Natural Awakenings NYC March 2013

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

P L A N E T

feel good • live simply • laugh more

FREE

GET YOUR GARDEN ON

Growing Advice for Urbanites

Trash to Treasure

What Recyclables Turn Into

Metro Events

Bloom in Spring

March 2013 | New York City Edition | NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

Doctors at trump place longevity institute and medispa Taking Care of New Yorkers since 2001

Where Traditional Medicine meets Holistic Healing Age Prevention Finally Has A Fighting Chance.

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For Detailed Information & To Schedule An Appointment call Anna at 212-580-0900

194 Riverside Boulevard (part of 200 Riverside Boulevard), New York, NY 10069 2

New York City Edition

212-580-0900 • www.DTPdoctors.com NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

THE TOXIN DESTROYER Intravenous Ozone Therapy

All Toxins, Virus, Bacteria, Fungus, Yeast and Parasites are Destroyed by Ozone Therapy, Safely!

A frequent guest on the Gary Null Radio Show, Dr. Howard Robins has been helping people using Ozone Therapy for over 21 years and is considered by many to be foremost clinical expert in North America on Bio-oxidative Therapies for the SAFE treatment of diseases and illness with over 175,000 treatments performed.

DIV Ozone Therapy has successfully treated Herpes I and II, HIV, all forms of Hepatitis, Diabetic ulcers/neuropathy, Allergies, Chronic Fatigue, Candidiasis, MS, RA, Lyme Disease, Arthritis, Shingles,

Dr. Howard Robins

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March 2013

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letterfromthepublisher Dear Natural Awakenings Readers & Friends,

contact us Publisher Tina Woods CEO Sharon Bruckman Editor Alison Chabonaise Calendar Editor Janet Merryman Design & Production Julee Bode Natural Awakenings NYC P.O. Box 482 Radio City Station New York, NY 10101 www.NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com Contact: Publisher@NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com March Cover Image, cdrin/Shutterstock.com

This month I would like to focus on something called Innovation in Bloom. We are at the lovely time of year when the birth of our warmer months is about to erupt.

New growth, new life and what I am seeing right now is new innovation. What better a time to seed and fertilize that idea you have been sitting on or to cross-pollinate your creative forces with others on the same open-minded mission as you. No great achievement comes easily and requires the time and nurturing that you would give any garden or life source.

There are huge community gardens in bloom sharing all sorts of creative concepts and ideas at the various expos and festivals popping up in New York and New Jersey this spring season. Please see our calendar of events on pages 27-29 and schedule your day of exploration, stimulation, and creative growth. You will find Natural Awakenings in a flower bed at Green Festival returning to the Jacob Javitz on April 20th-21st.

These exciting events provide the same stimulation as a walk through The Central Park Conservancy, one of my favorite places in the park!

Also in our great park, you will find Natural Awakenings and Green Changes crosspollinating their creative efforts to create an organically healed world at the Unity Walk on April 27th (see brief on page 10).

So I encourage you….make time, go out and spread your seeds!

Let’s see what innovation you have in bloom!

neverglossy.alwaysgreen.

Natural Awakenings practices environmental sustainability by using post-consumer recycled paper and soybased ink on uncoated stock, avoiding the toxic chemicals and huge energy costs of producing shiny, coated paper that is harder to recycle.

Natural Awakenings NYC

Tina Woods, Publisher publisher@naturalawakeningsnyc.com

We’re more than a magazine!

We’re a lifestyle!

naturalnyc © 2013 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.

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New York City Edition

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contents 14 9 newsbriefs 14 healthbriefs 16 globalbriefs

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

18 greenliving 24 consciouseating 8 CHILDREN UNDER SIEGE WHAT DO WE DO? 26 wisewords

by Dr. Svetlana Kogan 27 calendar 29 classifieds 12 “I’M ALWAYS SO TIRED!” 16 29 resourceguide Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

by Dr. Howard Robins

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18 RECYCLING EVERYDAY REFUSE

What Happens after the

Blue Bin is Emptied

advertising & submissions How to Advertise To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please go online at www.naturalawakeningsnyc.com or email publisher@naturalawakeningsnyc.com.

Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month.

Editorial submissions Email articles, news items and ideas to: publisher@naturalawakeningsnyc.com.

Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month.

by Avery Mack

20 URBAN GARDENING TAKES ROOT

Feeding Ourselves Well

by John D. Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist

24 THE BETTER

BRAIN DIET

Eat Right To Stay Sharp

by Lisa Marshall

calendar submissions Email Calendar Events to: publisher@naturalawakeningsnyc.com.

Deadline for calendar: the 15th of the month. 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 212-726-1420. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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26 WALKING THE TALK Marlane Barnes Fosters Rescue Dogs

by Sandra Murphy

30 THE HEALING

POWER OF SILENCE

by Robert Rabbin

natural awakenings

March 2013

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Natural Awakenings speaks with

Dr. Kogan Founder of Doctors at trump place

Children under siege. What do we do?

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oday, I would like to share with you a couple of concerns I have been having as a doctor and a mother of two kids. The first issue that has been bothering me lately is: what are my children eating all day? I watch my daughter grimace every morning as I pack her lunch-box with fruits and veggie snacks; while my 2 and a half-year old son has already developed an obsession with macaroni and cheese. I often talk to other parents about the challenges they face, as the school officials are making a great effort to introduce healthy snacks instead of processed, sweet, and fattening food. Still most children choose the old and familiar, “evil” options. At the end of the day, tons of precious fruits and vegetables are tossed away, while our children continue to eat poorly in school and to gain weight. I have finally realized my mistake: it is not me or the teachers who should be making healthy food choices. It’s the children themselves who should!

A second concern of mine has to do with the fact that during their early formative years, kids’ brains are exposed to screams, explosions and noises emanating from TV screens, video games, and computers.

Kids are constantly reaching out for unhealthy snacks while they are playing videogames and watching TV. Their poor psyche cannot keep up with the high-tech discoveries of 3-D, high definition, and virtual reality.

These children’s social skills are pathetic. I was observing the following in the waiting room of the vocal studio where I took my 11-year old the other day. In a small, cramped space, the parents were all talking to each other, laughing and telling stories. ALL the children were hiding in the corners with their videogames, engrossed to the point where they 8

New York City Edition

would not even raise their eyes.

Clearly, it’s time for action, and I feel compelled to get involved. That is why, with the help of dedicated experienced professionals, I have put together a comprehensive program for children called TOGETHER WE MOVE.

This program puts boys and girls face to face in a friendly supervised setting, where they learn their first social and communication skills. Through exposure to movement, rhythm, and flexibility, children learn not only to strengthen their muscular skills, but also to take pride in their own appearance, and to treat each other with courtesy and respect.

In a fun and innovative format, TOGETHER WE MOVE sessions also incorporate nutritional education for both kids and their parents. Sound nutrition is essential for mind and body development, and now more than ever we need to make changes in what many kids are CHOOSING to eat. By educating our children at a young age, we impart them with the healthy habit to choose real foods with good nutrients over processed foods with artificial ingredients and too much sugar.

I hope that TOGETHER WE MOVE program will navigate our children in today’s complicated world towards better health and happiness.

To find out more about our TOGETHER WE MOVE program, please contact Doctors at Trump Place Longevity Institute at 212580-0900 and ask for Anna.

NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

newsbriefs Admissions Introductory Session and Camp Open House at Blue Rock School

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amilies interested in enrollment in grades K-8 are invited to visit Blue Rock School during the school’s Introductory Session at 10 a.m., March 9. Parents can tour the wooded four-acre campus, meet Blue Rock faculty and hear how the school’s vibrant, creative environment nurtures children’s natural curiosity and fosters a lifelong love of learning.

At 2 p.m. the same day, parents and their children ages 3½ to 12 will have an opportunity to learn about the school’s adventure-filled, five-week Summer Play Camp. Campus tours will be given including the new Arts & Nature Studies Annex and pool, and Adults can meet camp personnel, while their children enjoy staff-led games and activities. Summer Play is open to the community. Children must be accompanied by an adult please.

Blue Rock is a progressive, independent day school, founded in 1987 with a mission to offer an experiential approach to education that enables children to follow their natural curiosity, develop as independent thinkers and grow in a dynamic learning community. Students engage in a challenging academic curriculum that fully integrates the arts and nurtures their innate desire to learn.

Location: 110 Demarest Mill Rd. (off Germonds Rd.), West Nyack. Morning attendees: RSVP to Admissions Director Beverly Stycos, at bluerockschool@verizon.net or 845-5353353. Afternoon attendees: RSVP to summerplaycamp@ gmail.com or 845-627-0234. For more information, visit bluerockschool.org. See ad, page 21.

The New Age of Mental Health: What Is Holistic Mental Wellness?

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s we approach a better understanding of how intricately the emotional, physical, and spiritual are connected, it becomes increasingly important to discover Dr. Niloo Dardashti and integrate the various interventions necessary for optimal wellness and inner growth. As people are becoming more educated about the side effects and concerns related to psychotropic medicine, there has been a massive rise in the seeking of alternative choices for dealing with the biochemical challenges related to stress, anxiety, mood disturbances, and a plethora of other mental health conditions.

Dr. Niloo Dardashti, a clinical psychologist and board certified holistic health practitioner in New York City, addresses such issues through what she considers to be the “new age of mental health”- where you cannot look at one aspect of a person without considering another. Believing all is connected and influential upon each other, she refers to BEETS- Biochemistry, Emotions, Environment, Thoughts, and Soul Purpose.

With use of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, she integrates neutraceuticals (vitamins and minerals) and targeted amino acid therapy - important pre-cursers to the neurotransmitters in our brains. There are various reasons why someone may have low levels of all these substances but through a comprehensive evaluation, which often includes biochemical testing, Dr. D works to detect what the underlying issues are – both physiological and psycho-emotional.

Neurophysiology and emotions are not two separate things, but a parallel process that needs to be addressed as a whole. Dr. D strives to do just this with the hundreds of clients she has successfully treated throughout the years.

natural awakenings

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Shop, Wear, Support Parkinsons

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atural Awakenings’ Magazine enthusiastically sponsors the One T @ a Time fundraising campaign for the Parkinson’s Unity Walk in Central Park on April 27th.

The One T @ a Time campaign raises funds for Parkinson’s research through the selling of 100% organically hip and trendy T-shirts with a universal message of healing- “As One, We Heal.” Natural Awakenings recognizes that it is ultimately together as one that a community can truly heal. The design on this T-shirt was created by Justine Kawas of GreenChanges.org and Mary Keunecke, who are both intimately affected by Parkinson’s disease in their families and share a passion for health & wellness. Each T-shirt sold eliminates waste, maintains a low carbon footprint, and features the As One, We Heal design on the front, with the Parkinson’s Unity Walk and Natural Awakenings logo on the back. From each sale, 100% of the net proceeds will go to Parkinson’s research.

Justine Kawas, founder of the One T @ a Time campaign is also leading the One T @ a Time Team at the Unity Walk to show support of organically healing and uniting the world. Your participation and support is invited in any one of the following ways:

To register go to www.UnityWalk.org – click Register – click Teams – enter team name in top search bar & hit search!

When you see the One T @ a Time Team pop up, click on the team name and the click Join our Team!

For more information regarding the One T @ a Time campaign or Team, please contact Justine@greenchanges.org.

• Buy a fundraising T-shirt @ www.greenchanges.org - click Fundraising • Wear, snap and share your fun shirt pics on social media with #AsOneWeHeal #NaturalAwakenings #Unitywalk • Walk with the One T @ a Time Team on Sat. April 27th in Central Park!

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New York City Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

Robins Serves as Keynote Speaker

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r. Howard Robins was a keynote speaker at the Physicians Roundtable medical meeting in Tampa, Florida in January.

Surrounded by an audience of some of the top alternative health practitioners in the country, Robins discussed the benefits of intravenous medical ozone therapy. Many of the practitioners Dr. Howard Robins had no idea of the veracity and benefits of the therapy in ridding the body of diseases and conditions that, up until that time, have been thought to be untreatable. These conditions include oral and genital herpes, shingles, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ALS, AIDS and more.

For additional information, call Dr. Robins at 212-581-0101. See ad, page 3.

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein

A WEEKEND OF SELF-EXPRESSION

WOMEN’S WELLNESS WEEKEND MARCH 22-24 at FROST VALLEY YMCA

We cordially invite you to come together with other women to educate, empower, and enliven yourself in the serene and supportive environment that is Frost Valley YMCA, just two hours north of New York City. Over the weekend, we will explore the roles that women play—daughter, friend, wife, mother, over-stressed career woman—and the oftentimes hidden spirit within us all that longs to take flight, if only we had the time!

Through inspiring lectures, talks, exercises, journaling, creative arts and movement, and guided journeys through the surrounding Catskill Mountain scenery, we will come to know ourselves in a new way—like meeting an old, or new, friend. By pressing pause on our multi-tasking daily lives, we will have the time, space, and inspiration to rest, relax, and listen deeply to ourselves. Our voices will carry our inner thoughts and deep desires to the surface.

In a supportive, inspiring community of women, we’ll open up in new ways, try new and exciting things, and give ourselves the chance to become the women we are meant to be. It’s a powerful, rejuvenating weekend full of surprises!

Contact us for more information or to register or scan the QR code to learn more.

TEL (845) 985-2291 EMAIL info@frostvalley.org WEB frostvalley.org natural awakenings

March 2013

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“I’m always SO TIRED!” Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Dr. Howard Robins

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ou’re so tired at night you go to sleep early, now most every day. You sleep 8 to 12 or more hours and still wake up tired or even exhausted. This is not the way it always was but it’s been this way for a while and lasted now for many months. It already has begun to affect your work or school and even you social activity. Something is really wrong.

You may have even gone to the doctor who did lots of tests but they came back with nothing unusual to report, at least that’s what the doctor said. Clinical depression, eating disorders, drug abuse and side effects from medication were ruled out along with diabetes, hypoglycemia, low thyroid, hormonal issues and just about everything else that might commonly cause it. But something is definitely not right. It’s just not normal to be this tired.

Well, while almost everyone experiences fatigue from time to time, this is not like anything you’ve ever experienced before. You most likely have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The CDC says that over one million American women, men and children suffer from it with the numbers constantly growing! This could be you or someone you know.

The Diagnosis: Does this sound like you?

Have you felt generally “unwell” for three months or longer? Can you still do most or all of the physical and mental activities you did before you began feeling unwell? Has your illness had a major impact on work, social, and/or educational activities, to the extent that you have had to make adjustments in your lifestyle in an effort to avoid relapsing or becoming more ill?

Do you have at least four (4) of the following eight (8) symptoms?

• Weakness and exhaustion, lasting more than 24 hours, following mental or physical activity • Un-refreshing sleep • Substantial impairment of short-term memory or concentration • Muscle pain • Pain in the joints, without swelling or redness • Headaches of a new type, pattern or severity • Tender or swollen armpit and/or neck lymph nodes • Sore throat(s)

Did your feelings of un-wellness begin suddenly, within a period of hours or a couple of days?

More about the Symptoms Along with un-refreshing sleep in addition to the symptoms above, the most common symptoms may be problems focusing or brain “cloudiness or fog;” generalized muscle pain (possibly diagnosed as fibromyalgia); and a feeling of malaise.

Other common symptoms may include irritable bowel (diarrhea or constipation); depression or other psychological problems; chills and night sweats; visual problems; fainting; or new food, odor or chemical sensitivities.

What’s causing it?

While the CDC and traditional doctors say the cause(s) are unknown, alternative physicians have directly linked it to the Epstein-Barr Virus (Mononucleosis), Herpes 6 Virus, Candidiasis, Lyme Disease and Cytomeglavirus.

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New York City Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

So what’s the answer, how can I fix it?

Well please don’t give up hope! For those of you who are still suffering, the answer is Intravenous Medical Ozone Therapy.

You might be surprised to know that this proven, safe, but unusual medical treatment has been used worldwide in over 50 countries for many years (70), by over 45,000 physicians and therapists to successfully treat this and many other diseases and illnesses.

So why haven’t you heard about it and why doesn’t your doctor know anything about it?

Medical ozone is a gas that’s made by a medical ozone machine at the moment it’s needed (it can neither be stored, bottled, or put in capsules) so it’s not patentable, so the drug companies can’t make money from it. They, along with the FDA, have successfully suppressed its use and have kept word of this treatment from spreading.

More information about this amazing, safe and effective treatment is available at www.ozoneuniversity.com and on a fabulous DVD documentary with over 40 patient testimonials called “Ozone Therapy: The Miracle Medicine” by Gary Null, PhD., available from www.garynull. com. Ed McCabe’s book “Flood Your Body with Oxygen” is also a good source of information about the history of medical ozone and its many uses with 11 references on Chronic Fatigue.

Dr. Howard Robins with over 22 years of clinical experience using medical ozone therapy here in New York, considered by many to be one of the world’s foremost clinical experts on its use with over 180,000 treatments performed, is also available and willing to answer your questions about it. He can be reached at his Manhattan office by calling 212-581-0101.

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March 2013

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healthbriefs

Drinks Tied to Tooth Trouble

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hen replacing lost fluids during or after a workout, consider how beverage choices can affect the health of teeth. A recent study published in General Dentistry, the journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that increased consumption of sports and energy drinks is causing irreversible damage to teeth, especially among adolescents.

A reported 30 to 50 percent of U.S. teens regularly imbibe energy drinks, and as many as 62 percent down at least one sports drink a day. “Young adults consume these drinks assuming that they will improve their sports performance and energy levels and that they are ‘better’ than soda,” says Associate Professor Poonam Jain, lead author of the study, who serves as director of community and preventive dentistry at the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine.

“Most of these patients are shocked to learn that the drinks are essentially bathing their teeth with acid.”

In testing the effect of acidity levels on samples of human tooth enamel immersed in 13 sports and nine energy beverages, researchers found that damage to enamel was evident after only five days of exposure. Moreover, energy drinks were twice as harmful as sports drinks. “These drinks erode or thin out the enamel of the teeth, leaving them more susceptible to decay and sensitivity,” says Jain.

Not So Nice Rice

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ew research by the nonprofit Consumers Union (CU), which publishes Consumer Reports, may cause us to reconsider what we place in our steamer or cookpot. Rice—a staple of many diets, vegetarian or not—is frequently contaminated with arsenic, a known carcinogen that is also believed to interfere with fetal development.

Rice contains more arsenic than grains like oats or wheat because it is grown in waterflooded conditions, and so more readily absorbs the heavy metal from soil or water than most plants. Even most U.S.-grown rice comes from the south-central region, where crops such as cotton were heavily treated with arsenical pesticides for decades.

Thus, some organically grown rice in the region is impacted, as well.

CU analysis of more than 200 samples of both organic and conventionally grown rice and rice products on U.S. grocery shelves found that nearly all contained some level of arsenic; many with alarmingly high amounts. There is no federal standard for arsenic in food, but there is a limit of 10 parts per billion in drinking water, and CU researchers found that one serving of contaminated rice may have as much arsenic as an entire day’s worth of water.

To reduce the risk of exposure, rinse rice grains thoroughly before cooking and follow the Asian practice of preparing it with extra water to absorb arsenic and/or pesticide residues; and then drain the excess water before serving.

See CU’s chart of arsenic levels in tested rice products at Tinyurl.com/ArsenicReport.

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New York City Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

Why We Might Need More Vitamin C

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esearchers at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, a leading global authority on the role of vitamin C in optimum health, forward compelling evidence that the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin C should be raised to 200 milligrams per day for U.S. adults, up from its current levels of 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. The RDA of vitamin C is less than half of what it should be, scientists argue, because medical experts insist on evaluating this natural, but critical, nutrient in the same way they do for pharmaceutical drugs, and consequently reach faulty conclusions.

The researchers base their recommendations on studies showing that higher levels of vitamin C could help reduce chronic health problems including heart disease, stroke and cancer, as well as underlying causal issues such as high blood pressure, chronic inflammation, poor immune response and atherosclerosis. Even at the current low RDA, U.S. and Canadian studies have found that a quarter to a third of the total population is marginally deficient in vitamin C and up to a fifth of those in such groups as students, smokers and older adults are severely deficient in it.

Yogurt Hinders Hypertension

TREE OF LIFE

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ating yogurt could reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, or hypertension, according to new research presented at the American Heart Association 2012 Scientific Sessions. During their 15year study, researchers followed more than 2,000 volunteers that did not initially have high blood pressure and reported on their yogurt consumption at three intervals. Participants that routinely consumed at least one six-ounce cup of low-fat yogurt every three days were 31 percent less likely to develop hypertension.

Bad Fats Are Brain-Busters

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ew research from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, has found that consumption of “bad” saturated fats may be associated with a decline in cognitive function and memory in older women.

The research team analyzed the BWH Women’s Health Study, focusing on four years of data from a subset of 6,000 women older than 65. Those that consumed the highest amounts of saturated fat, like that found in red meat and butter, exhibited worse overall cognition and memory than peers that ate the lowest amounts. Women that consumed mainly monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, demonstrated better patterns of cognitive scores over time.

It is easy to sit up and take notice; what is difficult is getting up and taking action. ~Honoré de Balzac

Balanced & centered, this enchanting Goddess inspires you to expand your consciousness & branch out with roots & wings.

Paper & Canvas Reproductions 5”x5” to 60”x60”, $25 to $450

To own this awe-inspiring work of art go to:

www.anya.artspan.com or anya@artspanmail.com

Dining App for Special-Needs Diets

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oodCare’s new EveryoneEat! Android and iPhone app allows anyone to make informed meal decisions at 180,000 restaurant locations nationwide, based on their nutrition needs and meal preferences. Users enter their basic information such as age, gender, height, weight and activity level, plus any chronic health conditions and special dietary restrictions, at FoodCare.me.

Instant analysis enables them to search for dishes at restaurants by type of cuisine or restaurant name.

“People need to easily answer the basic question: ‘Does this dish meet my dietary guidelines?’ and if not, “What’s off and by how much?’” says CEO Ken Marshall.

According to the U.S. government’s Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, which monitors the use and cost of health care and insurance coverage, nearly half of Americans today are living with a nutrition-related chronic disease. The National Restaurant Association estimates that Americans order 47 percent of all of their meals from restaurants. natural awakenings

March 2013

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A NEW DAY A NEW APP

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

Windy Woes

Solving Wind Power’s Hidden Pollution Problem The U.S. Department of Energy reports that although wind power accounts for just over 4 percent of domestic electrical generation, it comprises a third of all new electric capacity. Even with the freedom from coal or oil that wind power creates, a major component of the generating devices, the turbine blades, has its own carbon footprint that needs examining.

Some of the blades are as long as a football field, and the metal, fiberglass or carbon composites must be mined, refined, manufactured and transported, all consuming energy and creating materials that are difficult to recycle when they reach the end of their usefulness and are replaced. Christopher Niezrecki, a member of the University of Massachusetts-Lowell Wind Energy Research Group, estimates the United States will have as many as 170,000 wind turbines by 2030, creating more than 34,000 discarded blades each year.

The next generation of blade material may come from natural cellulose fibers and biobased plastics derived from soybean, linseed and other vegetable oils, instead of oil-based polymers. A $1.9 million National Science Foundation grant is funding the research.

Source: FastCoexist.com

Dishpan Plants

Waste Water Cuts Fertilizer Use

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New York City Edition

The effluent created by household sinks, washing machines and showers, known as gray water, could provide a new, low-cost source of irrigation for landscape plants that cuts down on the amount of fertilizer required to maintain them. The nonprofit Water Environmental Research Foundation’s (WERF) new report shows that many plants used for landscaping benefit from the use of gray water (Tinyurl.com/graywaterreport).

The study looked at seven homes in Arizona, California, Colorado and Texas with new and longstanding gray water systems that recycle wastewater to irrigate outdoor plants. Although the soil irrigated with gray water showed higher levels of cleaners, antimicrobials and sodium compared with areas irrigated with fresh water, there was enough nitrogen present in gray water to reduce or eliminate the need for additional fertilizers.

Not all plants responded positively, but WERF Communications Director Carrie Capuco says, “Gray water can be successfully used with the right plant choices.”

Guidelines include heavily mulching the area where gray water is supplied to minimize contact with pets.

NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

Superior Soil

Food Feelings

Famed as the happiest country on Earth, the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan is now aiming to become 100 percent organic, phasing out artificial chemicals in farming in the next 10 years. Agence France-Presse reports that Bhutan currently sends rare mushrooms to Japan, vegetables to up-market hotels in Thailand, its highly prized apples to India and red rice to the United States.

Jurmi Dorji, of southern Bhutan’s 103-member Daga Shingdrey Pshogpa farmers’ association, says their members are in favor of the policy. “More than a decade ago, people realized that the chemicals were not good for farming,” he says. “I cannot say everyone has stopped using chemicals, but almost 90 percent have.”

An international metastudy published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science that analyzed 74 studies on soils in fields under organic or conventional farming practices has found that over time, the carbon content in the organic fields significantly increased. For farmers everywhere, that means organic agriculture results in a richer, more productive soil, with plenty of humus, which is conducive to higher yields.

Peter Melchett, policy director at Britain’s Organic Soil Association, says a primary benefit of a country becoming 100 percent organic is an assurance of quality to consumers that creates both an international reputation and associated market advantage.

The mood in a restaurant can help diners enjoy their meals more and eat less, according to study results published in the journal Psychological Reports. After transforming part of a fast food Hardee’s restaurant in Illinois with milder music and lighting, researchers found that customers ate 18 percent fewer calories than diners in an unmodified seating area. Brian Wansink, Ph.D., a professor of marketing and consumer behavior at Cornell University, in New York, explains, “It didn’t change what people ordered, but what it did do was lead them to eat less and made them more satisfied and happier.”

Wansink, author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, asks, “If softer music and softer lighting seem to get people to eat less in a fast food situation, why not try the same thing at home?”

Organic Farming Sustains Earth’s Richness

Restaurant Ambiance Affects Diners’ Appetites

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17

greenliving

RECYCLING EVERYDAY REFUSE What Happens after the Blue Bin is Emptied

by Avery Mack

E

ach blue recycle bin filled with plastic, aluminum, glass, paper and cardboard helps the environment, because it reduces landfill, takes less energy to repurpose materials than to make new ones and gently reminds us that thoughtful consumption is healthier for people and the planet. But what do all those recyclables turn into?

Repurposed Plastics

Plastic milk jugs turn into colorful playthings at Green Toys, of Mill Valley, California. Repurposing one pound of recycled milk jugs instead of making new plastic saves enough energy to run a computer for a month. All packaging is made from recycled content and printed with soy ink, so it can go into the blue bin again. GreenToys.com’s online counter shows the number of containers recycled—more than 10 million to date.

18

New York City Edition

Fila Golf’s Principal Designer Nancy Robitaille says, “Recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate), a core Fila cooling fabric, is used throughout our collection. Each fully recycled PET garment reuses about two-and-a-half 20-ounce plastic pop bottles.”

Patagonia customers are encouraged to return their old coat when buying a new one.

Coats in good condition are given to people in need; the PET fleece lining from retired coats is sent to ReFleece, in Somerville, Massachusetts, where it is cleaned and turned into recyclable protective cases for iPads, e-readers and cell phones.

“We expect to make 10,000 cases this year from 2,000 jackets,” says Jennifer Fellers, ReFleece’s CEO. “We use NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

low heat to press the cases into shape.”

Vancouver, Canada, which plans to be the greenest city in the world by 2020, includes recycled plastic from bags and water bottles in laying down warm asphalt mix for roads because it uses less fuel to keep the tar at a pourable temperature.

Switching from traditional hot asphalt technology also reduces emissions.

Transforming Aluminum and Glass

In 2012, Do Something.org partnered with Alcoa to challenge teens to recycle aluminum cans. For every 50 cans collected during a two-month period, they were awarded a chance to win a $5,000 scholarship. The sponsors note that recycling one can saves enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for 20 hours. The final total was 1,152,569 cans kept out of landfills.

“Aluminum can be recycled an infinite number of times,” says Beth Schmitt, director of recycling programs for Alcoa, which has centers nationwide and cash-back programs for community fundraisers. “We re-melt the collected cans, then roll out coils of new can sheets. This process can be repeated without any loss of strength—that’s why we call aluminum the ‘miracle metal.’ If every American recycled just one more can per week, we would remove 17 billion cans from landfills each year.”

Wine bottles become designer drinking glasses at Rolf Glass, in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. “Our designs give used bottles a second life,” says owner Rolf Poeting. Refresh Glass, of Phoenix, Arizona, salvages and preps the bottles. “Then, our glass cutting and diamond-wheel engraving technology transforms them into sophisticated

Glacier Glass,” continues Poeting. “This seems to be a trend in many industries, to find additional uses for another company’s recycled products.”

Rewined, of Charleston, South Carolina, also exemplifies this principle. It uses wine bottles to hold their soy-based, cotton-wicked candles, which provide 60 to 80 hours of winescented burn.

Second Life for Paper

Purina’s Yesterday’s News and Second Nature litter for cats and dogs, respectively, is made from recycled paper and absorbs waste upward from the bottom of the litter box for easier cleaning. The unscented litter pellets are three times as absorbent as clay, non-toxic and nearly dust-free. Hedgehogs, mice, gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs and reptiles also like Yesterday’s News for bedding. On average, 44 million pounds of paper are annually recycled for these products.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States annually generates 11 million tons of asphalt shingle waste, mostly from re-roofing tear-offs and

new installation scrap, comprising 8 percent of construction waste. Each recycled ton saves a barrel of oil. OFIC North America, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, creates its Ondura corrugated roofing from old newspapers or magazines and cardboard, made durable by infusing it with asphalt. It’s placed atop existing roofs, which means no discarded shingles. Each day, 40 to 50 tons of recycled paper goods find new life in Ondura products, available at most home improvement stores.

Sound inside Buick Lacrosse and Verano vehicles is dampened via a ceiling material made partly from reused cardboard shipping boxes. Paint sludge from General Motors’ Lansing, Michigan, Grand River assembly plant becomes durable plastic shipping containers for Chevrolet Volt and Cruze engine components. Some 200 miles of absorbent polypropylene sleeves, used to soak up a recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, were converted into air deflectors for the Volt, preventing 212,500 pounds of waste from entering landfills.

As part of its community outreach, 250 shipping crates from GM’s Orion assembly plant became raised garden

beds for a Southwest Detroit community garden. A local entrepreneur turned donated sound absorption material into coats that also serve as sleeping bags for the homeless.

Old Tires Transformed

The Rubber Manufacturers Association reports that Americans discard 300 million tires each year, each one having consumed about seven gallons of oil in its manufacture and poised to add to Earth’s landfills. Lehigh Technologies’ micronized rubber powder (MRP), made by freeze-drying discarded tires and pulverizing them into a fine powder, changes the equation. MRP is now used in many items, from new tires, roads and building materials to shoes.

It feels good to place used items in the blue bin instead of the trash, knowing that more and more companies are helping to put these resources to good use.

Connect with freelance writer Avery Mack at AveryMack@mindspring.com.

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March 2013

19

Feeding Ourselves Well

Urban Gardening Takes Root

ticipate in growing mainstay foods.

According to a 2009 study by the National Gardening Association, 31 percent of all U.S. households grew food for their families in 2008, and more have since the economic downturn. Bruce Butterfield, the association’s research director, estimates that nearly 70 percent of these gardens are in urban or suburban areas.

“We’re seeing a new crop of farmers that defy stereotypes,” observes David Tracey, owner of EcoUrbanist environmental design in Vancouver, Canada, and author of Urban Agriculture. “Some are office workers leaving unsatisfying jobs, techie types learning the trade in universities and back-to-theland folks that happen to live in cities.

Others are activists taking on the industrial farm system, folks adopting trends or entrepreneurs that see opportunities in the rising prices of quality food and the proximity of millions of customers.”

Opportunities and Pitfalls

by John D. Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist

“I

n just one-twelfth of an acre, including lots of paths and a compost heap, our family grows the vast majority of the fresh vegetables we need, plus a decent chunk of our fruits and berries,” says Erica Strauss.

“It’s not a huge garden, but we still feel nearly overwhelmed with the harvest in late August.” Her family of four tends a diversity of edibles on their urban lot in a suburb of Seattle, Washington.

Word has spread because Strauss writes about her experiences via Northwest Edible Life, a blog about food growing, cooking and urban homesteading. “Every kid on the block has picked an Asian pear off my espalier and munched on raw green beans,” she notes. “Even picky eaters seem pretty interested when they can pick tasty treats right from the tree or vine.”

We don’t need to live in a rural area or on a farm to grow our own food.

By the close of World War II, nearly 40

20

New York City Edition

percent of all fruits and vegetables supplying Americans stateside were grown in victory gardens in the communities in which they were consumed.

Today, these small plots are often termed kitchen gardens, comprising parts of household lawns, schoolyards, balconies, patios and rooftops. Fresh taste and the security of local food supplies in case of manmade or natural upheavals are drawing more people to gardening.

Garden Cities

“Urbanization, a major demographic trend, has implications for how we grow and consume food,” observes Roger Doiron, founder of Kitchen Gardeners International. “If we agree that feeding more people fresh, local foods is a priority, we’re going to need to landscape and, in many cases, retrofit urban and suburban areas for increased food production.”

Millions of Americans now parNaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

Urban gardening has unexpected advantages in its use of organic waste like coffee grounds from a local coffee house and rainwater from area rooftops. Converting lawns at schools, churches and empty city lots into community gardens fosters community connections, improves access to affordable nutritious foods and creates employment opportunities.

A widespread challenge to the trend is dealing with the quality of urban soil and testing for possible toxins.

Often, urban soil must be improved using compost and other nutrients before plants can prosper. A nearby irrigation source is also required.

“One potential problem for urban gardeners may be the community reaction to an edible landscape,” admits Strauss. “In some cities, edible gardens in the front yard or even the common parking strip are celebrated and even officially encouraged. But in communities where lawn is still king and city codes regarding vegetation are vague and open to interpretation, one complaint from an anonymous neighbor can become an exhausting political and legal fight.”

Feeding Community

Community gardens often transform vacant lots and other marginal land into green growing places. In Chicago, The Peterson Garden Project, an awardwinning nonprofit program, has been turning unsightly empty lots into raisedbeds in which residents learn to grow their own food since 2010.

“Nationally, it’s been found that having a community garden on unused land increases property values, decreases crime and promotes a sense of unity with neighbors and others,” explains LaManda Joy, president and founder of the project. “We work with property owners on the short-term use of their land to enhance the community in which they eventually plan to develop.”

“Participating in a community garden serves up a lot of individual victories,” says Joy. “Improved health and nutrition, learning a new skill, teaching kids where food comes from, productive exercise, mental well-being, connecting with others and saving money—community gardens help make all of this possible.”

Being Prepared

“How many recalls have we seen because some food item has been contaminated and people have suffered or died as a result? I am concerned about the safety and security of our food supply,” says Wendy Brown, whose family tends a quarter-acre garden with raised and landscaped beds and containers wrapped around their home plus an onsite greenhouse in a beach resort suburb of Portland, Maine. “As a mother, it concerns me that I might feed my children something that will hurt them.

High-fructose corn syrup, genetically engineered crops and BPA-lined cans are all making headlines. It just seems smarter to grow it myself; that way, we have more control over what our family is eating.”

Brown is one of more than 3 million Americans that are following FEMA recommendations in preparing for any event that might disrupt food supplies. Her book, Surviving the Apocalypse in the Suburbs, shares everything her family has

done to safeguard themselves, including growing produce, caring for animals and canning, freezing, drying, cold storage or fermenting foods for later use.

“For me, it’s more about being prepared for the everyday things that are happening, like increases in food and fuel prices or a loss of family income,” Brown says. “If we’re growing at least some of our own food, I have a lot less to worry about when such things happen.”

The family also keeps rabbits and

ducks, plus egg-laying and meat-providing chickens that can total 40 animals in the summer at their “nanofarm”.

These also supply natural fertilizer for the crops. Nearby beehives provide 20 pounds of honey each year. Because the foods they produce are solely for their personal use, the Browns are exempt from regulatory restrictions.

“Our neighbors love what we’re doing,” says Brown, whose house is close enough they can chat across their

Helpful Resources Green Restaurant Association, DineGreen.com Kitchen Gardeners International, KGI.org Northwest Edible Life, NWEdible.com The Peterson Garden Project, PetersonGarden.org Uncommon Ground, UncommonGround.com Urban Farm Online, UrbanFarmOnline.com Urban Garden Magazine, UrbanGardenMagazine.com Urban Gardens, UrbanGardensWeb.com

Get people back into the kitchen and combat the trend toward processed food and fast food. ~Dr. Andrew Weil

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March 2013

21

front porches. “One says our initiative reminds him of growing up in Maine pretty much self-sufficient. The other tells friends and coworkers they aren’t worried if things really go bad because they have us as neighbors.”

Growing Green Thumbs

“With some effort, urban gardeners can grow great vegetables anyplace that affords enough light and warmth,” advises Strauss, who gardens primarily in raised beds in her front and back yards.

“I garden on the scale I do because I love it. It’s both relaxing and challenging, and we eat well.”

Urban gardening methods are as diverse as the growing conditions, space limitations and financial resources of the gardener.

“Lasagna” gardening—layering newspaper or cardboard and other organic materials on top—can be effective in urban areas because it involves no digging or tilling. Just as with making compost, alternate between brown and green layers. Once the materials break down, add plants to the newly created growing bed.

Urban dwellers with limited space may employ square-foot gardening, intensively growing plants in raised beds using a growing medium of vermiculite, peat moss and compost. This method can yield fewer weeds and is easier on the back. “It’s an easy concept to grasp for new gardeners,” remarks Joy. “We use it to both maximize output in a small area and ensure healthy, organic, contaminant-free soil.”

Rooftop gardens are becoming more common as larger agricultural operations use them to grow income crops. The U.S. Department of Agriculture considers anyone that sells more than $1,000 of produce to neighbors or area restaurants a farmer, rather than a gardener, so regulations may apply.

For renters, just a few tomato plants in a well-maintained container on a patio or deck can yield as much as 50 pounds of tomatoes by taking advantage of its microclimate, influenced by wind blocks, heated surfaces and reflected light from windows.

22

New York City Edition

Urban gardening is also thriving indoors in terrariums, window boxes and small greenhouses. Even partially lit rooms can support certain vegetables or herbs with grow lights. Aquaponic gardening, a closed-loop system that involves both fish and vegetables, expands the self-sufficient possibilities of a hydroponic system of growing plants fed by liquid nutrients.

Feeding Ourselves

With more than 80 percent of Americans currently living in urban and suburban areas, the questionable nutrition of many mass-produced foods, increasing pesticide and herbicide use by nonorganic farmers, greenhouse gas emissions from food transport and weather patterns altered by climate change, it’s past time to take back some control.

Operating our own gardens and prepar-

ing our own meals turns us back into producers, not merely consumers.

“For the most part, we’re just average suburbanites,” concludes Brown.

“We just choose to have less lawn and more garden. A huge benefit is that we need less income because we’re buying less at the grocery store. Our goal is to semi-retire in our mid-50s—not because we’ve made a bunch of money, but because we’ve needed less money to live along the way.”

John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist, co-authors of Farmstead Chef (FarmsteadChef.com), ECOpreneuring and Rural Renaissance, operate the award-winning Inn Serendipity Bed & Breakfast, in Browntown, WI. They grow 70 percent of their organic food; the cost savings helped them become mortgage-free in their mid-40s.

Local Foods Grow on Menus

“M

any restaurants are seeking to lower ‘food miles’ and offer fresher, more local food,” reports Michael Oshman, founder and CEO of the Green Restaurant Association, which certifies sustainably operated restaurants. The 500-plus restaurants certified since 1990 include university, government and corporate cafeterias.

The award-winning Uncommon Ground restaurant, in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood, maximizes the nation’s first certified organic rooftop farm using just 654 square feet of soil. Combined with its Wrigleyville restaurant’s “sidewalk farm”, client chefs receive 1,200 pounds of fresh produce each year, valued at more than $5,600. Ingredients not NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

grown onsite are sourced directly from regional farms, with their names often appearing on the menu. Community education is also part of the program.

According to the “What’s Hot” National Restaurant Association nationwide survey of chefs, hyperlocal food sourcing, including rooftop farms, was the fifth-most-popular trend in 2011. Also in the top 10 were locally grown produce sourced from area farmers, farm-branded ingredients and sustainability.

“Customers now have an opportunity to demand local and organic ingredients as much as possible,” concludes Oshman. More Americans than ever want to know the origin of what’s on their plate.

fitbody

FITNESS MYTHS

DEBUNKED 11 VITAL TRUTHS

by Lynda Bassett

T

he U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has concluded that more than a third of Americans today are overweight. Yet it also reports that at least 30 percent of us don’t exercise at all, perhaps partly due to persistent fitness myths.

Myth 1: Lack of Opportunity Even the busiest person can fit in some exercise by making simple changes in their daily routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, do squats while watching television, deliver a message in person instead of via email, take a desk break to stretch or stand while talking on the phone. Even fidgeting is beneficial. The point is to be as active as possible during otherwise sedentary hours.

Myth 2: No Time The CDC recommends that each week, adults should exercise 150 minutes—the average duration of a movie—but not all at once. To make it easy, break it up into various exercise activities in daily, vigorous, 10-minute chunks.

Myth 3: Unaffordable Activities like walking, bicycling and even jumping rope can be done virtually anywhere, anytime. Individuals can create a basic home fitness center with a jump rope, set of dumbbells and not much more.

Borrow an exercise video or DVD from the library or follow one of the many television fitness shows. “People can save thousands of dollars by combining five to 10 exercises into a burst-training workout routine,” which will burn calories and increase muscle mass, says Joe Vennare, co-founder of the Hybrid Athlete, a fitness website.

Myth 4: Too Late to Start Many people feel they are too old or out-of-shape to even begin to exercise, or are intimidated by the idea of stepping into a yoga studio or gym. “Stop wasting time reading diet books and use that time to go for a walk,” advises Exercise Physiologist Jason Karp, Ph.D., author of Running for Women and Running a Marathon for Dummies. “In other words, get moving any way you can.”

Myth 5: No Pain, No Gain Suffering isn’t required. In fact, feeling pain can indicate possible injury or burnout. Still, consult a doctor before beginning any exercise program. “Do not hurt yourself,” says Charla McMillian, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, attorney and president of FitBoot – Basic Training for Professionals, in San Francisco.

“Rather, aim for a point of gentle discomfort,” she advises.

Myth 6: Must Break a Sweat Perspiring is related to the duration and intensity of the exercise, but some people just sweat more than others. “How much (or little) you sweat does not correlate with how many calories you are expending,” assures Jessica Matthews, an experienced registered yoga teacher and an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise.

Myth 7: Dieting is Enough Women especially fall prey to the myth that they don’t need to exercise if they are a certain dress size. Even those at a healthy weight can be in greater danger of contracting disease and shortened lifespan than obese individuals that regularly participate in physical activity, according to a recent study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, in Bethesda, Maryland.

Health experts recommend combining regular activity with consuming lean proteins, healthy fats, limited starches and no added sugars.

Myth 8: Stretch Before Exercising New research from the American Council on Exercise recommends stretching at the end of a workout. “It is safer and more effective to stretch muscles that are properly warmed and more pliable,” says Matthews, who also recommends beginning a workout with simple movements such as arm circles and leg swings. She notes, “Stretching can help to improve posture and flexibility, plus reduce overall stress.”

Myth 9: Crunches Cut Belly Fat There’s no such thing as spot reducing. While crunches strengthen abdominal muscles, they will not shrink your waistline, says Karp. Instead, try exercises such as squats, lunges and yoga plank holds or kettlebell repetitions to lose stubborn belly fat.

Myth 10: Women Using Weights Get Bulky The truth is that most weightlifting women won’t end up with a big, bulky physique because they have less testosterone, are smaller in size and have less muscle tissue than men, advises Matthews. “Any kind of strength training will help improve bone density, increase muscle mass and decrease body fat in both men and women.”

Myth 11: Exercise is Hard Physical activity should be fun. It’s best to start simply, add a variety of physical activities and challenges and keep at it. Schedule time for exercise and treat it like any other daily appointment; don’t cancel it. Alexander Cortes, a nationally certified strength and conditioning coach with Ultimate Fighting Championship Gym, in Corona, California, concludes, “When health is a priority, exercise is the most important appointment you can keep.”

Lynda Bassett is a freelance writer near Boston, MA. Connect at natural awakenings

March 2013

23

localbrief

consciouseating

GREEN FESTIVAL

The Largest, Longest Running Green Consumer Event, Returns to the Javits

The Better Brain Diet Eat Right To Stay Sharp

by Lisa Marshall

T

he nation’s largest and most trusted green living event will kick off its 12th year by bringing the New York City green community together at the Green Festival for the second time. Featured at the weekend-long show will be leaders in the environmental community, including speakers, entrepreneurs and activists as well as an organic beer and wine pavilion and a unique marketplace of more than 300 eco-friendly businesses, featuring the latest and greatest in sustainable products and services.

Held in the LEED-certified North Pavilion of the Jacob Javits Center, Green Festival is the only green event that screens exhibitors for their commitment to sustainability, ecological balance and social justice using co-producer, Green America’s green business standards.

Green Festival will launch its first New York City business-to-business (B2B) Green Trade Day on Friday, April 19, 2013 from 3-7 P.M. at Javits Center North. The afternoon will allow retail and wholesale buyers to conduct business with Green Festival exhibitors before they open its doors to consumers on Saturday, April 20 to Sunday, April 21 To exhibit, please call (828) 333-9403 x300. For volunteer opportunities or for tickets visit greenfestivals.org.

24

New York City Edition

W

ith 5.4 million Americans already living with Alzheimer’s disease, one in five suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and the 2012 failure of several targeted pharmaceutical drug trials, many brain health experts are now focusing on food as a critical defense against dementia.

“Over the past several years, there have been many well-designed scientific studies that show you are what you eat when it comes to preserving and improving memory,” says Dr. Richard Isaacson, associate professor of neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and author of The Alzheimer’s Diet.

In recent years, studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and Archives of Neurology have shown that people on a Mediterranean-type diet—high in antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, whole grains and fatty fish and low in refined carbohydrates and saturated fats—tend to fend off cognitive decline longer and be less prone to developing full-blown Alzheimer’s. Several small, but promising clinical trials further suggest that even people that have already begun NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

to suffer memory loss may be able to slow or mildly reverse it via nutritional changes. Here’s how.

Switch to slow-burning carbs: Mounting evidence indicates that the constant insulin spikes from eating refined carbohydrates like white bread or sugarsweetened sodas can eventually impair the metabolization of sugar (similar to Type 2 diabetes), effecting blood vessel damage and hastened aging.

A high-carb diet has also been linked to increased levels of beta-amyloid, a fibrous plaque that harms brain cells.

A 2012 Mayo Clinic study of 1,230 people ages 70 to 89 found that those that ate the most carbs had four times the risk of developing MCI than those that ate the least. Inversely, a small study by University of Cincinnati researchers found that when adults with MCI were placed on a low-carb diet for six weeks, their memory improved.

Isaacson recommends switching to slow-burning, low-glycemic index carbohydrates, which keep blood sugars at bay. Substitute whole grains and vegetables for white rice, pastas and sugary fruits. Water down juices or forego them altogether.

Choose fats wisely: Arizona neurologist Dr. Marwan Sabbagh, co-author of The Alzheimer’s Prevention Cookbook, points to numerous studies suggesting a link between saturated fat in butter, cooking oil, cheese and processed meats and increased risk of Alzheimer’s.

“In animals, it seems to promote amyloid production in the brain,” he says.

In contrast, those that eat more fatty fish such as herring, halibut and wild-caught salmon that are rich in the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acid DHA, are at lower risk. Sabbagh notes that DHA, when it’s a steady part of the diet, plays a critical role in forming the protective “skin of the brain” known as the bilipid membrane, and may possibly offset production of plaque in the brain, thus slowing its progression during the earliest stages of dementia. Aim for three weekly servings of fatty fish. Vegetarians can alternatively consider supplementing meals with 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams daily of DHA, says Isaacson.

Eat more berries and kale: In general, antioxidant-rich fruits (especially berries) and vegetables are major preventers of oxidative stress—the cell-damaging process that occurs naturally in the brain as we age.

One recent study published in the Annals of Neurology found that women eating high amounts of blueberries and strawberries were able to stave off cognitive decline 2.5 years longer than those that did not. Rich in antioxidant flavonoids, blueberries may even have what Sabbagh terms, “specific antiAlzheimer’s and cell-saving properties.”

Isaacson highlights the helpfulness of kale and green leafy vegetables, which are loaded with antioxidants and brain-boosting B vitamins. One recent University of Oxford study in the UK of 266 elderly people with mild cognitive impairment found that those taking a blend of vitamins B12, B6 and folate daily showed significantly less brain shrinkage over a two-year period than those that did not.

Spice up: Sabbagh notes that India has some of the lowest worldwide rates of Alzheimer’s. One possible reason is the population’s love of curry. Curcumin, a compound found in the curry-flavoring spice turmeric, is another potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

He recommends sprinkling one teaspoon of curcumin on our food every day and cooking with antioxidantrich cloves, oregano, thyme, rosemary and cinnamon. A 2011 Israeli study at Tel Aviv University found that plaque deposits dissolved and memory and learning behaviors improved in animals given a potent cinnamon extract.

Begin a brain-healthy diet as early as possible. “Brain changes can start 25 years before the onset of dementia symptoms,” says Sabbagh. “It’s the end result of a long process, so don’t wait.

Start your prevention plan today.”

Lisa Marshall is a freelance health writer outside of Boulder, CO. Connect at Lisa@LisaAnnMarshall.com.

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wisewords

WALKING THE TALK Marlane Barnes Fosters Rescue Dogs

by Sandra Murphy

A

ctress Marlane Barnes recently made her feature film debut as Maggie of the Irish Coven, in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II, building on a growing résumé of films, TV and theater credits. A current resident of Los Angeles, she actively supports the nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society, a local no-kill facility, and serves as national spokesperson for Spay First. To date, her foster dogs include India, Birdie, Archie and Wally, with more to come.

Why is fostering rescue dogs important?

Fostering is a good way to find the right dog for your personality and circumstances. Dogs aren’t accessories, chosen on looks alone. Fostering allows you to see what breed, size, temperament and activity level works best. When India, the first dog I fostered, was adopted, she went to a home that suited her nature and needs.

Birdie, a 6-year-old golden retriever-

beagle mix, came to me when her shelter time was up. After two months, Birdie was placed with a family that was willing to deal with an older dog’s health issues, and it’s worked out well for all parties.

What do you try to teach the dogs to make them more adoptable?

We take a lot of walks during our six to eight weeks together. Teaching them to sit, be petted, take treats gently and behave well on a leash all helps.

I also expose them to new experiences. We visit the coffee shop, meet kids and take hikes; in these ways, I learn what the individual dog enjoys. It takes some of the guesswork out of the equation. Fostering is like a halfway house for dogs; after living with them, I can vouch for them, as well as voice any concerns about the family situation.

I feel strongly that the dog must be treated as part of the family, whose schedule has to work with having a dog, and that

It is easy to sit up and take notice; what is difficult is getting up and taking action.

dog in particular. It’s a matter of finding the right person for the animal. We want every adoption to be the best match possible.

Who takes care of your foster dog when you are at work?

I have a group of creative friends who jump in to help. It’s easy to ask them to help with a foster dog because it lets them be part of the rescue. That way, they are doing a favor more for the dog than for me.

How do spay/neuter programs benefit shelter animals?

When I was 10, I volunteered at the Humane Society in Fort Smith, Arkansas, so being the spokesperson for Spay First is a natural fit. High volume/low cost spay/ neuter programs are the fastest way to reduce pet overpopulation and the number of animals ending up in shelters. Every year, taxpayers spend billions of dollars to house, euthanize and dispose of millions of animals. Spay/neuter is a commonsense way to permanently solve the problem.

Spay First works to keep the cost less than $50, especially in rural and lower income areas, and actively campaigns to make this a community priority around the country.

How can caring people help?

Donate money or items found on a shelter or rescue unit’s wish list. Walk a shelter dog to keep it social and active. Foster a dog to see if having a dog fits and enhances your life. The rescue group pays the bills, support is available and it’s a good way to explore the possibility of adoption.

Once you know for sure, adopt.

Also talk about the benefits of fostering and adopting dogs and the importance of affordable spay/neuter programs for dogs and cats in your community.

Spread the word that it is not okay to buy a puppy or kitten in a store when we are discarding millions of shelter animals each year that desperately need homes.

Puppies are cute, but older dogs already are what they’re going to be—what you see is what you happily get.

For more information or to make a donation, visit SpayFirst.org.

~Honoré de Balzac

Sandra Murphy is a regular contributor to Natural Awakenings magazines.

26

New York City Edition

NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

calendarofevents NOTE: All Calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month prior to publication and adhere to our guidelines. Email publisher@naturalawakeningsNYC.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

TUESDAY, MARCH 5

The Couples Retirement Puzzle: A Workshop for couples in Transition – 10am. Are you and your partner on the same page when it comes to retirement planning? Or, are you avoiding conversations about when to retire, how much money is enough, how to balance work and leisure and where to live?

Create a vision for your next chapter, leave with valuable information. Roberta Taylor and Dorian Mintzer. 92Y Tribeca Art Gallery, 200 Hudson St. 212-601-1000.

What to Look For When You Look at Art – 11am.

How do artists communicate through art? What does a painting or piece of sculpture actually mean? Learn how to “read” a work of art as you explore the elements of composition and the origins of abstract art. 92Y Tribeca Seminar Room, 200 Hudson St. 212-601-1000.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2 Therapeutic Touch – 10am-12pm. Beginning with a group meditation and guided distance healing, you will also receive individual TT treatments for everyone present. The meeting will close with a brief group meditation and some sharing. New York Theosophical Center, 240 E 53rd St (between 2nd and 3rd Aves. Contact 347-2225-6721, akapainter@ mindspring.com, or Gaby.Solomon@hotmail.com.

markyourcalendar MARCH 3 Access Bars® Energy Healing Workshop with Bars Facilitator Madeline Michaels Learn to heal yourself and others with ease. Those who attend will learn the 32 points on the head that store the electrical components of our thoughts, feelings, emotions, beliefs, and points of view that lock us up in life. Learn to activate these points to release blocked energy, allowing more ease in these areas of your life.

And all you need to do is show up! How does it get any better than that? Participants will receive a Certification upon completion, and will be able to use these healing tools as a practice or with friends. Workbook and head chart will be provided. Plenty of breaks and light snacks throughout the day. Space limited to 6 participants.

Price for day $200. For more info visit www.energy-of-healing.com To RSVP call Madeline 212-369-1992

MONDAY, MARCH 4 City Splash – 10am-5pm. When the weather turns warm—and it will—this season exhibit encourages children to explore and learn about the environment and the unique properties of water in a fun, handson setting. Children’s Museum of Manhattan in The Tisch Bldg, 212 2 83rd St (between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave). 212-721-1223 or cmom.org.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6 Opening Exhibition: New York City of Trees – 6-8pm. This photography exhibition by Benjamin Swett is on view until Arbor Day (April 26). A NYC parks associate for many years, when Mr. Swett left to become a freelance photographer, he became fascinated by the connections between trees and the city’s history. The exhibit reminds us of the important role trees play in our lives. The Arsenal Gallery, Central Park. ArtandAntiquities@Parks.NYC.gov.

THURSDAY, MARCH 7 Self Enquiry Café – 7pm. This discussion and meditation focuses on discovering and experiencing who we truly are—the One infinite eternal consciousness underlying identification with names, forms, roles and social conditioning. Free, small donations welcome. Next door to Quest Bookshop, 240 E 53rd St, 3rd Floor. 347-724-3007 or QuestBookShop.com.

FRIDAY, MARCH 8 Mula Bandha Workshop – 6-8:30pm. Many men and women have issues rooted in the musculature of the pelvis. Come learn about the anatomy of the male and female pelvic floors and explore locating, accessing and engaging these muscles in one’s own body. This practice can help with prostate problems, incontinence, prolapsed organs and more. Leslie Howard. East Yoga, 212 Ave B (entrance on 13th St). 212-420-8411 or YogaCityNYC.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 9 Introductory Session and Campus Tour at Blue Rock School – 10am. Blue Rock School invites parents interested in kindergarten through eighth grade to meet their faculty and hear how the vibrant and creative learning environment nurtures children’s natural curiosity and fosters a lifelong love of learning. Space limited, please RSVP. Blue Rock School, 110 Demarest Mill Rd (off Germonds Rd), West Nyack, NY 10994. Beverly Stycos at 845-535-335, BlueRockSchool@Verizon.net or BlueRockSchool.org

Open House for Summer Play Camp at Blue Rock School – 2pm. Parents and their children, ages 3 ½ to 12, are invited to visit this beautiful, four-acre campus, including the new Arts and Nature Studies Annex and pool. Come meet Summer Play staff and hear all about the unique and adventure-filled summer program while your child participates in a variety of fun, staff-led activities and games. Space is limited, please RSVP. Blue Rock School, 110 Demarest Mill Rd (off Germonds Rd), West Nyack, NY 10994. 845-627-0234 or BlueRockSchool.org.

Yoga for the Pelvic Floor – 2-5pm (continues Sunday, Mar 10). This workshop uses movement, anatomy and lecture to learn about the female pelvic floor. It is a unique educational opportunity for recent mothers, midwives, doulas, yoga teachers or any woman seeking a clearer relationship with her most intimate self. Concludes with asana for pelvis and hip joints. Reflections Center for Conscious Living, 250 W 49th St. 212-974-2288 or ReflectionsYoga.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 10 Spring Equinox Cleanse – Mar 10-19, Orientation Mar 10, 12-3pm. Join in a 10-day detoxification cleanse to clear the lungs and breathe in the newness of spring! Throughout the cleanse, you will gradually reduce food intake to only fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Final day, drink only the Master Cleanse to flush any remaining toxins out of your body. Daily meditations, affirmations and exercises help support the healing process. ETHOH Urban Yoga Foundation, 239 W 139th St. 212-841-5449 or Ethoh.org.

markyourcalendar MARCH 13 - 14

MONDAY, MARCH 11

Fracking, Food &

The School of American Ballet - 2013 Winter Ball: A Night in theWireless Far East –Conference 7pm. This glamorous black9ama one-time-only - 5pm tie dinner dance features performance by• the advanced students and is choreographed by Can fracking be done safely?

Silas Farley, artistic of the school.

• How canthis youyear’s be sure youdirector are feeding your Proceeds from the ball are used to award scholarships, family safe food? maintain studios residence hallsand and • What world-class are the health risksand of smartphones offersmart vital meters? student programs. David H Koch Theater, 20 Lincoln Center.

212-769-6610, nSchwiezer@sab.org.

• Is Wi-Fi a public health threat?

• What are the environmental costs and health risks of the technology alternatives?

• What role do corporations play in the information you have to answer these questions??

Open to the public • Free admission Scandinavia House - Victor Borge Hall 58 Park Avenue (at 38th Street) Seating is limited: RSVP recommended

www.corporateinterference.org

Stay Connected And Inspired

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Natural Awakenings NYC

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March 2013

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MARCH 15-17

MARCH 22-24

The Mind Body Spirit Expo

A Weekend of Self-expression Women’s Wellness Weekend

Largest Natural Health And Human Potential Expo In The Eastern Usa

NJ Convention Center, Edison NJ 97 Sunfield Ave. Edison, NJ Speakers include: Energy Healer Eric Pearl, Coast to Coast’s George Noory, psychic-medium Colette Baron-Reid, spiritual teacher Deborah King, angel therapist Charles Virtue, life strategist Robert Ohotto. 125 exhibitors with a wide-ranging variety of booths, from astral photography to beautiful jewelry. Psychics and body workers available.

Many free lectures. Discount specials include: Free admission to those who arrive before doors open. Seniors and students free admission on Friday, $5 discount Sat/Sun. Free parking.

For tickets and more info visit

www.mindbodyspiritexpo.com or call 215-599-EXPO (3976).

TUESDAY, MARCH 12 The Mystic Heart: The Divine, Earth and Humanity—An Exploration of Eco-Spirituality, EcoAwareness – 6:45-9:15pm. This 4-evening course explores conceptually and experientially, crucial dimensions of eco-spirituality and our relationship to our planetary home: shamanic experience and sharing from the heart of earth’s indigenous traditions, perspectives on eco-awareness and eco-leadership, pivotal environmental issues now confronting humanity, ecoministry, and creative green living in urban environments. Leaders in global sustainability and green living will present. One Spirit Learning Alliance, 247 W 36th St, 6th Floor. 212-931-6840 or OneSpiritInterfaith.org.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13 The Orchid Show – Come experience this yearly celebration of the orchid in all its amazing forms!

New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx. 718-817-8700 or NYBG.org.

SATURDAY, MARCH 16 St. Patrick’s Day Parade – No St. Paddy’s Day in NYC would be complete without attending this parade, the 252nd march up 5th Avenue! This year’s event honors American veterans with bands from every branch of the U.S. military. Due to religious observances on the 17th, the parade takes place today.

SUNDAY, MARCH 17 Monthly Meditation Class – 2:30-4pm, every 3rd Sunday. This class is designed to teach the fundamentals of meditation. Here you will learn how to quiet your mind, relax your body and open your heart, using various breathing techniques, chanting and a gentle guided meditation. Reduce stress in your life and develop a deeper relationship with the Divine Presence within your own heart. Harlem Holistic Center, 115 W 128th St (between Lenox and 7th Aves). 212-841-5449 or Ethoh.org.

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New York City Edition

Come together with other women to educate, empower, and enliven yourself in the serene and supportive environment that is Frost Valley YMCA, just two hours North of New York City.

At Frost Valley YMCA For more information call 845-985-2291 or FrostValley.org

MONDAY, MARCH 18 Spencer Finch, The River That Flows Both Ways – The artist transforms a semi-enclosed loading dock’s existing casement windows with 700 individually crafted panes of glass representing the water conditions on the Hudson River over a single day. High Line (between Gansevoort and W 20th Sts).

212-500-6035 or TheHighLine.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19 Alexander Garvin Book Talk – 6:30-8pm. The Planning Game: Lessons from Great Cities provides a focused, thorough and sophisticated overview of the public-realm approach to planning—emphasizing the importance of public investments in streets, squares, parks, infrastructure and public buildings.

Learn what is necessary to successfully transform a community! Skyscraper Museum, 39 Battery Place (at 1st Place). 212-968-1961 or Skyscraper.org.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20 Spring Equinox Yogathon – Transform your being and someone else’s life by pledging yourself to 30 days of yoga (3/20-4/18). Commit to practicing 5 days at the studio and 2 days at home. Have friends and family pledge for each day of your challenge and the proceeds will go to the FRESH Foundation, with a year’s free yoga awarded to the person who generates the most funds. All participants receive a gift upon completion. 754 9th Ave (Hell’s Kitchen between 50th and 51st). 212-397-6344 or Clients. mindbodyonline.com.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21 World Water Day: Harlem Meer Social Hour – 6:30-8pm. Celebrate World Water Day with the Central Park Conservancy! Learn how Riverkeeper, NY’s clean water advocacy group, works to protect our water resources and how the Conservancy plays a vital role in maintaining the park’s 7 water bodies, providing a healthy habitat for all to enjoy.

Charles A Dana Discovery Center, Central Park.

212-360-1461, HLook@CentralParkNYC.org or nycgovparks.org.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22 Not As Cute As a Picture – 9:30pm. What happens when you decide to leave a secure job to go for an out-of-this-world dream? J. D. Cema’s hilarious exploration or purpose, of searching and survival is called a “triumphant cry of victory” (The Washington Post). The Duplex, 61 Christopher St (at 7th Ave). TheDuplex.com.

SUNDAY, MARCH 24 Historic New York Walking Tour: Women’s History – 11am. Ice-age glaciers, Native Americans, Dutch traders, British Redcoats, and the Underground Railroad have all left their mark on NYC. Their stories can be found in the names of our streets, our architecture and our parks. The Urban Park Rangers specialize in interpretation of historic turning points, both natural and man-made, in our city’s long history. Margaret Corbin Circle, Fort Tryon Park. 212-628-2345 or NYCGovParks.org.

MONDAY, MARCH 25 Creative Content Marketing—Winning Hearts, Minds and Wallets – Mar 25-28. Learn to leverage a mix of evergreen, repurposed, curated and co-created content for better marketing results!

Develop a framework for creative and efficient content creation and find resources and ideas where others cannot. New York Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway. SESConference.com/newyork/.

TUESDAY, MARCH 26 Music on Park Avenue – Star violinist Soovin Kim was the first American to win the Paganini competition (1996) and has toured the world since.

His concert includes works for solo violin by Bach and Paganini, as well as Brahms. Do not miss this exclusive opportunity to hear Mr. Kim’s musical and technical wizardry! Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave (at 38th St). 212-779-3587 or ScandinaviaHouse.org.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27 Grow to Learn Grant Writing & Garden Planning Workshop – 10am-12:30pm. Need help applying for a Grow to Learn mini-grant? Attend a grant-writing and garden design workshop! We

markyourcalendar APRIL 6-7, 2013 The Lightworkers Healing Method Level Two 10 am - 5 pm 2 days. Align with your soul’s purpose. Experience the joy! Learn Angelically guided energy healing–it is a skill, not a gift.

Broadcast live – join us from wherever you are! $200 for webinar 941-238-8488

www.LightworkersMethod.com NaturalAwakeningsNYC.com

will walk you through the application and garden design process and answer any individual questions you may have. RSVP required. GrowNYC Office, 51 Chambers St, Room 214. 212-788-7900, Growtolearn@GrowNYC.org or nycgovparks.org.

THURSDAY, MARCH 28 DJ Spooky—Of Water and Ice: A Concert of Compositions Based on Water and Arctic Rhythms – Mar 23-Mar 28. This composition for string quartet and video evolved out of Paul D Miller’s large-scale multimedia work and explores the composition of ice and water and our relationship to the vanishing environment of the arctic poles. Metropolitan Museum of Art, Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium, 1000 5th Ave (at 82nd St). 212-535-7710 or DJSpooky.com.

FRIDAY, MARCH 29 Trance Dance NYC – 8-9:30pm. Join Jeffrey Duval for Sonic’s monthly dance party and an evening of shared dance, expression, seva or service, food, drinks, live Kirtan and DJ artists and more! 754 9th Ave (Hell’s Kitchen between 50th and 51st). 212-3976344 or Clients.mindbodyonline.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 30 Bird Walk – The garden is home to a plethora of native and migrating birds and the diverse habits of the garden offer visitors a chance to see dozens of species of birds throughout the year. Bring your binoculars and walk the garden grounds with an expert. Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center, New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx. 718-817-8700 or NYBG.org.

SUNDAY, MARCH 31 Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival – This fun tradition started in the mid-1800s when high-society ladies would promenade in their Easter finery after church.

It has since evolved into a showcase for chapeau artistry—we’re talking noggin-toppers shaped like the NYC skyline or the Coney Island Cyclone, not just boring old fedoras! 5th Ave from 49th to 57th Sts.

markyourcalendar

markyourcalendar

SATURDAY, APRIL 20SSUNDAY, APRIL 21 Green Festival

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

The nation’s largest and most trusted green living event will kick off its 12th year by bringing the New York City green community together at the Green Festival for the second time. Featured at the weekend-long show will be leaders in the environmental community, including speakers, entrepreneurs and activists as well as an organic beer and wine pavilion and a unique marketplace of more than 300 eco-friendly businesses, featuring the latest and greatest in sustainable products and services.

Javits Center North GreenFestivals.org

HOLISTIC BODYWORK

ENERGY HEALING

MADELINE MICHAELS LMT, LDHS

Mark Siagh

Reconnective Healing® Practitioner mark_siagh@yahoo.com 347-879-3133 www.TheReconnection.com A Reconnective Healing® session tends to be a life-changing experience, introducing you to an astonishing ocean of energy, light and information, an opportunity to experience your divine nature. Healing beyond body, mind and spirit, including the evolution of your very essence. Contact Mark for details.

Integrative Psychologist, Coach & Holistic Health Individual & Couples Services 646-789-5113 www.DrNilooDardashti.com

Our clinic offers Kindly priced Panchakarmas: Detoxifying and Rejuvenating retreats.

Friendly, Quiet, Private, Secluded. Visit us at www.auromesa.com

Doubletree Hotel 455 S Broadway, Tarrytown 10591 Sponsors, Exhibitors, Speakers visit ThePractitioners.com

communitydirectory

Niloo Dardashti, PsyD, HHP

High Desert Taos NM, Ayurvedic Panchakarma

The biggest/best loved body-mind-spirit-green event north of NYC

AwakenFair.com

holistic Counseling

classifieds

Awaken Fair 10am-5pm

Body Therapist, Energy Healer, Enzyme Nutrition Therapist Eastside, NYC 212-369-1992 • www.bodyfeelgoodstudio.com For 22 years Madeline Michaels has offered therapeutic massage, bodywork and nutritional counseling with exceptional results. She uses scientific knowledge of anatomy and physiology as well as her intuitive creativity for the integration of powerful healing treatments. Madeline’s bodywork and healing methods are geared for women’s bodies with a nurturing focus on detox and beautifying of the skin.Visiting Madeline will uplift your spirits and guide you to a healthier, happier and lighter life. Visit us online for March Specials!

integrated medicine

Dr. Niloo Dardashti has helped hundreds of clients nationally in achieving their life goals and having better relationships. She is an expert at identifying the core issue, whether physiological or psychological (or both). Her approach is solution-oriented, integrating her training in cognitive behavioral therapy, couples therapy, eastern spirituality, and holistic mental wellness (which entails the use of targeted amino acid therapy). She is consistently called upon by the media to comment on wellness issues. In addition to her doctorate in psychology, she is board certified as a holistic health practitioner. Her multi-faceted approach is innovative and highly effective.

SVETLANA KOGAN, MD

Doctors at Trump Place Longevity Spa and MediSpa 194 Riverside Boulevard New York, NY 10069 212-580-0900 www.DTPdoctors.com Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Dr. Kogan has been practicing Western and Eastern Medicine for over 10 years. She has been taking care of New Yorkers since 2001, combining traditional medicine and holistic healing. Her work has been featured in the press repeatedly and can be seen at www.DTPdoctors.com. See ad on page 2.

natural awakenings

March 2013

29

INTO THE FEELING BODY JACK WIENER, CDMT, LP 98 Riverside Drive, Suite 1 New York, NY 10024 212-724-2044

Adults 35-70. An approach to creative movement refined over 53 years of teaching 3-90 year olds.

Incredibly grounded in realigning the musculature that Incrementally corrects physical habits, and through improvisation to music alters emotional patterns that distort moving freely and feelingly. Reclaiming the flow of feelings through the body in a uniquely personal way. Six per class.

Intuitive Guide Joan Carra, Psychic Medium Offices in NYC & Greenwich 203.531.6387 • PsychicJoanCarra.com

Joan guides you on your path drawing on her intuitive powers. As a medium, she can bring to life, friends on the other side. She is in five books including The 100 Top Psychics in America. Also visit JoanCarraTheMysticSongWriter.com.

LIFE COACH Life Solutions Coaching

Liz Carey, M.S. 845-225-5192 • www.leadership-connections.com Live the life you want. Live the life you DESERVE. Break old patterns of thinking and acting and open yourself to less stressful living, stronger and closer relationships, and a sense of meaning and purpose in your personal and work life. Liz has helped many people live a fulfilling life – let her help you too.

Complimentary first session. Budget-friendly plans.

Naturopathic Doctor Simplicity Health Associates Dr Ivy Branin, ND 230 West 13th Street, Suite 1-B New York, NY 10010 646-470-8458 www.simplicityhealthassociates.com

Dr Ivy Branin, ND, is a Naturopathic Doctor dedicated to making her patients feel great using natural therapies and methods. Although she sees a wide variety of conditions, her practice focuses on mood and sleep problems, autoimmune disease, gastrointestinal conditions, and women’s health.

optimal health opportunities Rebecca Spath

Breathing Room Therapies & USANA Health Sciences New York City 845-389-6991 • rebecca.spath@usana.com I am passionate about helping people. I’ve been doing it all my life.

15 years ago I established Breathing Room Therapies providing Breathwork, Body/Mind Centered Therapeutic Coaching. Then, nearly 3 years ago I joined Team Northrup, a group of conscious entrepreneurs who believe in optimal health and wellness and who value time freedom. We partnered with USANA Health Sciences, one of the world’s leading companies in the field of health & nutrition. I am honored to provide my clients/consumers with the best of the best in health and healing and, for those interested, an opportunity to create residual income while helping others achieve optimal health.

I look forward to meeting up with you to see how these tools, techniques and options may make a difference in your life!

(Check out Team Northrup at http://www.teamnorthrup.com/why-usana/the-usana-opportunity )

ORGANIC Beauty Salon Mauricio Hair Studio

210 Fifth Ave. Suite 1102 New York, NY 10010 maurucio@mauriciohair.com 212-532-3030 • www.MauricioHair.com Mauricio is a cross-cultural hair artist who provides a holistic approach to the beauty industry—one that focuses not only on the physical but also on the overall well-being of his clients, through unique services, truly organic products, tailored experience and Zen-like environment that all work together to support the mind, body and soul. Mauricio’s private hair studio mission is to be the first of its kind: an innovative ecofriendly hair studio and ‘inner beauty salon’ that seeks to unlock every guest’s beauty.

OZONE THERAPY Dr. Howard Robins The Healing Center 200 W. 57th St., Suite 807 New York, NY 10019 212-581-0101 • DrHowardRobins@gmail.com If you have a disease or condition that you haven’t been able to get rid of, Ozone Therapy will most likely be the answer, even for people that have suffered for years and have lost all hope.

If you are questioning if your condition can be treated, call or email Dr Robins contact information above. See ad on page 3.

NYC .com

DAVID BARTKY

CERTIFIED LAW OF ATTRACTION LIFE COACH 973-444-7301 www.lifecoachdavid.com As a certified Law of Attraction Life Coach I know how to take you from where you are now, to where you want to be. Whether you want to attract more money, a better job, a relationship, your dream car, etc., into your life, I can help you do just that.

My clients find that they’re not only attracting what they want into their lives, they are enjoying each day more and more! I always offer a free coaching session.

Call For Cover Art & Photography

Picture Your Art on Our Covers!

Submit your artwork or photos to Natural Awakenings for the chance to be on a cover.

For more information, including a list of monthly themes, submission terms and format requirements, visit: NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/covers

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