E R F
E
HEALTHY
LIVING
HEALTHY
PLANET
Celebrate
Earth Day CLIMATE CHANGE
What a Warming Planet Means
KIDS IN NATURE The Sensory Joys of the Outdoors
Feathered Friends Birds as Pets
April 2021 | Pittsburgh, PA Edition | naturalawakeningsswpa.com April 2021
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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET
PITTSBURGH, PA EDITION Publisher Michelle Dalnoky Editor Martin Miron Calendar Editor Sara Peterson Ad Designer Zina Cochran Design & Production C. Michele Rose Sales & Marketing Michelle Dalnoky Lisa Doyle
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letter from publisher
Love our Earth! This month we celebrate Earth Day! I’m sure everyone knows that I am a lover of nature and so grateful to live in the country on just over six acres of partially forested land. I so love this time of year, and as I sit in my office in front of the open window I am chomping at the bit to get outside. It’s like torture! Last year, I decided to use my two electric pressure cookers to boil maple water to make syrup and it goes incredibly fast. We probably have 100 maple trees, but we only tap three. (I live with my sister). We get a couple of quarts, which is enough to give some away as gifts and have for our own use for the year. We are not fond of pancakes, but use it in other ways, like over my homemade yogurt or even on some vanilla ice cream, in coffee every now and then and even just by the spoonful as a special treat. It’s so good. We are not over the top when it comes to caring for the Earth, but do many things to respect our planet and care for it. I worry that people don’t realize how important it is and how easy it can be. There are so many little choices that we can all make every day. As we
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become more educated about nutrition and food and how important it is for our health, let’s try to be advocates for our soil, our water, our pollinators, our air, our food, our animals and our people. Here are some things that I do. I garden organically. I amend my soil. I compost my vegetable waste. I have turned some lawn into wildflower meadow. I grow milkweed and other flowers for monarch butterflies and bees. I recycle some of my garbage. I use glass instead of plastic. I have reusable straws. I take bags with me to the grocery store or recycle the ones that I am given. I plant trees and am building a food forest. I use non-GMO seeds and food. I catch rainwater and use for my garden. I only buy humanely raised meats, and sometimes go for months without eating meat (a whole food, plant-based diet is a challenge, but worth it and can be super-yummy).
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tainably when appropriate. I use natural cleaners and sanitizers. I avoid chemical soaps and shampoos that pollute our bodies and waterways. I support people and legislation that supports our planet. I wear mostly cotton and bamboo. I have bamboo floors. I have certified my property as a wildlife habitat and provide areas where animals can shelter. I make homemade suet for the wild birds in times of stress or extreme cold. There are so many little things we can all do. You can, too. It matters. What can you do for Earth Day?
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I use natural insecticides, mostly cedar essential oil. I forage wild food and do so sus-
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Natural Awakenings is a family of 55-plus healthy living magazines celebrating 26 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.
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Contents 8 GROUNDED
Improving Pittsburgh Lot by Lot
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9 HEALTHY HOME
How to Detoxify a Living Space
10 SPRING CLEANING THE BODY
Simple Ways to Detox Naturally
12 ECO-ATHLETES Working Out with the Planet in Mind
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14 BREATHE EASY
Natural Remedies for Allergy Woes
16 CLIMATE CHANGE AND OUR HEALTH
The Human Costs of a Warming Planet
20 SHERYL DEVORE on Appreciating Nature and Wildlife
ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 724-271-8877 or email Publisher@NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@ NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com. Deadline: 10th of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: Publisher@NaturalAwakenings SWPA.com or visit NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com. Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-434-9392. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.
22 NATURE TO THE RESCUE
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Kids Come Alive Outdoors
24 FEATHERED FRIENDS
The Pros and Cons of Keeping Birds as Pets
DEPARTMENTS 4 news briefs 6 health briefs 8 community 9 10 12 14
spotlight green living conscious eating fit body healing ways
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wise words healthy kids natural pet calendar resource guide classifieds
April 2021
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Let the Sun Shine In
news briefs
New Day Dawning After Soul’s Dark Night
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eza Vivio, founder of Sacred Centered You, says, “In March, we passed a one-year marker for our decision to shelter in place. Each of us can remember how we felt as the schools closed, followed by the businesses. As these shutdowns took effect, we were part of a world collectively traumatized. Dr. Robert Scaer defines trauma as, “a combination of threat to the system and a relative condition of helplessness.” People often think of trauma and measure it by the event that occurred. This is neither an accurate nor fair assessment, because not all individuals will respond with feelings of helplessness to the same events. This “dark night of the soul” is a necessary function of our own spiritual development, because we now see what no longer serves us and can move toward letting it go, resulting in a transformed state of consciousness. We have asked for this change, now we must live up to its challenge. For more information and events, visit SacredCenteredYou.com. See ad page 25.
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ommunity groups in Etna, Millvale and Sharpsburg are easing the transition to renewable energy by launching solar energy purchasing cooperatives. With the guidance of national nonprofit Solar United Neighbors (SUN), the Triboro Solar Co-op is recruiting local homeowners and businesses to participate. Membership is free, and participants can purchase their own solar installations at a low group rate. As the co-ops gain more members, they increase leverage for even lower prices with potential suppliers. Henry McKay, SUN Pennsylvania program director, explains that the co-op helps people through the process of selecting an installer, signing a contract and getting the installation done. Contrary to popular belief, there is more than enough sun to make it work. Plus, a statewide policy of net metering allows solar owners to sell excess energy to an electric utility during sunny periods. In exchange, they receive credits that they can use to buy energy from the utility when there’s not enough sunshine. SUN has supported more than a dozen co-ops in western Pennsylvania, including two in Allegheny County. For more information, visit SustainablePittsburgh.org.
kudos Denele Hughson has been named the new executive director of Grow Pittsburgh. The Homewood native holds degrees from University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, Formerly the nonprofit’s director of farm education, she has been with the organization for more than five years. An exciting new phase of growth is already in progress with new greenhouse construction and site redevelopment underway at Garden Dreams. “It has been such an honor and privilege to work at Grow Pittsburgh over the last five years with an amazing staff and community partners,” says Hughson. “I am looking forward to stepping into this leadership role and continuing Grow Pittsburgh’s work to ensure everyone benefits from urban agriculture and has access to fresh produce.” For more information, call 412-362-4769 or visit GrowPittsburgh.org.
News to share?
Email details to: Publisher@NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com Submittal deadline is the 10th of the month.
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Hypertension is a global disease that particularly affects people in low-income communities, but a new study by the UK University of Nottingham suggests that beetroot juice may be a practical solution for people with high blood pressure that have little access to diagnostic help or money for medication. Researchers divided 47 people between 50 and 70 years of age in Tanzania into three groups. For 60 days, one group drank nitrate-rich beetroot juice and folic acid; another was given nitrate-rich beetroot juice and a placebo; and the third drank nitrate-depleted beetroot juice. The researchers found that systolic blood pressure dropped by 10.8 millimeters (mm) Hg (mercury) in the nitrate-rich plus folic acid group and 6.1 mm Hg in the nitrate-rich and placebo group. Studies have shown that the high level of nitrates in beets is converted by the digestive system into nitric oxide, which relaxes and widens blood vessels.
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Iranian researchers tested 90 patients undergoing elective heart angioplasty, giving one group 500 milligrams (mg) curcumin, the second group 80 mg nano-curcumin, and the third a placebo. After eight weeks, both types of curcumin significantly improved cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-C levels. They also boosted antioxidant levels, superoxide dismutase and glutathione, and reduced C-reactive protein levels, indicating less inflammation. The nano-curcumin, however, produced even better results in five of those indexes, leading the authors to conclude that the effects of curcumin on the nano formula may be more conducive for cardiac patients due to its high bioavailability. Nano-curcumin is made through a process that encapsulates the herb, allowing it to be metabolized better.
tKomporAdobestock.com
Drink Beet Juice to Lower Blood Pressure
Consider Curcumin and Nano-Curcumin for Heart Health
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health briefs
April 2021
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n Public accountability for institutions that contribute to land loss and disenfranchisement in marginalized communities n Vacant land serving as a training ground for youth, those facing barriers to employment, and those actively interested in stewarding transition land n Celebration and compensation of caregivers of vacant land
community spotlight
Homewood
Grounded Improving Pittsburgh Lot by Lot by Martin Miron
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here are tens of thousands of vacant lots across the city of Pittsburgh. The Grounded Strategies team is comprised of staff, board members, ambassadors and partners working to improve the social, economic and environmental health of distressed and transitional communities by building capacity to reclaim vacant and underutilized land. A vacant lot is a place that is important to someone and worthy of investment. Grounded believes investing in vacant lots and the people that maintain them improves neighborhood health and community resiliency. Most people don’t realize that a vacant lot isn’t actually vacant. Each one is filled with memories, stories, hope and intentions of the community that has continued to maintain and care for it. Volunteers have activated vacant lots to create access to fresh food, provide small business opportunities, reflect the beauty of the neighborhood, build community, heal and inspire. One result of Pittsburgh’s population decline is vacant land that represents a complex environmental challenge which disproportionately burdens low-income communities and communities of color. Restoring vacant land for productive use improves community health while creating economic and environmental benefits. Grounded is calling for the restorative transformation of vacant land alongside community members and partners across Allegheny County. This their vision for vacant land justice: n Intentional care of vacant lots n Empowering communities with the agency to protect and preserve critical green space on vacant land n Land serving the environmental, cultural, health, and restorative justice needs of communities n Affordable land for those systematically and historically denied ownership n Land reparations and the restorative transformation of vacant land in marginalized communities 8
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They believe change starts with one person, one idea and one’s ability to see it through, and that the work is more meaningful when it is done in a spirit of partnership and collaboration. A lot of small efforts collectively lead to big change, but the first step is taking ownership of an issue in order to find solutions. The process of improving places is an economic driver and nothing is wasted unless we allow it. Community development is tough, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Charmaine McDonald, of Community Care Homewood, says, “I remember how the lots were before they were empty. There were buildings and stores and different things. When the homes and the stores disappeared, they became empty lots. I didn’t see the beauty anymore because the empty lots became filled with trash. Instead of complaining about how it looked, I took it upon myself to make it better, which meant cleaning the lots. “And I hoped through the years of me cleaning up these lots that the community would see that there are people left who still care about the lots and the neighbors around them. I clean to let people know when they walk past that someone cares about them and what they see and how it makes them feel. I want them to take pride in their community. I’ve been doing it for well over 20 years and I’m not tired yet. Whether it be my block or five blocks up or another community. I get satisfaction and joy because I know someone’s going to have to walk past that lot and they won’t have to walk past the trash.” Grounded is located at 6587 Hamilton Ave., in Pittsburgh. For more information, call 412-361-2099, email Info@Groundedpgh. org or visit Groundedpgh.org.
green living
Healthy Home
How to Detoxify a Living Space
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by Yvette Hammett
s the world moves into its second year of a viral pandemic, many of us are still spending most of our time at home—working, exercising, hanging out with family and as with any other year, cooking and cleaning. There’s no better time to take stock of these surroundings and purge them of any toxins—gases, inhalants or fumes— that may be contributing to a harmful environment. Start with the air. Research shows that indoor air is two to five times more toxic than the air outside, due to inadequate ventilation. This condition, coupled with fumes from synthetic fibers, makeup, paints, cleansers or even a baby’s plastic toys, can contribute to health issues and a less environmentally beneficial abode. A straightforward solution—in addition to getting rid of the pollution-causing objects—is to open the windows and use fans to recirculate the air. A high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter can safely remove many contaminants, but don’t spritz a commercial air freshener: A University of Washington study found that eight widely used air fresheners released an average of 18 chemicals into the air, some of them hazardous, including the likely human carcinogen acetaldehyde.
Purge plastics. Perfluorinated compounds PFAS and PFOS, known as “forever chemicals”, are found in nonstick cookware, waterrepellent clothing, stain-resistant fabrics and carpets, some cosmetics, and products that resist grease, water and oil. They have been found to cause a wide range of health problems from kidney and testicular cancers to endocrine disruptions. Consider doing a clean sweep of the house to determine which of these can be replaced, paying special attention to plastics. “If you really limit plastics to a few things, you are fine,” says Heather Patisaul, Ph.D., a neuroscience and toxicology expert at North Carolina State University. Reconsider kitchenware. Eliminate all nonstick cookware, Patisaul advises. “Use ceramic and other materials that do not have perfluorinated chemicals.” Debbie Steinbock, a nutrition counselor at Mindful Family Medical, in Boulder, Colorado, suggests replacing plastic storage containers, which can leach chemicals when heated. “Use a cast iron skillet and use glass jars and mason jars for food storage.” Chuck out toxic cleaners. Many commercial kitchen, bathroom and other cleaning products are loaded with chemicals linked to asthma, cancer, reproductive disorders, hormone disruption and neu-
rotoxicity. They can be particularly toxic for children: A recent Canadian study found that repeated use of a disinfectant reduced beneficial gut bacteria in toddlers, probably contributing to obesity. A good place to start in cleaning out the cleaners is at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) website ewg.org; its Healthy Living Home Guide evaluates the health risks of 2,500 cleaning products. It also advises a simple strategy of using vinegar and water or baking soda. Get the lead out. Andrew Rooney, deputy director at the National Toxicology Program of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, sees lead, which causes brain damage and other serious defects, as a major risk present in water supplies and the paint of older homes. “The thing I want to emphasize is there is no safe level of lead exposure, so eliminating exposure sources is the best protection for your health,” he says. Drinking water contamination comes from the distribution lines and plumbing fixtures, with lead leaching out from repairs or adjustments. “Having your household water tested by a certified lab is the best option to determine if you have water issues,” he says. Consult state and local health agencies for guidance on lead paint or lead in the water lines and how to remove it. Also consider a water filter: ConsumerReports.com has a comprehensive rating of models from pitchers to under-sink setups. Take it a step further. The new EWG downloadable Healthy Living app makes it easy to use a smartphone to check out 120,000 products for toxic ingredients, including cosmetics and foods. “It has a barcode scanner to scan your favorite lipstick or shampoo, and it will pop up an ingredient list and give it a score,” says Patisaul. The database includes ingredients not found on packaging and scores products on a zero to 10 scale. “It pretty much has to be water to get a zero,” she says. Yvette Hammett is an environmental writer based in Valrico, Florida. She can be contacted at YvetteHammettHull49@gmail.com. April 2021
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conscious eating
Spring Cleaning the Body Simple Ways to Detox Naturally by April Thompson
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s we shake off the sluggishness of winter, many of us feel an urge to “spring clean” our bodies with a detox or cleanse. Yet health experts say such programs should help jumpstart new healthy habits and not necessarily be seen as a short-term fix. “The air we breathe, the water we drink, the cosmetics we use, the materials we build with and most notably, the food that we eat, are loaded with chemicals that are toxic to our metabolism,” says Alejandro Junger, a Los Angeles cardiologist, author and founder of CleanProgram.com. “The systems in the body designed to clear toxicity are overwhelmed, and this leads to the imbalances and damage that is at the root of most diseases today.” Detoxification functions are performed by many different organs and tissues, including intestinal flora, the immune system, the nervous system and the liver, so its imbalances can manifest in diverse ways, according to Junger. “Symptoms of detox imbalance include sleep and mood disorders, anxiety, rashes, lack of energy and libido, autoimmune disorders, inflammation and cancer.” While some health professionals say that detoxes are unnecessary because the body is capable of cleansing itself, others make a compelling case for the need to help it along, given our heightened exposure to manmade toxic elements. Information of varying repute swirls around the internet, offering approaches ranging from juice cleanses to total fasts.
Simple dietary strategies can help sweep out toxins, explains Robin Foroutan, an integrative dietitian and nutritionist in New York City. She points to cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, collards and kale, which promote cytochromes P450, a family of enzymes critical in helping toxins clear the body. She also recommends foods high in fiber that can bind to toxins and bile, and transport them out of the body through the stool. Berries, green tea and turmeric are also helpful for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; even water facilitates the excretion process, supports the lymphatic system and replenishes fluids lost through sweat. Using a water filter and eating organic foods when possible also reduces incoming toxins, she says. Healthy smoothies are a great way to get water, fiber and easily digestible nutrients into our body at the same time, according 10
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knappe/GettyImages
Everyday Toxin Cleaners
Fasting (occasionally for a prolonged period, such as three days without food) and intermittent fasting (abstaining from food for a shorter period, such as 16 hours per day on a regular basis) are great tools for deeper detoxification, says Junger. “Digestion takes energy and resources from the detox functions, so eating less, eating less often and allowing time for digestion to stop so that detox can intensify is crucial.” For a comprehensive detox, experts recommend working with a health practitioner to assess toxic burdens and develop a personalized plan. Russell Jaffe, a physician in Ashburn, Virginia, crafts a detox program based on four self-assessments, including digestive transit time, urine pH, hydration levels and vitamin C levels. Jaffe claims our bodies are burdened by excess acid, rendering them less resilient to stress and resulting in fatigue, illness and infection risks. “When we enjoy a diet rich in greens, fruits, vegetables, minerals and antioxidants, our cells become more alkaline and more resistant to everyday stress,” he states. Experts emphasize that a short-term program must be part of a longer-lasting lifestyle and diet shift. “It is not enough to do periodic detoxes if you go back to old habits. I offer these programs as a jumpstart in hopes that participants feel so much better that they never want to go back to what they were doing and eating before,” says Junger. Connect with Washington, D.C., freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com.
Sweet Mango Smoothie Sweet fruit paired with spinach for an extra dose of fiber, vitamins and super-green-detoxifying antioxidants won’t change the taste of this beloved fruit smoothie. 1 cup fresh or frozen mango 1 to 3 cups spinach ¼ cup packed mint ½ cup coconut water ½ cup coconut milk 1 Tbsp chia seeds 1 serving dairy-free protein powder Handful of ice
photo by kaitlyn noble
Deep Detox
Detox Delights
Skin and chop mango. Wash spinach. Remove mint leaves from their stems and rinse them with water. Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until smooth (30-60 seconds). Pour and serve immediately. Sprinkle chia seeds on top if desired. Recipe by Kaitlyn Noble of the Clean Program.
Vegetable Yum Soup Soups help provide the body with nutrient- and fiber-rich vegetables in an easy-to-digest format, while soup broths help supply water for detoxification and a sense of satiety. YIELD: 4 TO 6 SERVINGS 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 garlic clove, minced 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated 1 stalk lemongrass, minced ½ tsp crushed red pepper ¾ cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced 2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped 5 to 6 cups vegetable stock 1 (14-oz) can coconut milk 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce 3 Tbsp cilantro or parsley, chopped Heat the oil in a large pot and sauté garlic, ginger, lemongrass and crushed red pepper. Stir in the mushrooms, sweet potatoes and bell pepper, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the stock, bring to boil and then reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the coconut milk and soy sauce, and stir. Serve sprinkled with cilantro or parsley (optional). photo by kaitlyn noble
to Junger. “When using a good, clean, protein powder in addition to fruits and leafy greens, healthy fats such as nuts, and coconut or cashew milk, a smoothie can provide us the nutrients needed to support our energy for hours,” he says. Adding herbs like mint or holy basil (tulsi) and spices like turmeric and cinnamon elevate both flavor and healing. Liquids such as celery juice provide highly concentrated nutrients and hydration, but lack the fiber of a blended drink. Both juices and smoothies give overtaxed digestive systems a needed break.
Source: Russell Jaffe, The Joy in Living: The Alkaline Way. April 2021
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fit body insta_photos/AdobeStock.com
Eco-Athletes
Working Out with the Planet in Mind by Marlaina Donato
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rom human-powered gyms that generate electricity to Earth-friendly activewear, professional and recreational athletes alike are increasingly working out with the planet in mind. Taking a recycled yoga mat to class, nixing the plastic water bottle and going “plogging”—picking up litter while out for a run—are just a few examples of eco-fitness in motion. “We believe that movement and nature go hand-in-hand, yet the world of sports isn’t as green as it should be, with plastic bottles at events, junk food in canteens and monotonous movement in the gym,” says Saraï Pannekoek, co-founder of the Sustainable Athlete Foundation, which strives to create a sustainable sports environment through coaching, workshops and campaigns.
sonally gratifying, it also makes you keenly aware of just how far the world is from taking action sufficient to keep climate change in check. We all need to do more,” says Bruce Rayner, founder and chief green officer at Athletes for a Fit Planet, in Portland, Maine, who was enlightened to the problems firsthand at a half-ironman distance race. “When I got to the finish line, I was given my obligatory plastic water bottle. I looked around for a recycling bin, and all I saw was an overflowing trash bin.” Founded in 2008, Rayner’s organization partners with pro-environment races like the TD Beach to Beacon 10K, in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, recently named the most sustainable 10-miles-or-less race in the country.
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Fueling Up, Protecting Natural Resources
Working Out Green Links between personal fitness and environmental toxicity are critical. Sixty percent of clothing is manufactured with fossil fuel-derived plastics, and activewear rates highest for eco-toxic fibers. Choosing workout clothes made from sustainable bamboo and cotton can soften the impact. With name brands like Adidas offering sustainable footwear, staying fit doesn’t need to increase the toll on the environment. Pannekoek, who hosts the Sustainable Athlete Podcast with co-founder Paul Venner in Amsterdam, emphasizes personal responsibility. “We believe that there isn’t a quick fix. It’s all about habits and conscious behavior, while still being able to peak perform.” Supplementing the usual gym routine with self-powered workouts and outdoor activities like gardening, sustainable charity races and hiking are sound choices that can help to buffer climate change. “Being eco-centric enriches life and enhances health, but while it’s per12
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A pillar of the eco-fitness movement is eating clean and going plant-based for the health of people and planet. “Diet is a big part of being eco-fit. The best action you can take is to support local farms, specifically organic farms,” emphasizes Rayner. To minimize global greenhouse gas emissions and water usage, eating more nutrition-packed produce, whole grains, legumes and nuts instead of animal products supports sustainability. For Adam Layzell, sports therapist, nutritionist and author of How to Train Your Vegan: The Comprehensive Guide to Plant-Based Fitness, going vegan is a win-win situation. “A vegan diet encourages fat loss, improves endurance and recovery and has plenty of all the necessary components such as protein to build strength and muscle.” Layzell underscores that the vegan diet preserves animals and their ecosystems, prevents deforestation and destruction of wild land and lowers the impact on climate change and global warming.
Athlete Engagement For Lewis Blaustein, managing editor of GreenSportsBlog.com, climate change action and sports are an ideal marriage. He recently launched EcoAthletes.org to encourage sports figures to speak up about global warming. “Nelson Mandela once said, ‘Sport has the power to change the world.’ EcoAthletes aims to show that athletes are the agents of that change and that they, by mobilizing millions if not billions of fans, can do so on climate.” Blaustein sees a surge of climate-concerned athletes leading radical changes. “There will be many different looks—from athletes endorsing green products à la solar power, electric vehicles, etc., to athletes speaking out for environmental/climate justice in a similar fashion to WNBA and NBA players on Black Lives Matter.” Pannekoek concurs, “All small steps taken still go a great distance. Elite athletes are role models. If they would support more conscious brands to influence the youth, we believe that they can make such a difference.”
75th ANNIVERSARY!
Marlaina Donato is an author and recording artist. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.
WHAT WE CAN DO Bruce Rayner: n After pandemic restrictions lift, when signing up for a race, pick one that’s local and carpool with friends.
n Washing polyester clothing means microplastics are in the wastewater, which means they make their way into the environment. Consider getting a filter for your washing machine that catches microplastics. n Tell race directors that you appreciate their efforts to be more sustainable. Adam Layzell: n Reuse clothes to lower the carbon footprint and plastic production. Go to the charity shop, borrow, repair and buy second-hand.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI
n Choose reusable water bottles.
The book that has c hanged the lives of millions
n Exercise in nature, a great way to appreciate what we need to be protecting. n Litter pick when exercising in nature. Have a
small backpack and clean up as you run.
Saraï Pannekoek: n Consume intentionally and more mindfully. Think and act long-term instead of going for quick fixes.
n Replace sugary snacks with quick, energizing exercises throughout the day. (We call this “movement snacks”.)
Also available in eBook and audio editions
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n Change your movements instead of doing simple repetition over and over again.
Quality Paperback, only $12.50
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y o g a n a n d a . o r g April 2021
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healing ways
Breathe Easy Natural Remedies for Allergy Woes
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by Ronica O’Hara
s the one in five Americans suffering from allergic rhinitis can miserably testify, the fragrant breezes of spring aren’t much fun when they bring on sneezing, coughing, watery eyes and a runny nose. The fifth-most common chronic disease in the country, allergic rhinitis—also known as hay fever—is aggravated in spring by rising pollen levels, but can occur year-round from exposure to mold, household dust mites, pet dander and vehicular air pollution.
Common remedies like over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants bring their own share of afflictions, including drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision and dizziness. “By undertaking natural therapy for allergies, however, one can avoid and mitigate the unpleasant symptoms of allergies with no need for medication,” says Carrie Lam, M.D., an integrative and functional medicine doctor in Tustin, California. “Instead of loading up on drugs, you can take care of yourself in a more natural way and avoid nasty side effects.” Here are some non-pharmaceutical approaches. Probiotics: In a 173-person, double-blind study, a probiotic blend of Lactobacillus gasseri KS-13, Bifidobacterum bifidum G9-1 and Bifidobacterium longum MM-2 lowered hay fever symptoms and improved participants’ quality of life during allergy season, report University of Florida researchers in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (Read labels to locate these strains in yogurts, kefirs and supplements.) Sublingual Immunotherapy: To desensitize the body, small amounts of specific allergens in the form of tablets or liquid drops are placed under the tongue, making it a gentler and safer process than allergy shots. Numerous studies have shown it to be safe and efficient in the treatment of respiratory tract allergies, reports JoAnn Yanez, ND, executive director of the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC). After getting a diagnosis and a first dose from a health practitioner, the tablets or drops can be taken at home.
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Quercetin: Found naturally in apples, berries, red grapes, red onions, red wine and black tea, this antioxidant inhibits the release of histamine and hampers the IgE antibodies formed during allergic reactions. As a 400-milligram (mg) supplement, it takes about a month to kick in.
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Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica): When freeze-dried as an extract or used as a tea, this prickly roadside weed is a nontoxic natural antihistamine. In one study, 58 percent of participants found that 300 mg per day relieved their symptoms.
Omega-3s: Anti-inflammatory fatty acids found in such foods as tuna, salmon, walnuts and flaxseed oil can help reduce symptoms, research suggests. In a Japanese study, eating fish lowered respiratory symptoms for women, while fast food and sugary drinks worsened respiratory stress. Nasal Rinse: Using a neti pot with saline solution to rinse allergens out of nasal passages provides quick relief for stuffy, runny, irritated noses. In one study, people using them reported a 64 percent improvement in chronic sinus symptoms and a better quality of life. An ancient Ayurveda technique popularized by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Oz, the pots cost about $20 in pharmacies. Nasal sprays, although easier to use initially, aren’t as effective, studies show.
tion recommends acupuncture for hay fever patients that want to avoid pharmaceuticals. Homeopathy: To stimulate the body’s natural healing process, homeopathy uses highly diluted doses of herbs and other substances. Although it’s best to work with a homeopath, two helpful remedies commonly found in health food stores are Allium cepa 30C, for watery eyes, sneezing and a runny or irritated nose; and Kali bichromicum 30C, for persistent sinus congestion with thick nasal discharge.
Unpasteurized Honey: “Local honey contains tiny amounts of pollen from nearby flowers, which can make you less sensitive when you’re exposed to them outdoors,” says chiropractor and nutritionist Josh Axe, Nashville-based author of Ancient Remedies. A Malaysian study of 40 hay fever sufferers found that high doses of local honey, taken along with an antihistamine, reduced sneezing and nasal decongestion more effectively than the antihistamine alone.
Anti-Allergen Cleaning: Simple steps recommended by AANMC to lower airborne allergens include using a highefficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in the vacuum cleaner; replacing AC filters frequently; changing out of clothes and showering when coming in from the outdoors to rinse off pollen; leaving shoes outside; changing the air filter in the car; and avoiding toxic inhalants with synthetic ingredients like perfumes, body sprays, scented candles, room sprays, air fresheners and dryer sheets.
Acupuncture: Based on established research, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Founda-
Ronica O’Hara, a natural health writer, can be reached at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.
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CLIMATE CHANGE AND OUR HEALTH cottonbro/Pexels.com
The Human Costs of a Warming Planet by Sandra Yeyati
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lobal warming is not just threatening polar bears far away in the Arctic, and its effects are not somewhere in the distant future. With every new wildfire, hurricane and flash flood, people are understanding that the warming of the planet poses dire consequences for human health right here, right now. It’s personal, and while some sectors of the population are unfairly and disproportionately impacted, we are all in harm’s way.
This is no time to panic, say climate and public health advocates, but rather a moment for preparation, adaptation and mobilization. Prospects are hopeful as we tackle new realities together and evolve our conversations about climate change so we can build resilient, thriving communities. The good news is that many of the individual and policy changes we need to make are exciting opportunities for positive transformation and justice.
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Health Threats in Our Midst
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The warming of the planet is becoming more noticeable. “That historic two weeks anywhere in the United States where it’s the heat wave of high summer is now six weeks to two months,” says Jay Lemery, M.D., professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado and co-author of Enviromedics: The Impact of Climate Change on Human Health. “There are parts of the Middle East now where you can’t be outside and meaningfully cool your body during certain parts of the day.” “With warming, we’re seeing drought, wildfires, hurricanes, extreme precipitation, flooding and sea level rise, all of which have health consequences,” says Surili Patel, director of the Center for Climate, Health and Equity at the American Public Health Association. “With rising temperature and heat waves, we’re seeing heat stroke, dehydration, diarrheal disease, cardiovascular distress and respiratory illnesses. Extreme weather like wildfires, hurricanes and flooding cause direct injuries, as well as vector-borne illnesses (Lyme
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disease carried by ticks or dengue fever and malaria by mosquitoes), mold and harmful algal blooms that happen when it’s really hot, but also show up in places that otherwise wouldn’t have because of the combination of heat and flooding.” Lemery notes that incidences of mosquito- and tick-borne diseases are moving higher in altitude and latitude, affecting historically naive populations that have not had levels of disease immunity, the infrastructure or cultural habits to protect them. “These are huge killers worldwide, and we’re seeing more and more of that,” he says. “When you have a warmer winter, spring starts earlier, trees bloom early and pollen season starts early too, and longer exposure to pollen increases your risk of having an asthma attack,” says Professor Amir Sapkota at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, adding that the Northeast is heavily impacted by this phenomenon. “Here in Colorado, in the summer heat, we have these huge swaths of wildfire smoke hanging over Denver, and people come in to the emergency department. Their inhalers aren’t working anymore, and they’re having chest pain and shortness of breath when they’re on oxygen at baseline,” says Lemery. “These are people normally able to walk across a parking lot with their walker and their oxygen, but now they can’t. We see this all summer long, and we admit them for asthma exacerbation, shortness of breath and COPD (i.e., emphysema), but what we don’t write down is that the air quality is the worst it’s been all year, or that it’s the hottest day of the year.” “Air pollution contributes to climate change, but it also gets into your lungs and irritates them, exacerbating chronic respiratory illnesses, and can even lead to a heart attack,” says Jennifer Roberts, director of the Path of Positive Communities program at EcoAmerica, noting that the biggest culprits are carbon emissions from coal-burning power plants, diesel fuels and ground-level ozone, which is created when pollution reacts to heat and sunlight. “With sea level rise, things are flooding more often and we get septic tanks overflowing, sending fecal matter into our drinking water supplies and exposing
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us to diarrheal diseases. We also see offices and industrial sites getting flooded and, whether it’s paint, fertilizers or other toxins, those get into our water and it’s very unhealthy,” Roberts says.
The Most Vulnerable Among Us Certain segments of the population are more at risk. “Lower socioeconomic groups are suffering more from extreme heat events. The urban heat island effect, which unfortunately correlates very well with poorer neighborhoods, means that they’ll have heat waves seven to 10 degrees hotter in their neighborhoods than surrounding places with more green space,” Lemery says. “You see the public health infrastructure less robust to be able to attend to communities of color—like you saw with COVID. There are also physiologic vulnerabilities. Climate change affects the very young, the very old and the very sick much more because of their preexisting vulnerabilities, and then we have geographic vulnerabilities—people who live on the coast without sea walls or in flood plains. As sea level rise proliferates, and that data is really straightforward, they’re going to be going under increased storm surge stress and flat-out flooding.”
gen and taking up carbon,” says Roberts, who adds that much can be done to restore and protect streams, ponds and lakes from the ill effects of pollution and development. “You get volunteers to clean up the gunk and increase regulations for developers to keep stuff out of the waterways.”
hazards with “credible messaging repeated over and over again with clarity and no hedging: Wear a mask. Stay indoors during high-heat events. Don’t let children play outdoors when the air quality index is at a dangerous level.” There are many ways to mitigate threats. As experts point out, we know what to do, and it’s just a matter of putting our attention and resources on their implementation. “One of the biggest ways is let’s remove the sources of harmful spewing pollution—move away from coal, oil and gas—and invest in clean sources of energy, which will also create jobs in these new industries,” says Patel. Another big step would be to promote mass transit and active transportation— walking and biking—over individual, gasguzzling vehicles. Patel advocates for local investments in bike lanes and sidewalks that encourage the switch. Both Lemery and Roberts express excitement about clean-running electric cars as potential game-changers in transportation. Planting trees and vegetable gardens are easy, community-building solutions. “Trees are very beneficial to everything from shade to water filtration to producing oxy-
Eco-Anxiety and Making Positive Change
The experts agree that it’s important to frame climate change as a public health issue because it brings a sense of urgency to act. “If it isn’t a crisis, if it isn’t something we’re seeing every day on the front page, then you forget about it. And when you forget about it, the funding doesn’t come,” says Patel, whose work focuses on underprivileged communities that need special attention and funding. Sapkota advocates for the development of early warning systems so that local health departments can anticipate and adapt to impending extreme weather events, directing resources to the most impacted and vulnerable communities. In some cases, moving people out of flood plains and vulnerable coastal areas through eminent domain might be needed. Lemery believes that doctors are in a prime position to counsel their patients on preventive measures against climate 18
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Achievable Public Health Solutions
Jessica Schiff, a second-year master of science student at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, struggles with eco-anxiety—the depression, anxiety or dread associated with climate change. She says, “It impacts the decisions I make for my life and the future, just trying to think about overall impacts. Where is my food coming from? Do I want to have kids or adopt? Should I live in the suburbs or the city because of transportation and fossil fuel consumption? This all adds a layer of unease or uncertainty about the future. Sometimes I look at Greta [Thunberg] and how far she’s taken things, and feel guilty about not taking things to such an extreme. Is it hypocritical for me to care about climate change but still eat meat occasionally or take a plane to explore the world?” Schiff deals with eco-anxiety by taking action. “We’re not going to reverse climate change at this point, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take steps to slow it down or reduce emissions. There are many small things we can each do, like biking or walking instead of taking a car or bus and reducing our use of plastic. It’s a process. You can’t do it overnight, but if you make a lot of small changes, and if everybody makes small changes, that has a bigger effect.” Roberts acknowledges the power of small, individual actions, but stresses that we should not let the big polluters off the hook. “We need to continue to press for policy changes, holding polluters accountable, passing regulations based on protecting human health and climate, requiring cleaner cars and buildings, and more. That’s the only way we will get to the scale of change needed to truly bring global warming to a halt.” Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a writer living in Naples, Florida. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.
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wise words
Sheryl DeVore on
Appreciating Nature and Wildlife by Randy Kambic
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s we spend more time outside for pandemic safety to exercise and reduce stress, Sheryl DeVore suggests maximizing these experiences by being more aware of the wonders we see and the need to preserve them. The award-winning author of five books on science, health and nature also writes for the Birds & Blooms national magazine, the Chicago Tribune and Natural Awakenings Chicago. With degrees in writing and education from Northwestern University and Northern Illinois University, respectively, plus extensive studies in biology and botany, she assists the Illinois Audubon Society, including writing for and editing a 2019 book on the state’s endangered species.
Is climate change impacting wildlife and nature? Recent worldwide studies are showing how climate changes affect bird migration times, bloom times of plants and mammal behavior. All of this is interconnected and can harm the environment and the flora and the fauna that live within it. For example, we’re finding that the relationship between healthy oak woods and migratory birds like warblers is being affected by climate change. Warblers time their migrations to pass through regions when oaks are just starting to leaf out. Insects are attracted to the buds and the early leaves, and warblers 20
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are attracted to the insects. Once the leaves emerge, chemicals in the oaks deter the insects and there isn’t any food for the warblers. Climate change can cause the oaks to leaf out early, so if warblers arrive on their normal schedule, they’ll find less food and therefore have less energy to make it to their nesting grounds. Plants and animals are trying to adapt in different ways, and this can be a huge issue if climate change continues.
Are there any new trends you’ve noticed in people growing vegetables at home? Especially during the pandemic, people that have limited space are learning that they can grow their own food at home—growing vegetables and herbs in containers, both indoors and outdoors. Online classes can be helpful in teaching them to grow vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, spinach and peppers, which are great sources for antioxidants and vitamins. This trend coincides with the movement to eat healthier.
Have you seen any changes in how people observe nature during the pandemic? When I go to forest preserves, parks and nature centers, even in my neighborhood, I have noticed more people, including families with their children, outdoors. Parents can inspire their children anywhere to learn
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to appreciate nature. Ask a child what kind of tree is in the yard. Maybe they can take a photo or draw a picture of it to create a memory and inspire them to want to learn more. Ask them, “What’s that bug on that plant?” or, “What is the bird that’s singing?” There’s so much for them to enjoy.
What can we do to try to protect and preserve the environment? Sometimes people think they can’t make a difference as individuals. Small things can make a difference—have a ripple effect. People volunteer to return native habitats to their past, remove non-native species, plant new ones. Volunteers are planting and restoring prairies, woodlands. In your own backyard, you can plant native species or create a butterfly garden or capture rainwater in a rain barrel to water your plants, which will conserve resources. There are so many things you can do with the family.
Why should we care about endangered species? Endangered species serve as canaries in a coal mine. When their numbers decline, that can be a signal that something is going wrong with the environment. When DDT was widely used in the U.S., the bald eagle and other species began to decline. The DDT thinned their egg shells so they weren’t able to raise their young. They showed us that DDT pollutes and harms the environment, and in turn, humans. By discovering that, by saving eagles, we helped save ourselves. By protecting endangered species, we truly are saving ourselves. We don’t know what unknown species are out there that might be useful in helping to treat diseases. Anyone who sees an endangered species knows how satisfying an experience this is, and to me, it also translates to a healthier mind and body. For more information, visit SherylDeVore.wordpress.com. Randy Kambic, in Estero, Florida, is a freelance editor and writer.
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healthy kids
Nature to the Rescue Kids Come Alive Outdoors
image courtesy of Meraiko
by Ronica O’Hara
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s Angela Hanscom of Barrington, New Hampshire, watched her preschool daughters at play, she realized that a surprising number of their friends had problems with balance, coordination and muscle weakness, conditions she was attuned to as a pediatric occupational therapist. Teachers told her that compared to past years, young children were falling out of chairs and bumping into each other and walls more often—all evidence of poor proprioceptive skills, the “sixth sense” ability to feel and position the body in space. Hanscom also realized that almost none of the children played outdoors, which “fascinated and scared” her. Nationwide, even before the lockdowns and online schooling 22
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brought on by the pandemic, the average child spent seven hours per day looking at screens and only seven minutes per day playing freely outdoors. Recent studies show that today’s children have poorer hand grip strength, slower running speeds and lower cardiovascular fitness levels than previous generations. Meanwhile, a growing body of research finds that spending time in nature makes kids happier, healthier and more functional. Hanscom’s solution was to establish TimberNook, camps in which children from 18 months to 14 years of age are encouraged to explore natural settings in imaginative, largely unstructured, minimally supervised play. Now in its eighth year, 38 TimberNook-affiliated camps are located in the U.S., Canada, the UK and Australia. Hanscom’s book, Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children, has garnered more than 300 fivestar reviews on Amazon.com. “Children thrive physically, mentally and emotionally when they are given frequent outdoor play experiences, especially with other children. When children do not get enough of these opportunities, it comes at a great cost to their development,” she says. Journalist Richard Louv, author of the seminal Last Child in the Woods, agrees. “The scientists who study the human senses no longer talk about five senses, they list conservatively nine or 10, and some believe that humans have as many as 30 senses,” he says. “Yet today, children and adults who work and learn in a dominating digital environment expend enormous energy blocking out many of the human senses—including ones we don’t even know we have—to focus narrowly on the screen in front of the eyes. That’s the very definition of being less alive. What parent wants his or her child to be less alive? Who among us wants to be less alive?” That dawning realization is motivating parents and teachers to find ways to get their children actively involved with nature in ways that open their senses while also moving their bodies. This often means hitting the local trails and nature preserves, sometimes with binoculars, bug jars, bird and plant guides and a
scavenger list in hand. “‘Hiking’ can be a bit of a drag to young children, but ‘exploring’ (while still hiking) helps open their minds to the beauty and wonder of the outdoors,” says Tanya Gray of Woodstock, Georgia, a homeschooling blogger at TwoPineAdventure.com. To improve kids’ hearing, Lilach Saperstein, an Israeli audiologist who hosts the podcast All About Audiology, asks children to close their eyes and describe only what they hear. “The wind, the rustle of leaves, a running water stream, crickets, birds, their own breathing, the swish of their sleeve or pant—this is a great way to introduce mindfulness, as well.” To awaken sight, sound and smell, Boston plein air artist Diana Stelin hands kids paper and art supplies out in nature. “Allowing kids to sit with sounds around them and with smells of various seasons makes them truly feel part of our grand universe. It also allows their minds to quiet down and reset, making them pay more attention to detail, to their inner landscapes and to people around them.”
To engage the sense of taste, Malorie Thompson, editor of TheVeganInsider.com, takes her children foraging for edible plants on treasure hunts on a trail or around their Northern California neighborhood. She says, “Bonus activity: use the foraged food to make a meal afterward!” Most of all, nature should be both physical and fun. “Point excitedly at the full moon, shout at it and say hello. Pick up leaves and chestnuts and rocks and create beautiful art together. Stop to smell the twigs and flowers and roll on the grass—who can make it faster down the hill? Make sandcastles and animals. Tie colorful ribbons on tree branches. Look for the shapes of animals in the clouds,” says Milana Perepyolkina, of Salt Lake City, who wrote about forest bathing in Gypsy Energy Secrets. “The only way to get your children to be excited about nature is for you to be excited about nature first,” she notes.
Be the Friend He Needs
Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be reached at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.
Family Time in the Woods Richard Louv, a prominent nature writer and a co-founder of The Children & Nature Network (C&NN), offers 500 ways for families and communities to connect to the natural world in his book Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life. Here are more wise words. Be a hummingbird parent. One parent says, “In the range from helicopter to neglect—I probably fall a bit more toward helicopter. In fact, I call myself a hummingbird parent. I tend to stay physically distant to let them explore and problem-solve, but zoom in at moments when safety is an issue (which isn’t very often).” Notice that she isn’t hovering over her kids with nature flash cards. She stands back and makes space for independent nature play—albeit not as free as she experienced as a child; this play is important, nonetheless. Create or join a family nature club. Nature clubs for families are beginning to catch on across the country; some have membership lists of 400-plus families. The idea is that multiple families meet to go for a hike, garden together or even do stream reclamation. We hear from family nature club leaders that when families get together, the kids tend to play more creatively—with other kids or independently—than during singlefamily outings. C&NN’s Nature Clubs for Families offers a free downloadable guide on how to start your own. Get the safety information you need. Become familiar with good resources for safety tips in the outdoors, including those with information on how to guard against ticks. Check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s cdc.gov. AudubonPortland.org offers tips on living with a variety of urban wildlife.
Adopt -AManatee®
savethemanatee.org Photo © Patrick M. Rose
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natural pet
Feathered Friends The Pros and Cons of Keeping Birds as Pets by Julie Peterson
Complex Commitment Birds follow only dogs and cats as the country’s favorite companion animals, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Lovebirds, budgies and canaries have an average lifespan of eight or more years, but can live to be 20. Typically, larger birds live longer. Because it’s common for birds to outlive their owners, the Avian Welfare Coalition, based in St. Paul, Minnesota, helps ensure these pets are included in wills and estate planning. Birds need to chew, and if they play outside their cages, must be kept away from hazardous items. Besides droppings, birds also create dander and dust. “Cleaning her cage and the room is a two-hour project every week,” says Luther. There’s also the potty mouth. Kata May learned some unsavory phrases from her previous owner. She sometimes screams, “Shut the hell up!” or, “Turn that #@%&ing thing up!” to get the TV at the desired volume. Babette de Jongh, an animal communicator and romance author in Bay Minette, Alabama, once knew a bird that routinely screamed, “Fire!” resulting in 911 calls. “Birds can be loud,” says de Jongh. “They generally try to be louder than the ambient noise in the room.” Luther agrees, saying, “You can hear my bird yell from a city block away.” 24
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Happy and Healthy Talking birds are delightful. Some mimic human language, others understand word meanings and use them appropriately. “Birds are as intelligent as a young child and as emotionally temperamental as a toddler,” says Mary Miller, who has raised budgies and the small- to medium-sized parrots known as conures at her home in Buffalo and has worked with other birds in rescue facilities. Luther agrees that birds don’t just mimic what they hear. “They understand like a 2- to 3-year-old child. When we are cooking dinner, she will ask, ‘For me?’ or, ‘Can I have some?’” Kata May also articulates her fondness for the pizza delivery person with, “I love you!” Then, “Mmmmmm, thank you,” in anticipation of a treat. Even without words, birds are excellent companions. “If raised correctly and interacted with on a regular basis, birds can be very affectionate. They are highly intelligent and social animals, so they form deep and lasting bonds with humans,” says de Jongh. Nutrition is key to a raising a bird. Leslie Moran, a Reno-based holistic animal nutrition and care consultant, is working to end avian malnutrition through the Healthy Bird Project, which conducts nutritional research on exotic species. Traditional grain and seed mixes lack essential nutrients and contribute to unbalanced protein intake for caged and companion birds. Moran’s goal is to move
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K
ata May is a 30-inch-tall, blue-and-gold macaw. “It’s nice to come home and have a conversation with a snuggly bird,” says Joshua Luther, who took over care of the avian when he was 13 years old and she was 11. Now 17 years later, Kata May holds a commanding presence in Luther’s home in Columbus, Wisconsin. “She’s set up where our dining room should be, so my wife and I can sit and talk or play with her.” Luther notes that the cherished pet has a bit of a temper and can bend the bars on her $1,000 cage if she’s bored or angry. Considering the bird has a bite force of 1,800 pounds per square inch, it’s sensible to keep her happy, which could be for another 50 years.
the food industry toward the inclusion of more wholesome choices. “Fresh fruits and vegetables can be purchased at the grocery store, but parrots need specific, high-quality, tropical bird food, which can be hard to find,” says Luther. Keeping a tropical animal healthy also requires bathing, temperature control, clean air and water, exercise and mental stimulation. Costs vary. Owning a small parakeet could include the purchase or adoption price ($12 to $65); cage ($30 and up); food; toys; and checkups (typically less than $200 a year). A large macaw might cost $500 to $5,000. Supplies, food and vet care could top $2,000 the first year.
Don’t Shop, Adopt Birds are available from breeders and pet stores, but there are many needing adoption. Sanctuaries struggle to care for animals with such long lifespans and complex needs, including diet, space, intellectual stimulation and emotional bonding. Lacking proper care, birds may develop mental illness and pluck out feathers or bite, but happy birds can be snuggly, social and fun. Rosemary Wellner, of Mountainside, New Jersey, has owned parakeets, cockatiels and lovebirds. Currently, she has two parrots, the oldest is 24. “Many people do not understand… but birds feel true attraction for their companions—and who doesn’t want to be loved?” she says.
image courtesy of Rosemary Wellner
Julie Peterson is a health and wellness writer. Reach out at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.
Cappy, a 23-yearold white-eyed conure, resides in Mountainside, New Jersey, with his lifelong human companion, Rosemary Wellner.
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calendar of events NOTE: Events were accurate at the time the magazine went to press – please call ahead to check for date or time changes. All calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Review submissions guidelines at NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com or email Publisher@NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com for more information.
Friday Family Walk – 10am-noon. Hosted by West Virginia Botanic Garden. Enjoy a short story followed by a walk around the garden, conclude with a simple craft. Trail accommodates off road strollers. Members/free, $15/nonmembers. Preregistration required: wvbg.org or Forms.donorsnap.com/form.
SATURDAY, APRIL 3
Two-Part Spring Cleanse – Noon-3pm & 6-8pm, Tuesday, April 6. Hosted by Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh. Includes a “cleanse kit” with all ingredients needed to physically cleanse and mentally let go of unproductive winter habits. Receive guidance and support with classes on meal and tea preparation, then meet to discuss, troubleshoot, and enjoy a yoga session. $150 Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh, 300 Beverly Rd. 412-344-7434. Info@hipyoga.org.
82-gallon capacity Garden Earth compost bin. Learn to make natural compost for your lawn and garden. 724-926-2541. Register at prc.org/event-details. Bednersgreenhouse.com.
SATURDAY, APRIL 10 HoopYogini Spinal Awakening Series – 9-10am. Hosted by Calli Tony CPT, Shanti & Sunshine Wellness. HoopYogini is a transformational doctor approved practice combining hula hoop, hatha yoga, and mindfulness meditation. $10 at Eventbrite. 201 E Fairview Ave, Connellsville. 724-562-0682.
Online Baking Workshop – Hot Cross Buns and Braided Egg Bread – 1-3:30pm. Hosted by Shiela’s Cooking School, Dessert Shop, Bakery. Bake two Easter favorites from scratch. Discuss yeast, kneading, bread shaping. $45 via Eventbrite. Shielas.ca, email Hello@shielas.ca.
SUNDAY, APRIL 11
MONDAY, APRIL 5
Paint Night – White Pine Tribute to AJ Casson – 2-4pm. YouTube event hosted by Artist’s Palette Durham Region. Recreate this original work by AJ Casson, from the Group of Seven, and put your own spin on it. Free. Join live at Youtu. be/wH48hjElCa0. Link lives on forever. Info: ArtistsPaletteDurham.com.
Guiding Light: An Empath Assembly – 6:30-8pm. Online event hosted by Sacred Centered You. Calling all lightworkers, empaths and high vibrating souls – assemble to share with a free-flowing group with no agenda. Free. Tickets at Eventbrite. Sacred Centered You Alternative and Holistic Health Service. 412-258-0766. SacredCenteredYou.com.
THURSDAY, APRIL 8 Backyard Composting Webinar – 7-8pm. Hosted by Bednar’s Farm and Greenhouse with Pennsylvania Resource Council. $70 includes webinar and
Westmoreland Craft & Vendor Show – 10am4pm. Hosted by Westmoreland Craft & Vendor Show. Free admission. Come find local treasures – hand crafted items, gifts, spices and more. 104 S 2nd St, Youngwood. 724-640-9669.
Thai Northeastern Style Spicy Dill Soup Cooking Class – 3:30-5pm. Learn how to make this soup with beef and green curry chicken. $45/person. Tickets/ menu: Clover.com/online-ordering/thai-me-uppittsburgh. Thai Me Up, 118 S 23rd St, Pittsburgh. 412-488-8893.
Coming Next Month MAY
Top Women’s Health Concerns Plus: Sustainable Fashion
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TUESDAY, APRIL 13 Preparing for the City Nature Challenge Webinar – 5-6pm. Hosted by Allegheny Land Trust. Learn how to participate and help us beat Philadelphia for the title of Most Biologically Diverse City in PA! The annual City Nature Challenge uses the app iNaturalist and will occur April 30- May 3. Cities around the world document as much biodiversity as possible. Online at alleghenylandtrust. org. 412-741-2750.
FRIDAY, APRIL 2
Beechview Community Clean-up – 10am-noon. Hosted by Pretty Up Beechview. Join at Broadway and Beechview Ave to clean up the neighborhood. Bags, gloves, water provided. Follow COVID precautions. 1563 Beechview Ave. Info@prettyupbeechview.org.
Sacred Sounds at the Salt Cave – 4-5pm. Hosted by Sacred Centered You and Salt of the Earth. Join Leza for a relaxing, powerful meditative experience in the Salt Cave sharing vibrations and frequencies of the crystal bowls. $45. Salt of the Earth, 504 Valley Brook Rd, McMurray. 724-260-0472. Clients. mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws.
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Watershed Awareness and Rain Barrel Webinar – 6:30-7:30pm. Hosted by Pennsylvania Resource Council (PRC). Learn about watershed-friendly landscaping and water conservation. $80 includes webinar and 55-gallon rain barrel. Register at prc.org/ event-details. PRC, 828 W North Ave. 412-488-7490.
THURSDAY, APRIL 15 A Drop of History: 19th Century Mental Health – How it’s Changed and the Stigma Behind Mental Illness – 6-7pm. Free online lecture hosted by Green County Historical Society Museum. A retrospective of Mental Health Care in the 19th Century. 724-6273204. GreenCountyHistory.org.
SATURDAY, APRIL 17 Spring Field Trip: Pricketts Fort State Park – 8-10am. Free event hosted by the Mountaineer Audubon at Pricketts Fort. Meet at the visitor’s entrance, bring binoculars, take COVID precautions. 88 State Park Rd, Fairmont, WV. 304-363-3030. Take Back the Woods: Battling Invasive Species – 9am-2pm. Hosted by Jennings Environmental Education Center. Celebrate Earth Day by helping “weed out” invasive plants at the Center. Sign up for a one-hour slot up to 12 people age 12 and up. Preregister by 4/15 at 724-794-6011. 2961 Prospect Rd, Slippery Rock, PA. 724-794-6011. Sacred Sound Healing Meditation at OmBody – 7-8:30pm. Hosted by Sacred Centered You and OmBody. Physical and spiritual release of stagnant unhelpful energies. Give rise to the transformative and harmonic. $25 via Eventbrite. 90 W Main St, Uniontown. 724-320-9386.
SUNDAY, APRIL 18 Sacred Sounds at Visions Reiki I – 2:30pm. Hosted by Sacred Centered You and Visions Reiki. A powerful meditative experience designed to cleanse the chakra system with vibrations and frequencies of crystal bowls and the gong. $25. 206 Alexander Ave, Strabane. SacredCenteredYou.com/events.
TUESDAY, APRIL 20 Spring Field Trip: WVU Core Arboretum – 7:308:30am. Free birding event hosted by Mountaineer Audubon and WVU Core Arboretum. See neotropical migrant species during their spring migration. Preregister with Katie Fallon: Katie@accawv. org. No experience necessary. Binoculars helpful. COVID precautions. Meet at Arboretum. Intersection of Monongahela BLVD and Evansdale Dr, Morgantown. 304-293-0387.
ongoing events
sunday THURSDAY, APRIL 22 Every Day is Earth Day – for Everyone – Noon1pm. Online with Pittsburgh Vegan Society and Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Lifestyles have ecological consequences. Discover how being vegan may dramatically reduce your carbon footprint. Register at Phipps Conservatory. 412-6226914. 3989p.blackbaudhosting.com.
FRIDAY, APRIL 23 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification –Apr 23-Sept 30. Hosted by Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh. Onsite and online. Flexible weekend schedule and payment plan. Offers yoga teacher from all traditions an avenue to further personal practice and teaching. Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh, 300 Beverly Rd. 412-344-7434. Info@hipyoga.org.
SATURDAY, APRIL 24 Free Lead and Arsenic Screening of Soil – 10am2pm. Hosted by Grow Pittsburgh Garden Resource Center and Allegheny County Conservation District. Have your yard and garden soil tested for these known urban contaminants. Register for this free screening. Results and guidance in two weeks. 412-362-4769. Growpittsburgh.org/event/free-soilled-screening-4. Intro to Sacred Sounds: Exploring Vibrational Sound Healing – 11am-5pm. Hosted by Leza Vivio of Sacred Centered You. The world needs sound healers – are you hearing the call? Explore the world of Vibrational Sound Healing in this one-day workshop. $150. 275 Pleasant Valley Rd, Connellsville. SacredCenteredYou.com/events. Online Baking Workshop: Italian Bomboloni (Nutella-Filled Donuts) – 1-3:30pm. Hosted by Shiela’s Cooking School, Dessert Shop, Bakery. Make mouth-watering Italian bomboloni. $45 via Eventbrite. Hello@shielas.ca. Shielas.ca.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25 Mifflin Club Craft & Vendor Show – Noon-5pm. Hosted by Mifflin Social Club. Holiday decorations, cosmetics, jewelry, crafts, baked goods! 4026 Irene St, West Mifflin. 412-461-9784. Moon Park Earth Day – 1-3pm. Hosted by Moon Parks & Recreation. Celebrate Earth Day with our free community tree planting and outdoor activities at Moon Park. Focus this year is on what you can do to help save the monarch butterfly. Moon Park, 1350 Joe Denardo Way, Moon Township. 412-2621703. Moonparks.org.
MONDAY, APRIL 26 Forest Therapy Walk – 6-8pm. Hosted by West Virginia Botanic Garden. Participate in Shinrinyoko, or Forest Bathing – spend time in the forest to enhance health, wellness, and happiness. Age 12 and up. Members/free, $15/nonmembers. Preregistration required: wvbg.org or Forms.donorsnap.com/form.
Heartfulness Meditation – 11am-noon. 1st Sun. Hosted by Heartfulness Pittsburgh. Age 15+. Guided relaxation and meditation for ages 15 and up. Learn the basics of heartfulness and how it can benefit you. Be casual. Free. Winchester Thurston Lower School in Shadyside, Rm 202. Info: Heartfulness.org. Sacred Sounds – 1-2:30pm. 3rd Sun. Hosted by Sacred Centered You and Visions Reiki & Soul Spa. $25. Join Leza for a relaxing, powerful meditative experience, sound immersion with crystal bowls, and individual healing vibrations through the gong. Tickets at Eventbrite. 206 Alexander Ave, Strabane. 724-745-1785. Sunday’s Restorative Rejuvenation – 5-6:30pm. 3rd Sun. Hosted by Morgantown Power Yoga. All levels welcome. Learn to use breath, props, and focused awareness to decrease stress and anxiety in the body and the mind. Compliment your power yoga practice with restorative rejuvenation. $25. 235 Spruce St, Morgantown, WV. Tickets: Clients. MindBodyOnline.com.
monday Military Share Pittsburgh Food Distribution – Noon-2pm. 1st Mon. Hosted by Veterans Leadership Program in partnership with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Food distribution for Veterans and Military Families in need. Fresh produce, shelf stable goods. No-contact pickup. No sign-up or RSVP. 2934 Smallman St. 412-481-8200 ext 221. Children’s Fine Art Classes – 5:30-6:30pm. Hosted by Arty by April Ryan, Thistledown Boutique. Kids learn basic art techniques starting in charcoal and progressing to acrylic painting. Get kids off the screen and into hands-on creativity. $20/ class plus supplies. 151 S Main St, Washington, PA. 724-470-3775. Yoga for Wellbeing – 5:30-6:30pm. Wellbeing Solutions hosts in-person (limit 4) or online to harmonize body, mind, spirit, and breath with your dedication to attendance. Colleen Harshbarger, ERYT-500 and MS in Exercise Science Biomechanics, provides alignment-based instruction. All levels. $8. 304-508-2398. Wellbeingwv.com. African Dance Class – 6:30-7:30pm. Online class hosted by Hayti Heritage Center and St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation Inc, Durham, NC. Energetic and culturally rich dance exploration taught by seasoned dance professionals Toni Hall and Ivy Burch. Tickets: $5 at Eventbrite. 919-683-1709. Info: hayti.org. 1 Hood Power Hour – 7-8pm. A virtual forum hosted by 1 Hood Power to discuss all things political in SWPA and beyond. A virtual public affairs forum featuring elected officials, policymakers and thought leaders. 617-517-7600. Facebook. com/1HoodPower.
Natural Awakenings Client Testimonial I have been advertising since the beginning of Natural Awakenings and I have to say. that it has been a great choice! I have gotten a lot of new patients from her magazine. The covers are always colorful and fun! Michelle has been very helpful and she is always available when I need to talk to her. I would highly recommend this magazine if you are considering advertising. ~Dr Janet Lazarus
Forests are the lungs of our land.
~Franklin D. Roosevelt
tuesday Managing Career Transition and Life During Uncertain Times – Noon-1pm. Online event by The Salon – a Female-Forward Space to Gather and Grow. $10. Tickets at Eventbrite. TheSalonPGH.com.
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Family Night at the Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh – 6-9pm. 2nd Tue. Hosted by Hofbrauhaus. Kids eat free with each adult entrée purchase. 2705 S Water St. 412-224-2328. Online Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Hosted by WVU Collegiate Recovery. All skill-levels welcome. A password is required, but anyone can join! Free. Email olivia.pape@mail.wvu.edu to get the code. The Salty Core – 7-8pm. 4th Tue. Hosted by Salt of the Earth and Valleybrook Pilates & Fitness. Pilates in the Cave to lengthen and expand muscles for a leaner, stronger you. Incorporate breath, stretch, and strengthening. Open to all levels. 504 Valley Brook Rd, McMurray, PA. Tickets: SaltOfTheEarthpgh.com.
wednesday Yoga for Wellbeing – 8:30-9:30am. Wellbeing Solutions hosts in-person (limit 4) or online to harmonize body, mind, spirit, and breath with your dedication to attendance. Colleen Harshbarger, ERYT-500 and MS in Exercise Science Biomechanics, provides alignment-based instruction. All levels. $8. 304-508-2398. Wellbeingwv.com. Wild Wednesday: Virtual Live Animal Encounter – 1:30-2pm. Online event hosted by Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Join museum educators via Zoom to meet members of the museum’s living collection. Each week is unique! $10/household ($5/ members). 412-622-3131. Register at Carnegiemnh. org/explore/live-animal-encounters/. Mindfulness Training – 4-5:15pm. By Laughlin Children’s Center. Ages 5-18. Teaches awareness of thoughts, feelings, and environment. Aids in reducing stress and emotional reactivity, increasing focus, cognitive flexibility, and social-emotional skills. Sarah Rea, MSEd, pre-doctoral psychology intern, provides the Mindful Schools curriculum. In person or virtual. 16-week course $120/$140 by age group. Register: Laughlin Children’s Center: 412-741-4087.
We stand together to fight racism, injustice, brutality and backlash. To the black members of our community: we see you, we support you and we stand by you.
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Pittsburgh, PA
Listen to Black Women: What’s it like to be a Black Woman in Pittsburgh? – 6:30-8pm. Online event hosted by Black Women’s Policy Agenda. Join for a virtual community conversation. Free. 412-245-6771. Register: Eventbrite. BltackWomensPolicyAgenda.org. Learn to Draw Zentangle – Online. 6:30-8pm. Hosted by Monroeville Public Library. 1st and 3rd Wed. Zentangle is a meditative, relaxing, fun method of pattern drawing. Classes are in conjunction with Zentanglers in Pittsburgh meet-up group. To participate, go to meetup.com, register to become a member, then RSVP to the class you want to attend. Zoom link provided upon RSVP. Monroeville Public Library 412-372-0500.
thursday Yoga Classes – 9:30-10:30am. 1st & 2nd Thurs. Hosted by Spruce Street United Methodist Church. All ages and abilities with variations to accommodate health and movement issues, with students sitting or standing next to a chair. Emphasis on meditative practices. Wear comfortable clothing. 386 Spruce St, Morgantown, West Virginia. 304292-3359. Zoom Family Storytime – 10:30-11am. Free online event hosted by C.C. Mellor Memorial Library. 1 Pennwood Ave. 412-731-0909. Tickets via Eventbrite.
NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com
Yoga – 10-11:30am. With Nancy Micheals. A series designed to focus on specific areas of the body to strengthen and stretch muscles. Classes will help participants build strength, balance the body’s system, increase body awareness, and increase energy while learning specific postures. CDC guidelines observed. YWCA Westmoreland County, 424 N Main St, Greensburg. 724-834-9390. Info@ywcawestmoreland.org. ywcawestmoreland. org/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/YWCA-Fall2020-Classes-and-Workshop-Insert.pdf. Wellbeing Solutions Webinars – 2nd & 4th Thur. Noon-1pm. Self-Care as Healthcare with BoardCertified Health and Wellness Coach and Yoga teacher Colleen Harshbarger and Natalie Geary, MD and Ayurveda Therapist. COVID rate: $25 1st (trial class); $40/thereafter. 4-pack: $150; 8-pack: $280. 12-pack: $399 includes one-year Wellness Inventory subscription ($49.95 value). On-demand times for groups. 304508-2398. Info/register: Wellbingwv.com/webinars. AW Studio Sessions – Thru Apr. 8-9pm. 1st Thur. Free online event hosted by August Wilson African American Cultural Center, and Citizens. AW Studio Sessions series is an intimate, live-in-studio experience with the most talented musicians on the scene. 412-339-1011. aacc-awc.org.
friday Friday Family Walk – 10am-noon. Hosted by West Virginia Botanic Garden. First Friday of every month. Enjoy a short story followed by a walk around the Garden, conclude with a simple craft. Trail accommodates off road strollers. Members/free, $15/donation per family suggested. Preregistration required: wvbg. org or Forms.donorsnap.com/form. Write Now! – 10am-Noon. Zoom Writer’s Group hosted by Sewickley Public Library. Participants enjoy writing from prompts in an encouraging and supportive atmosphere. Register: us02web.zoom. us. SewickleyLibrary.org. Bakery Square Toastmasters Weekly Meeting – Noon. Online event hosted by Bakery Square Toastmasters. Practice public speaking, improve communications, and build leadership skills. People from diverse backgrounds find a warm, supportive group that shares your goals. Visit BakerySquareToastmasters.com for login info.
saturday Loving Myself First: Personal Development Series – 10-11am. 2nd Sat. Free online event hosted by Visions 2020 LLC. Learn real life principles to improve and maximize your personal and professional life. Tickets at Eventbrite. 412-376-2110. Watercolor Workshops – 10-11am. 1st and 3rd Sat. Hosted by April Ryan and Thistledown Boutique. $25 includes materials, $20 bring your own. Learn basic drawing and watercolor techniques. 151 S Main St, Washington, PA. 724-470-3775. Tickets: Paypal.com/paypalme/ArtbyAprilRyan. Winter Market – 10am-1pm. Morgantown Farmer’s Market. Hosted by WVU Monongalia County Extension Service. New location due to COVID: Mylan Park, 270 Mylan Park Ln. Seasonal offerings from within a 50-mile radius of Morgantown. SNAP accepted. Pre-order online for pick-up during market: MorgantownFarmersMarket.org/shop.htm. or shop in person. MorgantownFarmersMarket.org.
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community resource guide
HEALTH COACH
Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our Pittsburgh community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Publisher@NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com to request our media kit.
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES
305 Jefferson Ave, Moundsville, WV 304-506-3585 Dr.Carol@Remedies.com AlternativeRemediesOnline.com Dr. Carol offers a personalized holistic approach to your health concerns through nutrition, supplements, exercise, cellular spa treatments, homeopathy and self-help classes. Twenty years of experience in naturally supporting the body, her specialties are digestive health, women and children, and gluten-free living. Health memberships and video conferencing available.
AROMATHERAPY WELL OILED
Melissa Robb, BSW, JD, CA, RPII Certified Aromatherapist, Reiki II Practitioner 1414 Potomac Ave, Dormont 412-531-6457 • GetWellOiled.com Be your own best wellness advocate. Melissa can help you learn about essential oils, answer questions about CBD or help you along your spiritual path. Holistic We l l n e s s S h o p p r o v i d i n g accessible, affordable, and safe products plus workshops for optimal health and wellness: mind-body-spirit. High-quality aromatherapy oils and accessories, CBD and spiritual workshops. See calendar for classes.
BIOLOGIC DENTISTRY JANET LAZARUS – BIOLOGIC DENTIST Dr Janet Lazarus, DMD, NMD Mail: 4313 Walnut St, Ste 178 Office: Olympia Shopping Ctr Arcade, McKeesport • 412-754-2020 Dr.Lazlo@hotmail.com
D r. L a z a r u s p r a c t i c e s compassionate biologic dentistry by looking at the whole body to offer preventative care and health maintenance. She offers compatibility testing on dental material, safe mercury removal, extraction and a host of other treatments including ozone therapy. She has been practicing for 28 years. See ad, page 19.
CHIROPRACTIC APPALACHIA CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS, PC
Travis D Horne, DC • Gi Ming ‘‘Lili’’ Chan, ND 20120 Route 19, Ste 202, Cranberry Twp, PA 724-553-5312 AppalachiaChiropractic.com Best of natural medicine – combining both chiropractic and naturopathic care. We provide integrative and individualized care to the community where patients feel heard and truly cared for. We offer manipulation, sports medicine, nutrition, herbal, homeopathy and hydrotherapy.
PANTHER FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE AND CHIROPRACTIC Dr Danielle Marra, DC Murrysville • Greensburg 724-387-1014 • PittsburghHealthPro.com
Dr. Danielle Marra has nearly 20 years’ experience helping patients regain their health through conservative and holistic approaches utilizing functional medicine, chiropractic, diet modifications, and nutritional support. The practice provides advanced lab testing, allergy relief, spinal decompression, CDL physicals, massage therapy, thermography and more. Their philosophy is treating the root of your symptoms, naturally. See ad, page 4.
FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE PANTHER FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE AND CHIROPRACTIC Dr. Danielle Mara, DC Murrysville • Greensburg 724-387-1014 • PittsburghHealthPro.com
Dr. Danielle Mara has nearly 20 years’ experience helping patients regain their health through conservative and holistic approaches utilizing functional medicine, chiropractic, diet modifications and nutritional support. Plus advanced lab testing, allergy relief, spinal decompression, CDL physicals, massage therapy, thermography and more. Their philosophy is treating the root of your symptoms, naturally. See ad, page 4.
COTERIE
Calli Tony, CPT 201 E Fairview Ave, Rm 211, Connellsville, PA 724-562-0682 • CalliTonycpt.com Calli Tony is a mother, spiritual entrepreneur and a holistic health and transformational coach. She is the creator of HYPE and podcast host. Her mission is to serve, empower and educate through holistic healing. She works with women who want to create a massive shift in their life!
HEALTH FOOD THE KEFIR CHICKS
Connellsville, PA TheKefirChicks.com TheKefirChicks@gmail.com Facebook.com/TheKefirChicks Kathy and Haley, The Kefir Chicks, are two chicks on a mission to bring awareness to everyone about whole foods and gut health through whole, probiotic-packed food medicine – water kefir. See ad, page 5.
HERBALISM BASIC EARTH ESSENTIALS
Michael Lausterer P.O. Box 6, Richeyville, PA 724-426-4579 • BasicEarthEssentials.com Getting back to our natural roots is the foundational philosophy that drives and inspires Basic Earth Essentials; using the purest botanicals of the earth to create handcrafted, superb blends of the finest quality. Products for pets, personal care, and inspirational settings. Custom products available.
HERBS OLD THYME HERB SHOP, LLC Lisa Cunningham Old-Fashioned Family Herbalist 308 Liberty St, Perryopolis, PA 724-736-2400
Nothing fancy, just hundreds of organic bulk medicinal herbs at your beck and call. Heal yourself and help others. In service and gratitude always. No Facebook, no website, no social media. Not enough thyme! Just you and I and your blessed healing herbs.
NATURAL BEAUTY PRODUCTS CHAYAH NATURALS, LLC
We have to make the choice—every single day— to exemplify the truth, the respect and the grace that we wish for this world. ~Oprah Winfrey 30
Pittsburgh, PA
NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com
724-610-6171 Info@ChayahNaturals.com ChayahNaturals.com
Organic, non-GMO, toxin free, skin nourishing body butters hydrate and restore moisture to dry skin. Made in the USA.
NAPTURAL BEAUTY SUPPLY 724-307-8487 NapturalBeautySupply.com
Naptural Beauty Supply was created to end the stigma around natural hair by empowering men and women to love themselves naturally. We do this by instilling confidence in our community and increasing convenience by having the tools and services in one place, such as hair and body butters, beard care and apparel. We are beauty supply with naturals in mind! See ad, page 19.
NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE APPALACHIA CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS, PC
Travis D Horne, DC • Gi Ming ‘‘Lili’’ Chan, ND 20120 Route 19, Ste 202, Cranberry Twp, PA 724-553-5312 • AppalachiaChiropractic.com Best of natural medicine – combining both chiropractic and naturopathic care. We provide integrative and individualized care to the community where patients feel heard and truly cared for. We offer manipulation, sports medicine, nutrition, herbal, homeopathy and hydrotherapy.
DR. ARETI, LLC
Dr. Areti Fitsioris 421 Cochran Rd, Pittsburgh 412-419-1537 (call/text) • Facebook.com/Dr.Areti Dr. Areti is a board-certified naturopathic physician who implements manual therapy, lifestyle medicine, nutritional analysis, and non-invasive methods to address functional and structural imbalances – services are 100% grounded in evidence-based science. She goes the extra mile to identify and address root causes of conditions and to provide ongoing support. See ad, page 7.
SPIRITUAL SACRED, CENTERED, YOU, LLC 412-258-0766 SacredCenteredYou.com
Leza is known widely for her abilities as a sound healer, inspirational speaker and interfaith spiritual counselor. Healing arts services include vibrational sound healing, past life and soul regression, journey work counseling and conscious relationships counseling. Private and group services offered. Lesa Vivio, MS, LPC, CMHIMP, DDiv, DSM. See ad, page 25.
URBAN FARMING GROW PITTSBURGH
Raqueeb Bey, Garden Resource Coordinator 6587 Hamilton Ave, Ste 2W, Pittsburgh 412-362-4769 ext 215 • GrowPittsburgh.org Raqueeb@GrowPittsburgh.org
Grow Pittsburgh is an urban, agriculture nonprofit that teaches people how to grow food. They envision the day when everyone grows and eats fresh, local and healthy food. Get involved. Take a tour, become a member, learn, volunteer! Visit their website for workshops and events.
VIBRATIONAL MEDICINE SACRED, CENTERED, YOU, LLC 412-258-0766 SacredCenteredYou.com
Offering individual and group experiences that promote healing through self-discovery and personal acceptance. Special focus on sound healing, life coaching, qigong, and vibrational medicine. See ad, page 25.
WELLNESS 360 CAFÉ LLC
Tyleda Worou Pittsburgh 724-374-8089 • 360CafeLLC.com 360 Café LLC is an alternative health and wellness business with the goal of helping others to heal from the inside out while taking a holistic approach to healing by offering distance reiki, and crystal healing sessions to help our consumers restore physical and emotional balance. See ad, page 25.
WINER WELLNESS CENTER 2419 Baldwick Rd, Pittsburgh 412-922-9355 • DrWiner.com
Holistic Wellness Center with practitioners for chiropractic, nutritional consultation, allergy elimination and muscle therapy. Workers’ compensation and accident insurance claims. Fully stocked all-natural supplement store.
YOGA AND MEDITATION THE HIMALAYAN INSTITUTE OF PITTSBURGH 300 Beverly Rd, Pittsburgh 412-344-7434 • HipYoga.org
The Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh is committed to creating and supporting programs for wellness in body, mind and spirit. Their purpose is to promote personal peace and global unity. Offering a daily schedule of yoga and meditation classes and healing services including massage, reiki and Ayurvedic health consultations. They are a leader in education, providing authentic yoga and Ayurveda certification programs. See ad, page 5.
LEARN AND GROW WITH SARA JO Sara Remington, Consulting SaraRemington13@gmail.com 724-208-4977
Family wellness coaching through holistic nutrition, transformational life coaching, and mindfulness-based practices. Teacher, parent educator, and mind body and wellness practitioner. Schedule a one on one 10-week coaching program on intuitive eating. Available to hold workshops on mindfulness for kids, nutrition and intuitive eating. New classes weekly on KidPass for ages 0-13. Sign up for membership at Kidpass.com/providers/10757/learnand-grow-with-sara-online. First month free. Use coupon TRYKP5 for $25 worth of classes.
SALT OF THE EARTH
Himalayan Salt Cave and Chakra Boutique 504 Valley Brook Rd, McMurray 724-260-0472 • SaltOfTheEarthpgh.com Salt of the Earth offers the ancient healing benefits of salt; serene, therapeutic, and exquisitely built with 16 tons of authentic Himalayan salt. Sessions are 45 minutes. Group events: guided meditation, yoga, sound healing, and pilates. Personal services in the cave: reiki, massage, cellular healing, Akashic Records, mediumship and spirit guide channeling. Known to heal respiratory and skin issues, the organically dispersed salt is naturally detoxifying, reduces inflammation, cleanses the respiratory system and improves sleep. See ad, page 15.
classifieds Fee for classifieds is a minimum charge of $20 for the first 20 words and $1 for each additional word. To place an ad, email Publisher@NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com.
OPPORTUNITIES ADVERTISE HERE – Are you: hiring, renting property/office space, selling products, offering services, or in need of volunteers? Advertise your personal/business needs in Natural Awakenings classified ad section. To place an ad, email Publisher@NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com. ADVERTISING SALES – Natural Awakenings magazine is looking for experienced advertising salespeople covering the Greater Pittsburgh area, SW Pennsylvania and Morgantown WV to help others grow their natural health & wellness and sustainable living or green businesses. Commission-based. Full- or part-time. Paying 25% commission. Unlimited potential income. Be a part of something magical! Send resume to Michelle: Publisher@ NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com. START A CAREER YOU CAN BE PASSIONATE ABOUT – Publish your own Natural Awakenings magazine. Home-based business, complete with comprehensive training and support system. New franchises are available or purchase a magazine that is currently publishing. Call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsmag.com/MyMagazine.
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