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publisher’sletter
A Mountain of Health Revisiting Monte Sano State Park
contact us Publisher/Editor Tom Maples Tom@AlabamaAwakenings.com Cell: (404) 395-9634 Fax: (256) 217-4274 New Business Development Advertising Sales Cindy Wilson Cindy@AlabamaAwakenings.com Cell: (256) 476-6537 Fax: (256) 217-4274 Design and Production Karen Ormstedt (256) 997-9165 Alabama Awakenings 14 Woodland Ave Trinity, Alabama 35673
By Tom Maples, Publisher
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outaintops are among the very best of all venues for talking to God. Gods, Goddesses, whatever the broadbased genderslanted mix of your own personal pantheon. Parthenon? An excellent place to meet a pantheon! Built for this, in fact. If Monte Sano Mountain is my Acropolis, Monte Sano State Park is my Parthenon. With all respect to the terrifying genius of Greece in its happy Hellenic heyday, I’ll trade every single chunk of marble in the Mediterranean Basin, carved columns, cavernous ceilings, steep-deep stair steppings set for the stridelengths of gods, for the view from the Scenic Overlook off the back ridge this mountainpeak park. The dense texture of the hardwood canopy of multishaded green looks exactly like spatspotted daubs of paint, applied in a finely frenetic pitterpat technique taught on TV by that guy who called everything Happy—”Now let’s make a Happy Sun, and some Happy Clouds, to go above these Happy Trees”—and it got me thinking about Perception, Consciousness, and Reality and I said, out loud, these thoughts: ”Why not? Why not believe it? Really, why not? None of it has ever made any sort of sense to you. THIS makes sense to you. What other sort of sense do you need it to make, and to whom?” and then a halfwhispered ”Yes”, halfthought, then, a fullthroated ”Yes!”, and this Thought: ”If we have a physical anatomy and a spiritual anatomy, then the Earth itself, as a living entity, might also have a physical anatomy and a spiritual anatomy, too.” Which was when I really got Rolling, in an avalanche of thought, and what I said was ”Here. It is here, this place, this mountain” and what I knew I meant by that was that I now had a new and entirely more satisfying way to explain exactly Why it always was the fact that I was so deeply drawn to this park, on this mountain, here, beyond the boilerplate lifestory blurb that I grew up in Jones Valley at the foot of Monte Sano. Ah, yes. In my Youth. That explanation always struck me as sounding suspect, standardized, sentimental. Now...a mindblowing drilldown...a deep Cosmology...ancient...but also compatible with the cutting edge of science... quantum physics...string theory...whatever you want. Wow. Now THAT is worth the hike up the mountain.
© 2010 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $15 (for 12 issues) to the above address. Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.
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contents 31
12 healingways
8 BE A CLIMATE HERO Act Up. Act Now.
14 healthykids 20 consciouseating
by Bill McKibben
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12 BETTER BREAST HEALTH Make Prevention a Daily Habit
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22 greenliving 26 healthbriefs 28 inspiration 31 naturalpet
by Beth Davis
14 BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID... Learn How to Avoid The Real Goblins by Melinda Hemmelgarn
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16 BREAST THERMOGRAPHY CAN PREEMPT MAMMOGRAMS
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32 fitbody 34 wisewords
18 advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE Display Ads due by the 12th of the month, 5pm CST. To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 404-395-9634 or email editor@alabamaawakenings.com.
EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS* Newsbriefs due by the 12th of the month, 5pm CST. Limit 50-250 words. Content limited to special events and other announcements. No advertorials, please. Articles and ideas due by the 5th of the month, 5pm CST. Articles generally contain 250-850 words, with some exceptions. No advertorials, please.
CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Calendars and Ongoing Calendars due by the 12th of the month, 5pm CST. Calendar - Limit 50 words; Ongoing Calendar - Limit 20 words. Up to three Ongoing Calendar entries per organization. Please follow format found in those sections.
ADVERTISE WITH US TODAY... 404-395-9634 -or- editor@alabamaawakenings.com * All submissions are subject to editing and will be printed at the publisher’s discretion. Article space often fills in advance. Deadline dates refer to the month prior to next publication and may change without notice due to holidays, shorter months, or printing schedules.
www.naturalawakenings.us
by Lee Walker
18 WHO’S WHO IN THE VALLEY Our Spotlight on Exceptional Businesses in Decatur, Alabama by Kimberly Ballard
20 ON THE VEGAN TRAIL Why People Are Putting More Plants on Their Plates by Kristin Ohlson
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22 TRANSITION TOWNS Where Sustainable Living Is Real by Tara Lohan
24 POSH SQUASH Sugar Pumpkin Pie and More by Anjela Boyd
32 EXERCISE FOR SPINE HEALTH Smart Training Beats Back Pain by Michael Curran
34 A CONVERSATION WITH JIM HIGHTOWER Acclaimed Columnist, Commentator and Populist by Ellen Mahoney
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newsbriefs Unique Retreat Center for Sale
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peaceful property where individuals can come to experience nature, host workshops and gatherings and hold personal and group retreats is now for sale in Mentone. Heartwood Retreat Center, whose current owners are retiring, has hosted large national gatherings and Spiritual Renaissance Fairs, and is an ideal weekend getaway or income property, easily reached from Birmingham, Huntsville, Atlanta and Chattanooga. Heartwood includes 23 wooded acres with trails and meditation areas; a two-bedroom cabin home with hot tub; two cabins for personal retreats; vegetable and flower gardens; a labyrinth and meeting hall; group campsite areas; and an outdoor stage, among other amenities. For more info, contact Pam James at Southern Properties Agency, Inc., at 2107 Gault Ave. N., Fort Payne 35967. Call 256-845-6000 (office) or 256-996-0307 (cell). View property photos and description at DekalbCountyRealtors.com, ValleyMLS.com or SouthernPropertiesAgency.com. See ad on page 16.
A Spiritual Community supporting the practice of knowing God in the heart of every person. ONGOING SERVICES AND CLASSES! New Thought Classes
Tuesdays, 6:30-9:00pm Wednesdays,10:00am-12:00pm
Revealing Services
Water Awareness Workshops in Madison
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azz (G. Boyce Bazzell), a health and wellness advocate since 1980, will present an informative Water Awareness Workshop at 6:30 p.m. each Monday, in Madison. Bazz will demonstrate the differences between tap and bottled water and fresh alkaline, micro-clustered, antioxidant water, and attendees will receive samples of the healthy, alkaline water. According to Bazz, most drinking water, whether tap or bottled, is acidic, and has a positive oxidation reduction potential (ORP). During the workshop, the group will test the pH of some of these waters and Bazz will present video testimonials of the changes that occur when people change their drinking water. Bazz says that symptoms of arthritis, acid reflux and diabetes may improve. The workshop is free, but space is limited. To register and receive a free two-week supply of the alkaline water, email bazz@bazzwater.com, or call 256277-1059. Visit BazzWater.com and request the e-book. See ad on page 31.
Sundays 9:45am
Celebration Services Sundays 10:30am
Meditation
Tuesdays & Wednesdays 6:00pm Sundays 8:30am
Satsang
Wednesdays 6:30pm
New Class Explores Science and Spirituality
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five-week class on Science and Spirituality, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. beginning October 7, will explore the intersection of science and spiritual consciousness. Michael George, a science professor at UAH, and co-facilitator Carol Zukosky, a licensed practitioner with the International Centers for Spiritual Living, are offering the class on a donation basis. “This class will unveil the new science that has been shrouded in mental constructs, and open it to intuition and the heart of spirit,” advises Zukosky. “Join us as we investigate and discover the ‘ah-ha’ application to living the eternal Now.” Location: the Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Road S.E., Huntsville 35802. For more information, call 256-883-8596 or visit Conscious-Living.org. See ad on this page.
Rev. David Leonard Transforming Lives and Making the World a Better Place www.cslhuntsville.org
308 Lily Flagg Rd.
883-8596
October 2010
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Free Series Discusses the Meaning of Life
“W E-Solutions
Where to Recycle Outdated Electronics U.S. consumers, who generate more than 3 million tons of e-waste annually, now have easier access to manufacturer recycling programs, responsible local e-recycling facilities and cooperating retailers. “If you make it easy, people will recycle their stuff,” says Barbara Kyle, national coordinator of the Electronics Takeback Coalition. As of this year, 23 states mandate statewide e-waste recycling, and all but California make manufacturers responsible for providing it, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Seven more states introduced such legislation in 2010 (see ElectronicsTakeBack. com/legislation/state_legislation.htm). This approach helps get e-products containing toxic materials out of landfills and incinerators, where they can contaminate water and air. It also shifts the need for cost-effective environmental responsibility to manufacturers, to encourage them to design more eco-friendly products. Ultimately, this should result in products with fewer toxic components and more reusable and recyclable components, requiring less use of virgin materials. The world leader in e-waste recycling proves what’s possible; an industry-run program in Norway recycles 98 percent of all e-waste. By contrast, in 2008 Americans recycled only 13.6 percent of their e-waste, often storing old, unused units at home. Now they know where to take it. Find local drop-off sites at ElectronicsTakeBack.com, click on Guide to Recycling Your Electronics. For local sites that accept electronic, automotive, hazardous, yard and other household materials, call 1-800-Recycling (1-800-732-925-464) or visit 1800Recycling.com.
hat is the meaning of life?” is a question asked daily by millions of people throughout the world. According to Jadon Cascio, of Unconditional Acceptance Ministries, the more important question is, “What is the meaning of my life?” During Learning to Love, a free 11-week Sunday series at 10:30 a.m., in Madison, Cascio will guide participants on a journey to help them create and sustain meaningful relationships with others. Cascio says, “Learning to Love is devoted to identifying and understanding love. It is not designed to be a Band-aid approach to loving others; instead, it is a dramatic, life-changing experience.” The series began on September 12, but it is not necessary to attend every session in order to benefit. Location: the Radisson Hotel, 8721 Madison Blvd. 35758. For more info, call 256-653-3896 or visit UAMinistries.com. See ad on page 24.
Unity Class Addresses Food Relationships
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omen, Food and God, a new class based on Geneen Roth’s book by the same name, will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays, October 14-December 9, at Unity Church on the Mountain, in Huntsville. The eight-week class addresses relationships with food and is facilitated by Rev. Grace Gifford, on a love offering basis. Gifford says she has mastered a lifelong struggle with weight using the insights included in the class. “I have gently lost 30 pounds without deprivation and without trying, and continue to lose unwanted weight without dieting,” she advises. Women, Food and God focuses on uncovering the emotions we suppress using food (or other substances and behaviors) and recognizing our hunger for God. It is designed for individuals experiencing a difficult relationship with food or other substances. “If you are ready to face the internal reasons why you are addicted to food, dieting or other things, come join this journey to a new life,” says Gifford. Location: 1328 Governors Drive S.E., Huntsville 35801. (No class on Thanksgiving, November 25.) For more info, call 256-536-2271 or visit UnityChurchOnTheMountain.com. See ad on page 17.
coverartist Tranquility by Laura Tucker Laura Tucker painted Tranquility on a weekend trip to the Florida Keys. “I spent the day at the Turtle Research Hospital in Grassy Key, where the faces and soulful expressions of the turtles resonated with me. Tranquility is a state these turtles reach after rehabilitation and release back into the wild. It was also the state I reached while working through the entire painting.” To view more of Laura Tucker’s art, contact her at 570-236-7676 or Tuck13soccer@aol.com.
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BE A CLIMATE HERO Act up. Act now. by Bill McKibben
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t any given moment, there are a thousand things going wrong in the world. If we were to list just major environmental problems alone we could go on for a long time, citing everything from toxic contaminants in our food to the scarcity of safe drinking water. This past summer, we all stared in horror at the slowly blackening Gulf of Mexico as the Deepwater Horizon oil slick spread on and below the water’s surface. Making such a list is such a depressing exercise that the temptation is to just walk away from the task. We might feel like a surgeon at a wartime field hospital, forced to do major triage. Where do we turn first?
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The half-good news is that our planet’s mounting environmental troubles aren’t isolated, individual casualties. If we can figure out what the keystone is, then we can collectively start to work to cure a bunch of the most pressing problems at once. By the same token, if we guess wrong, we can labor for years to correct a particular woe, only to have our hard work overwhelmed by the underlying infection. Based on the scientific evidence, I think it’s pretty clear that the most crucial of all the complex issues we face today revolve around the causeand-effect relationship of burning fossil fuels and the accelerating changes in Earth’s climate. In short: If we can’t
deal with global warming, nothing else we do will really matter. To put it more positively: If we can remove the needle from our arm that feeds society’s addiction to petroleum products, many of our other troubles would begin to wane.
Signs of the Times Let’s start with the hard stuff: Global warming is the first crisis we’ve ever faced that has the potential to shake our civilization to its core. So far, human beings have burned enough coal, gas and oil to raise the temperature of the planet about one degree Fahrenheit. That’s already been enough to cause all manner of troubles:
The Arctic icecap is melting, and quickly. By summer’s end in 2007, a record-setting year, the northernmost continent, which moderates air and water temperatures for the whole planet, contained 25 percent less ice than the year before. As of this writing, the 2010 melt was outpacing that of 2007. Scientists now routinely predict it won’t be long before we’ve seen the end of Arctic summer sea ice altogether— that is, the world as viewed from outer space would be without its familiar white top. Worse, it’s not only the Arctic; pretty much every other geographic area that’s frozen is melting as well, perhaps most dangerously in the high-altitude glaciers of the Andes and Himalaya mountains, historically relied upon to send water, respectively, to the South American and Asian continents below. The Earth’s hydrological cycles are undergoing a dramatic shift. Because warm air holds more water vapor than cold, the general atmosphere is about 5 percent moister than it was 40 years ago. This means more evaporation, hence more drought, in arid areas. But on the rest of a planet, where what goes up must come down—we’re witnessing extraordinary increases in flooding. This year, for example, we’ve seen record (and lethal) rainstorms in Tennessee, Oklahoma and Arkansas, just within the 1.5 percent of the planet’s surface comprised by the continental United States. Overall, temperatures are rising to near unbearable levels as that single degree average increase on the thermometer reverberates in savage heat waves. This past spring, India experienced weeks of record temperatures that beat anything recorded since the British started measuring them in the early 1800s. Early this summer, seven nations smashed all-time temperature records. In Burma, the mercury set a new all-time record for Southeast Asia, at 118 degrees. In June, Pakistan went on to establish a new benchmark for the highest temperature ever recorded at any time, anywhere in Asia, of 129 degrees. All of this is due to a single degree of global temperature increase. The climatologists have warned us that if the
This year, China surpassed the United States as the world’s largest energy user, a status held for more than a century. Because China gets most of its electricity from coal, it’s also the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases as of 2007, yet the United States remains the world’s biggest oil consumer by a wide margin. We’re also by far the bigger energy consumer per capita, despite an overall 2.5 percent annual improvement in energy efficiency since 2000; the average American burns five times as much energy annually as the average Chinese citizen. ~ International Energy Agency
United States, China and other countries don’t make a super-swift transition from the use of coal and oil, the world’s collective temperature will climb something like five degrees before the century is out. If one degree melts the Arctic icecap, we don’t want to see what five degrees looks like. So, that’s the bad news. Here’s the good news.
Alternate Scenario Let’s imagine we took the most significant step we could to speed the worldwide transition off of fossil fuel. Let’s imagine that the U.S. Congress and the United Nations managed to agree on a national and international scheme to set stiff pricing on coal and oil that accurately reflects the damage these fossil fuels are wreaking in the atmosphere. If that happened, then many other things would follow. The most obvious is that we’d see lots more solar panels and wind turbines. Suddenly, anyone with a spreadsheet would be able to see that it no longer makes sense to invest in a coal-fired power plant. Anyone build-
ing a new apartment complex would immediately understand that it’s in his or her best interest to install solar hot water tubes on the roof. In China, the world leader in total energy use, yet also in renewable energies, 250 million people now get their hot water this way. But, such a simple and effective solution still has to fight against the force of economic gravity there, as elsewhere. As long as coal-fired electricity is absurdly cheap, renewable energy sources will stay marginal. The effects of a widespread switch to clean and renewable energies wouldn’t be confined to the energy sector. Think about farming. We’ve spent half a century building a giant agro-industrial complex that runs entirely on fossil fuel. Yet author Michael Pollan recently calculated that it takes 10 calories of fossil energy to produce one calorie of food. Because that growing complex is a machine, not really a farm, the food it produces is terrible in terms of taste and nutrition, and includes toxic residues from pesticides, herbicides and chemically synthesized fertilizers. The ultimate irony is that we now devote the best farmland on the planet, the American Midwest, to growing highfructose corn syrup. It’s a prime culprit in our country’s diabetes epidemic. The ripple effect goes on and on. On the other hand, consider what would happen if the price of oil went up high enough that this nation could no longer afford to farm in the manner preferred by agribusiness behemoths? What would happen is that we’d need more Americans engaged in healthier farming, with human labor and ingenuity replacing some of the fossil fuel. That would increase yields per acre and also increase the quality of the foods we eat. Research studies reported by Jules Pretty, pro-vice-chancellor of the University of Essex, UK, in his book, Agri-Culture, have proved that small farms around the world are routinely as productive as agro-industrial lands, and that low-input farming, too, can feed the world with a wholesale switchover. Again, this is already starting to happen: Farmers’ markets continue to be the fastest growing part of our nation’s food economy; the last agricul-
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tural census found that the number of farms in the United States is increasing for the first time in a century-and-a-half. That’s good news and potentially great news, but small farming, co-ops and organic production will remain a small, marginal trend until the price of energy changes. The day that happens is the day that everyone finds their way to a local farmers’ market. Helpful changes roll out, from bus and train commutes replacing cars to the rising popularity of densely inhabited urban blocks, as cul-de-sac suburbia loses its appeal. Local storefronts naturally get the nod over big box chain stores, too, and so on.
The Key to Change How do we make it happen? How do we change the price of energy, which is what almost every observer thinks is the only way we can make a real change in the physics and chemistry of the current global warming phenomenon, and make an effective difference in the short time allowed before the harmful consequences explode exponentially? If only everyday people could do it solely by making personal energy improvements around the house, at work and in their communities—through such steps as switching to more energyefficient light bulbs and riding our bikes to work. Such changes are good to do, of course, and it all helps, but we don’t have a century to turn around our global situation. Which means we also need to engage in… politics. We need to put the pressure on our leaders now to change the price of energy now. Remember—they’re getting plenty of pressure from lobbyists pocketing profits on the other side. Because of government subsidies and cartels, fossil fuel is the most profitable industry humans have ever engaged in; last year, Exxon Mobil Corporation made more money than any company in recorded history. That buys them a lot of power. We won’t be able to outspend them, so we will have to do what people have always done when they have found themselves needing to take charge of their future: We must build a movement. Politicians won’t change because scientists tell them
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Scientific data shows the ocean becoming more acidic at an unprecedented rate as surface waters continue to absorb approximately a third of manmade atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions. ~ National Research Council, Ocean Acidification, 2010
Global phytoplankton populations have dropped about 40 percent since 1950, and scientists believe that rising sea surface temperatures are to blame. The microscopic plants both form the foundation of the ocean’s food web and gobble up carbon dioxide to produce half of the world’s oxygen output. ~ Dalhousie University, Canada, Nature, 2010
we have a problem— they’ll change because enough people tell them they have to, or they’ll lose their jobs. Building just this kind of movement is entirely possible.
Citizen Action Plan Two years ago, a few concerned citizens joined me in launching 350.org, a wholly grassroots campaign that takes its name from a wonky scientific data point. NASA scientists led by James Hansen have published reams of data showing that, “Any value for car-
bon in the atmosphere greater than 350 parts per million [ppm] is not compatible with the planet on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted.” It sounds like an unpromising banner to rally people around—too serious and too depressing, because we’re already well past the 350 mark. The atmosphere is currently at 392 ppm carbon dioxide, which is why the Arctic is melting. So far, we’ve racked up some successes; in October 2009, we held an International Day of Action that created some 5,200 demonstrations in 181 countries. That’s a lot—in fact, CNN called it, “… the most widespread day of political action in the planet’s history.” Online images posted from those events banish wrong preconceptions people might have about who is and is not an environmentalist. Most of the rallies were orchestrated by poor, black, brown, Asian and young people, because that’s what most of the world is made up of. Six weeks later, at the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, 117 nations endorsed that
350 target, which was good; except that they were 117 poor and vulnerable nations, not the richest and most addicted to fossil fuels. So, we fight on. This October, we’re holding a 10/10/10 Global Work Party. It’s set to spread around the world, too, with people in thousands of communities doing something practical: putting solar panels on local schools, harvesting community gardens and planting mangroves along rising shorelines. In Auckland, New Zealand, they aim to repair every bicycle in every garage. The intention will be twofold. Point one is that bikes are good. Ditto solar panels. We need both in our communities. Point two acknowledges that we know we can’t solve climate change one bike path at a time. So we’re also intent on sending a strong political message to our leaders: If we can get to work, so can you. Right now. If I can climb up on the roof of the school to hammer in a solar panel, you can climb to the floor of the Senate and hammer out some helpful legislation. It’s time to shame our government and corporate leaders a little, and maybe inspire them, too. This is far from the only people’s campaign swelling around the world. They range from the small and specific (e.g., Project Laundry List, which advocates for right-to-dry laws that would let all Americans hang their laundry on clotheslines) to the far-ranging Green for All, which works for clean energy jobs across the country. This year, the Great Power Race, between campuses in the United States, China and India, will make news via a friendly competition to see who can come up with the most creative sustainability ideas. Then there’s PutSolarOnIt.com, pushing the U.S. president and other world leaders to at least do the symbolic work of sticking panels on the roof of the White House and all of its equivalent buildings around the world. The list goes on. We all need to get to work addressing climate change right where we live, in our communities. We need to build towns and cities that make sense and create jobs for families. We also need to build a world that works, because the best organic gardener on Earth won’t be able to cope with 30
We the People Can Help Mother Earth Organizing a local action for 10/10/10 doesn’t need to be large or complicated; these acts are about community and solutions and sending a message to the world. Find ideas at 350.org, search People or nearby work parties. We understand that 10/10/10 is one important day of many in a long, universal (and beautiful) fight for a workable planet. Other groups doing great work include: Center for Biological Diversity (BiologicalDiversity.org) Energy Action Coalition (EnergyActionCoalition.org) Friends of the Earth (foe.org) Interfaith Power and Light (InterfaithPowerAndLight.org)
straight days of rain, or a month with no rain at all, without helpful policies. That means resorting to politics, which is another way of saying that we must work together as people for better solutions to climate change than what we have now. It can be beautiful. If you don’t believe me, check out the pictures at 350.org. I dare you. Bill McKibben is the author, most recently, of the bestselling Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet. He’s the founder of 350.org, and a scholar in residence at Middlebury College in Vermont. The Boston Globe this year described him as “…probably the country’s leading environmentalist,” and Time called him “…the planet’s best green journalist.”
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BETTER BREAST
HEALTH Make Prevention a Daily Habit by Beth Davis
The National Cancer Institute
F
or some women, the thought of Embrace Fish Oil breast cancer elicits fears related estimates that roughly one-third According to a recent report in Cancer to body image, surgery and Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevenof all cancer deaths may be mortality. It has likely affected every tion, women who regularly included woman in this country, either through a fish oil supplement in their diet had diet-related. To help decrease the trauma of personal experience or a 32 percent reduced risk of breast through another’s trials. cancer than those not taking the a woman’s risk, The Cancer According to the American Cansupplement. cer Society (ACS), some 207,000 new Cure Foundation recommends cases of invasive breast cancer will be Take Up Tea diagnosed in U.S. women this year. adding foods containing cancer- Green tea, the most widely consumed Despite this staggering number, there beverage in the world, after water, is good news. The ACS also reports fighting properties, including fiber, reportedly contains the highest conthat after increasing for more than two centration of polyphenols, powerful seaweed and whole soy products. antioxidants that help fight off the free decades, the incidence rate of female breast cancer recently has been deradicals that scientists believe concreasing, by about 2 percent per year tribute to the aging process, as well as from 1999 to 2006, which may indicate that we are adopting the development of many health problems, including cancer. more effective prevention methods. According to a new study led by Martha Shrubsole, an asHere are some natural ways to keep breast tissue healthy. sistant professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, regular consumption of green tea may reduce a Get a Move On woman’s risk of breast cancer by as much as 12 percent. Walk, run, swim or bike—just move. Studies show that exercise reduces the risk of breast cancer. Results of research The Power of Produce published in BMC Cancer found that women in the study Eat more fruits and vegetables. The American Institute of group who engaged in more than seven hours a week of Cancer Research lists the foods most likely to help decrease moderate-to-vigorous exercise for the last 10 years were 16 the risk of breast cancer. Superstar vegetables include all percent less likely to develop breast cancer than those who cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, were inactive. cauliflower); dark leafy greens (collards, kale, spinach); car-
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rots; and tomatoes. Steam the vegetables or eat them raw to best preserve their cancer-fighting nutrients. Superstar fruits include citrus, berries and cherries. The Magic of Mushrooms Regularly include medicinal mushrooms at mealtime, especially the Japanese varieties maitake and shiitake. Studies have shown that maitake mushrooms, in particular, stimulate immune function and also inhibit tumor growth. In a study of more than 2,000 Chinese women, those who ate the most fresh mushrooms (10 grams or more a day) proved about two-thirds less likely to develop breast cancer than non-consumers. Limit the Alcohol A study of more than a million women by Oxford University scientists indicates a clear link between drinking even moderate amounts of wine and breast cancer. A Harvard Nurses’ Health study has shown that consuming more than one alcoholic beverage a day can increase breast cancer risk by as much as 20 to 25 percent. Cut the Fat Ann Kulze, a medical doctor and author of Dr. Ann’s 10-Step Diet, says women should minimize consumption of omega-6 and saturated fats, avoid trans fats, and maximize intake of omega-3 fats, especially from oily fish such as tuna, salmon, sardines and mackerel. Kulze suggests that women consume monounsaturated fats like olive oil, as well as nuts and seeds; the latter also provide selenium, an important mineral in cancer protection, according to the British Journal of Cancer. Cut Chemical Exposure Certain chemicals, many of which are found in plastic, appear to interfere with the body’s hormonal balance and could harm breast tissue. To reduce exposure to chemicals such as Biphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, Marissa Weiss, a physician and president of BreastCancer.org, recommends using products that are made from glass, ceramic or stainless steel, instead. Avoid Long-Term Hormone Therapy The link between postmenopausal hormone therapy (PHT) and breast cancer has long been a subject of debate, and research results have been mixed. According to experts at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, it’s probably safe to take hormones for up to four to five years, although they recommend using the lowest dose possible. Of course, not using PHT to start with is a way to avoid raising this particular risk. Making such conscious daily life choices pays off today and in many tomorrows. Beth Davis is a contributing writer to Natural Awakenings magazines.
October 2010
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healthykids
BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID... LEARN HOW TO AVOID THE REAL GOBLINS by Melinda Hemmelgarn
O
ur little ones, masquerading this month as ghosts and goblins, only look scary. What’s really frightening are the toxic chemicals lurking in our families’ food and water. Pregnant women, infants and children are most vulnerable, because expectant, young and growing bodies are less able to break down and excrete toxins. Halloween screams for a list of valid fears, plus strategies to keep our families safe. Pesticides: According to Charles Benbrook, Ph.D., chief scientist at the Boulder, Colorado-based Organic Center, more than 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the United States alone. More than half of the most widely applied pesticides are known endocrine disruptors, compounds that mimic natural hormones and interfere with normal development. At Beyond Pesticides’ annual meeting last spring, Indianapolis-based neonatologist Dr. Paul Winchester
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explained how pesticide exposure contributes to birth defects, autism, hyperactivity, diabetes, reduced fertility, obesity and cancer. It’s no wonder that the President’s Cancer Panel Report recommends choosing foods grown or produced without pesticides. Genetically Modified Foods: An estimated 70 percent of common processed foods lining supermarkets shelves, including Halloween candy, contain at least one genetically modified (GM) ingredient. Yet, genetically modified crops and foods (GMOs) have never been tested for long-term safety. Since the introduction of GM crops 13 years ago, Benbrook says pesticide use has increased by more than 300 million pounds. Because GM crops are designed to withstand pesticide spray, over time, weeds and pests naturally develop resistance, requiring more and stronger chemicals. Mercury Rising: Recent U.S. Geological Survey research found mercury contamination in every fish sampled from 291 streams nationwide. More surprising, the Institute for Agriculture
and Trade Policy (IATP) found mercury in assorted products containing high fructose corn syrup, likely the result of the sweetener’s manufacturing process, says Renee Dufault, a former U.S. Food and Drug Administration health officer. David Wallinga, a medical doctor and director of the Food and Health program at IATP, says mercury is a toxic, heavy metal that harms brain development; no exposure level is considered safe. Plastic Poisons: Like pesticides, plastics can release endocrine disruptors such as bisphenol A (BPA) into food and water. Even more scary, “These compounds are biologically active at extremely low and previously undetected levels,” says University of Missouri biologist Frederick vom Saal. Food Dyes: The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that common food dyes can pose unnecessary risks for cancer, hyperactivity and allergies. Each year, approximately 15 million pounds of
synthetic food dyes are added to foods that are heavily marketed to children. It’s frightening to think of our children as guinea pigs for profit, isn’t it? Here’s how to keep family members safe: Buy Organic: Researchers at Washington State University found that switching children from a conventional to an organic diet resulted in a dramatic drop in pesticide exposure. By definition, organic foods cannot contain GMOs, synthetic pesticides, artificial hormones or antibiotics. Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., a prominent ecologist and author of Living Downstream, says, “Organic food is really a bargain, when you consider the full cost to our children’s health and their environment.” Read Labels: Most nonorganic corn, soy, canola and sugar (processed from sugar beets, not cane) are genetically engineered, although an identifying label is not required. Common GMO ingredients include soy lecithin,
corn starch and high fructose corn syrup. “Good” food advocates suggest that we call or write our favorite food manufacturers and tell them we won’t buy their products if they use GMO ingredients or artificial colors. Avoid Plastics: Always heat food in glass, lead-free ceramic, stainless steel or other non-reactive metal cookware (excludes most nonstick brands). Avoid House and Garden Chemicals: Banish bug sprays and lawn and garden chemicals in favor of more natural products. Check with Beyond Pesticides for suggested alternatives, at BeyondPesticides.org. Pass this Article on to Friends: Protect the neighborhood and beyond. Petition Legislators: Ask representatives to support H.R. 5820, the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act, at ewg.org/ actioncenter. Melinda Hemmelgarn is a registered dietitian and award-winning writer and radio host based in Columbia, MO. Tune into “Food Sleuth” radio at kopn.org. Reach her at FoodSleuth@gmail.com.
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BANISHING THE CANDY MONSTER When goblins come a-knocking, offer stickers, pencils, crayons or children’s party favors. Host a haunted dinner party with a creepy twist: Serve guacamole (aka “frogs’ guts”), spaghetti with tomato sauce (“bloody brains”) and organic cranberry juice mixed with warm spiced cider (“Dracula’s blood”). Eat by candlelight or around a fire pit and howl at the moon. Make up spooky stories.
Emphasize the dress-up factor. Visit a secondhand store and create unique costumes, complete with homemade masks, face paint and hairdos. Celebrate the season with true treats, like time with family and nature. Take a treasure hunt hike to search for leaves, feathers, rocks and seedpods. Decorate small pumpkins or gourds from the farmers’ market, dunk for organic apples, carve jacko-lanterns and toast pumpkin seeds. Yum.
October 2010
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he American Cancer Society’s (ACS) statistics on breast cancer are shocking. Every three minutes in the United States alone, another woman is diagnosed with this dreaded disease, which annually claims the lives of more than 40,000 women. With its incidence on the rise and prevention now considered more valuable than cure, women are beginning to educate themselves on the option of including a thermogram in their annual check-up. This little-known tool for risk assessment measures thermal emissions emanating from the body, a key indicator of health. Available here since the
1960s, it was approved in 1982 as an adjunct to mammography. Also referred to as digital infrared thermal imaging, thermography has long been used for surveillance and night vision by the military. Since its early clinical use in the field of medicine, dramatic technological advances have occurred in the underlying science, which now employs highly sensitive, state-of-the-art infrared cameras and sophisticated computers. The American College of Clinical Thermology (ACCT) is now responsible for training technicians and physicians,
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providing accreditation for practitioners, and promoting scientific research. Peter Leando, Ph.D., an ACCT training officer, conducts ongoing sessions at Duke University. “Thermography,” explains Leando, “offers an indication of inflammation, vascular change, lymph activity and abnormal physiology changes.” Cancer stimulates the production of new blood vessels that don’t have the ability to contract, and brings about the production of nitric oxide, which causes vascular dilation, increased blood supply and heat. The infrared camera images this abnormal blood supply, which forms to feed cancerous tumors. To those skilled in interpreting such images, these vessels look different and indicate abnormal development. Dr. Deb Gilliam of Progressive Family Medicine-Alternative Medicine offers the MediTherm Digital Infrared
stable pattern has been established, changes can be detected during your routine annual studies. Dr. Gilliam advises that all women can benefit from DITI screening. It is especially appropriate for younger women (30-50) whose denser breast tissue makes it more difficult for mammography to be effective. It takes years for a tumor to grow; thus, the earliest possible indication of abnormality is needed to allow for earliest possible treatment and intervention. One day there may be a single method for early
detection of breast cancer. Until then, using a combination of methods will increase your chances of detecting cancer at its earliest stages. Contact Dr. Gilliam at 256-7220555. Progressive Family MedicineAlternative Medicine is located at 1230 Slaughter Road in Madison. Visit www. alternativemedicinemadison.com. See ads on pages 23, 33, and 40. For more information on thermography, visit the American College of Clinical Thermology at ThermologyOnline.org.
Thermography has been known to detect breast cancer as much as 10 years before a tumor develops. Thermal Imaging system. “DITI is a fifteen-minute, non-invasive test of physiology,” says Dr. Gilliam. “It is a valuable procedure for alerting your doctor to changes that can indicate early breast disease.” She points out the benefit of DITI testing is that it offers the opportunity of earlier detection of breast disease than has been possible through breast self examination, doctor examination, or mammography alone. DITI detects the subtle physiologic changes that accompany breast pathology, whether it is cancer, fibrocystic disease, an infection, or vascular disease. Your doctor can then plan accordingly and lay out a careful program to further diagnose and/or monitor you during and after any treatment. This quick and easy test starts with your medical history being taken before you partially disrobe for the scanning to be preformed. This first session provides the baseline of your “thermal signature.” All of your thermograms are kept on record. Once your
October 2010
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INTHEVALLEY This month Natural Awakenings is proud to sspotlight Jim Barnes with Reflex Action and Cathy Holmes, Interdisciplinary Massage Therapist by Kimberly Ballard
Reflexology and Hot Stones Will Ease Your Groans
I
t is a procedure thousands o of years old aand practiced by the ancient Egyptians and tthe Cherokee Indians. Often d depicted as a pair of feet Jim Barnes, Certified mapped with Integrative Reflexologist of colorful markDecatur’s Reflex Action ings illustrating the meridian points for every organ in the human body, reflexology is a needleless form of acupuncture. By applying alternating pressure to “energy zones” in the feet, reflexology restores the natural balance of energy flowing throughout the body to bring about
a state of balance known as homeostasis. By increasing blood flow from organs throughout the body, this form of “zone therapy” unstops “congestion” in the nerve endings that may be causing a number of discomforts, such as migraine headaches, constipation, and a variety of pain-related problems, such as lower back pain and fibromyalgia. Eunice Ingham brought reflexology to the forefront of modern alternative medicine when she made the connection between the anatomical structure of the human body and “reflex points” or meridian points in the feet. “These reflex points are also found in the hands, face, and ears,” says Certified Integrative Reflexologist, Jim Barnes of Decatur’s Reflex Action, “but the ancients discovered over
All A ll photogragphs © The National Trust for Historic Preservation
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seven thousand nerve endings in the feet that correspond to somewhere in the human body. Improving the flow of energy using reflexology pressure techniques is very effective in easing pain.” “I was in a reflexology session when suddenly, my sinuses opened and I could smell the greasy hamburger joint I had visited a day or two prior,” Jim explains. “It was like that smell was stored in my sinuses. When the reflexologist released it, I realized there was something to the technique.” Jim studied at the International Institute of Reflexology where he earned his certification nearly four years ago.
D
own the hall, patients will p find Licensed Massage TheraM pist, Cathy p Holmes. Her sstandard use of hot stones o in her many Cathy Holmes, Licensed iinterdisciplinMassage Therapist ary massage therapy techniques is an uncommon benefit. Specializing in deep tissue and Swedish massage, Cathy says she has been using hot stones to help relax all her patients from the beginning. “I heat the stones in water in a roaster oven and use them in all my massages without charging extra because they have such a calming effect
on the client. It makes my job easier when the customer is comfortable, and the customer enjoys the massage more because they are so restful.” Cathy was facing a possible layoff from her security job at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant when she attended a fundraiser for the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Massage Therapy Institute. “I knew immediately I wanted to become a massage therapist,” she says. “Relieving people of pain and discomfort caused by injuries, athletics, disease, or tension and stress is highly satisfying.” The timing was
“Relieving people of pain and discomfort caused by injuries, athletics, disease, or tension and stress is highly satisfying.” perfect. By the time she finished her training and got her license in 1995, the layoff struck. “I never looked back!” she says. Hot stones for relaxation and therapeutic massage, and reflexology for chronic pain and body aches -- it’s a double dose of relief in one convenient location. —CONTACT: Reflex Action &Cathy Holmes, LMT, are located at 124 14thStreet SW, Ste. #B3, Decatur, Alabama 35601. Call Reflex Action at 256-227-2920 and Cathy Holmes at 256-309-0033. ___________________ —Kimberly Ballard is a Professional Writer & Marketing Consultant and is available for consults. Call 256-653-4003 and receive a free press release with any marketing project. Visit www.KimberlyWritesCreative.com, or email Kimberly@ KimberlyWritesCreative.com.
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October 2010
19
consciouseating Vegan advocates, who include celebrities like Alicia Silverstone, Tobey Maguire and Woody Harrelson, support a robust vegan infrastructure, with new cookbooks and gourmet recipes, hip new restaurants and an explosion of websites and chat rooms devoted to a plant-based lifestyle. Some omnivores doubt that people can be either healthy or satisfied without the nutrients and flavor of animal products. After all, didn’t we evolve from meat eaters? Yes, our hunter-gatherer forbears may have liked meat, explain some experts, but it comprised only a tiny part of their diet—those animals were hard to catch. Instead, early humans subsisted largely on wild vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Milk and cheese didn’t become a diet staple until 10,000 years ago, and then only in Europe. Author Virginia Messina, a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in public health, based in Port Townsend, Washington, says her research for the American Dietetic Association confirms that vegetarians overall have lower levels of bad cholesterol, less obesity and a lower incidence of both hypertension and colon cancer than meat-eaters. Vegans have even lower cholesterol and blood pressure than vegetarians who eat eggs and dairy. But eschewing animal products only leads to improved health if people follow some basic guidelines. Vegans must by Kristin Ohlson be sure to eat a variety of whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds—good sources of protein—as well as fruits and ased upon what he observed at a plantation in Hawaii vegetables. (Messina notes that the average person needs on his first job out of medical school, California physiabout 55 grams of protein a day, about half that ingested in cian John McDougall has eaten a vegan diet for 35 a typical America diet.) And, while plant diets are generally years. There, he cared for workers hailing from China, Japan, rich in iron, Messina notes that vegans need to make sure Korea and the Philippines, and quickly noticed that first-genthat the iron is well absorbed by eating a diet rich in vitamin eration immigrants didn’t have the diseases C—leafy greens, as well as citrus, peppers, he’d been trained to treat: no heart disease, The American Institute potatoes, melons and tomatoes. She reminds no diabetes, no cancer, no arthritis. However, vegans to get enough zinc in their diets for Cancer Research he saw more evidence of these conditions with nuts, seeds and seed butters like tahini. recommends avoiding with each succeeding generation, as the Some nutritionists suggest that vegans take a workers increasingly indulged in standard vitamin B12 supplement, as well as a calcium processed meat and American fare. supplement. eating no more than “My first-generation patients kept to the Vegans insist that giving up these animal 500 grams (18 ounces) products doesn’t mean giving up the pleadiet they had eaten in their home countries,” McDougall says. “They lived on rice and sures of food. Perhaps no vegan chef has of red meat a week, vegetables, with very little meat and no dairy. done more to convince skeptics than Isa the equivalent of six But, as their kids started to eat burgers and Chandra Moskowitz, with cookbooks like 3-ounce servings. shakes, the kids got fatter and sicker.” Vegan with a Vengeance, Veganomicon, and Accounts like this contribute to the fact Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. (She that today, as many as 8 million Americans say ~ Elaine Magee, WebMD.com also founded the Post Punk Kitchen vegan that they are vegetarians, according to a 2009 website with free recipes at theppk.com). Harris Interactive survey commissioned by The VegetarMany of her recipes take fewer than ian Resource Group. Of these, about a third are vegans, 45 minutes to prepare, often from who avoid meat, eggs and dairy products, as well as inexpensive ingredients. “It’s meat. Many choose a plant-based diet for better health; an economical way to eat,” others, because they believe it’s more humane and she says. “It’s the way poor environmentally conscious. According to the Natural people have always eaten.” Marketing Institute, as many as 30 percent of AmeriCertainly, it takes some cans say they are trying to reduce their meat intake. retraining to adopt a vegan
On The
WHY PEOPLE ARE PUTTING MORE PLANTS ON THEIR PLATES
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diet. Some people start by keeping meat portions to three or four ounces and going meatless one day each week, as author Michael Pollan recommends. But once people get the hang of preparing tasty, plant-based meals, they realize the breadth of the culinary experience. “The people who have been vegan for any length of time actually have a diet that’s substantially more diverse and interesting than the typical omnivore,” observes Erik Marcus, author of The Ultimate Vegan Guide: Compassionate Living Without Sacrifice. “You might think that your diet becomes more limited if you get rid of animal foods, but the opposite is actually true.” Kristin Ohlson is a freelance writer in Cleveland, OH. Reach her at KristinOhlson.com.
Defining Different Strokes It’s common for people to become quasi-vegetarians on the way to a way of eating that’s even more health- and planet-friendly. Here’s a look at various dietary practices.
THE PERILS OF MEAT SUBSTITUTES by Kristin Ohlson When some people decide to give up meat, they still want something that looks, smells and tastes like meat on their plate—and they want its preparation to be as easy as flipping a burger on the grill. Even mainstream supermarkets now offer dozens of protein-rich products to fill this savory niche, usually made from some combination of textured or hydrolyzed soy protein, wheat gluten, grains and tofu. Great idea, right? Not necessarily. It may be convenient to rely on “meat analog” products when first making the transition to a plant-based diet, but a steady diet of them isn’t healthy, say nutritionists, because these products often have similar problems as other highly refined foods. Too many vitamins and minerals are leached away during production; plus, they often contain an unwholesome amount of salt, flavorings, colorings and other chemicals to make them palatable.
Omnivore: eats both plant- and animal-based foods Flexitarian: inclined to mostly eat vegetarian, but sometimes adds in meat Vegetarian: eats no meat, including fish and shellfish, or any animal byproducts; also known as a lacto-ovo vegetarian (eats dairy and eggs) Lacto-vegetarian: a vegetarian who eats dairy products, but not eggs Ovo-vegetarian: a vegetarian who eats eggs, but not dairy products Pescetarian: a vegetarian who eats fish (may also avoid factory-farmed fish) Vegan: eats no meat, eggs or dairy, and no animal-derived ingredients, like gelatin, honey or whey; usually also excludes wearing and other uses of animal products, such as leather, wool, angora and cashmere Raw: consists of only unprocessed vegan foods that have not been heated above 115° Fahrenheit Macrobiotic: consumes unprocessed vegan foods and sometimes, fish; generally avoids refined oils, flours and sugars Fruitarian: eats only plant foods that can be harvested without harming the plant Contributing sources: International Vegetarian Union; Vegetarian.About.com; VeggieVisitors.com
“They’re really not ideal foods, long-term,” states Brendan Brazier, an Ironman triathlete and author of The Thrive Diet and Thrive Fitness. “After the transition is made, I tell people to cut these highly processed things out drastically— even cut them out completely.” Mitzi Dulan agrees. She’s a registered dietitian and team nutritionist for the Kansas City Royals (and formerly with the Kansas City Chiefs) and co-author, with NFLer Tony Gonzalez, of The All-Pro Diet. Dulan tells vegan clients to seek their protein in beans and other legumes, nuts, whole grains and naturally fermented soy foods like tempeh; if they want to buy vegan products, they should make sure they’re made from these whole-food ingredients. Remarks Dulan, “I’d prefer to see people stay away from those fake meats and cheeses.”
October 2010
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greenliving
Transition Towns Where Sustainable Living is Real by Tara Lohan
More and more neighborhoods are making the transition to a climate-friendly community.
T
he coastal town of Lincoln City, Oregon, has a lot to lose if nothing is done about climate change. The town sits 11 feet above sea level, and unchecked climate change could erode its beaches or flood the town. Residents are taking matters into their own hands. “We could ignore it, let the federal government deal with it,” Mayor Lori Hollingsworth says. “We’re not willing to do that.” Last year, Lincoln City committed to becoming carbon neutral, through renewable energy, energy efficiency and carbon offsets. Communities like Lincoln City have long been ahead of Congress and the White House on climate commitments. Cities first began committing to Kyoto Protocol goals in 2005, through the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection
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Agreement. Now, more than 1,000 cities in the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have signed on. The community climate movement goes beyond government initiatives; it’s a cultural shift involving people from tiny rural towns to major metropolitan areas.
The Heart of Climate Action The fast-growing college town of Berea, Kentucky, is one of scores of U.S. communities that have become Transition Towns and formed a diffuse, grassroots network, led by individuals who are working to transform their own communities. While Berea is seeing its subdivisions expand and farmland disappear, one group of residents is making plans to help their community
end its reliance on fossil fuels. Berea locals have a goal they’re calling “50 x 25.” By 2025, they aim to have the town using 50 percent less energy, deriving 50 percent of the energy it does use from local sources, procuring 50 percent of its food from farms and processors within 100 miles of town, and generating 50 percent of its gross domestic product from locally owned, independent businesses. The Transition Town Berea group holds monthly reskilling workshops to help locals acquire the know-how to grow their own food, weatherize their houses and install solar panels. Their projects help neighbors replant lawns with edibles and build raised vegetable beds. They’ve also auctioned rain barrels painted by local artists and organized a 100-Mile Potluck to celebrate local food and farmers.
Building a Future from the Ground Up The Transition Towns movement in the United States is less than two years old, but it came from the seeds of earlier re-localization efforts and other community climate groups and nonprofits. A lecture on climate change may not appeal to everyone, but advocates find they can interest people in things like gardening, says Richard Olson, director of the Berea College Sustainability and Environmental
Studies program. “We talk to them about heirloom seeds and what their grandparents grew and if they’d like to learn canning. We get them involved without even mentioning transition or sustainability.� Interest in climate-readiness is spreading: Austin, Texas, has an ambitious plan to make city facilities, vehicles and all other operations carbon-neutral by 2020. Louisville, Colorado, now has a car share program. Charlottesville, Virginia, is creating a trail system for walking and biking to connect schools, parks and other public spaces. Greensburg, Kansas, a city of fewer than 2,000, was leveled by a tornado in May 2007. Residents have decided to rebuild as green as they can, requiring all city buildings to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED platinum rating for top-level environmentally friendly construction. They’ve also formed the group Greensburg GreenTown to increase public education about green living, make resources available at the library and distribute educational materials through online and telephone classes and events. Green building initiatives also are spreading, thanks in part to Architecture 2030, a nonprofit based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which calls for an immediate 50 percent reduction in fossil fuel consumption in new buildings and renovations, and sets a goal of carbon-neutral design by 2030. The U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted the program in 2006. These communities hope they can lead the way toward the big changes we’ll need, both nationally and internationally, to respond to climate change. “Working at the community level to build resilience is the strategy that has the most chance of success,� observes Olson. “It’s not going to take until our grandchildren’s generation to see if we’ve succeeded. I think in 10 years we’ll see if we’re going to have a chance.�
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For more information visit TransitionUS.org. Tara Lohan is a contributing writer to YES! Magazine, a senior editor at AlterNet and editor of the book, Water Consciousness.
October 2010
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What vegetable may be round, oblong or spherical, smooth or bumpy and comes in a variety of rich autumn colors? Hint: It can sit prettily on the kitchen counter through March, waiting for someone to figure out its full range of possibilities. . . . The answer is winter squash.
PoshSquash by Anjela Boyd
T
he most common types of winter squash are butternut, acorn and spaghetti. Others include buttercup, banana, Cushaw, delicate, Hubbard and turban. A plentiful variety exists within each type of squash, with a choice of sweetness, color and size. Winter squash differ from summer squash in part because they are kept on the vine to full maturity, when the seeds are completely grown. Winter squash tend to have a harder exterior that helps to maintain their freshness when stored in a cool place over the long winter months. The most notable difference between winter and summer squash is that winter varieties are only served
cooked, while most summer squash can be eaten raw, as well as cooked. The most unusual winter squash is the spaghetti squash. When fully cooked, the scooped-out flesh resembles spaghetti and can be used in place of noodles in a savory dish or sweetened up with a bit of honey, cinnamon and butter for a sweet, spiced treat. Butternut squash, with a more traditional texture, is generally beige on the outside, with rich, orange flesh inside. This squash makes for a tasty soup or may be simply split in half, drizzled with honey or maple syrup and butter or olive oil, plus a pinch of salt and pepper, and baked until soft. Other varieties have a flesh similar to that of the butternut, kind of like a pumpkin that is rich and creamy when cooked. The many rich fall colors of winter
squash add a piquant touch to any holiday table with little effort. Treating the squash like a Halloween pumpkin by cutting a hole in the top and scraping out the majority of the flesh is the first step. This flesh can be baked in a casserole, cubed and added to stuffing, creamed into a wonderful side dish or even made into soup. More ideas on how to cook up squash turn up in an Internet search. A vegetarian cookbook may also offer other innovative recipes. A fun bonus comes in using the squash shells as soup bowls. Save each squash top, garnish the tasty winter soup and add the natural lid to surprise guests with the wonderful treat within. Smaller varieties can be used as bowls for dips or as creative containers to serve salad dressing at the table. For strictly decorative use, winter
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squash make a long-lasting base for a seasonal flower arrangement, either as a place accent or centerpiece. Another special touch comes in carving small shapes into different-sized shells and placing small glasses with tea lights in the bottoms. To add extra sparkle, press small crystals or other light-reflecting stones into the outer rind. Now, that’s a posh squash. Anjela Boyd is a freelance writer based in Wrightwood, CA. Connect at Mail4Anj@ hotmail.com or AnjelaBoyd.com.
down, on the baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool. 3. Remove the rind with a sharp knife and place the cooked pumpkin in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Measure 3 cups of puree for the pie. 4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°. Combine the graham crackers and pecans in a food processor and process until the mixture has the consistency of fine crumbs. Pour in the oil or melted butter and pulse until blended. Pat this mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. 5. In a bowl, using a hand-held mixer, beat the pumpkin puree with the eggs, honey, halfand-half, spices and salt until smooth. Pour the filling into the prepared pie pan. Place the filled pie pan on a cookie or baking sheet. 6. Bake the pie on the middle shelf of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the filling is glossy on top. Let cool before cutting and serving. Judith Fertig is the author of the award-winning Prairie Home Cooking and All-American Desserts cookbooks.
Sugar Pumpkin Pie by Judith Fertig When small sugar or pie pumpkins come on the market around Halloween, snap up a few to make a delicious pumpkin pie filling. This seasonal Thanksgiving pie has a lighter and fresher flavor than a traditional pie. If possible, use a local honey. Good spices matter, too: Buy a whole nutmeg and grate it into the filling and select Saigon or Vietnamese cinnamon for the strongest flavor. It even works to make and freeze the fresh pumpkin puree in 3-cup measurements ahead of time for quicker holiday preparation. Makes one 9-inch single-crust pie 1 3-lb sugar or pie pumpkin 1 cup crumbled cinnamon graham crackers ½ cup chopped pecans 2 tsp canola oil or melted butter 4 large eggs, lightly beaten ¾ cup wildflower, clover or other amber-colored honey 1 cup half-and-half ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg ½ tsp ground Saigon or Vietnamese cinnamon 1 tsp salt 1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and set aside. 2. Cut the pumpkin into large chunks; remove and discard the seeds and stringy matter. Place the pumpkin pieces, cut-side
Natural Awakenings is spreading its wings
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TIDIER HOUSE, FITTER BODY
healthbriefs
Why People Need Germs
P
arents should ease up on antibacterial soaps and wipes and perhaps allow their little ones a romp or two in the mud—or at least more of an acquaintance with everyday germs, suggests a Northwestern University long-term study. Exposure to germs in childhood, the researchers observe, helps develop the immune system and may help prevent cardiovascular and other diseases in adulthood. Such early exposure, they note, promotes the body’s own ability to regulate inflammation, a root cause associated with many diseases. “Now, for the first time in the history of our species, our bodies are being deprived of exposure to those everyday germs because we live in such a sanitary environment,” explains lead author Thomas McDade, of Northwestern. “Think about the immune system as [one] that needs information from the environment to guide its development and function; if you live in a rich microbial environment, you get exposed to lots of germs, and that helps your immune system develop.”
A
new study at Indiana University suggests that how tidy we keep our home can also indicate how fit we are. That conclusion was based on an examination of the domestic habits of 998 urban AfricanAmericans, ages 49 to 65, that found a correlation between the interior condition, or cleanliness, of a participant’s residence and their level of physical activity. Remarks researcher NiCole Keith, “If you spend your day dusting, cleaning, doing laundry, you’re active.”
An Apple A Day
T
here’s truth in the adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Research published in the open access journal BMC Microbiology contributes to our understanding of why apples are good for us. Microbiologists from the National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark fed rats a diet rich in whole apples or apple juice, purée or pomace. Another group of lab animals was put on a control diet. The researchers then analyzed the animals’ digestive systems to see if eating apples had any impact on the amount of friendly bacteria in their gut. “We found that rats eating a diet high in pectin, a component of dietary fiber in apples, had increased amounts of certain bacteria that may improve intestinal health,” says co-researcher Andrea Wilcks. “It seems that when apples are eaten regularly and over a prolonged period of time, these bacteria help produce short-chain fatty acids that provide ideal pH conditions for ensuring a beneficial balance of microorganisms. They also produce a chemical called butyrate, which is an important fuel for the cells of the intestinal wall.” Ultimately, a healthy digestive tract translates into a stronger immune system. Source: BioMed Central, 2010
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PESTICIDES CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ADHD A team of scientists from the University of Montreal and Harvard University have discovered that exposure to organophosphate pesticides may be associated with increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. Exposure to organophosphates, they report, might affect neural systems in ways that contribute to ADHD behaviors such as inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
How Sugar Feeds Cancer
R
esearchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah have uncovered new information about the notion that sugar “feeds” tumors. While it’s accepted that tumor cells use a lot more glucose (a simple sugar) than normal cells, the new study sheds light on how this process takes place and might be stopped. The researchers discovered that during both normal and cancerous cell growth, a cellular process takes place that involves both glucose and glutamine, a common amino acid found in many foods. Glucose and glutamine, both essential for cell growth, were thought to operate independently. This groundbreaking research now shows not only that they are interdependent, but that restricting glutamine works to stop the utilization of glucose. Essentially, if glutamine is absent, the cell is short-circuited, due to a lack of glucose; thus, it suggests a new way to halt the growth of tumor cells. The researchers hope that their findings will lead to more effective cancer treatment therapies.
and upset stomachs. Now, researchers at the University of Georgia have found that daily ginger consumption also reduces muscle pain caused by exercise. Ginger that’s been heated, as by cooking, might even increase the root’s pain-relieving effects.
Ginger Eases Muscle Pain
F
or centuries, ginger root has been used as a folk remedy for various ailments, including colds
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Structural Integration in the method of Ida P. Rolf October 2010
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inspiration
ECO-FILM PICKS Movies with a Message Worth Watching
A
s movie-making technology has become less expensive and more accessible, eco-films have exploded onto the scene. While companies like National Geographic and Discovery Channel continue to contribute high-quality nature films, independent ecofilmmakers are also releasing inspired films almost by the day. Because most of these movies run less than 90 minutes, they have become sought-after teaching tools for family movie nights, school classrooms and readers looking for a break from books. It was a tough call, but after reviewing 50 standouts, Natural Awakenings picked five films highly favored for their clear message, entertainment value and motivating call to action. FOOD, INC.: Producers present the whole enchilada when it comes to understanding what we eat and the implications of our food choices. Beyond a plateful of facts, it’s also packed with entertaining graphics. The climax answers the inevitable viewer question: “This is an appalling situation, but what can I do about it?” Attention parents: There is a documentary-style scene showing mistreatment of an ailing cow to fast-forward through; otherwise, the coast is clear. (FoodIncMovie.com) TAPPED: Filmmakers tackle two significant issues facing the modern world: the emerging scarcity of water and the staggering quantity of plastic bottle waste. Images of the Texas-sized floating island of garbage in the middle of the Pacific Ocean will make us think seriously about kicking the bottled water habit for good. (TappedTheMovie.com)
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A COMMUNITY OF GARDENERS: Anyone taking up the first lady’s call to home vegetable gardening will revel in this film’s portrayal of the many ways local gardens provide communities with gifts of food, knowledge, empowerment and reconciliation. A Community of Gardeners shows that local gardening is so much more than a labor-intensive solution to the
ills of the manufactured-food industry; it is also good for the soul. (Community OfGardeners.com) THE END OF THE LINE: Much as the eco-film standard bearer, An Inconvenient Truth, sounds the alert on global warming, The End of the Line reports on the troubled state of the rapid decline of the fish stocks that feed the world. Similarly, the film highlights how viewers’ everyday choices can stop contributing to the problem. (EndOfTheLine.com) FUEL: Civilization’s era of crude oil and other fossil fuels is rapidly coming to a close, while the future of energy has yet to be written. The replacement technologies for alternative sustainable energies are already understood, if not widely promoted. Many are ready to be put to work now and await only our adoption. Next-generation technologies also beckon. Fuel, a Hollywood-style documentary featuring such environmental spokespersons as Woody Harrelson and Sheryl Crow, proves that the future of energy is as much about imagination and creativity as it is about kilowatt-hours. (TheFuelFilm.com) Contributors include Michael Curran, health writer, and Michael D’Estries, film reviewer.
More Great Films Black Gold: A Film about Coffee and Trade on the economics of coffee BlackGoldMovie.com
Garbage Warrior on truly sustainable housing GarbageWarrior.com
Blue Gold: World Water Wars on the politics of water BlueGold-WorldWaterWars.com
King Corn on the great American corn diet KingCorn.net
Dirt! The Movie on the vital role of healthy soil DirtTheMovie.org
The Last Beekeeper on the global bee crisis PlanetGreen.Discovery.com
Dive! on American food waste DiveTheFilm.com
No Impact Man on implementing sustainable living NoImpactDoc.com
Everything’s Cool on environmentalism in politics EverythingsCool.org Flow on the world water crisis FlowTheFilm.com
Ripe for Change on the economics of agriculture CaliforniaDreamSeries.org/rfc.htm
If I had to live my life over again, I’d dare to make more mistakes next time. ~ Natine Sanger
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naturalpet
ALL WATER IS NOT CREATED EQUAL
Pumpkin for Pets by Morieka V. Johnson
Change Your Water Change Your Life™ t %&):%3"5*0/ "/% "$*%*5: "3& "5 5)& 3005 0' ."/: %*4&"4&4 -*,& "35)3*5*4 "$*% 3&'-69 *#4 %*"#&5&4 $"/$&3 '*#30.:"-(*" "-;)&*.&3 "/% .03& t 163& "-,"-*/& Q) "/5*09*%"/5 8"5&3 461&3*03 ):%3"5*0/
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ike kids who clamor for every tidbit in a candy store, Val Clows’ Great Danes have their choice of flavorful, high-quality dog kibble. But they still can’t wait to get their paws on new deliveries of pumpkin-based granola arriving at her Holistic for Pets shop in Sarasota, Florida. She reports that her two-legged customers enjoy eating the pumpkin product, too. “Everybody is looking for something tasty that’s low calorie and high fiber,â€? says Clows, smiling. Traditionally reserved for grocery store aisles, pumpkin is now showing up in pet stores, too, as human foodgrade animal treats, dried kibble and simple purĂŠed goodness. A growing array of pet food products, from granola to dog biscuits, touts pumpkin for its vitamin A and fiber content. “We’ve been using pumpkin for a long, long time at our house,â€? remarks Clows. “But about two years ago, I started seeing pumpkin products labeled for pets, as well as pet treats that are pumpkin based. My dogs particularly love canned pumpkin, laced with a touch of cinnamon and ginger.â€? As with all good things, use pumpkin in moderation, suggests Dr. Jennifer Monroe, of Eagles Landing Veterinary Hospital, in McDonough, Georgia. “Pumpkin is good for pets with digestive issues, especially those on a hypoallergenic diet, because it doesn’t typically appear in pet foods,â€? she says. “But it’s best in small doses, in order to prevent weight gain.â€? The low-calorie
gourd comes loaded with carbohydrates; one cup of purÊed, canned pumpkin has as much as eight grams. Monroe observes that pumpkin has been a go-to item for pets with digestive issues since she was in veterinary school in the mid-1980s, primarily because it is a relatively inexpensive and readily available item. Bland, white rice is another popular home remedy for settling pets’ stomachs, she notes, but its high fiber content typically makes pumpkin the better choice. Before stocking up on pumpkin, Monroe recommends starting with prebiotic and probiotic products, which have been tested extensively for their health benefits. When diarrhea strikes, Veterinary Doctor Alice Martin, of Eagles Landing, says it’s best to consult a professional before attempting any home remedies. Monroe adds that cats with constipation need no more than one to two tablespoons of pumpkin per can of cat food. For dogs, the amount of pumpkin should be at least 10 percent of the day’s total caloric intake. As autumn temperatures drop and pumpkins become readily available, many pet owners prefer the all-natural, do-it-yourself approach. Monroe likes to grow and purÊe her garden pumpkins as a good-tasting aid to ensuring a happy, healthy home. Morieka V. Johnson is a freelance writer in Atlanta, GA. Reach her at Morieka@ gmail.com.
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ACUPUNCTURE HELPS WITH BREAST CANCER TREATMENT Not only is acupuncture proving as effective as drug therapy in managing debilitating side effects associated with breast cancer treatment, its beneďŹ ts are longer-lasting. It also enhances well-being, imparts more energy and sometimes, a higher sex drive. Ultimately, notes lead study author Dr. Eleanor Walker, of the Henry Ford Hospital Department of Radiation Oncology, in Detroit, this makes acupuncture “more costeffective for insurance companies.â€?
October 2010
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fitbody
EXERCISE FOR SPINE HEALTH SMART TRAINING BEATS BACK PAIN by Michael Curran
A
s exercise reaches beyond the realm of pure athletics to include fitness fans everywhere, people have noticed that their efforts to stay in shape often are thwarted by back pain. That’s why knowledgeable trainers counsel that any well-designed workout must honor the health and mechanics of this important part of the body. Dr. Karen Erickson, a New York City-based chiropractor and spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association, sees firsthand why alignment is crucial, especially if an individual has a history of back pain. “Good stability and good flexibility are the big factors for keeping the spine healthy,” she says. No matter what exercise modality one chooses to practice, Erickson advises beginning conservatively, as benefits can be achieved without pushing the level of difficulty.
Core Strength Counts Developing muscle strength throughout the torso is key to maintaining the correct spinal curvature for a strong back. In addition to the muscles that directly attach to the spine, the spine is also stabilized by deep stomach strength, strong pelvic floor support and the upper thigh muscles. Pilates is well-known for its focus on such core conditioning. “Pilates uses apparatus expressly designed for working the abdominals and the back,” explains Lolita San Miguel, from her studio in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. “Most of our work is in the supine or prone positions [lying down], so that the vertical pull from gravity is lessened, and the body can be worked with a more correct alignment, and thus more effectively.” One of a small group of active practitioners who studied with Pilates method founder Joseph Pilates, San Miguel is a living testament to the benefits of the practice. When this 75-year-old isn’t doing her daily Pilates, she’s engaged in other physically demanding activities. “Pilates makes life sweet for the senior,” she says.
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Posture Matters Despite well-meaning parental advice, it turns out that good posture entails more than just pulling our shoulders back. Alignment practices like Restorative Exercise and the Alexander Technique were designed to develop an awareness of full-body mechanics as we go about daily activities. Annette Cantor-Groenfeldt teaches the Alexander Technique in Santa Fe, New Mexico. “The central theme of the technique is the spine, learning how to maintain length through the spine as you move,” she advises. “It is used extensively by actors, dancers, musicians and other high-performance people whose activities depend on postural alignment.” In 2008, the Alexander Technique was the subject of a yearlong study published in the British Medical Journal, where it was shown to be effective in relieving low-back pain. The system focuses on both mental and physical aspects of movement, and usually includes passive treatments on the massage table, where the teaching practitioner manipulates the body to help release muscular tension.
October is National Spinal Health Month
Stay Flexible Keeping spinal movements fluid and supple is also essential for keeping the discs of the spine healthy. Tai chi and the related qigong emphasize this kind of mobility. “Many Tai chi students find that they can move some of their vertebrae, but others seem to be stuck, with several vertebrae moving as one,” reports Sound Beach, New York-based Tai chi Master Bob Klein. He explains, “In Tai chi, you become a master of moving the spine so that it almost seems devoid of bones, flowing and turning with ease, in exact coordination with the rest of the body.” Both Tai chi and qigong are gaining popularity among those who are looking to maximize a cardio-style workout, while minimizing impact on their bones and joints. Yoga is a longtime favorite approach to maintaining both stability and flexibility through strong muscles and alignment. Ana Forrest used her hatha yoga practice to recover from an accident that seriously injured all the regions of her spine, and Forrest Yoga was born out of her retraining. “People spend 90 percent of their waking hours in positions that compress the spine—in how they sit, how they stand, even how they do backbends in yoga class,” she observes. “Part of a good yoga practice is to create length in the spine, create a feeling of spaciousness in the body.” While Erickson considers herself a fan of all the exercise modalities listed here, she always emphasizes personal responsibility when it comes to back health. “Never do an exercise that causes you pain,” she offers as a rule of thumb. For long-term back health, she explains that chiropractic care is great for improving alignment and other backrelated issues, yet is no substitute for daily exercise and self-care.
FIVE SIMPLE WAYS TO AVOID BACK PAIN by Katy Bowman Lose the high heels. The scientific consensus is that high heels compress and damage the lumbar spine, increasing osteoarthritis and degenerative disk disease in the low back. Let the feet point the way. Just like the wheels on a car, feet should point straight ahead when walking. Military or dance training, or an ankle or back injury can sometimes result in a sort of duck walk. Line up the outsides of the feet along the straight edge of a carpet or tile floor and walk along it to practice. Stretch the calves. Tight calves are a major contributor to back pain. The tighter the lower leg, the more one’s gait pattern whips the upper back forward and contributes to curling of the upper spine. Adding a daily calf stretch to any exercise routine helps to better align the spine. Do the twist. Each vertebra in the spine not only bends forward and backward and from side-to-side, it also rotates. Of all these natural motions, the twisting of the torso is the least used in our culture. Incorporating a yoga spinal twist into an exercise routine will gently reintroduce rotation back into our movement repertoire.
Michael Curran has credentials in psychology, ayurvedic medicine, and Restorative Exercise™. He is the director of Health and Wellness Media (HealthAndWellnessMedia.com).
Get a better butt. The main culprit of low back pain is weak butt muscles. Gluteal muscles not only stabilize the tailbone, they help support the function of the low back muscles. If the glutes are weak, the low back muscles have to work harder than normal, which makes them fatigued and sore. Squats work well to strengthen the butt.
Contacts: Karen Erickson at DrKarenErickson@msn.com; Ana Forrest at ForrestYoga.com; Bob Klein at MovementsOfMagic.com; Lolita San Miguel at LolitaPilates.com; and Annette Cantor-Groenfeldt at 505-670-0474.
Katy Bowman, a biomechanics scientist, is director of the Restorative Exercise Institute in Ventura, CA (Restorative Exercise.com).
October 2010
33
Turkeys
wisewords
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Great spirits have always been met with violent opposition from mediocre minds. ~ Albert Einstein
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J
im Hightower, a syndicated columnist and national radio commentator, is the bestselling author of Swim Against the Current and Thieves in High Places. A former Texas agriculture commissioner, he’s spent some 30 years fighting for the rights of consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses and just plain folks. A favorite saying of his is, “The water won’t clear up until we get the hogs out of the creek.” Hightower is the 2009 recipient of the prestigious Puffin/Nation Prize for Creative Citizenship.
out the country. The movement later evolved into the People’s Party and had a powerful impact on women’s suffrage, the direct elections of senators, wage and hour laws and the nationalization of railroads and public resources. It was very progressive.
Why do you consider populism the people’s rebellion against the corporate powers-that-be and how do you define it?
Essentially, I consider myself a modern-day Johnny Appleseed, with a populist viewpoint. I try to inform people, rally them and help them see that they’re not alone, despite the power of the establishment trying to teach them that the corporate way is the only way.
Populists have historically understood that the real battle in America is not an ideological fight of conservative versus liberal. Rather, the battle is over money and power, and populists are engaged in a fight against corporatists to create a democratization of both our government and our economy. Too few people control the money and power at the expense of the rest of us. In this country, populism began in Texas in 1877, when farmers, who were going broke because of railroad monopolies, realized they had to do something about it. What began as a farmers’ movement quickly spread through-
How is your work helping individuals to swim against the political currents, work for the common good and make a difference in their communities?
Why do you say that politics is more about top versus bottom than right versus left? Right versus left is what we’re told politics is all about—you’re either a conservative or you’re a liberal. But those are tiny little boxes that few Americans fit within, and this ideology is what divides us in this country. Most of us are a mix of both. The real political spectrum is in fact, top
to bottom, because that is [the paradigm] where most people live; most folks know they are way down in that top-to-bottom spectrum.
What do you mean when you encourage people to be agitators, much like a metaphor of the way a washing machine agitates the dirt out? First of all, the powers that be try to make the term “agitator” seem pejorative. But, in fact, agitation is what America is all about. Agitators created America itself, first with the Continental Congress, and then with the American Revolution. It was agitators who democratized The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It also took agitators to form the suffragist, antislavery, populist and labor movements—and later, the civil rights, women’s and environmental movements. It takes people willing to stand up to the establishment and say, “No.”
How can we individually or collectively work to improve the world? First of all, assess your own values and what matters to you. If you think there’s something that strikes you as particularly unfair or not right or that could be done better, then look at that and begin to build on what you really care about. Inform yourself and then look around in your own area. It’s likely there is someone working on the very issue that bothers you. You’ve got to reach out to make those connections through places like your church, local groups and independent bookstores.
How do we create a government truly of, by and for the people? Democracy is not a quick fix; it requires a lot of citizen involvement, and you’ve got to find ways to become a part of that. You can’t do it alone. I often talk about Harrell’s Hardware store, in Austin. They’ll loan you a tool to take home for a project or sell you two nails. Their slogan is, “Together We Can Do It Yourself,” and this is exactly the operating principle of a progressive movement. We can’t do it ourselves—it takes all of us together, as like-minded people of goodwill. The possibility of self-government comes from this. For more information, visit JimHightower.com. Ellen Mahoney teaches writing at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Email evm@infionline.net.
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Nomadic Tapestry Bellydance - Drumming - Yoga 1219 B&C Jordan Lane, Huntsville 256-318-0169 For class schedules and pricing go to: www.nomadictapestry.com
The only people with whom you should try to get even are those
who have helped you. ~John E. Southard
October 2010
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ongoingevents SUNDAY Meditation: 8:30am, Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Road, 883-8596 A Course In Miracles Study Group: 9:15am. Shared reading and group discussions. Extra books available. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Avenue, 895-0255. www.lightofchristcenter.org Celebration of Spirit: 11am. A different service each week including ritual, music, and a message in an open, loving environment. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave 895-0255 Unity Church Service: 10:30am. Practical Christianity from a Transformative New Thought Metaphysical Perspective. Our Doors are Open with Love for ALL. 1328 Governors Dr. SE. Info: www.unitychurchonthemountain.com Kadampa Meditation Group: 3-4:30pm. Sunday book study class. Books-A-Million on University Drive, except for 3rd Sundays at Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr. SE Power Yoga: 3:15-4:15pm. Marcy White. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 653-9255 or 533-7975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Yoga for Pregnancy and Birth: 4:30-5:45pm. Marcy White. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 653-9255 or 533-7975, www. yogacenterofhuntsville.com Basic Belly Dance for Teens: 6-7pm. For ages 13 to18. Beg. American Tribal Style Belly Dance: 7:308:30pm. Nomadic Tapestry, 1219 B&C Jordan Lane. Class info: www.nomadictapestry.com Al-Anon: For those who have a loved one faced with a drinking problem. 885-0323. www. aahuntsvilleal.org
MONDAY Spring City Cycling Club: Times and schedules at www.springcity.org Level 1 Pilates: 7-8am. All Levels. Michelle Camper. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 5337975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Slow Flow Yoga: 8-9:30am. Laughing Lotus Yo g a , 3 0 3 S e c o n d Av e . D e c a t u r. w w w. yogaatlaughinglotus.com Beginner Springs and Pulleys: 11:30am. Use resistance training to deepen the sense of your “core” and develop longer and leaner muscles. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C, 704-5080 or bodylanguagepilates.com Energy Lunch Lift: 12pm. Group Resonance Healing. The Center for Directional Healing, 3322 South Memorial Parkway, Suite 532. Donations accepted. 882-0360
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Tennessee Valley
Yoga with Mitzi: 6:00pm. CANDLELIGHT YOGA – all levels welcome! Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd. More info: http://MitziConnell.com or 256.361.YOGA Woman Supporting Woman’s Dreams and Goals: 1-3pm and 6:30-8:30pm. Madison. Love donations accepted. Dixie: 325-7486. Dream.goals.life@ gmail.com Intermediate Mat class: 5pm. Work at a faster pace incorporating exercises that will challenge your strength, flexibility and coordination. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C, 704-5080 or bodylanguagepilates.com Intro to Yoga: 5:30-6:30pm Laughing Lotus Yo g a , 3 0 3 S e c o n d Av e . D e c a t u r. w w w. yogaatlaughinglotus.com Basic Bellydance: 5:30-6:30pm. Monday-Thursday. Intro to basic bellydance technique. Nomadic Tapestry, 1219 B&C Jordan Lane. Class info: www. nomadictapestry.com Affinity Circle: 6pm. A safe space where individuals can open up and reveal what they are experiencing in life. Confidentiality is assured. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, 883-8596 Reduce Stress with EFT: Private phone sessions. Information: www.tapintohealing.com. To schedule, call Self Healing Awareness with EFT, 774-3392. Level I Yoga: 6:30-8pm. All Levels. Tom Musgrove. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 5337975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com NEWtritional Health Care Conference Call: 7pm. Listen to Roy Williams,Owner of NHC, talk on the weekly health topic. Ask him questions on how NHC products can help you reach your optimum health. Call 1-760-569-6000 and enter PIN number 411810 #. To hear previous week call: dial 1-760569-6099 and enter PIN number 411810 #, visit www.myhealthykingdom.com/10003 (Invitation # 10003) Al-Anon: For those who have a loved one faced with a drinking problem. 885-0323, www. aahuntsvilleal.org
Pilates: 9-10am. PILATES: 9am to 10am. Michelle Camper. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500A Pratt Ave, 533-7975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Power Yoga: 9:10-10:10am Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www.yogaatlaughinglotus.com Level I Yoga: 10:15-11:30am. Tatum Crigger. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave., 5337975. www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Restorative Yoga: 4:00-5:00pm Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www. yogaatlaughinglotus.com Power Yoga: 5:30-6:45pm Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www.yogaatlaughinglotus.com Beginner/Intermediate Mat Class: 6:15pm. This class adds more exercises from the series and will challenge your mind/body connections. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C, 704-5080 or bodylanguagepilates.com Meditation: 6:00pm. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, 883-8596 Metaphysics 201: 7pm. 10 weeks, $100 course fee. The Consciousness Chart, Rev. Will Hoffpauir instructs in clearance work & transmuting human qualities into Divine qualities. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave. (256) 895-0255 Yoga with Mitzi: 9:00am. The ART of YOGA – all levels welcome! Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church Ave South. More info: http://MitziConnell. com or 256.361.YOGA Yoga with Mitzi: 6:45pm. CANDLELIGHT YOGA – all levels welcome! The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500 Pratt Ave. More info: http://MitziConnell.com or 256.361.YOGA Reduce Stress with EFT: Private phone sessions. Information: www.tapintohealing.com. To schedule, call Self Healing Awareness with EFT, 774-3392. Al-Anon: For those who have a loved one faced with a drinking problem. 885-0323, www.aahuntsvilleal.org
WEDNESDAY TUESDAY Spring City Cycling Club: Times and schedules at www.springcity.org Sierra Club Hikes: Visit www.alabama.sierraclub. org/na.html for Tuesday night ‘hikes’ around Huntsville. Science of Mind Classes (Accredited): 6:308:30pm. Reverend David Leonard. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Road, 883-8596 Beginning Belly Dance Technique: 6:45-7:45pm. Intermediate with Zills: 8-9pm. Nomadic Tapestry 1219 B&C Jordan Lane. www.nomadictapestry.com
Satsang: 6:30pm. Satsang with a video of Gangaji. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, 883-8596 Spring City Cycling Club: Times and schedules: www.springcity.org Level 1 Pilates: 7-8am. All Levels. Michelle Camper. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 5337975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Align and Define Yoga: 8-9:30am Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www. yogaatlaughinglotus.com Level I Yoga: 9:15-10:30am. Erin Kennedy. The
Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500A.East Pratt Ave. www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Science of Mind Classes: 10am-12pm. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Road, 883-8596 P re n a t a l Yo g a : 5 : 3 0 - 6 : 3 0 p m L a u g h i n g Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www. yogaatlaughinglotus.com Tia Chi with Jeff Simpson: 5:30pm. Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr. 1/2 mile up the Mountain from California on the Right Yoga with Mitzi: 6:00pm. YOGA FLOW! All levels welcome! Chiropractic Wellness Depot, 8210 Stephanie Drive, Huntsville. More info: http:// MitziConnell.com or 256.361.YOGA Meditation: 6pm. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, 883-8596 Power Yoga: 6-7pm. Marcy White. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 533-7975 www. yogacenterofhuntsville.com Dream Workshop: 7pm. Learn to recall and interpret your dreams. Light of Christ Center. 4208 Holmes Ave. 895-0255. www.lightofchristcenter.org for more information. Reduce Stress with EFT: Private phone sessions. Information: www.tapintohealing.com. To schedule, call Self Healing Awareness with EFT, 774-3392. Al-Anon: For those who have a loved one faced with a drinking problem. 885-0323, www. aahuntsvilleal.org
Level I Yoga: 10:15-11:30am. Tatum Crigger. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave., 5337975. www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com
& 3rd Saturdays. 10am-4pm. $75/class. Giles County, TN. (931) 565.4006 or pharos@ardmore.net to register.
TBE Nooner Toastmasters: 11:45am-12:45pm. TBE building #1, Sparkman Drive/Lakeshore Dr. Practice public presentation and meeting etiquette. Nancy Wade, nwade@LJStyle.com or 797-0700.
Spring City Cycling Club: Times and schedules: www.springcity.org
Science and Spirituality Class: 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Road, 883-8596. Donations accepted BellyKids: 5:30-6:30pm. Shahala Liz, Nomadic Tapestry, 1219 B&C Jordan Lane. All class info: www.nomadictapestry.com M i x e d F l o w Yo g a : 5 : 3 0 - 6 : 4 5 L a u g h i n g Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www. yogaatlaughinglotus.com PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays): 6pm. 2nd Thurs., Huntsville Public Library. Parents, friends, and gay community members welcome. Bring snack. 881-0939. Level I Yoga: 6:45-8:15pm. Tom Musgrove. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 5337975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Al-Anon: For those who have a loved one faced with a drinking problem. 885-0323, www. aahuntsvilleal.org
FRIDAY
Yoga with Mitzi: 10:00am. The ART of YOGA – all levels welcome! Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church Ave. More info: http://MitziConnell.com or 256.361.YOGA Sierra Club: Check out alabama.sierraclub.org/ na.html for weekend hike, canoe, backpacking and other activities. Feel Good Tapping Party: Be the host of a group tapping session. Information: www.tapintohealing. com. To schedule, call Self Healing Awareness with EFT, 774-3392. Level I Yoga: 9-10:15am. Tom Musgrove. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 533-7975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Level I Yoga: 11:30-12:45pm Bobbie Brooks. The Yoga Center of Huntsville. 500-A Pratt Avenue. 5337975. www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Intermediate Mat Class: 10am. This group session works at a faster pace incorporating exercises that will challenge your strength, flexibility and coordination. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C, 704-5080 or bodylanguagepilates.com Al-Anon: For those who have a loved one faced with a drinking problem. 885-0323, www. aahuntsvilleal.org
Spring City Cycling Club: Times and schedules: www.springcity.org
THURSDAY Yoga and Wine! 6:00pm Thursdays, starting in October. All levels welcome! Presented by Yoga with Mitzi and The Huntsville Museum of Art – 300 Church Ave. More info: http://MitziConnell.com or 256.361.YOGA The Search: The Gurdjieff Work in Huntsville. Discussion groups, crafts, meditation. 205-320-0013. www.thegurdjiefffoundationofalabama.org Spring City Cycling Club: Times and schedules: www.springcity.org Zumba Dance Class: 6:30pm. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Road, 883-8596. Donations accepted Piliates: 9am. A fusion of Pilates and Hanna Somatic work teaching you to access and strengthen your deepest connections bringing balance to your spine and overall posture. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C, 704-5080 or bodylanguagepilates.com Pilates: 9am to 10am. Michelle Camper. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500a Pratt Ave, 533-7975, www. yogacenterofhuntsville.com Power Yoga: 9:10-10:10am Laughing Lotus Yo g a , 3 0 3 S e c o n d Av e . D e c a t u r. w w w. yogaatlaughinglotus.com
Level 1 Pilates: 7-8am. All Levels. Michelle Camper. The Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500-A Pratt Ave. 5337975, www.yogacenterofhuntsville.com Slow Flow Yoga: 8-9:30am Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www.yogaatlaughinglotus.com Power Yoga: 9:10-10:10am Laughing Lotus Yoga, 303 Second Ave. Decatur. www.yogaatlaughinglotus.com Springs and Pulleys: 11am. Enjoy the lengthening benefits of the Cadillac with the balance and strength building of the Reformer in this full-body flowing session. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C, 704-5080 or bodylanguagepilates.com Public Clearance Session: 7pm. 3rd Friday each month. Learn effective healing through reception and application of Divine energies. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave. 895-0255 Parapsychology Group: 7pm. 4th Fridays meets at Unity Church, 1328 Governors Dr. SE. Information: contact Joyce Sons, 852-8994
SATURDAY Renewable Energy (RE) & Off-Grid Living: Take steps to live the dream! Learn RE Basics. Benefit from a decade of experience. See an off-grid home in action! Reduce your carbon footprint. Monthly 1st
calendar Tuesday, October 5th Workshop on uses of the labyrinth, free to the community. Marilyn Lands, facilitator. Tuesday, October 5, 2010, noon to 1:00. Mental Health Center’s Community Room, 4040 Memorial Parkway SW, Huntsville. Brown bag lunches welcome. Drinks provided. Questions? Call Marilyn at 256- 705-6338 or Rita at 256-705-6379
CLASSIFIEDS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY CURRENTLY PUBLISHING NATURAL AWAKENINGS MAGAZINES – For sale in Boulder CO, Southwest VA, and Ventura, CA. Call for details 239-530-1377.
October 2010
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COMMUNITY resourceguide
Center For
InnerWellness BECKY WATERS Personal Success Catalyst
Coaching/Counseling Hypnotherapy EFT
256.348.5236 www.CenterforInnerWellness.com love.
FENG SHUI BY TRUDIE GARDNER
7910 S. Memorial Pkwy, Suite F-2 Huntsville, AL 35802 256-489-9806 phone 256-489-2873 fax 866-488-9806 toll free
Trudi Gardner, M.S. (256) 772-6999 Tygard2000@aol.com
live.
I-ACT Certified colon Hydro Therapists. Do you know that 80% of your immune system is in your colon? Bathe your body from the inside to improve health. Colon irrigation aids in soothing and toning the colon, which makes elimination more effective.
EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES SELF-HEALING AWARENESS WITH EFT
“Let’s work together to find what works for you.” McMinn Clinic
James E. McMinn M.D.
Judith Pflum, EFT-ADV Practitioner 256-774-3392 www.tapintohealing.com Tap into healing. Specializing i n w o m e n ’s e m o t i o n a l / physical issues: anxieties, fears, relationships, stress, weight. Painless, drug-free, easy-tolearn technique. Individual, group, or phone sessions.
Introduces...
Life Center at McMinn Clinic now offering: t Stress Relief Seminars t Neurofeedback t Yoga, Pre-Pilates, Tai Chi t Meditation Classes t Massage t Acupuncture
205-868-1313 Homewood Plaza 3125 Independence Dr., Suite 108 Homewood, Alabama 35209
www.McMinnClinic.com 38
Tennessee Valley
An interior design philosophy that invites serenity and reduces stress. Feng Shui design concepts brings positive energy into your home and office to encourage P r o s p e r i t y, We l l B e i n g , H a r m o n y, a n d B a l a n c e .
The Center for Optimal Well Being is dedicated to improving your health with colon hydro-therapy and body empowerment services. Sessions are conducted in clean, comfortable and relaxing private suites with soft lighting and aromatic fragrances. Our staff is clinically trained and certified by the International Association for Colon Therapists.
1489 Slaughter Road, Madison 256-837-3448
Call for Free 20-Minute Consultation
FENG SHUI
CENTER FOR OPTIMAL WELL BEING
JARVIS NATURAL HEALTH CLINIC
Breathwork
breathe.
COLON HYDROTHERAPY
ENERGY HEALING CENTER FOR DIRECTIONAL HEALING Susan Spalding, Director 256-882-0360 www.directionalhealing.com Free the energy within you! Take your health and your life to a new level with Directional Healing. Clears, cleanses, balances, rejuvenates through resonance healing.
FAMILY MEDICINE PROGRESSIVE FAMILY MEDICINE Chad Gilliam, M.M.S. PA-C 1230 Slaughter Road, Suite C, Madison, AL 256-722-0555. Progressive Family Medicine provides medical care for patients of all ages and uniquely blends Natural and Prescription medicines together to help speed the patient’s recovery. Progressive Family Medicine is the patient’s clinic of choice when they would like to understand how natural medicines work along with prescription drugs.
IN-HOME MASSAGE CLOUD NINE Evening and Weekend Appointments 256-337-6989 Finally, someone who makes housecalls! Swedish, Ortho and Deep Tissue massage in the privacy of your own home. Gift Certificates also available for any occasion.
JIN SHIN JYUTSU® JIN SHIN JYUTSU OF HUNTSVILLE Sandra Cope Huntsville 256-534-1794, 256-509-3540 Certified Jin Shin Jyutsu Practitioner. An easy, effective way of restoring health and well-being by balancing the body’s energy pathways to enhance the body’s natural healing abilities.
MASSAGE CENTER FOR THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE AND BODYWORK 1634 Slaughter Rd., Madison 256-430-9756 Our vision is to provide professional massage services in a comfortable clinical environment to Madison and the surrounding area. Student massages available for 1/2 the regular rate. Lic. E1311.
MASSAGE SCHOOL MADISON SCHOOL OF MASSAGE THERAPY, LLC 1634 Slaughter Rd, Suite C Madison, AL 35758 256-430-9756 www.madisonschoolofmassagetherapy.com Our training will change your life forever in a new career as a Professional. Student massages available for 1/2 the regular rate. AL Board of Massage School Lic# S-117 AL State Board of Ed. School Lic# 1200I
MUSIC THERAPY
SPIRITUAL LIFE COACHING
HEALING SOUNDS MUSIC THERAPY
YOUR SOUL JOURNEY COACHING
Stephanie Bolton, MA, MT-BC 256-655-0648 www.imageryandmusic.com
Becky Waters, Soul Journey Coach, Intuitive Composer / Musician 256-348-5236 becky@beckywaters.com www.YourSoulJourneyCoaching.com www.YourSoulMusic.com
Huntsville, AL- based music therapy practice focused on improving personal health and wellness using guided imagery and music techniques. Currently providing workshops and individual consultations.
Let go of fear, eliminate worry, become stress-free, gain confidence and much more. Call for a 20-minutes to a Miracle Quick Start Session to begin your journey to wholeness.
NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE ASSOCIATES Dr. Deb Gilliam, N.M.D. 1230 Slaughter Road, Madison, 256-722-0555 Dr. Gilliam treats a variety of health problems with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, heart disease, hormone replacement and thyroid issues being at the forefront. Dr. Gilliam sees patients from around the world due to the reputation she has earned by treating hard to treat medical conditions. Dr. Gilliam works to find the cause of medical conditions and does not simply treat the patients’ symptoms.
PILATES BODY LANGUAGE, INC. 305 Jefferson St., Ste. C 256-704-5080 sybil@bodylanguagepilates.com www.bodylanguagepilates.com Our goal is to teach individuals how to take control of their health and well-being through the Pilates method, creating a wholesome person of sound mind, body, and spirit. Private, semi-private and group training on the equipment is available along with group mat classes.
STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION
Our focus is on core stability, neutral alignment and patterned breathing. It restores the natural curves of the spine, relieves tension and enhances self-confidence. We feature certified instruction in group and individual training.
LIVING SIMPLY
JACI HOGUE 256-656-4108 jaci@alabamarolfmethod.com www.alabamarolfmethod.com A complete system of body education that balances the physical body, improves posture, and helps resolve chronic pain. Created by Dr. Ida P. Rolf in the 1950s, Structural Integration has been scientifically validated and has withstood the test of time, as millions of people have enjoyed the remarkable benefits.
SUSAN K. JEFFREYS Advanced Practitioner Lic.#249 Dr. Ida P. ROLF method 2336A Whitesburg Drive Serving Huntsville since 1995 256-512-2094 www.rolfguild.org “When the body gets working appropriately, then the force of gravity can flow through. Then spontaneously, the body heals itself.� Ida P. Rolf
YOGA CENTER OF HUNTSVILLE 500-A East Pratt Ave. 256-533-7975 www.Yogacenterofhuntsville.com
ber m e v o N in Coming
YOGA YOGA CENTER OF HUNTSVILLE 500-A East Pratt Ave. 256-533-7975 www.Yogacenterofhuntsville.com We teach yoga postures and principles designed to bring strength, flexibility, openness, and awareness into the body. Classic yoga postures, modifications are introduced to give the student many options in developing a personal practice.
SHAMAN HEALER
Natural Awakenings Shows You How to Simplify Daily Life‌ At home, work and play ‌ including holidays.
KATY GLENN WILLIS 256-426-0232 katyglennwillis@yahoo.com KatyShamanHealer.blogspot.com Spiritualy Assisted Intuitive Readings, Energetic Healing and Balancing for People and Pets, World Culture Shamanic Training, Spirit Midwife: Assistance for individual and caregivers during Death & Dying Process. Forty years of training and experience.
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000-000-0000 October 2010
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Progress Towards Wellness & Prevention with Progressive
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