Natural Awakenings January 2016

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

feel good • live simply • laugh more

The Rise of Functional Medicine

P L A N E T

FREE

New Paradigm Gets to the Root Cause of Disease

The Right Vet for Your Pet Go Holistic for Gentle and Safe Pet Care

DANCE for Body, Mind and Spirit

Bruce Lipton on the

Epigenetics Revolution

Our Beliefs Reprogram Our Genetic Destiny January 2016

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Tennessee Valley

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letterfrompublisher Could this be the year that you start a meditation practice?

You know you’ve been thinking about it.

We’ve all heard such good things about what meditation can do. People who are into meditation report some pretty amazing results. You may have even seen what meditation has done for someone you know. More and more people are taking an interest in learning about meditation and about its increasingly well proven benefits. You may have even tried it once, twice, or many times, but couldn’t seem to make it click. Nevertheless, you have still remained interested in the idea of meditation.

A Shambhala Meditation Group has recently formed in Huntsville as part of the new Healing Arts Center downtown. This new meditation group may be the answer to your finally making meditation a regular practice, at least once or twice weekly to start.

I have personally found that it is much, much easier to do sitting meditation in a group setting. This was always the case whenever I would try it with even one or two other people. There is something about sitting silently in meditation in a group that is different, and much more profound in its experience and effects, than doing it alone. It is almost like there is an energy that is created or tapped into by a meditating group that strongly reinforces the activity. In group meditation, the sense of quiet stillness is deepened and protected, distractions are kept at a distance, and the experience of finding the calm, contemplative center of one’s consciousness is almost effortless.

In a dedicated space devoted solely to the purpose of group meditation, such as the Shambhala Meditation room at the Healing Arts Center, the effect is even more profound.

I have sat with the Shambhala group at the Healing Arts Center a few times now and I must say that my experience has been extraordinary. The first thing I noticed is how easy it is to meditate there, and how peaceful and refreshing the energy is. Time in the moment seems to stop or slow way, way down during the meditation, while overall time speeds up considerably, as sitting for a twenty minute session feels like it flies by in five. The sessions I have attended consisted of a 10-20 minute sitting meditation, followed by a short reading and group discussion, followed by another sitting meditation. The guides for the meditation are Bill and Carol Elliott, who have been involved in the Birmingham Shambhala Meditation Center for several years. All sessions are free of charge, though donations are accepted.

The current weekly Shambhala Meditation schedule is Tuesdays 8-8:30am, Thursdays 6-7pm, and Sundays 2-4pm. There will be an Open House for the new Shambhala Meditation room at the Healing Arts Center on January 17 at 2pm.

More information on the group can be found online at Birmingham.Shambhala.org/ Huntsville-satellite.

contact us Editor@Natvalley.com 256-808-8044 Publisher/Editor Advertising Sales Tom Maples Co-Publisher Cindy Wilson Design and Production Melanie Rankin Natural Awakenings in the Tennessee Valley 14 Woodland Ave Trinity, AL 35673 Fax: 256-217-4274 Facebook.com/natvalley Issuu.com/natvalley © 2016 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

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January 2016

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contents

10 11

22

5 10 11 12

newsbriefs healthbriefs globalbriefs practice spotlight

13 inspiration 18 healingways 21 22 24 27 28 28 30

fitbody consciouseating wisewords calendar

ELDER CARE

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

New Paradigm Gets to the Root Cause of Disease

by Lisa Marshall

17 EASY DOES IT

by Michelle Bishop

18 GOOD REASONS TO

TRY ACUPUNCTURE

classifieds resourceguide

by Kathleen Barnes

21

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS* Newsbriefs due by the 15th of the month. Limit 50-250 words.

Content limited to special events and other announcements.

No advertorials, please.

Articles and ideas due by the 15th of the month. Articles generally contain 250-850 words, with some exceptions. No advertorials, please.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Calendar of Events and Ongoing Calendar listings due by the 15th of the month. Limit 50 words per entry. Please follow format found in those sections.

ADVERTISE WITH US TODAY 256-808-8044 -or- Editor@Natvalley.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.

Digital archive: Issuu.com/natvalley Facebook.com/natvalley

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THE RIGHT VET FOR YOUR PET

Animals Thrive with Gentle, Safe and Natural Approaches

Display Ads due by the 15th of the month prior to publication.

To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 256-808-8044 or email Editor@Natvalley.com.

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14 THE RISE OF

Thousands of Studies Show Healing Results

HOW TO ADVERTISE

Tennessee Valley

12 FAMILY FRIEND

naturalpet

advertising & submissions

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

by Shawn Messonnier

22 THE POWER OF

21

CONSCIOUS DANCE

Creative Movement Connects Body, Mind and Spirit

by Gail Condrick

24 SUPER SOUPS

New Twists on Old Favorites Heal, Nourish and Soothe

by Judith Fertig

27 BRUCE LIPTON ON THE EPIGENETICS REVOLUTION

Our Beliefs Reprogram Our Genetic Destiny

by Linda Sechrist

24

newsbriefs

Reiki I Certification Workshop January 16

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Try BodyFlow for Free at Madison Ballroom

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o many of us start the new year with resolutions to get in shape and take better care of ourselves. It’s an excellent goal, but figuring out how to accomplish that is a little trickier. Traci and Kim at Madison Ballroom invite you to try BodyFlow, the yogabased fitness class that uses elements of Tai Chi and Pilates to provide a no-impact workout that strengthens your entire body and leaves you feeling calm and centered.

Bend, stretch, and breathe your way through a series of strength-building poses set to modern, inspired music and then relax with a simple meditation to clear the mind and recharge the spirit. All you need for class is a yoga mat (if you have one), comfortable clothes you can move in easily, and a positive attitude.

New participants who want to start 2016 with some selfcare to improve both their bodies and their lives are invited to try a BodyFlow class for free in January or February. Our fun, friendly group ranges in age from 13 to 67, and beginners are welcome anytime. Classes meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6-7pm.

To claim your one-class pass, simply email Bodyflow@ MadisonBallroom.com.

Location: Madison Ballroom, 9076 Madison Blvd in the Old Time Pottery Shopping Center. 256-461-1900.

MadisonBallroom.com. See ad, page 7.

arbara Caioli of Light Journey Reiki offers three levels of Reiki training, each with its own certification workshop.

Level I: The study of basic Reiki theories, history and techniques.

First degree empowers the student to treat himself and others with basic Reiki.

Level II: The student is emBarbara Caioli powered to treat others with more complex Reiki, as he learns to incorporate three symbols into basic Reiki, enhancing and fine-tuning the energy. This level includes the study of distance Reiki treatments and healing others.

Level III: Master training allows the student the use of the Master symbols and trains the student to pass attunements. Becoming a Reiki Master is an individual process and requires much practice and personal growth.

Certification workshops are scheduled monthly for Level I. Levels II and III are based on individual readiness.

“An amazingly simple technique to learn, the ability to use Reiki is not taught in the usual sense, but is transferred to the student during a Reiki class. This ability is passed on during an attunement given by a Reiki master and allows the student to tap into an unlimited supply of life force energy to improve one’s health and enhance the quality of life.” (from Reiki.org).

Reiki Level I Certification Workshop is January 16. The cost is $100. To reserve a spot, go to LightJourneyReiki.com and visit the Workshops and Classes tab. Huntsville location will be given with registration. 256-716-8419. See ad, page 7.

Visit our new location and let us take care of you.

256.534.2954 www.healingartshuntsville.com 525 Fountain Row in Huntsville — between Williams Avenue & Manning Drive downtown

Massage

HAC Ad 7.5x3.25 0714.indd 1

Structural Integration

Reiki

Biomat Sessions

natural awakenings

Reflexology

January7/11/14 2016 12:11 PM5

newsbriefs Healing Arts Center Opens New Facility

Space for Lease!

2000-3000 sq. ft. for lease at Nature’s Apothecary’s Huntsville location (old Foods for Life store).

Great opportunity for chiropractors, naturopaths or other compatible businesses. Will build space to your specifications.

Call 256-533-2050 for more info.

Alternative Medicine Associates ...Treating Causes Not Symptoms

Natural Health Care IBS • Reflux Anxiety Fibromyalgia Depression Skin Allergies Candidiasis Hormone Imbalance Chronic Fatigue Restless Leg Syndrome Adrenal Fatigue Nutritional Assessment Thyroid Problems Multiple Chemical Sensitivities

Call for your appointment Today!

Debra V. Gilliam N.M.D. Naturopathic Physician 1230 Slaughter Road, Ste E Madison, AL

256-325-0955 6

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he Healing Arts Center of Huntsville has expanded its footprint by opening an adjoining facility on Fountain Row in downtown Huntsville.

The two buildings together now form a unique campus dedicated to the healing arts, wellbeing, and personal growth. One building is a therapy center, offering massage therapy, structural integration, Reiki, and reflexology. The new building features a gift shop and a large group practice room on the ground floor, along with additional practitioner therapy rooms and a dedicated meditation space for the new Shambhala Meditation Group.

The Gift Shop features an array of gifts that are inspirational, affirmational, and uplifting. These include artwork and crafts by local artists and artisans, along with clothing, jewelry, candles, wind chimes, handmade soap, cosmetics, essential oils and aromatherapy supplies, meditation supplies, and message cards. Currently featured local artists include Danielle Knight and Rita Loyd.

The group practice room has been christened “The Space Within Movement Studio” and is available to rent for events, classes and workshops. Weekly offerings include Yoga and Pilates classes, along with guided meditation. Classes and meditation sessions are led by Shakti River, a certified Shambava yoga and meditation instructor. The current weekly schedule is Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10-11am Yoga Basics, 11-11:30am Guided Meditation, and 12-1pm Pilates Mat, all levels. Cost is $15 for the Yoga or Pilates classes, and the meditation classes are free. Please check the website for the latest schedule.

Location: Healing Arts Center, 525 Fountain Row, between Williams Ave and Manning Dr in downtown Huntsville. 256534-2954. HealingArtsHuntsville.com. See ad, page 5.

PANACEA: FENG SHUI & MEDICAL MASSAGE

The Enneagram: a Tool to Transform Self and Improve Relationships With Others

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ancy Sheppard specializes in teaching and coaching the Enneagram to people who want a deeper understanding of their spiritual potential through the gifts they bring to the world.

Nancy has been a certified teacher of the Enneagram in the narrative tradition since 2001. She studied under Helen Palmer, PhD, internationally recognized teacher of intuition and the bestselling author of five works in the human consciousness sector, and David Daniels, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford Medical School. Both are pioneers in the field of Enneagram study.

The Enneagram is a tool that describes nine personalities of human nature and how they function in relationship with others. The Enneagram helps us identify the unconscious filter in which we view reality. It points to the many ways our ego will distort and over-emphasize our worldview, creating suffering for us and grief for others.

Is our growth confined to a physical one? Or is it important for us to grow on all levels: physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual? The Enneagram points to ways we can transform and manage our egos so that we emerge more conscious and peaceful.

Who can benefit from studying the Enneagram? All of us.

Through observation, we identify our unconscious motivations and patterns of habit. We become mindful of how others see the world differently. Understanding brings conscious awareness.

Feng Shui Consultations for Homes and Businesses Medical Massage Therapy in your Home, Suite, or Office Swedish • Pain Management • Shiatsu • Deep Tissue Aromatherapy & Beauty Treatments

Cortney L. Brown 206-402-2659

LMT #4217

PanaceaFengShuiMedicalMassage@gmail.com

MassageAndFengShui.Weebly.com

Lynn Thompson

Independent Sales Consultant

256-476-4177

Clean with water and radically reduce the chemicals in your home!

LynnThompson.Norwex.biz

Contact Nancy Sheppard for consultations and coaching.

256-714-4517. EnneagramStudy@icloud.com.

Light Journey Reiki Barbara Caioli, RM Barbara@LightJourneyReiki.com LightJourneyReiki.com

256-716-8419 natural awakenings

January 2016

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newsbriefs A Course In Miracles Study Group 9:15am Sundays 1-Hour Mystery School 11:00am Sundays

Affirmations, Music, Mystery Message, Fellowship, An Open Communion Table

Medical Intuitive Workshop 2:00pm-4:00pm, Saturdays January 9th & 16th Past Lives Workshop 6:30pm, Mondays January 11 - February 01 Palmistry Class / Chiromancy 6:30pm, Tuesdays January 12th - February 16th Intro to Astrology Class 6:30pm, Thursdays January 14th - March 3rd Looking Ahead:

7 Steps to Practical Occultism 6:30pm, Tuesdays March 1st - April 19th

Academic & Metaphysical Look at the Bible 6:30pm, Thursdays March 17th - May 19th

Our labyrinth is always open for your meditative walks.

Let the Magic Begin 4208 Holmes Ave. NW Huntsville, Alabama 256-895-0255 www.lightofchristcenter.org

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Learn About Your Past Lives from Rev. Delsie Hill

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eincarnation is a key concept in many different spiritual traditions. Many people around the world believe that the soul incarnates in successive lifetimes, and that this overall process of reincarnation has its purpose in fostering spiritual growth and development. It is believed that who we were in our previous lifetimes—what we did and what happened to us then—has a direct influence on who we are today. Most often, this influence is unrecognized because knowledge of our past lives is obscured. When it Rev. Delsie Hill can be uncovered, knowledge about our previous lifetimes can be incredibly valuable insight to have, because it can explain patterns in our present lives that are otherwise inexplicable, and it can lead to strategies for releasing burdens and breaking patterns that hold us back.

Delsie Hill is a gifted Intuitive psychic with a talent for seeing past lives and how those patterns influence the present. Delsie is now providing her services as a counselor, offering private readings on how your past lives may be hindering your spiritual growth. Sessions will be by appointment at the Light of Christ Center and are strictly confidential.

Delsie will also be teaching a new workshop on past lives at the Light of Christ Center, meeting Mondays from Jan 11 to Feb 1 at 6:30pm. The class fee is a small donation.

Location: Light of Christ Center, 2208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville. Contact Delsie at 256-508-7874 to register for the workshop or to schedule an appointment.

See ads, pages 8 and 17.

The Paranormal Study Center Hosts Psychic LaMont Hamilton, Presenting “Prophecies & Predictions for 2016-2017”

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aMont Hamilton has been involved in the paranormal field for over 40 years. His Ministry aims to bring guidance, healing, understanding and blessings to those that seek his help which include politicians, celebrities, attorneys, and Wall Street investors. He is sought out internationally by newspapers, websites, radio shows, and America’s top Psychics yearly for his unique perspective and predictions on future events and is considered one of the world’s leading Clairvoyants.

LaMont will also be revealing his predictions for LaMont Hamilton 2016 impacting the world and his intention for these predictions is to bring greater understanding of our future and dispel the news and negative media surrounding the challenges seen around the world. The lecture will provide the audience with an opportunity to interact and ask questions to address any personal concerns that you may have pertaining to your family during this fascinating year.

Date: Friday, January 22 at 6:30pm. Location: Hilton Garden Inn, 4801 Governors House Dr (next to Landry’s Seafood). Public Admission is $10. Parapsychology StudyGroup.com or Meetup.com/Huntsville-Paranormal-Study-Center.

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Spiritual Growth Through Marriage and Relationships

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re you frustrated in your marriage or relationship? Do you feel as though you have tried everything and yet nothing seems to work? If so, then this class is for you. In this series of classes we will be discussing: • How change takes place • How I can motivate my partner to change • Why talking is not enough and how actions speak louder than words • What actions I can take that will bring

about change • How I can grow spiritually through my relationship • How to attain peace and harmony in my relationship

This class is based on the book, Why Talking is Not Enough: 8 Loving Actions That Will Transform Your Marriage by Susan Page. The class is unique in that only one member of a marriage/partnership attends at a time so that you can speak freely about your relationship in a confidential setting. (Your partner is welcome to attend a class at another time.)

The classes will be held at the Unity Church on Governors Drive, just a half mile east of California Ave. We will meet on Thursday evenings from 6:30-8pm starting February 4, 2016. There is no charge for the course, but a love offering of $10 per class is suggested. For more information and to register, please call Debbie Preece at 256-337-8200.

Location: Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville.

UnityOnTheMountain.org. See ad, page 25.

Panacea: Feng Shui & Medical Massage with Cortney Brown

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ortney Brown is a 2010 cum laude graduate from Everest College in Seattle. She specializes in Aromatherapy Medical Massage and Eastern theories such as Shiatsu.

One of her hobbies has been research and studies about healing the body and mind. Her business Panacea: Feng Shui & Medical Massage directly reflects her skills that have helped her with her own struggles. Trying to find her path to happiness was a process of adopting many beliefs Cortney Brown and also learning from nature and ancient monk teachings on how to achieve inner peace. Some of her Massage skills are self taught and inspired from the knowledge she’s gained through her career.

Panacea: Feng Shui & Medical Massage is a Home Health service for Medical Massage Therapy and Feng Shui Consultations that clients can receive within the comforts of their home, suite, or office. Medical Massage specialties include remedying old and new injuries, Swedish, Shiatsu, Deep Tissue, Pain Management, Aromatherapy and Beauty Treatments.

Feng Shui is a practice to clear away bad and unnecessary chi or energy and transform it to create good energy for health, happiness, and success. Cortney has been a Consultant in the real life art of Feng Shui since 2008.

To schedule an appointment for Home Health Medical Massage or a Feng Shui Consultation, visit MassageAndFengShui.weebly.com/contact. For more information, contact Cortney at 206-402-2659 or PanaceaFengShuiMedicalMassage@ gmail.com. See ad, page 7.

Shambhala Meditation Group Now Available in Huntsville

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new Shambhala Meditation Group has formed and is part the Healing Arts Center campus in downtown Huntsville. The Huntsville location is a satellite of the Birmingham Shambhala Center. Shambhala is a global social movement to bring kindness, insight, meditation, and sacredness into society.

Meditation sessions are led by Bill Elliott, who has undergone the requisite training to become an authorized Shambhala Meditation Guide. Bill and his wife Carol have been members of the Birmingham Shambhala Center since 2009. Meditation sessions include sitting meditation and time spent to discussing related topics along with some social time. All meditation sessions are free, with donations accepted.

Shambhala meditation is open to all, welcoming people from all walks of life, faiths and backgrounds. The purpose is to come together to practice mediation, socialize and learn more about deepening your meditation practice. Shambhala works to “develop a global culture that cultivates dignity and sanity in an increasingly chaotic and stressful world.” The foundational belief of Shambhala is that “all human beings are basically good and an enlightened society, at various levels of manifestation, can occur in any culture.” Go to Birmingham.Shambhala. org/Huntsville-satellite to learn more.

The current weekly Shambhala Meditation schedule is Tuesdays 8-8:30am, Thursdays 6-7pm, and Sundays 2-4pm. There will be an Open House for the new Shambhala Meditation room at the Healing Arts Center on January 17 at 2pm.

Location: Healing Arts Center, 525 Fountain Row, Huntsville. 256-5342954. HealingArtsHuntsville.com. See ad, page 5.

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healthbriefs

Sunlight Reduces Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

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esearchers from the University of California (UC) School of Medicine at San Diego have determined that regions with greater exposure to ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation from the sun and reduced cloud cover have significantly lower incidence of pancreatic cancer.

In an analysis of global rates of the disease, the research, published in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, demonstrated that areas with more sunshine had only one-sixth of the pancreatic cancer rates of areas with less sunshine.

The farther from the equator, the less is the exposure to UV-B radiation, leading to less body production of vitamin D.

Study author Cedric F. Garland, doctor of public health, a UC professor and member of the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, says, “If you’re living at a high latitude or in a place with a lot of heavy cloud cover, you can’t make vitamin D most of the year, which results in a higher-than-normal risk of getting pancreatic cancer.”

According to World Cancer Research Fund International, 338,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer are diagnosed annually, and it is the seventh most lethal form of cancer.

Scientists Urge Ban on Non-Stick Pan Coatings

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new paper published in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal warns of the continued health risks of chemicals used for non-stick pan coatings and water repellents on clothing. The chemical is being found in some municipalities’ drinking water.

More than 200 scientists signed the statement, which presents the dangers of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals are persistently used as pan coatings, despite more than a decade of research showing associations with liver toxicity, neurological disorders, cancers of different organs and types, and heart conditions.

The paper noted that many manufacturers have discontinued long-chain PFAS production and substituted shorter-chain PFAS. The scientists caution that these shorter-chain PFAS may not effectively reduce PFAS exposure because more has to be used to achieve the same effectiveness, maintaining PFAS in the environment with exposure levels relatively unchanged. It calls for scientists, governments, chemical manufacturers and consumer product manufacturers to participate in halting all PFAS production.

All great achievements require time. ~Maya Angelou 10

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Leave Them at the Door: Shoe Soles Harbor Risky Bacteria

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esearch from the University of Houston has determined that a species of bacteria that has become resistant to many antibiotics might be tracking into homes on the soles of shoes. More than a third of randomly tested homes were contaminated with Clostridium difficile bacteria, and 40 percent of doorsteps were also infected with the bacteria.

Depending upon the strain, C. difficile can cause intestinal infections, inflammation and severe diarrhea.

Study author M. Jahangir Alam, Ph.D., comments, “Shoes are contaminated from diverse sources, and we are regularly contaminating our doorsteps by shoes.”

The researchers tested three to five household items within 30 houses in Houston, Texas. They collected 127 environmental samples— from 63 shoe bottoms, 15 bathroom surface samples, 12 house floor dusts and 37 other household surfaces

They found that 41 of them harbored C. difficile and nearly 40 percent of the shoes were positive for the bacteria. They also found that a third of the bathroom surfaces harbored the bacteria, a third of house dust and 19 percent of other surfaces maintained the bacteria.

The cause of many intestinal disorders, this bacteria species has become increasingly resistant to antibiotics and many household cleaning products.

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

Puppy Cuddles

Students De-Stress by Petting Dogs At least three universities in England have offered puppy rooms to stressed students.

More than 600 students signed up last year in Bristol alone.

Gordon Trevett, from the University’s Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health, says, “Every year I see students fretting about their exams, and I thought this would be a great way to ease the stress and take their minds off it. People with dogs have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without a dog, and we know that playing with a dog can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.”

Jo Woods, from the Bristol Students Union, says, “It’s important to do fun and different things to de-stress during exams, and cuddling a puppy is a perfect way to release some endorphins.”

Source: BBC

Doctor’s Orders

GMO Labeling Endorsed by Physicians Even as the federal government pursues H.R. 1599, aka the “Deny Americans the Right to Know” (DARK) act, mainstream medicine is urging the government to abandon its resistance to GMO (genetically modified organism) labeling.

They are bolstered by a recent announcement by the World Health Organization that glyphosate (the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer) is probably carcinogenic in humans. The genetic engineering ends up making crops resistant to the herbicide so more must be applied.

According to contributing doctors from Harvard, Mt. Sinai Medical Center and the University of Wisconsin reporting in the New England Journal of Medicine, “GM crops are now the agricultural products most heavily treated with herbicides, and two of these herbicides may pose risks of cancer.”

A recent notice in the same journal, “GMOs, Herbicides and Public Health,” reports: “The application of biotechnology to agriculture has been rapid and aggressive. The vast majority of the soy and [feed] corn grown in the United States are now genetically engineered. Foods produced from GM crops have become ubiquitous.”

Sixty-four countries, including Russia and China, have already adopted transparency in labeling laws, but U.S. Big Food and Big Ag lobbyists have stonewalled efforts domestically.

For more information and petitions, visit OrganicConsumers.org.

When deeds speak, words are nothing. ~Pierre-Joseph Proudhon

OM MBA

Eastern Practices Penetrate U.S. Corporate Culture Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini has introduced free yoga and meditation classes for employees of the health insurance giant, and more than 13,000 are participating. On average, they experienced a 28 percent reduction in their stress levels, 20 percent improvement in sleep quality, 19 percent reduction in pain and 62 minutes per week of extra productivity.

“We have this groundswell inside the company of people wanting to take the classes,” says Bertolini. “It’s been pretty magical.” He sells the same classes to businesses that contract with Aetna.

Google now offers emotional intelligence courses for employees and General Mills has a meditation room in every building on its Minneapolis corporate campus. Even conservative Wall Street firms such as Goldman Sachs are teaching meditation on the job.

Some programs, from yoga sessions for factory workers to guided meditations for executives, are intended to improve overall well-being; others to increase focus and productivity. Most aim to make employees more present-minded, less prone to make rash decisions and generally nicer people to work with.

More than 21 million individuals now practice yoga nationwide, double the number from a decade ago, and nearly as many meditate, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Source: MindfulYogaHealth.com

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practicespotlight

Family Friend Elder Care

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rowing up companionship and in Nebraska, caregiver relief. Finally, Krystin she prayerfully decided Rowe was surrounded to take a leap of faith, by family. Her great and begin her care grandfather was one business in earnest. She of the first settlers in obtained her business their small town, and license and officially both of her parents had became Family Friend. grown up in the valley.

Krystin has clients The influence those who call once a month years had on her has or less for caregiver reremained an important lief, so they can attend aspect of who she is a seminar, Bible Study, and how she regards or luncheon. One clithe people around her. ent had her visit twice All the people in her a week to support town cared about each him as they attended other and helped make the community bingo Krystin Rowe life easier for their games. Another client neighbor. who was blind liked “When I first moved away from her to read the newspaper and famhome, I realized just how important ily letters to her once each week. One friends would become to my life,” client, still very active with her, calls she recalls. her every day or two for conversation.

While living in Phoenix, AZ, 24 Krystin explains, “He is alone in a big years ago, a friend became ill with house and just wants to have a convera brain tumor. Krystin began offersation; someone to bounce ideas off of, ing caregiver relief so that her parents or to talk politics. He even likes a good could go out together an evening or argument now and again.” two each month. As she met more and Initially, Krystin will come for a more people with needs, she began one hour visit by appointment, and to individualize her care to that need. usually the elder and a member of his After over 20 years of caring for others, or her family or care team attends. This from Arizona, to Kansas, Nebraska and visit is to get to know each other, and to Alabama, she has realized that this is a build a comfort level for all concerned. calling, and not just a casual past time.

There is no charge for this initial visit.

“My mantra is: No one is more im- Family Friend then offers different care portant than the person in front of you,” plans based on the family’s needs. says Krystin. “If everyone reminded Plan A is Appointments per themselves of that daily, life would be Hour. These include doctor appointmuch more peaceful.” ments, shopping, visiting in your home, While working as a secretary/ running errands with you, and so much receptionist at a local church, she more. If you have a need for a driver, saw a great deal of need for senior or just a friend, Family Friend helps you

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inspiration with a task, or enjoys a fun conversation. Note: Caregivers may choose to use this plan. Scheduled hours preferably will be between 6am and 6pm.

However, this is not realistic for every need. Family Friend is available to be scheduled any day of the week as needed, and as the schedule permits.

Plan B is the Weekly Visit Plan.

This is set up to be a visit on any given week, or on the same day and time each week or every other week.

Key Signs We’re Approaching a Defining Moment

by Dennis Merritt Jones

Plan C is the Monthly Assurance Plan (MAP). The client or his/her

family can call Krystin any time, day or night, to check on the client. Krystin will drive to the client’s home, talk with the client, and let the family know that all is well, or what steps need to be taken. Also, the client or his/her family can call just to talk on the phone.

Sometimes a person just wants to have assurance. MAP covers that call.

For 20 years, Krystin lived 1800 miles away from her parents. “I know how important it was to have someone look in on them a few times each week for my peace of mind,” confesses Krystin. “The greatest resource I had available to me, after moving to Alabama, before I moved my parents here, was a family friend in my parents’ town that could check up on them.

My parents are very healthy, active people, but I would still worry, just a little. Whether it was an insecurity on my part, a storm passing through their town, or an unanswered phone call, I always knew that I could call our family friend and he’d drive over to check on their well being. That was a huge comfort to me. I probably only called a time or two, but I was comforted knowing that I had some feet on the ground in my absence.”

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ur authentic self is constantly trying to get our attention so it may be more fully expressed.

When we set our intention to genuinely evolve, we naturally begin to pay attention and see how redefining moments appear as needed. They are drawn to us sequentially to support us in the process of staying the course on our pilgrimage, each one a perfectly aligned portal in space and time, opening and closing, creating whatever experience is required to guide us to heightened awareness of our authentic self.

While the possible circumstances that preclude such a moment are limitless, there are key signals to watch for.

When they pop up, it helps immensely to stay engaged in the moment, rather than zipping past them on to another distraction. Rather, consider ways in which this might prove to be a pivotal point forward in our life journey. n Moments that challenge our ego and moments that our ego challenges us n Unexpected events n Times of significant loss n First-time experiences n Discontentment n Disappointment n Experiencing someone or something that instantly inspires us to grow n Birth of a loved one n Death of a loved one

Personal growth and evolution can be motivated by either inspiration

or desperation. Both may prompt us to ask big questions of ourselves and the universe that cause us to dig deep. The deeper we dig, the closer we come to merging with our truest self.

We know the answers to such questions are correct because they will lead to actions that honor life—like harming no one, including ourself— and affirm the presence of a prevailing power for good that lies within; a power that guides, protects and sustains us. Satisfying answers seek only the highest and best of us and bless all. They connect our mind, heart and soul, moving us forward on the path of wholeness as a fulfilled and joyfully self-expressed person.

When we are impelled to ask an important question of our self and the universe, don’t rush the process and are willing to embrace the answer we receive, it pushes a reset button as to what defines us. It brings us an enhanced sense of authentic wholeness.

The lesson is that when redefining moments appear, we must be open and prepared to go where we had no plans of going—because that’s where our bliss awaits us.

Dennis Merritt Jones, D.D., is the author of Your (Re)Defining Moments, the source of this essay. He has contributed to the human potential movement and field of spirituality as a minister, teacher, coach and lecturer for 30 years. Learn more at DennisMerrittJones.com.

natural awakenings

January 2016

13

medical system and got nothing,” says Mills. With functional medicine, “In a very short time, they had me feeling nearly 100 percent.”

Distinctive Characteristics

The Rise of Functional Medicine New Paradigm Gets to the Root Cause of Disease

by Lisa Marshall

B

y the end of 2014, Trina Mills, of Parker, Arizona, had given up on conventional medicine. She’d been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder 17 years earlier and taken medication ever since without feeling her symptoms of fatigue, muscle aches and stomach problems ever fully subside. She’d visited endocrinologists, gastroenterologists and a half-dozen other specialists, each of which offered a different diagnosis and prescribed a different drug.

At one point, she had her gallbladder removed. At another, her doctor suspected she had bleeding in her brain and sent her for a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan. Some thought she was a hypochondriac; others said she was depressed. “I would tell them, ‘I’m just depressed that you can’t figure out why I’m so sick,’” she says.

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Tennessee Valley

Weighing a skeletal 82 pounds, the 54-year-old mother of three finally wrote out a living will and braced for the inevitable. Then she heard of a new Center for Functional Medicine opening at the prestigious, century-old Cleveland Clinic. As the first clinic of its kind to open at an academic medical center, it promised to look at the underlying causes of disease, while focusing on the whole person, rather than isolated symptoms.

Intrigued, Mills caught a flight to Ohio and soon was offering up 30 tubes of blood, stool and saliva samples, as well as an exhaustive life history. One year later, thanks to a series of personalized diet and lifestyle changes, she’s 10 pounds heavier and feels better than she has in decades. “I spent a lot of years and money in the traditional

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In the 25 years since nutritional biochemist Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D., of Gig Harbor, Washington, coined the term, this science-based, whole-body approach to addressing chronic disease has gained widespread traction. More than 100,000 physicians—60 percent of them medical doctors—have trained with the Institute for Functional Medicine he founded in Washington and New Mexico, and numerous medical schools have added its tenets to their curricula. More naturopaths and chiropractors are also distinguishing themselves with a functional medicine emphasis.

“It is not alternative medicine at all,” stresses Bland, whose latest book, The Disease Delusion, details how functional medicine can curb chronic diseases like arthritis, diabetes, dementia, and heart disease, which constitute 78 percent of U.S. health care costs.

“It’s the basis of 21st-century health care,” he says.

For most of the 20th century, conventional medicine centered on a singular objective: Arrive at a diagnosis and treat it with drugs or surgery. Then, the alternative medicine movement proffered a toolbox of more natural therapies, including acupuncture, herbs and massage to address these same diagnoses.

The 1990s brought integrative medicine, a best-of-both-worlds approach.

“While all of the above have merit, they lack the necessary guidance to help practitioners determine which tools work best for which patient,” says Dr. Mark Hyman, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine.

“Alternative therapies and conventional treatments are tools. We need a new map that can teach us how to skillfully use those tools,” maintains Hyman.

“That map is functional medicine.”

Because one chronic disease such as diabetes can have dozens of underlying causes, or one culprit such as a genetic predisposition or exposure to toxins can lead to multiple chronic conditions, functional medicine focuses on systems, rather than organs, and origins, rather than diseases. “It’s about listening

to the patient’s story in a different way, where the objective is not simply about arriving at a diagnosis,” explains Bland.

Ferreting Out Key Clues

Key to discovering the underlying origins of a health issue are a host of new gene, blood and gut health tests. “They allow us to look under the patient’s ‘metabolic hood’ at the genetic and biochemical factors influencing health,” says Naturopathic Doctor Kara Fitzgerald, who heads up a functional medicine clinic in Newtown, Connecticut.

For instance, certain genes influence how a person burns and stores fat. Depending on which variant a patient has, based on a genetic test, they might be guided toward a higheror lower-fat diet. Those genetically prone to difficulty in metabolizing the amino acid homocysteine (an excess of which can raise the risk of heart disease) might be advised to take folic acid supplements.

If a patient displays intractable gut problems, rather than simply look for blood or pathogens in the stool, Fitzgerald also looks at the DNA of their gut microbiome, mapping out which strains of good bacteria are present or absent and prescribing prebiotics, probiotics or whole foods to promote a healthful balance.

For another patient with thinning hair and aching joints, she might use specialized blood tests to look for micronutrient deficiencies, signs of allergies or certain autoantibodies—proteins produced by the immune system that mistakenly attack one’s own tissues—

that might herald a brewing autoimmune disorder. “Research shows that predictive autoantibodies can show up in the blood 10 or even 20 years before an autoimmune disease such as Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis makes itself known,” says Fitzgerald, pointing to a seminal review published in 2007 in Scientific American: “If a patient with mild, early-stage symptoms is proactive with diet and lifestyle changes, they may be able to fend it off.”

High-tech tests aside, Bland stresses that what’s most important is “a tool that has been largely lost in medicine today: Knowing how to listen to the patient.”

In a typical exam, Fitzgerald thoroughly inspects often neglected body parts, including the tongue and fingernails, which can hold important clues to underlying health. She asks about past emotional trauma which might trigger chronic disease, and inquires about what environmental toxins and harmful chemicals both the patient and their birth parents may have been exposed to. One example might be a patient exposed to cigarette smoking in utero having a bias toward an allergic disease. If their parents grew up in a period of famine, they might have inherited a genetic disposition for rapid weight gain.

“She spent two-and-a-half hours with me,” in her initial consultation, recalls 52-year-old Lauren Zambrelli, of Long Island, New York, who credits Fitzgerald for helping her tame her multiple sclerosis into remission. “It was like having a sister for a doctor.”

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American Sustainable Business Council (Tinyurl.com/Integrative Reimbursement). The organization recently launched a campaign to urge insurers to cover integrative practices.

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natural awakenings

January 2016

15

Who Pays

Functional medicine doctors don’t shy away from prescription drugs when necessary, but they do lean decidedly toward the COLON HYDROTHERAPY lower-tech modalities, using dietary supplements, allergen-free diets, exercise, mind-body practices and toxin avoidance as Cleanse.... Hydrate... Rejuvenate.... their primary tools. “We basically take out the bad stuff from the body and put in the good stuff,” says Hyman.

DETOX YOUR BODY FROM THE INSIDE OUT Maintaining good health is priceless, but without conColonics • Bio Cleanse • Infrared Sauna ventional insurance coverage, it can be expensive. While Mills’ doctor visits were covered by insurance (which is rare), she spends roughly $1,000 a month on supplements to address her diagnosed leaky gut syndrome, nutrient deficiencies and mercury poisoning. Zambrelli has paid thousands out of her own pocket, too.

Some people worry that, like most conventional physicians, some functional medicine practitioners place too much emphasis on expensive tests and too little on the most crucial and affordable remedy—self-care. “Functional medicine as a concept is an important step forward,” says integrative medicine pioneer Dr. James Gordon, founder of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, in Washington, D.C., and San www.hope4lifeal.com Francisco. “However, some practitioners do a lot of tests and prescribe a lot of supplements and work on cleaning out the gut, but neglect the psychological, spiritual and social issues.

That concerns me.”

10300 Bailey Cove Road, Ste 7A Bland and Hyman concede that some practitioners overHuntsville, AL 35803 test, but say that will fade over time as they learn to better discriminate which ones are useful for specific patients. SevMAD2562708731-A eral efforts also are underway to get more functional medicine providers and the acupuncturists, massage therapists and nutritionists they work with covered under the Affordable Care Act, which expressly emphasizes a need for more When you need more than a Pedicure preventive medicine.

Viewing the big picture, Bland believes that functional medicine is just what the country needs to save on exploding Providing nail and callus care healthcare costs. Rather than spending dollars on extraorto those with dinary measures to save heart attack victims or diabetics in • Diabetes/Pre-Diabetes emergencies, we can prevent such dire situations by identify• Circulatory Problems ing underlying problems sooner and halting their progression.

In the meantime, some patients are finding priceless re• Visual Impairments Mike Underwood 48641 Sales Rep.: Date: t. Sign.: X lief.

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Lisa Marshall is a freelance health writer in Boulder, CO, who specializes in health care. Connect at LisaAnnMarshall.com.

Learn More Online Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine Tinyurl.com/Center4FunctionalMedicine Dr. Kara Fitzgerald’s blog, DrKaraFitzgerald.com/blog Functional Forum, FunctionalForum.com Dr. Mark Hyman’s blog, DrHyman.com/blog Institute for Functional Medicine FunctionalMedicine.org

personalreflection

Easy Does It

by Michelle Bishop

A

ll I ever wanted to do was run towards something, not away from it.

I had spent a literal lifetime of making changes based on emergencies and crises, which had absolutely not awarded me a single benefit, sans the fact that I sure knew how to be a survivor. I was taught “frantic” and I emulated frantic. I was an expert.

I had so many traumas and frantic experiences, in fact, that at a biological level, I was in a constant state of crisis. I was eventually diagnosed with PTSD: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It took a two-month program used for combat veterans to finally break the cycle that ran rampant. As I began to “wake up” from the constant, unsolicited terror, I saw my body in utter disrepair and exhaustion. Of course my first instinct was to take my old approach to self care, basically to beat my body into submission. But I truly knew I could not do that again this time.

We can’t make very good decisions in a frantic or panicked state. There is a difference between an empowered decision and a decision born of fear. It’s like running towards something instead of running away. Believe me, it FEELS GOOD to run TOWARDS a thing we benefit from!

So what did I do? Well, I backed up and did absolutely nothing for a while, even though my body still raged with pain, inflammation and depletion. A new benefit of calming down was being able to step back, even amidst the maelstrom, and observe rather than react. It took several months to begin to sort through what my body was trying to tell me.

Keep in mind that I am a certified nutritionist/herbalist who has been “at this” for ten solid years now. No matter. It just isn’t easy to piece together the puzzle sometimes, especially when you’re dealing with yourself.

Do you feel that you run on adrenaline? That you truly can’t just “calm down”? At a chemical level, you may literally be right. Cortisol, our “fight or flight” hormone is what basically motivates you out of bed in the morning. That’s why our levels are highest at 8am. It drops off sharply in the afternoon, and melatonin begins to surge, signaling us that

sleep is ahead. Excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin help to regulate the cycle of wake and sleep (and panic and calm), and believe it or not, vitamins and minerals help “turn on” different neurons in this cycle, too. Magnesium, for example, waits in the space between synapses and inhibits a neuron from responding to excitatory messages from glutamate and calcium. It actually keeps you calm.

Of course, this describes life in a body that’s functioning the way it should. Mine wasn’t. It was a matter of garbage in, garbage out for so long, and it was a mix of mental and physical. I needed to remove foods and such, things triggering chemical shifts that led to misery, and put good stuff back in. I needed to continue to do the same with my thoughts and feelings! Which first, though? It doesn’t matter where you begin, our bodies are gorgeous ecosystems, and we can affect the entire organism by picking any point along the circle.

Like a ripple in the pond, everything becomes affected.

But if you are feeling so frantic that you don’t know how to calm down anymore, or if you are working with something potentially serious (mental or physical), please seek help like I did. By getting help and talking about how it assisted you, you offer a gift to others who are struggling, too.

If you feel that you need a basic tweaking but you don’t know where to start, I advise you to take some time, read up (may I recommend my website, LovingYourTemple.com) and ask people in-the-know, so you can find multiple options to choose from. Easy does it. You will not make a solid decision from a place of panic. Sometimes the very best thing to do is nothing at first. Acting is always the result of thought.

The lasting results that come from gradual change will shift who you are, not just where you are. It’s truly worth it.

Be Well!

Michelle Aside from embarking on a wellness journey deeper than I ever dreamed, these days I’m also blogging. Come over and read what I’ve been working on, and offer your comments at LovingYourTemple.com. I’m sharing my journey, alongside great articles I discover, to pique your interest and help propel you on your way to greater health. Michelle Bishop CNC MH can be reached via email at LovingYourTemple@yahoo.com.

Learn how your past Lives affect the present and the future

Delsie Hill Past Life Intuitive and Counselor

DelsieHill@hotmail.com 256-508-7874 natural awakenings

January 2016

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he ancient Chinese art of acuchemical serotonin and relieving inflampuncture is gaining popularity mation, as well as bringing many other in modern Western medicine for body processes into normal function. many reasons. “There’s lots of research Brevard, North Carolina, licensed to support the effectiveness of acupuncmaster acupuncturist Paul Buchman, ture for a wide variety of conditions,” adds, “Acupuncture differs from consays Thomas Burgoon, a medical doctor ventional Western medicine in many who practices internal medicine in West ways, primarily in that when it treats Chester, Pennsylvania, and is president a disease on the physical level, it also of the American Academy of Medical has far-reaching effects on our mental, Acupuncture, an asemotional and spiriThe U.S. Library of sociation of doctors of tual aspects.” medicine and osteoChronic back Medicine database pathic medicine that pain: Chronic low back lists more than 23,000 pain affects 80 percent use acupuncture in conjunction with conus at some time and studies on acupuncture. of ventional treatments. is the second-most Acupuncture treatments typically common cause of disability in Ameriinvolve the nearly painless insertion of can adults, according to a University very thin needles to stimulate the body’s of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study natural repair and regulation mechanisms published in the Journal of the American based on the fundamental Chinese medi- Medical Association. cine principle that the inside of the body A recent study of Australian can often be treated from the outside. patients arriving in Melbourne hospital Burgoon explains that acupuncture works emergency rooms complaining of low by stimulating and releasing the body’s back pain found that those treated with natural pain relievers, including endoracupuncture experienced as much pain phins, producing the feel-good brain relief in an hour as those given drugs.

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Find a local physician trained in medical acupuncture at MedicalAcupuncture.org/ FindAnAcupuncturist

No Needles Needed for Kids

by Kathleen Barnes

“When I treat a person for low back pain, I always take pulses in several parts of the body, and then take into account many factors, including age, gender and life situation,” says Buchman. “The underlying causes of the pain may be different in a 20-something student with a stressful academic load than a 50-something woman that’s a recent empty nester redefining her future,” he explains.

When researchers at China’s Central South University reviewed 13 studies on acupuncture and low back pain, they concluded that comprehensive treatment plans that involve acupuncture are urgently needed.

Headache: Acupuncture has long been used to relieve the pain of migraines and tension headaches. Australian research published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that 16 acupuncture sessions cut in half the number of days that patients experienced migraines, significantly reducing pain.

“Acupuncture is a must-try therapy for anyone with migraines or chronic or tension-type headaches,” says Burgoon. He notes that Aetna Insurance Company policy considers acupuncture among accepted, medically necessary treatments for migraines, chronic low back pain, knee osteoarthritis, postoperative dental pain and nausea associated with surgery, pregnancy and chemotherapy.

Asthma and allergies: More than 25 million Americans have asthma, including 6.8 million children. Danish research published in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine showed that 10 acupuncture sessions given over a three-month period reduced asthma symptoms and use of inhaled steroids, but only when acupuncture was ongoing.

Benefits diminished when treatments were discontinued.

German researchers at Berlin’s Charité University Medical Center found similar effects for seasonal allergies by comparing it with the effects of antihistamines and sham acupuncture.

“Patterns of bad health get more ingrained in our body systems as we get older,” says Melanie Katin, a licensed acupuncturist specializing in treating children in New York City and professor at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine.

“If we can catch an illness in a child’s first seven or eight years, we may be able to prevent it from becoming chronic in adulthood.”

Digestive problems: Acupuncture has been found to be effective for treating colic in babies, irritable bowel syndrome, morning sickness and postoperative nausea caused by anesthesia and chemotherapy treatments, verified in research from Australia’s University of Sydney on patients after surgery for metastatic liver cancer. Several other studies, including one from the Milwaukee’s Medical College of Wisconsin, show that acupuncture rebalances the nervous system and restores proper digestive function, while relieving pain.

The World Health Organization review of research notes how acupuncture relieved gastrointestinal (GI) spasms better

A

cupuncture can be helpful for children, especially in treating asthma, allergies and childhood digestive disorders, including colic, says Melanie Katin, a licensed acupuncturist who specializes in treating children in New York City.

“Acupuncture for children rarely involves the use of needles. Since their qi (life force) flows very close to the surface of their skin, it doesn’t require a lot of movement to get things flowing in the right direction,” she explains.

Acupuncture for kids typically involves light, fast brushing of the skin to encourage a healing circulation of energy. Katin teaches parents to continue treatments at home. She explains that it’s still technically acupuncture, not acupressure, which would involve prolonged stimulation of the body’s energy meridian sites. Sometimes she includes the use of small instruments for tapping or brushing the skin and tuning forks to stimulate the meridian points.

She remarks, “The kids love it.” than atropine injections, and also recommends acupuncture for relief of nausea. “Acupuncture helps calm down an overactive GI tract and stimulates an underactive one,” explains Burgoon.

Acupuncture is a non-pharmaceutical remedy for many health problems, Burgoon says. “I fell in love with acupuncture when I discovered I could use it to treat some problems that nothing else helped. I almost never prescribe any medications. Instead, I help people get off pharmaceuticals.”

Kathleen Barnes is author of many natural health books, including The Calcium Lie 2: What Your Doctor Still Doesn’t Know, with Dr. Robert Thompson. Connect at KathleenBarnes.com.

Jin Shin Jyutsu® of Huntsville Sandra Cope Certified Jin Shin Jyutsu® Practitioner Assists healing through relaxation and restoring body harmony.

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The Right Vet for Your Pet

Animals Thrive with Gentle, Safe and Natural Approaches

A team approach is expected. A holistic practice is a team effort, and the family doctor will suggest options for care, helping an owner decide on the best therapies for each pet.

A fuller range of options is available. While holistic vets prefer a more natural approach, they know that if necessary, conventional therapies can sometimes be an appropriate complement if they follow holistic principles, which means infrequent use of low-dose medications and only when absolutely needed. In general, most conditions can be treated successfully without drug therapy, extending the health and life of the patient and reducing medical costs.

Gentler anesthesia means quicker recovery. A naturally balanced and gentler approach means less drugging if anesthesia becomes necessary, close monitoring of an anesthetized pet, a smooth and quick recovery for prompt discharge from the hospital and natural forms of follow-up treatment to control post-operative pain and inflammation.

New hope rises for the hopeless. Many pets are brought to holistic doctors after conventional care has failed to help them. Some have been turned away by practitioners of conventional medicine because their cases are diagnosed as “hopeless”. Holistic vets and pet parents alike experience considerable satisfaction in helping to give a joyful pet a whole new lease on life.

Shawn Messonnier, a doctor of veterinary medicine practicing in Plano, TX, is the award-winning author of The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats and Unexpected Miracles: Hope and Holistic Healing for Pets. For more information, visit PetCareNaturally.com.

by Shawn Messonnier

P

et parents have many criteria to consider when choosing a healthcare provider for their prized pet, and among the most vital is trying to find a doctor that uses holistic therapies, because the advantages are many.

Wellness care is more than vaccines. While many conventional vets consider giving vaccines and flea medications to all of their patients to be their best form of wellness care, holistic vets know these aren’t always necessary and can potentially be harmful. Instead, true wellness care involves careful consideration of proper diet, blood titer testing instead of vaccines, natural parasite control when appropriate and a heavy dose of diagnostic testing (blood, urine, fecal) to monitor organ function, check for parasites, screen for disorders of the urogenital system, liver and pancreas and early screening for cancer and other inflammatory conditions. There’s also a full physical check for common diseases like dental and heart disease and tumors.

Individualized prescriptions for a proper diet and supplements to maintain health are big reasons many owners prefer a holistic vet.

Natural treatments include disease prevention. Many pets treated via a more natural approach have an easier experience with occasional illness than those that don’t enjoy this specialized care. Natural therapies can quickly restore an ill pet to his homeostatic balance without the side effects often associated with multiple drug doses.

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ost are familiar with the performance or competitive dance world of learned steps.

Conscious dance is a non-competitive, body-based way of raising consciousness. There’s no wrong way to move and your shape and measurements don’t matter,” says Mark Metz, of Berkley, California, founder and executive director of the Dance First Association (DFA) and publisher of the Conscious Dancer Magazine and UpShift Guide.

The group identifies more than 100 forms of conscious dance, ranging from ecstatic dance to somatic movement therapy. Commonalities include body awareness, barefoot movement, inspiring global music and minimal structure facilitated by leaders.

With 1,000 DFA studio locations, many are finding the power of

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conscious dance suits their search for movement with purpose beyond improved fitness as it’s practiced in drug- and alcohol-free club-style events and ecstatic dance experiences, as well as dance fitness programs. “It’s about honoring body intelligence and paying attention to the body and mind-body connection,” says Metz.

“The modalities mentioned most often are 5Rhythms, Soul Motion, Open Floor, JourneyDance, and the Nia Technique,” says Metz. A brief look at three of them shows how each has its own style.

5Rhythms In St. Petersburg, Florida, 22 women have gathered to seek the bliss promised by 5Rhythms, one of the original conscious dance forms, founded by

Connecting “within” through free and inspired body movement is the power of conscious dance. the late Gabrielle Roth. “Find your flow. Feel your connection to the Earth through your feet and release your head,” guides facilitator Amber Ryan, of New York City, who travels the world for dance sessions. “Use your body as a gateway into the now.” For two hours, dancers move freely and individually, swaying, sensing and interacting in an experience called “the wave”, intended to move energy through the body, release emotions and heal the psyche.

It’s based on Roth’s premise that, “Each of us is a moving center, a space of divine mystery. Though we spend most of our time on the surface in daily ordinary existence, most of us hunger to connect to this space within, to break through to bliss, to be swept into something bigger.”

JourneyDance Toni Bergins, from the Massachusetts Berkshires, is a frequent presenter at the Kripalu Center and Omega Institute for Holistic Studies. After years of studying and teaching movement, drama, creative visualization and gestalt techniques, she combined them in creating JourneyDance. More than 400 trained facilitators now offer it in 60- or 90-minute classes worldwide based on the philosophy, “Move into a new story!” Every class includes visualization, creative movement, affirmations and evocative music, all

working together to release emotions and connect with spirit.

“You learn to love your body, expand your emotional intelligence, clear your mind and connect with your inner source,” explains Bergins. “You express yourself, infuse life with creativity and connect with a dancing community.”

Participants engage in a ritual journey of physical transformation, cleansing the body through breath, sweat and expression. In this safe space, “Dancers discover their power and personal heart medicine, their true essence,” says Bergins.

Nia Technique For those that prefer more structure, the Nia Technique is the original barefoot mind-body-spirit fitness practice, activating sensation and awareness in a workout adaptable for everybody. More than 2,600 instructors in 51 countries offer 60-minute classes where enthusiasts move the way the body is built to move, reaping cardiovascular fitness and therapeutic benefits while having joyful fun. Dancers, guided by instructor’s moves, feel the rhythm of the music and ground themselves in spirit, equipping themselves to take the selfhealing experience into everyday life.

“Nia has always blended form and freedom,” says Debbie Rosas, of Portland, Oregon, co-founder and creator of the technique. “We are now introducing new FreeDance classes to bring what we have learned through Nia to embody consciousness in new ways, conditioning the whole body and nervous system. It’s an invitation to move in free, unbound, unstructured ways to offset the tendency we have to

Dance Sites DanceFirst.com 5Rhythms.com JourneyDance.com NiaNow.com OneDanceTribe.com OpenFloor.org SoulMotion.com move less as we age.”

Dancers move to music designed to animate each chakra through an eight-stage process via a Nia DJ. They’re guided to listen to body feedback through sensation, release emotions and relish being in the present moment.

“Regardless of how you act, dress or think, the way you feel inside reveals the most accurate truth of oneself and this is reflected in dance,” says Rosas.

“Moving without interference allows your unconscious creative self to shine.

You can connect to the sacred artist within; the one that holds a palette with endless colors, shapes and possibilities.” She sees life as ultimately a free-style dance into the self that supports a philosophy of “Love your body, love your life”.

“Dance is in everyone’s family tree, a universal message,” says Metz.

“In conscious dance, you disconnect from gadgets and reconnect with yourself and others around you. People need that.”

Gail Condrick is a Nia faculty member, retreat leader and archetypal soul coach in Sarasota, FL. Connect at GaelaVisions.com.

“I was the last person I thought that would benefit from this...

Ten sessions later I am telling everyone about rolfing.” ~S.H., Birmingham

Advanced Rolf Practitioner Susan K. Jeffreys Consultations Available

Find out what Susan K. Jeffreys and Structural Integration can do for you!

Call (256) 508-3351 Today Susan K. Jeffreys, AL Lic #249 525 Fountain Row • Huntsville, AL 35801

StructuralIntegrationHuntsville.com Structural Integration in the method of Ida P. Rolf natural awakenings

January 2016

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SUPER SOUPS New Twists on Old Favorites Heal, Nourish and Soothe

by Judith Fertig

W

inter season soups on chilly days can warm us, both body and soul. Whatever our food preferences or time constraints, some new twists on traditional favorites will satisfy everyone’s taste buds—with an accent on healthy pleasure. Here’s where to start.

Reinventing the past. From her Colorado mountain home, Jenny McGruther, author of The Nourished Kitchen, celebrates the wisdom of traditional foodways, making nutrientdense, healing soup broth from bones, water, vegetables and seasonings.

McGruther’s twist is to make it in a six-quart slow cooker.

Once her family has dined on organic roast or rotisserie chicken, she simmers the bones with purified water, a bay leaf or two, a few whole peppercorns and a few chopped organic vegetables like onion, carrot and celery

on the low setting for 24 hours. Then she ladles the broth through a coffee strainer into another container, refreshes the slow cooker with more water and simmers the bones and seasonings for another 24 hours. Eventually, the broth will have less flavor and color, and that’s when McGruther starts all over again.

“I call this perpetual soup,” she says.

She blogs at NourishedKitchen.com.

Slowing it down. With homemade broth on hand, it’s easy to make the Italian winter staple of Tuscan Vegetable Bean Soup. Cookbook authors and slow cooker experts Kathy Moore and Roxanne Wyss, from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, love to make this when they’re working on a cookbook deadline. They simply use what they have in the refrigerator, freezer or pantry.

“With a soup like this you can always substitute one vegetable for

Natural Awakenings recommends using organic and non-GMO (genetically modified) ingredients whenever possible.

24

Tennessee Valley

Facebook.com/natvalley

Photo by Stephen Blancett

consciouseating

another, adjusting the recipe to what you enjoy and have on hand,” advises Moore. The pair blogs at PluggedInto Cooking.com.

Speeding it up. Sometimes, we need a single serving of homemade soup fast. Award-winning recipe developer and cookbook author Camilla Saulsbury, of Nacogdoches, Texas, whips up a Pumpkin Sage Soup that can simmer in a saucepan within minutes, ready to be enjoyed in a mug.

Saulsbury uses organic canned pumpkin, full of vitamins, which can vary in sweetness. “If needed,” she suggests, “add a drizzle of maple syrup to enhance the flavor of the soup.”

Making “bisque” in a high-speed blender. Karen Adler is an avid grower of organic tomatoes in her Kansas City garden. When the seasonal harvest comes to an end, Adler grills or oven roasts the tomatoes, along with organic peppers and onions, and then freezes them, ready to make Roasted Tomato Bisque any time of the year.

“My secret to a light bisque without using cream is to blend all the roasted vegetables together with a high-speed blender to give it body. A swirl of extra-virgin olive oil at the end finishes ensuring the satisfying flavor,” she says.

Going cold. Douglas McNish, head chef at Toronto’s raw and vegan restaurant Raw Aura, serves a popular Lemon, Cucumber and Dill Soup, which is easy to make in a food processor. “This soup is amazing this time of year, when most of our diets may be lacking in healthy fats and trace minerals,” says McNish.

Warming up. Two cookbook authors teamed up across many miles to write 300 Sensational Soups. Meredith Deeds lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, while Carla Snyder resides in Cleveland, Ohio. They’ve mutually discovered the naturally warming properties of curry powder in Curried Coconut Chickpea Soup.

Snyder observes, “A good soup nourishes the heart, as well as the stomach, spreading a feeling of satisfaction and contentment.”

Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFood AndLifestyle.blogspot.com from Overland Park, KS.

SOUP’S ON! Tasty Recipes for Winter Meals

and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in broccoli, cannellini beans and minced basil. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are as tender as desired. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish if desired with additional minced basil.

2 Tbsp minced fresh basil, plus additional for garnish Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Tuscan Vegetable Bean Soup

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onions, carrot and celery and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Stir in the green beans and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Stir in tomatoes, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Heat, covered, until boiling,

Yields: 6 servings 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 large yellow onion, chopped 3 carrots, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 cup frozen, cut green beans 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 can (14.5 oz, BPA-free) diced tomatoes, with liquid 4 cups bone broth or 1 carton (32 oz) vegetable broth 2 tsp Italian seasoning 1 /8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional Salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup chopped fresh broccoli 1 can (15 oz, BPA-free) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Sunday Discussion Class – 9:30am Sunday Worship – 11am Meditative Silence begins at 10:55am

Contact Us 256-536-2271 UnityOnTheMountain.org UnityChurchontheMountain@gmail.com

Yields: 1 serving ¾ cup ready-to-use chicken or vegetable broth 2 /3 cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling) ¼ tsp dried rubbed sage 3 Tbsp half-and-half, whole milk or coconut creamer Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Adapted from 250 Best Meals in a Mug,

by Camilla V. Saulsbury

1328 Governors Dr. SE, Huntsville, AL 35801

Sunday, January 3 Burning Bowl Ceremony, Rev. Carol Landry

Pumpkin Sage Soup

In a saucepan, bring the broth, pumpkin and sage to a simmer over medium-high heat. In the mug, stir broth, pumpkin and sage until blended. Stir in cream and heat for 1 minute more.

Season it to taste with salt and pepper before pouring into a mug. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds.

Unity Church on the Mountain What’s Happening at Unity

Adapted from PluggedIntoCooking.com,

by Kathy Moore and Roxanne Wyss

Reverend Carol Landry “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Ongoing Classes

Weddings A t

Unity ChUrCh on the MoUntAin

Sunday 11am (during church service) Children’s Sunday School ages 4-9 Tuesday 7-8pm Prayer and Meditation Hour Wednesday 6-7:30pm Course in Miracles Thursday 6:30-7:30pm Youth Hour 10 yrs and up.

Snack provided. Bring a friend.

The perfect place for couples planning an elegantly simple ceremony.

For more information go to:

UnityChurchWeddings.com or email us at

UnityChurchWeddings@gmail.com Non-traditional, interfaith unions and commitment ceremonies are always welcome!

natural awakenings

January 2016

25

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Manuka Honey is gathered in the wild back country of New Zealand from the native Manuka tree (Leptospermum scoparium). The bees don’t use the pollen from a variety of other flowers or plants, so the content of the honey is very consistent. A 2013 study in the European Journal of Medical Research used Active Manuka Honey under dressings on postoperative wounds for an 85 percent success rate in clearing up infections, compared with 50 percent for normal antibiotic creams.

wisewords

Bruce Lipton on the Epigenetics Revolution Our Beliefs Reprogram Our Genetic Destiny

by Linda Sechrist

B

ruce Lipton, Ph.D., author of The Biology of Belief and The Honeymoon Effect, is a stem cell biologist and internationally recognized leader in bridging science and spirit. He is a visiting fellow lecturer on immunology at the New Zealand College of Chiropractic and participated in the Foundation for Conscious Evolution’s seventh Worldwide Meeting on Human Values, in Mexico. His research explains the interplay between individual consciousness and body biology.

Why do you start with epigenetics as a foundation for health?

Many people, programmed with the concept of genetic determinism, believe that genes in the fertilized egg at conception determine character and fate. Unable to pick our DNA genes, we are powerless to control our life, so that the only option is seeking help from someone in the biomedical community to fix our genes.

I introduced a new vision about the understanding of genes a half-century ago that is now the new science of epigenetics. Epi- means “above”. Here, we can realize control by regulating the environment in which we live and our perception of it, making us the master of our own genetics rather than a victim of heredity.

Do you believe epigenetics is the future of medicine?

Epigenetics is a revolution in our knowledge and awareness of heredity.

This new concept of biology is so big that

it promises radical change capable of revolutionizing civilization. Its dynamics are equivalent to the leap from Newtonian physics to quantum physics, which led to everything from computers and cell phones to Martian rovers. We are freed to abandon the belief that genes cause cancer, for instance. In changing our lifestyle, beliefs and perceptions, we also change our genetic expression.

Remember, this works because how we individually interpret our world is translated by the brain into chemical information that adjusts the behavior and genetics of cells to complement our perception. We could live in the healthiest environment, but if our mind perceives it as threatening and non-supportive, our biology will become less healthy and can generate disease. The cells’ response is based on the brain’s information, which actually is only an interpretation.

Personal perceptions and the way we live, including our spiritual nature, adjust genes to manifest either a functional state of health or one of dysfunction.

Where is the “self” that makes people different?

No two people are the same biologically. If I inject my cells into another human, their immune system will recognize it as “not-self” and begin to eliminate them. On the surface of virtually all our cells are thousands of protein receptors that function like miniature antennae. They read and respond to environmental signals similar to the larger receptors on the skin’s surface, such as the eyes, ears and nose.

Each human also possesses a unique set of “identity” receptors, a subset of which are called “self-receptors” by the biomedical community, found on nearly all of our cells, with the primary exception of red blood cells. Self-receptors are unrelated to the cell’s function contributing to muscle, bone, brain or heart. Conventional medicine studies the physical aspect of self-receptors as being the source of “self” but overlook the environmental signals they receive. In other words, individual identity is linked to the signals received by the antennae.

When I reached this point in my research, I realized that we can’t die, because our real identity is represented by the invisible environment-derived “broadcast”, which might legitimately be referred to as spirit. My personal identity signal is received by each of my 50 trillion cells endowed with the unique set of “Bruce” self-receptors.

While my physical body is like a TV, the “spiritual broadcast” representing the Bruce Show is an eternal, energetic element of the environment.

What is entrainment and why is it important today?

A group of heart cells in a Petri dish will each beat to its own vibrational frequency. After a couple of days, they start beating in synchrony, because the stronger heart cells control the tempo.

The other cells organize their behavior to entrain with the more powerful one.

This happens in women’s college dormitories when residents start the school year with different menstrual cycles, but later experience entrainment, with their cycles beginning and ending about the same time. They link to a pulse and a beat, just like the heart cells.

Humans become entrained to a higher force that’s an invisible broadcast of energy in harmony or in discordance. As more of us hold the intention for living a life of love and peace, the broadcast of that harmonic energy amplifies and those not yet there will eventually entrain to the stronger signal.

This is the shift we need to make for conscious evolution to occur.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.

natural awakenings

January 2016

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calendarofevents SATURDAY, JANUARY 2

THURSDAY, JANUARY 28

Nature Explorer with Operation Green Team – 10-11am and 1-2pm. New Year’s Weekend. Come out to Hays and take a hike with your family. Free.

Hays Nature Preserve, 7161 US Hwy 431 S, Owens Cross Roads, AL. 256-532-5326. Green.Team@ huntsvilleal.gov.

Mind Your Money: Principles of Investing – 11:30am-12:30pm. The third in a series of four beginner-friendly classes on personal finances and investing. Classes are free, no registration required.

Attending all classes is recommended but not required. Huntsville Main Library, Second Floor Meeting Room, 915 Monroe St. 256-532-5940.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 3 Burning Bowl Ceremony – 11am. Annual ceremony for burning and releasing old negativity and preparing for new positive ways in the New Year.

Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville. UnityOnTheMountain.org.

256-536-2271.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9 ROC Day – 12-5:30pm. See demonstrations of spinning, weaving, crocheting, and knitting. Meet and network with local fiber artists and find out about local beginning and intermediate classes. All fiber artists, aspiring artists/makers, and the public are welcome. Free. Lowe Mill, Classroom Studio 2008, 2211 Seminole Dr, Huntsville. 256-384-5515.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12 Purification Workshop – 12pm or 6pm, January 12 and 19. Dr. Jamie Bunis will present the Standard Process 21-Day Purification Program that combines a generous menu of whole foods with supplements that support the body’s ability to remove naturally occurring toxins. Free. Dr. Jamie’s Wellness Center, 917 Merchants Walk, Huntsville. 256-434-7977.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14 Mind Your Money: Practical Steps to Building Wealth – 11:30am-12:30pm. The first in a series of four beginner-friendly classes on personal finances and investing. Classes are free, no registration required. Attending all classes is recommended but not required. Huntsville Main Library, Second Floor Meeting Room, 915 Monroe St. 256-532-5940.

Internet 1 – 5:30pm. Learn about navigating the Internet and great search techniques to get the results you intend. You should already have mastered basic PC skills. Free. Huntsville Main Library, 915 Monroe St. 256-532-5940.

Tuning the Human Biofield with Kim Erickson – 6pm, January 14 and 21. Sound Balancing with Tuning Forks can harmonize and clear areas of distortion and trauma in the human bioenergy field, providing relief for the symptoms of many chronic conditions. Free. Dr. Jamie’s Wellness Center, 917 Merchants Walk, Huntsville. 256-434-7977.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29 com and visit the Workshops and Classes tab.

Huntsville location. 256-716-8419.

Family Constellations Workshop with Jeffrey Rich, Certified Constellations Facilitator – 9am5pm. Uncover the hidden dynamics of your family or relationship in an experiential way, so that undue stress can be released or reduced in the system and a resolution can unfold. $75. Shining Mountain Healing Center, 900 Wellman Ave #5. ShiningMountain.com.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade – 11am1pm. The parade will begin at 11am along Clinton Ave in downtown Huntsville. The theme for this year’s parade is: “Keeping The Dream Alive.” Free.

Planetarium Show – 7:30pm, every Saturday. The January 16 program will demonstrate how to use your telescope. $5. Planetarium, Monte Sano State Park, beside the Country Grocery Store and Camp Ground. 256-539-0316.

MONDAY, JANUARY 18 African American Pioneers and Innovators – 10am-4pm. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, bring the entire family to learn about prominent African American scientists, engineers and inventors with science fair experiments and activities. Admission charged. Sci-Quest, Hands-On Science Center, 1435 Paramount Dr, Huntsville. 256-837-0606.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20 Resume Writing – 9:30am. Learn how to create a resume that will get noticed. Free. Huntsville Main Library, 915 Monroe St. 256-532-5940.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21 Mind Your Money: Net Worth & Basic Investment Options – 11:30am-12:30pm. The second in a series of four beginner-friendly classes on personal finances and investing. Classes are free, no registration required. Attending all classes is recommended but not required. Huntsville Main Library, Second Floor Meeting Room, 915 Monroe St. 256-532-5940.

Eckankar on TV: Acres of Diamonds – 7:30-8pm.

Hear inspiring stories and insights from Harold Klemp, spiritual leader and acclaimed author of more than sixty books on Eckankar. Learn how to become a polished gem of God. Free. WOW (Knology) Cable Channel 11 (Huntsville-Madison). 256-5341751. Eck-Alabama.org.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22

SATURDAY, JANUARY 16

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23

Reiki I Certification Workshop – Barbara Caioli. $100. To reserve a spot, go to LightJourneyReiki.

Friends of the Bailey Cove Library Used Book Sale – 9am-4:30pm (Sat), 1pm-4:30pm (Sun). Books,

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Tennessee Valley

music CDs, movies. Almost everything is 25¢. Free.

Bailey Cove Library, 1409 Weatherly Plaza SE, Huntsville. 256-881-0257. hmcpl.org/bcove.

Once Upon a Winter’s Night – 6-8pm. This “allages” after-hours event will celebrate fairytales through puppet shows, games, dancing, crafts, science and more. Free. Madison Public Library, 130 Plaza Blvd, Madison. 256-461-0046.

Facebook.com/natvalley

Soap Making Workshop – 9:30am. Learn how to make your own soap, and take home a full size bar (flavors may vary). For ages 14 up. Instructor, Margaret Mazikowski. $5 for supplies. Registration required with Teresa, 256-461-0046 or Tallison@ hmcpl.org. Madison Public Library, 130 Plaza Blvd, Madison.

plan ahead SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20 Family Constellations Workshop with Jeffrey Rich, Certified Constellations Facilitator – 9am5pm. Uncover the hidden dynamics of your family or relationship in an experiential way, so that undue stress can be released or reduced in the system and a resolution can unfold. $75. Shining Mountain Healing Center, 900 Wellman Ave #5. ShiningMountain.com.

Embrace Your Big Gorgeous Life – 9am-7pm.

Learn how to shift your focus to the positive along with practical steps for changing your thoughts, beliefs and actions. $180 (Bring a Friend $110 each, or Early Bird $110 by 1/20). Lowe Mill, Huntsville.

Register: Molly Reid, 256-652-1431.

classifieds Fee for classifieds is $1 per word per month. To place listing, email content to Editor@Natvalley.com. Deadline is the 10th of the month.

HEALTH COOKWARE SALADMASTER sales and service. 256-412-4896.

HOUSE FOR SALE HOUSE WITH VORTEX FOR SALE in Madison. Conveniently located just one block west of County Line Road, minutes away from Starbucks, Publix, Panera, Target. Energy of the house assists well-being, lucid dreaming, and stress reduction.

It has whole house water filtration, so that you can drink and cook with fluoride-free water. Above all, there is a vortex just behind garage that powers the whole house. To see, better yet feel, for yourself, email me for an appointment at Norshaman@gmail. com. House is 1400 square feet, one story on .89 acre wooded lot.

ongoingevents

Want a Life of Wellness, Purpose and Abundance?

sunday A Course in Miracles Study Group – 9:15am.

Shared reading and group discussions. Extra books available. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville. 256-895-0255. LightOfChristCenter.org.

Revealing Service – 9:45am. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, Huntsville. 256-8838596. CSL-Huntsville.org.

Celebration Service – 10:30am. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, Huntsville. 256-8838596. CSL-Huntsville.org.

Unity Church on the Mountain Worship Service – 11am, with Adult Discussion at 9:30am. Children’s Sunday School ages 4-9 during church service.

Unity is a positive path for spiritual living. Rev. Carol Landry. 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville.

UnityOnTheMountain.org.

1-Hour Mystery School – 11am. A different service each week including ritual, music, and a message in an open, loving environment. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville. 256-895-0255.

LightOfChristCenter.org.

Laughter Yoga – 1-2pm. Laughter Yoga utilizes laughter as an exercise in a group. Benefits include increased oxygen levels, relaxation, increased blood circulation, and a joyous feeling. Led by Tristan Riabo, certified Laughter Yoga Teacher. Free. 4703 Wellington Pt, Huntsville. Tristan.Riabo@gmail.com.

A Course In Miracles: Integrating the Lessons Through Heart Centered Listening – 4-5:30pm. For students of ACIM daily lessons (workbook) or text.

Donations accepted. Healing Arts Center, 525 Fountain Row, Huntsville. RevWandaGail@gmail.com.

monday Acupuncture Happy Hour – 4-6pm, Mondays and Tuesdays. A 30-minute ear acupuncture treatment that will de-stress, detox, relax and re-energize you.

No appointment necessary. $25. Alabama Holistic Helath, 204 Lowe Ave SE, Ste 3, Huntsville. 256801-9162. ALHolisticHealth.com.

tuesday Meditation – 6pm. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, Huntsville. 256-883-8596. CSLHuntsville.org.

BodyFlow – 6-7pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Yoga/Pilates/Tai Chi-based exercise class that builds strength, tones your body and leaves you feeling centered and calm. Part of the Les Mills Fitness Program. $10/class and no contract. New participants are always welcome. Madison Ballroom, 9076 Madison Blvd, Suite E, Madison, AL. 256-461-1900. MadisonBallroom.com.

Prayer and Meditation Hour – 7-8pm. Led by Rev. Clifford Stocking and assisted by Rebecca Oxford.

Explore the benefits of Young Living’s Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville. 256-536-2271. UnityOnThe Mountain.org.

Call today to schedule your one-on-one session or host a group class.

wednesday A Course in Miracles Class – 6-7:30pm. Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville. 256-536-2271. UnityOnTheMountain.org.

Satsang – 6:30pm. Through group discussion and inquiry, we reveal the innate wisdom of the one presence living life as each one of us. Meditation 6pm.

Led by Rev. David Leonard. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, Huntsville. 256-8838596. CSL-Huntsville.org.

Business opportunities available.

Cindy Wilson

thursday

#1873782

Youth Group – 6:30-7:30pm. 10 years old and up.

Snack provided. Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville. 256-536-2271.

UnityOnTheMountain.org.

256-476-6537 Cindy@AlabamaAwakenings.com

friday Public Clearance Session – 7pm. Third Friday each month. Learn effective healing through reception and application of Divine energies. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville.

256-895-0255.

saturday Artist Market – 12-4pm. Local artists and others are invited to set up a booth and sell their wares to the public. There will be art, jewelry, vintage clothing, records and more for sale. Admission free. Flying Monkey Arts Center at Lowe Mill, 2211 Seminole Dr, Huntsville.

Community HU Song – 1:30-2pm. Join others in singing HU, an ancient love song to God that can help and uplift you in countless ways. Held each Saturday (except 1/2). Huntsville ECK Center, 900 Wellman Ave NE #3 (near Five Points). 256-5341751. Eck-Alabama.org.

Grow Your Own Business Organically

contact me:

Cindy Wilson 256-476-6537 us.nyrorganic.com/shop/cindywilson

Ballroom Dance Party – 7:30-10pm. Beginner group class 7:30-8pm, introduction to different ballroom dances each week. Practice dance party 8-10pm, for all levels of dancers. No partner needed. $10/person for group class and party. Madison Ballroom, 9076 Madison Blvd Suites C/D, Madison, AL. 256-461-1900. MadisonBallroom.com.

natural awakenings

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communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. Email Editor@Natvalley.com to request our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE ALABAMA HOLISTIC HEALTH, LLC Dr. Christina L. Berry, Ed.D., ACI, ADS 204 Lowe Ave, Suite 3, Huntsville Info@ALHolisticHealth.com 256-801-9162

ELDER CARE FAMILY FRIEND ELDER CARE Krystin Rowe FamilyFriendHsv@gmail.com 256-468-7530

No matter how a person plans, sometimes we all need a little help from a friend. Call Krystin today for a free consultation. Driving, visiting, shopping, reading...if you need help, she is available to you.

Hourly, weekly, and 24-hr phone care options. See ad, page 21.

A holistic approach to health and wellness, specializing in pain management, weight loss, natural detoxification, and mental health improvement. Auriculotherapy/ Ear acupuncture. Massage therapy. Reflexology. Lifestyle consulting. Diet and supplement recommendations. Hydro-colon cleanse. Ionic detox.

THE NEELEY CENTER FOR HEALTH

600 Saint Clair Avenue SW, Bldg 5 Suite 11 Huntsville, AL 35801 256-716-4048 Hours: T-F, 9am-5pm, Sat 8am-12pm House calls by Appointment Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Chinese Herbology, Pastoral Counseling, Beam Ray Therapy, Rapid Eye Technology, Emotion Code Technique, Nutritional Supplementation, Detoxification, BioMat.

ESSENTIAL OILS CINDY WILSON

Young Living Independent Distributor 256-476-6537 Cindy@AlabamaAwakenings.com Want to know why everyone is talking about essential oils?

Learn more about essential oils, their uses and how to safely use them. Classes held monthly or schedule your class with friends and family. For more information call or email.

FAMILY MEDICINE COLON HYDROTHERAPY HOPE FOR LIFE COLONICS

Tina Pencola Owner/Certified Colon Hydrotherapist 10300 Bailey Cove Rd, Suite-7A Huntsville, AL 35803 256-270-8731 • 256-684-0020 Hope4LifeAL.com Tina.HopeForLife@outlook.com Our goal is to live long and live strong. Young or old, male or female, healthy or sick, will benefit from an internal cleansing. Mention this ad and get $10 off your first colonic session. See ad, page 16.

JARVIS NATURAL HEALTH CLINIC 1489 Slaughter Road, Madison 256-837-3448

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.

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MADISON FAMILY CARE

Chad Gilliam, M.M.S. PA-C 1230 Slaughter Road, Suite C, Madison, AL 256-722-0555 MadisonFamilyCare.com Madison Family Care provides medical care for patients of all ages and uniquely blends Natural and Prescription medicines together to help speed the patient’s recovery. Madison Family Care is the patient’s clinic of choice when they would like to understand how natural medicines work along with prescription drugs.

FENG SHUI

FOOD CO-OP PLENTIFUL PRODUCE

256-469-VEGG (8344) PlentifulProduce@gmail.com PlentifulProduce.org Plentiful Produce is a volunteer food cooperative bringing quality produce and other items to co-op participants at the lowest possible prices. Weekly produce baskets $20. A la carte local raw honey and produce. Five Saturday pickup locations across Madison County.

FOOT CARE SPECIALIZED NAIL CARE

1900 Flint Rd SE Decatur, AL 35601 256-476-6537 Cindy@SpecializedNailCare.com Nail care for those that need more than just a pedicure.

Physicians order required for care. Care includes footbath, trimming nails, thinning of thick nails, and removal of calluses and corns. For more information call or email. See ad, page 16.

GREEN CLEANING PRODUCTS LYNN THOMPSON

Norwex Independent Sales Consultant 256-476-4177 LynnThompson.Norwex.biz You don’t have to touch and breathe toxic cleaners anymore.

Norwex cloths are super fine, dense microfiber woven with micro-silver that inhibits odor and mold/mildew within the cloth.

Clean your home faster, better and healthier. Norwex is clean, evolved! See ad, page 7.

HAIR SALON CJ HAIR AND ART STUDIO CJ Denison 105E Church St Madison, AL 35758 256-603-9018

FENG SHUI BY TRUDI GARDNER Trudi Gardner, M.S. 256-772-6999 Tygard2000@aol.com

Facebook.com/natvalley

An interior design philosophy that invites serenity and reduces stress. Feng Shui design concepts brings positive energy into your home and office to encourage Prosperity, Well Being, Harmony, and Balance.

Specializing in NATURAL Hairstyles. Cuts with Texture and Movement. Specializing in Fine Hair, Razor cuts, Men's Hair Pieces with A NATURAL Look. Specializing in Hair Color OFF the Scalp.

Hair Painting. A Safer way to Color or HiLight Your Hair to Help in Decreasing the Exposure to the Scalp. HEALTHY HAIR is HAPPY HAIR. Also Original Art Work and Private Art lessons available.

Call Today for YOUR Appointment.

HEALTH & FITNESS HEAD-TO-TOE TRAINING 8006 Madison Pike, Ste 5 Madison, AL • 256-772-2006 HeadToToe@knology.net Head-To-Toe.com

A Mind/Body Training Center specializing in Core Training, Corrective and Therapeutic.

Offering all facets of training: group and personal. Pilates (both matwork and apparatus), Thai/yoga massage, Flowmotion, PilatEASE, CoreABS and more! Membership packages available.

HOMEOPATHIC CONSULTANT JOAN SCOTT LOWE

1901 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. South Birmingham, AL 35209 205-871-1288 Joan@HomeopathyForWellness.com HomeopathyForWellness.com Call or email Joan Scott Lowe, Homeopathic Wellness Consultant, to determine your individual constitutional remedy, the FDA-approved nontoxic homeopathic remedy based on the totality of your mental, emotional, and physical condition, chosen according to the Law of Similars (“like heals like”).

Achieve wellness and freedom from illness!

HYPNOTHERAPY CENTER FOR INNER WELLNESS Becky Waters Certified Hypnotherapist and Professional Breathworker 3322 S. Memorial Parkway, Suite 643 Huntsville, AL • 256-348-5236

Creating positive change through hypnotherapy and Breathwork. Empowering you to live to your highest potential. Relieve stress and anxiety, release negativity, pain management, pre/post medical procedure, fears/phobias, weight loss, smoking cessation, and more. See ad, page 31.

MARSHA MATHES

Certified Hypnotist 3313 Memorial Parkway, Ste 116 Huntsville, AL 35801 256-698-2151 MarshaMathes.SkinCareTherapy.net Hypnosis is a tool to assist you in countless ways to heal your past, empower your present and create your future. Hypnobirthing classes, quit smoking, weight loss, nail and lip biting, teeth grinding, insomnia, anxiety and stress relief, phobias and fears, pain relief, sports enhancement, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), current and past life regressions.

JIN SHIN JYUTSU®

STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION

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. See ad, page 19.

MENTAL HEALTH CARE TREE OF LIFE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES

JACI HOGUE

256-656-4108 JaciHogue@gmail.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

256-278-2802 TreeOfLifeBehavioral.com TreeOfLifeBehavioral@gmail.com At Tree of Life Behavioral Health, we believe that quality mental health care should be available to all people who need it. We offer counseling and medication management to families, children, adolescents, and adults on a sliding scale to meet all income needs.

Don’t let yourself suffer any longer!

Advanced Practitioner Lic.#249 Dr. Ida P. ROLF method 525 Fountain Row 256-508-3351 • RolfGuild.org Serving Huntsville since 1995 “When the body gets working appropriately, then the force of gravity can flow through. Then spontaneously, the body heals itself.” —Ida P. Rolf. See ad, page 23.

NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE ASSOCIATES Dr. Deb Gilliam, N.M.D. 1230 Slaughter Rd, Ste E, Madison, AL 256-325-0955

Dr. Deb treats a variety of health problems using natural means.

She looks for why people have symptoms and treats the root cause of those symptoms. Dr. Deb is highly regarded in the integrative and natural approach to wellness. Every patent is unique, and she individualizes treatment for their optimal wellness. See ad, page 6.

REIKI LIGHT JOURNEY REIKI

Barbara Caioli, RM 7500 Memorial Pkwy SW, Ste 114 Huntsville AL • 256-716-8419 LightJourneyReiki.com Reiki refers to the universal life force energy that is found in everything. Reiki works through gentle, focused touch or intention for the purpose of healing and balance. Light Journey Reiki offers healings as wells as Certification Workshops.

See ad, page 7.

Inner Wellness Center for

Creating Positive Change Through Hypnotherapy, Breathwork & EFT/Matrix Reimprinting • Stress and Anxiety • Fears/Phobias • Release Negativity • Let Go of the Past • Pain Management • Weight Loss • Smoking Cessation

Call For More Information.

Becky Waters, CHT, BMSC 256.348.5236 3322 South Memorial Parkway Suite 643 Huntsville, AL 35801 www.centerforinnerwellness.com

Breathe. Love. Live. natural awakenings

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FRIENDSHIPS CAN LAST A LIFETIME

Now is an ideal time to start a relationship with Natural Awakenings. Advertise in our

February Friendship & Dental Health Issue Our readers seek specialists offering products and services like: • Adult Education Facilities • Advocacy/Peer Groups • Alternative Healing • Aromatherapy • Arts & Crafts Classes • Books & Guides • Community Gardens • Cooking Schools/Classes

• Counseling/Therapy • Dance Lessons • Energy Healing • Farmers’ Markets • Fitness/Health Clubs • Green/Vegan Restaurants • Hypnotherapy • Integrative Physicians

Contact us at:

256-808-8044 Editor@Natvalley.com

• Life Coaches • Relationship Counseling • Retreats/Workshops • Social Groups/Clubs • Spiritual Practices • Volunteer Programs • Wellness Trainers & Coaches • Yoga ... and this is just a partial list