Sports Medicine Update – 6:30-8pm. Free dinner program. Join Paul W. Codjoe, MD, board certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon as he discusses common knee injuries and the latest available state-of-the-art treatment options. RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Rd, Hamilton. 609-584-5900.

SATURDAY, MARCH 22 Hypno Birthing – 9:30am-12pm. See March 8 listing. Hamilton.

March 15 • 3-7pm

markyourcalendar

Cost $80/$95, door/pre-registration

Learn How to Make Cheese

Sand Hills Community Wellness Center, 57 Sand Hills Rd, Kendall Park

609-799-6071

Double-header cheese making class. Ricotta and mozzarella.

March 22 • Noon

MONDAY, MARCH 17

Cost $65 payment made at reservation

Happy St Patrick’s Day

TUESDAY, MARCH 18 Wildlife of our Lives Preschool Class – 1011:30am. Children 3-5 years old. Wildlife plays an important part in all of our lives. Did you know that wildlife could be found in our parks, outside our homes, inside our homes, and even in our pocket? In this program, we will be wildlife investigators. Looking inside and out for signs and symbols of wildlife. Dress for outdoor exploration. Registration required. Cost $10/$15, member-non-member child. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19 Take a Walk on the Wild Side – 8:30-9:30am. Start your day off right with a walk on the Watershed Reserve trails with Teacher-Naturalist Allison Jackson. Her well-trained eye and experience will help you better observe seasonal changes and enjoy all the benefits of being outdoors. Walks will happen rain or shine, dress appropriately. Binoculars and nature journal are encouraged. Registration requested. Cost free members/ $5 non-members. Stony BrookMillstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592. Wildlife of our Lives Preschool Class – 1-2:30pm. Children 3-5 years old. Wildlife plays an important part in all of our lives. Did you know that wildlife could be found in our parks, outside our homes, inside our homes, and even in our pocket? In this program, we will be wildlife investigators. Looking inside and out for signs and symbols of wildlife. Dress for outdoor exploration. Registration required. Cost $10/$15, member-non-member child. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592.

THURSDAY, MARCH 20 Spring Wellness Health Fair – 9-11am. Free. Get a fresh, healthy start this spring with free blood pressure, cholesterol, body fat analysis (BMI) and other screenings, as well as an opportunity to learn about prevention for a range of common conditions. Hamilton Area YMCA John K. Rafferty Branch, 1315 Whitehorse-Mercerville Rd, Ste 100, Hamilton. 888-897-8979.

Cherry Grove Farm, 3200 Lawrenceville Rd, Lawrenceville To register or for information, call

609-219-0053

SUNDAY, MARCH 23

markyourcalendar Fernbrook Farms Camp Open House Come spend the day on the farm with family and friends to learn about our Summer Camp Programs for children ages 6-11 and 12-14. Tour the farm on a wagon ride, meet some staff, learn about a typical camp day, and visit the animals. Have questions answered and enjoy the afternoon on the farm seeing what nature has to offer your children. Healthy snacks and beverages offered.

March 23 • 1-3pm Free Fernbrook Farms Education Center, 142 Georgetown Rd, Chesterfield

609-298-4028 Build a Rain Barrel Workshop – 1-3:30pm. Watershed Ambassador Eric Tengi will teach you how to capture and reuse rain water in your home garden, and then work with you to construct your own rain barrel. Bring your barrel home to begin the water savings immediately. Fee includes ALL materials – registration and prepayment is required. Cost $50/ barrel. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592.

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March 2014

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TUESDAY, MARCH 25 Animal’s Special Tools Preschool Class – 1011:30am. Children 3-5 years old. Imagine if elephants didn’t have trunks, fish couldn’t swim and turtles didn’t have shells. Let’s discover these special tools and admire the wonderful work of Mother Nature. Dress for outdoor exploration. Registration required. Cost $10/$15 member/non-member. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26 Animal’s Special Tools Preschool Class – 1-2:30pm. Children 3-5 years old. Imagine if elephants didn’t have trunks, fish couldn’t swim and turtles didn’t have shells. Let’s discover these special tools and admire the wonderful work of Mother Nature. Dress for outdoor exploration. Registration required. Cost $10/$15 member/non-member. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592. Reiki Sharing Evening – 7-9pm. Trained practitioners are invited to share Reiki with each other. Bring a pillow and a small sheet and blanket. Cost $5. RWJ Fitness & Wellness Center, 3100 Quakerbridge Rd, Hamilton. 609-584-5900.

FRIDAY, MARCH 28 Video/Film Studio Open House – 7pm. Free. Studio 12 will host an open house of its production capabilities and viewings of some of its works. Hors d’oeuvres and music provided. Studio 12, 2374 Nottingham Way, Hamilton. 609-937-9611.

SATURDAY, MARCH 29

If You Learn from Natural Awakenings, Share the Knowledge

Signs of Spring Hike – 9am-12pm. Celebrate the change of seasons with the Teacher-Naturalists on a morning hike of the Watershed trails. Originating at the Pond House on Wargo Rd, we will lead you onto our newest trails, out to the Mt. Rose property and back again to Wargo Pond. Be on the lookout for early migrating birds and waterfowl, skunk cabbage emerging in the woods and other signs that winter is behind us. Wear comfortable shoes/ hiking boots, dress for the weather; bring a water bottle trail snack. Registration required. Cost$8/$12 member/non-member 8 yr+. Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington. 609-737-7592. Hypno Birthing – 9:30am-12pm. See March 8 listing. Hamilton. Heart of Art Studio Grand Opening – 1-7pm. Free. A place of transformative education, where children are led through introspection and meditation to inspire creative discovery. Healthy snacks available for registered children. Heart of Art, 2374 Nottingham Way, Hamilton. 609-865-1012.

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SATURDAY, APRIL 5

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Hypno Birthing – 9:30am-12pm. See March 8 listing. Hamilton.

SATURDAY, APRIL 12

LDBeveridge@ NAMercer.com 38

Mercer County, NJ

plan ahead

Learn How to Make Cheese – 12pm. See March 22 listing. Lawrenceville.

NAMercer.com

ongoingevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Calendar@NAMercer.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

monday Rise to the Task Free Dinner – 4-5:30pm. Free community dinner. First Presbyterian Church of Hightstown, 320 N Main St, Hightstown. For more info contact Rise office at 609-443-4464. Breast Cancer Support Group – 6-7:30pm. 3rd Tues. No registration required walk-ins welcome. UMCP Breast Health Center, 300B PrincetonHightstown Rd, East Windsor Medical Commons 2, East Windsor.

tuesday Discover the Serenity of T’ai Chih – 6:30pm. Discover the Serenity of T’ai Chi Chih (Joy thru Movement Class). Need better balance, concerned about high blood pressure, quality sleep a challenge? Join class at American Legion, 2 Meadowbrook Ln, New Egypt. For more information, additional locations, & to learn how to save on class fee, contact Siobhan at 609-752-1048.

wednesday Discover the Serenity of T’ai Chih – 8:45am. Discover the Serenity of T’ai Chi Chih (Joy thru Movement Class). Need better balance, concerned about high blood pressure, quality sleep a challenge? Join class at Energy for Healing, 4446 Main St, Kingston. For more information, additional locations, & to learn how to save on class fee, contact Siobhan at 609-752-1048. Bright Beginnings – 10:30-11:30am. This informative, relaxed group is for parents and caregivers of infants. Each week focuses on a different topic of interest to new parents, and guest speakers are occasionally featured. Infants and children under 4 years of age are welcome to attend with the parent or caregiver. $5 payable at door. Princeton Fitness & Wellness Center, Princeton North Shopping Center, 1225 State Rd, Princeton. 609-683-7888. Zumba Fitness – 6-7pm. Join the fitness party and burn calories while enjoying dance steps and fitness moves. Cost $8/7 Drop-in/Punch Card. Bring-a-Friend $6/each. Lawrence Community Center, 295 Eggerts Crossing Rd. Contact Stephanie. 609-954-9067. Archangel Meditation with Judy Toma – 7-8pm. 2nd Wed. During this monthly Meditation Circle, Judy will give a brief Angel reading for each participant and will give you insight into each Archangel. You will be guided on a journey to meet this Angel that will bring understanding and healing. Make a commitment to yourself and your healing. Take this time to meet with like minded people, discover

peace and your own inner guidance. Cost $28. Cha Cha Gifts & Wellness Center, 1300 Livingstone Av, North Brunswick. 732-249-1821. Multi-Level-Yoga – 7-8pm. Starting Inspired by Iyengar, Anusara, and Kundalini traditions. Cost $15/drop-in. Cash/check only. Meadow Creek Clubhouse, Manalapan. Call Brian to register/confirm attendance at 609-306-2618.

thursday 4 Mom’s Networking Hour – 1-2pm. Weekly parenting topics with RWJ Hamilton experts and sharing with other moms. RWJ Hamilton Center for Health & Wellness, 1 Hamilton Health Place, Hamilton. 609-584-5900. CPAP Workshop – 6pm. 3rd Thurs. Free workshop provided by the Sleep Care Center for patients with sleep disorders. A respiratory therapist will provide CPAP education, adjust CPAP pressures, refit masks and discuss the importance of CPAP/BiPAP usage. RWJ Hamilton Center for Health & Wellness, 1 Hamilton Health Place, Hamilton. 609-584-6681.

friday Breastfeeding Support Group – 11am-12pm. Expectant parents will learn about the benefits of breastfeeding, getting started, positioning, nutrition, pumping and avoiding common problems. Facilitated by Lactation Consultant. Free. PHC Community Education & Outreach Program, 731 Alexander Rd, Ste 3, Princeton. 888-897-8979. Men in Retirement – 2pm. 1st Friday. This social group for men meets and have regularly scheduled small group activities. Come and meet other men who are making or have made the transition into retirement. Suzanne Patterson Bldg, Princeton Senior Resource Center, 45 Stockton St, Princeton. 609-924-7108.

Discover the Serenity of T’ai Chih – 6:30pm. Discover the Serenity of T’ai Chi Chih (Joy thru Movement Class) in Bordentown. Need better balance, concerned about high blood pressure, quality sleep a challenge? Join us. To register call Siobhan at 609-752-1048.

saturday Multi-Level Yoga – 8-8:55am. Inspired by Iyengar, Anusara, and Kundalini traditions. Cost $15/drop-in. Cash/check only. Center for Relaxation & Healing, Plainsboro. Call Brian to register/confirm attendance at 609-306-2618. Showcase Saturdays – 8:30-8:30am. 2nd Sat. Free. Guests can try two complimentary 25 minute featured workout sessions. Donations to the Robbinsville Food Pantry are kindly requested in return for the free sessions. Body Project Studio, Foxmoor Center, 1007 Washington Blvd, Robbinsville. 609-336-0108. Discover the Serenity of T’ai Chih – 9 and 11am. Discover the Serenity of T’ai Chi Chih (Joy thru Movement Class). Need better balance, concerned about high blood pressure, quality sleep a challenge? Join class at 9 in Newton or 11 in Langhorne, PA. For more information, additional locations, & to learn how to save on class fee, contact Siobhan at 609-752-1048. Soup Kitchen – 4:30-6pm. 3rd Sat. Volunteers arrive at 3pm. Free hot meal served. VFW Post 5700, 140 Dutch Neck Rd, Hightstown. Information: Adrenne 609-336-7260. SPOT (Safe Place for our Tweens) – 7-10pm. 1st Sat. Allows 9-12-year-old youngsters to “hang out” at the YMCA under the supervision of trained YMCA staff. Basketball, indoor soccer, music, karaoke, swimming, access to the wellness center, video games in our Youth Interactive Center and the snack stand are offered. A Hamilton Area YMCA Membership is not required for participation. Dress comfortably for the activities you wish to participate in. 1315 Whitehorse Mercerville Rd, Hamilton. 609-581-9622 x 21103.

natural awakenings

March 2014

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A multi-media production studio committed to sustainability, awakening humanity and transformative education. We hope to inspire humanity through the power of media. Offering high quality video production for all social media forums, and artistically produced wedding or event videos. See ad, page 13.

BODYWORK SIOBHAN HUTCHINSON, MA

Holistic Health Practitioner 609-752-1048 NextStepStrategiesllc.com Siobhan@NextStepStrategiesllc.com Enhance balance of Body/Mind/ Spirit through Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ai Chi Chih, Seijaku, Qigong, Reiki and Donna Eden Energy. Clients can choose classes or personalized one-onone sessions for deep relaxation and reducing the effects of stress. See ad, page 29.

Get the most out of you years naturally and without surgery. Specializing on natural pain relief and body regeneration, with exceptional patient care. See ad, page 43.

COUNSELING CENTER FOR GRIEF SERVICES

ART STUDIO HEART OF ART

Saima Yousuf 2374 Nottingham Way, Hamilton 609-865-1012 TheHeartofArtSchool@gmail.com

Dr. Norma Bowe Dr. Norman Travis 855-97-GRIEF CenterForGriefServices.com

The Heart of Art is a place of transformative education, where children are led through introspection and meditation to inspire creative discovery. Children can explore their creative side as well as introspect and get to know their true self. Class and Birthday Party packages available. See ad, page 25.

Center for Grief Services specializes in grief treatment. Workshops and individual therapy options available. See ad, page 15.

The way you think, the way you behave, the way you eat, can influence your life by 30 to 50 years. ~Deepak Chopra 40

Mercer County, NJ

NAMercer.com

FITNESS PURE FITNESS 24

Sheena Potts 24 South Main St, Allentown 609-286-8502 PureFitness24.com Achieve the results you never thought possible. Specializing in Kettlebell, TRX and bodyweight combo classes, mobility and balance classes, Functional Movement Screen, individual personal training, semi-private personal training and small group training. See ad, page 12.

GREEN LIVING SUN 101 SOLAR

Daniel Hicks 609-460-4637 Info@Sun101Solar.com Sun101Solar.com We are more than just a solar installer. We see ourselves as educators and stewards of the environment. We always do our best to educate about the benefits of going solar and being energy efficient. See ad, page 11.

HOLISTIC DENTISTS PRINCETON CENTER FOR DENTAL AESTHETICS Dr. Ruxandra Balescu, DMD Dr. Kirk Huckel, DMD, FAGD 11 Chambers St, Princeton 609-924-1414 PrincetonDentist.com

We offer a unique approach to the health care of the mouth based on a holistic understanding of the whole body. Please contact us to learn how we can serve your needs. See ad, page 19.

HYPNOSIS PRISM HYPNOSIS Dr. Ira Weiner 609-235-9030 PrismHypnosis.com

Do you smoke, feel stressed or in pain, crack under pressure, or want to break unhealthy habits? Contact us and visit our website for healthful solutions that work. See ad, page 27.

NATURAL SERVICES

Natural Iodine Supplementation

BLACK FOREST ACRES

Trudy Ringwald Country Herbalist & Certified Reboundologist 553 Rte 130 N, East Windsor 1100 Rte 33, Hamilton 609-448-4885/609-586-6187 BlackForestAcres.Net Two locations for the natural connection to live well and eat right. Natural and organic foods, vitamins, supplements, groceries and most important, free consultation.

NUTRITION NUTRITIONAL CONSULTANT Claire Gutierrez 194 N Harrison St, Princeton 609-799-3089 Claire@VisanoConsulting.com VisanoConsulting.com

Let me help analyze your current diet thru nutritional assessment and assist you in making necessary adjustments and modifications to eventually achieve optimal health.

ORGANIC FARMS CHERRY GROVE FARM

3200 Lawrenceville Rd, Lawrenceville 609-219-0053 CherryGroveFarm.com Organic and natural products including farmstead cheeses; Buttercup Brie, seasonal Jacks, Rosedale, Herdsman, Toma, Havilah and Cheddar Curds. Additional products include whey-fed pork, grass-fed lamb and beef, pasture-raised eggs and myriad locally sourced goods.

A Must for Most Americans

A A Few Drops Can Change Your Life! 4-6 week supply ONLY

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study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that iodine deficiency in the developed world has increased fourfold in the past 40 years and now affects nearly threequarters of all adults. Taking the right kind of iodine in the right dosage can rebalance thyroid function and restore health to the thyroid and the whole body. Natural Awakenings Detoxifed Iodine is 100 percent natural, raw iodine in an ethyl alcohol solution. We thank all those that are benefiting from this product and enthusiastically telling us their great results.  Available only at NAWebstore.com  I was amazed (and I admit to some surprise) that this worked so well. My family has a history of both major and minor thyroid issues and using the Detoxified Iodine has helped my general fatigue and mood. Thank you for a great product! ~ Patricia I’ve known for years that I was low on Iodine, that it is essential to good thyroid function, and proper thyroid function is critical to so many bodily functions. This product makes it so easy for me to ensure I have optimum Iodine levels in order to maintain good health. I simply rub the side of the dropper across my arm after putting a few drops into the 4 ounces of water I’m about to drink. Very easy, and eye-opening! ~ Tonia

REGENERATIVE MEDICINE EDWARD MAGAZINER, M.D.

2186 Rte 27, Ste 2D, North Brunswick 877-817-3273 PainAndSpineCare.com Dr. Magaziner has dedicated his career to helping people with pain and musculoskeletal injuries using state-of-the-art and innovative pain management treatments including Platelet Rich Plasma, Stem Cell Therapy and Prolotherapy to alleviate these problems. See ad, page 2.

Grow Your Business Expand Your Earnings Reach Your Target Market with a Resource Guide listing for under $60 per month. Reach thousands of healthy living individuals in Mercer County. Call Now!

LDBeveridge@NAMercer.com 609-249-9044 LDBeveridge@NAMercer.com natural awakenings

March 2014

departments healthbriefs consciouseating globalbriefs wisewords ecotips fitbody greenliving inspiration healingways naturalpet healthykids

themes MARCH food & garden

plus: gluten-free foods APRIL green living plus: healthy home MAY women’s wellness plus: bodywork JUNE inspired living plus: men’s wellness JULY food watch plus: natural medicine cabinet AUGUST transformative education plus: children’s health SEPTEMBER conscious caretaking plus: yoga OCTOBER sustainable communities plus: chiropractic and acupuncture NOVEMBER personal empowerment plus: beauty DECEMBER awakening humanity plus: holiday themes

Mercer County, NJ

NAMercer.com

Advertorial

health&wellness

Non-Invasive Pain Treatment: No Surgery, No Cortisone by Dorota M. Gribbin, MD

“P

ain is a symptom,” says Dorota M. Gribbin, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor at Columbia University – College of Physicians and Surgeons, Chairman of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation section at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton and Medical Director of Comprehensive Pain and Regenerative Center. “In order to manage pain effectively, it is essential to pinpoint its cause.” She is named one of the best doctors in the New York Metro Area by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. for 14 consecutive years between 1999 and 2013.

REGENERATE rather than Replace Regenerate rather than replace your joints, tendons, muscles, skin, and wounds with Regenerative Injection Therapy with Growth Factors in Platelets Rich Plasma (PRP) and Kinines in Platelets Poor Plasma (PPP). PRP therapy strengthens and heals arthritic and strained joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles, and skin — including non healing wounds and aging skin of your face. PRP injections can be performed all over the body. It is a natural regenerative method of treatment of sports injuries, arthritic joints, lower back pain, disc disease, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, ACL and meniscal tears, shin splints, rotator cuff tears, plantar fasciitis, iliotibial band syndrome, piriformis syndrome, tennis/golfer’s elbow, sprained/torn muscles, and aging skin. To prepare PRP, a small amount of blood is taken from the patient. The blood is then placed in a centrifuge. The centrifuge spins and automatically produces the PRP. The entire process takes less than 15 minutes and increases the concentration of platelets and growth factors up to 500 percent. When PRP is injected into the damaged area it stimulates the tendon or ligament, causing mild inflammation that

triggers the healing cascade. As a result new collagen begins to develop. As this collagen matures it begins to shrink causing the tightening and strengthening of the tendons or ligaments of the damaged area.

How does PRP Therapy work? To prepare PRP, a small amount of blood is taken from the patient. The blood is then placed in a centrifuge. The centrifuge spins and automatically produces the PRP. The entire process takes less than 15 minutes and increases the concentration of platelets and growth factors up to 500 percent. When PRP is injected into the damaged area it stimulates the tendon or ligament, causing mild inflammation that triggers the healing cascade. As a result new collagen begins to develop. As this collagen matures it begins to shrink causing the tightening and strengthening of the tendons or ligaments of the damaged area. The initial consultation with the doctor will determine if PRP/PPP therapy is right for you.

RADIOFREQUENCY: A Revolutionary Modality in the Treatment of Painful Conditions and in Body Regeneration & Rejuvenation Surgery should be the last resort. Most painful conditions are treated conservatively with a nonsurgical approach. In addition to medications, physical modalities (ultrasound, TENS, massage, exercise) and injection techniques RADIOFREQUENCY is a revolutionary technology which incapacitates the conduction of pain and also treats cellulite, tightens the subcutaneous tissue and erases scars and wrinkles. Traditionally, therapeutic injections have involved injecting an anti-inflammatory agent, usually corticosteroids. Good news: not necessarily anymore! Radiofrequency ablation of the median branch sensory nerve “turns off” a small nerve which conducts pain. It is used for effective treatment of pain with long lasting results. The outcomes are amazing: years of pain relief, lowering or

eliminating the need for pain medications.

Aesthetic Medicine If you have complaints about thin, wrinkled skin, hyper pigmentation (skin discoloration or blotchy patches), circles under the eyes, hanging skin, lax skin, grooves or deep nasolabial folds, crow feet around eyes and lips, thinning hair, cellulite, fatty issue accumulation around the chin, buttocks, waist, thighs and body and face asymmetry, face and body, acne scars, keloidal scars, we can help. Her aesthetic medicine treatment options include treatment for the reduction of cellulite, fatty tissue, and skin tightening of the face, neck, abdomen, buttocks, hips and thighs. This treatment is achieved through a non-surgical liposuction and body sculpting procedure using the same radio frequency energy, but different instruments as mentioned previously. If you have been suffering from pain and want to improve your quality of life, please consider treatment by Dr. Gribbin who specializes in the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of painful conditions, regenerative medicine, medical weight loss and the newest aesthetic medicine techniques of rejuvenation and anti-aging medicine, without dangerous medications or surgery.

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS WHILE HELPING CONSUMERS GO CLEAN AND GREEN

Advertise in Natural Awakenings’ April

Green Living Edition

Conscientious consumers are seeking Earth-friendly providers like: • Eco-Friendly Cleaners • Organic Bedding Stores • Eco-Interior Designers • Recycling Services • Electric Vehicle Dealers • Solar Panel Providers • Energy-Efficient Lighting • Sustainability Landscapers • Energy-Saving Equipment • Water Purification • Green Builders • Wood Alternative Sources — and many more leading suppliers and providers