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It’s All Healthy Using Gadgets Holiday Baking About We! for Good Easy and Delicious Treats
Co-Creating a Brighter Future
How to Boost Family Connections
December 2012 | Las Vegas Edition | NaturalAwakeningsLV.com
OWN A BUSINESS THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE LAS VEGAS – HENDERSON
NATURAL AWAKENINGS MAGAZINE IS FOR SALE Great opportunity to own one of Clark County’s most exciting businesses. Natural Awakenings Healthy Living/Healthy Planet free monthly magazine targets the dramatically expanding marketplace of goods and services focused on natural health, fitness, the environment, personal growth, creative expression and green/sustainable living.
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One to A
by Nan
contents 10
5 newsbriefs
1 1 globalbriefs
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.
12 ecotip
12 GREEN CHRISTMAS
9 healthbriefs
13 ecospotlight
Holiday Planet Savers
1 4 holidaygiftguide
13 Keeping the
20 healthykids
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24 healingways
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26 wisewords 27 calendar 29 classifieds 30 resourceguide
advertising advertising &submissions submissions & how how to to advertise advertise To To advertise advertise with with Natural Natural Awakenings Awakenings or or request request aa media media kit, kit, please please contact contact us us at at 201-564-7476 702-483-3255 or or email email Publisher@NanorthNJ.com Publisher@NA-LV.com. . Deadline Deadline for for ads: ads: the the 10th 10th of of the the month. month. Editorial Editorial submissions submissions Email Email articles, articles, news news items items and and ideas ideas to: online at: Editorial@NAnorthnj.com. NaturalAwakeningsLV.com or email to: Deadline Editor@NA-LV.com. for editorial: the 10th of the month. Deadline for editorial: the 10th of the month. calendar submissions Email calendar Calendar submissions Events to: Calendar@Nanorthnj.com. Deadline Submit Calendar for calendar: Events theonline 10th of at:the month. NaturalAwakeningsLV.com. regional Deadline formarkets calendar: the 10th of the month. Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural regional Awakenings markets Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised Advertise your family products of locally orowned services magazines in multiple serving markets! communities Natural Awakenings since 1994. Publishing To place Corp. yourisad a growing in other markets franchised callfamily 239-449-8309. of locally owned For franchising magazines opportunities serving call communities 239-530-1377 sinceor1994. visit To NaturalAwakeningsMag.com. 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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World Green, One Hotel at a Time
by Nancy Somera
16 IT’S ALL ABOUT WE
Conscious Evolution: Why We’re Better Together
by Linda Sechrist
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20 MINDFUL HOLIDAY TRADITIONS
Simple Ways to Add Meaning and Family-Centered Fun by Barbara Amrhein
22 HEALTHY HOLIDAY BAKING A Cornucopia of
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Delicious Treats
24 UNEXPECTED UPSIDE Media Gadgets Can Boost Family Connections
by Lisa Marshall
26 HOW UNCONDITIONAL LOVE HARMONIZES OUR WORLD
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Marci Shimoff Explores its Transformative Power by Judith Fertig
www.NANorthNJ.com NA-LV.com natural awakenings December 2012
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letterfrompublisher
contact us
contact us publishers Mary Ruetten Nancy Somera
managing editor Nancy Somera editor Martin Miron marketing/Advertising Tina Moden design & production Michele Rose Helene Leininger Chelsea * Rose National Franchise sales John Voell 239-530-1377 Natural Awakenings Las Vegas 80 Corporate Park Drive Henderson, NV 89074 PH: 702-483-3255 Publisher@NA-LV.com NaturalAwakeningsLV.com © 2012 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.
SUBSCRIPTIoNS Free subscriptions are available for our digital edition by signing up for email list at: NaturalAwakeningsLV.com
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In many kitchens this time of year, cookbooks are dusted off, recipe boxes opened and once-a-year treats and meals are lovingly prepared. We want to share a recipe created by some folks we met at a recent local charity event. The ingredients comprise 3,200 turkeys, 160 gallons of gravy, 4,000 pounds of stuffing, 5,000 pounds of mashed potaPublishers Mary Ruetten (left) toes, 8,600 pounds of vegetables and 1,800 pies. and Nancy Somera Several community members came together and prepared this large-scale meal to feed hungry, homeless and lonely people near downtown Las Vegas. There was plenty of food to go around, and the unselfish kindness of a few benefitted many. As the organizers reflected upon the magnitude of their efforts, one staff member expressed, “We just planned for one meal and then repeated it 3,200 times.” This month’s theme of Awakening Humanity features the story, “It’s All About We: Conscious Evolution: Why We’re Better Together.” We can accomplish anything as a community, a nation and a world when we have our neighbors’ best interest at heart. The “Me to We” movement has been spreading, and we recently witnessed examples of this in the wake of superstorm Sandy. Natural Awakenings is a family of nearly 90 publishers, turning out magazines for local communities all across the country. While here in Las Vegas we were grateful to be following the storm from afar, several of our publishing family members were directly in the path of the storm and experienced devastating loss and damage. Kelly Martinsen, publisher of the Long Island edition and a resident of Long Beach, New York, lost much personally, but joined the corps of volunteers that is helping families and businesses dig out of the ruins of their once-beautiful beach town. In turn, her magazine’s advertisers and neighboring publishers reached out to share office space and homes and give other heartfelt help to keep her own business afloat. “While I have lost much, I feel blessed to have lived through this event,” says Martinsen. “I was able to experience the wonderful nature of people helping people in the days after the storm.” Tina Woods, publisher of Natural Awakenings’ New York City edition, changed the role of her delivery truck from distributing magazines to carrying food to residents and volunteers assisting Gerritsen Beach neighborhoods, in Brooklyn. She also participated in recovery work along the Jersey Shore and collaborated with her advertisers to raise $1,000 for relief efforts. Woods observes, “In times like this, you know what it means to truly be local and look to the people immediately next to you to get by.” While we may not be victims of a storm, we have our own recovery efforts going on here in our community. Let’s work together to help one another. Donate unused cans in your cupboard to a local food drive. Drop a gently worn sweatshirt into a donation bin to help someone stay warm. Give your time to a local senior center. We can work together to fight hunger and feed our community, clothe the homeless and lessen loneliness this holiday season. Come together this month to make a difference, for no other reason than it’s just more fun to work together! Happy Holidays!
Natural Awakenings of Las Vegas practices environmental sustainability by using post-consumer recycled paper and soy-based ink on uncoated stock, avoiding the toxic chemicals and huge energy costs of producing shiny, coated paper that is harder to recycle. For more about why we look the way we do, visit NaturalAwakeningsLV.com.
newsbriefs Change Your Diet, Change Your Life
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free workshop to learn more about the mission of Jordan S. Rubin and his Beyond Organic message, which leads to making positive changes in body, mind and spirit, will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., December 15, at the Rainbow Library. It is becoming more difficult to define what healthy food really is, so consumers look to USDA Organic as the ultimate standard to define not only foods and beverages, but a healthy lifestyle, too. The workshop will cover topics in nutrition, hydration and skincare, and participants will have an opportunity to sample and purchase Beyond Organic foods and beverages at special prices. The workshop is limited to 125 participants and a reservation is required to secure a seat and sampling opportunity. Location: 3150 North Buffalo, Las Vegas. To RSVP, call 702-740-2424, email LiveHealthyNV@gmail.com or visit LiveHealthyNV.MyBeyondOrganic.com.
Celebrate Anniversary with Free Yoga
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ody Heat Hot Pilates & Yoga will host a special event, Art in the Shade, from 3 to 5:30 p.m., December 1, at Mike Tyson’s former mansion, to benefit The Shade Tree. Tickets are $50. Then yoga-lovers can help celebrate their first anniversary January 9 with complimentary classes all day at their beautiful spa-like, boutique hot Pilates and yoga studio. The celebration will culminate with a hosted party of passed hors d’oeuvres and wine and the launch of a new Detox/Retox class that includes live music. New students wishing to take complimentary classes before the anniversary celebration can receive one week free by printing a coupon at BodyHeatYoga.com. Location: 8876 S. Eastern Ave. Ste 106, Las Vegas. For more information call 702432-0028 or visit BodyHeatYoga.com. See ad, page 13.
Tele-Class Energizes the Inner Self for 2013
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he holidays are often a time of reflection, so The Achievement Sanctuary is offering The Soul Inspired Tune-up, Mercedes a series of teleWarrick classes at 5 p.m. each Wednesday through December 26. Weekly telephone calls provide stimulation, renewal and rejuvenation of spiritual practices, as well as living practices in preparation for the New Year. Each live class will be recorded, so that participants may listen to the inspiring messages any time until January 3, 2013. Led by speaker, author and leadership consultant Mercedes Warrick, listeners pay what they can afford or are willing to invest to participate in the sessions. A private password is required to access the calls, so preregistration is required. To register for the classes, call 702-348-8800, email Mercedes@ TheAchievementSanctuary.com, or visit TheSoulInspiredTuneup.com.
natural awakenings December 2012
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newsbriefs Annual WinterFest is Sure to Delight
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he city of Henderson will host the annual WinterFest celebration from December 13 to 15, at the Henderson Events Plaza and Henderson Convention Center. This year’s theme is An OldFashioned Christmas Delight, featuring a variety of family-friendly activities. The celebration begins with the Henderson Symphony performing holiday classics at 7 p.m., December 13, at the Convention Center. The Henderson Christmas tree lighting ceremony and arrival of Santa Claus takes place at 6 p.m., December 14. Families will enjoy old-fashioned Christmas traditions such as horse-drawn carriage rides, strolling carolers, pony rides, storytelling and a charming display of gingerbread houses. The spirit of the season continues at noon, December 15, with performances by local talent on two stages. Festivalgoers can delight in the sights and sounds along the streets, the Festival of Trees, an elaborate Christmas village and shopping at the craft bazaar. WinterFest closes with a spectacular evening light parade at 5 p.m., with marching groups and floats trimmed and decorated for the theme. Location: 200 S. Water St., Henderson, in the Water Street District. Admission is free. For a full schedule of events and additional information, call 702-267-2171 or visit HendersonLive.com.
News to share?
Submit editorial online at NA-LV.com (Deadline: the 10th of the month)
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Hay House You Can Heal Your Life Conference in January
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xperience an empowering day of learning with world-renowned teachers that will share their secrets, experience, personal stories and wisdom at the You Can Heal Your Life Conference on January 12, 2013, at the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino. During this all-day event, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Joe Dispenza, DC, Neha Sangwan and Kris Carr will help attendees regroup, recharge and reconnect with their desires. Topics include Dyer’s lecture on the amazing manifesting powers that everyone possesses and techniques to help gain realignment. Dispenza shares the necessity to break old habits that are no longer useful or productive and create new ones that better support the needs of a 21st-century organization. Sangwan and Carr also share life-changing tools to improve communication styles and discuss the benefits of a plant-based diet, anti-inflammatory lifestyle practices and mindful stress reduction. To register, call 1-800-654-5126 or visit HayHouse.com/events.
Christmas Tree Recycling
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ive our community a gift by recycling this season’s Christmas tree. Springs Preserve and the Christmas Tree Recycling Committee, comprised of local government agencies, nonprofits and businesses, encourage all Las Vegas residents to take their cut trees to one of more than 20 convenient drop sites throughout the valley between December 26 and January 15, 2013. Recycled trees are chipped into valuable organic mulch and used in landscaping projects to help conserve soil moisture and keep plants healthy. The program began diverting discarded trees from landfills in 2001, and last year more than 15,000 trees were recycled in Las Vegas. There is no charge for the service, but people are advised to remove all non-organic objects such as lights, wire, tinsel, ornaments and nails before dropping off trees. Foreign objects can contaminate the mulch and ruin the chipper. Flocked trees cannot be recycled. For more information about the Christmas Tree Recycling Committee, how to get involved and tree drop sites, call 702- 822-7700 or visit SpringsPreserve.org.
kudos The city of Las Vegas Parks and Recreation Department, in cooperation with Cigarette Pollution Solutions, recently launched a pilot cigarette butt collection program in the Las Vegas public parks. Cigarette receptacle boxes, called Butts Only Boxes (B.O.B.), have been installed in several public parks to collect discarded cigarette butts for recycling. Company founder Ken Beck became aware of high levels of nicotine and various toxins from cigarettes that ended up in water systems when he worked in storm water pollution management in California. In April, Beck relocated to Las Vegas to launch a full-fledged educational campaign to keep cigarette litter out of Lake Mead, the source of drinking water for Nevada, Arizona and Southern California. In addition to keeping toxins out of water, material in the collected cigarette filters is processed into recyclable plastic and used to make numerous products, including automobile parts and insulation. The MGM Grand Hotel is the first private company to install a B.O.B., placing one at their taxi stand area, and cab drivers are using cup holder receptacles to collect butts that are later emptied into the B.O.B., keeping butts off the roadways and hotel walkways and out of storm drains. For more information on how to implement a cigarette litter program, call 760-845-5285, email Ken@ButtsOnlyBox.com or visit ButtsOnlyBox.com. natural awakenings December 2012
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Organic Clothing
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nspiration healthbriefs gIVINg BEgETS HAPPINESS AT EVERY AgE
“T
o give is better than to receive,” is a maxim that appears to hold true even for the very young. A new study co-authored by three psychologists at Canada’s University of British Columbia observes that giving makes toddlers happier. The study, published in PLOS One, an online journal of the Public Library of Science, found that toddlers younger than 2 were happier when giving treats to others than when receiving them. They were also happier when they gave their own treats away, rather than an identical treat that didn’t belong to them.
stop wasting Food
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t’s time to step up to the plate—but not waste what’s on it. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) reports that about 40 percent of all food in the United States goes uneaten. Each year, we are throwing away the equivalent of $165 billion in discarded food, making it the single largest component of solid waste in America’s landfills and costing the average family of four between $1,350 and $2,275 annually. About two-thirds of household waste consists of spoiled food that’s not used in time; the rest is caused by people cooking or serving too much food. Learn easy steps to reduce food waste via the NRDC free online fact sheet at Tinyurl.com/StopFoodWaste.
A WISE MAN’S gIFT FoR ARTHRITIS SUFFERERS
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rankincense, an aromatic resin obtained from Boswellia trees native to Africa, is an age-old herbal remedy that may help alleviate the pain of arthritis, according to scientists at Cardiff University, in Wales. “The search for new ways of relieving the symptoms of inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis is a long and difficult one,” says Dr. Emma Blain, who led the research with co-investigators Professor Vic Duance, from Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences, and Dr. Ahmed Ali, of the Compton Group. The team believes they have been able to demonstrate that treatment with an extract of Boswellia frereana—a rare frankincense species—inhibits the production of key inflammatory molecules and helps prevent the breakdown of cartilage tissue that causes the condition. The African Somali people have long used extracts of frankincense as a traditional remedy for arthritis. “Our research achieved the use of innovative chemical extraction techniques to determine the active ingredient in frankincense,” says Ali. “We will now be able to further characterize the chemical entity and compare its success against other anti-inflammatory drugs used for treating the condition.” natural awakenings December 2012
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Don’t Rush to Flush Prevent Abuse, Poisoning, and Pollution!
healthbriefs
One-Size Meditation Does Not Fit All
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Did you know that how we dispose of medication can have a significant impact on the environment? Flushing prescription, over-the-counter, and veterinary medications into the water system can remain in the water cycle even after facility treatment. Do your part to protect our community so that it can be safe and clean for everyone. The Medicine Disposal Program provides drop off boxes at local Police Substations. Disposal is simple, easy and convenient. • First, remove your personal information from the original containers. • Place the containers in a secondary plastic bag. • Bring all your unwanted and expired medication to your local Las Vegas Metro, Henderson, Mesquite or Boulder City police station. • Deposit them in the secure drop box.
For a complete listing of drop box locations and more information visit:
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n intriguing study recently posted online by Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, suggests that new meditators are most likely to stick with the practice and reap its healthful benefits if they select methods with which they are most comfortable, rather than those that are most popular. In one of the first studies to compare meditation techniques head-tohead, author Adam Burke, a professor of health education at San Francisco State University and the director of its Institute for Holistic Health Studies, taught 247 participants four popular methods—mantra, mindfulness, Zen and qigong visualization. He asked them to choose which they preferred to practice at home for six weeks before techniques were evaluated. The simpler methods, mantra and mindfulness, each were preferred by 31 percent of study participants. Zen and qigong were selected by about 22 percent and 15 percent, respectively. Burke says the results showed the value of providing people new to meditation simpler and more accessible methods, and also emphasized that no one technique is best for everyone. He hopes to see more comparative meditation studies, especially to determine if particular methods are better at addressing specific health issues such as addiction. “If that’s the case,” he advises, “healthcare professionals would be able to guide patients toward techniques that will be most effective for them. Additional studies are also needed to determine if there is a way to predict which method will be best suited for any particular individual.”
Pitfalls of No-Fat Salad Dressings
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or those thinking about balancing a rich holiday meal by choosing a low- or no-fat salad dressing, consider this: To get the most nutrients from leafy greens and vegetables, we need to pair them with a healthy fat. A recent Purdue University study showed that the more “good” fat there was in a salad, the more carotenoids diners absorbed. The researchers found that vegetable oils rich in monounsaturated fats like olive oil, or polyunsaturated fats like sunflower oil, help the body absorb essential carotenoids and other nutrients and increase their bioavailability in the intestines. The study also found that eating bread with butter with a salad was also beneficial, although to a lesser extent.
globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.
Leaf Relief
Urban Trees Act as Crime-Stoppers The city of Baltimore’s high crime rate inspired a gritty TV drama. But a new study (Tinyurl.com/TreeCrimeReport) by the University of Vermont’s Transportation Research Center, in Burlington, found that a 10 percent increase in trees in a given area led to a 12 percent decrease in crime. “It’s really pretty striking how strong this relationship is,” says Austin Troy, lead author of the study, published in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning. Researchers examined the correlation in and around Baltimore using aggregated crime data and combining it with high-resolution satellite images to conduct the analysis. The working hypothesis is that because people enjoy spending time in pleasant outdoor spaces, there are more observers present to hinder criminal activity. Also, a well-maintained landscape seems to send a message that someone may be watching. To avoid culture bias, the study considered many socioeconomic factors, including housing, age, income and race of residents, as well as variables such as rural versus city setting and population density. The findings should prove helpful to urban planners.
Coming Clean
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Environmental Hall of Shame From shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste to laundry detergent and window cleaners, hundreds of chemicals of unknown origin and effect can be found everywhere in our daily lives. Some are regulated by government agencies, but many are not; some cleaning products, for example, are not even required to list their ingredients on labels. The research team at the nonprofit consumer watchdog Environmental Working Group has released a new Cleaners Hall of Shame database (Tinyurl.com/CleanerHallOfShame) that ranks more than 2,000 household cleaners by how hazardous their ingredients are and how much information is on their labels. Many products contain ingredients known to cause asthma or are contaminated with carcinogens. Even so-called “green” products aren’t necessarily any better. Many of them boast of ingredients made from plants, rather than petroleum, but there is little or no safety data for some plant-based ingredients. A truly green product poses few risks to health or the environment and transparently informs users of its content.
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ecotip Green Christmas Holiday Planet Savers
Here are some fresh ways to tweak family traditions for a greener holiday this and every year. Incorporate local, sustainable cuisine into the family feast. Ingredients for a traditional holiday dinner can travel up to 30,000 miles. Instead, show support for local community farmers and reduce food transportation miles by choosing a heritage turkey or meatless entrÊe. Stellar complements may include organic cranberry jelly, mulled apple cider or wine from an area farm, orchard or vineyard. Adopt or recycle the Christmas tree. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as many as 33 million live-cut Christmas trees are purchased each year in North America, and most end up in landfills. Fortunately, Christmas tree adoption services like Central California’s Rent a Living Christmas Tree are popping up across the country, allowing them to go on living. The potted trees can be rented and delivered. If tree adoption services are not yet available locally, make sure to recycle a live holiday tree so it’s turned into landscape mulch for reuse as ground cover to hinder weeds and nourish plantings. Reduce energy costs through efficient cooking. Wait to fire up the oven until the heritage turkey or organic ham is ready to go in; preheating is unnecessary for these slow-roasting items. For baked goods, opt for glass or ceramic pans, which allow cooking time to remain the same while lowering the heat by about 25 degrees. Another energy-saving trick is to place stovetop cookware on the smallest burner possible; more heat will embrace the pan, while less is lost to the surrounding air. A six-inch pan on an eight-inch burner typically wastes more than 40 percent of the energy generated. Crockpots work well for serving other small family dinners during the busy holiday season or anytime; an entire meal requires about 17 cents worth of electricity. At cleanup time, load up the dishwasher fully. One load of dishes scrubbed in a dishwashing machine uses 37 percent less water than washing the same dishes by hand. Send plant-able holiday cards. According to CalRecycle, an estimated 2.6 billion holiday cards are sold each year in the United States, enough to fill a football field 10 stories high. This year, instead of the usual snail mail, send a bouquet of flowers for the price of a stamp. Recipients can plant a GreenFieldPaper.com grow-a-note holiday card in the ground and see wildflowers bloom. For plant-able holiday cards that can be personalized with a corporate logo, BotanicalPaperworks.com offers card sets and party favors. 12
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ecospotlight
Keeping the World green, one Hotel at a Time by Nancy somera
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hat happens to barely used bars of soap and half-empty bottles of shampoo and body wash in hotels? This is what Shawn Seipler and Paul Till, founders of Clean The World Foundation Inc., wondered one day in 2008 while sitting in a hotel room. Compelled to find answers, they learned that housekeeping disposed of the leftover amenities in the trash and thousands of tiny plastic bottles ultimately ended up in a landfill somewhere. Their accurate assumption that all hotels followed this disposal practice led them to the big idea to find a way to recycle these items, especially after discovering that hand washing with soap significantly reduces the impact of two fatal diseases: acute respiratory infection and diarrheal disease, the top two killers worldwide of children under 5. So, in February 2009, the nonprofit Clean The World began out of a garage in Orlando, Florida, where soaps
were hand-scraped, sanitized and molded into new bars of soap. Since then, 1,600 hotels have joined the program, and through partnerships with nongovernmental organizations, Clean The World has distributed donations all over the world. With the assistance of grant money from the Caesar’s Foundation, a western recycling center opened in Las Vegas in February, where all participating U.S. hotels west of Texas now ship their unused bottles and soaps. A third center is located in Toronto, Canada. Western Regional Director Debi Kinney explains that the turn-key program is easy to implement and operate. Hotels pay a nominal fee each month to cover shipping costs for collection bins to be delivered and for the recycled amenities to be sent to the nearest recycling center. Clean The World sends quarterly impact statements to each hotel, detailing the number of bottles and pounds of soap collected by house-
keeping staff. These statistics are also expressed as plastic bottles saved from landfills and the number of children that are able to practice proper hygiene for a month. “It’s these numbers that incentivize hotel employees to participate in the program,” Kinney says. While the Orlando center has upgraded to machinery that automates much of the recycling process, the Las Vegas center still does most of the work by hand, relying on volunteers to sort bottles, assemble hygiene kits and assist in other ways. With 15 percent of its collections coming from busy Las Vegas hotels, help is always needed. The Orlando Clean the World center is working with relief organizations to provide hygiene kits for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Here in Las Vegas, assembled hygiene kits are often given to the Las Vegas Teacher EXCHANGE, a Public Education Foundation program that provides thousands of Clark County teachers with reusable, recycled and gently used materials, supplies and equipment. The hygiene kits are given to students in need. The 1,600 participating hotels comprise only 10 to 15 percent of the hotel industry in North America. Clean The World wants to see that percentage go up, and gain international hospitality partners, too. With a business model that serves people in need and promotes sustainable practices, it’s only a matter of time. For more information or to volunteer, visit CleanTheWorld.org.
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holidaygiftguide Gifts That Count
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s we approach the holidays, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with pressure to give presents. An idea that should strengthen relationships and foster wellbeing, gift-giving too often becomes a source of stress and anxiety, not to mention unnecessary
Enchanted Forest Reiki 800 N Rainbow, Ste 140, LV 89107 Call 702-948-4999
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items with the potential for cluttering instead of clarifying our lives. This holiday season, give meaningful gifts of health, well-being and sustainability, and be remembered by the people that mean the most to you.
Come enjoy the benefits of a Reiki treatment, reduce any tension or anxiety you may have, while promoting healing of the body on a physical mental and emotional level. We also offer, Craniosacral, Shamanic, Akashic, EFT and many other holistic healing methods. Visit our website at enchantedforestreiki.com.
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It’s All About We Conscious Evolution: Why We’re Better Together by Linda Sechrist
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fter decades of studying issues of environmental destruction, poverty and war, Malcolm Hollick, Ph.D., author of The Science of Oneness: A New Worldview for the Twenty-First Century, concluded in 2006 that a better future for humanity requires a more holistic worldview. It must be one that reflects the evidence of both new sciences and established spiritual traditions, all of which point to a deep unity, or Oneness, the grand reality underlying and often belying the superficial testimony of the senses. Hollick concluded, “We become open to the experience of this unity only when we recognize at the deepest intuitive level that we do not exist as separate selves.” The founder of the Findhorn College Foundation, in Scotland, recognized that while the old worldview has disintegrated, the
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concrete of a new one has not yet set. He also observed how the acceleration of scientific findings—advancing knowledge and understanding of the universe, as well as the meaning and purpose of life—would continue to influence the general worldview. Within a decade of the publication of his book, hard scientific evidence across many disciplines—particularly physics and biology—as well as pioneering ideas and anecdotal evidence presented by leading philosophers and authors, affirmed the existence of a reality in which everything is connected and linked in a coherent whole. Such thinking further revealed that evolution has equipped humans with genetic wiring for co-creation, cooperation and collaboration. Martin A. Nowak, a professor of biology and mathematics at Harvard University
and co-author of Super Cooperators: Altruism, Evolution, and Why We Need Each Other to Succeed, explains that most great innovations of life have resulted not from competition, but cooperation, the real “master architect” of evolution. Nowak believes that figuring out how cooperation comes about and breaks down is the key to human survival as a species. Books such as The Bond: Connecting Through the Space Between Us, by Lynne McTaggart, a scientific researcher and award-winning journalist, and The Golden Motorcycle Gang: A Story of Transformation, co-authored by motivational speaker Jack Canfield, are helping individuals to see through the illusions of the old “survival of the fittest” and “I win, you lose” paradigms into one expressed in terms of connectedness and relationships. This new “Me-We” thinking and way of being has been spreading; it now informs everything from enlightened environmental stewardship to economics, as well as health and spiritual well-being.
How Community Works Canfield emphasizes the valuable lesson of collaboration and cooperation he learned while working for W. Clem-
ent Stone, a philanthropist and self-help author: When working together, focus on overlapping goals and interests, and not on differences. In Chicago, Illinois, where the Eat Fresh Eat Local movement sparks successful collaborations, the focus is on food, rather than issues of race, sex or economic disparity. There, hundreds of people are growing food together in communal spaces on city-owned land, privately owned empty lots and rooftops, as well as in school gardens, food forests and urban farm sites. “Self-reliant, community-operated urban farms and the food centers that retail the produce to residents in surrounding neighborhoods—some in the city’s most isolated and impoverished communities—are economic drivers that create jobs,” says Erika Allen, projects manager of Chicago’s Growing Power office. The daughter of national organization founder Will Allen notes that local workshops resemble a cross-section of the world. “Participants from different countries, cultures and economic levels come together for three meals a day, where we connect, share perspectives and learn from one another.” Another successful initiative, Building a Healthier Chicago (BHC), brings together the Chicago Department of Public Health, the Office of the Regional Health Administrator of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Chicago Medical Society and the Institute of Medicine of Chicago. The BHC agribusiness project develops and maintains a system of more accessible food supply, distribution and markets where people live, work, play, pray and learn. Neighbors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, organized park cleanups with the long-range goal of replacing crime and litter with learning. Now, Riverside Park, once an area of urban blight, has both a college-level field research station and grade school outdoor classroom, offering innovative school, adult
“The transformation of our society, world and universe starts and ends with the transformation of ourselves… and in this way to co-create with others and Spirit a person, a community, a civilization, a planet and a cosmos that are whole and harmonious.” ~ Malcolm Hollick and community programs operated by the Urban Ecology Center (UEC). Programs serve 44 schools and have spawned two branches in Washington Park and Menomonee Valley to serve residents in those areas. The UEC’s latest project, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Milwaukee, the River Revitalization Foundation, Milwaukee County Parks,
private businesses and local landowners, is an arboretum that will protect and restore 40 acres of land for native species and wildlife habitat along the Milwaukee River. “With the creation of the Milwaukee Rotary Centennial Arboretum, southeastern Wisconsin has a new, biologically diverse space for growing future environmental stewards,” says UEC Executive Director Ken Leinbach. He particularly likes creating spaces and resources that give people that wouldn’t normally connect a place to bump into one another.
Expanding Worldview College settings are similarly intended to encourage stimulating and expansive dialogue among diverse populations. At Mount Holyoke College, in South Hadley, Massachusetts, recent environmental study grads Dana Rubin and Hannah Blackmer met Frances Moore Lappé when she visited to share the message of her book EcoMind: Changing the Way We Think, to Create the World We Want. As a result, the pair embraced the need to shift their view of the world away from looming negatives to focus on creating positive connec-
“We’re one humanity and we’re all in this together.” ~ Jack Canfield natural awakenings December 2012
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tions and meaningful relationships that recognize life’s interdependence and fuel constructive change. After more research, the duo built a simple website named Convenient Resilience.com and created a blog before commencing a coast-to-coast, 100-day, solutions-oriented journey last summer. They posted nearly 30 “webisodes” of heartfelt interactions with in-
The global Birth Day of a New Humanity December 22, 2012 – Birth2012.com Join the Conscious Evolution ArtOfHosting.org BarbaraMarxHubbard.com ConvenientResilience.com GrowingPower.org NewMomentumfhu.org SmallPlanet.org TheShiftNetwork.com TheWorldCafe.com VistarFoundation.org
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dividuals and organizations with stories to tell, like the group at 2100 Lakeside Emergency Men’s Shelter, in Cleveland, Ohio, that is using small-scale, practical and cost-effective solutions to lessen their impact on the environment. “The personal stories we heard affirm what we learned from Frances—that it’s possible to locally solve global problems together,” advise the sojourners, who travel in a grease-powered car. “Learn to think beyond negative thought traps that engender fear,” advises Lappé. “Thinking, ‘There isn’t enough to go around, so I have to grab what I can now,’ for instance, focuses on separateness and lack, which is precisely what got us into the state we are in.”
Starting Within A big-picture, more-whole-systems perspective forms naturally when individuals come together to explore the power of building intentional coherence. The Art of Hosting (and convening conversations that matter), World Café, Vistar Method for Circles and OpenSpace collaborations leverage technology for the practice of mindfulness to foster deeper connections, authentic conversations and outside-the-box ideas, all contributing to a more enlightened collective intelligence. One’s own new world perspective can even emerge as a result of a dark night of the soul, as Patricia Ariadne, Ph.D., author of Drinking the Dragon,
“My experience has convinced me that fixing the many problems that beset us requires nothing less than ripping up our rulebook and starting afresh, based on something other than every man for himself.” ~ Lynne McTaggart has observed with clients that have undergone a personal metamorphosis as a result of the economic downturn. “Often, the entire process of transformation indicates a spiritual initiation— a renewal or rebirth—that acts as an induction into a level of expanded consciousness and new relationship with Spirit,” remarks Ariadne. “True spiritual progress inevitably leads to a desire to be of greater service to others, to go from ‘Me to We,’ which I believe is our mandate for the 21st century.” Living mindfully can literally change our brains, states Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., in the introduction to A Mindful Nation, by Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan, which reports on the supporting science. “Mindfulness… can improve our capacity for perspective taking and decision making, and enhance our emotional intelligence and our ability to
act with clarity and wisdom, alone and in concert with others.” Kabat-Zinn is the founding director of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society, at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, in Worcester. “A peaceful revolution is being led by ordinary citizens across our nation,” confirms Ryan. “At the core of it is mindfulness—finding ways to slow the mind, pay attention to the present moment and see how you are connected to others and can work in a spirit of cooperation to get things done.” The inner impulse to recognize the deeper unity of all life and sense the reality of Oneness is bubbling up within individuals, small groups and organizations, and finding expression in writings and teachings, according to Barbara Marx Hubbard, author of Birth 2012 and Beyond: Humanity’s Great Shift to the Age of Conscious Evolution. Individuals that feel compelled to join with others in expanding their consciousness to help foster systemic change and a culture of a higher order are invited to find a compatible group. Hubbard offers webcast training for Agents of Conscious Evolution (ACE), now 3,000 members strong; Craig Hamilton, founder of Integral Enlightenment, provides an online telecourse called Awakening to an Evolutionary Relationship to Life. “Evolutionaries sense that we are facing a critical moment in the unfolding of our human story and feel called to create pathways to a better future,” says Hamilton. He notes that the 35,000 participants in his most recent introduction to his webcast were interested in where they could find a supportive community of kindred spirits committed to living life on the same level. He states, “We instinctively know that we can accomplish more together.” A partnership with The Shift
“We are facing a critical moment in the unfolding of our human story, and feel called to create pathways to a better future.” ~ Craig Hamilton
Network, which empowers a global movement of those intent on creating an evolutionary shift in consciousness, has enabled Hubbard, a featured sage in the documentary Awaken Soul to Soul, and her ACEs to launch a global initiative to mark the inauguration of a sustainable planetary civilization on December 22. Thousands of individuals are now working in collective hubs across the United States to prepare for the Planetary Birth Day celebration. An initial concern for many individuals seeking to experience Oneness is, “What happens to my identity?” Christopher M. Bache, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the department of philosophy and religious studies at Youngstown State University, in Ohio, reassures us that within the matrix of connectivity, individuality is not suffocated, but paradoxically liberated into deeper forms of self-expression. “While opening to the collective fields that surround us melts the boundaries of the private ego, bringing about the ‘death of self’ noted in spiritual literature, as the ego dies, a deeper form of individuality is born—not an isolated individuality, but one that thrives in subtle give-and-take,” explains the author of The Living Classroom: Teaching and Collective Consciousness. While the idea of a future in which American and other cultures reflect oneness can seem distant and idealistic, it is already present in South Africa’s Xhosa community in the form of Ubuntu, a worldview which means, “I am what I am because of who we all are.” According to South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, Ubuntu iterates the essence of being human and speaks to the fact that it’s impossible to exist as human beings in isolation. We are people through other people. “We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected, and what you do affects the whole world,” he observes. “When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.” Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. For more information and in-depth interviews on It’s All About We, visit ItsAllAboutWe.com.
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healthykids
Mindful Holiday Traditions Simple Ways to Add Meaning and Family-Centered Fun by Barbara Amrhein
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oo many winter holidays whiz by in a blur of presents, parties and rich foods, muting the season’s true messages of love, hope and peace. By slowing down and refocusing on what makes this time of year so special, we can help our children—and ourselves—create fresh, meaningful traditions and experience genuine joy. “If the spirit of the season at your home is more ‘Gimme, take me, buy me,’ instead of ‘Deck the halls,’ don’t despair,” advises internationally renowned educator and child expert Michele Borba, Ph.D., author of The Big
Book of Parenting Solutions:101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries. “There are more subtle ways to encourage your kids to appreciate the greatest gifts of the holiday season. The simplest way is to focus on gifts of the heart and letting your kids be participants, not just recipients.” Try these tips for helping youngsters co-create traditions that celebrate family, friends, sharing with others and the holidays’ festive delights. Emphasize experiences, not things. Presents can never take the place of presence. Years from now,
children will rarely recall what they unwrapped, but will remember special times spent together as a family. Take a nature walk to collect pinecones and other seasonal items for holiday décor. Designate a Family Night and let the kids choose the activity, like seeing a movie or a holiday performance such
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as The Nutcracker, playing a favorite board game or building a gingerbread house. At dinner, ask youngsters to relate their favorite holiday memories, and then build upon their responses to plan this year’s celebrations. Treat cards as treasured gifts. Gather the family ‘round when opening cards from others, catching up on their news and recalling funny or enjoyable shared moments. Skype calls and videos offer pleasurable immediacy while mailed cards become an appreciated, permanent memento. Encourage children to create handmade or personalized cards for grandparents and other relatives, enclosing photos or drawings and a short note describing the reasons that person means so much to them. Hand deliver other cards to neighbors, accompanied by a plate of homemade, healthy treats. Children can also send cards to military personnel overseas via a Red Cross program at Tinyurl.com/HolidayHeroMail. Practice creative giving. Adopt a less fortunate family or child for the holidays (local churches or social service agencies can provide information) and ask youngsters to be “Santa’s little helpers” by picking out and thoughtfully wrapping books, toys and other gifts. Help children research good causes and earmark a small amount of money for them to gift to the cause of their choice, such as an animal shelter or other local nonprofit. Honor the gift of time, as well: Youngsters that spend a few hours helping out at a food pantry, caroling at a nursing home or wrapping gifts for Toys for Tots will experience and remember the true joy of giving. Nurture a sense of the spiritual. Worship services aren’t the only venue for sharing family values and beliefs with children. On the night of the Winter Solstice, December 21—the shortest day and longest night of the year—enjoy dinner by candlelight. Afterwards, stargaze in the backyard and make some holiday wishes. On another evening, turn off all the lights except the Christmas tree, menorah or other special candles and talk quietly about your blessings. Listening to a CD of carols from around the world reinforces a spirit of unity and invites lively discussions about how other cultures observe their holidays. Celebrate the season’s sights, sounds and fun. Ask children to help choose a tree and make or buy an ornament with special meaning for them. Then join in an informal decorating party with holiday tunes (kids get to choose some favorites), cocoa and cookies. Set aside an evening to walk or drive around the neighborhood to admire holiday lights and displays. Those in northern climes can build a family snowman, forge a “snow angel” chain in the yard or go sledding at an area park. As a fun twist on traditional caroling, grab some kazoos and go humming with the kids and their friends. To capture these great holiday moments, ask each child to take turns as the official family photographer. Borba believes these types of shared experiences help children understand the true meaning of the season and bring back the heartfelt joy it represents. “In the end,” she advises, “remember that the holidays are really meant to be about love, togetherness and wonderful memories.” Barbara Amrhein is a freelance writer and editor for Natural Awakenings. natural awakenings December 2012
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consciouseating
HEALTHY HOLIDAY BAKING
A Cornucopia of Delicious Treats
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here’s nothing so comforting as the scent and taste of homebaked treats. To fill a home with cheer, try these delectably healthy recipes. Some are gluten- or dairy-free, others pack less butter and sweeteners (thus fewer calories) than their typical counterparts, and a few are vegan (containing no animal products, including honey). All are perfect for holiday celebrations, hostess gifts or exchanges. More recipes can be found at Natural AwakeningsLV.com.
Gluten-Free Apricot Scones
These scones freeze well and taste even better the next day, warmed for 30 seconds in a microwave. Serve with apricot jam or honey. Yields 8 servings (342 calories per serving) 11/2 cups brown rice flour 1 /2 cup tapioca flour 1 /3 cup potato starch 21/2 tsp baking powder 21/2 tsp xanthan gum 1 /4 cup natural cane sugar 1 /2 tsp salt 1 /2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cubed 5 eggs (divided) 1 /2 cup plus 1-2 Tbsp plain low-fat yogurt 3 /4 cups dried apricots, finely chopped 1 /2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp almond extract 1 Tbsp water 1 /4 cup turbinado sugar 22
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photos by Stephen Blancett
Preheat oven to 350° F. Sift together first 7 ingredients (brown rice flour through salt). Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, yogurt, apricots and extracts. Add to flour-butter mixture. Mix until just combined. Dust work surface with brown rice flour. Turn out scone mixture and pat into a nine-by-nine-inch square. Cut scones into desired shape or use a biscuit cutter. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Whisk remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water; brush mixture over scones. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden.
Apple-Walnut Coffee Cake
Here’s a favorite yummy treat for festive brunches. Guests and family will never guess that this decadent indulgence contains much less butter and sugar than a typical coffee cake. Yields 16 servings (239 calories per serving) /4 cup light brown sugar 2 tsp ground cinnamon 2¼ cups whole-wheat pastry flour (divided) 1 /4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter 1
/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature 1 cup maple sugar 2 eggs 1 /4 cup plus 1 Tbsp low-fat buttermilk (1 percent) 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp baking soda 1 /2 tsp salt 2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced 1 /2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted 1
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Butter pan sides and top of parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, cinnamon and ¼ cup flour. Cut in ¼ cup cold butter until mixture becomes crumbly and resembles a streusel topping. Refrigerate until ready to use. In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream together ½ cup room-temperature butter and maple sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Beat in buttermilk and vanilla. Sift remaining 2 cups flour, baking soda and salt into egg-butter mixture. Mix until just combined. Fold in apples and walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool before releasing from pan.
Vegan Trail-Mix Cookies
350° F. Mix together flours, carrot, coconut, sugar, oats, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together water, oil and vanilla. Add wet mixture to dry. Mix to combine. Fold in chocolate chips, pecans and cherries.
Yields 36 servings (135 calories per serving)
Scoop batter by 2 tablespoons each onto a baking sheet, pushing in any stray pieces. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool for 2 minutes and then remove to a rack to cool completely.
These crunchy-chewy cookies are perfect for snowshoe hikes or crosscountry ski trips.
/4 cup all-purpose flour /4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour 1 cup carrot, shredded 11/2 cups unsweetened coconut, shredded 11/2 cups natural cane sugar 11/2 cups rolled oats 1 tsp baking powder 1 /2 tsp salt 1 /2 cup water 1 /2 cup canola oil 1 Tbsp vanilla extract 1 cup grain-sweetened chocolate chips 1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted 1 cup cherries, dried 3 3
Preheat oven to
Vegan Pumpkin Spice Muffins
These lightly sweetened, butter-free muffins evoke the scents and tastes of the holidays. With fewer carbs and calories than regular sugar, the concentrated fruit-juice reduction also adds moistness; look for all-natural options, such as Wax Orchards’ Fruit Sweet. Yields 16 servings (145 calories per serving) 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda 1 /2 tsp salt 1 /2 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 /2 tsp ground ginger 1 /2 tsp ground allspice 1 cup pumpkin purée 2 /3 cup fruit-juice reduction (or light agave nectar) 1 /2 cup canola oil 1 /4 cup coconut milk 1 /2 cup unsweetened coconut, shredded 1 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted 3 /4 cup dried cranberries Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups. Sift together flours, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin purée, fruit-juice reduction or agave, oil and coconut milk. Stir wet mixture into dry until just incorporated (do not overmix). Fold in coconut, walnuts and dried cranberries. Divide batter evenly among muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
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healingways
Unexpected Upside Media Gadgets Can Boost Family Connections by Lisa Marshall
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itness a gadget-obsessed family at the dinner table and it is easy to conclude that technology is fracturing family life: Mom’s emailing her boss; Dad’s watching a YouTube video on his tablet; sister’s texting her boyfriend; and little brother is playing Angry Birds on his smart phone. No one is talking with each other. But dysfunctional dinner habits aside, it appears cell and Internet technologies haven’t turned out to be as harmful as once predicted. “When we started this research, the dominant thought was that Internet technology would make us lonely, socially isolated and threaten our family lives,” says Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. “We have been asking people about this now for 12 years in our surveys and the dominant answer is ‘Actually, we feel more connected with our families than we did before.’” Web-conferencing systems like
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Skype have enabled family members across the globe to chat for free and also see each other. Social networking sites like Facebook have enabled previously out-of-touch siblings to share photos and revive contact. According to Pew studies since 2008, cell phones have led married couples to talk more during the day and parents to maintain more open lines of communication with their kids. “There always seems to be anxiety in raising a teen, and now a lot of that can be alleviated,” says Larry Rosen, Ph.D., a research psychologist at California State University and author of Me, MySpace, and I: Parenting the Net Generation. “A scared mom or dad can text their kid, saying ‘R U OK?’ and get a one-word answer back, whereas before that kid would have had to find a pay phone, maybe wouldn’t have done it and Mom and Dad would have panicked.” Rosen’s own research suggests that social networking can actually teach
teens to be more empathetic, a trait that enhances their bonds with family members. For example, a cousin will post on Facebook that her cat died, then the teen responds warmly and their bond tightens. The teen gains empathy useful in face-to-face experiences. “Research from the Pew Center has shown that active social networkers tend to have more friends and support and be more involved with their communities and families,” Rainie maintains, while cautionary studies from the Kaiser Family Foundation suggest that kids unhealthily obsessed with media tend to have lower grades and get into trouble at school. Overall, according to a 2011 study by the Barna Group, a Ventura, California, research firm, 32 percent of parents and 47 percent of teens say technology has made their family life better, while 18 percent of parents and 6 percent of teens say it has worsened, because the news is not all good. Consider how, instead of sitting down to watch a show together, family members often are in a room or vehicle watching their own show on their own tiny screen. “People miss social moments around them because they are com-
Personal Media Use Stats n Kids ages 8 to 18 spend seven hours, 38 minutes per day with media, including video, TV, music and the Internet n 77 percent of teens own cell phones; 35 percent of adults own a smart phone n 38 percent of cell phone owners use it during TV commercials n 13 percent of cell phone owners say they have used their phone to avoid interacting with people Sources: Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project; Kaiser Family Foundation
municating with the network inside the screen, rather than the world immediately surrounding them,” says Rainie. (On the flip side, Rainie notes, families often share those moments with each other, too, like a funny YouTube video or a picture on Facebook.) Rosen cautions that the smart phone could be a pivotal game-changer if consumers aren’t careful. “We are already finding that most people under the age of 40 check their phones every 15 minutes or less, and if they can’t, they become highly anxious. Their whole social world appears channeled through this device, and that is worrisome.” Both Rosen and Rainie stress that the key to making any technology a positive for family dynamics is to set rules at the outset and know when to unplug. Here are some guidelines to consider. Cell phones. Everyone can check their phone messages before dinner and then power it down while the family is eating. Don’t use phones in bed, or in the hour before sleeping, which can be particularly detrimental to a teen’s rest, Rosen’s research shows. Facebook. “When your child says, ‘All of my friends are on Facebook and I feel left out,’ that is probably the time to let them join Facebook,” advises Rosen. Reserve the right to look at their page periodically with them. Each parent and child pair can decide if they should “friend” each other, but don’t assume that gives a parent a backstage pass to the child’s personal life. Pew reports that 80 percent of parents whose children use social media have friended their child. However, “Insisting that your child friend you on Facebook is often an invitation for them to set up a phantom, or fake page,” notes Rosen. Smart phones and tablets. Set specific times to ban technology. “As couples, we used to retire to bed at night and watch TV and talk. Now we watch TV, check our phone and play Words with Friends games, and that has taken the place of intimate communication.” It helps to set specific times to check the phone and leave it off for big chunks of time. Lisa Marshall is a regular contributor to Natural Awakenings.
Text Neck & BlackBerry Thumbs R U Hurting 2? by Heidi Shelton, DC
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echnology is everywhere. Cell phones are used to call, text, talk, surf the web and take pictures. Computers and tablets are used for more than just work and more than ever, teens and young adults use technology to stay connected to family and friends, for entertainment and for schoolwork. Although these gadgets have improved our lives dramatically, they have also created a new wave of musculoskeletal conditions, known informally as “text neck” and “BlackBerry thumb.” According to a Pew Internet and American Life Project, 75 percent of teens and 93 percent of adults age 18 to 29 own a cell phone. Surprisingly, even 58 percent of 12-year-olds have a cell phone, a 40 percent increase since 2004. Consequently, there has been an uptick in neck strain and hand-related ailments due to the overuse of mobile devices, especially in kids. When texting, it is common to hunch over the device with shoulders rounded forward and the neck bent down. This position can lead to text neck, a specific type of neck strain caused by poor posture when using a cell phone or other mobile device. Symptoms include pain and soreness in the neck which if chronic, can lead to a wide variety of other neck problems, including muscle spasms, headaches, loss of range of motion and degenerative changes. Another repetitive stress injury, BlackBerry thumb, is the result of increased phone and mobile device usage to text, e-mail and search the web. Texting requires pressing keys firmly and holding fingers and thumbs at awkward angles. This can put repetitive stress on the extremities, leading to joint inflammation and tendonitis. Symptoms include pain and soreness around the base of the thumb at the joint. If left untreated, BlackBerry thumb can lead to weakness, severe pain and long-term disability.
The best way to avoid both injuries is to limit device usage to no more than three minutes at a time. When using a mobile device to text, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) suggests sitting up straight, with chest out and shoulders back. Bring arms up in front of the eyes, so it isn’t necessary to look down to see the screen, and if looking down, tuck the chin into the chest rather than dropping the head forward, to help eliminate text neck. To avoid BlackBerry thumb, the ACA advises holding the device close to the body, with wrists upright and straight. Keep text messages short and simple and check email or messages on a device no more than four times a day to avoid pain. The best advice when pain sets in is to turn off devices and rest. Longterm repetitive stress may require medical intervention. Conservative treatments offered by a chiropractor might include rest, gentle stretches and the use of an instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, such as the Graston Technique. Medical treatment typically includes anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections and as a last resort, surgical intervention. Technology is certain to change, and as it does, prevention is key as these new devices and techniques are incorporated into daily living. Through correct positioning, frequent breaks and limiting the use of mobile devices, science can create advantages and at the same time avoid injury. Dr. Heidi Shelton is a chiropractor at Summerlin Chiropractic Associates. She specializes in the Graston Technique, which is effective in relieving not only text neck and BlackBerry thumb, but also conditions such as low back pain, plantar fasciitis and chronic scar tissue build-up.
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wisewords
How does having a heart that’s open to unconditional love benefit us?
How Unconditional Love Harmonizes Our World
Marci Shimoff Explores its Transformative Power by Judith Fertig
A
self-described “seeker from the get-go,” Marci Shimoff, is an expert at helping others effect greater personal fulfillment and professional success. The noted transformational leader, speaker and author has written two bestselling books on happiness and unconditional love—Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out and Love for No Reason: 7 Steps for Creating a Life of Unconditional Love, and co-authored six bestselling titles in the Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul series.
What is the old way of looking at love, versus the new paradigm shift you propose? We’ve been trained to think of love solely as energy between two people, usually experienced as conditional love—we feel love if the other person agrees with us, treats us a particular way or loves us back. But love is actually the essence of who we are, and when we live in a state of unconditional love, what I call “love for no reason,” we experience our essence that is love, which doesn’t depend on another person, situation or romantic partner. It is the core of every spiritual tradition.
Why do our ways of loving often seem inadequate? We each have a “love set-point,” the upper limit of our ability to give and receive love. We can’t feel more love by trying to change the outside—by relying on others to fill us up—because 26
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it will never work in the long run. We need to raise our love set-point higher; then we experience everything more through the eyes of love.
Do challenging economic times help us grow spiritually? We can use any life challenges to help us grow and find fresh avenues of lasting fulfillment. Success and money don’t guarantee happiness, and I know that from my own wake-up call. In 1998, I had three of my Chicken Soup for the Soul books on The New York Times bestseller list at the same time. One day, I spoke to 8,000 people and autographed 5,432 books and felt like an author rock star. Yet when I returned to my hotel room that night, I burst into tears. All of the success was great, but it still hadn’t made me happy. That’s when I began my intensive study of happiness and love.
Does science support our capacity to daily experience and deepen a love for all things? Science is finding that there is a neurophysiology of love. Studies by researchers in major institutions worldwide show that we can do simple things like breathe more deeply, walk barefoot on earth, listen to uplifting music or practice meditation that will support us in experiencing more unconditional love. These activities create greater heart rhythm coherence and new neural pathways in the brain.
The Institute of HeartMath has discovered that the magnetic field generated by the heart—what’s measured on a magnetometer—is 5,000 times stronger than that of the brain. HeartMath research has also demonstrated that when we’re in a positive emotional state, our hearts beat in a coherent rhythm that causes all the other systems in the body—including the brain, immune system and hormones—to work more efficiently and harmoniously. Their research shows that experiencing this regularly leads to better health, slows the aging process and brings us greater creativity, resilience and happiness.
What are the seven doorways to practicing unconditional love revealed by your own research? I’ve interviewed hundreds of people that are living examples of unconditional love. I’ve found seven access points to experiencing more love: safety, being grounded and present; vitality, energy and well-being; unconditional self-love, feeling empowered; openness, being comfortable giving and receiving love; communication, listening and speaking with love; vision, seeing through the eyes of love; and oneness, feeling connected with the greater wholeness of life.
How does one person’s loving larger bless our families, communities and world? The more we experience love, the more we spread love to others. Our feelings are contagious. This idea is beautifully expressed in an ancient Chinese proverb: “When there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person. When there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. When there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.” Connect with Marci Shimoff at HappyForNoReason.com. Judith Fertig, of Overland Park, KS, is a regular contributor to Natural Awakenings.
calendarofevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month prior to publication and adhere to our guidelines. Submit listings online at NaturalAwakeningsLV. com. For extended event descriptions and additional listings visit NA-LV.com.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 LED Holiday Light Show – 5:30pm. Through Jan 6. Nightly holiday drive-through spectacular lit with all-LED energy efficient light displays. More than 450 animated light displays and the world’s largest light tunnel, along a 2.5-mile racetrack. $15-$20 per vehicle. Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 7000 Las Vegas Blvd N, LV. GlitteringLightsLasVegas.com. Holiday Stress Management Meditation – 1011:30am. Experience a calm before the shopping. $10. Angel Blessings Wellness Spa, 4485 S Buffalo Drive, LV. 204-7750.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15 Art and Meditation – 10:30-11:45am. Let the creative energies flow. Paint with watercolors followed by a meditation. (supplies and frame included). $25. Angel Blessings Wellness Spa, 4485 S Buffalo Drive, LV. 628-9876.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2 How the Happiness Urge Consumes Us – 6-8pm. Come hear Devamrita Swami, a monk who keeps his finger on the pulse of contemporary life to powerfully transmit profound knowledge. Followed by a delicious vegetarian feast. $10 Donation. Govinda’s Center of Vedic India, 7181 Dean Martin Dr, LV. 434-8332. GovindasCenter.com. Shamanic Christmas Circle – 6-9pm. Celebrate with your sacred spirits in this divine never ending circle. Christmas CD included. $10. Angel Blessings Wellness Spa, 4485 S Buffalo Dr, LV. 308-8464.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 3 Past Life Clearing with Scott Benesi – 6pm7:30pm. Similar to a guided meditation, using the healing techniques of breath, color, and visualization, we are gently guided back to a past life issue that seeks resolve. Live more fully in this present moment with love and compassion. $10. Enchanted Forest Reiki Center, 800 N Rainbow, #140, LV. 9484999. EnchantedForestReiki.com.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7 Book Signing Event for Dr. Cheryle L. Richardson – 1:30-7:30pm. Celebrate the release of Strength for Your Journey. Free. Angel Blessings Wellness Spa, 4485 S Buffalo Dr, LV. 883-5056.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8 Gifts from the Garden Workshop – Dec 8-23. Sat & Sun. 8:30-10:30am. $10 members/$15 nonmem-
how our programs work with no medications. RSVP required. Free. Brain Solutions Inc, 8515 Edna Ave, Ste 160, LV. 340-2248. BrainSolutionsNV.com. Holiday Open House – 5-8pm. Enjoy free drumming, music bed sessions, food, drink, and get your questions answered about what Music 4 Life offers for holiday stress prevention. Free. Music 4 Life, 2975 S Rainbow Blvd Ste B, LV. 889-2881. Music4Life.us. WinterFest – Dec 13-15. Families enjoy old-fashioned Christmas traditions, such as horse-drawn carriage rides, strolling carolers, pony rides, storytelling and a charming display of gingerbread houses. Free. Henderson Events Plaza, 200 S Water St, Henderson. 267-2171. HendersonLive.com.
savethedate SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15
bers. Make garden gifts and share simple, fun ideas for making more from your home garden. Springs Preserve, 333 S Valley View Blvd, Las Vegas. 702822-7700. SpringsPreserve.org. The Lakes Festival of Lights – 12-6pm. 12th year of the neighborhood Christmas lights spectacular. Food and crafts. Donations to Good Will accepted. Free. The Lakes (West Sahara). Festival.LakesAssociation.com.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12 Yoga for Stress Relief – 6-7pm. Yoga poses and meditation techniques for peace. First class free. Angel Blessings Wellness Spa, 4485 S Buffalo Drive, LV. 493-1614.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13 Free Informational Seminar – 6:30pm. Do you or someone you know suffer from anxiety, poor memory, focus issues, sensory integration, a spectrum disorder or ADHD? Free seminar to explain
Holy Mole brought to you by
Rainbow's End Natural Foods 1100 E Sahara Ave, Ste 101, LV • 702-737-1338 LVRainbowsEnd.com
Beyond Organic – 10:30am-12:30pm. Free workshop to learn about the mission of Jordan S. Rubin and his Live Beyond Organic message that leads to making positive changes in body, mind, and spirit. The workshop will cover topics in nutrition, hydration, and skincare. Limited to 125 participants. Free - RSVP required at LiveHealthyNV@gmail.com. Rainbow Library, 3150 N Buffalo, LV. 740-2424. LiveHealthyNV. MyBeyondOrganic.com. Family Drum Circle – 2:30-3:30pm. Have fun with your family drumming away stress and problems, and meeting other families, too. Drums provided by REMO, Inc. $4 or $15/family of 4. Music 4 Life, Inc., 2975 S Rainbow Blvd, Ste B, LV. 889-2881. Music4Life.us.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16 Spiritual Evening with Prahladananda Swami and the Mayapuris – 6-9pm. Join us for a jam-packed night of transcendental learning and spiritually charged sound vibration. Together with a performance by the world-renowned Mayapuris and their unique blend of traditional Indian music with contemporary dance flavor, followed by vegetarian dinner. $10 Donation. Govinda’s Center of Vedic India, 7181 Dean Martin Dr, LV. 434-4332. GovindasCenter.com.
We Still On? Call ahead to confirm that the event details haven’t changed and tell them you saw it in Natural Awakenings of Las Vegas. natural awakenings December 2012
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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21 Winter Solstice Peace Meditation – 6:30-7:30pm. Join Music 4 Lifers celebrating the day the Mayan Calendar ends with new beginnings in peace with Judith Pinkerton on violin, including other practitioners and drummers as we build a powerful meditation through chanting and drumming. $10. Music 4 Life, Inc., 2975 S Rainbow Blvd, Ste B, LV. 889-2881. Music4Life.us.
ongoingevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month prior to publication and adhere to our guidelines. Submit listings online at NaturalAwakeningsLV. com. For extended event descriptions and additional listings visit NA-LV.com. tion while exposing your senses to Loews’ botanical wonderland. Free. Botanical Gardens at Lake Loews, 1605 Lake Las Vegas, LV. 567-6000. Zen Meditation – 9-10:30am. Sitting and walking meditation practice with pre-recorded Dharma talks from the Chung Tai Monastery. Free. Lohan School of Shaolin, 3850 Schiff Dr, LV. 217-1498. ZenBuddhismLasVegas.com. Spiritual Yoga Fest – 6-9pm. Experience mantra chants with vibrant world music and hear the stimulating spiritual knowledge of ancient India. Free. Govinda’s Center, 7181 Dean Martin Dr, LV. 434-8332. GovindasCenter.com.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22 A Tribute to the Tenors – 7-8:30pm. Enjoy an evening with virtuoso singer John Garafalo as he takes you on a journey to some of the greatest music, singers, and songs of our time. Free. West Charleston Library, 6301 W Charleston Blvd, LV. 507-3964. lvccld.org.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26 Christmas Tree Recycling – Dec 26-Jan15. Bring your cut Christmas tree to Springs Preserve or 22 recycling stations valley-wide. Free. 822-7700. SpringsPreserve.org.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 31 New Year’s Kirtan Celebration – 6pm-1am. Join a group of gifted musicians for a magical, heartcentered celebration featuring Temple Bhajan Band from Los Angeles. Share hearts and voices in celebration and praise to create openness and positive intention for the New Year. $15. Govinda’s Center of Vedic India, 7181 Dean Martin Dr, LV. 434-8332. GovindasCenter.com.
Thursday, December 13th 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
daily
monday
Bikram Yoga – See website for class schedule and rates. Bikram Yoga Green Valley, 1550 N Green Valley Pkwy, Ste 310, HD. 463-0671. BikramGreenValley.com. Bikram Yoga – See website for class schedule and rates. Bikram Yoga Las Vegas, 5031 Wagon Trail Ave, Ste 109, LV. 547-9642. BikramLasVegas.com Daily Meditation Classes – 4am, 9am, 2pm, 5pm. 1-hr classes. Chaiya Meditation Monastery, 7925 Virtue Ct, LV. 456-3838. ChaiyaCMM.org. Falun Gong Exercise & Qigong Meditation – 8-10am Mon-Sat; 9-11am Sun. Advanced traditional Chinese meditation system designed to improve mind and body through slow, gentle and smooth exercises. Free. Desert Breeze Park, 8268 Spring Mountain Rd, LV. 773-3667. FalunDafaLasVegas. blogspot.com Hot Pilates & Yoga – One week unlimited access. Free. Body Heat, 8876 Eastern Ave, LV. 432-0028. BodyHeatYoga.com. Indoor Cycling – See website for class schedule. 60-minute indoor cycling classes in a comfortable, fun, and urban studio environment. Easy online scheduling and reservation system reserves bike for each class. 4840 S Fort Apache Rd, LV. 431-6674. TheCyclingStudio.com. Yoga & Pilates – See website for class schedule and rates. Vegas Hot!, 5875 S Rainbow Blvd, Ste 206, LV. 257-8171. VegasHot.com
Yoga with Jeff – 6:15-7:15pm. Improve your strength, flexibility and endurance, while clearing your mind with the power of Yoga. Donation. Herbally Grounded, 4441 W Charleston Blvd, LV. 558-4372. Yoga & Qigong – 7:45-9:15pm. Multi-level ashtanga yoga class and qigong infuses balancing chi (energy). $10 donation. 107 E Charleston, LV. 325-9923. GoldLightYoga.com.
weekdays Staying Healthy! Radio Show – Mon-Fri. 8-9am & 5-6pm. Hosted by Jeffrey Burke, ND, MH on KLAV 1230 am. Enrich your knowledge and learn how to stay healthy all year long. Free. 731-1230. StayHealthy.info.
sunday fresh52 Farmers’ & Artisan Market – Closed Dec 21-Jan 6. 8:30am-2pm. Lively, friendly, open-air market. Free. Sansone Park Place, 9480 S Eastern, HD. fresh52.com. Botanical Garden Tours at Lake Loews – 9am. Learn interesting details and receive great informa-
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tuesday Momma’s Milk Circle – 10am-1pm. Support group for nursing moms and babies of up to one year of age hosted by lactation specialists. Well Rounded Momma Homestead, 3556 E. Patrick Ave, LV. 7952500. WellRoundedMomma.com. Five Tibetan Rites – 6-6:45pm. Discover the five secret rituals from a hidden Himalayan monastery. Free. Angel Blessings, 4485 S Buffalo, LV. 2523502. Transformations-LasVegas.org Hatha Yoga Group Class – 6-7pm. A yoga class for all levels, combining postures, breathing and relaxation. $10. World Wellness Group, 3120-A S Valley View Blvd, LV. 338-3309. WorldWellnessGroup.net. Law of Attraction Meetup Group – 7pm. Listen to and discuss a Law of Attraction CD (1 hour in length) together in a like-minded group. $20 for guidebook. Call for location. 575-5086. Meetup. com/LawofAttraction-YourWishIsYourCommandLasVegasNV. Reiki Healing Circle – 7-9pm. Relax and de-stress in a safe, serene environment of friends and practitioners. Free. 2595 S Cimarron, LV. 702-327-3720. AllAboutLove.ReikiConnection@yahoo.com. Inspirational Reiki Healing Circle – 7-9pm. Participate in a group discussion (optional) or simply observe and learn. Experience guided meditation and receive deep personalized healing. Free. Angel Blessings, 4485 S Buffalo, LV. 252-3502. Transformations-LasVegas.org.
wednesday Brain Balance Open House – 2:30-4:30pm. 2nd Wed. For all parents, teachers, educators, adminis-
trators and support staff. Learn about ground breaking, drug free program that helps kids with ADD, ADHD, Aspergers,Tourettes, OCD, PDD. Free. Brain Balance Achievement Centers of Henderson, 11 S Stephanie St, HD. 778-9500. BrainBalance Centers.com. Health Science Conference Call – 5pm. Get questions answered by scientist Dr. Thomas Brewer. Free. 646-519-5860. Pin: 7123#. TheTotalConcept.org. Product B – Information Meeting – 6:30pm. Scientists have found the ticking biological “clock” that offers clues on aging and longevity: telomeres. The health of your DNA’s telomeres could mean the difference for living a youthful healthy life with vibrancy. Free. Health In Motion. 239-1069. ProductB4Plana.com. Yoga and Vegetarian Dinner – 6:30-8:30pm. Yoga, meditation and all-you-can-eat vegetarian dinner. Begins with a meditative kirtan, then 90-minute yoga class, ending with vegetarian dinner and desert prepared fresh on-site. Govinda’s Center of Vedic India, 7181 Dean Martin Dr, LV. 434-4332. GovindasCenter.com Inspirational Reiki Healing Circle – 7-9pm. Natural healing through guided meditation. Relax and recharge your mind and body. $5. Meadow’s Clubhouse, 2900 S Valley View Blvd, LV. 252-3502. Transformations-LasVegas.org.
thursday Green Drinks – 2nd Thurs. Network with other eco-friendly business professionals. Times/locations vary. Facebook.com/GreenDrinksLV. Country Fresh Farmers’ Market: Water Street – 9am-4pm. Free. Events Plaza, 240 Water St, HD. 579-9661. CountryFreshFarmersMarket.com. ‘Bet on the Farm’ Farmers’ Market – 10am-1pm. Mario Batali’s and Joe Bastianichу’s sustainable market. Free. Springs Preserve, 333 S Valley View Blvd, LV. BetOnTheFarm.com. Momma’s Milk Circle – 10am-1pm. Support group for nursing moms and babies of up to one year of age hosted by lactation specialists. Well Rounded Momma, 6000 S Eastern Ave, Ste 9A, LV. 795-2500. WellRoundedMomma.com. Taste & Toast – Closed Dec 21-Jan 6. 5-8pm. Farmers’ market, live entertainment, cooking demos, local artists, beer and wine tasting. Free. Tivoli Village, 302 S Rampart, LV. fresh52.com Solar NV Monthly Meeting – 6:30pm. 3rd Thurs.
Featuring speakers from variety of renewable energy disciplines and great place to network with people who share an interest in renewable energy. Free. UNLV, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, LV. 507-0093. SolarNV.org. South Valley Rose Society Meeting – 7-8pm. 4th Thurs.Various gardening topics each month. Clark County Cooperative Extension Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Rd, LV. 257-5555.
friday Downtown 3rd Farmers’ Market – 9am-2pm. Locally grown fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs, flowers and artisanal selections. Guest chef demonstrations. Kids’ craft zone. Dog park. Largest indoor Farmers Market in the valley. Free parking. 300 N Casino Center, LV. Downtown3rd.com. fresh52 Farmer’s & Artisan Market – Closed Dec 21-Jan 6. 9am-2pm. Lively, friendly, open-air market. Free. Town Square, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd S, LV. 900-2552. fresh52.com. Country Fresh Farmers’ Market – 10am. Free. Henderson Pavilion, 200 S Green Valley Pkwy, HD. 579-9661. CountryFreshFarmersMarket.com. Judith Pinkerton Radio Show – 12pm. Call between 12:06 and 12:58 pm at 609-7626 and ask important questions about the right music for stress. All Talk Radio.net. Music4Life.us. Winder Farms Farmers’ Market – 4-8pm. Farm fresh products, produce, meats, salads, juices, etc. from local vendors. Free. Galleria at Sunset, 1300 W Sunset Rd, HD. First Friday – 6-12pm. Arts festival on 1st Fri each month. Food, drink, art and entertainers. Free. Downtown Arts District, LV. 384-0092. FirstFridayLasVegas.org. Community Hu – 6:15-6:45pm. 4th Fri. Open your heart to divine love and experience uplifting joy, relaxation and spiritual connection. Free. Pure Health Foods, 7575 Washington #129, LV. 224-4325.
saturday
Chi Kung & Tai Chi Classes – 9-11am. Chi Kung (Qigong) is the art of developing internal energy particularly for health and vitality, mind expansion and spiritual cultivation. $10. Rainbow’s End Natural Foods, 1100 E Sahara Ave, LV. 324-0353. EarthPowers.com. 5 Tibetan Rites – 9:30-10:45am. Introduction to The 5 Tibetan Rites. Free. Call for location. 2523502. Transformations-LasVegas.org. Las Vegas Electric Vehicle Club – 10am. 2nd Sat. Informative discussion about and display of electric vehicles. Free. Call for location. 277-7544. lveva.org. Kids’ Rhythm Club – 11-11:45am. 2nd Sat. Drum together for fun, make new friends. $3. 2975 S Rainbow Blvd, Ste B, LV. 702-889-2881. DrumCirclesLasVegas.com. Past Lives, Dreams & Soul Travel Book Discussion – 2-4pm. 3rd Sat. Understand your true self through past lives recalls, discover the meaning of your life through dreams. Free. Barnes & Noble, 8915 N Charleston, LV. 224-4325. The Art of Spiritual Dreaming Book Discussion – 2-4pm. 4th Sat. Recognize dreams as a source of inner truth and as a key element of spiritual growth. Free. Starbucks, 2120 Rampart, LV. 224-4325.
classifieds BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY NATURAL AWAKENINGS LAS VEGAS MAGAZINE FOR SALE − Own a business that makes a difference. The current owners wish to transition this turnkey opportunity to someone with similar passion, enthusiasm, and vision. No experience necessary. Training provided. Call John Voell. 239-530-1377.
CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
fresh52 Farmers’ & Artisan Market – Closed Dec 21-Jan 6. 8am-2pm. Lively, friendly, open-air market. Free. Tivoli Village, 302 S Rampart, LV. 900-2552. fresh52.com. Boot Camp in The Park – 9-10am. Affordable, structured fitness program. $15person/$20pair. Reunion Trails Park, 44 Chapata Dr, HD. CertifiedPersonalTraining@yahoo.com.
BECOME A CERTIFIED HYPNOTIST − Increase your income as you help people lose weight, stop smoking, reduce stress. Intense training event, Feb. 17-24, 2013. Register now to receive, with your program tuition, a free LV hypnosis convention ($350 value). Only 20 seats. Call today: 888-851-5606 for details. AcademyOfHypnosisTraining.com.
An individual has not
started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity. ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
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communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Publisher@NA-LV.com to request our media kit.
ADD/ADHD TREATMENT BRAIN BALANCE ACHIEVEMENT CENTER OF HENDERSON
11 S Stephanie St, Ste 120, HD 89012 702-778-9500 • BrainBalanceHenderson.com Offering individualized plans to help children with learning difficulties reach their greatest physical, mental, social and academic potential. Customized programs correct imbalance and reduce/eliminate negative behaviors. We are brain-based, not drug based. See ad, page 21.
ANTI-AGING MEDICINE SKIN & WELLNESS CLINIC
9053 S Pecos Rd, Ste 3000, HD 89074 702-263-4001 • TheSkinClinicLV.com Healthy Glowing Skin & Healthy Body. Specializing in medical skin cancer screenings, skin tags, acne treatments, medical and cosmetic youth enhancing treatments, hormone replacement, nutrition programs, menopause symptoms, fatigue, and insomnia.
CHIROPRACTIC WELLNESS HEALING HANDS & BEYOND
Dr. R. Hazziez, DC FICPA PTA 3110 S Valley View, Ste 103A, LV 89102 702-333-5326 • Chiro1stChoice@hotmail.com Treating the whole family to achieve wellness through physical medicine. Specializing in prenatal, pediatric, pain management, manipulation under anesthesia, and personal injury. Webster, Diversified, Thompson, Gonstead, and Activator, S.O.T. & B.E.S.T. techniques.
RED ROCK CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTER
Dr. Margaret R. Colucci 2085 Village Center Circle, Ste 110, LV 89134 702-880-5335 • RedRockChiropractic.com Dr. Colucci, a 1989 Palmer graduate, serving the Las Vegas valley for over two decades. Specializing in treating the whole body in family wellness care, pediatric & pregnancy chiropractic care, auto, work & sports injuries. Serving Summerlin.
HEALTH IN MOTION
Linda Perry, PT 702-239-1069 Linda@ThorpInstitute.com Decrease stress, increase concentration, and meditate like the monks do with the Thorp Certified Facilitator. Available by appointment or weekly rentals. Call now to reserve your brain spa.
STELLA CHIROPRACTIC WELLNESS CENTER
Dr. David Stella, DC 4225 E Stewart Ave, Ste 111, LV 89110 702-932-1798 • StellaChiropractic.com Chiropractic solutions for overall wellness and pain relief. Individualized care since 1998. Anti-aging, body work, a r o m a t h e r a p y, n u t r i t i o n a l counseling, detox programs. We welcome you to live the life you were meant to live. See ad, page 7.
CLEANING SERVICES GREEN CLEAN
Perry Dau 702-522-1898 GreenCleanCS.com Certified green cleaning company using Green Seal Certified cleaning chemicals and supplies. Sanitary and safe service eliminates gross soils (DIRT) with little to no chemical residual or odor.
COMPOUNDING PHARMACY SOLUTIONS SPECIALTY PHARMACY 8579 S Eastern Blvd, Ste B, LV 89123 702-792-3777 • VegasCompounding.com
We design medicines made for each unique patient and their specialized needs including bioidentical HRT for men and women. We consider a customer ’s general well being and offer consultations with appointments.
ENERGY HEALING HEALING ENERGIES QI GONG Christy Berry-Ugarte 702-239-2680 HealingEnergies.vpweb.com
The practice of this serene, balancing and energizing exercise will open your energy meridians and balance your Chakras. I will empower you with flowing movement, breath, color therapy techniques and meditation. See ad, page 13.
sTELLA CHIROPRACTIC WELLNESS CENTER
Angela Drake 375 N Stephanie, Ste 1213, HD 89014 702-932-1798 • StellaChiropractic.com Healing modalities for inner harmony and wellness. Certified in Holodynamic Life Coaching, iLipo Ultra + Specialist, DNA Theta Healer, Deeksha Giver, Clairvoyant, H.U.N.A Healer, Energy Healing, Raw Food Fusion and Juice Cleansing. See ad, page 7.
ENVIRONMENTAL LANDSCAPING SUNSTATE COMPANIES
6590 Boulder Hwy, LV 89122 702-798-1776 Info@SunstateCompanies.com Water Smart contractor specializing in landscape construction, grounds maintenance, fertilizer, masonry, concrete, interlocking pavers and tree service. Call for a consultation. See ad, page 17.
HOLISTIC DENTIST BELL CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL AND HOLISTIC DENTISTRY Dr. Michael Bell, DDS 8068 W Sahara Ave, Ste A, LV 89117 702-256-7666 • LVtmjDentist.com
Holistic dentistry with a whole body approach to create a healthy smile and body. Live microscopic viewing of mouth bacteria. Laser gum disease treatment. Computerized TMJ and bite analysis. Mercury testing and removal. Nutritional testing. Autonomic nervous system analysis. Invisalign. See ad, page 6.
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ove and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive. ~ Dalai Lama
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FOUR SEASONS DENTAL SPA
Dr. Jim Wright, DDS, AIAOMT 8855 W Flamingo, LV 89147 702-281-9900 • HolisticDentistLasVegas.com Practicing holistic, mercury-free cosmetic and general dentistry in a relaxing spa atmosphere. Specializes in veneers, Lumineers, Invisalign braces, All-on-4 Dental Implants, sleep dentistry, sedation dentistry and teeth whitening. See ads, page 11.
HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY ENERGYFIT NEVADA – HOMEFREE NEVADA 3050 E Flamingo Rd 702-734-2000 • EnergyFitNevada.org
Make your home a healthier home. EnergyFit Nevada provides assistance and rebates that will make your home more energy efficient, healthier and comfortable while lowering your energy bills. Visit Energy FitNevada.org. See ad, page 9.
SOUTHWEST GAS CORPORATION SWGasLiving.com/Efficiency 1-800-654-2765 EnergyEfficiency@SWGas.com
Delivering smart energy solutions for your home or business. Take advantage of our programs and incentives on residential and commercial high-efficiency equipment and learn a Smarter Greener Better® way to save money and the environment.
HORMONE HEALTH HORMONE CENTERS OF NEVADA
Dr. Orlandis Wells, MD OB/GYN 2649 Wigwam Parkway, Ste 101, HD 89074 702-568-6108 • HendersonNVobGyn.com Functional medicine to treat fatigue, weight gain, depression, anxiety, gastrointestinal problems, and hormone imbalances. Treating the root problem – not symptoms, we help patients enjoy their lives and their relationships.
HYPNOTHERAPY WELLNESS HYPNOTHERAPY Elijah David Love, CMS-CHt 702-806-1745 WellnessHypnotherapy.net
Would you like to be happier, healthier, more motivated and peaceful? Call now and learn to harness the power of your subconscious mind, make positive change and live a more satisfying life. See ad, page 18.
LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPY CHUCK WILLIAMS, NVMT4937
Wellness CIE AURA
3315 W Craig Rd, Ste 105, NLV 89032 702-285-8321 • MassageHelpsThat.com Massage has been an essential element of the wellness lifestyle for thousands of years the world o v e r. F o r $ 3 9 / h r y o u c a n experience these traditional techniques. Call today. Feel better now.
LIFE COACHING ANIKA RAY
Akashic Records Expert Practitioner/ C.C. Life Coach 800 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89107 702-370-5277 • anikaray88@hotmail.com Akashic Consultations and Life Coaching Sessions. Get clarity and guidance; get rid of the negative patterns and blocks and bring balance into your life. Free initial phone consultation/coaching session. See gift guide, page 14.
RECYCLING
Violet Malagon 702-334-2713 VioletM.CieAura.com Sleep better, increase energy, relieve allergies, manage weight. Revolutionary holographic chips create total balance for life. Like acupuncture without needles. Old Wo r l d m e e t s N e w Wo r l d Technology. No meds, no drugs, non-transdermal, natural, safe. See ad, page 13.
YOGA BIKRAM YOGA LAS VEGAS Oleg Vydra, Director / Owner 702-547-YOGA (9642) BikramLasVegas.com
Lose Weight, Tone Your Body, Energize Your Life! The newest certified Bikram Yoga facility offering 26 classic hatha yoga stretching postures and two breathing exercises taught in a 90minute class. See ad, page 5.
BODYHEAT HOT PILATES & YOGA
REPUBLIC SERVICES
8876 Eastern Ave, Ste 105, LV 89123 702-432-0028 BodyHeatYoga.com
702-735-5151 RepublicServicesVegas.com Facebook.com/RepublicServicesVegas Republic Services offers complete waste and recycling solutions for residential, commercial, industrial and construction customers. Offering free recycling assessments to meet the needs of any sized business or project.
Hot Yoga, Hot Pilates, Body Sculpt, and Boot camp classes are taught in a state of the art environment with the optimum atmosphere. We have a variety of classes to suit all levels. See ad, page 13.
SOLAR ENERGY SOLAR UNIVERSE
Las Vegas & Henderson SolarUniverse.com 877-43-SOLAR (7-6527) Solar by the ProsNABCEP. Tier 1 product line, best in the business. Best price guaranteed on comparable products. Multiple finance options available – Lease, Zero Down, Nonequity.
WEIGHT LOSS OM MEDICAL
Dr. Anil Patel 6841 S Eastern Ave, Ste 100, LV 89119 702-456-7546 • OmMedical.org Providing specialized personal care in weight loss and preventative medicine to avoid major medical problems. Nutrition and fitness counseling, cardiac screening, supplements. Anti-aging and skin rejuvenation services matches inner health with outer beauty.
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