May 2015 - Queens, NY Issue by Natural Awakenings of Queens

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

SPECIAL ISSUE:

WOMEN’S WELLNESS

FREE

Rethinking Breast Health Gentle Ways to Give Birth Building Muscle Pet Vaccine Alternatives Eating Skinny

May 2015 | Queens, NY Edition | NaturalQueensNY.com natural awakenings

May 2015

Natural Awakenings’

New Advanced Healing Skin Cream Moisturizes and Softens Your Skin The unique blend of essential oils, Manuka honey and botanicals provides therapeutic results

Ne Sh w op W , Re Ou eb de r Sto sign re ed

You’ll love Advanced Healing Skin Cream’s clean, fresh botanical fragrance. Other uses: • Provides UltraHydration to Skin • Enhances Anti-Aging & Skin Renewal • Soothes Dry, Itchy, Cracked Skin • Comforts Wounds, Sores and Cuts • Relieves Most Burns Including Sunburn

4-oz jar $21.99 + ONLY $5 shipping Order online today at

ShopNaturalAwakenings.com or call: 888-822-0246

Publish a Natural Awakenings Magazine in Your Community Share Your Vision and Make a Difference • Meaningful New Career • Low Initial Investment • Proven Business System • Home Based Business • Exceptional Franchise Support & Training

Natural Awakenings recently won the prestigious FBR50 Franchise Satisfaction Award from Franchise Business Review. To learn more visit: franchisebusinessreview.com

Queens, NY

NaturalQueensNY.com

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

Huntsville, AL Mobile/Baldwin, AL* Little Rock/Hot Spg., AR* Phoenix, AZ* Tucson, AZ East Bay Area, CA San Diego, CA Denver/Boulder, CO Fairfield County, CT Hartford, CT New Haven/ Middlesex, CT Washington, DC Daytona/Volusia/ Flagler, FL NW FL Emerald Coast Ft. Lauderdale, FL Jacksonville/St. Aug., FL Melbourne/Vero, FL Miami & Florida Keys* Naples/Ft. Myers, FL North Central FL* Orlando, FL* Palm Beach, FL Peace River, FL Sarasota, FL Tampa/St. Pete., FL FL’s Treasure Coast Atlanta, GA Hawaiian Islands Chicago, IL Chicago West. Suburbs Indianapolis, IN

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Baton Rouge, LA Lafayette, LA New Orleans, LA Portland, ME Boston, MA Ann Arbor, MI East Michigan Wayne County, MI Western MI Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN Charlotte, NC Lake Norman, NC Triangle NC Central NJ Hudson County, NJ* Mercer County, NJ Monmouth/Ocean, NJ North NJ North Central NJ South NJ* Santa Fe/Abq., NM Las Vegas, NV Albany, NY Buffalo, NY Central NY Long Island, NY Manhattan, NY Queens, NY Rochester, NY Rockland/Orange, NY Westchester/ Putnam, NY Central OH

• Cincinnati, OH • Toledo, OH • Oklahoma City, OK • Portland, OR* • Bucks/Montgomery Counties, PA • Harrisburg/York, PA • Lancaster, PA • Lehigh Valley, PA • Pocono, PA/ Warren Co., NJ • Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre, PA • Rhode Island • Charleston, SC • Columbia, SC • Grand Strand, SC* • Greenville, SC • Chattanooga, TN • Knoxville, TN* • Memphis, TN • Austin, TX • Dallas Metroplex, TX • Dallas/FW Metro N • SE Texas • San Antonio, TX* • Richmond, VA • VA’s Blue Ridge • Seattle, WA • Madison, WI • Milwaukee, WI • Puerto Rico *Existing magazines for sale

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

contents 7

8 10

5 6 8 10 12 13 15 20 23 24 27 29 30 31

newsbriefs healthbriefs globalbriefs ecotip readersnapshot naturalpet inspiration healingways consciouseating fitbody healthykids calendar classifieds resourceguide

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 631-870-0334 or email NaturalQueensNY@aol.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: NaturalQueensNY@aol.com. Deadline for editorial: the 10th of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: NaturalQueensNY@aol.com. Deadline for calendar: the 10th 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 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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.

13 PET VACCINE

ALTERNATIVES

Natural Steps to Nurture Immunity

by Shawn Messonnier

14 BENEFICIAL AND PREVENTATIVE

Breast Cancer Testing by Kate Mustakas

15 MOVING BEYOND SURVIVAL

Our True Identity Surpasses Any Disease

by Eric Nelson

16 RETHINKING

BREAST HEALTH

Natural Ways to Keep Breasts Smooth, Pain-Free and Firm, while Reducing the Risk of Cancer by Lisa Marshall

20 GIVING BIRTH NATURALLY

Conscious Choices Lead to Less Intervention by Meredith Montgomery

23 EATING SKINNY

Why Vegans and Vegetarians are Naturally Trim by Judith Fertig

24 FLEXING

OUR MUSCLES

Weightlifting Makes Us Fit, Healthy and Self-Confident

by Debra Melani

27 KIDS LOVE VEGGIES How to Instill Healthy Lifelong Habits by Clancy Cash Harrison

NaturalQueensNY.com natural awakenings

May 2015

letterfrompublisher I

contact us Publisher Nicole Avellina Editors Martin Miron Contributing Writer Sheila Julson Kate Mustakas Design & Production Chelsea Rose Cover Selection LT Bironas Printer Trumbull Printing Multi-Market Advertising 239-449-8309 Franchise Sales 239-530-1377 Natural Awakenings of Queens, NY P.O. Box 294, Islip Terrace, NY 11752 Phone: 631-870-0334 Fax: 631-822-2206 NaturalQueensNY.com NaturalQueensNY@aol.com Follow us on: Facebook.com/NaturalAwakeningsQueens and Twitter @NaturalQueens1

©2015 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.

n August 2006, I found myself nine months pregnant and ready to give birth to my son. I had attended weeks of Lamaze classes, read about different breathing exercises, practiced meditation and my obstetrician was well aware that I wanted to do it naturally—no C-section, no epidural, and no other drugs. On August 23, one week after my due date, my water broke and I was on my way to the hospital. I labored for 18 hours before my son was finally born and unfortunately, it wasn’t the natural experience I had hoped and prepared for. The doctor came to me after several hours and told me that my labor had stopped progressing—the first of the bad news. They needed to give me a drug called Pitocin to “kick-start” labor again. Reluctantly, and after asking if there were any other alternatives, he administered the medication. The contractions came hard and fast, but my baby was showing signs of distress, so they pulled back on the Pitocin. We repeated this cycle three times with the same result. Finally, my doctor let me know that he’d done all he could and we had reached a point where he couldn’t wait for the process to continue on its own because my water had broken many hours ago and he was concerned about a dry birth. He needed to do a Cesarean section. I cried at the thought of being cut open, having a scar and turning this beautiful process into a surgery. Before I knew it, there were several nurses and my doctor rushing around. I was wheeled into the operating room, where whatever was put in my IV, made me shake uncontrollably; so they tied me down to the table. I had a sheet that extended up from my neck to the ceiling so I couldn’t see what was going on beyond it. Tears were streaming down my temples as I realized that This was how I was going to give birth to my first child. It was a far cry from what I had imagined. I didn’t have much information at the time, but had I known about the benefits of using a doula, I would have explored that option very closely. Because I am now better educated, should there be a second child, I will take more control over the process and ensure that my experience is closer to what I want it to be. I hope that readers of this month’s Natural Awakenings magazine will do the same. Peace and blessings,

Nicole Avellina

SUBSCRIPTIONS To sign up for a copy of our monthly digital magazine, email

NaturalQueensNY@aol.com Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

Queens, NY

I like to listen. I have learned

a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen. ~Ernest Hemingway

NaturalQueensNY.com

newsbriefs March Against Monsanto Rallies In NYC

worldwide grassroots group March Against Monsanto has inspired a broad coalition of individuals and groups to gather in cities and towns all over the world as part of a global effort to raise public awareness and bring increasing political pressure to bear regarding Monsanto’s corporate farming and business practices and to insist upon labeling of foods that contain genetically modified organisms (GMO). The NYC rally will take place on Saturday, May 23 at One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (East 47th St) to Tompkins Square Park from noon to 3p.m. An estimated 428 cities in 38 countries on six continents will be participating in the Global March Against Monsanto for a peaceful, non-violent, informational protest. GMOs have been banned by Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg, Madeira, New Zealand, Peru, Russia, France and Switzerland. Monsanto and other companies such as Dow and Syngenta genetically engineered food that poses scientifically established health risks that include organ damage, sterility, infant mortality, birth defects, immune reactions, allergies and increased cancer risk. Marcher’s demands include solidarity against Monsanto predatory business and agricultural practices, rejecting “substantial equivalence” of GMO and traditional crops, independent scientific testing of GMO crops, promoting organic solutions, exposing the cronyism between big business and the government, addressing poverty, the real cause of global hunger, supporting food and seed sovereignty, supporting local farms, bees and biodiversity and labeling of all foods that contain GMOs. Long-time activist and member of the Gateway Greens, Daniel Romano warns, “Monsanto is bankrupting famers and causing soil infertility, monocropping, loss of biodiversity and beehive collapse. Their practices pose a very real threat to organic farming and loss of native plants and are creating dependency on a centralized food system. In aggregate, this is a recipe for global famine.” An Open Letter from World Scientists to All Governments Concerning Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) (see i-sis.org.uk/list.php), signed by 828 scientists from 84 countries, details their concern regarding GMOs and a call for immediate five-year suspension of GMO crops in order to conduct “a comprehensive public enquiry of agriculture and food security for all.”

Holistic Speaker Series Begins in Bayside

he Holistic Chamber of Commerce will kickoff its inaugural monthly Holistic Speaker Series at 6:15 p.m., May 15, at Queens Dance Project, in Bayside. With topics from health and weight loss to passionate partnership, presenters in the series include Adrian Miller, Nanci Deutsch, Ilene Cohn Reichman and Rosemary Brocco, all members of the Chamber. Chamber President Naini Nakagawa promises a plethora of delights such as light appetizers, drinks and aromatherapy performed by practitioners. Admission is free. Location: 214-26 41st Ave. For more information, e-mail HolisticChamberQueensNY@gmail.com or visit HolisticChamberOfCommerce. com/NY-Queens. See ad, page 2.

Motherhood:

All love begins and ends there. ~Robert Browning

For updates, visit March Against Monsanto NYC FREE SCHOOL on Facebook. For more information, visit March-Against-Monsanto.com.

News to share? Submit information online at NaturalQueensNY.com Submittal deadline is the 10th of the month. natural awakenings

May 2015

newsbriefs

healthbriefs

Natural Awakenings Helps Sponsor The Real Truth About Health Conference in Orlando

Weight Gain in Moms Lowers Toxins in Newborns

ore than 30 of the most popular and influential leading thought leaders, experts and authors from a wide variety of wellness fields will be sharing their knowledge, insights and remedies at The Real Truth About Health Conference from May 22 to 31 at the Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel and Conference Center, in Orlando. This free event is a partnership between the Hippocrates Institute, TheRealTruthAboutHealthConference.com and Brian Clement, Ph.D., author of LifeForce and director of the Hippocrates Health Institute. Joining Clement as presenting authors at what organizers term the nation’s largest health, nutrition and environmental conference, will be Dr. T. Campbell, The China Study; Gary Null, Ph.D., The Healthy Vegetarian; Dr. Helene Caldicott, Crisis Without End; Robert Whitaker, Anatomy of an Epidemic; David Simon, Meatonomics; David Kirby, Animal Factory; Joel Fuhrman, The End of Diabetes; Jeffrey Smith, Seeds of Deception; and director of the film PlantPure Nation, Nelson Campbell, plus many others. “Our Natural Awakenings network of publishers is excited to help support this important event as a sponsor and exhibitor in Orlando,” says company CEO Sharon Bruckman. “We hope our readers will take advantage of this free conference by attending or registering online for these 10 days of empowering information and inspiration.” Those that cannot attend the conference can watch a live stream or a replay of the presentations on their computers. Location: 8101 World Center Dr. For more information and to view the full schedule, visit TheRealTruthAboutHealthConference.com. Those interested in being vendors or other sponsorship opportunities, call 516-605-0459 by May 15. Hotel phone: 407-2388000. Also visit HippocratesInst.org. See ad, page 21.

Queens, NY

NaturalQueensNY.com

any expectant mothers try to know about everything they put into and onto their bodies as multiple studies are finding that infants are exposed to toxins during pregnancy. A new study of 325 expectant mothers has determined that the baby’s exposure to toxins in the womb decreases when the mother’s weight gain during pregnancy approaches the guidelines recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2009. Women that are underweight at the start of pregnancy are advised to gain between 28 and 40 pounds, women of a healthy weight 25 to 35 pounds, overweight women 15 to 25 pounds and obese women 11 to 20 pounds. The researchers found that expectant mothers with a gestational weight that meets or exceeds the IOM guidelines gave birth to infants with reduced toxin levels. In their analysis of the umbilical cord blood of mothers from Spain, the researchers tested for 14 pesticides and 21 other environmental toxins, including seven polychlorobiphenyls (PCB). Other influencers such as age, education and fish consumption may also be relevant.

Italian Court Links Boy’s Autism to a Vaccine

ast September, a Milan Court held in favor of plaintiffs that claimed that three doses of the hexavalent GlaxoSmithKline vaccine Infanrix Hexa that were administered to an infant beginning in 2006 caused autism later when he was a young boy. The vaccine is used for polio, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, whooping cough and haemophilus influenzae type B. After hearing from several medical experts, the court ruled that the child likely suffered autism and brain damage as a result of the vaccine’s content of mercury and aluminum, combined with a genetic mutation in the child rendering greater susceptibility. The ruling ordered damages to be paid by the Italian government’s national vaccine injury compensation program. The court’s decision was also based upon GlaxoSmithKline’s list of possible adverse events resulting from the vaccine, which included five cases of autism during clinical trials. Today in the U.S., most vaccines routinely given to children under 6 years of age are free of thimerosal, a mercuryderived preservative.

To Get Healthy, Meditation Improves Brain Health H Get a Healthy Partner

aving a healthier partner may be one of the best things to do for our own health. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine finds that losing weight, stopping smoking or becoming more active is easier with a partner that has led the way in any or all healthy pursuits. The study authors reviewed data collected by the UK Health Behavior Research Center at the University College London that followed 3,700 couples between 2002 and 2012— most of them ages 50 and older and married. Those that smoked at the beginning of the study were more likely to quit by the end of it if their partners quit smoking, and those that were physically inactive at the beginning of the study were more likely to become active if their partners did so first. About twothirds of the men became newly active during the course of the study. Men with wives that had lost weight were more likely to also shed pounds during the study, and women with husbands that didn’t lose weight were less likely to do so through the study period.

arvard Medical School researchers working at the Massachusetts General Hospital have determined that meditation can improve brain health. The researchers studied 16 volunteers that took part in an eight-week mindfulness meditation study at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. The participants conducted mindfulness meditation exercises for an average of 27 minutes a day. Before and after the trial, the subjects were given tests and magnetic resonance imaging of their brains. The researchers found that the practice of mindfulness meditation resulted in increased gray matter density in the hippocampus of the brain, an area associated with increased memory and learning capacity, plus a greater sense of compassion and introspection.

HEART DISEASE DETECTED EARLY WITH BREATH TESTING

esearch published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology has found that breath testing can reveal potential heart disease and artery problems quickly and efficiently. Testing 31 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) together with 34 healthy control subjects, the study found that concentrations of volatile gases such as propanol, ethanol and ammonia were significantly different among the heart disease patients. It also found that the breath can reveal specific details about the heart’s condition. The breath test can be analyzed in fewer than 30 minutes.

I ’m interested in

women’s health because I’m a woman. I’d be a darn fool not to be on my own side. ~Maya Angelou natural awakenings

May 2015

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

Corporate Climate

Companies Slowly Embrace Sustainability The 2015 State of Green Business report (Tinyurl. com/2015GreenBusinessReport), which assesses the environmental performances of companies worldwide, along with the trends to watch, is produced by GreenBiz, in partnership with Trucost. Collectively, companies have been nibbling at the edges of challenges such as climate change, food security, ecosystems preservation and resource efficiency. One measure of corporate engagement going forward will be proactive involvement on political issues that could accelerate the transition to a low-carbon and more sustainable economy. It remains to be seen whether companies can afford to sit on the sidelines, letting the political process unfold, or worse, play defense against changes that might roil their status quo. 2015 will be an interesting year on multiple fronts, especially with the launch of the new sustainable development goals at the United Nations (UN) in New York this fall, along with UN climate talks in Paris in December. Both will be tests of corporate engagement and resolve in driving the kinds of change many of their CEOs publicly call for. The reports’ findings of companies’ progress in greenhouse gas and emissions, air pollutants, water use and solid waste production are all leveling off or even declining.

Animal Genocide

‘Lethal Control’ Trades Off Species Over the next four years, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers will shoot 16,000 double-crested cormorants nesting near the Columbia River, in Oregon, at a cost of $1.5 million a year and eliminate almost 100 sea lions because both feed on endangered salmon and steelhead trout. “If people knew how many animals are killed at taxpayer expense, they’d be horrified,” says Camilla Fox, executive director of Project Coyote, a San Francisco Bay Area nonprofit. Termed “lethal control”, there’s a growing trend to kill one species to protect another, and not all methods used are humane. In 2012, Dennis Orthmeyer, acting director of California’s Wildlife Services, said, “We pride ourselves on our ability to get it done without many people knowing about it.” Climate change, reduced habitat and food supplies, and the introduction of non-native species are the result of human interference. “With society’s growing footprint, lethal control can only increase,” observes Michael Scott, a University of Idaho ecologist. A plan to poison 4,000 ravens will protect greater sage grouse. More mountain lions will be killed to save bighorn sheep. The human rampage goes on, and concerned citizens are advised to urge lawmakers to end lethal control and protect wildlife habitat sustainably. Take action at Tinyurl.com/AnimalLiberationFrontCampaign. 8

Queens, NY

NaturalQueensNY.com

Dirty Dollars

Stores Filled with Toxic Products HealthyStuff, a project of the Michiganbased Ecology Center, in collaboration with the Campaign for Healthier Solutions (CHS), has released a report, A Day Late and a Dollar Short: Discount Retailers are Falling Behind on Safer Chemicals, about toxic chemicals found in dollar store products. It includes test results for 164 dollar store products such as toys, jewelry, school supplies and household items and found that 81 percent contained at least one hazardous chemical above a level that generates concern.” The campaign sent a letter to the CEOs of the four largest dollar store chains, including Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and 99 Cents Only, urging them to stop the sale of these unsafe products, especially to communities of low-income and ethnic families that already live in more polluted areas and food deserts, and adopt policies that will instead protect both customers and their own businesses. Combined, these discount chains have annual sales totaling more than $36 billion and operate more stores nationally than Walmart. The CHS is asking for a comprehensive set of reforms; communities need to let dollar store chains know that they want safer products and join local and national efforts advocating for nontoxic products. Scroll to Dollar Store Report at Healthy Stuff.org for the complete test results. Take action at NontoxicDollarStores.org.

Tool Pool

Farmers Share Farm Machinery Instead of buying or renting expensive specialized machinery, farmers in Maine can now join a “lending library” of farm tools on short-term loan by using the Shared-Use Farm Equipment Pool, a partnership between the Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) and the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. There are already equipment co-ops and joint machinery ownerships around the country; now the sharing economy being established in urban areas seems to be catching on in rural America, too. For a $100 annual fee, members can gain access to a seedbed cultivator, twoshank sub-soiler, plastic mulch layer, tine weeder, and strip and ridge tillers. The 1,200-pound mulch layer, for instance, retails for more than $2,000. Each piece is undeniably useful, but pricey, especially given the cost per use. Farmers have a three-day window to use the tools. The pool came about when Mike Gold, an MFT staff member, saw the need to lower costs for both new and seasoned farmers. Currently, most of the tool pool members are newer vegetable farmers, but Gold says there’s appeal for established land stewards, too: “They see the opportunity to use that one piece of equipment that they may only need once a year or once every few years.” Source: ModernFarmer.com

Eco-Eating

Town Eateries Embrace Sustainability The city of Maplewood, Missouri, outside St. Louis, has teamed up with the Green Dining Alliance to become the area’s first Green Dining District, with at least 25 percent of all of its independently owned businesses certified by the Green Dining Alliance (GDA). The GDA helps businesses with sustainability and green business practices while also helping them save money. So far, eight restaurants in downtown Maplewood are GDA-certified. Green Dining Alliance’s Olivia Engel says, “It’s a win-win that makes sense for businesses and communities.” The city is also encouraging the program by subsidizing Green Dining Alliance membership fees. View updates at GreenDiningAlliance.org.

Persistent Pacers

Women Marathoners Better at Maintaining Speed Danish researchers studying almost 2 million marathon results from 131 marathon races over a period of five years have concluded that women are 18.6 percent better than men at maintaining a consistent pace overall, compared to the first and the last parts of the distance. Among the population studied, 68.5 percent were men and 31.5 percent were women. The research further suggests that both men and women “burn out” en route and could improve their marathon results significantly simply by starting slower. Source: Consumer.HealthDay.com

EPA Blooper

Bee-Toxic Pesticide Approved The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved cyantraniliprole, a new systemic pesticide that is toxic to bees, for agricultural use and has set allowable residue limits on almonds, berries, leafy vegetables and milk. The EPA also approved it as a seed treatment, so it may show up in GMO (genetically modified) seeds in the future. Cyantraniliprole has been proven to cause liver toxicity, and the EPA notes that it also alters the stability of the thyroid as tested on laboratory rats. Although the agency maintains that the pesticide is not a direct thyroid toxicant, any indirect effects on this glandular function are likely to disrupt the endocrine system. As its current endocrine disruptor screening program is still in the process of validating tests, EPA registration of the new active ingredient is questionable. Source: EcoWatch.com

Enflamed Water Home Flame Retardants Found in River

Scientists with the Washington Toxics Coalition tested household dust and laundry wastewater from 20 homes in the state’s cities of Longview and Vancouver and took samples of incoming and outgoing flow from two wastewater treatment plants that discharge into the Columbia River, the Northwest’s biggest waterway. They detected flame retardants in all the tests. The conclusion of the study, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, is that flame retardants are sloughing off household products such as couches and TVs and collecting on people’s clothing, washing out in the laundry and passing through wastewater treatment plants into local waterways. Source: WaToxics.org natural awakenings

May 2015

ecotip Raised Right

Organic Flowers Honor Mom and Mother Earth

Fall Asleep Safely, Quickly and Naturally! Ne Sh w op W , Re Ou eb de r Sto sign re ed

Pleasant Dreams™ contains a blend of safe, natural, sleep-inducing ingredients including chamomile, valerian root and melatonin which may help to: • Facilitate relaxation • No morning drowsiness • Maintain sleep all night • Reduce anxiety symptoms • Improve pain tolerance

Only from Natural Awakenings 60 capsules: $34.99 plus $5 shipping Order online today at

ShopNaturalAwakenings.com or call: 888-822-0246

Consult a healthcare professional before taking this product. Pleasant Dreams is not intended to cure, treat, diagnose or mitigate any disease or other medical conditions. These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Queens, NY

NaturalQueensNY.com

The Mother’s Day tradition of gifting mom with flowers, including such perennial favorites as lilies, orchids, tulips and roses, can be practiced in a sustainable manner. Buying organic varieties protects workers, families and the environment. Flowers grown with conventional techniques contribute to the contamination of groundwater and streams through fertilizer and pesticide runoff that can also threaten animal species. Many of the cut flowers are grown in South America, where farms continue to use pesticides that are restricted in the U.S. and cited as highly toxic by the World Health Organization. GreenAmerica.org provides several helpful tips on bringing joy to mom on her special day in eco-friendly ways: Grow Your Own. Buy organic bulbs or seeds in consumer seed catalogs and retail racks or online from reputable sources that include SeedsOfChange.com. Children can then grow their own flowers to make them mean even more. Tips for natural weed and pest control, environmentally friendly watering, making raised garden beds and more are posted at EarthEasy.com/yard-garden. Buy Local and Organic. Support local communities and save shipping costs and energy by purchasing chemical-free organic flowers from a local farmers’ market or community supported agriculture. Online retailers like OrganicBouquet. com and LocalHarvest.org/organic-flowers.jsp offer U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified organic flowers. Ask Local Florists to Go Organic. Find out if local florists purchase any organic and local flowers, and if not, request that they do so. Also, eschew plastic wraps and vases for eco-friendly flowers to avoid toxic ingredients and the carbon manufacturing footprint. Fun options to hold and showcase the gift include old, recycled Mason and glass jars and bottles or an artistic vase from an estate sale or antique or thrift shop.

F ind a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain. ~Joseph Campbell

natural awakenings

May 2015

readersnapshot

Who’s a Natural Awakenings Reader? Meet Sarah Eve Cardell What work do you do? Holistic lifestyle healer. I am a gourmet gluten-free, vegan chef and shamanic healer, offering chef services and transformational private healing sessions, workshops and retreats. What is your life’s mission? To honor Mother Earth and her wisdom, and to inspire all to experience their happiest and healthiest life. How do you invest in your community? I offer bimonthly moon circles to allow people from all paths to gather, receive healing and connect with their inner wisdom, the elements and each other. I also buy as local and organic as possible.

source, from articles on how to green your home to the latest health trends, and even information about how to most healthily care for your pets. What are you doing to be the change you want to see in the world? I hope that by sharing my knowledge of healthy nutrition and wisdom gained from studying with Reiki and yoga masters and shamans from multiple countries, I can assist people in healing themselves spiritually and physically, and thus they can be their best self for the all. When we find our own balance and light within, we have more light and love to share with others.

What are your hopes for the future? That Sarah Eve Cardell we all buy more/all organic, local prodWhich local causes do you support? The ucts and food to heal the Earth and ourselves. I hope we North Shore Animal League—I had my first job at this globally have the opportunity to live a life most aligned amazing rescue center at the age of 15 and am forever with our hearts. grateful for the compassion of the staff and the strict no-kill policy. Goodwill—donate your clothing! The spring is a What are your favorite websites? WellAndGood.com, perfect time for release and cleansing; donating your gently OhSheGlows.com and Etsy.com. used clothing can assist in shedding excess in your home and energetic field, and can most importantly, help another What is your favorite quote? “If you open your heart and in need. become like a child, you will always be blissful, always content.”~ Sri Dharma Mittra. What are your proudest achievements? Doing the 500-hour yoga training with Sri Dharma Mittra, preparing a 320-person Shabbat dinner on the Burning Man playa, complete with all traditional fixings, travelling solo for over a year from Brazil to Bali and countless countries in between. Which healthy food restaurant do you frequent most? Although I generally prepare the majority of my meals, I love sitting in the Pure Food & Wine garden (re-opening soon!). Rockin’ Raw stuffed jalapenos are a fun treat. For a quick, 100 percent organic juice or smoothie, Juice Press hits the spot, and when I am reminiscing about living in Asia, I head to Rhong Tiam, in Chelsea, for delicious, organic Thai food with many vegan options. What are you favorite things about Natural Awakenings? Natural Awakenings is wonderful for mind, body and spirit awareness. I love that it provides such a large range of re12

Queens, NY

NaturalQueensNY.com

naturalpet

PET VACCINE ALTERNATIVES

Natural Steps to Nurture Immunity by Shawn Messonnier

ith pets, as with kids, vaccine safety and necessity are likely concerns. While holistic veterinarians tend to minimize the use of vaccines, their strongest stance is against unnecessary vaccinations. The point is to immunize only when it’s needed by individual patients while maximizing natural immunity. In the late 1970s, amid the discovery of the canine parvo virus, vets saw many puppies under 4 months of age suffer from this mysterious disease and die or be euthanized. Once a vaccine was made, we rarely saw pets dying from the parvo virus or parvoviral infection. So, in certain cases, vaccines can be life-saving. However, unnecessary and multiple simultaneous vaccines can also be life-taking, which doctors rarely mention. The truth is that only minimal vaccines are needed for dogs

and cats over the course of a pet’s life. No pet needs all of the vaccines that are currently manufactured, and none needs vaccines every six to 12 months. Pets do need veterinary checkups once or twice a year to screen for diseases affecting the liver, heart, kidneys, lungs and gastrointestinal and urinary systems, as well as cancer. Blood and urine testing, including blood testing for undiagnosed cancer, is vital, easy and inexpensive (every six months for pets 5 years and older and annually for those that are younger). A good protocol is akin to that developed by Dr. Jean Dodds, founder of Hemopet, of Garden Grove, California, a holistic veterinarian and an expert in animal vaccination and immunology. Her system involves administering limited vaccines to puppies and kittens based on their individual needs, and not more often than every three weeks for those younger than 8 weeks. Following this course, by 4 months of age the pet has been injected with four to six vaccines, compared to double to triple the amount supported by vaccine manufacturers and administered by breeders and most conventional doctors.

Such a judicious, limited vaccine protocol offers protection against the diseases that are the most lethal to the puppy or kitten while doing no harm to its natural immune system. As needed, individual pets may also receive a natural detoxification protocol to minimize vaccine reactions. Antioxidant supplements can boost the immune response, as well. Adult pet patients can also be given blood titer testing instead of vaccines. This measures the animal’s individual antibody responses to prior immunizations or common disease exposure and assures us the pet has adequate immunity against a specific disease. All of this assures the pet owner that the pet is protected against infectious diseases without the risks of annual multiple vaccinations. In most cases a protective titer is maintained for many years, which preempts disease and further reduces the number of vaccines the animal receives over its lifetime. Titer testing costs less than $100 for three common infectious diseases, is safer than routine immunization, protects the immune system, prevents vaccine reactions and assures owners, vets, boarding facilities, groomers and day care facilities that it’s safe to introduce the pet into such environments. This approach of minimal vaccinations is a prime reason holistic veterinarian patients tend to be healthier and live longer than the average pet, with even larger dogs regularly living in good health up to 15 to 20 years of age. Holistic veterinarians perform limited vaccines supplemented by titer testing to ensure levels of care that meet accepted standards. They base their approach on supportive science from institutions including the American Animal Hospital Association and American Association of Feline Practitioners to provide safe, proven, ongoing immunity for patients. Shawn Messonnier, a doctor of veterinary medicine practicing in Plano, TX, is the award-winning author of The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats and Unexpected Miracles: Hope and Holistic Healing for Pets. For more information, visit PetCareNaturally.com. natural awakenings

May 2015

Beneficial and Preventative Breast Cancer Testing by Kate Mustakas

reast cancer has become the leading cause of death for women between the ages of 40 and 55. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 67 percent of women 40 years and older have had annual mammograms between 2005 and 2010, but what they don’t know is that mammograms can be detrimental to the breast, and in some cases, the cause of cancer itself. One in seven women are diagnosed with breast cancer a year— 200,000 individuals—and out of those, the deadly disease claims 40,000 lives. According to Dr. Marizelle Arce, a naturopathic physician at Natural Care of Westchester, there are alternative tests, such as thermography, for early detection of breast cancer that are less invasive, less painful and have no long-term risks. Thermography reveals heat distribution in structures or regions which is used to detect cellular changes within the body. Thermography tests have been around since the 1960s, but have only become prevalent in healthcare within the past 15 years. There are two different types of thermography tests. Digital thermography is conducted

Temperature changes physicians can see within the body from the tests to detect cellular changes. with the use of an infrared camera which sits slightly away from the individual. The camera focuses specifically from the neck to the waist, getting an image of the breast and abdominal area. With the use of digital thermography, a physician can detect cellular changes while the body is at rest with the observation of temperature. “Your body is supposed to have a certain uniformity when it comes to cells, and the digital thermography sees if there are changes,” says Arce. The test takes about 15 to 20 minutes to complete, but there’s another preventative step that can

be taken first—regulation thermography—which she practices in her office. Regulation thermography can detect cellular change long before it even manifests. For this type of thermography, a wand is gently pressed against certain points in the body. The individual must stand in a cool room, which causes a certain level of stress, so the body then must regulate its temperature. The physician can monitor the regulation by accumulating the body’s algorithms. The reason why regulation thermography is more preventative than digital thermography is because a physician cannot only detect cellular changes with the body at rest, but also under stress. Overall, this test takes about 30 minutes to complete. The exam requires more tedious preparation than others, as Arce describes. “We don’t allow you to brush the teeth in the morning, and we don’t like hot or cold fluids being consumed, because that could change the temperature on the inside of the body. You cannot wear your bra or any tight clothing.” Both forms of thermography use infrared radiation; the ambient heat that emanates from the living tissue of any warm-blooded animal.

please recycle 14

Queens, NY

NaturalQueensNY.com

inspiration

MOVING BEYOND SURVIVAL

Mammography exams use ionizing radiation, such as X-rays and gamma rays. This form of radiation can become dangerous to the body and cause cancer if not administered properly. The test involves pressing the breasts in-between two glass plates. Arce adds, “The breasts are what a lot of women call ‘manhandled’ as the technician puts the breast on the plate.” This procedure becomes invasive because the pressure from the glass plates disrupts homeostasis inside the tissue. This can result in burst cysts, discharge and bleeding, in some circumstances. “You’re manipulating the tissue,” says Arce.

There are alternative tests, such as thermography, for early detection of breasxt cancer that are less invasive, less painful and have no long-term risks. Mammography is still more predominant than thermography, and Arce says that not a lot of insurance companies cover it because they don’t cover preventative care. Because mammography exams have been established in the past, they have a big advantage over new advancements. “New technology eventually is going to turn into old technology, so I definitely see the thermography moving forward,” says Arce. Natural Care of Westchester is located at 3Elements, 34-34 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY and 20 North Ave, in Larchmont, NY. Pictures used with permission from Natural Care of Westchester. For more information, call 914-315-9596 or visit Natural CareWestchester.com. See ad, page 14. Kate Mustakas is from Long Island, NY. She is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine. Connect at KateMustakas@gmail.com.

Our True Identity Surpasses Any Disease by Eric Nelson

“

et down off your cross.” Harsh words, especially coming from a longtime hospital chaplain when the woman she was addressing had just learned she was cancer-free. Regardless, “Within two minutes, she started retelling the story of her diagnosis, surgery and chemo,” recounted Debra Jarvis, affectionately known as “The Irreverent Reverend”, during a TEDMED talk in Washington, D.C. “She was using words like suffering, agony, struggle... and ended with, ‘I felt crucified.’” It was then that Jarvis asked this woman to do what would likely require more of her than anything she’d done before. Over the years, Jarvis has observed the tendency for us to identify ourselves by our wounds as “survivors” of something that does not and should not define us. “What if people decided to claim their trauma as an experience, instead of taking it on as an identity?” she queries. “Maybe it would be the start of defining ourselves by who we have become and who we are becoming.” As Jarvis well knows, there are, in her words, “powerful forces” pushing us to do just the opposite. In 2005, she found herself in the same position as her friend, having recovered from cancer and trying to sort out what it all meant. “We don’t all have to start a foundation or write a book,” to

claim meaning for ourselves, she says. “Maybe we make one small decision that can bring about a big change.” For some, this has meant exchanging a disease-prone view of themselves for a more inspired outlook. Too often, though, mustering the humility to adopt such a perspective can seem just as difficult as climbing down from whatever tortuous experience we’re clinging to. Yet, it’s essential. As those familiar with the Bible know, a central event of Jesus’ life, his crucifixion, was followed by his even more compelling resurrection, a term that thought leader Mary Baker Eddy describes as “spiritualization of thought; a new and higher idea of immortality, or spiritual existence; material belief yielding to spiritual understanding.” The good news is that such transformation is not exclusive, but available to anyone. Whether it’s at the urging of a chaplain or another counselor or our own divine inspiration that’s encouraging us to move on, we owe it to ourselves to begin discovering who and what we really are. Eric Nelson is a Christian Science healing practitioner from Petaluma, CA, who writes on the link between spiritual consciousness and health. Find more articles at norcalcs.org. natural awakenings

May 2015

RETHINKING BREAST HEALTH Natural ways to keep breasts smooth, pain-free and firm, while reducing the risk of cancer. by Lisa Marshall

e’ve been conditioned to narrowly define breast health in terms of pink ribbon campaigns, cancer awareness marches and cold, steel mammography machines. Nearly 30 years after anticancer drug maker Imperial Chemical Industries (now AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals) established the first National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October 1985, many women have come to equate healthy breasts with cancer-free breasts, and assume the most important thing they can do is undergo regular screening. But amid this chorus, some women’s health advocates are striving to get a different message across: There are a host of steps women can take to not only fend off disease in the future, but keep their breasts in optimal condition today. “We need to change the conversation about our breasts from how to avoid breast cancer and detect it early to how to have healthy breasts and enjoy them,” says Dr. Christiane Northrup, an obstetrician and gynecologist from Yarmouth, Maine, and author of the new book Goddesses Never Age: The Secret Prescription for Radiance, Vitality, and Well-Being.

Healthy Breasts, Healthy Body

In adolescence, breast changes are the first to signal the arrival of womanhood. When she’s aroused, a woman’s nipples harden and change color. When a woman gives birth, her breasts fill with life-giving milk. “In all these ways, your breasts are deeply connected to your femininity, compassion and sensuality,” says Hawaiian Naturopathic Doctor 16

Queens, NY

Laurie Steelsmith, co-author of Natural Choices for Women’s Health. Because breasts are extremely sensitive to hormonal fluctuations throughout the body, they can also serve as a barometer of overall health. “If you’re having chronic breast symptoms, it can be your body’s wisdom saying, ‘Help. Something’s wrong.’ Women need to listen.” While some premenstrual swelling and tenderness is normal, exaggerated or persistent pain is often a sign of systemic estrogen dominance in relation to progesterone. It’s common in the years leading up to menopause, but can also hint at impaired thyroid function, because low levels of thyroid hormones have been shown to boost estrogen in breast tissue, advises Steelsmith. Large, fluid-filled cysts or fibrous lumps, while non-cancerous, can also be a reflection of overexposure to harmful chemicals and toxin buildup, combined with poor lymph flow, notes Dr. Elizabeth Vaughan, an integrative physician in Greensboro, North Carolina. “If a woman has lumpy, bumpy breasts, they probably contain too many toxins, and those toxins are primarily estrogenic.” Addressing such symptoms is important not only to relieve discomfort, but also

NaturalQueensNY.com

because excess estrogen can fuel future cancer risk, says Vaughan. Any new, suspicious lump should be evaluated by a professional. Also, severe breast tenderness combined with nipple discharge could be a sign of infection or a problem with the pituitary gland, so it should also be checked. But typically, subtle natural healthcare steps can go a long way toward restoring breast wellness. For nipple tenderness, Steelsmith recommends chaste-tree berry (175 milligrams [mg] of powdered extract or 40 drops daily). The herbal supplement mimics naturally occurring progesterone in the body, helping to counter estrogen dominance. Vitamin E (400 to 800 international units [IU] per day) and evening primrose oil (1,500 mg twice a day) have also been shown to alleviate breast tenderness. For fibrous or cyst-filled breasts, Vaughan advises supplementing with iodine (up to 12.5 mg per day via kelp, seaweed or oral tablets) or applying an iodine solution to the breasts at night. A key constituent of thyroid hormones, iodine helps the liver convert unfriendly forms of estrogen into friendlier forms and flush toxins out of lymph nodes in the breast. Also, steer clear of chocolate and coffee, because caffeine is

believed to interact with enzymes in the breast, exaggerating pain and lumpiness. Also consider ditching the bra, says Vaughan. Brassieres can constrict lymph nodes and hinder blood circulation in breasts, locking toxins in and aggravating fibrocystic symptoms. The link between bras and breast cancer risk remains hotly debated, with one 2014 U.S. National Cancer Institute study of 1,400 women concluding unequivocally that, “There’s no evidence that wearing a bra increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer,” while smaller studies from the United States, China, Venezuela, Scotland and Africa suggest a link. Vaughan, the founder of BraFree.org, says the science is compelling enough that she has chosen to keep her own bra use to a minimum and advises her patients to do the same. “Obviously, there are certain sports where you should wear a sports bra and there are certain dresses that only look right with a bra,” says Vaughan. At a minimum, avoid wearing a bra to bed and steer clear of underwires and overly tight bras that leave red marks. “This is not about guilt-tripping women into never wearing a bra. It’s about wearing a bra less.”

Beautiful Breasts Naturally Too small or too big, lopsided or riddled with stretch marks… it seems almost every woman has a complaint about the appearance of her breasts.

That’s a problem, says Northrup, because, “Healthy breasts are breasts that are loved. We have to stop beating them up.” According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the number of women getting breast implants for cosmetic reasons ballooned from 212,500 in 2000 to 286,254 in 2014. Physicians—including Northrup— claim that modern implants don’t, in the majority of cases, promote disease like older silicone implants did. Yet even plastic surgeons warn that having implants should be fully thought out, and at some point they’ll probably have to come out. “They are manmade devices, and are not intended to be lifelong. At some point, you will probably have to have further surgery,” says Dr. Anureet Bajaj, an Oklahoma City plastic surgeon. Bajaj notes that implants can rupture, forming scar tissue and lending irregular shape to the breast. Often, as a woman ages and her body changes, the larger breasts she chose in her 20s no longer look right and may cause back and shoulder pain. In some cases, implants can also lead to loss of nipple sensitivity. For these and other reasons, 23,774 women—including actress Melissa Gilbert and model Victoria Beckham—had their implants removed in 2014, often following up with a breast lift (using their own tissue) to restore their shape.

Queens, NY Edition

631-870-0334

NaturalQueensNY.com natural awakenings

May 2015

Vaughan sees breast implant removal as a wise and courageous choice to restore optimal breast health. Better yet, don’t get implants in the first place. “There are a lot of other things you can do to improve the appearance of your breasts,” she advises. Vaughan recommends breastperking exercises like dumbbell bench presses and flys that tone the pectoral muscles beneath the breasts, making them more resilient and look larger. To prevent or reverse sagging, she again urges women to go bra-free. “We have ligaments in the upper outer quadrant of our breasts called Cooper’s ligaments, and they’re responsible for holding our breasts up. Just like your muscles atrophy when you put your arm in a sling, your Cooper’s ligaments atrophy if you wear a bra all the time.” In one unpublished, yet highly publicized 2013 study, French Exercise Physiologist Jean-Denis Rouillon measured the busts of 330 women ages 18 to 35 over a period of 15 years and found those that regularly wore a bra had droopier breasts with lower nipples than those that didn’t. In another, smaller, Japanese study, researchers found that when women stopped wearing a bra for three months, their breasts perked up. Those worried about stretch marks also have options. They can be a sign of inadequate copper, which promotes collagen integrity and helps skin stretch without injury, says Steelsmith. If rapid weight gain is occurring due to adolescence, pregnancy or for other reasons, try taking copper supplements or applying a topical copper spray on the breasts. Remember to massage your breasts daily, not only as a “search and destroy mission” for early detection of cancerous lumps, says Northrup, but as a way to get waste products flowing out and loving energy flowing in. “It concerns me that women feel pressured to think of their breasts as two potentially pre-malignant lesions sitting on their chests,” Northrup says. “These are organs of nourishment and pleasure for both ourselves and others. We need to remember that, too.” Lisa Marshall is a freelance health writer in Boulder, CO. Connect at LisaAnnMarshall.com. 18

Queens, NY

Bust Musts for Cancer Prevention by Lisa Marshall

ccording to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and nearly 40,000 will die annually of the disease. But at least 38 percent of those diagnoses could be prevented via diet and lifestyle changes, affirms the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). “For decades, the dominant public message about breast cancer has been about early detection,” says Medical Doctor Robert Pendergrast, an associate professor at the Medical College of Georgia, in Augusta, and author of Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk with Foods You Love. “Screening is important, but not nearly enough attention is being paid to prevention.” Here’s what we can do to keep cancer at bay or from recurring. Eat more veggies: Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, are loaded with indole-3-carbinol, or I3C, a potent anticancer compound that helps break down excess estrogen and convert it into a more friendly, or benign form, says Steelsmith. One study in Alternative Medicine Review found that women that ate high amounts of cruciferous vegetables were 30 percent less likely to develop breast cancer over 30 years. I3C can also be taken as a supplement (300 milligrams [mg] per day). Eat more fiber, especially flax: Fiber, via whole grains, fruits and vegetables, helps flush out toxins including unfriendly estrogen. Flax contains cancer-fighting compounds called lignans, which block the effects of excess or unfriendly estrogen on cells. Drink less alcohol: Alcohol boosts estrogen levels in women and is broken down in the liver to acetaldehyde, a known toxin that causes cancer in laboratory animals, notes Naturopath

NaturalQueensNY.com

Laurie Steelsmith. According to the AICR, a woman that has five drinks per week boosts her risk by 5 percent. Two or more drinks per day boosts such risk by more than 40 percent. Skip the barbecue: Charring meat produces carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines. A study of 42,000 women, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, found that those that routinely ate welldone hamburger, beef or bacon had four times the risk of those that opted for medium or medium-rare. Keep weight in check: Excessive estrogen, which lives in fat cells, fuels cancer risk. According to the AICR, a woman with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 (obese) has a 13 percent higher risk of cancer than a woman with a BMI of 25 (slightly overweight). Spice up life: Curcumin from the turmeric plant has been shown in many studies to have potent immune-boosting and anticancer properties, reactivating sleeping tumor-suppressor genes that can kill cancer cells. De-stress: Growing evidence that includes studies from Ohio State University suggest that stress can boost the risk of breast cancer and recurrence, plus heighten its aggressiveness by altering hormones and impairing immunity. One study from Finland’s University of Helsinki followed 10,808 Finnish women for 15 years and found as much as double the rate of breast cancer among those that had experienced a divorce or death of a spouse or family member. Drink green tea: It’s loaded with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a potent antioxidant believed to suppress new blood vessel growth in tumors and keep cancerous cells from invading healthy tissue.

Triumph Over The ‘Big C’ by Lisa Marshall

hen Sandy Messonnier was diagnosed with breast cancer, she faced scary treatment decisions as doctors pressured her to consider all means available. “I was more afraid of the treatment than the cancer itself,” says Messonnier, 52, of Plano, Texas. “I kept feeling like I was being lumped into one big category of all women that got breast cancer, rather than treated as an individual.” With the help of her holistic veterinarian husband Shawn Messonnier, Sandy took a more measured approach, blending conventional and complementary medicine in an individualized protocol the couple describes in their book, Breast Choices for the Best Chances: Your Breasts, Your Life, and How You Can Win the Battle! After careful consideration, Sandy opted for two lumpectomies three weeks apart, instead of a mastectomy, to remove

the small tumor. The second one was done to clear up a few remaining cells indicated by a biopsy. Meanwhile, she took supplements including green tea and coriolus mushrooms to impede the spread of the cancer cells. Several tests helped determine if she needed chemotherapy and the optimum dose for some of her supplements. The results prompted her to decline chemotherapy and opt for a brief stint of radiation while taking the supplements quercetin and curcumin to help combat the fatigue and other side effects. Afterward, she cleansed her body with homeopathic mistletoe, herbal milk thistle and other detoxifying supplements. Then she began the work of keeping cancer at bay. “A lot of doctors never talk to you about what you are going to do after the poisoning [chemo], the burning and

surgery,” she says. “Rather than taking a cancer-fighting drug, I chose to be more mindful of what I do with my body.” Her regimen called for committing to keeping up with the healthy diet, plus regular walks, yoga and Pilates that she believes helped keep the cancer relatively mild to begin with. But she also made some life changes to address the one thing she believes may have driven the outbreak in the first place—stress. She made peace with her mother, which reduced a lot of stress, began to cultivate a spiritual life and now takes time to meditate or walk when she feels even lightly stressed. She also vowed to keep the fear of recurrence from overwhelming her. “Many women never stop worrying about it,” she observes. “That is toxic energy you are putting back into your body.” As of this October, Messonnier will be five years cancer-free. Her advice for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer: “Chemotherapy, radiation and mastectomy are not among the right choices for all women. There are other options, depending on the type of cancer. Don’t be so fearful that you make hasty decisions you don’t need to make.”

natural awakenings

May 2015

healingways

Giving Birth Naturally Conscious Choices Lead to Less Intervention by Meredith Montgomery

abor and delivery alternative. By 1938, half Most births is a natural process of domestic births took should be viewed place in hospitals, and that can be enjoyed. “It’s not something as a natural life by 1960 it rose to 97 to be afraid of,” says percent. Currently, midprocess instead wives attend less than 8 Mel Campbell, author of The Yoga of Pregnancy. percent of births here, of a potential “It’s a wonderful and and fewer than 1 percent beautiful experience. We medical emergency. occur outside a hospital. need to remember that Natural labor and ~Abby Epstein, The delivery in a hospital is the body is designed for Business of Being Born possible, but, “It’s hard giving birth.” Natural childbirth to have an unmedicated uses few or no artificial medical inbirth in many hospitals if you don’t terventions such as drugs, continuous know your rights, understand your fetal monitoring, forceps delivery or physiology and have a doula by your episiotomies (cuts to enlarge the vaginal side helping you avoid unnecessary opening). According to the U.S. Centers interventions,” says Ina May Gaskin, a for Disease Control (CDC), 32.7 percent pioneering midwife and author of Ina of deliveries were by Cesarean section May’s Guide to Childbirth. Key factors in 2013—most performed in situations to discuss include fetal monitoring, where a vaginal birth would have posed a intravenous tubes and the option to eat relatively low risk to the health of mother or drink during labor. and child. Entirely natural childbirth is now rare here compared with other Benefits of Home Births countries, but that wasn’t always the case. Women choose home births and In 1900, 95 percent of all U.S. homey birthing centers because they births took place in the home; when labor there more comfortably, feel more more moved to hospitals here in the in control of the process and can more early 20th century, midwives still easily avoid interventions. Many moms typically handled the delivery in other seek out a midwife’s services because countries, sometimes without a doctor they don’t want to repeat the conventional hospital experience that accompresent. In America, obstetrics became a profession and a doctor-attended birth panied their first baby’s arrival. When actress Ricki Lake gave birth in a hospital was promoted as a safer

Queens, NY

NaturalQueensNY.com

By 2006 Cesarean delivery was the number one surgical procedure in American hospitals. ~U.S. Centers for Disease Control to her second child in her home bathtub with the assistance of a midwife, she felt empowered by doing it on her own terms. “Giving birth wasn’t an illness, something that needed to be numbed. It was something to be experienced,” she says. When women let their bodies naturally lead, labor can last as little as 20 minutes or as long as two weeks, and the spectrum of pain intensity is equally broad. A healthy prenatal lifestyle that prepares a mom-to-be for a natural physical, emotional and spiritual experience of childbirth is highly beneficial.

Compassionate Self-Care

“Pregnancy’s not the time to overexert yourself; let go of the temptation to overachieve and instead practice breathing and mindfulness,” advises Campbell. “If you’re experiencing morning sickness, try to embrace it and how it serves you. By doing so, you’ll be more in tune with your body. These lessons are gifts you can take with you into labor.” She reminds women that the baby is always getting nourishment from all that mom eats and breathes in, and also feeds off of her feelings and emotions. “The more we can feel at peace with ourselves and incorporate the baby into our being, the more we feel a connection and union,” she says. “It’s vital that you let your body’s innate wisdom be your guide and respect any cues it may give.” Campbell guides expectant mothers through a yoga practice that embraces the changes occurring each trimester. For example, a more physical practice in the second trimester utilizes the surge of energy to build stamina and strength, while opening the heart, hips and pelvis. Complementary relaxation techniques for labor include breathing practices, visualization, meditation and massage. When a mother isn’t connected to monitors and tubes, she’s free to experiment with positions and props such as balls, bars and pillows, plus a

warm shower or bath. If a hospital birth is planned, Gaskin notes that labor often slows once a woman leaves the comfort of home, and recommends laboring at home as long as possible. There is no way to predict the course of labor and delivery when women let nature take the lead. Campbell, a mother of three, says, “I tried to focus on the intention of what I wanted for my birthing experience, while also surrendering expectations, knowing that I would have whatever type of birth I was supposed to have.” She adds, “The breath is the most important thing—it keeps us in the moment, helps us to relax and supports us through labor.”

There is a great deal of fear and ignorance about allowing labor and birth to proceed without disturbance. Rates of routine intervention are so high, most nurses and physicians rarely see a fully natural birth. ~Ina May Gaskin While the home birth option is important to America’s new generation of trailblazing women, it’s also significant on a macro level. Gaskin explains, “It’s hard for staff to change routine practices in hospitals but home births make innovation possible.” Home births demonstrated that women don’t require routine episiotomies and have shown how maternal mobility and position changes can help labor progress and free badly stuck babies (earlier methods often injured mother and child). Gaskin has found, “Wherever and however you decide to give birth, your experience will impact your emotions, mind, body and spirit for the rest of your life. No one should have a home birth who doesn’t want one, but it must be one of the choices.” Meredith Montgomery publishes Natural Awakenings of Mobile/Baldwin, AL (HealthyLivingHealthyPlanet.com). natural awakenings

May 2015

IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER! Natural Awakenings’ healthy living, healthy planet lifestyle app has a new look and more features. • Updated every month with new content • Search the healthy products in our National Directory • Find your local magazine • Read feature stories En Español • Sign up for Promotions and Newsletters • So much more! • And it’s FREE!

Search “Natural Awakenings” and download

Queens, NY

A Mother’s Guide to Natural Childbirth by Meredith Montgomery

etermining the best birth setting for a mother necessitates sound planning. If an unmedicated birth is a goal, these insights may help in making decisions. Home birth takes place in the comfort of home, typically with the assistance of a midwife, and is suitable for a healthy woman with a low-risk pregnancy. She is able to wear her own clothing and eat as she pleases. Because monitoring of mother and baby is done intermittently, she is free to move around. Confirm the midwife’s training and experience; ask how many home births she’s attended and which obstetricians she consults. Discuss the signs and symptoms that might necessitate a move to the hospital and how quickly it can be done. While a midwife’s fee is often far less than the cost of a hospital birth, not all insurance companies cover home births. A birth center provides personalized, family-centered care in a homelike environment for healthy women. Practitioners follow principles of problem prevention, sensitivity, safety, appropriate medical intervention and cost-effectiveness. A midwife typically delivers the baby, but the collaborative practice team also includes obstetri-

NaturalQueensNY.com

cians, pediatricians and other specialists. Mothers experience personal freedoms similar to a home birth, and tubs for water births are usually available, plus other birthing props such as squatting bars, stools and balls. The center should be accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Birth Centers. Inquire what the protocol for care will be if complications arise, learn what the center’s charges for care cover and confirm if the family’s insurance policy will pay for the services provided. A hospital generally has access to the latest medical technology, making it a preferred option for medium-to-highrisk pregnancies. With proper preparations, an unmedicated birth is possible in this traditional setting. Investigate their rates of Cesarean births and episiotomies and the determining parameters. To allow for an active labor, request intermittent fetal monitoring, avoid intravenous fluids and ask about the availability of birthing props. Become familiar with hospital policies, such as who can be in the delivery room and whether the baby will stay with mom after the birth. If a nurse midwife is not on staff, consider hiring a doula to assist in preparing for and carrying out the family’s birth plan.

consciouseating

EATING SKINNY Why Vegans and Vegetarians are Naturally Trim by Judith Fertig

e read the labels touting low sugar, carbs, fats and calories. We try this and that diet, hoping the pounds will melt away. Yet more than a third of U.S. adults, nearly 80 million of us, remain overweight or obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Atlanta. The problem might be that we’re getting the wrong advice. While most weight-loss plans focus on reducing calories, recent research shows that vegan and vegetarian dietary patterns can result in more weight loss than those that include meat, without even emphasizing caloric restriction. Scientists at the University of South Carolina, in Columbia, point to their study, How Plant-Based Do We Need to Be to Achieve Weight Loss? Study participants were divided into five groups, according to eating style, from vegan to flexitarian to carnivore, and monitored for an eight-week period. At the end of the evaluation, those that followed an entirely plant-based diet achieved the greatest weight loss. Study leader Gabrielle Turner-McGrievy, Ph.D., notes, “Many researchers agree that vegan eating styles are tied to lower BMI [body mass index], lower prevalence of Type 2 diabetes and less weight gain with age.” Can it really be that simple… eat more plants and lose weight? “Yes,” says clean food coach Jeannette Bessinger, of Newport, Rhode Island. “Most people could benefit from eating more vegetables.” Co-author of Natu-

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. ~Michael Pollan ral Solutions for Digestive Health with Naturopath Jillian Sarno Teta, Bessinger advises her clients to start by eating more green, leafy vegetables. Vegetables contribute to weight control in several ways, says Bessinger. They fill us up and help calm cravings. Plus, when plants become the bulk of what we eat, we naturally consume fewer high-fat, high-calorie foods. For an easy appetite-control strategy, Bessinger suggests having a cup of vegetable soup about 10 minutes before a meal. “It shuts off your appetite valve and you’ll eat noticeably less,” she says, while still feeling full. She also recommends slowing down and being mindful when we eat. Vegetables help us do that. “It takes two-and-a-half minutes to eat a piece of cheesecake, but much more time to eat a big salad,” she says. For New York City-based Victoria Moran, author of Main Street Vegan and The Good Karma Diet, losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle became easier once she adopted a vegan diet. “I’ve been through life and loss and ages 40 and

50, and my weight stays steady, some 60 pounds less than it once was,” she says. “Every year when I put away my winter clothes and get out my summer clothes, they fit.” Her eating strategy is easy, too. “Make your plate look like a Christmas tree,” says Moran, “mostly green with splashes of other bright colors from vegetables and fruits.” She eats green veggies in several ways. She makes her own green juices—one favorite combines celery, kale, apple and lemon juice. She also adds tender greens like romaine or spinach to smoothies that might also contain fruit and citrus juice. She steams greens with plenty of garlic and makes big salads. “I bought my salad bowl at a restaurant supply house,” Moran exclaims. Salads get an oomph factor with a selection of avocado, pumpkin or hemp seeds, mushrooms, chickpeas or red beans, artichoke hearts, chunks of steamed yam and sautéed tofu or tempeh. Moran cites benefits of more energy to do more physical activity and “feeling really good” as additional outcomes of her dietary shift. Sophie Uliano, a Los Angelesbased natural beauty expert and author of the new Gorgeous for Good, agrees, believing that eating a vegan diet 80 percent of the time can pay dividends in weight loss, well-being, energy and beauty. “Most of the time, eat clean and healthy,” she recommends. “It’s not a diet. It’s a ‘live-it’, a way of life.” Uliano recently asked two colleagues on the Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family show to try eating vegan, while also eliminating gluten, alcohol, caffeine and refined grains. The pair lost weight, gained energy and improved their skin tone. “Transformation comes in a series of small, consistent decisions over time,” concludes Bessinger, eating salad instead of cheeseburgers and vegetables instead of fries. For natural weight management, “Make strategic, long-term changes in stages that you can actually sustain over time.” Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFood AndLifestyle.blogspot.com from Overland Park, KS. natural awakenings

May 2015

fitbody

Flexing Our

MUSCLES Weightlifting Makes Us Fit,

Healthy and Self-Confident by Debra Melani

omen who shy away from the traditionally male-centric weight rooms might want to reconsider. Standing their ground amid the deadlift bars and iron plates could lead to a host of unimagined benefits. Research has found that among other things, hoisting dumbbells can amp up the fat burn, ward off some common diseases and make women stronger, both inside and out.

Burn Calories When Resting

LIFE IS A BALANCING ACT

Counteract Slow Sales Advertise in Natural Awakenings’

Balanced Man June Issue To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

631-870-0334 24

Queens, NY

Aerobic activity can burn more calories while doing it (e.g., 14 to 16 per minute when running), but strength training prolongs the burn, even when resting afterward, according to Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., of Quincy, Massachusetts, who publishes widely on the topic in scientific journals, magazine articles and books. Women will burn fewer calories while pumping iron than when running (between eight and 10 calories a minute), but because of weightlifting’s action— traumatizing muscle tissue and forcing it to rebuild—muscle recovery requires increased expenditure of energy, and thus calories, when the person is at rest. The research shows a revvedup burn of between 5 percent and 7 percent for three full days after a workout, says Westcott, who developed the exercise science major at Quincy College and has reviewed and directed strength-training research for more than 25 years. “On average, a woman burns an extra 100 calories a day by having done 30 minutes of strength training twice a week. That’s an extra 3,000 calories a month, or nearly an extra pound of fat she can burn.” Additional “free” calorie burning

NaturalQueensNY.com

comes from the after-burn effect. By initiating the anaerobic, rather than aerobic, system, weightlifting requires more energy just to return to the resting state. “So, after you finish a workout, you will burn approximately 30 percent of the amount of calories you burned during the workout in the first hour afterward as your body transitions back. It’s a bonus of resistance training.” “It’s like there’s a furnace inside you,” says Naturopathic Doctor and CrossFit instructor Holly Lucille, of West Hollywood, California. The more buff a woman becomes, the more fat she burns. “It can help minimize that natural effect of slowed metabolism as you age and control body weight,” she notes. To maximize the burn, eat a healthy combined protein/carb snack within an hour of the workout, advises Jen Hoehl, a personal trainer in New York City, who says, “Adding amino acids helps the muscles rebuild more efficiently.” Westcott agrees, adding that 90 percent of studies he’s reviewed concur that about 25 extra grams of protein such as a Greek yogurt, more for heavier men, just before or after a workout, enhances fat loss, bone strength and lean muscle gain.

Don’t Fear ‘Hulk’ Bulk

Experts agree that it’s impossible for women to look like the Hulk character of comic book fame. “They don’t have enough anabolic hormones, such as testosterone,” Westcott explains. “Our team has written 26 books on strength training, with not one title exclusively for women. The muscles are exactly the same for both genders, so the same training works, but women will just get toned, not bulky.” “I train a lot of tiny girls that dead-

lift 225,” Hoehl says. One tip: Don’t overeat, a mistake many women make when starting out. “Often, people will be hungrier, and they lose track of what they eat or think, ‘Now I can reward myself,’” Lucille explains. “You have to figure out what your new normal is. Eat lean, clean protein.” All three experts agree that braving the free-weight area boosts success at toning and trimming the whole body. “If you use free weights, you use your core and more muscle groups to help stabilize both the weight and your body, which is often standing,” Hoehl explains, versus machines that are often worked while sitting, and generally exercise only one targeted muscle group at a time.

To build muscle and become toned absent injury, create a full-body routine, balance muscle groups targeted in workouts, and progress properly through increased weight loads. Recover Muscle

Weightlifters also slow Mother Nature’s habit of stealing muscle during aging. “Women lose an average of five pounds of muscle per decade after age 30 until menopause, when the rate increases even more,” Westcott says. Studies have found that during a woman’s first six

months of twice-weekly weight training, she can rebuild about one-quarter pound of muscle per week, he says. Because becoming stronger makes everything from chores to other kinds of workouts easier, women become firmer, fitter and more self-confident, Lucille observes. Independence rises, along with self-esteem. “As with all things in life: If you push against resistance, you get stronger,” she says. “That’s true both mentally and physically.” Note: Experts recommend using a certified trainer or weightlifting class to get started. Debra Melani writes about health care and fitness from Lyons, CO. Connect at DebraMelani.com.

natural awakenings

May 2015

Five Exercises for Great Health by Sheila Julson

eno Sylvain is a personal trainer, former competitive bodybuilder and owner of Genetics by Geno, in Forest Hills. He is the inventor of The Abster, a portable device that adjusts for beginner, intermediate or advanced abdominal workouts, and the author of two educational books about nutrition, The Abster Meal Plan and Pay 4-It. In striving to decrease obesity, Sylvain encourages strength training as an effective way to maintain a healthy weight and look great without getting bulky. “People automatically think that if they start lifting weights, they’ll get bigger,” he explains. “Bulking up has nothing to do with weight training, but with nutrition.” We can lose weight, maintain our current weight or gain weight by coordinating an appropriate diet with a workout routine to achieve the desired results. Sylvan recommends five exercises for women to maintain a strong lower back, toned abs and shapely legs. Beginners can use five-to-10-pound weights and gradually increase the pounds and repetitions as strength builds:

Leg Extension

Using ankle weights, sit on a chair or the edge of the bed and extend the right leg forward, contracting the quadriceps muscles. Bring that leg down and repeat with the left leg. Do three sets of 20 repetitions.

Kettle/Sumo Squats

Using a 25-pound kettlebell or another item of the same approximate weight and stand with the feet in a shoulderwidth stance with toes pointed out. Slowly lower the body, bending at the knees. When the thighs are parallel to the floor, rise and repeat. Begin with 25 repetitions.

Front and Back Leg Lunges Begin in a standing position with a dumbbell in each hand. Lunge forward with right leg and lower the body down, bending both knees, without touching the floor. Squat, stand and repeat with the left leg. Start with 15 repetitions; each set counts as one repetition.

Ankle Kickbacks

With or without ankle weights, kneel on the floor on hands and knees. Extend the right leg back, knee bent, and then lift and extend the leg as high as possible into the air. Return to starting position and repeat with the left leg. Begin with 15 repetitions.

Superman

With or without ankle weights, lie on the floor face-down and raise both arms and both legs without bending the elbows or knees, keeping the pelvis on the floor. Extend the chest and limbs five inches off the floor and hold for two seconds. Genetics by Geno is located at 70-15 Austin St., Ste. 2 and 3, in Forest Hills. For more information, call 718-793-0088, email AtePackAbs@gmail.com or visit GeneticsByGeno.com. See ad, page 25.

We can lose weight, maintain our current weight or gain weight by coordinating an appropriate diet with a workout routine to achieve the desired results. 26

Queens, NY

NaturalQueensNY.com

Keep it fun, so that your kids will try new things like vegetables. Remember, it takes 12 times before a baby actually prefers a new food, so don’t give up!

healthykids

~Veronika Van de Geer Buckley, Maine mother

KIDS ¤ VEGGIES How to Instill Healthy Lifelong Habits by Clancy Cash Harrison

Starting at conception, the early years of a child’s life are a perfect window of opportunity to establish a foundation of healthy eating.

ant a child to love veggies? Here are simple tips parents can practice in the first three years to establish lifelong good eating habits. Start early. We all know that eating healthy during pregnancy will help a baby grow, but many may not realize that an infant can taste flavors in utero and through breast milk. Eating a variety of fresh produce during pregnancy and breastfeeding helps shape a healthy diet later in life. Treat weaning as a time for the infant to explore the texture, taste and aroma of an array of foods. After six months of exclusive breastfeeding, food can be introduced, although breast milk is still the primary source of nutrients. Small, repeated exposures to many foods during this stage will help minimize refusals to try or accept foods in the toddler years. Children’s foods should be exploding with nutrients. Offering a

variety of organic produce ensures optimal nutrition and decreases chemical exposure. Research reported by the Harvard Medical School and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, among others, shows that richly colored foods help build dense bones, powerful brains and tough immunity. Good candidates include butternut squash, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, carrots, broccoli, berries and citrus. Also go for those naturally high in iron, such as peas, leafy greens, apricots, raisins and legumes. Avoid anything high in sugar and other sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, artificial colorings and other harmful additives. Another important yet often overlooked foundation of healthy eating is encouraging a child to self-regulate his or her calorie intake. Self-regulation starts on the first day of breastfeeding and is carried through adulthood. Respecting a child’s decision to end a

meal allows them to control their own food intake. Common signals infants use to end a meal include turning their head away, arching back, throwing food on the floor and showing an interest in other activities. To encourage self-regulation, always serve meals and healthy snacks on a schedule and allow the child to feed himself when possible. As early as 7 months of age, most healthy infants are developmentally ready to do this, which should optimize nutrient consumption, increase participation in family meals and contribute to a less stressful mealtime. Appropriate foods for self-feeding should easily melt in an infant’s mouth and be a safe size, such as soft fruits and cooked vegetables. To prevent choking, avoid round, hard and sticky foods such as whole grapes, peanuts, popcorn and nut or seed butters. Don’t be afraid to add mild herbs and spices to a child’s food. An easy way to teach healthy flavor preferences, develop taste buds and reduce pickiness when they’re older is to expose children to many foods, textures and aromas. A dash of cumin in smashed avocado or freshly chopped mint mixed with diced strawberries introduces new perspective on a favorite food. Food refusal is inevitable, normal behavior. Children will love a food one day and hate it the next. Rethinking the definition of variety empowers parents to reintroduce a not-so-favorite food many times. If children don’t like the way an item feels or looks, they may not taste it. The refusal of a carrot doesn’t necessarily doom carrots. They can be coined, minced, mashed, puréed and diced to change the texture, plus they can be served cold, at room temperature or tepid. natural awakenings

May 2015

A child’s early adventurous eating increases the willingness to experiment with a wider range of less familiar foods as a young adult in a multicultural foodscape. Kids are not born reciting an alphabet; it takes time and practice to read and learn a new language. Similarly, it requires time and patient practice to establish a healthy foundation for eating. Have faith in the family’s ability to make eating together enjoyable for everyone. Clancy Cash Harrison is a mother of two, pediatric feeding therapist, registered dietitian and author of Feeding Baby: Simple Approaches to Raising a Healthy Baby and Creating a Lifetime of Nutritious Eating. Connect at FieldsOfFlavor.com.

Easy Kid-Pleasing Recipes T

hese recipes are designed to build dense bones, powerful brains and tough immunity by strategically pairing foods to increase the absorption of vital nutrients. Even toddlers love to use the creamy recipes as dips for their favorite vegetable sticks. To encourage self-feeding with a thinner-texture recipe, place food on a spoon and let the infant lean into it or pull the spoon to their mouth.

Dilled Peas

/4 tsp organic coconut oil 1 Tbsp organic peas 1 pinch fresh chopped organic dill 1

In a cast iron skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add peas and cook for 5 minutes, constantly stirring. Toss with dill before serving.

Kid Feeding Tips by Clancy Cash Harrison n Holding off on fruits as a first food to prevent development of a sweet tooth is a myth. A sweet taste preference is engrained in an infant’s DNA (Annual Review of Nutrition; Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care). n Restricting foods high in sugar and fat increases a child’s preference for them. Then, when sweets are made available, the child feels compelled to overeat them (Appetite; The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; Proceedings of the Nutrition Society). n Most children will refuse a new food and by age 2, become afraid of anything new. Therefore, introduce a large variety of foods early in life (Appetite; International Journal of Obesity).

Sweet and Chunky Avocado

½ ripe organic avocado, mashed with a fork ½ ripe organic banana Pinch of organic cinnamon (optional) Mix ingredients well until smooth and creamy. Add breast milk to thin as needed. For more texture, dice the banana and gently mix into mashed avocado.

Queens, NY

8 raw, soaked almonds 4 large organic strawberries, diced 1 tsp fresh chopped organic herbs (basil, cilantro or mint) Pulse almonds in a blender until finely chopped. Add strawberries and herb of choice. Mix until well blended.

Banana and Coconut Ice Cream 4 frozen organic bananas (without peels) ½ cup unsweetened organic coconut milk 1 tsp organic vanilla extract

n Infants and children can regulate calorie needs based on current growth patterns and age. Some days an infant will eat large amounts of food, on others very little. n Pressuring a child to eat is a behavior associated with unhealthy eating habits. Not only does it set them up for long-term food aversions, it teaches them to distrust their internal feelings of hunger and fullness, often leading to a habit of overeating.

Strawberry and Almond Purée

Basil and Banana

In a blender, mix all ingredients until smooth. Top with fresh organic berries.

In a blender, mix all ingredients until smooth. Add breast milk to thin as needed.

Recipes and photos courtesy of Clancy Cash Harrison from Feeding Baby: Simple Approaches to Raising a Healthy Baby and Creating a Lifetime of Nutritious Eating.

1 tsp finely chopped fresh organic basil ½ diced organic banana

NaturalQueensNY.com

calendarofevents SATURDAY, MAY 2 Ninth Annual Earth Day Rockaway – Noon-4pm. Come out and enjoy a day of fun, live music and food along with activities like kite-making, recycling Olympics, mock dolphin rescue, plantings, composting, face painting, water testing, raptor demonstration, firehouse safety obstacle course, and art-related booths to learn how better to appreciate and conserve the earth’s resources. Free. Rockaway Waterfront Alliance Firehouse 59, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd, Far Rockaway, NY. RWAlliance.org. Matchmyspirit Free Holistic Bazaar and Spa – 4-7:30pm. Recharge & revitalize, jumpstart your senses; optimize your health. Magnify your image and relationships, shop organic and natural products. Share in our Amazing Holistic Company. Feel loved and pampered after a long week in our crazy city. Free. Tribeca Equinox, 54 Murray St, New York, NY. 646-4209990. Naini Nakagawa, MatchMySpirit.com. MatchMySpiritHolisticNetwork@gmail.com. See ad, page 10.

SUNDAY, MAY 3 E-Waste Recycling Event – 10am-4pm. Bring your unwanted and broken electronics to our e-waste collection event. This collection event runs from 10 am - 4 pm, rain or shine. E-waste recycling is required by law as of January 1, 2015. Free. Forest Hills Jewish Center 106-06 Queens Boulevard, 69th Rd between Queens Blvd and Austin St, Forest Hills, NY. Lower East Side Ecology Center. LESEcology.org.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 From Pain to Progress – 1-2pm. Take advantage of this free class led by Dr. Gayle Whittaker to see and learn about a gentle, effective and transformational therapy for wellness in body, mind and spirit through Re-organizational Network Care. Free. Holistic Oasis, 70-20 Austin St. Ste 107, Forest Hills. To reserve a seat 718-544-8282 or DrGayleWhittaker@gmail.com. See ad, page 21.

SUNDAY, MAY 10 Mother’s Day Brunch & Children’s Crafts – 10-12:30pm. Make mom’s day shine with a visit to QBG! Enjoy a light brunch and the QBG Craft Table where children can make botanically themed treats. Call for details and fee information. Additional Fee. Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St, Flushing, NY. 718-886-3800. QueensBotanical.org.

TUESDAY, MAY 12 Queens Taste – 6-9pm. At least 50 restaurants and other food/drink purveyors will provide samples to 800+ attendees, including some of the most powerful and best-connected Queens residents. The cuisine will feature everything from sweet to savory, Asian to Latin American, and crunchy to creamy. $125 / Single $200/ Pair. Queens Economic Development Corporation, New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, NY.

FRIDAY, MAY 15 Holistic Speaker Series – 6:15pm-9:30pm. Join us at this exciting new event - the Holistic Chamber of Commerce Queens Holistic Speaker

Series. Enjoy fun workshops on health, fitness, yoga, meditation and lots of other topics. Free. Holistic Chamber of Commerce Queens Chapter. Queens Dance Project, 214-26 41st Avenue, Bayside, NY. Naini Nakagawa, 646-420-9990. MatchMySpiritHolisticNetwork@gmail.com. See ad, page 2.

SATURDAY, MAY 16 E-Waste Recycling Event – 10am-4pm. Bring your unwanted and broken electronics to our e-waste collection event. This collection event runs from 10 am - 4 pm, rain or shine. E-waste recycling is required by law as of January 1, 2015. Free. Broadway Library 40-20 Broadway, Between Steinway and 41st St, Astoria, NY. Lower East Side Ecology Center. LESEcology.org Lose 5-10 Pounds in One Month – 2-3pm. Dr. Mitch Proffman a holistic Chiropractor and Sleep expert will show you how with very easy to implement lifestyle changes you can lose and keep weight off. For 30 years he has been a leader in alternative health. Free. Genesis Tree of Life 102-06 Metropolitan Ave. Forest Hills. Call to reserve space 718-268-9080. MitchProff@aol.com, DeepSleepNaturally.com. See ad, page 7.

SUNDAY, MAY 17 E-Waste Recycling Event – 10am-4pm. Bring your unwanted and broken electronics to our e-waste collection event. This collection event runs from 10 am - 4 pm, rain or shine. E-waste recycling is required by law as of January 1, 2015. Free. 37th Avenue between 77th and 78th Streets, Jackson Heights, NY. Lower East Side Ecology Center. LESEcology.org NYRP Spring Tree Giveaway – 11:30am-1:30pm. Come get your free tree at the NYRP Tree Giveaway Event. The public can pick up their free tree if they agree to the following: plant in one of the five boroughs, keep trees properly watered and maintained, and do not plant along streets, in containers, terraces, balconies or on roofs. Trees are available on a first come, first serve basis. Registration for tree is required prior to event. Free. Rockaway Waterfront Alliance, Firehouse 59, 5803 Rockaway Beach Blvd, Far Rockaway, NY.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 20 From Pain to Progress - 7:00-8:00 pm. Take advantage of this free class led by Dr. Gayle Whittaker to see and learn about a gentle, effective and transformational therapy for wellness in body, mind and spirit through Re-organizational Network Care! Holistic Oasis, 70-20 Austin St. Ste 107, Forest Hills. To reserve a seat 718-544-8282 or DrGayleWhittaker@gmail.com. See ad, page 21.

THURSDAY, MAY 28

Balance Your pH & Manage Your Stress – 8-9pm. Webinar event. A one hour online event open to all who wish to heal from Chronic Fatigue and Acid Reflux. You will learn what holistic remedies and supplements to use to rid your body of an acidic state and energize your system. For details and sign-up visit NaturallyLaura.com. Free. Laura Delatorre. Ask@NaturallyLaura.com. See ad, page 6.

FRIDAY, MAY 29

savethedate FRIDAY, MAY 29 N e w L i f e E x p o - H e a l t h & We l l n e s s – May 29-31. NY’s largest Health & Wellness Expo returns. Join Dr. Robert Young, Dr. Howard Robins, Sean Morton, Kat James & 100 other exhibitors & speakers. Enjoy our panels: Nutrition, Raw Food, Vibrational Healing and Sexual Healing. Pre-registration or Volunteering, NewLifeExpo.com. 516-897-0900. MatchMySpirit Free Holistic Bazaar and Spa – 6-10pm. Recharge & revitalize, jumpstart your senses; optimize your health. Magnify your image and relationships, shop organic and natural products. Share in our Amazing Holistic Company. Feel loved and pampered after a long week in our crazy city. Free. Reflections Yoga, 227 East 24th Street, New York, NY. Naini Nakagawa, MatchMySpirit.com. MatchMySpiritHolisticNetwork@gmail.com. See ad, page 10.

SATURDAY, MAY 30 Relaxation In The Park – 10-11am. Breath, meditate and drink healthy smoothies at Litttle Bay Park, Bayside Queens. Ladies enjoy a peaceful one hour getaway to relaxation mode. Want to restore your mind and body? Join us in the park to just breath and mediate. Enjoy soothing music and complementary smoothies made by Naturally Laura. For more details and sign-up visit Naturallylaura.com. Free. Little Bay Park, Bayside, NY. Laura Delatorre. Ask@NaturallyLaura.com. See ad, page 6.

If I had my life to

live over, I would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. ~Nadine Stair

Spa Evening and Holistic Networking – 6:308:30pm. Join us for this important event in Long Island. The Spa Evening & Holistic Networking of the Holistic Chamber of Commerce. Meet local businesses & health practitioners.Free Program but registration is must as space is limited. Free. Intelligent Office, 405 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY. Holistic Chamber of Commerce Long Island Chapter. Naini Nakagawa, 646-420-9990. MatchMySpiritHolisticNetwork@gmail.com. See ad, page 10.

natural awakenings

May 2015

ongoingevents NOTE: All calendar events must be submitted via our website by the 10th of the month and must adhere to our guidelines. Visit NaturalQueensNY.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls, emails or faxes please.

monday

thursday

Super Sculpt – 8:30am. Tone, tighten and strengthen the whole body, working all major muscles, arms, back, legs, hips, thighs, and abdominals, using different types of resistance. (rubber bands, body bars, & dumbbells). $10/class. Meadows Spa Fitness for Women, 61-19 190th St, Fresh Meadows, NY. 718740-5100. MeadowsSpaFitness.com.

Boot Camp – 9am. Stepping, running, jumping, rowing, lifting, and pulling. Interval training designed to push you a bit farther. Lose body fat, increase cardiovascular efficiency and increase strength. $10/class. Meadows Spa Fitness for Women, 61-19 190th St, Fresh Meadows, NY. 718740-5100. MeadowsSpaFitness.com.

tuesday

Hatha Chakra Balance Yoga – 10-11am. This hatha yoga-style class focuses on the 7 energy centers of the body using asana and chants to increase energy, alignment and strength. $10/ first time, $18/after. The Studio at 3Elements, 34-34 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY. 718-428-6678. TheStudioAt3Elements@gmail.com.

Spin – 7:30pm. A challenging cardio workout, on a stationary cycle. Visualize and pedal as if experiencing various road conditions at varying intensities, as an instructor motivates and inspires you. Please call ahead to reserve a bike. $10/ class. Meadows Spa Fitness for Women, 61-19 190th St, Fresh Meadows, NY. 718-740-5100. MeadowsSpaFitness.com.

wednesday Awesome Abs – 8:30am. 30 minutes of abdominal and waist crunching moves. Makes midsection muscles stronger and tighter and protects the back. $10/class. Meadows Spa Fitness for Women, 6119 190th St, Fresh Meadows, NY. 718-740-5100. MeadowsSpaFitness.com. Garden School Open House – 9am. No RSVP required. W are an independent college preparatory school in Jackson Heights, Queens. Garden School has been educating the whole child from Nursery to Grade 12 for 93 years. Private bus transportation, meal program and financial aid available to qualifying families. Come and see why Garden School is consistently named the # 1 independent school in Queens. 33-16 79th Street, Jackson Heights. Jim Gaines, JGaines@gardenschool.org. GardenSchool.org 718-335-6363. Kundalini Yoga – 10-11am. Kundalini focuses on awakening the kundalini energy through kriya (set asanas), meditation, pranayama and chanting. $10/first time, $18/ after. The Studio at 3Elements, 34-34 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY. 718-428-6678. TheStudioAt3Elements@gmail.com.

Kids Yoga – 3:15-4pm. Kids ages 4-6 learn the fundamentals of yoga and mindfulness through games and song. $10/first time, $18/after. The Studio at 3Elements, 34-34 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY. 718-4286678. TheStudioAt3Elements@gmail.com. Gentle Flow – 6:30-7:45pm. A soothing gentle class focuses on the exploration of basic yoga poses and how to connect to breath, alignment and mindfulness. $10/first time, $18 after. The Studio at 3Elements, 34-34 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY. 718-4286678. TheStudioAt3Elements@gmail.com. Yoga Flow – 8-9:15pm. A powerful flow designed to challenge you in mind and body, increase strength, awareness, flexiblity, breath and stamina. $10/first time, $18/ after. The Studio at 3Elements, 34-34 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY. 718-428-6678. TheStudioAt3Elements@gmail.com.

friday Cardio X-Training – 10am. High intensity, fat burning aerobic training which varies between kickboxing, latin dance, classic aerobics and step. $10/class. Meadows Spa Fitness for Women, 6119 190th St, Fresh Meadows, NY. 718-740-5100. MeadowsSpaFitness.com. Stretch & Chat Yoga – 10-11am. Class begins with an open chat about spiritual concepts and philosophies, then include the concepts into a physical practice. $10/first time, $18/after. The Studio at 3Elements, 34-34 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY. 718-4286678. TheStudioAt3Elements@gmail.com.

saturday Yoga – 11:30am. Relax your mind and body through flowing poses and breathing. Promote better posture, flexibility, suppleness, and strength as peace and calm enter the body. $10/class. Meadows Spa Fitness for Women, 61-19 190th Street, Fresh Meadows, NY. 718-740-5100. MeadowsSpaFitness.com Healing Circle Meditation – 2-4pm. Intuitve messages, energy work, relaxation, music for the

Queens, NY

NaturalQueensNY.com

soul, an easy approach to meditation & solutions to bettering your life. $35. The Studio at 3Elements, 34-34 Bell Blvd, Bayside, NY. 718-428-6678. TheStudioAt3Elements@gmail.com. Sunnyside Greenmarket – 8am-3pm. On hand are a fantastic selection of vegetables grown in the Black Dirt of Orange County, specialty Mexican produce and herbs, eggs, seasonal fruit, cider, baked goods and fresh-caught fish. Cheese, pickled vegetables, grass fed beef, and wine pressed from locally grown grapes entice shoppers with culinary possibilities. Free. Skillman Ave between 42nd & 43th Streets, Sunnyside. GrowNYC.com

sunday Forest Hills Greenmarket – 8am – 3pm. Located in front of the Forest Hills Post Office, this neighborhood Greenmarket boasts a variety of locally grown, fresh products. Throughout the season, the market will offer free cooking demonstrations, kids activities, and the opportunity to mingle with neighbors, all while getting to know the regional farmers who grow your food. Come back each week to learn about the healthful and flavorful benefits of eating what is fresh and in season. Free. South Side of Queens Blvd at 70th Ave, Forest Hills. GrowNYC.org. Jackson Heights Green Market – 8am-2pm. Jackson Heights Greenmarket is the largest and busiest Greenmarket in Queens. Reflecting the culinary diversity of the neighborhood, the Jackson Heights market offers a broad selection of vegetables, fruit, eggs, fish, honey, chicken and specialty Mexican produce. Free. 34th Ave at 78th Street, Jackson Heights. GrowNYC.org. Yoga – 7:30am. Relax your mind and body through flowing poses and breathing. Promote better posture, flexibility, suppleness, and strength as peace and calm enter the body. $10/class. Meadows Spa Fitness for Women, 61-19 190th St, Fresh Meadows, NY. 718-740-5100. MeadowsSpaFitness.com.

classifieds Fee for classifieds is a minimum charge of $25 for up to the first 25 words and $1 each additional word. To place an ad email NaturalQueensNY@aol.com

HELP WANTED MASSAGE ENVY SPA – in Bayside and Rego Park is looking for Licensed Massage Therapists. Inquires contact Amanda: 718-279-3689. MESpaBayside@gmail.com.

communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email NaturalQueensNY@aol.com to request our media kit.

AUTOMOTIVE TOWER FORD

124 S Middle Neck Rd, Great Neck, NY 516-466-6400 TowerFord.net Proud to be one of the premier dealerships in the area with a clear commitment to customer service. Offering a full lineup of hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as other eco-friendly cars and trucks. See ad, back cover.

FENG SHUI OPEN SPACES FENG SHUI

Ann Bingley Gallops New York Metro Area 646-382-3878 Ann@OpenSpacesFengShui.com OpenSpacesFengShui.com Feng shui transforms your space to enhance your life. If energy feels blocked or you want to promote change, feng shui has the answers.

BEREAVEMENT SERVICES THE CENTER FOR H.O.P.E., COHEN CHILDRENS MEDICAL CENTER Susan Thomas, LCSW-R, FT Bereavement Coordinator 1981 Marcus Ave, Ste C125 Lake Success, NY

Children meet in age-appropriate groups while their parent or guardian meets in an adult group at the same time. All the groups talk about the same theme during this time, thereby enhancing communication between family members in their time of grief and loss. These groups meet throughout the year from September through June, and families can enter the groups at any point in time.

CHIROPRACTIC HOLISTIC OASIS

Dr. Gayle A. Whittaker 70-20 Austin St, Ste 107, Forest Hills, NY 718-544-8282 HolisticChiropractor.com N.S.A. Practitioner. “Healing waves” release body tension, promoting new strategies for a healthy spine and nervous system. Relieving back and neck pain is only the beginning. Bridge the interface between physical health and overall well-being. See ad, page 21.

HEALTH CLUB MEADOWS SPA FITNESS FOR WOMEN

61-19 190th St, Fresh Meadows, NY 718-740-5100 • MeadowsSpaFitness.com

A fully private fitness facility only for women with the best in fitness equipment, classes, personal training and spa amenities. Plenty of free parking.

MASSAGE MASSAGE ENVY SPA

38-3 Bell Blvd, Bayside NY 89-44 Metropolitan Ave, Rego Park, NY 718-279-3689 MassageEnvy.com Customized massages and facials that help relieve stress, decrease anxiety, increase energy and improve skin texture. Professional massage therapists and estheticians will work to customize your session. See ad, page 19.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE DR. MARIZELLE ARCE

Offices in Bayside and Larchmont 917-282-5622 NYNaturoPath.com Naturopathic Medical School graduate specializing in a holistic approach to health and wellness. Experienced in anxiety control, women’s health, digestion, detoxification and nutritional imbalances. Offering Thermography and Acoustic Cardiograph. See ad, page 14.

ONLINE SINGLES MATCH MY SPIRIT.COM Naini Nakagawa

HEALTH COACH NATURALLY LAURA

Offices in Queens and Manhattan 347-822-1879 • NaturallyLaura.com Ask@NaturallyLaura.com Integrative Nutrition Health Coaching. Achieve overall wellness by making behavioral changes in nutrition, physical activity and emotional wellness. We offer everything from Holistic health coaching consultations, organic meal plans, retreats and cooking classes. See ad, page 6.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE BLUEPRINT HEALING ARTS

Siranush K. Cholakian, MD, LAc 64-06 Fitchett St, Rego Park, NY 718-275-4460 • BlueprintHealingArts.com Board-certified in Integrative Holistic Medicine. Receive a complete treatment protocol consisting of multiple modalities to treat ailments. A blend of homeopathy, acupuncture, ayurveda, nutrition, hypnotherapy, aromatherapy and functional medicine. See ad, page 17.

Millions of members worldwide, looking for others to share their spiritual experiences. New singles are joining all the time, and many are making connections every day.Want to join in? Just create a simple profile, post up your photos and soon you’ll be networking with our incredible personals. Online personals couldn’t be easier. For real relationships and romance, MatchMySpirit is the perfect place to get started and find a match. See ad, page 10.

PERSONAL TRAINING GENETICS BY GENO Geno Sylvain 70-15 Austin St, Ste 3 Forest Hills, NY 718-793-0088 GeneticsByGeno.com

By focusing on proper nutrition and exercise, Abster creator Geno Sylvain improved the health and physiques of countless personal training clients over the past 30 years. It’s the time to lose weight and get in shape by training with Geno. It’s time to love yourself naked. See ad, page 25.

natural awakenings

May 2015

Queens, NY

NaturalQueensNY.com