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December 2014 | Columbia Edition | MidlandsHealthyLiving.com
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4 1 0 2 Gift Guide
natural awakenings
December 2014
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contents Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.
15 WHITE ROSE CROSSING 15
A One-of-a-Kind Gift Shop by Odell Williams
16 HAPPY FEASTING TO ALL
Tasty Rituals that Deepen the Holiday Spirit by Lane Vail
20 OPENING UP
TO MIRACLES
Gabrielle Bernstein on Creating More Happiness
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by April Thompson
22 SACRED ACTIVISM Love in Action Can Change the World by Judith Fertig
26 FIND YOUR
FITNESS STYLE
22
Workouts that Suit Your Personality
by Wendy Worrall Redal
28 TOXIN-FREE
BEAUTY SALONS Pure Pampering Feels Natural and Safe by Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist
30 CAN-DO KIDS
Changing Our World at Any Age by Ellen Sabin
32 SINGING THE
WORLD AWAKE by Tom Kenyon
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30 healthykids 32 healingways 34 ecotip 36 naturaldirectory
(803) 790-7297
42 classifieds
13
40 calendar
Cara Gardner, DVM, CVA offering Acupuncture Spinal Manipulation Chinese Herbal Medicine Cold Laser Therapy
28 greenliving
12 26 fitbody
20 wisewords
1 6 consciouseating
13 globalbriefs
1 2 healthbriefs
7 communitynews
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advertising & submissions how to advertise To advertise with Natural Awakenings please contact us at 803-233-3693 or email ColaPublisher@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com. Deadline for ads: the 12th of the month. Editorial submissions Email articles, news items and ideas to ColaPublisher@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com. Deadline for editorial: the 10th of the month. calendar submissions Submit Calendar Events at MidlandsHealthyLiving.com or email to ColaPublisher@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com. Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month prior to publication. regional markets Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets, call 803-233-3693. For franchising opportunities, call 239530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.
natural awakenings
December 2014
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Happy Holidays!
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ew things are more uplifting than receiving a postcard, thoughtful letter or kind note over the holidays from the ones you love and care for. The heartfelt thoughts of children are particularly endearing, as, many times, they say it best. As honored members of the Natural Awakenings extended family, the students of Harmony School, along with its staff and faculty, have something very special for all of us. Read on and enjoy. … Let’s “Awaken Humanity,”
contact us Owner/Publisher Annette Carter Briggs Writers MaryJo Briggs Odell Williams Sustainability/ Development Consultant Aloysius Anderson Senior Editor Sara Gurgen Design & Production Kristina Parella Billy Briggs Stephen Gray-Blancett Advertising Sales Annette Carter Briggs To contact Natural Awakenings Columbia Edition: PO Box # 2812 Columbia, SC 29202 Phone: 803-233-3693 Cell: 803-309-2101 Fax: 877-412-4905 ColaPublisher@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com
A Winter Bicrostic poem by Harmony Elementary Welcome to Winter, Winter is the best It’s bitter cold, but In one’s home, protected Nothing is better than winter. Now we drink hot cocoa Tickling in the snow, Trees with ornaments Enjoy the cold---Eat the snow! Raining snowflakes, Rocking rolling holidays! Happy thoughts, Home for the holidays Oh! Snow is here! On burn scented candles Lying in the snow, Laughing with family Inside you hear the crackling fire, Inside’s a lot of fun Don’t step on the ice, Dogs in snow A day like this is better than others, Amazing memories You must love and care for everyone, Your time to enjoy Sing carols all ‘round, So cold, so fun in winter!
©2014 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $24 (for 12 issues) to the above address. Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.
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communitynews YMCA of Columbia
Provides Donation Receptacles
H
elp the YMCA give back this holiday season. All YMCA of Columbia locations have Angel Trees where members, guests and staff are able to adopt a family or individual in need (and donate canned goods). YMCA locations in the Midlands (except for the Downtown YMCA) also have receptacles in each parking lot where one can donate clothes and shoes. A portion of the donated items will be given back to those participating in YMCA of Columbia programs in need and the other portion to other organizations and individuals in the Midlands community. For more information, visit ColumbiaYMCA.org.
KMB Celebrates 25 Years with Its Gala for a Greener Midlands
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elebrating its 25th anniversary, Keep the Midlands Beautiful (KMB) will host the second annual Gala for a Greener Midlands on Friday, December 12. The evening will start with light hors d’oeuvres at 6 p.m. Dinner will follow, featuring locally sourced foods along with the presentation of the Midlands Green Awards honoring those in the Midlands community that strive to advance the mission and vision of KMB. The night’s activities will also include great music and dancing. All proceeds from the gala go toward the beautification of the Midlands. Cost: $75. Location: Holiday Inn & Suites: 110 McSwain Dr., W. Columbia. To sponsor a table or for ticket purchasing, call 803-733-1139, or visit EventBrite.com or KeepTheMidlandsBeautiful.org.
Green Building Rating Systems Webinar
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n Tuesday, December 2, ENERGY STAR will host a green building rating systems webinar from 2 to 3:30 p.m. During this session, webinar attendees will learn how to use EPA tools and resources to help meet requirements for green building rating systems, such as the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the Green Globes system, and others. To register for the webinar, visit https://esbuildings.webex.com/ mw0401l/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=esbuildings&service=6. natural awakenings
December 2014
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communitynews Holiday Drop-in at the Balance Institute
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n Tuesday, December 16, the Balance Institute will host a holiday drop-in from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Owners Jan Shaw, Debra Gallup and Liana Marconyak cordially invite local residents to join them in celebration recognizing the Balance Institute’s one-year anniversary at its new location. The Balance Institute has expanded into a 6,000-square-foot health and wellness center, which has such services as massage therapy, personal training, yoga and aikido martial arts. Future plans are in development to add TRE (tension releasing exercises) and educational classes. Hot chocolate, apple cider and Christmas cookies will be served while attendees take informal guided tours of the facility, meeting the institute’s staff and skilled practitioners. Holiday specials on massage gift certificates will be provided. Also, one-hour massage sessions for $49 (normally $65) will be made available for purchase as great stocking stuffers. Give the gift of health this holiday season. Cost: Free. Location: The Balance Institute, 1905 Sunset Blvd., Ste. C, W. Columbia. For more information, call 803-796-4807, or visit TheBalanceInstitute.com or Facebook.com/TheBalanceInstitute.
CityRoots Farm Hosts Its December Harvest Dinner
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t’s dinnertime done local. On Monday, December 8, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., the Table Event Company, in partnership with City Roots of Columbia, will host the fall harvest farm-to-table dinner at City Roots Farm, the only sustainable, organic local farm in town. Featuring resident chefs Kristian Niemi and Travis Rayle, this time-honored tradition will bring the best of local, fresh, cultural cuisine in a four-course format coupled with opening cocktails and great wine pairings. Cost: $60. Location: City Roots Farm: 1005 Airport Blvd., Columbia. For more information, call 803-254-2302 or visit FarmToTableEvent.com.
Holiday Lights at Saluda Shoals
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rom November 26 through December 31, Saluda Shoals will host its very popular Holiday Lights on the River: The Midlands largest drive-through lights show. The Park will come alive in a blaze of more than a million sparkling lights featuring over 400 themed, animated light displays on a two-mile loop of the park. Come and enjoy the Dazzling Dancing Forest with its dancing, lighted trees synchronized to classical and whimsical holiday music and experience the three-dimensional Victorian Village, Old Man Winter, the holiday classic Twelve Days of Christmas and so much more, all in sparkling lights. Concessions, hay and train rides, crafts, zip tubing and a host of other fun-filled activities will be available. Cost: Cars: $15; 15-passenger vans: $25; buses: $40. Separate charges apply for additional holiday park activities. Times: 6 to 10 p.m. Location: Saluda Shoals Park: 5605 Bush River Rd. For more information, call 803-772-3903 or visit ICRC.net/Holiday-Lights.
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Roly Poly:
More than Just Great Food
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oly Poly is not just a wonderful place to go for a delicious breakfast or lunch but also to get involved and “plugged” into the Midlands community. From contributing to the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s lock-up fundraiser to supporting the run for diabetes to donating canned goods to serving cookies and hot chocolate at Finley Park to the homeless at Christmastime, Roly Poly is the place where one can get involved in a significant way. This holiday season, Roly Poly participated in the Operation Christmas Child campaign in partnership with Samaritan’s Purse to send boxes of toys to children that might otherwise not receive Christmas presents. During the cold months of January and February, Roly Poly will be collecting gently used jackets, coats and blankets to be made available to the homeless of Columbia (dates for product drop off to be published soon). Midlands area residents are invited to stop by and try one of Roly Poly’s great meal choices or other tasty selections, like its fresh-baked cinnamon rolls or homemade desserts—all at great prices. While dining, customers can also find out how to partner with Roly Poly in serving the Midlands community. Location: Roly Poly: 1202 Sumter St., Columbia. For more information, including catering opportunities, call Lisa Hilbish at 803-252-1081 or 803-530-7936.
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communitynews 2014 Grinding of the Greens
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t’s that time of year again. Keep the Midlands Beautiful will kick off its annual Grinding of the Greens Christmas tree mulching project in December. Drop-off sites will be conveniently located all around the Midlands area. Trees may be dropped off from Friday, December 26, through Thursday, January 8. Mulch will be available for pick up by residents on Saturday, January 10. Mulch will be given out at the S.C. Farmers’ Market and at Seven Oaks Park. This is on a first-come, first-served basis. Please follow the program guidelines listed: • • • •
Remove all lights, tinsel and ornaments from tree. Remove tree from stand. Drop off trees only—no wreaths, garlands or other greenery. Remove tree from bag and remove any string, wire or ties on tree.
For more information, call 803-733-1139 or visit KeepTheMidlandsBeautiful.org.
Nature Crafts at Riverbanks Zoo
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n Saturday, December 6, Riverbanks Zoo will combine nature and crafts for a day of fun, hands-on learning for kids. Children ages 5 to 10 will learn about science and the wonders of nature in a fun, creative learning environment by participating in a class covering a wide variety of topics, including gardening, backyard wildlife and natural science. Kids will make unique crafts and gifts from natural items, such as flower petals, seed heads, sticks and stones. Participants will also create a variety of ornaments and crafts while learning how these natural items and materials were used by people years ago as tools before they became manmade conveniences. Cost: $20 per child per class (ages 6 to 10), plus admission for general public. Times: 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Location: Riverbanks Zoo and Garden: 500 Wildlife Pkwy., Columbia. To register online, visit https://etickets.Riverbanks.org. For more information, call 803-779-8717 or visit Riverbanks.org.
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Working for Wildlife Day
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EdVenture Museum’s Snowville
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snow day is every kid’s wish. Continuing throughout the month of December and running through Sunday, February 22, EdVenture’s Children’s Museum is featuring its widely popular exhibit: Snowville. A winter playscape for children and the young at heart, the Snowville exhibit begins at the North Pole where visitors can climb Mount EdVerest, explore an ice cave or get the chills in a blizzard simulator. Kids can travel to the South Pole and learn a little science while getting a thrill by tubing down Sled Hill, a 25-foot-long fun ride down a slippery slope giving those that ride it a wintry experience not normally found in the South. Kids can join a team in the ice hockey rink or test their aim with the snowball blaster. Attendees can also make memories of this winter wonderland by creating snow-filled postcards to share with friends and family members. Winter clothing is not required for these indoor activities. Cost: $11.50 for children and adults; $10.50 for seniors (62+); $10.50 for military (with ID); free for members and children under the age of 1. Times: Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.; closed on Mondays. Location: EdVenture Children’s Museum: 211 Gervais St., Columbia. For more information, call 803-400-1166, email KBarnes@Edventure.org or visit EdVenture.org.
n Saturday, December 13, staff, volunteers and partners of the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge and the S.C. Wildlife Federation will host a wildlife workday at the Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge. Concluding at noon, the day’s activities include learning about refuge wildlife. Participants will engage in physical activity and team project exercises, including protecting red-cockaded woodpecker trees, maintaining trails, installing trail signs, and building information kiosks. Participants are asked to meet at the refuge headquarters at 9 a.m., and requested to wear field clothes and bring work gloves, drinks and a snack. At the conclusion of scheduled work activities, participants are welcome to picnic at Lake Bee before leaving the refuge. Call ahead if planning to bring a group. Location: Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge: 23734 U.S. Hwy. 1, McBee, S.C. For more information, or if you would like to volunteer or plan to bring a group, call Sara Green at 803-609-4778 or the refuge office at 843-3358350, or email Patricia_McCoy@FWS.gov or visit SCWF.org.
Riverbanks Zoo’s Lights Before Christmas
G
ather up the kids and come out to experience Columbia’s longest-running holiday tradition: the 27th annual Lights Before Christmas holiday showcase at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. Every evening from 9 to 6 p.m. throughout the month of December, the zoo will light up with more than 1 million twinkling lights and countless animated images representing some of Riverbanks’ most loveable residents. Activities include a marshmallow roast at the Jingle Bell Bonfire, a visit with Santa and the enjoyment of festive sounds from the11/1 Music in Motion Lights SEI-Columbia Spectacular. Riverbanks Zoo is also the only place in town in the Midlands area 540-1183-NA-InTouch-MT-4x3 where it snows every night. This event is closed December 24 and 25. Natural Awakenings 4.75 x 3.25
Cost: $10 adults; $8 children ages 2 to 12; children 2 and PK under are free. Location: Riverbanks Zoo and Garden: 500 Wildlife Pkwy., 10/9 Columbia. For more information, call 803-779-8717 or visit Riverbanks.org.
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Columbia Main Campus: 1420 Colonial Life Blvd. W. For information on graduation rates, student debt levels, and other disclosures visit www.SoutheasternInstitute.edu/ConsumerInfo
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December 2014
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healthbriefs
Mistletoe Extract Benefits Pancreatic Cancer Patients
A
study published in the European Journal of Cancer revealed that a mistletoe extract may lengthen life for patients with severe pancreatic cancer. German researchers tested 220 patients with advanced stage pancreatic cancer, an aggressive, often fatal disease. The patients were divided into two groups; one was given up to 10 milligrams of Viscum album (European mistletoe) three times a week for up to 12 months. Both groups received supportive care throughout the study period. The average length of survival for those taking the mistletoe extract, 4.8 months, was nearly twice that of the other group, 2.7 months; a survival period typically dates from the original diagnosis. Within a group considered to have a good prognosis, the survival period for those that consumed the extract, averaging 6.6 months, was more than double that of the no-extract group, which averaged 3.2 months.
Hospice Care Adds Months for Cancer Patients
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esearchers from Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer Center determined that hospice care significantly increases survival rates among patients with metastatic (stage IV) melanoma, a difficult-to-treat form of cancer that occurs when melanoma cells have spread through the lymph nodes to other parts of the body. The study’s authors followed 862 metastatic melanoma cancer patients. Of these, 523 patients received one to three days of hospice care, 114 patients received four or more days and 225 people received no hospice care through their survival period. Those that received four or more days had an average survival period, which typically dates from the original diagnosis, of 10.2 months, while those that received none averaged 6.1 months. In addition, the end-of-life hospital costs for those receiving the most hospice visits were nearly half of what was incurred by patients not receiving hospice attention.
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globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.
Planet Power
Scientists May Harvest Energy from Earth’s Infrared Emissions
Physicists at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) are developing a device described in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that would harvest energy from Earth’s infrared emissions into outer space. The power is modest, but tangible. Steven J. Byrnes, a postdoctoral fellow at SEAS, points out, “The device could be coupled with a solar cell, for example, to obtain extra power at night without extra installation costs.” Heated by the sun, our planet is very warm compared to the frigid depths of space. Thanks to recent technological advances such as plasmonics and nanofabrication, and new materials like graphene, the researchers say this heat imbalance could soon be transformed into direct current (DC) power, taking advantage of an untapped, virtually limitless energy source. Source: ScienceDaily.com
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globalbriefs Feeding Hope
Recognizing Restaurants that Support the Homeless Food Recovery Certified is a new program that rewards restaurants that donate their extra food to those in need with a sticker on their front door. It’s a project of The Food Recovery Network, a national system of college students that takes cafeteria leftovers to homeless people. Founder Ben Simon started the group in 2011 at the University of Maryland, and the network has saved more than 320,000 pounds of food from the dump in its first three years. If a restaurant donates unsold food to the hungry at least once a month, it can apply for the certification. Then Food Recovery Certified verifies with local nonprofits that the donations actually occur before awarding its approval. Simon states, “Every food business should be donating its extra food.” For more information, visit FoodRecoveryCertified.org.
Youth Activists
World Peace Caravan to Travel in the Middle East in 2015 The World Peace Caravan, founded by the nonprofit D. Gary Young Foundation, is a global peace movement scheduled to conduct a 12-day camel caravan from Petra, Jordan, to Jerusalem, Israel, from December 15 to 26, 2015. It will be spearheaded by a delegation of 12 youth ambassadors, ages 16 to 24, selected from a worldwide pool of candidates. Their goal is to foster an online youth community to provide young people everywhere a platform to share ideas, voice opinions and educate and learn from their peers. The youths intend to collaborate on solutions-centered projects to help eradicate poverty and hunger, ensure environmental sustainability and attain healthy lives for all. Inspired by a recurring vision, D. Gary Young, CEO of Young Living Essential Oils, chose the ancient Frankincense Trail upon which the Queen of Sheba once journeyed to bring peace offerings to King Solomon. This modern-day journey for peace invites people of all cultures, faiths and backgrounds to retrace the steps of that pioneering peace movement, culminating in a blockbuster World Peace Caravan Concert for Peace in Jerusalem. For more information, visit WorldPeaceCaravan.org.
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giftgivingspotlight
White Rose Crossing Celebrations:
‘T
A One-of-A-Kind Gift Shop
is the season for “gift-giving,” and with the clock ticking away, many local residents, as is most of the nation, are gathering up shopping lists, sales flyers and post-it notes in preparation to “brave” the elements and shopping crowds in an effort to purchase the perfect gifts for family members and friends. Frenzied shoppers will wrestle with the usual litany of gift-purchasing questions: How much can I spend? Where can I go for the perfect, affordable gifts while avoiding the crushing masses of humanity? Tucked away in a quaint, “shopper-friendly” location on 831 Meeting Street, in West Columbia, is a popular local gift shop loved by many area residents, considered to be one of the Midlands’ best-kept secrets: White Rose Crossing Celebrations. Opening its doors last October, the gift shop is a great choice for shoppers to complete this year’s holiday purchases. This unique, eclectic gift shop features a wide range of goods, merchandise and services at very affordable prices, many of which are produced by local sellers. The trendy shop not only has unique, one-of-a-kind new items but also offers antiques, artwork, unique clothing, photography, pottery, stained glass, yard art, handcrafted jewelry selections and more that will surely not disappoint. As owner Martha Wise proudly states, “White Rose has a lot to offer and something for everyone.” Wise adds, “Not only will you find eclectic, unique gift items at White Rose Crossing, but, best yet, the purchases made at White Rose support the efforts of the many local artists and artisans.” White Rose Crossing Celebrations also offers the shop as a rental venue for occasions, such as book signings, baby showers, birthday parties, bridal showers and intimate memorial services. In addition, White Rose Crossing hosts its “open mic” event every first and third Tuesday, featuring the entertainment of local poets and musicians. Saturday, December 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., is White Rose Crossing’s Holiday Open House. At 3 p.m., singer and musician Tonya Tyner will take the stage. Also featured, with a product-tasting showcase of their popular Seay’s dipping sauce, will be owners Joe and Marilyn Seay. Special sale
by Odell Williams
offers on select items throughout the store will be available all day. With so much to offer, why go anywhere else? This holiday season, avoid the dreaded “shopper masses” and predictable purchase routines by adding White Rose Crossing Celebration to your “must-go-there” list. Find out what many already know … White Rose Crossing Celebrations is the place to go for the perfect gift. For more information, call 803-724-7285 or visit WhiteRoseCrossingCelebrations.com. See ad, page 32.
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consciouseating
HAPPY FEASTING TO ALL
Tasty Rituals that Deepen the Holiday Spirit by Lane Vail
T
he holiday season is ripe with an array of spiritual, cultural and family rituals. We celebrate, reflect, give gifts and, of course, feast. Fortunately, the media also teems with tips on how to avoid high-calorie holiday goodies, says Dr. Michelle May, author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat. For our diet-driven culture to resolve its struggle with food, she says we must learn to honor its intrinsic value. Ritualized eating can help; a recent study published in the journal Psychological Science found that engaging in food rituals evokes mindfulness that enhances the enjoyment of eating.
Pause
Hunger, the body’s fuel gauge, manifests in physical symptoms like a growling stomach or low blood sugar, says May, citing a useful analogy. “You wouldn’t drive around and pull into every gas station you see; you’d check your fuel gauge first. Before filling up with food, pause and check your fuel gauge. Am I actually hungry, or is this desire coming from something else?” May suggests practicing FEASTing: First, focus on physical sensations, thoughts and emotions; perhaps we’re thirsty, rather than hungry, rationalizing that holiday foods are special, or feeling stressed or lonely. Next, explore why the feelings or thoughts are present, and then accept them without judgment.
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Strategize ways of satisfying the need and take a small step toward change.
Savor
Complex preparations for a major holiday can provoke anxiety and impatience, and likewise, feelings of longing or disappointment when it’s over. Sarah Ban Breathnach, bestselling author of Simple Abundance and Peace and Plenty, recommends allowing Christmastide to unfold at its own pace and celebrating all of December with a homemade Advent calendar. Craft a tree-shaped tower of tiny boxes or a garland of burlap mini-bags clipped with clothespins. Place an almond covered in organic dark chocolate in each container and use the treat as a daily mini-meditation. “Drop into the present moment, fully savor the luxurious, small bite and experience the pleasure of eating,” suggests May. Consider it symbolic of the season’s sweetness.
Connect
“Food connects us with one another, our heritage and our culture,” says May. Heather Evans, Ph.D., a Queen’s University professor and a holiday culinary history expert in Ontario, Canada, suggests creating a food diary of traditions to reinforce a connection with the past and support a holiday food legacy for the future. Ask grandparents about their childhood culinary memories, peruse family recipe books or discover new dishes that honor everyone’s ethnic heritage. Then create an heirloom holiday cookbook with handwritten recipes arranged alongside favorite photos and stories.
Sync
According to pagan philosophy, sharing seasonal food with loved ones during the winter solstice on December 21 symbolizes the shared trust that warmth and sunlight will return. Eating warm foods provides physical comfort and eating seasonally and locally connects us to the Earth, observes May. Sync body and spirit with the season by stewing root vegetables, baking breads, sipping hot cider and tea, and nibbling on nuts and dried fruits. “The repetition of predictable foods is reassuring,” remarks Evans, and it celebrates nature’s transitions.
Play
Stir-Up Sunday is a Victorian amusement filled with fun, mystery and mindfulness,
says Ban Breathnach. Some December Sunday, have each family member help stir the batter of a special Christmas cake while stating a personal new year’s intention. Drop a clean coin, bean or trinket into the mix and bake. Serve it with a sprig of holly on Christmas Day, and the person with the piece containing the lucky charm will be rewarded with a prosperous, wholesome and positive new year, according to tradition. Evans remarks, “This is a wonderful ritual for nurturing the health and spirit of the family.”
Give
Boxing Day offers something far more meaningful to celebrate than postholiday sales. Originating as a tradition that thrived during the 19th century, “December 26 was a chance for landowners and homeowners to give back to household staff and local tradespeople,” says Evans. “It’s a tradition worth reviving to pause, reflect on our own good fortune and contribute to others’ comfort.” Consider serving a meal at a local soup kitchen, collecting items for a food drive or offering a box of healthy culinary treats to community stewards at a fire station, post office or library. On Christmas Day, says Ban Breathnach, “Our kids have the world lying at their feet.” Boxing Day, she says, provides a natural transition to reach out in charity. Lane Vail is a freelance writer and blogger at DiscoveringHomemaking.com.
A Revitalizing Ritual for the New Year Start the new year with a tabula rasa (clean slate) by hosting a New Year’s Eve Good Riddance Tea Party. Gather family and friends over warm ginger tea, spiced apple cider, hot chocolate and festive finger foods. Guests write down on slips of paper any mistakes, disappointments, regrets, hurts or failings they wish to be forgiven or forgotten. One by one, put them into a crackling fireplace or bonfire to symbolize surrendering of the past. “This ties the heart strings in a comforting bow,” comments author Sarah Ban Breathnach. Then, inscribe fresh intentions for the year to come and tuck them away in a special place. “This is the most mystical part, because so many prayers get answered,” Ban Breathnach says. Lastly, toast the new year with optimism and joy.
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HEALTHY HOLIDAY TOPPERS Courtesy of Teresa Cutter, TheHealthyChef.com
I loved raising my kids... the dinners together, school lunches, doctors appointments, homework, studying, the frustration of it all, Easter, birthdays, Christmas! I treasure it all!
Annette
Creating a repertoire of delicious wintery foods can help evoke health, mindfulness and delight during the holiday season. Dr. Michelle May advises approaching the entire process of eating, including the menu planning, shopping and food preparation, with a spirit of mindfulness, which adds a deeper dimension of pleasure to the experience. “Cake becomes more than just cake,” she says. “It becomes something the family creates and enjoys together.” Savor these rituals and recipes with loved ones.
Memory-Making Christmas Cake This nontraditional, healthy Christmas cake is alcohol-, sugar- and gluten-free. It relies on fruit for sweetness, almond meal for moistness and vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange essences for a perfect mingling of flavors. Prepare the cake with the whole family as a Stir-Up Sunday ritual, and keep it tightly sealed in the refrigerator until Christmas Day. Serve in small portions at room temperature or warmed in the oven and alongside vanilla bean custard or plain yogurt swirled with orange blossom honey. Yields 20 servings 2½ cups (600 grams) mixed and chopped dried fruit (raisins, prunes, figs, apricots, currants, sultanas and/ or dates)
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Preheat the oven to 300° F. Line the sides and base of a 7-inch round cake tin with parchment paper. Combine the dried fruit, spices, vanilla, orange zest and juice, olive oil and eggs. Mix in the almond flour and walnuts, then spoon the batter into the baking tin. Bake for an hour-and-a-half. Insert a skewer or toothpick to see if it comes out moist, but clean; if not, bake for up to 30 minutes more. (Cover the top if necessary to prevent over-browning.) After cooling, remove from the tin and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one month. Courtesy of Teresa Cutter, author of The 80/20 Diet and founder of TheHealthyChef.com.
The Perfect Custard
Yields 6 servings A velvety-smooth custard, also called crème anglaise, may be used as a foundation of many desserts. It can be flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate, citrus, coffee or pistachio. Pour this vanilla bean custard over a warm
Christmas cake or serve it straight up as eggnog, adding a touch of brandy and dusting of nutmeg. 2 cups milk of choice (organic, almond, coconut, soy or rice) 2 organic free-range eggs 2 tsp vanilla bean extract 2 Tbsp organic maple syrup or 1 Tbsp honey 1 Tbsp cornflour or kudzu Pinch nutmeg Heat milk in a saucepan with vanilla and honey and bring to near boiling, then remove from heat. Beat eggs and cornflour in a stainless steel mixing bowl until combined. Pour the hot milk over the eggs and whisk in well. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until it thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Remove from the heat quickly and pour back into the mixing bowl. Whisk well to slightly cool and smooth it out. If any lumps appear, strain the mixture through a sieve. Serve hot or cold. To warm up cold custard, put in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir and heat through gently. NOTE: For an egg-free custard, heat 17 oz almond milk with 2 Tbsp honey or 100 percent maple syrup and 2 tsp vanilla extract until near boiling. Thicken with a slurry made from 2 Tbsp cornflour, arrowroot or kudzu. Finish with a sprinkling of nutmeg. Courtesy of Teresa Cutter, author of The 80/20 Diet and founder of TheHealthyChef.com.
photo by Carl Hogg
1 tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp nutmeg 1 tsp vanilla bean extract Zest and juice from 1 organic orange 3 Tbsp olive oil 3 organic free-range eggs 2 cups (200 gm) ground almonds (almond flour) ¼ cup (50 gm) walnuts
Melody Moonlight’s Magical Monster Loving Potion Yields 4 servings Melody Moonlight’s story, which birthed the potion 32 oz apple juice ½ cup dried holy basil leaf 2 Tbsp dried orange peel 2 Tbsp dried rosemary 1½ Tbsp crushed cardamom 1½ Tbsp dried ginger root 1 Tbsp dried peppermint leaves ½ Tbsp ground nutmeg 1½ cinnamon sticks 13 drops each of essences of chicory flower, beech flower and rose quartz (all available at natural grocers) In a large pot, bring the apple juice to a near boil. Add all the other ingredients and turn off the heat. Read Melody Moonlight’s story at Tinyurl.com/LovePotionStory to infuse it all with magic and meaning. Courtesy of Andy Bottagaro, potion maker at Shine Restaurant & Gathering Place, in Boulder, CO.
I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year” Charles Dickens
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wisewords
Opening Up to Miracles Gabrielle Bernstein on Creating More Happiness by April Thompson
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otivational speaker and bestselling author Gabrielle Bernstein knows the gravitational pull of addiction firsthand. Although introduced to spiritual practices from an early age, she turned away from that upbringing in her 20s, pulled instead into a vortex of drugs, alcohol and unhealthy relationships while running a public relations firm promoting Manhattan nightclubs. After hitting rock bottom at age 25, Bernstein made the unwavering decision to seek spiritual help and change her life. The entrepreneurial young woman found her groove as a spiritual teacher, introducing millions to new ways of thinking and living through her books, lectures, blogs and videos. Her no-nonsense approach to spirituality and knack for making practices like meditation and prayer accessible to beginners and cynics have attracted a new generation of seekers. Bernstein’s latest book, Miracles Now:108 Life-Changing Tools for Less Stress, More Flow, and Finding Your True Purpose, offers simple, yet powerful tips to short-circuit unhealthy thought patterns and take a shortcut to transformational change.
Why do you reframe a miracle as simply a shift in perception? Shifting your perception and choosing again is a core principle from A Course in Miracles, a metaphysical text that I study and teach from. When you choose
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to reorganize your belief system and align it with a loving, forgiving perspective, rather than a fear-based reality, that’s when miracles can happen.
Some people shift away from a harmful relationship with addictive drugs and alcohol like you did, while others take such unhealthy behaviors to the grave; what makes the difference? Often when we get caught in unhealthy behavior, we aren’t willing to ask for help. I think the reason I was able to leave those behaviors behind and create a new path was my willingness to live a different way. I was able to witness my life and see that it wasn’t working. It’s an ongoing process; I’ve been on my current path of turning to spiritual principles for many years, but I’m still constantly working to apply them throughout my moment-tomoment experiences.
How does meditation help create radical change? I think meditation is a key tool for health, happiness and well-being. It can help reorganize the nervous system, lower stress levels, calm the mind and recalibrate energy. It can help us experience more synchronicity in our lives and a greater sense of interconnectedness, as well.
MidlandsHealthyLiving.com
What do you struggle with the most and what personal miracle are you still trying to realize? I’m in constant conversation with myself over my thoughts and beliefs about judgment and separation. People are programmed by society to believe we are separate and to judge ourselves and others. My practice suggests a reinterpretation of that general belief system in order to perceive things differently. I also try to forgive limiting thoughts I was holding onto; for example, judging myself for not performing well at a lecture. Talking too much in conversations is a big challenge for me. A practice in my Miracles Now book called WAIT, for “Why am I talking?” reminds me to notice when I’m saying too much, commenting unnecessarily or not supporting the greater good.
How do you think about money, and has that proven helpful in broader terms? I believe that we have the power to attract healthier relationships in our financial circumstances in the same way that we have the power to attract healthier relationships with people in our lives. Some people think that you can’t both be spiritual and secure financial abundance; I think that’s nonsense. When you start to reorganize your beliefs around your self-worth and capacity to earn, and open up to your intuitive voice and the creative possibilities for earning, then your financial situation can change dramatically. I have lived that principle fully. I was brought up in a poverty mindset, but with a shift in perception, I was able to release my fears of financial insecurity.
Do you have a go-to practice that you reach for first when faced with a difficult situation? When I’m faced with a complicated situation or feeling powerless, I say a prayer in stillness. Such a practice asks through prayer and listens through meditation. It’s in that stillness that I can hear the voice of intuition and the voice of forgiveness, and love can come forward. Connect with freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com.
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Sacred Activism Love in Action Can Change the World by Judith Fertig
the Santuario de Guadalupe, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that’s also reflected in his book, The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism. Born in India, educated at England’s Oxford University and in the religious traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, he now resides in Melbourne, Arkansas, where he’s founder and director of the Institute for Sacred Activism. The goal of his international travel is to bring concerned people together to proactively face global crises. Says Harvey, “Sacred activism is a fusion of two of the most powerful fires of the human psyche—the mystic’s passion for God and the activist’s passion for justice.”
Hallmarks of Spiritual Intent
“Sacred activism is the fusion of the mystic’s passion for God with the activist’s passion for justice, creating the burning sacred heart that longs to help, preserve and nurture every living thing.” ~ Andrew Harvey
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he butterfly, a universal symbol of transformation, reminds us that becoming our best selves is an ongoing process. Yet these delicate, fluttering creatures are suffering a decline, especially the vivid orange and black monarch butterflies that depend on milkweed flowers for sustenance during their migration to and from Mexico and Canada. “When I heard about the monarch butterfly crisis, I also noticed that I had milkweed vines all along my back fence,” says Karen Adler, a Kansas City, Missouri, gardener. “In years past, I
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would have pulled them out because they can strangle other plants. But I talked it over with my neighbor and we agreed to let them grow. This year, we had more monarchs than ever.” These two women might not realize it, but they had engaged in spiritual activism. They became aware of a problem, approached it with compassion, learned about the issue, realized life’s interdependence and committed themselves to positive action for a result that is good for all. It’s a process that Andrew Harvey first described in a 2005 talk he gave at
MidlandsHealthyLiving.com
The Awakening – Progressing from concerned citizen to spiritual activist is a gradual process. It may begin with an issue to which one feels called. “Our life in the world is a continual call and response,” observes Kabir Helminski, of Santa Cruz, California. He authors and translates books on the Muslim Sufi tradition, which tends to have an open relationship with other religions, and is a core faculty member of the Spiritual Paths Institute, which encourages seekers to find the sacred traditions that speak to them. “Sometimes events are a waking dream calling for interpretation, and sometimes the heart is directly addressed from within,” says Helminski. Compassion – Once an event moves us, prayer can be a pathway that opens our hearts to compassion, according to Jagadish Dass, of Granada Hills, California. The healer and teacher wrote The Prayer Project: The 3-Minute, 3 Times a Day Solution for World Change, which encourages involvement with something bigger than ourselves. Dass maintains that praying for three minutes, three times a day, will help us transmute into expressing a quiet power. “As we take responsibility for our lives, a transformation occurs within,” he says. We begin to inspire others to also take up the cause of working for change and bringing more peace, joy and love to the world. Likewise, Harvey urges each of us to make a real commitment to daily spiritual practice on the road to
“When you put spirit and activism together, you realize that all actions are connected to spirit. It makes you think about your duty in every instance—from how you treat people throughout your day to how you treat the environment. It becomes a satisfying way of living.” ~ Carla Goldstein spiritual activism. He suggests, “Start with a short prayer that aligns you with the pure deep love that is longing to use you as its instrument in the world.” Options include prayers from many of the world’s spiritual traditions shared in Dass’ book; a free download is provided at StewardshipOfTheSoul.com. Interconnectedness – Just as everything in the universe is connected by the simple act of being, like-minded people can connect to do good in the world. Sacred activists pursuing their own spiritual paths need to work with others, according to Harvey. “They form empowering and encouraging networks
of grace—beings of like heart, brought together by passion, skill and serendipity to pool energies, triumphs, griefs, hopes and resources of all kinds. When people of like mind and heart gather together, sometimes miraculously powerful synergy can result.” Harvey has found that groups of six to 12 people become the most efficient and productive, whether joined together through a profession (such as physicians on medical missions), a passion for animal rights or the environment, or a strong sense of social justice. Knowledge – Knowledge, both inward- and outward-seeking, is an-
other key to doing good for all. Carla Goldstein, JD, chief external affairs officer at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, in Rhinebeck, New York, and cofounder of its Women’s Leadership Center, used her interest in women’s empowerment issues as a springboard to spiritual activism. “For the first 20 years of my professional life, I focused on public policy and politics,” she says. “But something was missing in the rhetoric of taking care of each other.” Practicing yoga and meditation and receiving support during a personal health crisis prompted what she terms “an awakening understanding of a gap between personal change and systems change.” Goldstein came to question her own “rugged individualism” versus the interconnectedness she felt when people took care of her. “Can we actually move towards integrating these two ideals?” she asked herself. Knowledge about issues is readily available from experts and organizations that experts recommend; she observes, “The big question is: What is needed for us to be of help?” Sometimes listening and understanding can be powerful. Under the auspices of the Omega Women’s Leadership Center, Goldstein invited women on both sides of the reproductive rights issue to meet in 2005. They had been part of the Public Conversations Project in the Boston suburb of Watertown, Massachusetts, begun after medical staff members were killed and wounded at
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If you haven’t
got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble. ~Bob Hope
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an area women’s health clinic providing abortions in 1994. “Women from the divided community initially came together to tell their stories,” Goldstein relates. “Over time, they developed a deep love for each other. Nobody changed their positions, but they did change how they interacted with one another.” They experienced a shift from emotional and verbal turbulence to, if not agreement, feelings of peace and understanding. Since then, the project has grown to facilitate such conversations in 38 states and 15 countries (PublicConversations.org). Positive Action – While many thorny issues take long-term, dedicated efforts to be resolved, others only need smaller individual or collaborative actions for positive outcomes. For Mark Nepo, a New York City poet, philosopher and author of the New York Times bestseller, The Book of Awakening, kindness is the force behind positive action, no matter how modest at first. “Kindness reveals kinship. It gives us connection to everything greater than us and everything else that is kind in the universe,” he says. “I think it’s powerfully effective, yet it’s such a small thing.”
MidlandsHealthyLiving.com
Nepo is active in Bread for the Journey, an international nonprofit that encourages community grassroots philanthropic projects that generate micro-grants. One involved a small town in northern New Mexico that sought to improve the lives of local teenagers when the town’s elders wanted to open a youth center as a positive alternative to the drug scene. Just before the center was scheduled to open, the project ran out of money for required floodlights, so Bread for the Journey funded them and the center opened. “Within a few years, the whole culture shifted,” reports Nepo. This small contribution made a big difference to the whole community. Once awakened and nurtured, spiritual activism can become an omnipresent part of our lives. Says Goldstein, “When you put spirit and activism together, you realize that all actions are connected to spirit. It makes you think about your duty in every instance—from how you treat people throughout your day to how you treat the environment. It becomes a satisfying way of living.” Judith Fertig is a freelance writer from Overland Park, KS.
How Hands Uplift Hearts by Sandra Murphy
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olunteering provides rewarding satisfaction and progress for adults and children alike. Seniors stay involved and parents work alongside kids to experience the value of helping others. Local places of worship often maintain a list of opportunities to serve a community through helping and healing ministries and special projects. The Red Cross is best known for supplying aid in emergency situations, but many needs are year-round (RedCross. org). A call to city hall can steer willing participants to the right local organization. Here are other examples from around the country and nearby to spark love-inspired ideas.
meditation or restorative yoga, work the front desk, read to preschoolers and do fundraising.
People
Environment
Meals on Wheels does much more than deliver lunches to those in need (mowaa.org). In Austin, Texas, the Healthy Options Program for the Elderly program brings a bag of groceries monthly to clients most nutritionally at risk, plus Groceries to Go volunteers shop for or with clients every two weeks. Minor safety-related home repairs are provided through the Handy Wheels project. In Seattle, community helpers paint classrooms, install new playground equipment and donate books and supplies at the city’s public schools. Berkley, California, YMCA volunteers teach classes like mindful
Animals
Homeless dogs in shelters learn leash manners while participating in the Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound program at South Carolina’s Aiken County Animal Shelter. Leashes and treats are supplied to encourage volunteers to walk dogs at least once a week. It’s healthy exercise for both dogs and humans. To calculate the calorie burn, visit Tinyurl. com/WalkOffCalories. Shelter cats need socialization, too. Visits that include playtime and gentle petting make them more adoptable.
New York Cares has family projects available with no minimum age requirement (NYCares.org). Either on an ongoing or a one-day basis, volunteers improve parks, plant community gardens and refresh public spaces. Trails require refurbishing after bad weather. Streams and waterways need a good cleanup after floods. Check with the park ranger for more information. With a little research, volunteers can find the right activity, whatever their location, interest, age or abilities. Another good place to start is VolunteerMatch. org, which is easy to search by zip code and personal interests. A perfect opportunity to help others awaits. natural awakenings
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fitbody
Find Your Fitness Style
Workouts that Suit Your Personality by Wendy Worrall Redal
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hile some people find repetitious workouts boring, others like doing predictable routines at regular locations. Ensuring that our fitness regimen jives with our “fitness personality” is integral to making exercise a consistent part of our lifestyle, a concept that has traction among exercise experts. Jonathan Niednagel, founder and director of The Brain Type Institute, in Mountain Home, Arkansas, and an athletic consultant for professional teams, explains in his book, Your Key to Sports Success, that understanding our inborn brain type can help us to determine which sport is best suited to motivate us. In Suzanne Brue’s book, The 8 Colors of Fitness, she applies principles from the Myers-Briggs personality inventory to help readers develop a personalized exercise program. Susan Davis-Ali, Ph.D., in St. Paul, Minnesota, a professional coach for working women, created a Fitness Interest Profile survey for the Life Time Fitness health club chain. She points to research that suggests people that engage in activities appropriate for their personalities enjoy their workouts more
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MidlandsHealthyLiving.com
and are likely to stay with them longer. Identifying our fitness personality can help us find a program that suits our rhythms and interests. Based on composites from growing research, here are six categories that assess and capture the way we may feel about exercise; more than one can apply to any individual. Disciplined and driven. This is an image to which many of us may aspire, even though not everyone fits the mold. These exercisers are self-motivated and goal-oriented. Commitment and consistency go hand-in-hand. They like to use devices to track progress, maintain a training log and/or work with a personal trainer in systematic workouts geared to measure improvement. Disciplined types are often early risers; starting the day with regular exercise is second nature. Compatible fitness regimens include cardio workouts, interval and weight training, running, swimming and martial arts. Relishes routine. While these folks are disciplined and driven in some ways, they tend to be more relaxed about regimens. The key to success here is consistency. They like order and familiarity in exercise settings and practice and may enjoy reading or watching a screen during work-
outs. Whatever the preferred approach, whether it’s a favorite training video, Wii Fit video game, favorite teacher or memorized Pilates moves, these exercisers like to stick with it, even working out at the same time every day—often first thing in the morning or after work—finding that regularity can be habit-forming. Conscious contemplative. Reflective individuals enjoy quiet, solo activities like long-distance running, biking, hiking and swimming, that allow opportunities to look inward, often without thinking too much about the physical details. Exercise offers a chance to clear the mind and renew the spirit while strengthening the body. These types naturally gravitate to outdoor pursuits, but some indoor practices may also suit them, like yoga, Pilates, tai chi or even karate, which incorporate a strong mind-body component. Workouts are often soothing, rather than intense.
Plays well with others. For many people, exercise is best enjoyed with others, combining the social and fitness benefits of both. Connections and camaraderie get them off the couch, revved up and ready to go. Whether it’s a committed group of friends chatting during water aerobics or a high-powered cardio class that compares notes, motivation comes primarily from the presence—and accountability factor—of others. A lunch-hour class at a nearby studio or gym may be a fun break in the workday. On weekends, consider golf, tennis, dance or a local recreation team. Compulsive competitor. While the communal aspect is appealing, the greater gratification for this type comes through the thrill and challenge of competition. Trying to win is the great motivator, unlike driven and disciplined types that are happy to push through to their personal best. Team sports are a natural outlet, including soccer, rugby,
lacrosse, basketball or swimming, plus disc golf, tennis or racquetball matches and running events. Avid for adventure. It’s tough for any formal exercise program to keep the attention of adventurers. They crave freshness and spontaneity in fitness venues, activities that engage their interest and animate enthusiasm. It’s crucial for adventurous types to mix things up and not rely on any one exercise practice. Outdoor endeavors such as snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, inline skating or mountain biking have appeal. They may gravitate to the variables of Nia, Zumba’s high-energy Latin dance groove, kickboxing, exercise balls or hot yoga. A midday exercise escape can break the work routine. Their key to keeping active is to keep things stimulating. Wendy Worrall Redal blogs at Gaiam Life (Life.Gaiam.com), from which this was adapted.
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greenliving
“Products sold for professional use in spas and salons are not required to be labeled with ingredients.” Fortunately, healthy alternatives are available, either by patronizing a green salon or using natural beauty treatments at home.
Toxin-Free
BEAUTY SALONS Pure Pampering Feels
Hair Straighteners
Natural and Safe by Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist
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hen clients walk into New York City’s Swing Salon, they may be surprised by what they don’t smell—the range of chemicals usually wafting around hair salons. That’s because the owners have decided to use only natural and organic products. While many people may assume that all salon hair and body treatments are regulated and safe, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no authority to require companies to test cosmetic products for safety, due to
loopholes in the Toxic Substances Control Act. So, people are being exposed to dangerous toxins through salon products like nail polish, hair color processors and hair straighteners. Be aware that while labels of overthe-counter body care products are required by law to list ingredients, with the exception of the chemical soup often hidden under the term “fragrance”, the loophole for salon products is large. Jamie Silberberger, with the Women’s Voices for the Earth’s National Healthy Nail & Beauty Salon Alliance, reports,
B e B et te r.
One salon treatment—Brazilian Blowout hair straightening—can continue to expose customers and salon workers to toxic fumes even months after application. It’s among the conventional straightening products that contain formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen. “Exposure to formaldehyde doesn’t end with the treatment—the fumes are reactivated every time heat is applied to the hair,” says Jennifer Arce, a San Diego, California, salon worker who became sick after applying a single Brazilian Blowout treatment. “So, when a client who’s had a Brazilian Blowout done elsewhere comes into the salon to get a haircut or color and has her hair blow-dried, flat-ironed, curled or processed under the hood dryer, the fumes that come out of her hair make me and several of my coworkers sick all over again.” Solution: Avoid chemical hair-straightening treatments. Sign on to the Women’s Voice for the Earth letter campaign petitioning the FDA to remove Brazilian Blowout from U.S. shelves by visiting Tinyurl.com/ BanBrazilianBlowout.
The Acupuncture Clinic
Safe • Gentle • Effective • Trained in China • 38 Years Experience • Board Certified
William D. Skelton, D.Ac.
Just Just off Devine off Devine Street Street at: at:
620620 Sims Sims Avenue Avenue Columbia, Columbia, SC 29205 SC 29205 28
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Call 803.256.1000 for more information or
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Visit us online at www.SCacupuncture.com
Hair Dyes and Extensions About two-thirds of conventional hair dyes in the U.S. contain para-phenylenediamine (PPD), a chemical banned for use in such products in Germany, France and Sweden. Exposure to PPD can cause allergic reactions ranging from skin irritation to death by anaphylactic shock, which happened to a teenager in 2010. When Spain’s University of Santiago de Compostela researchers conducted a metastudy examining the risk of cancer among hairdressers and related workers, all reported that employees had a higher risk of cancer than the general population. Hair extensions also warrant attention. Many adhesives used on extensions may contain 1,4 dioxane, listed as a probable carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and styrene, a neurotoxin and suspected endocrine disruptor. Solution: Look for a clean, green salon that uses natural hair color treatments free from synthetic chemicals, ammonia or PPD. Individuals can also order nontoxic organic color kits direct from EcoColors.net.
Nail Polish When getting a manicure or pedicure, beware of the toxic trio of dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde and toluene. Used to help nail products hold color, they’re linked to repro-
ductive and development problems, plus dizziness and eye and lung irritation, according to the Environmental Working Group. Facing pressure from consumer groups and salon workers, some polish companies are now producing so-called “nontoxic” nail polish, although their labels aren’t verifiable. California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control recently tested 25 nail polishes sold to salons, 12 of which claimed to be toluene-free, including seven said to be free of the toxic trio. The researchers found toluene in 10 of those, and one or more of the three ingredients in five out of the seven. Solution: Customers should bring their own safe nail polish and only patronize well-ventilated salons.
spas that pledge to be energy efficient and sustainable in all of their practices (GreenSpaNetwork.org). If a green salon hasn’t yet arrived locally, bring nontoxic products for appointments and ask the stylist to use them. Visit the Skin Deep Database at ewg.org/skindeep to find the least-toxic products for at-home use. Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist is a freelance writer in Tucson, Arizona.
Find a Green Salon Many conventional body products like shampoos and massage oils contain a litany of ingredients that add to our chemical exposure. Ask questions to ensure all of a salon’s products are nontoxic or as low in toxicity as possible. For example, a large network of independently owned “concept salons” across America are connected with the Aveda Corporation (Aveda.com), a national leader in developing hair and body products that are free from the most dangerous ingredients. More than 90 percent of Aveda’s essential oils and 89 percent of its raw herbal ingredients are certified organic. Also look for members of the Green Spa Network, a nationwide coalition of
More Naturally Safe Sources Bloom Organics BloomOrganics.com Eve’s Organics EveOrganicsBeauty.com Max Green Alchemy MaxGreenAlchemy.com ToeShades ToeShades.com natural awakenings
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healthykids
Can-Do Kids Changing Our World at Any Age by Ellen Sabin
n It’s nice to help strangers, but you can also do little things close to home that’ll make life easier and better for your family. You can call your grandma to say hello, help your mom or dad with the dishes or play a favorite game with your little sister or brother. n You can also use your own special talents to help others. If you are a good cook, bake a healthy holiday treat to bring to someone that is feeling sick. You can read out loud a story to a younger child. If you’re strong and have lots of energy, you can help your neighbor take out the trash or do other household chores. n You can have fun and make an even bigger difference by doing good things with others. One way to get your friends excited about joining you is to plan a “Giving Party”. Ask your parents to help you download a free guide (WateringCanPress.com/html/ parents.html) that has fun ideas and activities for creating a holiday-time or birthday party or rainy day get-together.
This article is written especially for young readers eager to embrace the true spirit of the holiday season. Sharing it with them can help cultivate a lifelong practice of giving.
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ave you ever seen someone do something that changed a situation from bad to good? Maybe your parents helped someone whose car broke down, or a teacher spent extra time after class helping you with schoolwork. No matter your age, where you live or what you own, you have the power to do good, too. What you
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do can make other people happy and make the world a better place. Here are some ideas to help you figure out how. n A good place to start is to think about what’s important to you. This will help you find a way of giving back that you’ll enjoy and want to do again and again. For example, if you love taking care of animals, offer to walk an elderly person’s dog for them. If you get sad when you think about someone being lonely, visit a neighbor that lives alone or send a special card to a relative as a way to show your love.
MidlandsHealthyLiving.com
n Giving to other people is important, but the planet needs us, too. You can practice giving by picking up litter, recycling and even turning off lights when you leave a room. When we pay attention to the environment around us, we can learn how to respond in a giving way. Ellen Sabin is the founder and president of Watering Can Press (WateringCanPress. com), a publishing company committed to growing kids with character. Her series of award-winning books include The Giving Book: Open the Door to a Lifetime of Giving; The Greening Book: Being a Friend to Planet Earth; and The Healthy Body Book: Caring for the Coolest Machine You’ll Ever Own.
communityspotlight
“The hardest thing RMHC of Columbia has to do is turn away a family in crisis when it doesn’t have a room available.”
Building a New House RMHC of Columbia, S.C.,
Is Growing So More Families Can Stay Together
by Jessica Albert
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all ushers in many changes. The weather gets a little cooler and the leaves change to different shades of red and yellow. This fall season will also bring about big changes for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Columbia. RMHC of Columbia, provides families of critically ill or injured children a home-away-from-home experience so they are able to stay close to their hospitalized children. Its mission is to find, create and support programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. In 2013, 205 families found hope, comfort and support at RMHC of Columbia, Unfortunately, the demand for rooms
exceeds current capacity. The 4,400square-foot house only has eight bedrooms, and last year 124 families were turned away due to lack of space. The hardest thing RMHC of Columbia, has to do is turn away a family in crisis when it doesn’t have a room available. To help resolve this problem, which recurs all too frequently, it is scheduled to break ground on a brand new house this winter. The new house will enable RMHC of Columbia, to continue its mission and vision of serving families in their time of need. The future house will have 16 rooms, private in-suite bathrooms, a stateof-the-art kitchen, a dining room for 50 guests, multiple living rooms, administrative offices and so much more. The current house has served families for nearly 32 years, and is open to its families 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Each year during the holidays, staff takes the “home-away-from-home” experience to an entirely new level for the families staying at the house. From shamrocks to Easter egg hunts to decorating pumpkins to volunteers cooking an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner at the house and even decorating the house for Christmas, staff try to bring the holiday spirit to the house for families experiencing very challenging and trying circumstances. For more information about the new Ronald McDonald House or ways to get involved, visit RMHCOfColumbia.org.
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Photo by Adrienne Koteen
healingways
Singing the World Awake by Tom Kenyon Article adapted from the film, Song of the New Earth
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hen I was a Music and sound ing my neurophysiology. youngster, I Brain research shows are the language that when clearly rememwe experience ber reading a book, The and architecture pure sound without lanBoy Who Sang to the guage, the right side of the of the cosmos. brain lights up like a ChristWorld, although I later learned it doesn’t exist. mas tree. I’d worked in brain I read it in some other realm of conresearch for about 13 years when, while sciousness and that’s what I became. meditating, I received new information I sang to the world, sun, moon, about brain geometry that I recognized stars and all life. I sang in church and as the geometry of consciousness in its choirs and later took up guitar and relationship to sound and emotion. piano. One day, a visitor to our house I understood that if I taught this to said, “You’re going to heal many people others, I would observe rapid change in this world with that voice.” and improvement in brain function When I attended the University of and creativity, which took place when North Carolina, I discovered that neuro- I conducted beta testing at three sites. physiology could be used as a language One day, I was in California doing a to explain mystical experiences. The workshop when these sounds just came whole time I was engaged in scientific through me. That’s what spawned my training, I was also going deeper into current sound work. the mysticism of the East, the yoga I become like a tuning fork to the of India, Taoism of China, Egyptian information that is coming to me. In alchemy and Tibetan Buddhism. I was shamanism, this is called being the holpracticing every meditation from every low reed. I step out of the way. In terms tradition, sometimes for five hours a of brain frequencies, I go into an alpha day. Without realizing it, I was changstate, in which I can attend to what I
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need to do vocally, but for Sound opens inner emotion and making that moment surrender my a sound that matches how consciousness. it feels inside. voice to the energy. When I work shaman- If consciousness Something happens ically with drums, animal with people that attend is higher, life on these events. It’s about the spirits come through my voice, as do beings from Earth will change. transformation and beauty other traditions. I feel like of being able to step into a doorway, or a chauffeur looking in the the unknown to commune with a back seat to see who I’m driving. I live knowledge and intelligence that’ll sing in two diametrically opposed worlds. through my voice. Together, we’ll see I’m logical in how I look at things and what will come forward. am fascinated by brain neurology. Then A major message I’ve received is there’s this other side that’s off the charts. that if we are to survive, we must raise I never know when the whales the feminine out of the ashes creatare going to appear. As I operate in ed by millennia of cultural traditions an altered state, I can see humpbacks and have the male and female meet psychically approaching until one of together, not one above the other, but them enters my energy field. Subjecin equality, and with that union, create tively, I become as large as a whale, a new world. at the same time I’m aware of my The boy who sang to the world physical body. I have dual realities, has grown up to sing a space that and then the whale sounds emanate allows people to create their hopes and through me. dreams into existence. In a visionary experience on my 40th birthday, the question arose, “Will Psychologist and musician Tom Kenyon you sing the song of the new Earth?” I is trained in Ericksonian medical hypnosis believe that we’re not going to survive and whole brain learning. His 25 years much longer as a species if we don’t of practicing psychotherapy led to the change how we are living, and that’s formation of Acoustic Brain Research to what my work is about. Many people scientifically study neuropsychology and are having spiritual emergences, yet we psychoacoustics. He teaches Tibetan don’t, as a culture, have a place to harBuddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Egyptian ness its potential. What I do with groups high alchemy and esoteric Christianity. is a type of sound healing, working He has authored Brain States, many collectively with the energy of a large CDs and the new documentary about gathering. Each person responds in ways his journey, Song of the New Earth unique to them, breathing into some (SongOfTheNewEarth.com).
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ecotip Tweet Treats Trim a Tree, Feed the Birds
From December 14 through January 5, citizen scientists of all ages will participate in the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count (Tinyurl.com/AudubonChristmas Count), the country’s longest-running wildlife census. Audubon and other organizations use the data collected by volunteers to monitor population trends and guide conservation efforts. Whether or not families plan to help Audubon volunteers keep track of feathered visitors, they might consider providing backyard birds with gifts of food during the winter, when natural food sources can be scarce. Adorning outdoor trees with edible decorations can also help brighten landscapes, reduce kitchen scraps, creatively involve children in nature and make yards more bird-friendly. Salvage citrus rinds for feeders. Poke holes along the edge of hollowed halves of grapefruit and orange peels and run twine through them so they can hang from a branch. Fill with bird seed or suet. Create ornaments from bread heels or stale loaves. After cutting out shapes with a cookie cutter, spread them with unsalted nut butter and cover with birdseed. Bagels, rice cakes and pinecones can be frosted and sprinkled in the same way. Avoid using anything moldy. For more colorful ornaments, hang orange and apple slices. Drape edible garland around tree branches. Thread unsalted popcorn (stale popcorn strings more easily), fresh cranberries, citrus slices, unshelled peanuts, dried apples or grapes into a garland. Use natural string, wool or raffia for hanging decorations. Wild Birds Unlimited suggests selecting these materials so they can be used by birds as nesting materials in the spring. Collect seed heads and berries to tuck among the branches. According to the National Wildlife Federation, good food sources include seed heads from flowers such as goldenrod, sunflower, coneflower, sumac and mullein; seed heads from grasses such as millet, wheat, foxtail and switchgrass; and berries on sprigs of holly, juniper, cedar, hawthorn and mountain ash. Make sure decorations are hung on a tree or shrub near a window so the whole family can enjoy watching the wildlife they attract. Contributing source: The Humane Society
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December 2014
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naturaldirectory Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Natural Directory, call 803-233-3693, or email ColaPublisher@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.
ACUPUNCTURE
BUSINESS COACH/LIFE COACH
THE ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC
William D. Skelton, DAc 620 Sims Ave, Columbia 803-256-1000 • SCAcupuncture.com
MATRX COACHING
Bill Skelton is dedicated to helping people live happier, healthier, active lives with safe, gentle and effective techniques. He has 38 years’ experience and trained in the Republic of China. Call to schedule an appointment. See ad, page 28.
AROMATHERAPY GARNER’S NATURAL LIFE
4840 Forest Dr, Ste 15-A, Columbia Trenholm Plaza, in Forest Acres 803-454-7700 • GarnersNaturalLife.com
Suzanne Riley Whyte 803-760-6403 • info@MatrxCoaching.com MatrxCoaching.com
Are you struggling to achieve your professional or personal goals? Success in business and success in life go hand in hand. Locally owned Matrx Coaching is uniquely qualified to enhance your inner strengths and incorporate them into your business and personal life. Customized training, tools and instruction. Call to schedule a free consultation.
CHIROPRACTIC
Improve your level of stress, depression and mood with natural products from a locally owned family business. Our knowledgeable staff will guide you using aromatherapy for pain, anxiety, energy enhancement and more. We carry several brands of essential oils, including doTERRA. See ad, back page.
CHIROPRACTIC WELLNESS CENTER INC.
Dr. Shelly Jones, DC Chiropractic Wellness Center Inc. 5209 Forest Dr, Ste C, Columbia 803-771-9990 • DrShellyJones.com
Webster Technique certified, Dr. Jones provides family chiropractic care, health information and wellness resources to support the body’s natural ability to heal, allowing one to feel better and enjoy living a more active lifestyle! Call to schedule your appointment or discuss bringing our onsite chiropractic care and health-education services to your business, school or athletic team.
FAMILY PRACTICE OF CHIROPRACTIC
Dr. Jim Minico, DC 203 Amicks Ferry Rd, Chapin 803-932-9399 • DrMinico.com PatientServices.fpc@gmail.com
It is our mission to provide the community with the highestquality chiropractic care possible. Exceeding your expectations in a caring, modern and positive environment. Restoring the body’s natural healing process. A holistic approach to health utilizing chiropractic, massage therapy, exercise therapy, nutrition, weight management and homeopathy. See ad, page 41.
OLD MILL CHIROPRACTIC
Dr. Eric Nazarenko, DC 711 East Main St, Ste L-2, Lexington 803-808-0711 • Eric@OldMillChiro.com OldMillChiro.com
True health is about wellness, vitality and correcting the cause of symptoms. Old Mill Chiropractic’s goal is to create a happier and healthier community through safe, natural and effective care. Taking the time to listen, we custom-tailor an individualized care plan to achieve your specific goals and needs. We want you to have a wonderful and healthy life. See ad, page 14.
OUR LOCAL CATCH
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Shannon Burnett helps families through legal issues that normally tend to tear families apart. She works in a collaborative fashion with other trained professionals to minimize the damage done to your family; it is her goal for your family to achieve a successful outcome and healthy resolution. See ad, page 9.
Dedicated to sharing, teaching and educating others in the uses and common applications of doTERRA’s Certified Pure Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oils. William offers Aromatouch Therapy, extensive knowledge of Reflexology, biological surveys and is available for personal consultations and classes. Call for consultation. See ad, page 29.
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COLON HEALTH
William Richardson 109 Coots Way, Irmo • 803-665-2943 WRichardson.doterra@gmail.com
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EASTERN DESIGN AND HOME STAGING LLC
Ivy Ellerby, AFDP, ASP, IAHSP PO Box 84421, Lexington 803-470-4567 • DesignAndHomeStaging.com EasternDesignAndHomeStaging@gmail.com
Ivy Ellerby is a certified Advanced Feng Shui Design Professional with a background in clinical and experimental psychology. She specializes in health and wellness improvement by using proven Feng Shui methods to create a balance of energy flow throughout the home, office or other occupied dwelling. Ellerby is also a nationally accredited home stager. Call today to schedule a consultation! See ad, page 17.
Linda Salyer 120 Kaminer Way Pkwy, Ste H, Columbia 803-361-2620 • LSalyer@ymail.com
All disease begins in the colon. Constipation; slow, sluggish bowel; gas and bloating? A colonic will help to rid you of these problems. Colonics promote good digestion, help speed metabolism, help lower cholesterol, and help relieve joint pain. Linda Salyer is IACN certified and a retired nurse. Special pricing every third week of the month. See ad, page 16.
CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY CENTER FOR HEALTH INTEGRATION
Pamila Lorentz, MSW, RN, LMBT 6136 Old Bush River Rd, Columbia 803-749-1576 • CenterForHealthIntegration.com
Pamila has more than 20 years’ professional experience in holistic approaches to health and well-being, specializing in post-traumatic injuries and chronic stress relief. Pamila’s essential touch therapies include craniosacral therapy, lymph massage, sound/vibrational therapies and integrative massage therapies.
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DENTIST FOREST DRIVE DENTAL CARE
Dr. Joanna Silver Dover, DMD 5101 Forest Dr, Ste A, Columbia 803-782-8786 • ForestDriveDental.com
Dr. Dover provides comprehensive, and compassionate dental care. BPA- and Bis-GMA-free composites, BPA-free occlusal guards, natural periodontal therapy, fluoride-alternatives for tooth remineralization, and mercuryfilling removal following IAOMT standards using supplemental oxygen, special filters and amalgam separators to keep toxic metals out of our waterways. See ad, page 24.
Pleasant Dreams™ contains a blend of safe, natural sleepinducing ingredients including chamomile, valerian root and melatonin which may help to: • Facilitate relaxation without morning drowsiness • Maintain sleep all night • Reduce anxiety symptoms • Improve pain tolerance 60 capsules: $34.99 – shipping: $5 (up to 8 bottles) – ORDER TODAY!
NAWebstore.com or call 1-888-822-0246
Consult a healthcare professional before taking this product. Pleasant Dreams is not intended to cure, treat, diagnose or mitigate any disease or other medical condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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December 2014
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naturaldirectory Green Lawn Care THE GREEN CHAOS SOLVED John Childs • Louis Carta 803-569-6177 TheGreenChaosSolved.com
We care for our customers, their lawns and pets while caring for the environment naturally, utilizing organic products, along with all-electric equipment, which is quieter and more earth friendly than gas-powered equipment. Other services include soil testing; weed, disease and insect control; and much more. Call today for a consult. See ad, page 15.
HEALTH/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COACHING KATHY O’KEEFE, MS, RD/LD, CDE KOK Consulting & Coaching 803-261-2998 • KOK-candc.com
Kathy O’Keeffe offers a unique perspective to enable individuals to achieve their personal or business goals. She’s a Registered and Licensed Dietitian. Kathy has developed her effective style to empower those who are really ready to change! Call for a free consultation. See ad, page 25.
KATHY COOPER
Certified Holistic Health Coach 803-546-4464 • KathyJCooper.com KathyCooper02@gmail.com
Kathy Cooper is passionate about helping women live a healthy, balanced life. Each health coaching program is personalized to help improve your mind, body and spirit. Kathy offers individual and group health coaching programs, as well as health and nutrition workshops and cooking classes. See ad, page 27.
HEALTH & WELLNESS TAKE SHAPE FOR LIFE
Sylvia Saunders Stevens C.O.P.E. Certified Health Coach 803-917-3226 • SylviaS4Health@gmail.com
Looking to lose weight and learn how to keep it off? Want increased energy to do all of the fun activities in life? You can achieve optimal health with the personal guidance from a certified health coach that has been in your shoes. Call Sylvia to get started on creating the best “Rest of Your Life!” See ad, page 27.
TAKE SHAPE FOR LIFE
NJ Miler, C.O.P.E. Certified Health Coach 803-750-9695 • GaryNJ4health@gmail.com
This innovative weight-loss program allows you to eat every two to three hours while losing weight quickly and safely in partnership with a FREE personal health coach from the comfort of your own home. No pills, shots or stimulants are used—just food. Also, this physicianled program has no registration fees, meeting fees, or long-term contracts. See ad, page 27.
Hypnotherapy BLOOM HYPNOSIS CENTER
Elizabeth Leaphart, MEd, NCC 1024 Wildewood Centre Dr, Ste A, Columbia • 803-282-9888 Elizabeth@BloomSC.com BloomSC.com
Columbia’s Hypnofertility® and Hypnobirth® practice for women, specializing in one of the safest and most effective natural fertility techniques available. Elizabeth offers a peaceful, healing retreat to support your natural or medically assisted conception, pregnancy, birth and afterbirth. These powerful sessions open the connection between what the mind and heart desire and what the body manifests, and empower you with skills for a lifetime. Free in-office consultation. See ad, page 25.
INTEGRATED HEALING PHOENIX RISING
Katz Delauney-Leija, MSW, EFT-CC, Psych-K Advanced, Health & Wellness Intuitive, CRA Certified 803-530-6199 • KDelauney@sc.rr.com
Katz integrates her therapy skills, insight, intuition and spiritual guidance to identify emotional issues blocking self-healing. She incorporates her medical intuitive skills with Contact Reflex Analysis (CRA) to identify preclinical health issues impeding holistic wellness physically and emotionally.
INTEGRATIVE & HOLISTIC MEDICINE EXPECT WELLNESS
Dr. Rachel Hall 2222 Airport Blvd, W. Columbia 803-796-1702 • DrRachelHall.com ExpectWellness@sc.rr.com Find us on Facebook for great health tips.
Integrative/Holistic medicine consults for anyone wanting to approach their health more naturally. Dr. Rachel Hall is board certified in both family medicine and integrative holistic medicine. Together we will focus on finding the root of the problem, not just treating symptoms. Call today for a consult if you are looking to achieve balance. In-house diagnostic labs and therapies. See ad, page 7.
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Intuitive Coaching SHERRY WILLIAMS
Intuitive Coach 540 St. Andrews Rd, Ste 115-B, Columbia • 803-206-4589 LetsUnpackYourBaggage.com
Do you have any idea why you say or do certain things? Author of What’s Inside Your Bag Baby?, Sherry William’s coaching style is unique. Sherry carefully listens while asking specific questions that make you consciously aware of who and what is preventing you from having the life that you know you deserve!
INTUITIVE READINGS THE SOURCE WITHIN YOU
Rev. Julie E. Bradshaw 803-800-9211 • TheSourceWithinYou.com
Julie Bradshaw specializes in helping people to receive guidance from their Higher Self as well as their guides and angels. She offers spiritual counseling and can assist you with relationship, financial, career and healthrelated matters.
MASSAGE Leslie A. Boland, LMT
120 Kaminer Way Pkwy, Ste G, Columbia • 803-528-2119 HarmoniousHealing@gmail.com
Leslie’s 10 years’ experience includes Reiki, reflexology, touch for health, crystal therapy and much more. Her integration and use of modalities through unique and personalized-care techniques allow you to understand and interpret the messages that your body communicates, helping to promote balance between the body, mind and spirit. $10 off first visit.
NATURAL PEST CONTROL NATURAL ROOTS ORGANIC PEST CONTROL PREVENTION Jim Huthmaker • 803-404-2488 NaturalRootsPestControl.com
Natural Roots Organic Pest Prevention is the only company in the Midlands specializing in treating homes and businesses for pests using all-natural organic solutions. Providing treatments for all insects including mosquitoes; Natural Roots never uses pesticides that would be harmful to children, pets or beneficial insects like honey bees.
NATURAL PET FOOD
THERMOGRAPHY ABOUT YOUR HEALTH INC.
WOOF BAKERY
120 Kaminer Way Pkwy, Ste J, Columbia 803-798-8687 • AboutYourHealthSC.com
ALL-NATURAL DOG FOODS Janet Clamp • 803-240-4195 Janet.Clamp@gmail.com
Dogs get many of the same illnesses that humans do. If your dog gets urinary tract infections or bladder infections, one of the best ways to treat them is to give a vitamin C capsule twice a day for two/three weeks; then once a day as a preventative method. To determine what milligram, approximately 250 mg for smaller dogs and 500 mg for larger dogs.
NATURAL SKIN-CARE PRODUCTS
About Your Health Inc.’s main focus is health education and health-enhancing services. Including one-on-one nutritional counseling, Reams pH testing, parasite programs, aqua-chi footbaths, far infrared sauna, weight-loss programs, and thermography. Hard-to-find natural, organic, whole food nutritional supplements, raw foods and natural household items. See ad, page 13.
VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS BELL LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS
JUST WANNA MELT LLC
800-333-7995 • BellLifestyle.com
Misty Rawls • 803-331-0063 Info@JustWannaMelt.com JustWannaMelt.com
A green skin-care company that creates high-quality, all-natural products that are gentle on the skin and the environment. Our ingredients include organic oils, butters, herbs, botanicals, local grains, beeswax and honey. Visit our website for a complete list of retail locations.
Oxygen Therapy
STUDIO O2
801 Gervais St, Downtown Vista Oxygen/Massage/Natural Beauty Services 803-667-9606 • Info@SO2Spa.com
Mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a natural non-invasive way of giving your body what it needs to recharge and heal faster. Oxygen can aid in faster recovery from injury, migraines, chronic pain and overall detoxification. Call to schedule a consultation to learn how oxygen treatments can help you to live your very best. Re-charge your life! See ad, page 14.
Formulated natural health supplements intended for pain control, urinary health, preventive illness, virility, stress relief, weight control and other common conditions. See ad, page 43.
GARNER’S NATURAL LIFE
4840 Forest Dr, Ste 15a, Columbia Trenholm Plaza 803-454-7700 • GarnersNaturalLife.com
At Garner’s Natural Life, we offer the purest, most innovative highquality natural products. With more than 130 collective years of wellness experience! We are proud to say that our knowledge allows us to encourage choices that will positively impact the heath and future of our community and environment. See ad, back page.
SPIRITUAL SPIRITUAL DISCUSSION GROUP
Contact Steve 803-318-1887 • ECK-SC.org Meetup.com/Columbia-Spiritual-Seekers
Eckankar hosts open discussions (meetups), worship services and more at no charge. All are welcome. Topics include understanding past lives, dreams, coincidences, God’s creative life force, and more. Call ahead: time and date may vary.
Connect with us...Naturally! Check out our new website: MidlandsHealthyLiving.com natural awakenings
December 2014
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calendarofevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received by Nov. 10 (for Dec. issue) and adhere to our guidelines. To submit listings, visit MidlandsHealthyLiving.com. ALWAYS CALL AHEAD BEFORE ATTENDING EVENTS TO AVOID LATE CANCELLATIONS AND CHANGES
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2 Basil Days Discount at Rosewood–8am-8pm. 20% off purchase price at Rosewood Market; mention this listing to receive discount. Deli and other sale items not included. Rosewood Market, 2803 Rosewood Dr, Columbia. Info: 803-530-3270, RosewoodMarket.com. Bridge of Light–7-8pm–Meditation w/Victoria Keeton. Donation-based. 7 Rays Bookstore, 3701 N Main St, Columbia. Info: 803-404-4519. doTERRA Emotional Healing for the Holidays–7pm. Free class. About Your Health, 120 Kaminer Way Pkwy, Columbia. Info: Call William Richardson at 803-665-2943. doTERRA Oils of the Bible–7pm. Free class. Receive a free bottle of orange essential oil and a Living Magazine. Just Breathe Learning Center, 7522 Irmo Dr, Ste 5, Irmo. Call Patty Kranendonk at 803-730-9083 to reserve a seat. Reiki Clinic–10:30am-12:30pm–w/Margaret Self. Open to all; no training necessary. Great intro to Reiki energy. $10, must pre-register. Carolina Reiki Institute, 612 St. Andrews Rd, Ste 1, Columbia. Info: 803-551-1191, CarolinaReikiInstitute.com.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4 Reiki Clinic–5:30-7:30pm–w/Margaret Self. Open
to all; no training necessary. Great intro to Reiki energy. $10, must pre-register. Carolina Reiki Institute, 612 St. Andrews Rd, Ste 1, Columbia. Info: 803-551-1191, CarolinaReikiInstitute.com.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 8 Basil Days Discount at Rosewood–8am-8pm. 20% off purchase price at Rosewood Market; mention this listing to receive discount. Deli and other sale items not included. Rosewood Market, 2803 Rosewood Dr, Columbia. Info: 803-530-3270, RosewoodMarket.com.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9 doTERRA Natural Solutions–7 pm. Free class. Receive a free bottle of orange essential oil and a Living Magazine. Just Breathe Learning Center, 7522 Irmo Dr, Ste 5, Irmo. Call Patty Kranendonk at 730-9083 to reserve a seat. doTERRA Oils of the Bible–7pm. Free class. About Your Health, 120 Kaminer Way Pkwy, Columbia. Info: Call William Richardson at 803665-2943.
TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 9-10 Reiki Level I, Traditional Usui Reiki System–15pm–w/Margaret Self, Reiki master, NHD. En-
try-level class combines four attunements, instruction, discussion and practice time. Manual included. Pre-registration required. Cost: $300. Carolina Reiki Institute, 612 St. Andrews Rd, Ste 1, Columbia. Info: 803-551-1191, CarolinaReikiInstitute.com.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13 Basil Days Discount at Rosewood–8am-8pm. 20% off purchase price at Rosewood Market; mention this listing to receive discount. Deli and other sale items not included. Rosewood Market, 2803 Rosewood Dr, Columbia. Info: 803-530-3270, RosewoodMarket.com. Growing and Preserving Herbs/A Year of Good Medicine–2-4pm–w/Margaret Self, NHD, master herbalist. Cost: $35. Plant spirit medicine. Takehome project: seeds for your own herb garden. Open to all; pre-registration required. Carolina Reiki Institute, 612 St. Andrews Rd, Ste 1, Columbia (inside Belladonna’s Gift Shoppe). Info: 803-551-1191, CarolinaReikiInstitute.com. Transformation of Light–2-3:30pm. Lecture w/ Osaze Bey. Donation-based. 7 Rays Bookstore, 3701 N Main St, Columbia. Info: 803-404-4519.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16 Bridge of Light–7-8pm–Meditation w/Victoria Keeton. Donation-based. 7 Rays Bookstore, 3701 N Main St, Columbia. Info: 803-404-4519. doTERRA Cold and Flu Season–7pm. Free class. Receive a free bottle of orange essential oil and a Living Magazine. Just Breathe Learning Center, 7522 Irmo Dr, Ste 5, Irmo. Call Patty Kranendonk at 730-9083 to reserve a seat. doTERRA Frankincense and Myrrh–7pm. Free class. About Your Health, 120 Kaminer Way Pkwy, Columbia. Info: Call William Richardson at 803665-2943. Holiday Drop-in at the Balance Institute–5:30-7:30pm. Enjoy hot chocolate, apple cider and Christmas cookies while you learn all about the services offered there. Tour the facility and meet the practitioners. Holiday specials on massage gift certificates. The Balance Institute, 1905 Sunset Blvd, W. Columbia. Info: 803-7964007, TheBalanceInstitute.com.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18 Basil Days Discount at Rosewood–8am-8pm. 20% off purchase price at Rosewood Market; mention this listing to receive discount. Deli and other sale items not included. Rosewood Market, 2803 Rosewood Dr, Columbia. Info: 803-530-3270, RosewoodMarket.com. Energy Potluck–6pm. Join us monthly for a taste of healing modalities and tools. Each month will feature a different experience, from Reiki and Jin Shin Jyutsu to sound wave energy and more. December will feature singing bowls and tuning forks—make a joyful healing noise. Cost: $10, pre-registration required. Carolina Reiki Institute, 612 St. Andrews Rd, Ste 1, Columbia (inside Belladonna’s Gift Shoppe). Info: 803-551-1191.
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23 Basil Days Discount at Rosewood–8am-8pm. 20% off purchase price at Rosewood Market; mention this listing to receive discount. Deli and other sale items not included. Rosewood Market, 2803 Rosewood Dr, Columbia. Info: 803-530-3270, RosewoodMarket.com.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30 doTERRA Building Blocks to Immunity–7pm. Free class. About Your Health, 120 Kaminer Way Pkwy, Columbia. Info: Call William Richardson at 803-665-2943.
plan ahead TUESDAY, JANUARY 6 Toning for Sound Health–10-11:30am. Starting Jan. 6, seven-week series every Tuesday. Learn how to activate energy centers with toning for sound health and well-being. Cost: $20 per class. Center for Health Integration, 6136 Old Bush River Rd, Columbia. To pre-register (required), call Pamila Lorentz at 803-749-1576.
MONDAY, JANUARY 12
Happy and Healthy Holidays from the Natural Awakenings Family To Yours
Un-Resolution Workshop–1-3pm. Learn how to create the life you want without making New Year’s resolutions. $40 advance tickets, $50 at door. Lexington Leisure Center, 108 Park Rd, Lexington. Info: Call Suzanne Riley Whyte at 803-760-6403.
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ongoingevents sunday Eckankar Spiritual Discussions and Community HU–10am. Free. Every 2nd Sunday. An esoteric approach to God realization without dogma or judgment. 7 Oaks Rec. Center, 200 Leisure Ln, Columbia. Info: Call Steve Fischer at 803-318-1887, or visit Eck-SC.org or Meetup.com/Columbia-Spiritual-Seekers. Mommy-Baby Yoga–This class is for moms and babies six months to small toddlers. Cost: $14 a class. Check website for dates and times. Expecting Well, 514-A Gervais St, Columbia. Info: 803-6618452, ExpectingWell.com.
monday Sitting with Sadness–7-8:15pm. A grief support group and meditation/mindfulness conversation and practice. Every Monday. Free. Info: Call Nyna Dalbec at 803-446-9642 or register at Nyna.Dalbec@Me.com.
tuesday Community Acupuncture–8am-1pm–w/Noemi Wilson, licensed acupuncturist. Cost: $10 initial paperwork fee plus $20-$40 sliding scale for treatment. New patients schedule by calling 803-732-6635. Info: Call Wilson at 786-205-4933. Clinic located inside of Irmo Family Chiropractic, 1032-A Kinley Rd, Irmo. Kundalini Yoga and Meditation–6:30-8pm–w/ Anahata Musick. Increased health and self-awareness through life-changing yoga exercise, breathing and meditation. Cost: Drop-in/$15, 4-class pass/$48, 8-class pass/$96. 2730 Millwood Ave, Columbia. Info: 803-765-2159, YogaAndWellness.com. Prenatal Yoga–5:30-6:45pm–w/Emily, MD, RYT200. Open to all students. Prepare the mind and body for labor and more. Cost: 1st class free, $10-$14/ class packages. Expecting Well, 514-A Gervais St, Columbia. Info: 803-661-8452, ExpectingWell.com White Rose Open Mic–6:30-9pm. 1st and 3rd Tuesday. In a living-room setting, poets and musicians share their artistry. On 12/2, the feature will be the duo Bruce Clark and Leslie Gilroy of Sunshine Delusions. On 12/16, musician Susan Corbett will be featured. Join them for refreshments, music and poetry. White Rose Crossing Celebrations, 831 Meeting St, W. Columbia. Info: Call John M. Starino at 803-463-8297 or email JMStar5@aol.com.
wednesday Biergarten at Gardener’s Outpost–5:30-7:30pm. Every 1st Wednesday of the month. Live entertainment and refreshments. Browse Biergarten’s unique garden gifts. Gardener’s Outpost, 709 Woodrow St, Columbia. Info: 803-252-0041, GardenersOutpost.com.
style. Cost: $15/class, $66/6-wk session. About Your Health, 120 Kaminer Way Pkwy, Ste J, Columbia. Info/register: Call Pawlina at 803-926-0895. Stretch and Relax Yoga–4:30–5:30pm–w/Anahata Musick. These classes are gentle and relaxing, and will help with hamstring limitations and increase joint mobility. 10 classes/$108, prepay online. 2730 Millwood Ave, Columbia. Info: 803-765-2159, YogaAndWellness.com.
thursday Community Walk-in Acupuncture Clinic–27pm–w/Noemi Wilson, licensed acupuncturist. For established clients only. Cost: $20-$40 sliding scale. Clinic located inside of Irmo Family Chiropractic, 1032-A Kinley Rd, Irmo. Info: Call Wilson at 786205-4933 or visit IrmoChiropractic.com. Click on the “Acupuncture” tab for more info. Dimensional Dowsing–7:30-9pm–w/Katz Delauney-Leija, MSW. Every 2nd Thursday. Learn new energetic skills to apply in your life on a daily basis. Cost: $20. 6 Cupola Ct, Blythewood. Info: 803-530-6199, Katz-PhoenixRising.com. Directional Healing–6-7pm–Every 1st Thursday. A systematic, multidimensional approach to healing the physical and inner bodies through vibration. Must pre-register to confirm; space is limited. $15 fee. Center for Health Integration, 6136 Old Bush River Rd, Columbia. To register and for info, call Pamila Lorentz at 803-749-1576 or visit DirectionalHealing.com. Prenatal Yoga–5:30-6:45pm–w/Rachel Hall, MD, RYT-200. Open to all students. Prepare mind and body for labor and more. Cost: 1st class free, $10-$14/ class packages. Expecting Well, 514-A Gervais St, Columbia. Info: 803-661-8452, ExpectingWell.com. Rosewood Sidewalk Farmers’ Market–4-7pm. Every 1st and 3rd Thursdays in December. Meet your SC growers. Rosewood Market, 2803 Rosewood Dr, Columbia. Info: 803-530-3270, RosewoodMarket.com.
saturday Tai Chi/Qigong–10:30-11:45am–w/Suzanne Riley Whyte. Open to all; no training necessary. Experience peace through relaxed movement. $10, Lexington Leisure Center, 108 Park Rd, Lexington. Info: 803-760-6403, MatrxCoaching.com. Prenatal Yoga–w/Rachel Hall, MD, RYT-200. Prepare mind and body for labor, delivery and welcoming new life. Open to all students. Time varies each week. Cost: 1st class free, $10-$14/class packages. Expecting Well, 514-A Gervais St, Columbia. Info: 803-661-8452, ExpectingWell.com.
Multi-Level Yoga–5:30-6:45pm–w/Robin Pawlina, RN, CYI. She has taught yoga for more than 20 years and creates an environment that allows the student to manage stress with a relaxed and supportive
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classifieds To place classified listing, email content of listing to ColaPublisher@ NaturalAwakeningsMag.com or mail with payment to Natural Awakenings, P.O. Box 2812, Columbia, SC, 29202. $ 1 0 fo r 25 wo rd s p e r m o nt h . Additional .50 per word over 25 words. Please include billing contact information. Deadline is the 12th of the month prior. Career Opportunity Columbia Natural Awakenings is seeking a qualified and experienced advertising account specialist to join its Columbia team. If you are a self-motivated, energetic, independent thinker with great people skills, call today to schedule an interview: 803-233-3693.
HAIR SALON HAIRCUTS-$5 (reg. $15). Color, highlights, perms starting at $35. Wax $8. Men’s cut and color $39. Open 7 days a week. Call 803-359-1379.
Natural Burials Angels Affordable Caskets, Urns & More. Eco-friendly caskets, green burials, cremation jewelry, urns, flowers, gifts, etc. Caskets $450 & up. Pet services also available. The smart-choice funeral store, 3130 Platt Springs Rd, West Columbia. Call Wilenda at 803-608-8005. AngelsAffordableCaskets@gmail.com.
Retreat Facility Ripley’s Retreat Meeting Facility in a rural setting. Ripley’s Retreat is ideal for accomplishing your objectives; for small groups up to 20. Call Judy at 803-530-9341.
SERVICES INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CLINIC – Experience multiple modalities at your church or community organization. Call Pamila, 803-749-1576.
Weight Loss Do you know at least three people looking to lose weight? If so, you can create extra income with SBC.Visit a246175.sbcPower.com or call Patricia Johnson at 803-556-7584.
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