E E FR
HEALTHY
LIVING
HEALTHY
PLANET
A COMMON HEART SONG Whales Point the Way
HEART HEALTH FOR HER
The Right Choices Keep It Strong
SOOTHING ANXIOUS KIDS
Natural Remedies Restore Calm
RECIPES A HEART WILL LOVE
Tasty Ways to Boost Heart Health February 2019 | Portland / Vancouver Edition | NAPortland.com February 2019
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letter from publisher
T
he winter hibernation season is coming to a close and the springing-up season in the Portland area is just around the corner. Already a few crocuses are peeking out their heads. I’m happy to say that I’m feeling in alignment with the seasonal shift. Most months, I’m buried pretty deep in my office cave under all the to-do piles related to the magazine’s day-to-day management. Now, I feel like I’m coming out of a hibernating cycle into a germinating cycle. The excitement of new growth is in the air and I’m energized about the direction the magazine is consciously taking. Much has changed since I joined Natural Awakenings in the spring of 2016. Before that, I had been a regular reader and had benefited from the magazine’s inspiring articles on health and wellness. It was a catalyst for a major turnaround in my health as inside the magazine I found resources that led me to start a yoga practice and a running program. I dropped 70 lbs. The magazine also inspired me to look at my emotional and mental health. I started to live more mindfully, as well as taking care of myself with meditation and some new spiritual practices. Life hasn’t been the same since. I moved to Portland from the Midwest, changed careers and took on the task of publishing the local magazine. Since then our world has changed and life for us all has become even more challenging. Every month, as I check and re-check the magazine I find new inspiration and more tips for finding resilience. I’m grateful for the Natural Awakenings community of supporters who make it the valuable resource it is. Many advertisers have been with the magazine since I started, keeping me confident that it is reaching readers who find in its pages the support they are looking for. When I attend trade shows on healthy living, I return inspired by all the people who know the magazine by reputation, and tell me stories about how it has helped them find healthier ways to manage their lives. Natural Awakenings is a free and accessible resource for awakening consciousness. The Natural Awakenings team is building on our core strengths by focusing on practices for resilience, becoming more connected to our local readers, and by addressing the reality of the changing times we’re living in. Our new department headed by local writer, Deb Rodney, “Reality Check, Finding Resilience in Troubled Times” addresses the importance of keeping our minds healthy and supple, by inviting us to think about things in a different way. I hope you’ve noticed that the magazine is looking great under the artistic eye of our new graphic artist, Amy Livingstone. She brings the resilience of beauty to her visionary art and to the pages of our magazine. We are fortunate to have her on board. This month, Natural Awakenings moves past the commercial hearts, flowers and chocolates of February to talk about real hearts–those organs that circulate blood. Three things stood out as I previewed our magazine. I took a look at the Health Briefs piece entitled, “Screen Time Doubles Kids’ Risk of Anxiety and Depression,” and then “Soothing Anxious Kids,” then circled back to “Amazing Embrace, the Healing Power of Hugs.” They traced the path to resilience: facing reality, finding practices that support us and remembering the feel-good moments in life. Thank you for supporting the magazine. We welcome your comments on our continued growth and our commitment to awakening consciousness. feel good, live simply and hug more, Douglas Something to tell us? Email Publisher@NAPortland.com 2
Portland/Vancouver Edition
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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET
PORTLAND/VANCOUVER EDITION PUBLISHER Douglas Merrow LAYOUT & PRODUCTION Amy Livingstone MARKETING Douglas Merrow CALENDAR EDITOR Douglas Merrow AD SALES Liz Howell 503-922-2698 Douglas Merrrow 503-419-6430
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Contents 18 HEART OF A WOMAN The Right Choices Keep It Strong
22 AMAZING EMBRACE
22
The Healing Power of Hugs
24 RECIPES A
HEART WILL LOVE Tasty Ways to Boost Heart Health
27 A COMMON
HEART SONG
Whales Point the Way
24
28 SOOTHING ANXIOUS KIDS
Natural Remedies Restore Calm
30 ESSENTIAL OILS
FOR PETS
How to Use Them Safely
ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 503-419-6430 or email Publisher@NAPortland.com. Deadline for ads: the 12th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@NA Portland.com. Deadline for editorial: the 10th of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: Calendar@NAPortland.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 941-351-3740. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com..
DEPARTMENTS 4 news briefs 6 health briefs 9 film brief 9 eco tip 10 global briefs 12 reality check 22 healing ways 24 conscious
eating 27 inspiration 28 healthy kids 30 natural pet 32 calendar 35 classifieds 36 resource guide
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February 2019
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news briefs
Pet Food Bank for Furloughed Employees
Sarasvati Institute of Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Ayurveda - Yoga - Cooking Nature - Spirit - Balance Breath - Meditation - Flow
With so much interest in their first pet food bank, Oregon Humane Society is scheduling multiple free pet food banks to help federal workers and contractors affected by government shutdown. One bag of dog food and one bag of cat food plus cat litter will be available to pet owners who have been affected by the shutdown, while supplies last. “Pets play such an important role in our lives, especially during stressful times,” says Sharon Harmon, OHS President and CEO. “OHS will continue to help federal employees care for their pets while they wait for the shutdown to be resolved.” All of the food and supplies on hand to help federal employees were donated to OHS. Where: Oregon Humane Society, 1067 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland, Ore. Additional dates (while shutdown lasts): Sunday, Feb. 3 & Sunday, Feb. 17 from 10 am. to 1 pm. Visit OregonHumane.org for more information and possible future dates. The Oregon Humane Society is the Northwest’s oldest and largest humane society, with one of the highest adoption rates in the nation. OHS receives no government funds for its adoption, education, medical and behavior programs.
Elk Rock Yoga Offers Sound Bath Events
Come Into Your Power! Register Now For Our Upcoming Certification Program! For more information please contact
Susan@JourneyYoga.com (503) 503) 208-2716 www.AyurvedicYogaTherapy.org
Shalom Mayberg will preform in Milwaukie on two upcoming dates. Shalom’s sound baths are an enjoyable and accessible tool to release stress and provide one with an overall feeling of peacefulness, balance, and well being. Participants lay comfortably on their backs and allow the seven, pure crystal quartz bowls to take them on a journey beyond time and space, past boundaries and limitations, to a place where the body’s natural healing takes charge. Shalom is a yoga teacher who helps people heal and find overall balance in order to live a healthier life. For over 10 years, Shalom has been teaching using traditional healing modalities such as energy work, yoga, intuitive touch, and sound healing. He will be at Elk Rock on Sat, Feb 2, and Sat, Mar 2 at 11am-12:30pm. $20 advance / $25 at the door. On Saturday, March 23, from 2-3:30pm., Gina Lee will be leading a gentle flow to slow the mind and connect to the body to prepare everyone for the beautiful sounds of Joshua Stoddard who will be sharing calming sounds by using voice, guitar, and quartz crystal bowls. Joshua intentionally provides a space for healing through specific frequencies and tone that are in harmony with the body at its natural state. $35/per person. Register at ElkRockWellness.com/events.
IAYT member school Yoga Alliance 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher training school Approved NAMA Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist PACE Program Provider 4
Portland/Vancouver Edition
Elk Rock Yoga, 10560 SE Main St, Milwaukie. Elk Rock Yoga & Wellness, 503-303-4078, ElkRockWellness@ Gmail.com, ElkRockWellness.com. natural awakenings August 2016 7
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Free Spay/Neuter for Stray Cats in February
Are you feeding feral and stray cats or know someone who is? During the month of February the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon (FCCO) is offering FREE spay/neuter surgeries for feral and stray cats! To prevent litters of kittens in the spring, now is the perfect
Nature proves it every day When something is healthy, it is beautiful too. We offer a Holistic approach to Dental care: • • • • • •
Safe Mercury Filling Removal Metal Free Implants Oxygen/Ozone Therapy Biocompatible Dentistry Straighter Teeth with Invisalign Snoring and Sleep Apnea
Family, Cosmetic and Holistic General Dentistry time to call FCCO at 503-797-2606 or go online to FeralCats. com to schedule an appointment. FCCO has humane live traps and will show you how to use them to catch all the cats you are feeding. Appointments book quickly and space is limited, so call or go online today to take advantage of this opportunity. The special is open to all residents of Oregon and SW Washington who are feeding feral or stray cats. For more information, go to FeralCats. com/services. The FCCO clinic is conveniently located in SW Portland off I-5 and has both weekday and Sunday clinics. Also offering lowcost spay/neuter services for pet cats.
Contact us today and find out how we can make a difference in your smile.
503 675 7300 www.LakeOswegoSmiles.com 17720 Jean Way
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Larry Bowden, DMD
Voted One of Portland’s
TOP DENTISTS by Portland Monthly magazine
Experience the Feldenkrais Method® and effort less. Group Classes Individual Lessons Workshops aliceboyd.com • alice@aliceboyd.com • 503-753-6437 February 2019
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Immigration to U.S. Lowers Healthy Gut Bacteria People in developing nations have much greater diversity in gut bacteria than Americans, but a University of Minnesota study of U.S. immigrants has found that six to nine months after moving to the U.S. and eating a Western diet, the gut bacteria of those from countries with predominantly non-Western diets changed to match gut bacteria typical of a Western diet, while their gut bacteria became less diverse and less healthy. These effects increased with the duration of U.S. residence and were compounded across generations. The more “Westernized” a woman’s microbiome, the greater her risk of obesity.
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methods were suspected by the researchers. Plastic showerheads had levels that were, on average, two times lower than showerheads made of metal or metal and plastic components. “Hot spots” with high levels of mycobacteria—such as Hawaii, southern California, Florida, the upper Midwest and the mid-Atlantic states—generally overlapped regions where mycobacteriumrelated lung diseases are most prevalent.
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When zinc, a trace mineral, is combined with tea, coffee, chocolate and other foods that contain specific antioxidant compounds, it boosts protection against the oxidative stress linked to aging and diseases such as dementia, cancer and heart disease, report researchers from Auburn University, in Alabama, and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, in Germany. Zinc activates a plant compound known as hydroquinone, which boosts foods’ antioxidant properties. Hydroquinone alone cannot break down harmful free radicals, but when combined with zinc, a type of enzyme is created that helps prevent damage to organs and tissues.
Harmful bacteria from the genus Mycobacterium have been shown to linger in showerheads and lead to lung infections through inhalation of steam. University of Colorado researchers analyzed 656 biofilms coating the inside of showerheads sent to them by volunteers throughout the U.S. and Europe, and found twice as much mycobacterium in showerheads from households receiving municipal water than in those receiving well water. Chlorine disinfection
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Zinc Combo Fights Aging Diseases
Harmful Bacteria Linked to Certain Showerheads
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Bitter melon (Momordica charantia), a spiky, cucumbershaped fruit, has traditionally been used in Asian countries to lower blood sugar. Now, researchers at Universiti Sains Malaysia report that it can significantly improve symptoms and reduce the pain of knee osteoarthritis. Half of 75 patients were given a placebo and the other half 1,500 milligrams three times a day of a bitter melon supplement. After three months, the bitter melon group had significantly fewer symptoms and less knee pain and analgesic use, as well as lowered body weight, body mass index and fasting blood glucose levels.
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Bitter Melon Eases Knee Pain
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health briefs
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Ashwagandha Normalizes Hypothyroid Levels Ashwagandha, a traditional ayurvedic herb, can significantly improve symptoms of subclinical hypothyroidism, a condition that affects many women, a new double-blind clinical study shows. Researchers from India’s Sudbhawana Hospital tested 50 patients that had high circulating thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. For eight weeks, half were given 600 milligrams a day of ashwagandha; the other half were given a placebo. In the treatment group, TSH levels fell by more than 17 percent, T4 levels increased by nearly 20 percent and T3 levels increased by more than 40 percent. “Ashwagandha treatment effectively normalized the serum thyroid indices during the eight-week treatment period in a significant manner,” the report concluded.
The Power of Thank-You Notes Practicing gratitude is a healthy habit, yet people often hesitate to write heartfelt thank-you notes to people that have touched their lives. Researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of Texas, in Austin, report that writers underestimate how much people receiving those notes are surprised, happy and appreciative. The researchers also found that the letter writers were unduly concerned about their ability to express their gratitude skillfully. While the writers worried about choosing the right words, the recipients felt happiness simply through the warmth of the gesture.
Walnut Leaves Improve Diabetic Health In a double-blind study of 40 Type-2 diabetes patients, Iranian researchers gave half of them 200 milligrams of an extract of walnut leaf (Juglans regia) for eight weeks and the other half a placebo. Although the walnut leaf extract had no significant effect on their blood glucose levels or insulin resistance, it significantly lowered systolic blood pressure and body weight in the patients.
Sniffing Dogs Can Detect Malaria After years of worldwide decline, malaria is on a worrisome upswing, but researchers from Durham University, in the UK, have found a quick, non-invasive,
low-cost detection method: dogs. Trained to sniff out malaria parasites in socks that West African children wore for one night, the canines correctly identified 70 percent among the infected and 90 percent among the uninfected children. February 2019
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health briefs
Clear Personal & Family Karma Discover your Soul Gifts Live with Joy & Abundance
Body-Mind-Spirit Healing Arts Patty Oliver 503.369.7810 in-person and worldwide by phone or Skype!
www.bodymindspirithealingarts.com
Nuts Improve Blood Vessel Health Munching on almonds and walnuts significantly increases blood vessel dilation and reduces artery plaque, say West Virginia University scientists. In a two-day study, 27 overweight volunteers ate 77 grams of almonds (about 2.5 handfuls) along with their lunch one day; on another day, they ate 60 grams of walnuts (about two handfuls) with lunch. Measurements taken four hours after each meal found that both diets significantly increased blood vessel dilation and lowered markers of artery plaque. Both types of nuts also reduced heart rate and systolic blood pressure among the volunteers.
Holy Basil Fights Tooth Infection Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), an Indian herb also known as holy basil, has been proven effective in studies in reducing stress, lowering blood sugar and healing wounds. Now, research from India’s Rishiraj College of Dental Sciences has found that tulsi essential oil, used as a disinfectant, significantly reduced infection levels following root canals of primary molars in a study of 40 children. Although a triple antibiotic cream had better antibiotic properties, the researchers recommended tulsi for longstanding infections and to avoid antibiotic reactions and overuse. 8
Portland/Vancouver Edition
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Akashic Record Readings:
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Online booking and insurance billing available www.allwayswell.com 503.548.4403
Children and teens that spend more than seven hours a day on screens have twice the risk of being diagnosed with anxiety or depression compared to those that spend one hour a day similarly engaged, concluded a San Diego State University study of more than 40,000 youngsters.
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REBECCA MH KITZEROW, LAc
Chinese Medicine has a 3,000 year history of bringing the mind, body and emotions into balance to achieve optimal health. Come in today and see what it can do for you. Rebecca is humble to have won Favorite Acupuncturist/TCM Provider 5 years in a row!
Screen Time Doubles Kids’ Risk of Anxiety and Depression
film brief
eco tips
Tips for a Tree-Free Home Many Ways to Pare Down Paper Use
Tatyana Vyc/Shutterstock.com
If one in five households switched to electronic bills, statements and payments, the collective impact would save 151 million pounds of paper annually, eliminating 8.6 million full garbage bags and 2 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the PayItGreen Alliance. While computers continue to offer significant environmental benefits, there are other “tree-mendous” things we can do to conserve forest resources.
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n Paper bags can be substituted for plastic bags as trash can liners and serve as compost-ready receptacles for fruit and vegetable scraps. ChasingGreen.org describes many ways to reuse paper bags after cutting them along the seams; use them to wrap gifts and shipping boxes or let the kids paint or draw on them. n Use the blank side of sales receipts, envelopes, shopping lists and other paper scraps to jot down to-do lists, notes and more. The family can keep a small pile that everyone can tap into. Michael Bloomberg at the special advance screening of Paris to Pittsburgh.
Changing Landscapes
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Climate Change Documentary Seeks Consensus
National Geographic Documentary Films, in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies and RadicalMedia, has released the new film Paris to Pittsburgh (free at NatGeoTV. com), a tribute to the impassioned efforts of individuals battling the most severe threats of climate change in their own backyards. Set against the national debate over the United States’ energy future and the Trump administration’s decision to exit the Paris Climate Agreement, the film captures what’s at stake for communities around the country and the inspiring ways Americans are responding. The film, which premiered in December in 172 countries in 43 languages, is directed and produced by Emmy Award winner Sidney Beaumont and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Michael Bonfiglio. It features local leaders and everyday citizens telling the stories behind climate-related recovery and resiliency. The documentary illustrates the tireless innovative efforts to reduce carbon emissions, including those in former coal boomtowns such as Pittsburgh, where Mayor Bill Peduto says, “There are now more jobs in renewable energy in the state of Pennsylvania than coal, natural gas and oil combined.”
n Replace paper napkins and towels with cloth napkins or portions of old T-shirts that can be washed and reused. n Choose paper products that are gentle on the Earth in how they are made. TreeZero Inc. (TreeZero. com) markets, supplies and distributes 100 percent carbonneutral paper made from recycled sugarcane waste fiber. n Consider “branching out” and help protect trees that are being threatened by overharvesting, development and the effects of climate change by supporting the Alliance for Community Trees (ACTrees.org), a national nonprofit that plants trees in communities across the nation. Get the shovels ready to pitch in when the Arbor Day Foundation (ArborDay.org) celebrates its 148th annual tree-planting events on April 26—especially important this year due to the destruction of many trees from recent hurricanes and fires. February 2019
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Fish Revival
global briefs
Horse Sense
Wild Horses Ride Out the Storm North Carolina’s freeroaming wild horse herds on the Outer Banks have “ridden out” their share of storms. When Hurricane Florence struck the area in 2018, the Corolla Wild Horse Fund of Currituck County, where the herd lives, announced on Facebook, “The horses have lived on this barrier island for 500 years, and they are well-equipped to deal with 10
rough weather. They know where to go to stay high and dry, and are probably in better shape right now than most of us humans, who are scrambling with final preparations.” Historians believe the herds, which number about 100 horses, descend from those brought to the New World by European explorers. Instincts dating back five centuries compel the
Portland/Vancouver Edition
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Insects around the world are in a crisis, and a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that the problem is even more widespread than scientists first believed. In a pristine rain forest in Puerto Rico, the number of invertebrates—including moths, butterflies, spiders and grasshoppers—dropped 60-fold between 1977 and 2013, probably due to a fourdegree rise in average temperature. The lizards, birds and frogs that fed on them also seriously declined. In 2014, an international team of biologists estimated that globally in the past 35 years, the numbers of invertebrates such as beetles and bees had decreased by 45 percent. Another recent study showed a 76 percent decrease in flying insects in the past few decades in German nature preserves. The food web may be being obliterated from the bottom: Insects pollinate three-quarters of our food crops, feed the birds and fish that are also consumed by larger species and are vital to the decomposition that keeps soil healthy and ecosystems running. “Nature’s resilient, but we’re pushing her to such extremes that eventually it will cause a collapse of the system,” Brad Lister, a co-author of the Puerto Rican study, told the New York Times.
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Sharp Decline Threatens Ecosystem
Following the removal two years ago of an obsolete dam in Manville, New Jersey, American shad are successfully spawning in the lower section of the Millstone River. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently observed juvenile fish there for the first time since 1845. American shad (Alosa sapidissima) are the largest member of the herring family and are anadromous, as they spend most of their lives in saltwater, but return to freshwater rivers each spring to spawn. They played an important role in American history and economics. New Jersey Department of Emvironmental Protection Commissioner Catherine McCabe says, “This species has an inherent tendency to recolonize once obstacles are removed from its migratory path.” During the Industrial Revolution, rivers were dammed for electric power and lakes, but during the last decade, dam removal has become a new call to action. Besides preventing fish migrations, dams also harm water quality in rivers by blocking water flow, trapping sediment and changing habitats.
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Bug Apocalypse
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Shad Return After 174-Year Absence
feral mustangs to either huddle on high ground, butts to the wind, or seek refuge in the maritime forest during storms, say experts. But news has come of a Shackleford Banks horse named Merlin that was fenced in an inundated quarantine site
during the storm, according to the Foundation for Shackleford Horses. Merlin somehow survived, and it “may have involved swimming,” says Margaret Poindexter, president of the foundation that co-manages the herd on National Park Service land.
Bat Cave Rescue
Mind Meld
A cold-loving fungus known as white-nose syndrome (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) originating in Eurasia, where bats evolved to develop immunity to it, began infecting 15 species of hibernating bats in North America in 2006. As the fungus grows over bats’ noses and wings, it disrupts their winter sleep, causing them to expend too much energy and burn up fat they need for winter survival. More than 6 million bats have succumbed to the disease so far. Some species are experiencing near total collapse: Little brown bat populations have been decimated by about 90 percent, while tricolored and northern long-eared bats are suffering losses of around 97 percent. Ecologists thought the fungus might halt at the Rockies, but by 2016 it had made its way to Washington State. A collaboration between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, biologists, ecologists, mycologists, biochemists and other scientists at universities, NGOs and state, federal and tribal agencies have made significant progress in combating the fungus using genomics: Sequencing its genes has allowed them to determine its origin. Plans include treating the caves and mines in which the bats hibernate. It also appears that some species are developing resistance to the fungus or developing coping strategies, like waking up together every night to generate extra group warmth.
Scientists are trying to translate speech-paralyzed patients’ thoughts into speech using brain implants. The technique will potentially provide a brain/computer interface (BCI) to enable people with a spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke or other paralyzing conditions to “talk” again. Experts think a system that decodes whether a person is silently saying yes, no, hungry, pain or water is now within reach, thanks to parallel advances in neuroscience, engineering and machine learning. “We think we’re getting enough of an understanding of the brain signals that encode silent speech that we could soon make something practical,” says Brian Pasley, of the University of California, Berkeley. The first BCI read electrical signals in the motor cortex corresponding to the intention to move, and used software to translate the signals into instructions to operate a computer cursor or robotic arm. In 2016, scientists at the University of Pittsburgh went a step further, adding sensors to a mind-controlled robotic arm so it produced sensations of touch.
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Promising Progress Against Disease
Translating Thoughts Into Speech
Stay Radiant ~ Screen Safely with Thermography BREAST & FULL BODY Thermal Scans by Appointment Pearl District Clinic 1314 NW Irving ST #705 Portland OR 97209 Candace Parmer, CCT
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503-775-1812
Suspicious heat patterns improved in only 100 days
Non-Invasive No Radiation, Pain or Compression
Medical Reports by Medical Doctors Referral not Required
Dramatic thermal change seen as tumor shrinks
February 2019
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reality check | finding resilience in troubled times
Just a Thin Layer of Paint By Deb Rodney
“As irrigators lead water where they want, as archers make their arrows straight, as carpenters carve wood, the wise shape their minds.” –The Buddha Maybe we don’t have to create peace. Maybe peace is waiting for us to remember what she looks like. It’s true we’ve had a distressing lapse for the last 5000 years or so, but she hasn’t gone anywhere. In fact, there are many places in nature where she resides right now, just hanging out quietly. While 5000 years may seem like an eternity, it’s only an eye-blink for Gaia, the living Earth under our feet. In his book, “Waking Up In Time,” revolutionary futurist Peter Russell compares the 4-billion-year history of the planet to a 108-story building. Less than 1/50th of an inch at the very tip-top represents recorded history—about the last 5000 years. The time between World War I and today is slimmer than a microbe. Except for the thin layer of paint at the top of the 108 stories there was mostly peace on Earth. Imagine that for a moment. If we can see that peace has reigned most of Earth Time, then it’s easier for us to understand that the last 5000 years is a precarious slip off the track, now in need of serious correction. Images are very powerful when visioning. So, if we can see that peace has reigned most of Earth Time, then it’s easier for us to understand that the last 5000 years is a precarious slip off the track, now in need of serious correction.
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Portland/Vancouver Edition
But there’s a very influential image that contradicts this idea of a peaceful Earth: the caveman knocking a woman over the head with a club and carrying her off by her hair. This image that we grow up with proliferates the idea that violence not only dominates our history, but is securely imbedded in our human disposition. Sadly, too, this image tries to justify male power over women. So, in conversations about peace it’s not surprising when somebody brings up the gloomy assumption that peace is impossible because we’re violent by nature. There have always been wars and there will always be wars, they say. And I see little cavemen running around in their minds, banging and grunting. Once on a river tour deep in the bush near Katherine, Australia, I saw some wondrous rock art that was over 20,000 years old. Aborigines in Australia have the oldest, continuously peaceful history known—a mindboggling 50,000 years or more! And except for very recent, heartbreaking lapses related to poverty, city-fication, and cultural genocide they’re still very
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peaceful people connected intrinsically to the natural world. But before we get there, let’s go back a long, long, long time ago, when early humans walked on the planet so we can understand our true past beyond the legitimized, sanctioned and recorded history of the last few thousand years. It’s important to say that what is referred to as “ancient” history is really what was happening only 3000 to 5000 years ago. The first humans appeared on the planet in fossil records millions of years ago. It’s still controversial how many millions (some say 66 million) but even if it’s only one million, that’s a lot of human history that’s been overlooked! With carbon dating and modern forensics, it’s rare for scientists to find a death that can be attributed to man’s inhumanity to man before about 3,000 BC.
With carbon dating and modern forensics, it’s rare for scientists to find a death that can be attributed to man’s inhumanity to man before about 3,000 BC. While we don’t know a lot about how people lived, we do know that over 60,000 years ago our ancestors were burying their dead in sophisticated ways. This suggests that they were thinking symbolically about life and death. Nature must have been especially awesome to our ancient relatives and was an intimate partner in sustaining their lives. Women were honored in prehistoric artifacts and art likely because of our miraculous ability to create new life. This reverence for nature, birth and death over thousands of years surely indicates healthy cooperation and regard. It is certainly a different view of human nature than the one that says we are intrinsically violent and greedy. So, doesn’t it seem possible that a measly 5000 years can be shifted? So, doesn’t it seem possible that a measly 5000 years can be shifted? It’s likely that the violence which began when humans tamed and owned land isn’t a natural condition of our humanness. It’s a lapse. We have taken a wrong turn that has taken us to the unconscionable and shadowy depths of our collective soul. There are rapidly expanding numbers of us who are heartsick and bone tired of war, killing, genocide, misogyny and arguing. As we vision the world back into balance and find the courage to create a new way to live on the planet, it’s important to remember the whole collective human story, not just the one that has been told, recorded and re-told for only the last 5000 years. There is immense strength in remembering that peaceful cohabitation is the natural condition of our world and that creation, in every form including destruction, is a continuous process of renewal and change. In our human DNA is the memory of thousands of years of living peacefully with each other and nature. Realizing that we are not naturally competitive or violent can help us to vision a better future. This is especially important to deeply consider as the storms of Climate Chance swirl around us.
Ancient Burial Evidence Suggest Rituals and Consciousness By Deb Rodney Life and death before recorded history is difficult to study. Archaeologists rely on what they physically find and then make assumptions about what it means. One thing is clear. Before written records, people were being buried in ceremonial ways. Carbon dating and modern forensics is now able to tell us how long ago some of our ancestors were buried. A recently discovered burial ground, dating back 60,000 years shows that people were buried with antlers on their body and flower fragments next to them indicating some kind of honoring of the deceased. A body buried 26,000 years ago was discovered covered with red ochre, draped with shell necklaces and surrounded by goods and trinkets that were probably commonly used in their lives. When people are buried with food and drinking vessels it seems to suggest a belief in some kind of life after death where those things might be useful or enjoyed. In Iraq, prehistoric skeletons were discovered covered with a layer of bee pollen. Interesting, eh?
7000 years ago, Dolmen’s were constructed from slabs of stone turned edgewise and covered with a slanted, flatstone roof. Often human remains were found inside. These structures have been found in Wales, Africa, Syria, Japan and Korea. How did all these similar structures show up in different places in the world if pre-history humans were unintelligent, unconscious and only grunted and growled like animals? Many prehistoric monuments have been found and carbon dated. Some of them appear to have been designated as sacred spaces used as ceremonial gathering places. There is evidence that some bodies were left for predators, which may seem cruel when today we bury people in metal vaults. Perhaps it was a burial ritual that shows an understanding of a connection to a natural cycle of being fed by animals in life and being food for them in death. Continued on next page.
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Ancient Burial Evidence Suggest Rituals and Consciousness Continued from previous page.
On an excavated site in the Orkney Islands in today’s Scotland, many people’s bones were found all mixed up and buried together. Might this suggest that people could have thought that their ancestors were more of a collective group than individuals after they died? Why is all this significant? The way people were buried thousands of years ago is a clue to how people lived. It shows that ritual and ceremony was part of human life and suggests a prehistoric human consciousness about mourning and mortality. The evidence questions our belief that people lived like ignorant animals. Perhaps they lived in peace and were happy with their way of life that existed for thousands of years. Maybe they didn’t feel the need to complicate it with property, guns, bombs, written religious doctrine, governments and corporations. Perhaps we have been looking through a faulty lens that tries to convince us that the developments of modern times are better than being “primitive.” Maybe we can learn something about living peace-ably from our pre-historic ancestors who lived and died on the planet before us, because they were much more sophisticated than we think.
Deb Rodney has spent her career writing about change, empowerment and resilience. Sometimes she hosts soirees or leads workshops. Please contact her at debrodney@gmail.com with your thoughts and comments. They would be gratefully appreciated.
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CONNECTING TO OUR ANCESTORS
…A Practice
By Deb Rodney
Imagine that there has been peace on the planet for much, much longer than the brutal, war-torn 5000-year history we study and acknowledge. Imagine that life was peaceful between humans for more than 60,000 years. Imagine that the memory of that time is coming through your ancestral line stored in your DNA. Imagine that you can connect to that memory today if you get quiet and listen.
Spend time quietly remembering that peace is the natural condition of being human. If you can’t remember it, imagine it. Either way it’s possible to strengthen your belief that we humans can find our way to peace again. Let that inner knowledge help you form a new lens to look though. Tap into the knowledge that there is much more to life on the planet than the last 5000 years of recorded history.
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reality check | community voices
REAL
QUESTIONS.
REAL
ANSWERS.
AVI KINDLEFYRE, FEBRUARY COMMUNITY VOICE Avi is 61 years old, divorced, single, with two grown children. He manages a Buddhist meditation practice, which is one of the central priorities of his life. Within the past five years, he’s largely overcome a lifetime of depression. We asked Avi to respond to two questions.
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU REALIZED THE SERIOUSNESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE? I vividly remember feeling calm and completely unsurprised, as though I had known this all along. That’s because this knowledge isn’t really secret. It is hiding in plain sight behind an unconscious conspiracy of denial. End of the world scenarios are something for late-night movies while munching on popcorn, not for serious consideration. The conclusions by climatologists are being reported on, so the evidence is there for anyone who follows the news and asks questions. I think that knowing the truth, even an awful truth, is the most important thing. Knowing in advance gives me time to mentally and emotionally prepare. I live with it in the same way I live with the reality of my own death at some point in the future. I intellectually know it, but it doesn’t feel real. I see it and deny it at the same time—humans have the remarkable ability to do that. I believe there is going to be an ending sometime sooner rather than later. On the way to that ending, life is going to change drastically on this planet. I think about the Buddhist idea of impermanence, as the cause of human suffering. Everything in this universe is impermanent— human lives, planets, suns, solar systems, galaxies. Looked at in that way, my own death is of no less or greater concern than the extinction of all people on this little world, in this little solar system, in this little galaxy.
Does all of this intellectualizing accomplish anything? To me, it gives me a broader perspective, and that gives me a sense of peace. It doesn’t take much to see that the problems of one little person don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy universe. And, I’m OK with that.
HOW ARE YOU FINDING RESILIENCE?
I go about my days doing things that seem important to me but have no importance in the face of near term extinction—my job, spending time with friends, helping those I can help, keeping my personal space maintained and my checkbook balanced, reading, meditating, exercising, and living my life. I am trying to become the best human being I can be—whether keeping my promise to a friend or learning something new just for the joy of learning it. It’s a time to keep our friends close and to value community, to strengthen our bonds of love and caring with the people who matter most to us. It seems to me that leaving the cosmic stage will be easier if the people I care about are close by and if we make it a priority to deepen our love for each other for however much time there is left. And when I need to talk about my fears and doubts, my friends are there to listen. That helps, too. Interested in being a community voice? Email debrodney@gmail.com.
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reality check | community voices
How to Be Strong in the Broken Places by Julie Kay
“The world breaks everyone, and some are strong at the broken places.”
I
– Ernest Hemingway
was delighted to discover this quote by Hemingway because it speaks directly to my heart. You see, a year after being diagnosed with cancer and enduring the shock, sadness, fear of dying, chemo, and surgery, I have been newly diagnosed with metastatic cancer. So, finding inner strength within the broken places is actually the only thing I can do right now, unless I’m ready to give up on life. And perhaps, at a certain point, it will be time for me to surrender to the inevitable completion of my life cycle, but right now my life force is strong. I have a lot more living to do, metastatic cancer or not. Luckily for me, each time I get another dose of bad news, or bad drugs, or experience severe side effects, eventually I find my way through and develop the grit and resilience I need to adapt to my life’s setbacks. Resilience — being “strong at the broken places” — is both an ideal that I aspire to and something I find myself returning to over and again, because sometimes I do feel completely broken. I have learned that strength is not just the more masculinized and popular version of resilience, such as the Superman stance, for example, feet planted firmly on the ground, hands on hips, head up, chest out, and resolute in attitude. Strength — and resilience —is also deeply feminine in its allowing and inclusion, such as allowing the deep grief that comes with life’s unwanted events to move through me. 16
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Truth be told, many times there isn’t even any “allowing,” for the angst, the grief, the fear, the anger, the denial, and depression weighs on me like an anvil, and drops me into a pit of despair that eclipses all light or hope. In that state there is no Superman stance, nothing that provides relief, and the emotional angst cannot be hurried or willed away. Peacefulness comes in its own time, and only when the sharp edges of pain have been sufficiently smoothed away by the torrents of tears. A dear friend captures this so beautifully, saying, “We find resilience when the clouds part and the crying is over because it makes us tender, and in that tenderness we find self-compassion we might not have felt before. We might be more touched by beauty and kindness in that vulnerability, which we are taught to hide.”
I may have cancer, but cancer doesn’t have me!
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With cancer in the driver’s seat of my life right now, I find myself on an emotional roller coaster ride: valleys and peaks are the new normal. I am one of the fortunate ones, however, because I know from experience that I will rebound from the valleys, usually within a day or two. Then I am once again able to crack dark humor jokes, or sing along off-key to Pharrel William’s “Happy Song” — two of many coping mechanisms that help me pump up my resilience. And resilience — the ability to recover from adversities and be better able to handle stress and have enjoyment of life — is the key to living a good life. I like to say that I may have cancer, but cancer doesn’t have me! Cancer is just one of many tragedies that plagues modernity, but the increasing rates of cancer, especially in children, are alarming. This year, seventeen million people worldwide will hear the words “You’ve got cancer” — close to two million in the U.S. alone — and almost half that many will die from the “emperor
of all maladies.” In my social circles of Baby Boomer-aged friends it seems as if everyone has either experienced cancer or knows someone with a cancer story. Emotional trauma, the Greek word for “wound,” invariably accompanies a cancer diagnosis, or any serious illness or lifethreatening event. The resilience called for in response to trauma isn’t about toughing it out or going it alone, however: reaching out for support is a key component of resilience. Of course, resilience itself is not going to solve all our problems or make problems go away. And building resilience doesn’t have to look like something heroic or grand. If getting out of bed in the morning and facing the day is where you can start, remember that small steps build on themselves. Each day and each step ought to be acknowledged, and even celebrated. Building resilience takes time and practice, but it is worth it! Be patient and kind with yourself, as you would be with a young child. As adults we have mostly forgotten that we still need, and deserve, that kind of tenderness. Life is messy and unpredictable. With resilience, you’ve totally got this!
If you are affected by cancer directly or indirectly, here are some tips for how to improve your Resilience: 1. Connect with others. You are not alone in your experience, even though your experience is uniquely personal. Build relationships that are positive by reaching out to supportive family and friends in both good times and bad. In my experience, cancer support groups are also a great way to connect, and are rich with meaning and instant heartfelt community. 2. Make every day count. What gives you a sense of accomplishment and purpose in your daily life? Having cancer often catalyzes people into resetting their life goals and priorities. But setting smaller goals that help you look toward the future builds resilience as well. 3. Take care of yourself. Tend to your own needs and feelings. Participate in activities you enjoy. I get tremendous joy from watching the morning birds outside my kitchen window. Remember the “Big 3” for physical health: exercise, diet, and sleep. For mental health, practice stress management and relaxation techniques, such as yoga, meditation, guided imagery, deep breathing, or prayer. I went on YouTube and found “happy songs” that I play every day to lift my mood and shake my body to. Singing, dancing, laughter, and yes, even crying, are excellent for building your resilience muscle. 4. Be proactive. When you first receive a diagnosis it is a whirlwind of activity in an unfamiliar landscape. The emotional and mental learning curve is steep. Many things seem out of your control. Figure out what is yours to do, make a plan, and take action. For example, one thing I did was to start a binder to keep all of my medical records and contact numbers in. Keeping organized with an appointment calendar is crucial as well. Another thing I did was to make a list of the people who knew about my pending surgery and then coordinated in advance with my family members who would contact whom for the post-surgery updates. 5. Role models. You might be your own best role model: have you had past hardships in which you drew on skills and strategies that helped you through? If not, I suggest you pull out your driver’s license and look at the birthdate on it: you must be doing something right since you’ve made it so far, right? In addition, seek out those people or stories about overcoming adversity that you admire and relate to, and notice what qualities or characteristics stand out that you might emulate.
Julie Kay is a curator of the human story — a freelance editor, photographer, author/ writer, and consultant for Award-winning books and Creative Content inspiring personal, social, and global change: SacredWriting.com.
6. Seek professional advice: Becoming more resilient takes time and practice. Consider talking to a mental health provider to help guide you. I have found cancer-focused therapists and social workers to be extraordinarily caring, compassionate, and skilled. Talking with someone who understands what you are going through is priceless.
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched—they must be felt with the heart. ~Helen Keller February 2019
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The Right Choices Keep It Strong by Lisa Marshall
S
ometime between the salad and the main course at her grandson’s bar mitzvah, Joyce Lenard, then 69, felt a crushing pressure deep within her chest. A tireless go-getter who had worked in Hillary Clinton’s district office when she was a U.S. senator, raised two daughters and recently donated a kidney to one of them, Lenard had spent months painstakingly planning the 100-guest gala, so when the pain came, she ignored it and got on with the party. She even drove herself to her Long Island home that night. “I just assumed I was having indigestion and it would pass,” Lenard recalls. Hours later, her husband rushed her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a rare, often-fatal form of heart attack, takotsubo cardiomyopathy, in which intense stress literally changes the shape of the heart. Thankful to be alive, she has since taken up meditation, cleaned up her diet and now leads a support group for female heart patients of all ages. Like her, many of them never saw it coming. 18
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“Women tend to be the caregivers,” says Lenard. “We take care of our husbands, our families, our friends, our careers, and we often forget about our own health. Then look what happens.” Lenard is among the 44 million U.S. women with cardiovascular disease, an insidious illness that until recently has been erroneously framed as a “man’s disease”. In reality, it is the number one killer of women, responsible for one in three deaths each year, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). By comparison, one in 26 women die of breast cancer. While awareness has risen since 2004, when AHA launched its Go Red for Women campaign, surveys show only 17 percent of women view cardiovascular disease as something that should concern them. It should, experts say, because 80 to 90 percent of cases are avoidable with lifestyle and dietary changes. In some cases, natural remedies can even reverse it. “We have all this sophisticated equipment and all these medications, but when it comes down
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In the late 1990s, researchers discovered women were about as likely as men to be diagnosed with the disease, and far more likely to die from it. “They didn’t have the classic signs and symptoms, so they often went undiagnosed and untreated,” explains Jennifer Mieres, M.D., a cardiology professor at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, in New York. Along with chest pain, women often suffer fatigue, shortness of breath, indigestion, pain in the neck, back or jaw, nausea or anxiety in the months leading up to a heart attack. In more than half of the cases, according to one recent study in the journal Circulation, doctors fail to recognize these symptoms. Then there is the “not now” factor. “I used to see women all the time who said, ‘I have had these symptoms for months, but I just didn’t have time to take care of it,’” says Mieres, co-author of Heart Smart for Women: Six S.T.E.P.S. in Six Weeks to Heart-Healthy Living. Recent research has also shown that women are uniquely vulnerable to developing heart disease in ways that men don’t share. Taking birth control pills (especially while smoking) can boost risk. Complications during pregnancy such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes can be hard on the heart, increasing vulnerability for years to come. Because estrogen is believed to be cardio-protective, when it wanes during perimenopause and menopause, risk goes up again. “As soon as we hit menopause, our biological milieu starts to change,” says Mieres, noting that “good” cholesterol tends to decrease and “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides tend to increase. Yet, arterial plaque—which can ultimately build up, break loose and cause a heart attack or stroke—starts accumulating as early as age 20, so the earlier women start paying attention, the better.
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Heart of a Woman
Know Risks and Address Them Early
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~Christina Adams, M.D.
to it, the vast majority of cardiovascular disease can be prevented,” says integrative cardiologist Christina Adams, M.D., of the Scripps Women’s Heart Center, in La Jolla, California.
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We have all this sophisticated equipment and all these medications, but when it comes down to it, the vast majority of cardiovascular disease can be prevented.
Food Not Meds
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Thirty years after the first cholesterol-lowering medication hit the market, so-called statin drugs have become the largest class of medications in the world, with U.S. sales doubling between 2000 and 2010 to reach $20 billion, according to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. While drugs can be appropriate for those already diagnosed with heart disease and at high risk of heart attack or stroke, they are not without serious side effects. Statins can cause chronic muscle pain, memory loss and increased blood sugar, while hypertension drugs can precipitate fainting and kidney damage. For many patients, there’s another way, integrative cardiologists say. Unfortunately, most of the talk about prevention focuses on prescription medications, says Stephen Devries, M.D., executive director of the Chicago-based Gaples Institute for Integrative Cardiology. “What often gets lost in the discussion are the dietary changes, which can be equally important.” Devries recommends a plant-based Mediterranean diet—low in the saturated fat found in beef, processed meats and cheese—and high in leafy greens, whole grains and the “good” fats found in fatty fish, olive oil and avocados. Specific foods have also been shown to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Nuts, including walnuts, peanuts and almonds, have been shown to lower LDL. One 2017 study of 77,000 female nurses, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found those that ate peanuts or tree nuts (including almonds and cashews) two or more times per week had a 19 percent lower risk of developing heart disease. Those that ate walnuts once a week cut their risk by 23 percent. Dark purple and red fruits contain compounds called anthocyanins that boost production of nitric oxide, and in turn expand blood vessels, improving circulation. Another recent study, published in the journal Circulation, followed 94,000 women for 18 years and found those that ate four servings or more per week of blueberries and strawberries were a third less likely to have a heart attack. Pomegranates are also key for heart health, with recent research published in the journal Clinical Nutrition showing a daily serving of juice can make platelets less sticky, lower blood pressure and reduce plaque formation. Dark leafy greens like kale and broccoli—which are rich in vitamin K—play an important role in fostering a healthy heart structure, with each serving per week cutting the risk of heart disease by 23 percent, according to the Gaples Institute.
Nurturing the Emotional Heart
No discussion of heart health would be complete without an emphasis on social and emotional health, a critical risk factor which until recently has been largely absent, says Sandeep Jauhar, M.D., director of the Heart Failure Program at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, and author of the new book, Heart: A History. But research shows the emotional heart can break, too, as in Lenard’s case. With as many as 90 percent of incidents occurring in women, the condition that landed her in the emergency room often shows up in patients with no signs of obstructed blood vessels or high cholesterol. Rather, factors like financial worries, work stress or the death of or break-up with a loved one can flood the heart with stress hormones, changing its shape to one that resembles a Japanese pot called a takotsubo and weakening it profoundly. “Remarkably, in many cases, once the emotional state returns to normal, so does the heart,” says Jauhar. Longer-term, emotional stress has been shown to lead to platelet aggregation, or stickiness in the blood, which can impact blood flow. Also, constant bombardment by stress hormones such as adrenaline and Continued on next page.
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Supplements for a Healthy Heart ª Red yeast rice extract: This overthe-counter (OTC) extract, commonly used in Chinese medicine, has been shown to significantly lower both total cholesterol and LDL, or “bad” cholesterol levels, much like a statin does. Studies show 1.2 to 2.4 grams per day can reduce cholesterol by 26 percent in 12 weeks. ª Omega-3 fatty acids: Eating fatty fish or taking fish oil supplements (one to four grams daily of EPA/DHA) has been shown to reduce risk of heart disease in healthy people and lower triglyceride levels and risk of heart attack in those already diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Walnuts, chia, hemp and flax seeds are excellent vegan sources of Omega-3s.
ª Coenzyme Q10: Found in small
amounts in organ meats, sardines, cauliflower and asparagus, this powerful antioxidant—also available in OTC supplements—can lower blood pressure and help combat the side effects of statins.
ª Nicotinomide riboside: Fairly
new on the supplement scene, this compound, known as NR, has been shown to mimic the beneficial impacts of calorie restriction, improving blood pressure and arterial health in those with mild hypertension.
ª Garlic: Some studies suggest that
garlic, either fresh or in supplements, can lower cholesterol and blood pressure. February 2019
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cortisol can damage the inner walls of blood vessels, boosting accumulation of plaque. To nurture the metaphorical heart, integrative cardiologists recommend taking time to maintain healthy personal relationships and minimize work stress. As well, exercising five to six days per week for at least 30 minutes and practicing activities like mindfulness meditation or yoga have been shown to lower heart rate. A recent study published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes looked at 201 people with coronary heart disease. It found those that practiced meditation were 50 percent less likely to die or have a heart attack or stroke in the span of five years. Finding quiet spaces to retreat to can also be important. A study published in November by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, found that living and working in chronically noisy environments can boost the risk for heart problems. It is also wise to prioritize sleep (at least seven hours per night), because the lack of it can inflame arteries. The bottom line is that a holistic approach is best, says Jauhar. “If you want to live a long life, don’t smoke, eat well and exercise, but also pay attention to the quality of your relationships and your ability to withstand stress and transcend distress. Those are also a matter of life and death.” Lisa Marshall is a freelance health writer in Boulder, CO. Connect at LisaAnnMarshall.com.
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Good health and good sense are two of life’s greatest blessings. ~Publilius Syrus
Ayurvedic Spring Cleanse and Rejuvenation Series This 12-day food cleanse is about eating, moving and adjusting your life to give your body the support it needs during this critical seasonal juncture. In this class, we will use protocols from the oldest, continually practiced healthcare system in the world, Ayurveda. 2 week class meeting on Tuesdays, March 12, 19 & 26 - Pre-registration required contact Susan@JourneyYoga.com, www.TheArtOfDigestion.com "This is a cleanse for people that love to eat. It is a seasonal food cleanse that encourages 3 meals a day every day. I have been teaching this cleanse for 9 years in Oregon. I love sharing this ancient sacred knowledge that has helped so many."
Susan Bass
Ayurvedic Practitioner, Ayurvedic Nutritional Consultant voted Holistic Practitioner of the Year - 2017 & 2018
"I took the cleanse two years ago and still benefit daily from the knowledge and practices." ~ Douglas M.
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February 2019
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healing ways
AMAZING EMBRACE The Healing Power of Hugs by April Thompson
H
These behaviors ugs don’t just feel A Primal Need good; they do also turn down our for Connection good. A simple biological response Mata Amritanandamayi, embrace can boost our to stress and may a 65-year-old Indian spirihealth and mood, connect tual leader better known even improve us spiritually and even help as Amma, has hugged mend society. how our immune tens of millions of people Hugs and other types system works. around the world, earning of affectionate touching her the nickname, “the ~Michael Murphy, can provide numerous hugging saint.” benefits in the face of researcher Amma’s tradition of threats or stress, according hugging people grew organically, from hugto Michael Murphy, Ph.D., a researcher ging someone she noticed in distress, to how with the Laboratory for the Study of she receives massive crowds clamoring for Stress, Immunity and Disease at Carnegie one of her loving, compassionate embraces. Mellon University, in Pittsburgh. “The “A hug is a gesture that reveals the research shows that touch behaviors like spiritual truth that, ‘We are not two—we hugs reduce negative responses to threats are one,’” says Swami Amritaswaruand make people feel happier, more secure pananda, one of Amma’s senior disciples. and more supported.” “In today’s world, where people often feel In a study of 404 adults, Carnegie alienated and lonely, a hug can uplift and Mellon researchers looked at how social support and hugs affected participants’ sus- make us feel reconnected to the people and world around us.” ceptibility to the common cold after being Intention is key to the exchange of exposed to the virus. “People experiencing energy that occurs with a hug, says Amrilots of conflict are more likely to get a cold taswarupananda. “What is important is the when exposed to a virus,” says Murphy. sincerity behind the action—the genuine “But individuals who also tend to receive feeling of love and compassion. A simple lots of hugs appear protected from this adglance or mere touch of the hand can have ditional risk.” 22
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that same power to make us feel whole if that genuine, heartfelt connection is there.” Hugs tap into that fundamental human need to belong, says Murphy. “Hugs and other forms of affectionate touch act as powerful reminders that we belong. “These behaviors also turn down our biological response to stress and may even improve how our immune system works.” For example, researchers think that touching might trigger our body to release oxytocin, a hormone that can reduce fear and improve social bonding, Murphy notes. Hugs and the associated oxytocin release can have powerful ripple effects in the body, decreasing heart rate and levels of stress hormones cortisol and norepinephrine, along with improving immune function and pain tolerance. Oxytocin can also trigger the release of feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine.
Bridging Divides With a Hug While Murphy cautions that the jury is out on the effects of hugs on strangers, as most research has been done on embraces between loved ones, Ken Nwadike, Jr. has built a national campaign around the concept. Known as the “free hugs guy”, the former competitive runner began offering up hugs during the 2014 Boston Marathon, the year after the deadly bombing. Nwadike has since brought the Free Hugs Project to more divisive spaces, from political rallies to protests, offering hugs to all to spread love and inspire change. The Los Angeles activist’s all-embracing hugs are a symbol of unconditional love, respect and unity at a time when tensions and political divisions are running high. For Nwadike, hugs are a way of de-escalating conflict and mending the human divide. “Communities are divided because of fear, hatred and misunderstanding. Starting the conversation with kindness, rather than hatred, will get us a lot further,” he says. Consent is always important, and not everyone appreciates an unsolicited hug. But like compliments, hugs are free to give and usually well received. As humans, we bear arms that were built not to harm, but to heal. Connect with freelance writer April Thompson, of Washington, D.C., at AprilWrites.com.
Copper device stops a cold naturally last holidays,” she said. “The kids had colds going around, but not me.” Some users say it also helps with sinuses. Attorney Donna Blight had a 2-day sinus headache. When her CopperZap arrived, she tried it. “I am shocked!” she said. “My head cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.” Some say copper stops nighttime stuffiness if used just before bed. One man said, “Best sleep I’ve had in years.” Copper may even stop flu if used earNew research: Copper stops colds if used early. ly and for several days. Lab technicians ew research shows you can went away completely.” It worked again placed 25 million live flu viruses on a stop a cold in its tracks if you CopperZap. No viruses were found alive every time he felt a cold coming on and take one simple step with a soon after. he hasn’t had a cold since. new device when you first feel a cold People have used it on cold sores He asked relatives and friends to try coming on. and say it can completely prevent ugly it. They said it worked for them, too, so Colds start when cold viruses get in outbreaks. You can also rub it gently he patented CopperZap™ and put it on your nose. Viruses multiply fast. If you on wounds, cuts, or lesions to combat the market. don’t stop them early, they spread in infections. Soon hundreds of people had tried it your airways and cause misery. The handle is curved and finely texand given feedback. Nearly 100% said But scientists have found a quick tured to improve the copper stops way to kill a virus. Touch it with copper. colds if used withcontact. It kills in 3 hours after the Researchers at labs and universities germs picked up first sign. Even up agree, copper is “antimicrobial.” It kills on fingers and to 2 days, if they microbes, such as viruses and bacteria, hands to protect still get the cold it just by touch. you and your That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyp- is milder and they family. tians used copper to purify water and feel better. Copper even heal wounds. They didn’t know about Users wrote kills deadly germs Sinus trouble, stuffiness, cold sores. that have become viruses and bacteria, but now we do. things like, “It Scientists say the high conductance stopped my cold right away,” and “Is it resistant to antibiotics. If you are near of copper disrupts the electrical balsupposed to work that fast?” sick people, a moment of handling it ance in a microbe cell, destroying it in Pat McAllister, age 70, received one may keep serious infection away. It may seconds. as a gift and called it “one of the best even save a life. Tests by the Environmental Protecpresents ever. This little jewel really The EPA says copper still works tion Agency (EPA) show germs die fast works.” Now thousands of users have even when tarnished. It kills hundreds of on copper. Some hospitals tried copper stopped getting colds. different disease germs so it can prevent for surfaces like faucets and doorknobs. People often use CopperZap preserious or even fatal illness. ventively. Frequent flier Karen Gauci This cut the spread of MRSA and other CopperZap is made in the U.S. of used to get colds after crowded flights. illnesses by over half, and saved lives. pure copper. It has a 90-day full money Though skeptical, she tried it several The strong scientific evidence gave back guarantee when used as directed times a day on travel days for 2 months. inventor Doug Cornell an idea. When to stop a cold. It is $69.95. Get $10 off “Sixteen flights and not a sniffle!” he felt a cold coming on he fashioned each CopperZap with code NATA8. a smooth copper probe and rubbed it Businesswoman Rosaleen says when Go to www.CopperZap.com or call gently in his nose for 60 seconds. people are sick around her she uses Cop- toll-free 1-888-411-6114. “It worked!” he exclaimed. “The cold perZap morning and night. “It saved me Buy once, use forever.
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RECIPES A HEART WILL LOVE
Tasty Ways to Boost Heart Health s a special meal for Valentine’s Day or any other, many plant-based dishes are so tasty that no one will miss the meat. Low in fat and sugar and high in ingredients that promote heart health, the following recipes are courtesy of Carol D’Anca, a board-certified nutrition practitioner and author of Real Food for Healthy People: A Recipe & Resource Guide, in Highland Park, Illinois.
Start With Soup
Rich in dietary fiber and low in fat, butternut squash with low-salt vegetable broth and spices is an easy-to-make soup loaded with nutrients and flavor. Allow 40 to 45 minutes to roast the squash.
Butternut Squash Soup Yields: Four servings 1 butternut squash, 2-3 lbs, peeled and cut in cubes to equal 4 cups
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth Dash red pepper flakes Freshly ground black pepper Pepitas or pumpkin seeds for garnish Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a heavy baking pan with parchment paper. Spread squash cubes in a single layer, using two lined pans if needed. Roast for about 40 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Alternate method: Wash the squash. Make several slits to allow for escaping steam. Roast whole in the oven for about 45 minutes or until soft and easy to peel and cut. Transfer the roasted squash to a food processor or heavy-duty blender. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Add additional broth to reach desired consistency.
Natural Awakenings recommends using organic, fair trade, non-genetically modified ingredients, BPA-free canned goods and non-bromated flour whenever possible. 24
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photo by Stephen Blancett
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by Avery Mack
Divide into four bowls. For texture and crunch, garnish with roasted pepita or pumpkin seeds.
Hearty Bread Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock.com
This whole-grain, gluten-free, no-knead, no-mess bread contains flax, sunflower and chia seeds, hazelnuts, oats, coconut oil and maple syrup as a sweetener. Accompanying soup, it makes for a satisfying meal. This recipe is adapted from “Change Your Life Bread” in D’Anca’s book My New Roots.
Let it sit on the counter for at least two hours, or all day or overnight. When the dough retains its shape, even when you pull the sides of the loaf pan or lift the parchment, it’s ready to bake. Preheat oven to 350° F. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 20 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing. Store bread in a tightly sealed container for up to five days. Freezes well. For a quick and easy toast, slice before freezing.
The Pleasures of Pasta
Change Your Life Bread
photo by Stephen Blancett
Yields: One loaf 2 cups shelled raw sunflower seeds 1 cup whole flax seeds 1 cup blanched hazelnuts 3 cups rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats, if needed) 4 Tbsp chia seeds 6 Tbsp psyllium husks Pinch fresh ground coarse salt, preferably Himalayan 2 Tbsp maple syrup 6 Tbsp coconut oil, liquefied at low temperature in a small pan 3 cups water In a loaf pan lined with parchment, combine all dry ingredients, stirring well. Whisk maple syrup and water together in a measuring cup. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is soaked and dough becomes thick. If it’s too thick to stir, add one or two teaspoons of water until it’s manageable. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
Pasta is guilt-free when we use a whole wheat variety that digests more slowly than white flour pasta, avoiding blood sugar spikes, D’Anca says. Gluten-free, grainfree or vegetable pasta can be substituted for whole grain pasta. Fresh asparagus is recommended. If it’s not in season, consider red chard for its bright red and green colors and abundance of vitamins K, A and C. It’s a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron and dietary fiber.
Use red, orange, yellow or a mix of colors 1½ Tbsp fresh thyme leaves 1 lb fresh asparagus, pencil thin is best (if not available, substitute red chard) ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives ½ cup fresh basil ¼ cup white wine or white wine vinegar Squeeze garlic from its skins into a large skillet. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is reduced and thickened to a sauce (coulis), about 20 to 30 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta well and place back in the pan. Add tomato coulis and olives. Toss well to infuse flavors. Let warm for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve at once.
Savory Side Dish
Chickpeas are a great source of fiber. Bell peppers, also known as sweet peppers, are available in white, orange, green and purple. Lycopene gives red tomatoes their color, may reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower blood pressure. Yellow tomatoes have twice as much iron and zinc and higher levels of vitamin B and folate to help red blood cells. Darker tomatoes ranging from purple to black produce higher levels of antioxidants for a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Don’t overlook green tomatoes, which are higher in vitamin K and calcium than reds or yellows.
Roasted Chickpeas with Grilled Vegetables Yields: Serves two, or four if dished over quinoa
Whole Grain Pasta with Asparagus and Tomato Coulis Yields: 6 servings for dinner or 8 as a smaller first course. 1 lb of your favorite whole grain pasta 3 large cloves garlic, roasted for about 25 minutes in their skins 3 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
12 small mushrooms, sliced 2 ripe tomatoes, quartered 1 red bell pepper, cut in strips 1 yellow pepper, cut in strips 1 red onion, cut into wedges, or 1½ cups leeks, halved lengthwise, cleaned, and cut chiffonade-style About 6 cloves of garlic, peeled 2, 14-oz cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary Balsamic or white wine vinegar February 2019
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Yields: 12 servings
Remove the pan and turn the vegetables over. Add the chickpeas and rosemary and return to the oven. Roast for another 30 to 45 minutes until the edges of the vegetables start to turn dark and the chickpeas are browning.
1 cup almond meal ½ cup almond butter ¼ cup raw cacao, organic 3 Tbsp grade B maple syrup 1 tsp organic vanilla ¼ cup raw almonds, ground ¼ cup raw cacao nibs, ground Finely ground nuts like walnuts or hazelnuts, shredded coconut or raw cacao for texture and added flavor
Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, toss and serve warm as is or over quinoa.
Make a flax “egg” by mixing the ground flax seeds with the water. Let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes until it thickens to an egg consistency. Place the bell pepper, onion and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth. Remove the mixture and drain in a fine sieve. Too much liquid will make the burgers fall apart.
Burgers for Lunch
These burgers are good either oven baked or grilled, weather permitting. Offer toppings like baby spinach, salsa, nut cheese, pesto, fig jam, mango or slaw. Apple cider vinegar, dill, celery salt and agave nectar to taste makes a dressing for slaw. Thin slices of Granny Smith or Honey Crisp apples add a tang of tart or hint of sweetness.
Black Bean/Veggie Burger 1 16-oz can of black beans, drained, rinsed well and dried on a paper towel ½ red bell pepper, cut in large pieces 1 medium-size onion, cut in large pieces 1 Tbsp chili powder, mild or hot to taste 3 cloves of garlic, rough chopped 1 tsp black cumin 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds 3 Tbsp water Approximately 1 cup bread crumbs (glutenfree if needed) to act as a binder 4 buns or bread of choice 26
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Place black beans in the food processor and pulse to a thick, sticky consistency. Add the drained red pepper mixture, flax “egg”, cumin and chili spice. Process until lightly mixed. Remove the burger mixture to a bowl. Add bread crumbs until you have a firm burger and form into patties. Grill for 5 to 10 minutes, turning once, or bake in a 350° F oven on a parchment-lined baking sheet for about 5 to 10 minutes on each side.
Guilt-Free Chocolate Dessert
“Chocolate desserts usually include loads of sugar and butter, making them a highly processed and saturated-fat food,” says D’Anca. “These treats deliver the good fat of cacao nibs and the antioxidants of raw cacao.”
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Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix them to a smooth batter. Chill the batter for about 20 minutes. Roll into either bite-sized or larger balls to serve as is or roll in nuts, coconut or cacao for texture and added taste. For more recipes and information about nutrition and heart health provided by D’Anca, visit FoodNotMeds.com. Avery Mack is a freelance writer in St. Louis, MO. Connect via AveryMack@ mindspring.com.
jamesteohart/Shutterstock.com
Almond Butter and Raw Cacao Chocolate Truffles AS Food studio/Shutterstock.com
Put mushrooms, tomatoes, red and yellow peppers, onion and garlic in a large roasting pan. Roast for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables caramelize.
Eating healthy doesn’t mean all salads, all the time. From appetizer to dessert, healthy, easy-to-make, creative and colorful recipes can improve health and add flavor to life.
photo by Stephen Blancett
Preheat oven to 400° F.
photo by Stephen Blancett
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Whales Point the Way
J
by Mark Nepo
ust as whales are born with an instinct for the deep, we are born with an impulse toward creating a quality of life. No matter the type of work that leads us there, following that impulse is the destiny of each soul, so we search to find our medium through which aliveness can express itself. Following our instinct for the deep, we find each other. In areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, whales sing basically the same song, and when a new verse is added, they all incorporate it. As humans, we have a greater capacity to communicate, yet we resist adding to our common song. Whales occupying the same geographical areas that may include large oceans tend to sing similar songs with local variations, but whales from other regions of the world will sing entirely different songs. Once united, though, they find a common pitch. The songs are constantly evolving over time, and old patterns are not repeated. In essence, whales stay current, freshly updating their communications with each other. It’s a noble task for us all to emulate. Most whales, especially humpbacks, compose patterns of sound that are strikingly resonant with human musical traditions. What helps whales be such good communicators is that sound travels about four times faster in water than on land. Thus, it is profoundly easier to hear in the deep. Dwelling there, we have a better chance of staying current and hearing our common song. When we follow our instinct for the deep, we discover our common song, which brings us alive. Through this unfolding, we make our contribution to the common good. From generation to generation, all that we learn and create adds to this living work of art we call a quality of life. Adapted excerpt from More Together than Alone, by Mark Nepo. Connect at MarkNepo.com and ThreeIntentions.com. February 2019
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Soothing Anxious Kids Natural Remedies Restore Calm by Marlaina Donato
K When we awaken to the call of Beauty, we become aware of new ways of being in the world. –John O’Donohue
AMY LIVINGSTONE
Visionary Artist & Sacred Activist Painting | Sculpture | Installation Commissions | Ceremony sacredartstudio.net 28
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Mindful activities ids and teens It’s important to and creative outlets like have always know that anxiety is art, music and dance in had plenty to be highly treatable. a no-pressure environstressed about, such as ment help kids get out of family finances, parental ~Dr. Timothy DiGiacomo “fight-or-flight” mode. bickering, the birth of a “Both parents and kids need to have go-to sibling and other challenges on the home coping skills,” says Rosen. “Meditation and front. Then there are the age-old tensions yoga are safe and work very well.” Kids need of taking school exams and squabbles with to feel a sense of control over their bodies, friends and other classmates. he adds, and mindful breathing techniques Yet with the proliferation of social can make a significant difference in how media and cyber-bullying, kids face obstathey handle stress. cles other generations did not, and chronic So can a regular dose of the great juvenile anxiety has become a pervasive outdoors. Exercise helps boost serotonin mental health issue. However, there are a levels, which decreases anxiety. Timothy number of integrative approaches that can DiGiacomo, Psy.D., clinical director of help heal youthful psyches. “I encourage the Mountain Valley Treatment Center, in kids and parents to focus on skills, versus Plainfield, New Hampshire, emphasizes pills,” says Lawrence Rosen, M.D., founder the value of getting outside. “Connection of The Whole Child Center, in Oradell, to nature, calmness and present-moment New Jersey. “There are several safe and awareness are all benefits.” cost-effective natural options for anxiety.”
Mindful Modalities
Sleep and Diet Triggers
Relaxing and engaging the imagination are necessary for healthy brain development and offsetting stress. Downtime in general and specifically limiting screen time is paramount. “Electronic devices can be very overstimulating and can cause or exacerbate anxiety,” says Kristi Kiel, ND, Ph.D., of Lake Superior Natural Health, in Ashland, Wisconsin. “There should be at least a one-toone balance of screen time and outside play.”
Before parents seek any treatment for their child’s anxiety, Kiel stresses the importance of looking at the basics. “When children don’t get enough sleep, their bodies don’t respond as well to stressful situations. School-age children need 10 to12 hours of sleep per night, and teenagers should be getting nine to 10 hours.” Sensitivity to certain foods such as gluten or dairy is also something to consider, says Kiel.
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healthy kids
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Rosen concurs. “Artificial dyes and sweeteners can negatively impact mood and focus. More of an issue, though, is nutritional imbalance.” Skipping breakfast or eating mostly carbs can feed anxiety, he notes. “The brain relies on sustainable fuel—a blend of lean proteins, healthy fats—and in some cases, gluten-free, whole grain carbs.” Eating foods high in healthy fat and protein can help minimize blood sugar fluctuations that can trigger symptoms of anxiety in kids. Probiotics and/or cultured and fermented foods can help gut health and promote equilibrium. Omega-3 fats from fish or vegetarian sources are also important additions.
Helpful Supplements Supplements dosed appropriately for children and teenagers are safe and can offer huge benefits. “Magnesium is good for relaxation, especially anxiety accompanied by muscle tension. B-complex vitamins are also important because they are depleted by stress and help the body to handle stress,” says Kiel. Her herbal recommendations include skullcap, hops and milky oat as teas or glycerin-based extracts. “For teenagers, in addition to these three gentle herbs, I recommend kava kava, which can have a significant calming effect without drowsiness.”
Polyvagal Theory Research by Stephen Porges, Ph.D., a professor at the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill, addresses the importance of the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain through the face and thorax to the abdomen. His polyvagal theory suggests the interconnectedness of emotions, mind and body in both children and adults. This nerve affects all major organs and plays a critical role in anxiety and inflammation. Mindful breathing and using the vocal chords, especially singing, stimulates the vagus nerve and nourishes well-being. Splashing the face with cold water during times of stress also tones this nerve and reduces acute anxiety. DiGiacomo emphasizes that different natural therapies offer hope even for severe cases, advising, “It’s important to know that anxiety is highly treatable.” Marlaina Donato is the author of Multidimensional Aromatherapy. Connect at MarlainaDonato.com.
Helpful Homeopathy
H
omeopathic remedies are most effective and long-lasting when they are prescribed by an experienced practitioner that can find a constitutional remedy that matches the child’s symptoms. However, they can also be used effectively on a short-term basis.
n Aconite: for panicky feelings that seem to come out of
nowhere, or for anxiety that begins after some type of trauma
n Arsenicum: for anxiety about health or fear of germs n Gelsemium: for stage fright and both performance and
anticipatory anxiety
n Phosphorus: for children that worry about the safety of their parents
n Pulsatilla: for children that have a hard time being alone and need lots of reassurance and attention
For More Advice Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (abct.org) International OCD Foundation (iocdf.org)
MARCH
Coming Next Month
Managing Allergies plus: Nutrition Upgrades
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (nctsn.org)
Food for Thought In 2015, The New York Times reported on the use of mindaltering medications for infants and toddlers. Approximately 83,000 prescriptions for Prozac were written for kids of ages 2 and younger in 2014, as well as 20,000 prescriptions for antipsychotics.
February 2019
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Natural Awakenings Portland Invites
YOU
to Be Part of Our Team
Essential Oils for Pets
seeking Experienced Commission-based
How to Use Them Safely
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by Sandra Murphy
Opportunity for livelihood you can feel good about as you provide support to practitioners engaged in awakening consciousness. Contact the publisher at Publisher@NAPortland.com
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One thing I’d say is, learn spray the exam room ssential oils are derived from all you can before using with lavender between appointments to calm plant-based oils around pets. anxious clients. sources, leading people Sally Morgan, ~Gary Richter, integrative to equate natural with a physical therapist safe; but that’s not always veterinarian and founder of and advanced certithe case. Knowing how Ultimate Pet Nutrition fied practitioner of the and when to use oils is gentle animal bodywork therapy known vital, according to Gary Richter, DVM, an integrative veterinarian and medical director as Tellington TTouch, sees clients in her of Holistic Veterinary Care, in Oakland, Northampton, Massachusetts, office. “I California. A veterinarian trained in the use put a drop of a peace and calming blend of essential oils understands the properties or lavender on the carpet or a pillow,” she of each oil, along with its proper dilution and says. “It relaxes the animal and dissipates application, a subject not generally taught the smells of previous clients. I don’t use in traditional veterinary schools; holistic diffusers. The odor can be too strong for medicine requires additional training. their sensitive noses. There’s also a danger With proper use under professional it could spill and be licked up.” guidance, essential oils can be part of a Certified Professional Dog Trainer larger treatment plan, says Richter. Cats Knowledge Assessed Kim Paciotti, owner of are generally more sensitive to oils because Training Canines, LLC, based in Statesville, they don’t metabolize medicine as effiNorth Carolina, finds the scent ofngreen aph. tumciently as dogs, he notes. “As one professor ples relieves anxiety and soothes upset used to tell our veterinary class, ‘Cats are mies for dogs and puppies that suffer from not small dogs, so they can’t be treated as if motion sickness. “Cotton balls placed inside they are’—always good to remember.” a small container clipped to the outside of their crates deliver the smell,” she says. “They Soothing Effects don’t have direct contact, but still reap the Just as chamomile tea relaxes humans, anxbenefits, allowing the dogs to self-medicate ious dogs find its scent calming. Some vets by sniffing when they feel the need.”
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Helpful Resources Tinyurl.com/OilSafetyTips 24/7 Animal Poison Control Center: 855-764-7661 Kimberley Wallace, founder of kW Sustainable Brands, in San Diego, burns organic, sweet basil-scented candles for their antiviral, antibacterial properties. Her pugs love the smell. “Our rescue pug has mast cell tumors which compromise her immune system. I do my due diligence to buy all-natural products whenever I can.”
Proceed With Caution Pure essential oils are far too strong to use undiluted, Richter says. Age, physical condition and species are so varied that guessing which oil and how to use it can be dangerous to the pet. “Skin irritation like a hot spot or rash is a relatively minor problem that could benefit from the right essential oil. An open wound requires a veterinary visit,” he says. “Some oils aren’t recommended unless under veterinary guidance. Reactions can range from mere annoyance to toxicity.”
Wintergreen, melaleuca, pennyroyal, tea tree and pine oils cause the most reported problems for dogs, according to PetPoisonHelpline.com. Peppermint, cloves, cinnamon and oregano oil also can be quite strong and require educated use, says Richter. An uneven gait, vomiting, diarrhea, drooling and weakness can be symptoms of toxicity, requiring immediate veterinary care to prevent damage to the central nervous system or organ failure. In its fragrance and taste, plants have defense mechanisms to ward off destructive insects or to attract bees and butterflies. Those same properties can help people and animals. The plant’s natural compounds can ward off fungi, bacteria, parasites or inflammation. However, just reading a label isn’t enough to know which oils will work best for these problems. “The Animal Desk Reference II: Essential Oils for Animals, Second Edition, by Melissa Shelton, is a reader-friendly guide,” says Richter. “I touch on the subject in my book The Ultimate Pet Health Guide: Breakthrough Nutrition and Integrative Care for Dogs and Cats, but for deeper study, I recommend Shelton’s book.” “One thing I’d say is, learn all you can before using oils around pets,” Richter says. “There’s not a one-size-fits-all formula for dilution for safe use. There are too many variables with oils and animals.” Be more than a well-meaning pet lover—also be well-educated. Sandra Murphy is a freelance writer in St. Louis, MO. Connect at StLouisFreelanceWriter@mindspring.com.
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calendar of events
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2 Shamanic Sound Journey – 2:30-5:30pm. A Workshop on the Healing Properties of Sound. Join professional musician and sound shaman, Molly Knight Forde for an exploration of the miraculous healing qualities of sound and how it affects our transformation. In this workshop, Molly explains how sound healing works not only on our body but on our emotions, our brains and our etheric and astral bodies. $50. New Renaissance Bookshop, 1338 NW 23rd Ave, Portland. 503-224-4929, NRBEvents@Gmail.com, NewRenBooks.com. Sound Bath with Shalom Mayberg – 11am 12:30pm. Elk Rock Yoga, Milwaukie. For details see the News Brief on page 4. Also on March 2.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3 Imbolc Magick: Working with the Goddess Brigid – 5-7pm. The days are lighter and the first buds of spring are returning. Early February is a time of powerful Magick... as well as being the realm of the Celtic Goddess Brigid. But who is she? This class reveals the mysterious history and delicate mythology of the popular Celtic Goddess of home, motherhood, creation, warfare and healing and Her incarnation as a Christian saint. $25. New Renaissance Bookshop, 1338 NW 23rd Ave. Portland. 503-224-4929, NRBEvents@Gmail.com, NewRenBooks.com.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 Soulmates, Twin Flames & Self Love: A Night of Messages with 3 Intuitives – 6:30-8:30pm. Who’s Your Soulmate or Twin Flame? What’s Your Biggest Block to Love? We’ll offer readings of the audience. Ask us anything. We’ll share a precious answer with you. You’ll also hear and glean from what we share with others. HeatherMist.com: Akashic Records, Inner Magic Coaching. LaureliShimayo.com: Intuitive Eye Reader, Matchmaker, Body Psychology Coach. KirstinIntuitive.com: Powerful Intuitive. $12. New Renaissance Bookshop, 1338 NW 23rd Ave, Portland. Laureli Shimayo, 720.352.2434, Laureli@ThriveTypes.com, MetaphysicalEmpow-ermentEvents.com.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7 Max Meditation – 7-8:30pm. The Max Meditation System was developed for today’s busy, modern seeker and is based on a fusion of ancient Yogic techniques and Zen mind training mixed with modern psychological science and NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP). Max Meditation maximizes the effectiveness of the time you invest in medita-tion so you get more benefit with less effort. $15. New Renaissance Bookshop, 1338 NW 23rd Ave, Portland. Matthew Koren, 503-765-6542, Matt@ SpiritInTransition.com. SpiritInTransition.com/calendar.
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Portland/Vancouver Edition
Massage Training Preview – 10am-noon. Learn about Oregon School of Massage’s 640-hour training program in the massage profession at this free presentation. OSM is committed to providing holistic education that integrates the body, mind, heart and spirit. Spring Term begins April 1. Community Education classes are also offered each quarter. See website for details. RSVP. OSM Portland Campus, 9500 SW Barbur Blvd #100, Portland. Alisha, 503244-3420, AE@OregonSchoolOfMassage.com. OregonSchoolOfMassage.com. Yoga of the Heart with Elaine Cohn – 11am-1pm. Join Elaine Cohn, yoga instructor and board certified counselor, in this 2-hr workshop to explore how your yoga practice can help bring a more loving attitude to yourself, friends, family and others around you. We will practice breathing, mindfulness, yoga poses, loving-kindness and chakra opening meditations. All levels welcome, from beginner to advanced. $25 before Jan 26, $35 after. 10560 SE Main St, Milwaukie. Elk Rock Yoga & Wellness, 503-303-4078, ElkRockTeam@Gmail.com, ElkRockWellness.com. Empower Thyself – Feb 9-Feb 10, 11am-6pm. Two day class. Hermetic teachings work no matter what. You the practitioner become living proof of the magick passed down to thousands of practitioners before you, within a worldwide community that traces its roots back to the days of King Salomon and his Temple built for one purpose: to achieve the Divine Human. $1200. Incite Healing Center, 6940 N Michigan Ave. Matthew Koren, 503-765-6542, Matt@SpiritInTransition.com, SpiritInTransition. com/calendar. Metaphysical Empowerment & Wellness Fair – noon-8pm. Experience 50+ metaphysical, intuitive and psychic readers and energy healers share their gifts. Enjoy crystals, jewelry, essential oils, mediumship, psychic readings, Akashic records, eye readings, medical intuition, tarot, astrology, sound healing, reiki, acupuncture, magic, spiritual therapy, channeling, angels, reflexology, coaching, oracles cards and more. Free admission and samples. Stations for a fee. Unity of Portland, 4525 SE Stark St, Portland. Laureli Shimayo, 720.352.2434, Laureli@ ThriveTypes.com, MetaphysicalEmpowermentEvents.com.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12 Massage Basics Class – Tuesdays, Feb 12-Mar 5, 11am-1:30pm. In this popular 4-week class, you will learn basic massage techniques for the back, neck, shoulders, hands, feet and head. You will also learn about nurturing touch and about bodywork as a healthcare tool. This is a great class to take if you are interested in massage as a career. Instructors are experienced healthcare practitioners and licensed massage therapists with extensive additional training in a variety of bodywork styles. This workshop
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is open to beginners. $85. See website for details. OSM Portland Campus, 9500 SW Barbur Blvd, #100, Portland. Alisha 503-244-3420 in Portland. AE@OregonSchoolOfMassage.com, OregonSchoolofMassage.com.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14 Love Yourself with Human Design – 6:30-8:30pm. Join Human Design PDX to learn about 5 ways to love you this Valentine’s Day (or any day). Learning to accept yourself for who you are is the first step to self-love. We all offer the world something different; that’s what makes it so beautiful. Learning your Human Design can offer a new and amazing way to look at who you were born to be and why every single human is unique and lovable. $30. New Renaissance Bookshop, 1338 NW 23rd Ave. Portland. 503-224-4929, NRBEvents@Gmail.com, NewRenBooks.com.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16 Couples Massage Class – 10am-6pm. $150. Learn basic Swedish massage techniques in a one-day setting. At the end of this class, you will be able to give a full body massage. The class is fun, safe and packed full of massage practice. Partial disrobing is required. Participants should be in good physical health in order to give and receive massage. This makes a great gift for Valentine’s Day. $150 per couple. OSM Portland Campus, 9500 SW Barbur Blvd #100, Portland. Alisha, 503-244-3420, AE@ OregonSchoolOfMassage.com, OregonSchoolOfMassage.com. Light Journeys Metaphysical Healing and Psychic Faire – 2-8pm. Come at 2pm to meet the practitioners and vendors and experience the free gallery readings portion of the Faire. Then enjoy our various gifted energy healers, psychic readers and vendors at their individual stations for signup and fees. Plenty of free parking in the lot and on the street. Free. The Gem, 1110 NE Glisan St, Portland. Sharon Sananda Kumara, 503-701-7687. Facebook. com/healingfaire. Meetup.com/Light-JourneysHealing-and-Psychic-Fair. SharonSananda.com.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17 Yoga for Stress & Anxiety – 1:30-3:30pm. Join Maria Williquette, yoga teacher and psychotherapist, for this illuminating workshop on how stress and anxiety work in our bodies and even more importantly, how to manage and decrease the often overwhelming symptoms. Expect to move and breathe in a slow, thoughtful and deep practice designed for all levels of yoga practitioner, from brand new beginner to very advanced. $35. 10560 SE Main St, Milwaukie. Elk Rock Yoga & Wellness, 503-303-4078, ElkRockTeam@Gmail.com, ElkRockWellness.com.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23 Metaphysical Empowerment & Wellness Fair – noon-8pm. Experience 45+ metaphysical, intuitive and psychic readers and energy healers share their gifts. Enjoy crystals, jewelry, essential oils, mediumship, psychic readings, Akashic records, eye readings, medical intuition, tarot, astrology, sound healing, reiki, acupuncture, magic, spiritual therapy, channeling, angels, reflexology, coaching, oracles cards and more. Free admission and samples. Stations for a fee. Unity of the Valley, 3912 Dillard Rd, Eugene. Laureli Shimayo, 720.352.2434, Laureli@ ThriveTypes.com, MetaphysicalEmpowermentEvents.com.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Writing to Awaken Workshop with Mark Matousek – 7-8:30pm. Based on his popular 2017 book, Writing to Awaken: A Journey of Truth, Transformation, and Self-Discovery, this inspirational workshop uses expressive writing to explore the stories of your life and free yourself from limiting, negative and outdated narratives. Scientific studies show that as little as fifteen minutes of expressive writing a day can drastically improve physical and mental health, increase psychological empowerment and promote creative growth. $20. New Renaissance Bookshop, 1338 NW 23rd Ave. Portland. 503-224-4929, NRBEvents@Gmail.com, NewRenBooks.com.
for the beautiful sounds of Joshua Stoddard who will share calming sounds using voice, guitar and quartz crystal bowls. Joshua provides a space for healing through specific frequencies that are in harmony with the body at its natural state. $35. Elk Rock Yoga, 10560 SE Main St, Milwaukie. Elk Rock Yoga & Wellness, 503-303-4078, ElkRockWellness@Gmail.com, ElkRockWellness.com. Metaphysical Empowerment & Wellness Fair & Free Panel – Mar 30, Sat noon-8pm. Experience 25 readers, healers, vendors: crystals, jewelry, mediumship, astrology, tarot, medical intuition, sound/energy/shamanic healing, psychic readings, spirituality, bodywork, reflexology. Free admission, samples, parking, snacks. Panel at noon. Night of Messages 3/19. Fair also 9/14. Sacred Space Spiritual Center, 2111 Front St NE, Salem. Laureli Shimayo, 720-352-2434, Laureli@ ThriveTypes.com, MetaphysicalEmpowermentEvents.com.
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched—they must be felt with the heart. ~Helen Keller
plan ahead Wild Force Kids Yoga – Mar 1-Apr 5, 6 Fridays 4:15-5:15pm. Is your child a wild force to be reckoned with? In this Star Wars inspired yoga class, students will learn bully prevention skills and connect with the life force in themselves, others and objects in their environment. Light saber dueling will occur once the padawans have demonstrated self-control and sensitivity to the force. $20. Elk Rock Yoga, 10560 SE Main St, Milwaukie. Elk Rock Yoga & Wellness, 503-303-4078, WildHeartKidsYoga@Gmail.com. Feldenkrais for Health and Wellbeing – Mar 9, Sat 1:30-4pm. Join Alice in this afternoon workshop to explore The Feldenkrais Method as vehicle and support for mindful living. In the process, we’ll bring greater awareness and comfort to everyday activities such as sitting, standing, walking, and breathing. Any particular challenges you’d like to address or beneficial practices you’d like to enhance? Identify them when you register, and we’ll attend to them in the workshop! Email Alice@AliceBoyd.com for more information and/or to register. Luminance, 3430 NE 41st Ave, Portland. Alice Boyd, 503-7536437, Alice@AliceBoyd.com, AliceBoyd.com. Sound Bath with Joshua Stoddard – Mar 23, Sat 2:00pm. Gina will lead a gentle flow to slow the mind and connect to the body to prepare everyone
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ongoing events NOTE: All calendar events must be received by the 12th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Visit NAPortland.com/resources/calendar/ to submit online. No phone calls or faxes, please. Email Calendar@NAPortland.com for guidelines or assistance.
sundays
located. Sliding scale fee. 503-544-9248. DouglasBloch@gmail.com. tinyurl.com/lnjfuvk.
Second Sunday Mindfulness Meditations – 9-10am, second Sunday of the month. Mindfulness reduces stress and supports our capacity to respond to life with wisdom and kindness. These monthly drop-ins feature guided meditations and mindfulness talks. All levels welcome. $16 discounts with passes & memberships. Unfold Yoga, 2370 SE 37th Ave Portland. Ashley Dahl, MSW, CMT-P, Info@OpenSpaceMindfulness.com, OpenSpaceMindfulness.com.
The Movement Center Community Meditation Program – 7-8pm. Join us for chanting, satsang and guided meditation in our beautiful meditation hall. Community yoga ($5) before meditation, from 5:45-6:50pm. The Movement Center, 1021 NE 33rd Ave, Portland. 503-231-0383. Info@TheMovementCenter.com. TheMovementCenter.com.
“Loving Kindness” Meditation Group – 10am1pm. Fourth Sunday. With Paul M. Rakoczy, Reiki Master. Experience group meditation with meditators and beginners alike. There will be multiple sits with discussion in between. Bring a sit cushion; chairs available. 3939 NE Hancock, Ste 205, Portland. 503-997-8611. RSVP to PMR1354@hotmail. com. PaulRakoczyTherapist.com/groups.
Relax & Restore with Yoga Nidra – 5:45-6:45pm. Through supported and guided relaxation, we’ll gently release accumulated tension, activating our body’s innate capacity to self-heal and restore. All levels, all bodies welcome. $16 drop-in, discount with passes & memberships. Unfold Yoga, 2370 SE 37th Ave, Portland. Ashley Dahl, MSW, CMT-P, Info@OpenSpaceMindfulness.com, OpenSpaceMindfulness.com.
Yin Yoga – 7-8:15 pm. This all-levels, relaxed floor practice focuses on moving prana–life-force and breath–through areas of our bodies where we tend to hold chronic tension. Passive postures that target shoulders, back and hips are propped, supported and held for 45 seconds to 3 minutes. These longer held poses encourage fascial release, increased circulation and improved joint mobility. A strong emphasis on breath and pranayama practices aid in reducing anxiety and stress of daily life. DAYA Foundation, 5210 SW Corbett, Portland. 503-552-9642. Info@DayaFoundation.org. DayaFoundation.org. Kyklos International Folk Dancers – 7-9:45pm. Dance with us. We do a variety of dances from Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Israel and the United States, with a mix of couple, line and set dances. Newcomers are warmly welcomed. Please bring clean soft-soled shoes to protect the dance studio floor. Kyklos events are fragrance-free. Please do not wear chemicals or scented products. $2; free for Reed students. Reed College Sport Center, 2870 SE Botsford Dr, Portland. KyklosFolkDancers.org.
mondays Healing from Depression & Anxiety Support Group – 6:30-9pm. Experience the healing power of community. Learn practical tools and coping strategies that will create wellness and reduce your symptoms of depression and anxiety. Conveniently
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Portland/Vancouver Edition
tuesdays
Feldenkrais Awareness through Movement Class with Susan Marshall – 5:45-6:45pm. Bring greater ease into your daily movements: breathing, walking, turning, reaching, safer pelvic movement, freeing your back and more. $13 drop-in; other discounts may apply. The Movement Center Yoga Studio, 1021 NE 33rd Ave, Portland. 503-313-9813. Register at MCYoga.com/calendar. Susan.Marshall@ FeldenkraisPDX.com, FeldenkraisPDX.com. Healing from Depression & Anxiety Support Group – 6:30-9pm. See Monday listing for details.
wednesdays Senior Discount – Every first Wednesday of the month is Senior Morning at the Hollywood Grocery Outlet. During this time, anyone 55 or better will receive 10 percent off their total purchase (excludes alcohol). Hollywood Grocery Outlet, 4420 NE Hancock St, Portland. 503-282-5248. Curvy Yoga – 12:15-1:30pm. An empowering yoga class, where bigger-bodied students can practice (re)connecting to themselves! The laid-back atmosphere encourages you to ask questions, explore variations and learn about movement that fits YOUR body. We are owning our shape unapologetically and learning to listen to our bodies through move-
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ment, breath and a healthy dose of candidness— we are keeping it real. Appropriate for beginner and experienced yogis alike. DAYA Foundation, 5210 SW Corbett, Portland. 503-552-9642. Info@DayaFoundation.org. DayaFoundation.org. Feldenkrais Awareness through Movement Class – 4-5pm. Explore mindful movement to refine your awareness and reconnect with your body’s natural capacity for efficiency and ease. Experience The Feldenkrais Method and learn to effort less! $15 drop in; 3 classes for $39; 5 classes for $55. Luminance, 3430 NE 41st Ave, Portland. Alice Boyd, 503-753-6437, Alice@AliceBoyd. com, AliceBoyd.com. The Movement Center Community Meditation Program – 7-8pm. Join us for a short talk and guided meditation. Community yoga ($5) before meditation, from 5:45-6:45pm. The Movement Center, 1021 NE 33rd Ave, Portland. 503-231-0383. Info@TheMovementCenter.com. TheMovementCenter.com. Evening Reiki Share Group – 7-9:30pm. First Wednesday. With Paul M Rakoczy, Reiki Master. Share or exchange reiki energy with practitioners and beginners alike. No experience necessary to encounter the warm energy. Donations accepted. Please RSVP by email. Individual sessions and attunements by appointment. 3939 NE Hancock, Ste 205, Portland. 503-997-8611. PMR1354@hotmail. com. PaulRakoczyTherapist.com/groups.
thursdays Medical Qigong – 8:30 to 10:00 am. Create selfhealing in your body through gentle movement, breath and intention. Drop-ins welcome. $10. Awakenings, 1016 SE 12th, side ramp entrance. 503-961-2242. RoseCityQigong.com. Feldenkrais Awareness through Movement with Alice Boyd – 3:30-4:30pm. Explore mindful movement to refine your awareness and reconnect with your body’s natural capacity for efficiency and ease. $15 drop in, 3 classes for $36. Friendly House Community Center, 1737 NW 26th Ave. Alice@ AliceBoyd.com, AliceBoyd.com.
fridays Feldenkrais Awareness through Movement Class with Susan Marshall – 10:30-11:30am. Bring greater ease into your daily movements: breathing, walking, turning, reaching, safer pelvic movement, freeing your back and more. $13 drop-in; other discounts may apply. The Movement Center Yoga Studio, 1021 NE 33rd Ave, Portland. 503-313-9813. Register at MCYoga.com/calendar. Susan.Marshall@ FeldenkraisPDX.com, FeldenkraisPDX.com.
saturdays
Celestial Living Arts
Qigong – 9 to 10 am. LOVE yourself each week with this hour of self-care as we attend to the energetic bodies that we bring into the world each day. All are welcome. $10. Center for Natural Healing, 1330 SE 39th. 503-961-2242. RoseCityQigong.com. Intuitive Readings – 10-11am or 1-2pm. Developing your intuition. $35. 15800 SW Stratford Loop, Tigard. Sue, 503-267-8074, SueW5828@Yahoo. com, AmazingPsychicSue.com. Queer+ Yoga – 11:30am-12:45pm. Safe, accessible and inclusive, Queer+ Yoga is a luminous invitation to radical self acceptance and radiance. The practice of yoga allows us to move past that which limits our true range of expression. Grounded in mindfulness and focused on alignment, this all-levels flow is for all who identify as LGBTQIA+. Join us, in supportive community, as we journey onward to come into the light of our true selves. Donation $10-$15 per class. DAYA Foundation, 5210 SW Corbett, Portland. 503-552-9642. Info@DayaFoundation. org. DayaFoundation.org.
MARCH
Coming Next Month
Nutrition Upgrades plus: Managing Allergies
classifieds Fee for classifieds is $20 for up to 50 words. $1 per word for additional words. To place listing, email content to Calendar@NAPortland.com. Deadline is the 12th of the month.
ADVERTISING SALES Natural Awakenings magazine is looking for experienced advertising salespeople in the Portland and Vancouver areas to help others grow their business. Commission-based. Contact: Publisher@NAPortland.com.
Monthly Forecast
February 2019 © Liz Howell With all the planets moving in direct motion, the stars align for a high energy month punctuated by a display of dramatic events throughout. High octane, impulsive Mars in Aries continues its hard-headed drive, forcefully pushing up against the concentration of planets we still have in Capricorn which speak to the power and authority structures in our world. Particularly prickly dates include February 2 and 13 and we’d be wise to keep our reactivity in check. On February 18, wounded healer Chiron enters Aries (sign of aggression and passion) for the first time in 50 years. On the very same day, loving Venus aligns with stone-cold Saturn in Capricorn suggesting that a more cautious approach to what is before us would be both practical and prudent. The New Moon in Aquarius takes place February 4 and offers us the opportunity to think and circulate ideas about our fellowship of wo/mankind and the common good. The Full Moon in Virgo on February 19 asks us whether we are here to serve or suffer, and how we make the choice.
Mantras and musings for the month of February: Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18): He who lives in harmony with himself, lives in harmony with the universe. ~Marcus Aurelius Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20): People inspire you or they drain you. Pick them wisely. ~Hans F. Hanson Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19): There is peace in every storm. ~Vincent Van Gogh Taurus (Apr 20-May 20): I discovered I always have choices and sometimes it’s only a choice of attitude. ~Judith M. Knowlton
Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22): Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from an indomitable will. ~Ghandi Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22): Force has no place where there is need of skill. ~Herodotus Libra (Sep 23-Oct 22): The time of greatest gain in wisdom and inner strength is often the time of greatest difficulty. ~Dalai Lama Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21): When I argue with reality, I lose—but only 100% of the time. ~Byron Katie
Gemini (May 21-Jun 20): You cannot find peace by avoiding life. ~Michael Cunningham
Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21): Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to life forever! ~Gangaji
Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22): You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. ~Maya Angelou
Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19): Your body is your own planet earth. ~Carolyn Myss
Aquarius! Celebrate your birthday with 15% OFF astrology readings for you this month. CelestialLivingArts.com
Liz@CelestialLivingArts.com | CelestialLivingArts.com
February 2019
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JUDITH BOOTHBY, MS DC PC
community resource guide 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 Advertising@NAPortland.com to request our media kit.
ACUPUNCTURE
1620 SE Ankeny St, Portland, OR 97214 503-233-0943 ThirdWayChiropractic.com Dr Boothby utilizes a soft tissue technique to relieve structural tension on the nervous system and restore ground support to the body.
BODY SCREENING
ALL WAYS WELL ACUPUNCTURE & WELLNESS
RADIANT BODY THERMOGRAPHY 1314 NW Irving St, #705 Portland, OR 97209 503-775-1812 Info@RadiantBodyThermography.com
Rebecca MH Kitzerow, LAc Jonathan Irvin, LAc 503-548-4403 AllWaysWell.com
A medical thermography clinic providing 100% safe, non-invasive, painless breast and full body screening utilizing digital infrared thermal imaging. Reports written by thermologists, board-certified physicians.
Voted Favorite Natural Health Center 2017, Favorite Acupuncturist 2014 to 2017. Now in Portland and La Center. Facial Rejuvenation, Chinese Herbs. Book online!
NORTH PORTLAND WELLNESS CENTER Chiropractic, Acupuncture and Massage 4922 N Vancouver Ave, at Alberta St 503-493-9398 NorthPortlandWellness.com
We specialize in Injury Treatment, Auto Accident Recovery, Acute & Chronic Pain Relief and Family Health & Wellness. Our dedicated team provides effective medicine in a warm, comfortable environment.
BOOKS, GIFTS & EVENTS NEW RENAISSANCE
TALISMAN ACUPUNCTURE AND HERBS
Beth Ann Mills, LAc, Dipl OM 503-358-1963
Books, Gifts, and Events for Conscious Living 1338 NW 23rd Ave at Pettygrove, Portland 503-224-4929 NewRenBooks.com Oregon’s largest metaphysical book and gift store specializing in spiritual books from all traditions. Events to enlighten, educate and entertain. Full event listings at NewRenBooks.com
TalismanAcupunctureAndHerbs.com
AKASHIC RECORDS BODY-MIND-SPIRIT HEALING ARTS LLC Patty Oliver, Akashic Records Soul Realignment® Master 503-369-7810 BodyMindSpiritHealingArts.com
METAPHYSICAL EMPOWERMENT & WELLNESS EVENTS
MetaphysicalEmpowermentEvents.com Laureli Shimayo 720-352-2434 Metaphysical wellness fairs, intuitive events in Portland, Salem, Eugene, OR plus Seattle, WA. 2550+ vendors, free: panels, talks, snacks and great community. New vendors/practitioners welcome.
Release yourself from past-life karma with an in-depth reading and clearing of your Akashic Record. Conducted by phone, Skype or in-person.
CHIROPRACTIC Vitalistic Chiropractic, Naturopathic, and Rolfing 2205 N Lombard St, Ste 101 Portland, OR 97214 503-893-4407 InnerEssenceChiro.com
SARASVATI INSTITUTE OF AYURVEDIC YOGA THERAPY
Susan Bass, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500 503-208-2716 AyurvedicYogaTherapy.org 200, 300 & 1100-hour Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Certification Programs Portland’s first Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Certification Program. SIAYT is recognized by Yoga Alliance, IAYT, NAMA & APPNA.
Portland/Vancouver Edition
ECOMAIDS
503-908-0950 EcoMaids.com/Portland.com EcoMaids is Oregon’s premier green cleaning company serving homes and businesses. We are committed to creating safe and healthful spaces for your family, pets, and coworkers; while reducing harmful toxins in our ecosystem.
COACHING & CONSULTING SALSBURY & CO. April Salsbury 503-850-8411 SalsburyAndCo.com
Building strong foundations and growing your business. Business & healthcare private practice consulting.
INNER ESSENCE CHIROPRACTIC AND HEALING CENTER
AYURVEDA
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CLEANING
NAPortland.com
Vitalistic chiropractic bringing consciousness into healing your physical, emotional and spiritual bodies; Naturopathic medicine healing the root cause; Rolfing for balance and freedom of movement.
SELF RENEWAL Linda Lawson TeleCoach 720-301-3993 Heartlink-ed.com
OPENSPACE MINDFULNESS
Ashley Dahl, MSW, CMT-P Info@OpenSpace Mindfulness.com OpenSpaceMindfulness.com
COACHING & CONSULTING SPIRIT IN TRANSITION
Matthew Koren Matt@SpiritInTransition.com SpiritInTransition.com
BENAZ SHIDFAR
Mindfulness Life Coach 503-516-6546 Benaz.com
CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY RUBATO CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY
10403 SE 10th St, Vancouver 360-624-5151 JimIvories.net
DENTIST
AADVANCED DENTAL Healthy Life Dr Inna Shimanovsky, DMD
1508 St, Oregon City Your Comfort in Washington Mind 503-659-3003 AAdvancedDental.com
The Smile for your Healthy life. State-of-the-art dental care with your comfort in mind, while also caring about the world we live in.
essionals
m
AESTHETIC DENTISTRY OF LAKE OSWEGO
Dr. Inna Shimanovsky, DMD Larry Bowden, DMD
17720 Jean Way, Ste 200, Lake Oswego 503-620-7100
LakeOswegoCosmeticDentist.com
We are dedicated to providing our guests with comprehensive dental excellence in a friendly, relaxing atmosphere so that optimal health, beauty and comfort can be realized for individual needs. The finest quality will always be provided.
JAY HARRIS LEVY, DDS
Holistic Dental Care 511 SW 10th Ave, Ste 1102, Portland 503-222-2157 JayHarrisLevy@gmail.com JayHarrisLevy.com Holistic dentistry is about promoting oral health by customizing the finest quality dentistry to suit a patient’s needs in a safe, caring environment.
ENERGY HEALING EXPERT PAIN HEALING
Emotion/Body Code Practitioner Lori Arveson 971-800-1560 LoriArveson@gmail.com ExpertPainHealing.com Lori specializes in relieving chronic pain. Lori uses the Emotion / Body Code system to identify and release trapped emotional energies caused by physical and emotional trauma, entities, toxins, pathogens, inherited emotional energies, and other manifestations that create imbalance in our bodies, causing chronic pain and disease that manifests in daily life.
HANDS OF FREEDOM HEALING/ QUANTUM-TOUCH®
Judie Maron-Friend, Certified QT Level I, II & Self Created Health Instructor/ Practitioner 8725 NE Broadway St, Portland 503-753-1590 JudieMaronFriend@gmail.com VitalityLink.com/p/hofh When one learns QuantumTouch®, during class students typically relieve 50% - 100% of each other’s pain. Not only do bones align with a light touch, inflammation reduces and healing accelerates. Often students experience dramatic and profound emotional release. Contact Judie to learn more or sign up for a class today and discover your power to heal.
MARCONICS 5D ENERGY & HEALING THERAPY Ron Rathburn M.Sc., CMP 360-823-7071 NWSpiritualCollective.com
Energy healing modality that integrates high wave frequencies to balance and clear the chakras; recalibrate the body’s energetic field and integrate the higher aspects of soul identity.
TEMPLE MEDICINE HEALING Amy Kimmick, BSN RN 1716 NE 42nd Ave, Portland TempleMedicineHealing.com
My work brings you back to you, by way of energy healing, mediumship, and knowledge of the body to release ancestral patterns and emotions.
FELDENKRAIS FELDENKRAIS® CENTER OF PORTLAND
Susan Marshall, GCFP Laurelhurst Healing Arts Building 3059 NE Glisan St, Portland 503-313-9813 FeldenkraisPDX.com Improve neck, back, hip pain and more. Best selling author Norman Doidge, MD in The Brain’s Way of Healing, calls the Feldenkrais Method “applied neuroplasticity”—using your brain and nervous system for healing. Susan received a “Nattie” Award in the category Favorite Massage Therapist/Body Worker 2016, 2017 and 2018.”
ALICE BOYD FELDENKRAIS Alice Boyd, GCFP Feldenkrais Lessons in NW & NE Portland AliceBoyd.com Alice@AliceBoyd.com 503-753-6437
HEALTH INTUITIVE MEDIUM BE-JOY!
Readings By Phone or In-Person 1316 NW 23rd Ave, Portland 503-805-7403 Be-Joy.com
HOLISTIC WELLNESS COHESIVE THERAPY HEALING & REJUVENATION CENTER
2400 Broadway St, Vancouver WA CohesiveThearpy.org
Offering programs for motor vehicle, workman comp, weight loss detox programs, mind body spirit healing and rejuvenation. Accepting Blue Cross Blue Shield for Acupuncture and massage.
HEALTH MATTERS
Constance Coquillette, MSW 971-404-5174 Lisa Fishman, MA 425-736-4784 HEALTH MATTERS NORTHWEST LLC HealthMattersNW.com
Specializing in preventing/reversing Specializing in preventing/reversdisease & controlling weight food ing disease andwith controlling weight Constance MSW with food.Coquillette, 971.404.5174
Lisa Fishman, MA 425.736.4784
www.healthmattersnw.com
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HOLISTIC WELLNESS
MASSAGE
SPIRITPATH TRANSFORMATIONAL SHAMANIC HEALING Liz Randol 505-204-0452 LizDragon2002@gmail.com Spiritpath-Healing.com
OREGON SCHOOL OF MASSAGE Training LMT’s for over 25 years 9500 SW Barbur Blvd, Portland 503-244-3420 OregonSchoolOfMassage.com
We offer massage and bodywork courses for aspiring massage therapists, licensed professionals and the general public.
Release the past, embrace the present and find your role in the Great Changes that are upon us. Tap the wisdom of the Higher Self/Divine Feminine/Great Spirit quickly with unique healing that taps into the Akashic records, past lives and trauma from this lifetime. Break through to the sacred truth in each being. Call for Free Consultation.
MATCHMAKING INTUITIVE EYE READINGS WITH THRIVETYPES®
SUPERIOR SPORTS NUTRITION & WEIGHT LOSS
Laureli Shimayo 720-352-2434 ThriveTypes.com
Ellen Gyberg, Holistic Nutrition Expert 360-601-0137 Superior-Nutriton.net
Life, leadership and love coaching. Conscious online dating, matchmaking, hiring consulting, career path coaching, resume writing. By video and MetaphysicalEmpowermentEvents.com. LearnToReadEyes.com
HYPNOTHERAPY LOVING KINDNESS HYPNOSIS
Laney Coulter, BCH, CPHI, NLP, M.Ed BWRT Level 2 Practitioner 503-289-3614 LovingKindnessHypnosis.com Clear emotional pain and create powerful inner resources. Stop smoking, eliminate excess weight, remove phobias, learn strategies to control anger, stress and much more. Empower yourself with hypnosis! Be the person your dog thinks you are!
MINISTER/CELEBRANT NW SPIRITUAL COLLECTIVE Marie Marks BA, STT, IWA 360-609-6498 NWSpirtualCollective.com
Celebrant/Minister: weddings, rite of passage, blessings, prayers, meditations, cultural and custom design ceremonies. Transformational Advocate: spiritual guidance & mentoring.
LANDSCAPING BLOSSOM
1829 NE Alberta St, Ste 8 Portland, OR 97211 503-837-3557 Info@BlossomPdx.com BlossomPdx.com
ORGANIC SALONS REV!VE ORGANIC SALON
At Blossom, it is our goal to meet your landscape and construction needs while providing ecological and sustainable solutions for the environment.
4460 SW Garden Home Rd, Portland 503-360-1324 ReviveOrganicSalonPDX.com Revive is an organic and ammonia-free salon promoting beauty, wellness and green living by being free of chemicals, damaging toxins, and harmful carcinogens.
MASSAGE MIKI MORROW, LMT
Yaimayu Massage 201 SE 124th Ave, Ste 202 Vancouver, WA 98684 360-608-0135 MikiWaMassage.com Facebook.com/Yaimayu Lic. MA00025265
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Portland/Vancouver Edition
PERSONAL TRAINER MICHAEL HAYNES
NASM Certified Personal Trainer, NASM Sr. Fitness, Nutrition & Weight Loss Specialist 312-519-9270 Train_With_Mike@yahoo.com Providing personalized, science based, efficient, biomechanically sound workouts designed to meet your immediate goals and focus on long-term health & wellness. Pearl location. No gym membership needed. Also mobile - I’ll come to you!
PETS MEAT & BONES CALIFORNIA, INC.
220 NW 8th Ave Portland, OR 97209 Hello@MeatAndBones.com MeatAndBones.com
Holistic raw food for happy & healthy dogs. We formulated our unique balanced blend that your dog will love eating and you will love feeding.
QIGONG ROSE CITY QIGONG Rose Allen Portland, OR 503-961-2242 RoseCityQigong.com
Qigong practice delivers proven health benefits. People are discovering that these simple movements coordinated with breath and focused awareness are easily learned. Enliven your energetic life force by joining this health movement. Rose is a Certified Instructor with 12 years of dedicated practice. Now is a great time for self-healing.
READERS TAROT READINGS Dynamic, Insightful, Empowering
Crystal Chakra Healings Resolve Major Life Issues Now Gina Crystal 360-984-6837 RadiantCrystal@att.net GinaCrystal.com
REIKI Inspiration is hard to come by. You have to take it where you find it. ~Bob Dylan
NAPortland.com
VICKI MCARDLE
Usui/Holy Fire Reiki Master Portland, OR 503-939-4357 VickiMcArdle.com
RETREAT CENTER ANANDA CENTER AT LAURELWOOD Retreat, Conference and Event Center 38950 SW Laurelwood Rd Gaston, OR 97119 503-746-6229 AnandaLaurelwood.org
A beautiful place to host your next meeting, event, retreat or conference and only 45 minutes west of Portland. We have bright spaces for groups of all sizes; lovely guest rooms, most with views of the lush valley; delicious vegetarian meals served daily; yoga and meditation.
SOUND HEALING SOUND HEALING PRACTITIONER Mikaela Jones 3736 SW 10th Ave Portland, OR 97239 503-705-1609 HealingSoundBaths.com
Trained in sound healing and hypnotherapy, Mikaela utilizes various sound healing instruments and her voice for stress release, Higher Self communication, goal manifestation, restoring harmony to body, mind, and Spirit.
THERAPY/COUNSELING EMOTIONAL PEACEMAKING
Hypnotherapy/Energy Psychology Val Jolley C.Ht, P.NLP, EFTP, QTP ValJolley.com
PAUL M RAKOCZY, LCSW
Humanistic Psychotherapy/ Reiki 3939 NE Hancock, Ste 205 503-997-8611 Pmr1354@hotmail.com PaulRakoczyTherapist.com SJL PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES Stuart J. Levit, Ed.S, M.Ed.
4531 SE Belmont St, Portland 503-983-7949 Info@StuartJLevit.com StuartLevit.com Have a particular life obstacle that you are trying to understand and resolve? Somatic and Mindfulness based counseling in a private comfortable space. Evening & weekend hours available.
VETERNARIAN TWO RIVERS VETERINARY CLINIC 3808 N Williams Ave Suite 129, Portland Phone: 503-280-2000 Info@TwoRiversVet.com
YOGA DAYA FOUNDATION
Sarahjoy Marsh, Yoga Teacher + Therapist 5210 SW Corbett Ave, Portland SarahjoyYoga.com DayaFoundation.org Public yoga classes, private lessons, yoga therapy, and Hunger, Hope + Healing Series for women with food and body image issues.
GOOD BEGINNINGS YOGA
GoodBeginningsYoga@yahoo.com GoodBeginningsYoga.com Prenatal + Mom & Baby yoga with Sound healing. Classes in North Portland.
SARASVATI INSTITUTE OF AYURVEDIC YOGA THERAPY
Susan Bass, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500 503-208-2716 AyurvedicYogaTherapy.org 200, 300 & 1100-hour Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Certification Programs Portland’s first Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Certification Program. SIAYT is recognized by Yoga Alliance, IAYT, NAMA & APPNA.
THE MOVEMENT CENTER YOGA STUDIO 1021 NE 33rd Ave, Portland 503-231-0383 TheMovementCenter.com
Stop worrying about what you have to lose and start focusing on what you have to gain. ~Unknown
Hatha yoga for all levels, workshops & specialty classes, private & healing yoga sessions, at a beautiful meditation and retreat center in the heart of the city.
February 2019
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