Natural Awakenings February 2015 by Natural Awakenings Magazine, Tennessee Valley Edition

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Feng Shui Healing Ease ADHD Home Fixes the Heart Naturally How to Brighten Up Every Room

Helpful Aids for Emerging from Grief

February 2015

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Nine Ways to Help Restore Calm and Focus |

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natural awakenings

February 2015

contents 8 6 newsbriefs 8 healthbriefs 10 globalbriefs 1 1 therapy spotlight

10 16 wisewords

18 naturalpet

20 consciouseating 22 healingways 24 greenliving

22 26 healthykids 28 calendar 28 classifieds 30 resourceguide advertising & submissions

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.

12 HAPPILY COUPLED Creating Loving Relationships that Thrive by Judith Fertig

16 CONSCIOUS DATING Jill Crosby on Looking for Love Online by S. Alison Chabonais

18 WHEN YOUR

PET PASSES

A Guide to Mourning, Remembering and Healing by Julianne Hale

20 HAPPY MEALS

Eating Healthy Foods Fights Off Depression

by Lane Vail

HOW TO ADVERTISE Display Ads due by the 10th of the month prior to publication. To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 256-476-6537 or email Editor@Natvalley.com.

22 GENTLING GRIEF

Remedies to Heal the Heart by Kathleen Barnes

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS* Newsbriefs due by the 10th of the month. Limit 50-250 words. Content limited to special events and other announcements. No advertorials, please. Articles and ideas due by the 5th of the month. Articles generally contain 250-850 words, with some exceptions. No advertorials, please.

24 ECO FENG SHUI

Tips to Bring More Positive Energy into Your Home by Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS

26 EASE ADHD

Calendar of Events and Ongoing Calendar listings due by the 10th of the month. Limit 50 words per entry. Please follow format found in those sections.

Nine Ways to Help Restore Calm and Focus

ADVERTISE WITH US TODAY 256-476-6537 -or- Editor@Natvalley.com *All submissions are subject to editing and will be printed at the publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

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NATURALLY by Jenna Blumenfeld

letterfrompublisher “May you always have open breezy spaces in your mind.” ~Sanober Khan For both Cindy and myself, the best part of publishing Natural Awakenings has been the connections that we have made with like-minded people. Natural Awakenings attracts a certain type of reader: independent thinkers who are highly conscious, health minded, spiritual, and green. Independent thinkers have to be self-reliant by necessity, and they don’t have to have constant reinforcement by others of their beliefs and interests. However, even if you are an independent thinker, it sure is nice to meet people with a similar mindset. In fact, beyond just the pure novelty factor, there are some very important reasons to connect with other like-minded people even if you are an independent thinker. Like-minded people are: Motivating! – Knowing that other like-minded people exist, even if you don’t know them personally, can be very motivating for the independent thinker. Let’s face it, it takes a lot of mental energy to maintain beliefs and interests that are outside the mainstream. For one thing, you don’t get to rely on the energy of the collective majority to sustain you. Also, you have to deal with the oppositional energy of those who will doubt, criticize, and ridicule your beliefs. Knowing that like-minded people are out there somewhere can be a source of energy and motivation to stay on the seeker’s path. Encouraging! – Meeting and getting to know like-minded people can be extremely encouraging for the independent thinker. While motivation is more like raw inspirational energy or fuel, encouragement is more personal and specific, as it comes directly from an individual who knows you and can give positive reinforcement to what you are doing or thinking. Validating! – Even the independent thinker can use a little validation from time to time. Even if they don’t technically need external validation, independent thinkers know how to use the validation when they do get it. They use it to refine and calibrate their intuition, which is what drives and guides their search for new ideas. Fun! – What could be more fun than hanging out with like-minded people and getting to share your ideas, beliefs, and aspirations in a friendly, nonjudgmental environment? Like-minded really means open-minded when it comes to Natural Awakenings readers. And in the end, there is nothing more beautiful than a genuinely open mind.

contact us Publisher Tom Maples Tom@Natvalley.com 404-395-9634 Co-Publisher, Advertising Sales Cindy Wilson Cindy@Natvalley.com 256-476-6537 Design and Production Melanie Rankin Natural Awakenings in the Tennessee Valley 14 Woodland Ave. Trinity, Alabama 35673 Office: 256-340-1122 Fax: 256-217-4274 Facebook.com/natvalley

© 2015 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $20 (for 12 issues) to the above address. Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

natural awakenings

February 2015

newsbriefs Magdala Ramirez, South American Medicine Woman

Yoga Center of Huntsville Adds New Classes

agdala Ramirez was born and lived among the pyramids in Mexico within the ancient wisdom of the Maya and Aztec people. She was trained in her work from an early age, spending many years studying and sharing information with the elders of knowledge. She has worked 35 years with Maya-Mexica tradition, sacred symbols and sacred dance. Magdala has traveled around the Continent speaking, creating ceremonies and seminars. Ramirez is the author of seven books. Magdala’s seminar for men and women, “The World of the Enchanted Flower: The Return of the Original Vibration through Maya-Mexica Knowledge,” is a journey of remembering the ancient ways of the human being, a world that has always been within ourselves, a world that is just the beginning of an incredible experience of being human. Through Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine, it is time to make the inside the same as the outside and the outside the same as the inside. This is a seminar of embracing who you truly are and the return of your original vibration. Maya-Mexica knowledge has been guarded for a long time. Now is the moment to bring it forth. Join us in the journey. Date: Sunday, February 15, 1-7pm. Location: Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville. Seminar Fee: $100. Private Healing Sessions with Magdala: $100. Register: Angela.Hart@AncientWisdomMedicine.com or call 256-533-6816. AncientWisdomMedicine.com. See ad, page 7.

The Paranormal Study Center Welcomes Gene Skaggs: ‘Using PSYCH-K for Self-Healing’

ene Skaggs has a private counseling practice, PSYCH-K facilitator, A Certified Quantum Touch facilitator, teaches A Course in Miracles, and has written four books on the Course. In 2006, Gene became interested in Psych-K, a technique that allows you to achieve self healing, forgiveness and clearing without having to delineate and analyze your issues. PSYCH-K stands for Psychological Kinesiology. The kinesiology part refers to the diagnosis system that determines the hidden problem, not the one on the surface. The psychological part is the undoing of the unwanted thoughts that produce undesirable results in our life. The process is accomplished by putting your hands and feet in proper alignment, along with certain questions asked by the facilitator so that your subconscious mind can have a picture to attach to your affirmation. This process connects your conscious mind and your subconscious mind to work in unison. PSYCH-K calls this connection whole brain. Through the use of a PSYCH-K process the negative thoughts attached to our affirmations are deleted and positive thoughts integrated. Come and listen to a unique presentation by Gene as he shares his knowledge and wisdom about PSYCH-K and how to use it for a healthier life. Location: The Hilton Garden Inn, 4801 Governors House Dr (next to Landry’s Seafood), Friday, February 27 at 6:30-9pm. Public admission at the door is $10. ParapsychologyStudyGroup.com. Meetup.com/Huntsville-Paranormal-Study-Center. 6

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inyasa yoga, also known as Flow Yoga, is a form of yoga that seeks to unify the mind and body as practitioners progress through a variety of yoga postures. During the practice, the transition from posture to posture is synchronized with breath to create a whole-body experience. Practices are designed to take yogis through the process of self-discovery as asana and breathwork takes them into the intimate connection of emotion, belief, and body. Through vinyasa yoga, yogis will find that they become attuned to their body and spirit. The Yoga of Center of Huntsville, based in Five Points, is pleased to announce that it is adding a vinyasa class to its 2015 schedule. This class is taught by Huntsville-based vinyasa teacher Alison Englestad. Alison is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance with a specialty in vinyasa. She brings her passion for yogic philosophy and mindfulness to all her classes. The 75-minute class includes an asana practice, breathwork, and meditation. All levels of practice are welcome and no pre-registration is required. Class begins at 6:30pm. For more information, visit YogaCenterOfHuntsville. com or Asaniyama.com.

Only do what your heart tells you. ~Princess Diana

Fitness Options at Madison Ballroom Dance Studio

Light

hat sounds fun to you, Ballroom Dancing, BodyFlow or Jazzercise? Come try them all at Madison Ballroom. Men and women of all ages and fitness levels are welcome. Pick the classes that fit your interest, schedule and budget. Visit MadisonBallroom.com for times and prices. Ballroom dancing tones muscles and burns calories, while building confidence, grace, poise and balance. Learning new patterns keeps the brain active. Concentrating on dancing clears the mind from the stress of daily life. The social interaction of ballroom dancing is one of its greatest benefits. Madison Ballroom offers weekly private lessons, group classes and Saturday practice parties. Independent instructors teach a variety of Ballroom dances (Waltz, Tango, Argentine Tango, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, Quickstep), and Latin dances (Cha Cha, Salsa, Rumba, Bolero, Samba) and Swing (West Coast Swing, East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop). BodyFlow is the Yoga/Pilates/Tai Chi-based exercise class that builds core strength, improves flexibility, and leaves you feeling centered and calm. Part of the Les Mills Fitness Program, BodyFlow combines modern music with a series of stretches, moves, and poses to create a full-body workout. Choreographed to today’s hottest music, Jazzercise is a fusion of jazz dance, aerobic exercise, resistance training, Pilates, Yoga, and kickboxing. Benefits of this total body workout include increased cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility, as well as an overall feel-good factor. Madison Ballroom is located at 9076 Madison Blvd, Suites C/D/E, Madison, AL (in the same shopping center as Old Time Pottery). For more information: 256-461-1900, Dance@MadisonBallroom.com. See ad, page 27.

of Christ Center Every Sunday: A Course In Miracles Study Group

9:15am Sundays

1-Hour Mystery School 11am Sundays

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

This Month: Building Fund Luncheon 12:30pm Sun, Feb 1, $6 Board Meeting 9:00am Sun, Feb 8 Lunch Served Book Club “Wealthy Spirit”

by Chellie Campbell

6:30pm Feb 9th

Open Clearance 7:00pm Feb 20th

Classes Offered at Decatur Healing Arts

ant to know about the healing power of essential oils? Now is your chance to learn more. Join us to learn what essential oils are and how you can incorporate them into your daily life. We are holding classes at Decatur Healing Arts, or you can book a class for you and your friends. We have a variety of classes, such as Introduction to Essential Oils, Healthy Home with Essential Oils, and Medicine Cabinet Makeover. If a girls’ night out is in the future, we also have Make and Take parties. We provide all the supplies and the participates can make their own products such as bath salts and creams to take home for the cost of supplies only. Introduction to Essential Oils will be on Thursday February 12 from 6-7pm. Healthy Home with Essential Oils will Saturday February 21 from 1-3pm. Introduction to Essential Oils Brown Bag Lunch will be on February 24 from 12-1pm. We offer the Compass Zyto Scan as well. The Scan measures 76 different biomarkers. It identifies how many bio-markers are out of balance and which essential oils can help you restore the body to its optimal balance. The scans do not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, but they are scientifically proven to determine the body’s deficiencies. Printouts of the results are provided with each scan. Classes will held at Decatur Healing Arts, located at 1900 Flint Rd SE, Decatur, 35601. For more information on classes, refer to the calendar of events or call Cindy at 256-476-6537. See ad, page 22.

Let the Magic Begin 4208 Holmes Ave. NW

Huntsville, Alabama

256-895-0255 www.lightofchristcenter.org

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February 2015

healthbriefs

Satisfaction with Friendship is Hard to Come By

study conducted by Edge Research and Sea Change Strategies found that less than a quarter of Americans are fully satisfied with their friendships, and almost two-thirds lack confidence in even their closest friends. Seniors (70 and over) and millennials/Gen Ys (16 to 34) are more likely to be extremely satisfied than Gen X-ers (35 to 49) or baby boomers (50 to 69), indicating the existence of a midlife friendship slump. The research was based on a self-reported survey of 1,016 Americans ages 16 and up. Across all demographics, people that report they have more close friends feel happier and are more fulfilled than those that say they have few or no friends. The majority also prefer deeper friendships with fewer friends over just having more friends. Qualities that most people look for in friends are loyalty, honesty, goodness and reliability in a crisis. Among the attributes considered least important are similar political or religious views and physical attractiveness, which ranked last. The use of social media appears unrelated to the number or quality of friendships or overall friendship satisfaction. People that attend religious services at least once a week are twice as likely to be completely satisfied with their friendships than those that rarely or never attend such services. The researchers concluded, “Those seeking more fulfillment from their friendships should invest disproportionate time and energy in the relationships they consider close.”

Marriage is Good for the Heart

esearch from the New York University School of Medicine found that married people have significantly less cardiovascular disease (CVD) than those that are divorced, widowed or otherwise single. The study used data on the rates of CVD from the health surveys of more than 3.5 million men and women collected at 20,000 U.S. medical centers. Married people under 50 had 12 percent lower incidence of heart disease than single people. Married couples between 51 and 60 years old had a 7 percent lower risk, while those over 60 had a 4 percent lower risk. The results were presented at the 2014 scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology. Researcher and cardiologist Jeffrey Berger recommends that doctors show increased diligence for single patients: “If one of my patients is recently widowed or divorced, I’m increasingly vigilant about examining them for signs of any type of cardiovascular disease and depression,” he says.

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LARGE STUDY EXPANDS VIEW OF SODIUM INTAKE

ietary Guidelines for Americans, published by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, recommends that people 50 years old and younger keep their sodium intake lower than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day, while those over 50 keep sodium ingestion below 1,500 mg. However, a large international study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine reveals a different story. Measuring levels of sodium and potassium excreted in the urine of 101,945 people between 35 and 70 years old from 17 low, middle and high-income countries, Canadian scientists found that consuming less than 3,000 mg of sodium per day was associated with a 77 percent increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Consuming between 3,000 and 6,000 mg of sodium daily was linked to lower risks of both cardiovascular disease and earlier mortality, while consuming more than 7,000 mg daily was associated with a 54 percent increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease. The researchers added that current guidelines for sodium consumption have been based upon shorter studies that showed only modest results. They also determined that daily consumption of 1,500-plus mg of potassium related to a significantly reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and earlier mortality. Consuming less than 1,500 mg was linked to increased risk.

Mind-Body Therapies Stimulate the Immune System

Inner Wellness Center for

large statistical analysis of multiple studies on body-mind therapies such as meditation, tai chi, qigong and yoga found that the practices effectively reduce inflammation and show promise in modulating the immune system. Scientists at the Tufts University School of Medicine analyzed the results of 34 controlled scientific studies that collectively assessed 2,219 people. Each study involved the use of at least one mind-body practice for between seven and 16 weeks and measured immune system health using multiple biological markers. Eighteen of the studies specifically examined inflammation factors, while seven evaluated antiviral-related immunity. Nine of the studies measured C-reactive protein (CRP) levels—an indicator of cardiovascular-related inflammation. The analysis revealed that mind-body therapies reduced CRP levels in subjects with high risk factors for cancer, diabetes, depression and cardiovascular disease. The scientists added that some of the research suggested that mind-body therapy may also increase immunity against viral infections.

Calcium and Vitamin D May Help Prevent Dental Decay

• Stress and Anxiety • Fears/Phobias • Release Negativity • Let Go of the Past • Pain Management • Weight Loss • Smoking Cessation

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

Breathe. Love. Live.

study from Argentina’s Buenos Aires University has linked dental caries to low levels of calcium and vitamin D. Dental status and caries risk were assessed by determining the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth, the amount of plaque and the sugar intake of 106 women of the average age of 24. Calcium levels were deficient among nearly 60 percent of the women, 70 percent had low blood levels of vitamin D, 72 percent consumed soft drinks daily and all of them presented gingivitis (gum disease). The third with the highest caries scores and decayed or missing teeth had significantly lower calcium intake and vitamin D levels and significantly higher intake of protein and soft drinks, plus significantly higher plaque and sugar intake compared with the rest of the women. The researchers concluded that low calcium intake is associated with a high risk of dental caries and a greater severity of oral disease. “Adequate nutritional status of calcium and vitamin D could be an additional factor that may help preserve good oral health,” they state.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month

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February 2015

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

Greenwashing Conundrum Biodegradable Plastic Bags Are a Hoax

In 2010, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed recommendations for environmental marketing claims. The agency has sent warning letters to 15 marketers informing them that their claims may be deceptive, and requested more scientific evidence that plastic bags labeled as biodegradable, or “oxodegradable”, implying the bag will break down in time when exposed to oxygen, were true to the claim. Because many bags are dumped in the low-oxygen environment of a landfill, the FTC considers those advertised benefits as dubious. Joseph Greene, a professor at California State University, Chico, points out that oxodegradable should be amended to “oxofragmentable” to be more accurate, because the plastics just break into smaller and smaller pieces. Chemically, they don’t break down into anything less hazardous. In fact, if these plastic bags disintegrate in the ocean, the fragments will be about the right size for sea creatures to mistake them for plankton. Source: Rabble.ca

Portable Feast

Guess Who’s Delivering Dinner A new service called Plated (Plated.com) is providing households the ability to prepare a fresh, homemade dinner without having to think about menu planning or grocery shopping. The ingredients arrive at the door in a biodegradable box, pre-portioned and ready to cook in 30 minutes. Customers browse a rotating menu of chef-designed recipes on the Plated website and select their favorites each week, add the number of plates to the shopping cart and set a delivery date. For the price of subscription to the service, they receive a box with perfectly portioned ingredients and detailed cooking instructions. Based in New York City, Plated delivers its subscription boxes to 47 states, with plans to further expand in the next year. Source: Treehugger.com

Forward Leap

Batteries that Last 1,000 Years A group of Swedish researchers has discovered an unconventional way to give new life to rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from iPhones to electric cars, using pine resin and alfalfa seeds. The researchers plan to take up to two years to improve the chemistry of the product, and claim that the recycled batteries could last up to 1,000 years, according to researcher David Brandell. It has been estimated that demand for the batteries from automobile manufacturers could explode up to 400 percent in the next six years. The researchers see the technology as a global antidote to current methods for recycling manufactured Li-ion batteries that are energy-intensive and require toxic materials to manufacture. Source: EnvironmentGuru.com 10

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GMO Pushback Hawaii Lobbies for Anti-GMO Laws

The Aloha State enjoys a year-round growing season, with multiple harvests annually. Last year, the Hawaiian island of Kauai passed genetically modified organism (GMO) farming restrictions, but they were overturned in court. Now, Maui County, which includes the Hawaiian islands of Maui, Lanai and Molokai, has approved a moratorium on the cultivation of genetically modified crops. The majority of Monsanto’s GMO corn seed sold to farmers in Argentina, Brazil and the U.S. comes from its Maui operation. If the law stands, Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences, another biotech firm with operations in Maui County, will need to seek alternatives. Lawsuits have already been filed by both opponents of the ban and proponents that want rigorous enforcement built in. Michael Lilly, former attorney general of Hawaii, expects the new law to be struck down like the previous Kauai attempt on grounds that state law supersedes it, although appeals in that case are underway. Meanwhile, an injunction has stalled the whole process. The message from anti-GMO forces is that although giant firms have deep pockets and many options, staunch determination to stem the tide of GMO crops worldwide may eventually bear the sweet fruit of victory. Source: Grist

therapyspotlight

s we age, a common complaint is foot pain and foot disorders. Painful feet can make the activities of daily living harder and may cause problems with balance, increasing chances of a fall. One of the main causes of foot problems is poor-fitting shoes. Three out of four people over the age of 65 wear shoes that are too small. Narrow or high heeled shoes, shoes with slippery soles, or ones that offer no protection or support can cause serious injury and pain and increase your chance of a fall. Some of the most common types of foot problems experienced by older adults are: • Bunions, which are a bony growth or misaligned bone at the base of the big toe or sometimes on the small toe. Eventually, the big toe may bend abnormally toward the small toes. • Calluses and corns, which are dead, yellowish, thickened skin on toes or soles of feet. • Hammertoes, which are toe joints that curl up or under, either rigidly or with some flexibility, often resulting in a permanently dislocated joint. • Toenail problems such as ingrown toenails that grow into the skin, thickened, or discolored toenails. • Foot problems related to diabetes, such as stubborn foot ulcers that are difficult to heal, loss of feeling or circulation problems. • Foot problems associated with deformities caused by arthritis or other issues. • Heel pain caused by heel spurs (bony outgrowth) or plantar fasciitis (an inflamed ligament along the bottom of the foot).

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February 2015

Happily Coupled Creating Loving Relationships that Thrive by Judith Fertig

“To be fully seen by somebody… and be loved anyhow— this is a human offering that can border on miraculous.” ~ Elizabeth Gilbert

t the conclusion of her bestselling memoir, Eat Pray Love, author Elizabeth Gilbert had fallen in love with Jose Nunes (called Felipe in the book), a Brazilian living in Indonesia. The divorced Gilbert, reluctant to have her heart broken again, had vowed never to remarry… yet ultimately changed her mind when U.S. immigration law presented her with multiple choices: marry so they could live together in this country, stay single and live as ex-pat partners or say goodbye to Nunes. Gilbert chose a marital partnership that suits the shared life they want: honest and, after years of travel, settled in one place. She says, “For the first time in my life, living in a small town with a lovely husband in an old house with

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a big garden and several pets, I feel absolutely rooted in a way I have never experienced before and never would have imagined even desiring. But it is what we want—at least for now—and we’re relishing that stability.” Gilbert records the process of going from two global wanderers falling in love to a married couple sharing domestic chores in her follow-up memoir, Committed: A Love Story.

Love Science

The spark that ignites such a partnership is love, which is “primarily about connection,” says Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D., a positivity expert and author of Love 2.0: How Our Supreme Emotion Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become. “It’s vital to our health

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and happiness, affecting our brains and bodies at the cellular level. “We were born to love,” emphasizes Fredrickson, who also serves as a psychology professor and director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “The evidence comes from research that shows how our brain and nervous system are designed to enhance our chances of experiencing it.” When we share positive emotions with another person, experience a synchrony between their biochemistry and behaviors and ours, plus exhibit mutual care, love can bloom, whether we stay happily single or decide to pursue a committed relationship. She calls this triple-action sequence “positivity resonance”. Love, she observes, is less a smooth, solid path than momentary experiences of connection.

Making Love Last

The more areas of connection we have with our partners, the more opportunities we have to positively resonate every day, adds Frederickson. Thomas G. Plante, Ph.D., a psychology professor at California’s Santa Clara University and adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine, agrees. “Long-term relationships, like marriages, are partnerships in living,” according to Plante. “The vast majority of the time couples are together they’re not having hot sex, but are sharing a practical day-to-day life together.” Shared activities aren’t always exciting or glamorous. Raising children, working, managing a home, cooking and cleaning, shopping, being with friends and family and the rest of regular daily living is where the rubber meets the road in relationship satisfaction, observes Plante. “If couples aren’t compatible in these areas, then the connection and attraction will inevitably atrophy, tensions emerge and too often, relationships fracture and fall apart.” Compatibility means different things to different people, and requirements can change as individuals in a romantic partnership change over time. Compatibility also means agreement

that the relationship is worth the effort to nurture and sustain it.

Partnering Life’s Dance

Five couples in different stages of loving partnerships share how they make their special relationships work. The key to them all is shared values. Doing everything together. For newlyweds Drs. Josh and Chelsea Axe, of Nashville, Tennessee, a mutual commitment to vigorous wellness and physical fitness keeps them together. Says Josh, “The healthy lifestyle I have chosen to live is so important that I need someone who is able to not just agree, but also partner with me.” Married in 2012, the two chiropractic physicians went on to co-found the BurstFIT interval training program and meld their professional, as well as personal, lives. Chelsea notes, “There is truth to the phrase, ‘Couples that sweat together, stay together.’ When working out together, you share a specific energy you create while pushing yourself to your mental and physical limits. You have your partner right there doing it alongside you, knowing they’re supporting you; so when you each break through a mental or physical barrier in your workout, you step over together into a strength and confidence that carries over into your marriage. Being a part of each other’s goals and the struggles to reach them unifies us.” Remarks Josh, “I feel like we can both be successful individually, but when we’re a team, the outcome is synergistic.” Chelsea adds, “It’s never a mindset of ‘me.’ It’s always ‘us.’” Balancing work and play. Barbara and Bob Unell, of Leawood, Kansas, dated as teenagers, went their separate ways in college and then found each other again in their early 20s. “We went on a blind date in 1968 and both belted out songs on the car radio,” recalls Barbara. “I thought he had a great sense of humor and was fun to be with. All these years later, it feels like we’re still dating. We’re crazy about each other.” Both Barbara and Bob describe themselves as enthusiastic, playful, entrepreneurial, altruistic and geared toward creative projects, whether un-

“Seventy-five to 80 percent of all chemistry evaporates within six to eight months unless the relationship is significantly undergirded by deeper and more durable compatibility.” ~Neil Warren Clarke dertaken together or separately. “We’re both, ‘Let’s try this,’ sort of people,” says Barbara with a laugh. When the Unells had twins, now grown, they realized there was no national publication addressing how to parent multiples, so they launched Twins magazine in 1984. Bob founded and managed an advertising agency while Barbara wrote bestselling parenting books, but the whole family traveled together on her speaking engagements. In response to becoming a breast cancer survivor, Barbara founded the nonprofit Back in the Swing in 2000 to support survivorship care at cancer centers. When they needed additional staff, Bob joined the team in 2009. One of the biggest things that Barbara has learned from Bob is, “You can make work fun.” “Although we come from different backgrounds, Bob and I know the power of mutual respect, trust and kindness,” reflects Barbara. “Part of our connection is that we have shared history and never take each other for granted.”

Making long-distance work. Lisa Ekus, who runs the full-service culinary talent agency The Lisa Ekus Group, in Hatfield, Massachusetts, had been married twice and already raised her two children when she met Atlanta Chef Virginia Willis. They got to know each other through culinary events and to their surprise, fell in love. Over the past six years they’ve evolved a relationship that works for them—keeping a deep personal connection, but maintaining separate residences. Cookbook author Willis gardens, develops recipes and writes for her Food Network blog, “Down Home Comfort,” at Ekus’ New England compound in the summers; Ekus travels to the South during cold months. They also meet up as often as they can at conferences, food and wine festivals and other events during the rest of the year. “We are both smart, professional women who love what we do, have strong ethics and a high level of self-expectation in how we work,” says Ekus. “We are also best friends and work together professionally. The respect we have for each other and our work is instrumental in our relationship.” “We often joke about the North/ South, fast/slow cultural difference,” Ekus notes. “I’m more spontaneous; Virginia is more thoughtful in her responses. I tend to move fast and focus on checking off items, while Virginia is more about the journey and being in the moment. It often makes us each take stock and consider what we’re doing and saying.” They make the geographic separation work despite its inherent longdistance complications via consistent communication, saying good morning and good night every day by phone and texting often. They hold regular agent/author meetings to make professional plans and personal calendar meetings at least weekly, recognizing and respecting what is important to each of them.

Bridging the age gap. Karen and Dick Eagle, from St. Louis, Missouri, are 16 years apart in age, but are close in the ways that count. Both are strongminded and still vie to get their own way even after 30 years of marriage. “We argue over the stupidest things, natural awakenings

February 2015

and then resolve our “Marriages based on back and easy to be with, I can relax,” says disagreements and a mutual desire to Susan. Michael, on realize how good we have it,” says Karen. serve and inspire grow the other hand, always seemed to fill a room. What first atcontinually in richness Jake helps Susan with tracted them to each other—and keeps and beauty, and are chores around the property and she is them together—is a a benediction to all always there cheering love of playful fun and good times with who know of them.” him on from the front row when he performs friends. Karen reat local venues. marks, “I knew Dick ~ Meher Baba was ‘the one’ when he jumped flat-footed over a wingback Cultivating Care chair at a friend’s house. That showed Working out as a couple, sharing a me that he was young at heart.” creative project or making a gour Making ends meet. Eleven years met meal together can do more than ago, when family therapist Susan Frankkeep partners feeling connected. lin lost her husband, Michael, a univerShared activities also keep the positive sity college professor, she felt bereft and experiences ongoing and resonating. overwhelmed. The pair had owned a “That special bond and the commitcountry property near Cleveland, Ohio, ments people often build around it where they boarded horses. Susan realare the products of love, the results of ized, “I couldn’t keep the many smaller moments in which up with everything on love infuses you,” mainmy own,” and Jake tains Fredrickson. Such Marshall, a musician moments not only friend of Michael’s, accumulate, but offered to help. Over can also be stored time, Susan and Jake in memory and became close, and banked to feed a they now live relationship during together. the tougher times. Although “Love is someJake is a great thing we should supporter in many re-cultivate every ways, he’s not in day,” she says. A a position to help loving partnership financially. Susan is always a work depends on her late in progress. husband’s insurance and pension benefits, which Judith Fertig is a freelance writer from she would lose if she Overland Park, KS. remarries. “Jake is so laid

Conscious Compatibility

eil Clark Warren, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and co-founder of the eHarmony relationship website, believes there are at least 29 personality dimensions—such as anger management skills, intelligence, feelings about children, energy and ambition—that comprise who we are and play a role in maintaining a relationship. Key personality dimensions include interests and activities, guiding principles and philosophies, expressions of emotional experience, tendencies toward togetherness and separateness, goals and familial and other relationships. Warren suggests categorizing desired qualities in a mate into three lists: non-negotiables, qualities that are top priority and deal breakers; semi-negotiables that are important, yet flexible secondary priorities; and negotiables that are subject to tradeoffs for more important qualities.

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BRINGING MORE THAN HOMEWORK HOME By Ryan Hogan

It’s that time of year when we’re sending our kids back to school. Unfortunately, while schools are good places to learn they are great places to catch a disease. In fact, children’s Upper respiratory illnesses (URI’s) cause more doctor visits and missed school days than any other illness in the US. Luckily, there are a few things you can do at home to help reduce the chances of your child getting sick at school this year.

sanitizer before eating snacks, lunch and after using a shared computer mouse, pencil sharpener, water fountain or other community objects. Now, most people know we need to wash our hands, but one thing most people don’t really relate their health to is nasal hygiene. Using a saline spray with xylitol, such as Xlear Nasal Spray, is safe for all ages. Research has shown this natural sweetener is useful in preventing bacterial otitis media (ear infections), among other upper respiratory problems that are most likely to occur in fall and winter months. Additional xylitol studies have also shown a significant reduction in asthma attacks when a xylitol nasal spray is used on a daily basis. Xylitol affects nose and throat bacteria in two ways:

HOW? Before we talk prevention, we need to know how infection spreads. Many childhood illnesses are caused by viruses and bacteria that are transferred from person to person. URI’s increase in fall and winter as we spend more time crowded indoors. All it takes is one sick child, going to school for the spread to begin. Small droplets from a child’s cough or sneeze travel through the air and land on surfaces like desks, doorknobs and people. These germs are easily spread when someone touches the contaminated object and then proceeds to touch their eyes, nose or mouth. Children’s immune systems are less mature than those of adults, so they’re more vulnerable to these germs. Washing your hands and your nasal passages and also keeping their hands away from their nose, eyes and mouth are the most preventative habits to form at a young age.

•

Decreases the adherence of harmful bacteria on their surface cells.

•

Stimulates the body’s own natural defense system

Since the average American child has six to ten colds a year, using a xylitol nasal spray is a safe and effective way to promote better upper respiratory health, year round. FINAL HEALTHY TIPS In addition to frequent hand-washing, teach your child some other school health basics: •

Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.

•

Give your child a package of tissues to keep in his or her desk.

•

Encourage your child not to share water bottles, food or other personal items.

•

Ask your child’s teacher to include hand-washing time before lunch or snacks.

•

Have your whole family practice nasal hygiene and the use of xylitol saline spray like Xlear.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Our best defense is to stop cold germs where they breed. Good hand-washing is the most effective way to prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading. Wash your hands after using the bathroom, blowing your nose, handling trash and prior to touching food to help eliminate germs. Soap and water should be used for 20 seconds (about as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice). Using alcohol-based hand cleaners is also effective. Remind your child to use the

Even with all of these tips, your kids are bound to come down with something over the course of the school year. We all get sick at some point or another, forming healthier habits and maintaining a positive attitude is all we can do as parents. For more information, please visit www.xlear.com. natural awakenings February 2015

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by S. Alison Chabonais

ill Crosby, owner and founder of the Conscious Dating Network, has focused on spiritual development and meditation for more than 30 years. Working as a director for the granddaddy of the original onsite photo/ video dating companies, which included interviewing 6,000-plus singles, sparked a desire to create a venue for spiritually conscious singles to meet. So, 15 years ago, she created her flagship online dating site, SpiritualSingles.com. NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com, launched two years ago as part of the network, shares the same database of members as SpiritualSingles.com and many affiliated conscious dating sites in the network. Today, the Conscious Dating Network is the largest of its kind. From Mount Shasta, California, Crosby leads a team of specialists that care for members’ needs and provide a loving, inspiring site for singles to meet their beloveds.

How has online dating continued to evolve and what trends do you see now? The stigma about meeting someone online has completely dissolved as success stories have become so common. It’s like shopping online—you can look at many different varieties and styles to find exactly what you are looking for, rather than physically searching store after store hoping to find something you like. Technology has made a tremendous difference in price, accessibility and reach. Today, members post selfies as headshots, shoot their own videos and can access potential matches anywhere in the world. I used to think long-distance relationships didn’t stand a chance. However, with Skype and a willingness to relocate, many of our success stories start as long-distance connections. Video chatting is a great way to assess common values and get to know someone on a deep level before traveling to meet in person.

What distinguishes conscious dating sites like Natural AwakeningsSingles.com from mainstream sites? Natural Awakenings Singles is a niche dating site for those

that are conscious, spiritual and green. Singles with specific interests, passions and lifestyles usually prefer niche dating sites because they allow for more targeted search results, provided that the member database is large enough. Our database of more than 90,000 members globally is considered large for a niche. Mainstream sites may have more members; however, they require far more time and effort in sorting through profiles to find those with whom we might have something in common. Natural Awakenings Singles is also much more generous than conventional pay models, in that free members can read and reply to personal messages and live instant messages sent from subscribing members. Most mainstream sites make members pay to read and reply to messages. Our primary goal is for our singles to become couples—to facilitate the tremendous amount of success our members experience, we do many things differently.

Have you seen any overall differences in the success stories the Conscious Dating Network facilitates? Yes, our members usually connect on a deeper, “soul-tosoul” level and tend to understand that chemistry comes in all shapes and sizes. Our success story couples oftentimes have the feeling that they are destined to be together. We encourage members to listen to their inner guidance in regard to whom to contact, be grateful in advance and stay in their divine flow. When members tune in and act from this space, miracles happen. Many of our “destined” couples go on to do amazing

projects together, like opening retreat centers, writing books, facilitating workshops, starting intentional communities, creating nonprofit organizations and other beautiful ventures that neither of them would have necessarily done alone. The power of two seems to be exponentially greater.

What have proved to be your all-time favorite tips for online dating success? By healing past traumas, loving and forgiving ourselves, and embodying our divine presence as much as possible, deepseated feelings of unworthiness fall away and we emanate our true radiance, thus magnetizing a partner equally empowered and awake. When we are in a place of personal power, there is no being shy or procrastinating. Imagine how it would be once you have met the love of your life, and focus on those feelings while browsing and reading profiles. When you notice a strong inner nudge to contact someone, do it. If it’s not mutual, that’s OK; don’t take it personally. That’s part of the beauty of online dating; the pool is large, and when the feeling and knowingness is mutual, you might just be starting a life together. “In-joy” the process, be positive and choose to make it a fun adventure! Joining NaturalAwakeningSingles.com includes access to all members of all the Conscious Dating Network sites. S. Alison Chabonais is the national content editor for Natural Awakenings magazines.

natural awakenings

February 2015

naturalpet

When Your Pet Passes A Guide to Mourning, Remembering and Healing

by Julianne Hale

pet’s love is extraordinary because it is unconditional. It doesn’t have expectations, pass judgment or try to leverage guilt. It is rich in loyalty, trust and adoration. Domestic pets provide warmth, companionship and love, as well as purpose, fun and conversational gambits for family members. For lonely hearts, they are a lifeline, providing a physical, emotional and spiritual connection to life that may prove critical to survival and happiness. Loving pets seem like an endless source of happiness while with us, but few outlive their owners. Loss is as much a part of having a pet as potty training. For some, the loss of a dog or cat is debilitating and the grieving process can take months. Rev. Gary Kowalski, author of Goodbye, Friend and a Unitarian Universalist minister in Santa Fe, New Mexico, contends that the depth of the relationship that we develop with pets emerges from the time we spend with

them every day—exercising, feeding, grooming and even sleeping with them. The relationship is pure and uncomplicated, and the pain of separation can be especially intense and profound. The challenge of pet loss is often complicated by the difficult decision to euthanize an aged or suffering animal. “One of the hardest things about having a dog is that sometimes you have to decide to end its life,” says Jon Katz, of upstate New York, a New York Times bestselling author of many books about dogs, including Going Home: Finding Peace When Pets Die. “Our job as pet owners is to be an advocate for our pets, making sure they do not suffer. Don’t poison the joy that you shared with your pet with guilt over your decisions,” he says. Katz recommends taking photos of pets and making intentional memories in the time leading up to parting to encourage closure. The same kind of rituals we use to honor and say goodbye to other family

The same kind of rituals we use to honor and say goodbye to other family members can likewise help ease the pain of a pet’s passing. 18

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members can likewise help ease the pain of a pet’s passing. Owners can gather with loved ones and friends to celebrate the life of their pet with a burial ceremony or memorial. Kowalski likes adding meaningful words. His book includes a variety of readings that pet owners can use in their rituals taken from poems, literature, the Bible and other sacred texts. When a human friend or family member dies, compassion and empathy flows from everyone we meet, but many may not be aware of, or understand, the depth of grief associated with a pet’s death. “Some people feel embarrassed or don’t understand that mourning a deceased pet is a normal process,” explains Julia Harris, a pet bereavement counselor from Ellijay, Georgia, and author of Pet Loss: A Spiritual Guide. Support is essential during times of grief, and it can be difficult to find an understanding friend to discuss it with. Several online communities are devoted to providing support. An Internet search of “pet loss support” yields a wealth of online resources. In the same way that the belief in an afterlife comforts people of many faith traditions when a person passes, the possibility of the same destiny for pets can offer comfort. “Perhaps one of the most common questions I am asked is whether or not animals have a soul,” explains Harris. “I encourage people to know that the soul, like love, is eternal. It leaves the physical body, but the loving relationship continues.” While there’s no standard timeline for the grieving process, it’s important to keep perspective. Excessive grief can lead to depression. “If the grief is interfering with life and your work, then you may need to seek professional help,” advises Katz. Not even a parent is capable of providing the purely unconditional love we receive from pets. Kowalski views it as a sacred connection, observing that through the unconditional love and acceptance that we receive from our pets, we get a little glimpse of what God’s love must look like. Julianne Hale is a writer and editor for Natural Awakenings and blogs about family life at AnotherGrayHair. WordPress.com.

natural awakenings

February 2015

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HAPPY MEALS Eating Healthy Foods Fights Off Depression by Lane Vail

dvertisements for antidepressants abound, yet a recent analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the benefits of treating mildly or moderately depressed individuals with these drugs “may be minimal or nonexistent” compared with a placebo. Most physicians agree that at least part of the prevention of and recovery from depression can be addressed through diet. “Every molecule in the brain begins as food,” says Dr. Drew Ramsey, author of The Happiness Diet and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. “Food choice is the biggest puzzle piece patients have under their control.” Ramsey describes the modern American diet as being overwhelmed with highly processed foods, refined carbohydrates, omega-6 fats and sugar. His food philosophy serves as an overall prescription for mental health: “Eat food

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that comes from farms and not factories; simple, recognizable human food.” Registered Dietitian Kathie Swift, an integrative clinical nutritionist in Lennox, Massachusetts, and author of The Swift Diet, agrees that food is powerful medicine. She recommends a balanced, flexitarian diet founded on plants, but including high-quality, animal-sourced foods. Just shifting our processed-foods to whole-foods ratio yields an improved mood, Swift says, which continues to motivate dietary change.

Prebiotic/Probiotic Potential

Recent science suggests a deeper meaning to the “gut feeling” adage. Bacteria in the gut and neurochemicals in the brain communicate intimately and bidirectionally via the vagus nerve, explains Swift. Altering the gut’s microbial population, whether from chronic stress, antibiotic overuse or nutritional deficiencies, can change brain chemistry

and thereby influence mood, mental clarity and sleep, she says. In 2013, Canadian researchers altered both the neurochemicals and behavior in mice by switching their intestinal microbiota; anxious mice given the microbes of intrepid mice became braver, and vice versa. Another small study in the British Journal of Nutrition showed a decrease in depression and anxiety symptoms in volunteers taking probiotics for a month. Essentially, says Swift, “We have a brain in the belly,” which must be nourished by both prebiotics (soluble fiber) and probiotics (fermented food). “Fiber is the quintessential substance to feed the lovely community of bugs in the gut,” says Swift, “while fermented foods interact with resident bacteria and give them a boost.” She recommends a variety of vegetables as a primary source of fiber, especially legumes, along with fruits, nuts, cheese and the occasional gluten-free whole grain. Probiotic foods include fermented vegetables, kefir, yogurt with live active cultures and apple cider vinegar.

B Happy

Most psychiatric medications target feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, says Ramsey, but the body also manufactures these chemicals naturally during the methylation cycle, a B-vitamin-dependent neurological process. “B vitamins are superstars of the brain,” Ramsey says. “Think of them as lubrication for the brain’s gears.” Folate, or vitamin B9 is particularly important to healthy nervous system functioning. A meta-analysis of 15,000 people reported in the Journal of Epidemiology associated low folate with a higher risk of depression. Dark leafy greens like kale, spinach and Swiss chard are high in B vitamins, as are beets, eggs, lentils, beans and whole grains; helpful fruits include papaya, avocado and berries.

Omega-3s Please

“It’s a horrible notion that fat is bad,” says Ramsey. Swift agrees, noting, “We need a major renovation and reeducation of this important neuro-nutrient.” The

integrity of a neuron cell membrane, which Swift describes as “a beautiful and fluid layer of lipids,” is crucial for brain health because it dictates communication among neurotransmitters. “The fat we eat becomes the fat of our cell membranes,” she says. “So nourish your membranes with adequate amounts of the right types of fat.” Long-chain omega-3s (DHA) docosahexaenoic acid and (EPA) eicosapentaenoic acid build and protect neurons, help prevent cognitive decline with age and can boost overall mood and mental performance, says Ramsey. A study in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry found that treating depressed patients with omega-3 EPA was as equally effective as Prozac. “DHA

and EPA are the two most important fats for brain health on the planet, period,” states Ramsey. Foods rich in omega-3s include fatty seafood like salmon, mussels and oysters, plus sea vegetables, walnuts, flaxseed and grass-fed beef. For vegetarians and vegans, Ramsey recommends an algal DHA supplement. Focusing on feeding the brain doesn’t preclude staving off heart disease, obesity or diabetes. “Follow the rules of eating for brain health,” Ramsey says, “and you’ll also be slim, energized, focused and resilient.” It’s all a recipe for happiness. Lane Vail is a freelance writer and blogger at DiscoveringHomemaking.com.

Good-Mood Meal Plans Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon with Sautéed Swiss Chard, Pickled Beets and Banana-Avocado Pudding Salmon is an excellent source of omega3s, and Swiss chard offers fiber and folate. Beets are high in folate, as well as nitrites, which improve circulation throughout the body and the brain, says Nutritionist Kathie Swift. Double-down on beets’ power by eating them pickled in apple cider vinegar, promoting healthy gut flora. Bananas contain tryptophan, an amino acid involved in serotonin production, and avocados are high in folate and oleic acid, a model unsaturated omega-9 fat needed for healthy brains, advises Dr. Drew Ramsey. Lentil Salad with Hummus, Grilled Asparagus, Broccoli, Red Onion and Grilled Watermelon Lentils, chickpeas and asparagus are high in fiber and B vitamins, while walnuts add omega-3s. Broccoli is an excellent source of chromium, a mineral found to lower blood sugar and reduce symptoms of depression in some people, according to a Cornell University study. Grilled onions (along with garlic, which can be blended into hummus) belong to a food family called alliums that promote healthy vascular function and blood flow to the brain and also contain a high concentration of chromium, says Ramsey.

Watermelon’s red color is due to its high concentration of the antioxidant lycopene, which helps resolve free radical damage, inflammation and hormone imbalances associated with depression, notes Swift. Grass-Fed Beef with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Kale and Greek Yogurt Swirled with Raspberries A British Journal of Nutrition study showed that beef raised on chlorophyllrich grass provides more omega-3s than grain-fed beef. Like other animal proteins, beef is a significant source of tryptophan. Kale and sweet potatoes contribute fiber, folate and vitamin A, which promotes the enzymes that create the pleasure neurotransmitter, dopamine. Yogurt is also high in tryptophan, and raspberries provide folate and antioxidants. Free-Range Egg Omelet with Spinach, Tomatoes, Cheese and Fresh Papaya Eggs are a power-packed food full of B vitamins, tyrosine and tryptophan amino acids, plus selenium, zinc and iodide, micronutrients vital for proper functioning of the energy- and metabolism-regulating thyroid, says Ramsey. Tomatoes and natural cheese are high in lycopene and tryptophan, respectively, and spinach and papaya are packed with folate and fiber.

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February 2015

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rief can arrive suddenly with the death of a loved one, serious illness, loss of a job, parental dementia or decaying relationship. In any case, it takes a toll. “Grief encompasses all of our thoughts and feelings. Mourning is when we put them into action by talking, crying, perhaps doing rituals,” explains Tracy Riley, a licensed clinical social worker and grief counselor in Jacksonville, Florida. “Grief isn’t something that’s over when you wake up one day,” Riley counsels. “It’s ridiculous when an employer gives you three days off and then expects everything to be fine.” She notes that time helps heal all wounds, but even a decade after losing a loved one, the pain can remain and life is never the same, although most of us learn to live with loss and move forward. “Some things can’t be fixed,” concludes Megan Devine, a psychotherapist in Portland, Oregon, and author of the audio book, When Everything is Not Okay, who blogs at RefugeInGrief. com. After witnessing the drowning death of her fiancé, she says, “I didn’t need to hear platitudes that everything would be OK. I needed something solid to hold onto when my whole world exploded.”

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Physical Aids

An unexpected death and any emotional shock is an extreme stressor that causes the adrenal glands to release a flood of adrenaline. Tina Erwin, La Mesa, California author of The Lightworker’s Guide to Healing Grief, explains, “If you get a shock when someone close to you dies, your adrenal glands are blown out almost instantly and you are overwhelmed with adrenaline, much like we often see in people with post-traumatic stress disorder. You need to rebalance your body chemistry.” Intense grief can sometimes show up as chest pain, a classic sign of heart attack, due to a temporary disruption of the heart’s normal pumping action from a surge in stress hormones, according to the National Institutes of Health. Yet Imperial College London scientists now have found that a recognizable “broken heart syndrome” may temporarily protect the heart from being overwhelmed with adrenaline. “Healing the physical side of grief ultimately helps healing on an emotional level, too,” says Erwin. To assist herself following the death of her 6-year-old niece from a sudden infection, she uses several Bach flower remedies for trauma—Rescue Remedy,

to rebalance the flood of adrenaline; Star of Bethlehem, for shock and loss; and Mimulus, for fear and anxiety. “Combining a few drops of each of these in a water bottle or tea several times a day helps you regain a feeling of balance,” Erwin says. She also likes drinking bloodcleansing noni juice to help wash adrenaline out of the body, and taking salt baths enhanced with lavender essential oil to literally “wash away the darkness.”

numerous related books, including Understanding Your Grief: Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart. Society expects bereaved people to “carry on, keep their chins up, be glad they had him/her as long as they did or else be grateful that our loved one’s pain is over”—all platitudes that are more hurtful than helpful, says Wolfelt. Mourning takes time, but it also requires a social context, he ex-

plains. “It’s the shared response to loss. If you isolate yourself, you are grieving, not mourning. You can’t do this on your own. It’s bigger than you.” For those that feel stuck or unable to move forward, experienced grief counselors may be able to help. Kathleen Barnes is the author of numerous health books, including Ten Best Ways to Manage Stress. Connect at KathleenBarnes.com.

Emotional Aids

Riley views art and music therapy, plus journaling (a “personal roadmap” that helps chart her progress), as powerful healing tools. She’s also seen firsthand how animals can play a key role through the mourning process. Her miniature schnauzer intuitively approaches her clients that are anxious and grieving and gives them permission to pet him. “It puts people at ease,” she says. “Then they can talk more freely about their pain.” Numerous studies, starting in the 1980s, show that stroking a furry pet lowers blood pressure.

Charting a Personal Course For the bereaved (literally defined as “torn apart”), the symptoms of grief are meant to slow us down, advises Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D., director of the Center for Loss and Life Transition, in Fort Collins, Colorado, and author of

Helping a Mourning Friend H ere’s comforting advice from grief advocate Megan Devine for friends yearning to soothe a bereaved friend.

Don’t try to fix it: Don’t say anything that tries to fix the unfixable, and you’ll do fine. It’s an unfathomable relief to have a friend that doesn’t try to take the pain away. Grief belongs to the griever: You have a supporting role, not the central role, in a friend’s grief, which is an entirely personal experience. Anticipate, don’t ask: Don’t say,

“Call me if you need anything,” because your friend won’t call; not because they don’t need support, but because identifying a need, figuring out who might fill it, and then reaching out to ask is beyond their energy level, capacity or interest. Instead, make concrete offers of practical assistance in doing normal tasks or chores for the friend and deliver on them. Be willing to witness searing pain: Simply be quietly present. Acknowledge their state and stick with simple truths: “This hurts. I love you. I’m here.”

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

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Eco Feng Shui Tips to Bring More Positive Energy into Your Home by Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist

Wellness Weekends with Dr. Natalie Lenoir-Blackman February 20-21, 2015 Call 205-907-9442 to schedule appointment Dr. Natalie Lenoir-Blackman is a local veterinarian whose passion is to bring about healing and wholeness in our animal friends using a combination of conventional and alternative modalities of medicine. Hosted by:

905 Merdian St N Huntsville, AL 256-429-9112 24

Tennessee Valley

hen we’re hungry for change, we may feel the impulse to spruce up our living spaces. Rooms that feel cluttered, drab and unappealing drag on our energy. Applying the basic inspired tenets of the ancient Chinese art and science of feng shui can transform and re-energize any space, improving the way we feel. Translated as “wind and water,” feng shui—which has been creating healthy and harmonious environments since its origins 3,000 years ago—can activate our rethinking the arrangement, uses and tone of each room while bringing beneficial green changes home.

Feng Shui Basics When considering how to apply feng shui principles, it helps to have a trained practitioner make a map, or bagua, analyzing how energy, or chi, moves through a building. They will determine ways to help chi flow and settle in appropriate places to support all aspects of life. Recommended alterations typically start with furniture placement, color choices and key accessorizing.

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Sample bagua maps are available online for referencing. While a complete feng shui treatment may require major revamping, we can also take some low-cost steps to immediately create more harmony while eliminating toxins that are unhealthy and disrupt the energy flow.

Bring in Green “Bringing natural elements into a space will aid the circulation of chi, help achieve a balance and yield an indoor environment of peace and calm,” says feng shui practitioner Maureen Calamia, owner of Luminous Spaces, in St. James, New York. Feng shui categorizes the natural elements as water, metal, fire, earth and wood, reflected in items like stones, plants and water features, as well as art and wall decorations and paint colors. Filling a home with living plants is favored by many feng shui experts. “Surround yourself with green plants, including cuttings from the yard,” advises Debra Duneier, a feng shui master practitioner, certified eco-designer and author of EcoChi: Designing the

Human Experience, in New Flooring. Many toxins “Feng shui York City. “They bring enlurk in conventional carergy and life force into your is the original peting and adhesives used home, while also filtering eco-science.” to lay wood or tile floors. the air you breathe.” If Look for natural wool ~ Will LeStrange rugs, reclaimed wood and adding plants isn’t feasible, she recommends picking zero-VOC floor adhesives. up some fresh flowers each week. Preserve resources and alter the energy Remember to change the water every in a space by repurposing reclaimed day and dispose of the flowers at the materials for rehab projects. For good first sign of wilting (dying flowers bring feng shui, smudging with dried sage negative energy). cleanses any negative energy leftover from previous owners. Furnishings and fabrics. MainBanish Toxic Materials stream furniture is typically treated “Healthy indoor air quality is an essential with toxic flame retardant, so always aspect of good feng shui,” attests Alisa ask how furniture has been treated Rose Seidlitz, an eco feng shui consulbefore purchasing. Seek out nontoxic tant/designer, certified green building and natural materials like natural and interiors professional and owner of rubber mattresses and hemp or Ambiance Eco, in Berkeley, California. organic cotton shower curtains and “Materials used inside our homes, such window coverings. as cleaning products and furnishings, can either contribute significantly to poor air Follow Your Joy quality or support positive feng shui.” Indoor air quality is significantly Feng shui is multifaceted, but at its impacted by furnishings and décor. center is a search for balance and When seeking out the cleanest, greenharmony. When making changes est options, pay special attention to: at home, it’s good to know we can Cleaning products. Safely discard follow our instincts and add things toxic cleaning chemicals by taking that bring us joy. Feng shui experts them to hazardous waste pickup sites. provide guidance in choosing colors Many household jobs can be done with and elements, but each of us is ultivinegar and baking soda. mately the best judge of what feels Paint. Revisions in wall, trim and best for our own space. furniture colors quickly freshen a room “I often ask my clients: What kind and bring new energy, especially when of message are you sending yourself?” they align with Earth’s natural elesays Duneier. “You can use your space ments. Avoid conventional paint, which to send yourself a message of a beauticontains dangerous volatile organic ful, abundant and healthy life.” compounds (VOC) that off-gas into the air. Look for widely available zero-VOC Sarah Tarver-Wahlquist, a writer from brands. Other options include displayTucson, Arizona, also freelances for ing art or colorful wall hangings. GreenAmerica.org.

Color Me Feng Shui

ere’s a quick primer on the colors associated with each of the five natural elements and ways to bring them into a home. Seek a balance of all five in each room, appropriate to its use.

Wood Water Earth Metal Fire

green, brown blue, black earth tones, soft yellows/oranges white, gray red, purple, bright yellows/oranges

living plants, wood, flowers water features, running fountains, glass brick, tile, ceramics rocks, stones sunlight

A Spiritual Community supporting the practice of knowing God in the heart of every person. ONGOING SERVICES AND CLASSES! New Thought Classes

Tuesdays, 6:30-9:00pm Wednesdays, 10:00am-12:00pm

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Tuesdays & Wednesdays 6:00pm

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Wednesdays 6:30pm

Rev. David Leonard Transforming Lives and Making the World a Better Place

www.cslhuntsville.org

308 Lily Flagg Rd.

883-8596

natural awakenings

February 2015

healthykids

Calendar A wonderful resource for filling your workshops, seminars and other events.

EASE ADHD NATURALLY

Nine Ways to Help Restore Calm and Focus by Jenna Blumenfeld

Two styles available: Calendar of Dated Events: Designed for events on a specific date of the month. 50 words. n

Calendar of Ongoing Events: Designed for recurring events that fall on the same day each week. 50 words. n

256-340-1122

Editor@Natvalley.com 26

Tennessee Valley

lthough experts aren’t certain why it occurs, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects 3 to 5 percent of school-age children, causing symptoms such as inattentiveness, frenetic activity, anxiety and forgetfulness. Kids with ADHD typically respond to drug prescriptions designed to provide calm and focus, but some carry unpleasant side effects like appetite changes and muscle spasms. Experts suggest considering these natural options to complement an afflicted child’s integrative treatment plan. Nutritionist Sara Vance, owner, Rebalance Life, San Diego, California. Up omega-3s. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that recent studies show kids with behavior problems have low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient vital for brain

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health. Children’s daily diets should contain omega-3-rich foods, such as chia, hemp, nuts and fatty fish. For children 12 and older, supplement with fish oil containing 1,200 milligrams (mg) of (DHA) docosahexaenoic acid and (EPA) eicosapentaenoic acid combined. Try magnesium. Low levels of magnesium, also known as the calming mineral, are associated with restless legs, anxiety and irritability—all of which can exacerbate ADHD. For kids ages 4 to 8, start with 130 mg of magnesium in the morning. If the child has trouble sleeping, another dose before bed may help. Reduce the dose if loose stools occur. Boost B vitamins. Vitamins B6 and B12 are important building blocks for brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. Deficiency can impair nerve cell communication, hindering memory, focus and attention. Encourage a child

to eat B-packed organic foods like eggs, poultry, bell peppers, yams and spinach, and sprinkle B-vitamin-rich nutritional yeast on dishes like noodles and soup. Naturopathic Doctor Laurie Brodsky, e-consultant, DrLaurieND.com, New York City. Give up gluten. Gluten is a complex, gooey conglomeration of many proteins that sticks to the digestive tract, often stimulating behavioral issues. When gluten inflames a child’s digestive system, brain inflammation likely occurs, as well. Look for gluten-free pasta, bread, crackers and cookies made from rice, quinoa, flaxseed and non-GMO (genetically modified) corn. Pair fats with food. Healthy brain function requires a proper ratio of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats to the more common inflammatory omega-6 fats (found in canola, soybean and corn oils). Encourage balance by eating omega-3 foods at mealtime, when the gallbladder releases bile into the digestive system, allowing better omega-3 absorption. Avoid processed foods. High-fructose corn syrup and artificial colors such as Yellow 5, Blue 1 and Red 40 are linked to increased hyperactivity in children. Choose whole, real foods like whole grains and organic meats, vegetables and fruits. Use maple syrup rather than white sugar to sweeten foods— it’s full-flavored, so a little goes a long way. Behavior Specialist Margit Crane, educator, GiftedWithADD.com, Seattle, Washington. Lead by example. Parents have more power to handle their child’s ADHD than they think. Model the desired behaviors— if children are not allowed to eat in the living room, the rule should apply to the whole family. Maintaining consistent rules is vital. Set boundaries. Many parents and teachers believe that boundaries for ADHD-laden kids, that are often sensitive by nature, may be harsh or limiting. But these children actually thrive with boundaries. Rather than offer kids unlimited choices, give them two or three options. This helps a child feel safe. Regard a troubled child as scared, rather than angry—this will enable parents and caregivers to speak to them with compassion. Work with teachers. Some children with ADHD may have trouble fitting into traditional schools. When speaking with teachers, use collaborative words such as “partnership” to obtain healthy cooperation. Teachers have an entire class to attend to, not just this child; address them with respect and understanding, and everyone will ultimately benefit.

Jin Shin Jyutsu® of Huntsville Sandra Cope

Certified Jin Shin Jyutsu® Practitioner

Assists healing through relaxation and restoring body harmony. Animal companion sessions are available. Office: (256) 534-1794 Cell: (256) 509-3540

1108 McClung Avenue SE Huntsville, Alabama 35801

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Jenna Blumenfeld is the senior food editor at New Hope Natural Media, in Boulder, Colorado. Copyrighted 2014. Penton Media. 114554:1214BN.

natural awakenings

February 2015

calendarofevents Email Editor@Natvalley.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1 Meet the Author: Hester Bass – 2-4pm. Awardwinning children’s author Hester Bass returns to Huntsville to talk about her new book Seeds of Freedom: The Peaceful Integration of Huntsville, Alabama. Books will be available for sale and signing. Free. Huntsville Main Library, 915 Monroe St. 256-532-2362.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22 Harvey Cotten: Getting Ready for Fall in the Garden –2-4pm. New and exciting plants in the garden centers. Soil amending, tilling, pre-emergents, lawns, vegetable gardens and lots of time for Q&A. Free. Huntsville Main Library, 915 Monroe St. 256-532-2362.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7 Book Swap – 10am-2pm. For every two books you bring you get to pick out and take one new book home. There will be books are for all ages. Free. EarlyWorks Children’s Museum, 404 Madison St, Huntsville. EarlyWorks.com/Monthly-Book-Swap. Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Free Family Concert – 11am-12pm. A wonderful way to introduce young people to the instruments and music of a symphony. Free. Von Braun Center Concert Hall, 700 Monroe St. 256-533-1953.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 Mosaic of Love – 7-9pm. Join the Huntsville Master Chorale for a perfect Valentine’s Day celebration featuring jazz favorites accompanied by delectable desserts and coffee. $20. Cooper House, 405 Randolph St, Huntsville. HsvMasterChorale.org.

Retro Winter Games – 1-4pm. Join us for a free afternoon of retro games like Dodge Ball, Capture the Flag, Four Square and others. Open to everyone age 15 and up. Big Spring Park, Huntsville.

HYO Valentine’s Day Ball – 7-10pm. This annual event will feature live Big Band music, dancing and a silent auction. Heavy hors d’oeurvres with wine and punch bar will be available. Black Tie optional. Proceeds will benefit the Huntsville Youth Orchestra. Admission charged. EarlyWorks Children’s Museum, 404 Madison St, Huntsville.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15

Introduction to Essential Oils – 6-7pm. Learn about essential oils and how to incorporate them into your daily life. Experience a life of wellness, purpose, and abundance. Free. Decatur Healing Arts, 1900 Flint Rd SE, Decatur, 35601. Register: Cindy@ AlabamaAwakenings.com or 256-476-6537.

Magdala Ramirez, Medicine Woman – 5:309:30pm. This workshop for men and women will explore “The Return of the Original Vibration through Maya-Mexica Knowledge.” Together we will be led in spirit-guided journeys of remembering the ancient ways of being human. $100. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville. Register: Angela.Hart@AncientWisdomMedicine. com, 256-533-6816.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13 True Wisdom: The Master’s Love – 7:30-8pm on WOW Cable Channel 11 (Huntsville-Madison). Inspiring stories and insights from Harold Klemp, spiritual leader and acclaimed author of more than sixty books on Eckankar. Learn how to experience the highest form of communication between God and Soul. Free. 256-534-1751. Eck-Alabama.org.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14 Southeastern Outings Dayhike, Sipsey Wilderness, Bankhead National Forest – Moderately strenuous 4-mile hike in a highly scenic location, Upper Quillan Creek Forest Area. Most of the hike is off trail, there are lots of ups and downs, and several rock-hopping creek crossings are required. Reservations Required: Dan Frederick, seoutings@ bellsouth.net, or 205-631-4680. SciQuest’s Have a Heart Day – 10am-4pm. Celebrate Valentine’s Day the geeky way by learning about the heart. Learn about its cultural history, make a heart necklace, and see real dissected sheep and cow hearts. Learn about heart healthy exercises and food. Admission charged. Sci-Quest Science Center, 1435 Paramount Dr, Huntsville. Mardi Gras Huntsville Parade – 3:30-5:30pm. Parades! Costumes! Floats! Masks! Jazz! These are just a few of the reasons why celebrating Mardi Gras is so fun. We are kicking off Mardi Gras Huntsville with a parade through downtown. Free.

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Healthy Home with Essential Oils –1-3pm. Learn how to replace your chemical household cleaners with essential oils. We will be making the products during the class and participates can take home samples of the products to try for themselves. $10. Decatur Healing Arts, 1900 Flint Rd SE, Decatur, 35601. Register: Cindy@AlabamaAwakenings.com or call 256-476-6537.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 Hike Hays – 10am. Join us for a one-hour guided hike over easy terrain in various areas of the Preserve. Meet in the parking lot near the picnic area at 10am. Hays Nature Preserve, 7161 U.S. Hwy 431 South, Owens Cross Roads, AL.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20 Singing on the Square – 6-8pm. This family friendly event features a variety of artist and musical styles, performing on the steps of the Limestone County Courthouse. Free. 100 W Washington St #3, Athens, AL. 256-232-5411.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Free Day: Burritt on the Mountain – 10am-4pm. Celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. William Henry Burritt at this free birthday celebration and tour of the mansion, historic park and Burritt Barnyard. Free. Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Dr, Huntsville. 256-536-2882. Drop In and CREATE on Saturday – 11am-1pm. For families and children ages 3 and up. Drop in, make and take fantastic work of art home with you. February’s them is “A Golden Day of Hat Making” Free, no registration required. Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St. 256-535-4350.

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Naturally Crafty: Birdfeeders – 10-11am. Join us for a short hike around Hays Nature Preserve in search of treasures for featured crafts. All items will be provided. Please meet at the Terrame Natural Playground for these sessions. Free. Introduction to Essential Oils Brown Bag Lunch – 12-1pm. Learn about essential oils and how to incorporate them into your daily life. Experience a life of wellness, purpose, and abundance. Drinks will be provided. Free Decatur Healing Arts, 1900 Flint Rd SE, Decatur, 35601. Register: Cindy@ AlabamaAwakenings.com or call 256-476-6537.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28 Spring into Summer Activities Fair – 10am-3pm. Highlighting workshops and classes in the fields of art, music, dance, theater, science, history and more, the Fair offers an excellent opportunity to learn more about educational offerings from local arts and cultural organizations. Free. Davidson Center, 1 Tranquility Base, Huntsville. 1-800-63-SPACE.

GOT EVENTS? GET NOTICED! Advertise in our calendar.

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. FOR RENT MADISON OFFICE SPACE $375.00/month. 12’ x 11’ private office, in a suite with reception and bathroom shared with Massage Therapist, and Certified Personal and Yoga Trainer. Great location on Sullivan St, near downtown. Easy access to I-565. Phone or Text Lynn, 256-698-9653.

HEALTH COOKWARE SALADMASTER sales and service. 256-502-9845.

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

monday “Creating A New Paradigm of Aging” – 10am12pm. For women over 40 class. An opportunity for women to discuss aging as a spiritual process. Facilitated by Rev. Grace Gifford, using the book, Prime Time by Jane Fonda. Love Offering. Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville. 256-536-2271. UnityOnTheMountain.org. “Spiritual Principles” Class with Rev. Grace Gifford – 6:30-8:30pm. Continuing with Part II of experiments to prove to ourselves that spiritual principles work. Using the book E3 (E-cubed) by Pam Grout. Love Offering. Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville. 256536-2271. UnityOnTheMountain.org. Kangen Water Wellness Presentation – 6:30pm. Bring your BPS-free plastic containers and we’ll make three gallons of the remarkable Kangen Ionized, Micro-Clustered, Alkaline Drinking Water. Attend our Kangen Water Wellness Presentation starting at 6:30pm each Monday night. Call for directions. G. Boyce Bazzell (Bazz). 256-430-8407. Bazzell@me.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.

friday

wednesday

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.

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.

thursday Thursday Night Swing – 6:30-10pm. Swing dance lesson, 6:30pm; Dance 7:30pm. $5 covers lesson and dance. Lowe Mill/Flying Monkey, 2nd Floor Theatre, 2211 Seminole Dr, Huntsville. Vinyasa Yoga – 6:30pm. A 75-minute flow yoga class that focuses on unifying breath and the motion of the body. All levels are welcome. Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500 East Pratt Ave, Suite A. 256-533-7975. YogaCenterOfHuntsville.com or Asaniyama.com. Meditation and Pranayama – 7:15-7:45pm Thursdays, 7-7:30pm Fridays, 7-7:45pm Saturdays. Learn to discover freedom and stillness on the yoga mat and also in everyday life. Breathing techniques and guided meditations will be used to bring a deeper state of tranquility. Donations welcome. Yoga Fire of Huntsville, 250 Governors Dr. 256-399-YOGA. YogaFireHsv.com.

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. Huntsville ECK Center, 900 Wellman Ave NE #3 (near Five Points). 256-534-1751. Eck-Alabama.org. Reiki Free Clinic (No Charge) – 2-4pm, every third Saturday of each month. For appointments, contact Shari Feinman-Prior at Shari1717@gmail. com or 256-289-3331. Peaceful Journey Center, 915 Merchant Walk Way, Suite A, Huntsville. 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.

Make a world of difference Advertise with us and reach thousands of healthy living individuals in the Tennessee Valley area who are looking for services like yours.

Something for every budget! 256-340-1122 • Editor@Natvalley.com natural awakenings

February 2015

editorial calendar

communityresourceguide

JANUARY

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

2015

whole systems health plus: energy boosters FEBRUARY

enlightened relationships plus: healing grief MARCH

animal rights

ALKALINE DRINKING WATER KANGEN WATER

Ionized, Micro-Clustered, Alkaline Water Garvin Bazzell (Bazz) Bazzwater.com Bazzell@me.com Protect your body from high levels of acidity which contributes to many diseases. Kangen Water Systems produce alkaline water that will help neutralize the acidity in your body. Attend our Water Wellness presentation Monday Nights at 6:30pm. Contact me for the location.

plus: new healthy cuisine APRIL

nature’s wisdom

plus: healthy home MAY

breast health

plus: natural birth JUNE

healing addiction

plus: balanced man JULY

food democracy

plus: inspired living AUGUST

parenting with presence plus: creativity SEPTEMBER

agelessness

plus: yoga benefits OCTOBER

working together

plus: natural antidepressants NOVEMBER

true wealth

plus: beauty DECEMBER

prayer & meditation plus: holiday themes

COLON HYDROTHERAPY CENTER FOR OPTIMAL WELLBEING U’Jeana Wilson Owner/Certified Colon Hydrotherapist Degree in Psychology 256-658-8600

Center for Optimal Wellbeing is the longest operating colonic therapy provider in Huntsville. First time clients have expressed immediate feelings of increased energy levels and improved efficiency in waste elimination. You will enjoy the experience of your own “personal cleansing spa” as you receive colon hydrotherapy (colonic), far infrared sauna, an optional massaging shower, and ionic footbath services—in a clean, comfortable, and relaxing private environment. Call for directions and a 10% discount on your first service when you mention Natural Awakenings or use code COWB.

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 11.

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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ENERGY HEALING CENTER FOR DIRECTIONAL HEALING™ Susan Spalding 2225 Drake Ave SW, Ste 18 Huntsville, AL 35805 256-882-0360 • DirectionalHealing.com

For over 20 years, Susan Spalding and the staff at the Center for Directional Healing have been helping people achieve greater balance and health through Directional Healing and Reflexology. The Center now includes free SOQI Therapy with each session for the most complete healing experience. Information on the energy medicine equipment is available at ChiDvd.com/susan. For healing techniques, articles, and more information on the Center, visit DirectionalHealing.com.

ENERGY PSYCHOLOGY PEACEFUL JOURNEY CENTER Shari Feinman-Prior, MRET, REV 915 Merchant Walk Way, Suite A Huntsville, AL 35801 256-289-3331 • ShariPrior.com Shari1717@gmail.com

Offering an individualized integrative approach to health and healing: Rapid Eye Technology, Inner Counselor Process, Mandala Process, Life Skills Coaching, Healing Touch and Reiki. Reiki Attunements and Personal Mentoring are available upon request.

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. See ad, page 22.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

MARSHA MATHES

STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION

Certified Hypnotist 3313 Memorial Parkway, Ste 116 Huntsville, AL 35801 256-698-2151 MarshaMathes.SkinCareTherapy.net

JACI HOGUE

256-656-4108 JaciHogue@gmail.com

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® JIN SHIN JYUTSU OF HUNTSVILLE

A complete system of body education that balances the physical body, improves posture, and helps resolve chronic pain. Created by Dr. Ida P. Rolf in the 1950s, Structural Integration has been scientifically validated and has withstood the test of time, as millions of people have enjoyed the remarkable benefits.

SUSAN K. JEFFREYS

Advanced Practitioner Lic.#249 Dr. Ida P. ROLF method 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 14.

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 27.

MASSAGE

PRIVATE YOGA CLASSES

DIXIE PHILLIPS (LMT #2151)

Dixie’s Sunrise Massage Therapy 3313 Memorial Parkway, Ste #116 Huntsville, AL 35801 256-585-0504 • Hoss2ride@otelco.net Dixie’s Sunrise Massage Therapy: Come in and experience Dixie’s Combo. This is not the typical massage. MediCupping Therapy is used to relax muscles and increase the blood flow, which accelerates healing. It is also effective on bloating, scars, Fibromyalgia, Sciatica, migraine or tension headaches. See details on services, rates, and possible help with your Tissue Issues at DixiesSunrise.MassageTherapy.com.

YOGA DHARMA DOWNTOWN

Suzanne Newton, Director Huntsville, AL • 256-585-3727 Yoga Alliance E-RYT 500 International Association of Yoga Therapists YogaDharmaDowntown.com Suzanne.M.Newton@gmail.com Private Yoga Instruction is an opportunity to receive personalized guidance in traditional techniques of asana, pranayama, and seated meditation. Private sessions designed specifically for you and based on what you aspire to do. 90-min sessions are held in a South Huntsville private studio, near Jones Valley. Contact Suzanne to discuss goals and make appointment.

NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE ASSOCIATES

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 9.

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 16.

Gr w your business Thousands of our readers are looking for healthy options! Call Today! 256-340-1122 Editor@Natvalley.com

natural awakenings

February 2015

WE HOLD YOUR WELL-BEING IN THE HIGHEST REGARD

Cure ailing sales by advertising in Natural Awakenings’

March Animal Welfare Issue Reach pet and animal lovers including: • Animal Organizations • Fencing Suppliers • Kennels • Lawn-Care Specialists

• Pen and Shed Builders • Pet Stores • Pet Food Vendors • Stables • Pet Health Practitioners/Therapists • Trainers and Handlers • Pet Sitters and Caregivers • Veterinarians — and this just scratches the surface

256-340-1122 Editor@Natvalley.com