Natural Awakenings August 2016

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

feel good • live simply • laugh more

Growing Up Empowered

P L A N E T

FREE

Helping Kids Step into Their Best Selves

Healing Gardens

Strolling in Nature’s Gems

Leftover Makeover Ways to Halt Food Waste

Just Walk

22 Minutes a Day Boosts Well-Being

August 2016

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letterfrompublisher “Imagination does not become great until human beings, given the courage and the strength, use it to create.” – Maria Montessori Children are dreaming themselves into being, and have been since the day they were born. They are creating themselves every moment they are asleep or awake. What children think, what they see to imitate and absorb, and what they draw on from their imagination is all part of their continuous act of self-creation. We all do this, at every age, this dreaming-into-being of our vision of ourselves. Of all parts of it, imagination is the single most important aspect.

Children have a lot of growing to do, and that is why their imaginations are so active. All growth is a process where inner vision is manifested into the outer form.

Our Creativity and Children’s Empowerment issue this month supports the raising of conscious and creative children who will inherit the planet, and hopefully, have the skills and convictions they will need to improve upon what they have been given. National and local experts weigh in on the importance of creativity and confidence, including how to foster these qualities in ourselves and the children in our lives.

I think both creativity and the confidence to put it into play is now more important than ever in the world that we find ourselves in at present. It is the key to moving forward. I believe that much of the chaos that we see going on around us is the result of old systems and structures that were never properly centered in the heart reaching the end of their shelf life. We are going to move forward, and the kids in our lives are going to help us find the direction.

We can do better than the present inequality and division of people into groups with labels. We can stop casting all civic discourse into a dialectic between two political tribes who resent each other beyond all reason. We don’t have to accept this system the way it is, just because we are told that it’s the way it has always been. We can imagine a better reality, and we can take steps to bring that vision into being, and this is where our kids can help the most.

Unity is what is needed now and going forward, and the children now on the planet have the essential abilities that are needed to unify human civilization under a much more conscious and empathetic ethos. I believe that the children who have been born over the past few years are all very experienced souls who already have the talents and the skills that are needed to heal the wounds of humanity and to bring a heart-centered balance to the world. These are skills that they don’t have to relearn as much as remember.

Let’s help them by showing them that we, too, are strong, and that we can imagine, dream, and create along with them.

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

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August 2016

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contents 5 newsbriefs

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8 healthbriefs 10 community spotlight

16 greenliving

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18 naturalpet 20 consciouseating 22 fitbody 25 healthykids

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27 wisewords 28 calendar 29 classifieds 30 resourceguide

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE Display Ads due by the 15th of the month prior to publication.

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

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

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

10 MILITARY STRESS

ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC

14

by Tom Maples

14 GROWING UP

EMPOWERED Helping Kids Step into Their Best Selves

by Judith Fertig

16 THE GARDEN CURE Natural Sanctuaries Heal Body and Spirit

18

by Sandra Murphy

18 HANDLE WILD THINGS WITH CARE

How to Safely Help Hurt Animals

by Sandra Murphy

20 A GOOD FOOD FIGHT

Keeping Food Out of the Trash Bin

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by April Thompson

22 JUST WALK

22 Minutes a Day Boosts Well-Being

by Randy Kambic

25 YAY FOR PLAY

Ways to Spark a Child’s Creativity

by April Thompson

27 BARNET BAIN ON HOW

CREATIVITY CAN SAVE THE WORLD

Fresh Thinking Challenges Rigid Mindsets

by Linda Sechrist

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newsbriefs Tiny House Community Being Formed in Meridianville

An Introduction to Practical Philosophy

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magine being perched on a small porch in a birdsongdrenched forest that is dotted with small dwellings which are known as “Tiny Houses,” “Mini Mansions,” or “Bitty Bungalows.” Imagine being surrounded by nature, large, shaded trees, the laughter of children and live music dancing in the air while the aroma of a meal being prepared for everyone wafts in from a distance.

Imagine that this is home.

This is the vision of a new community being organized by Krista Billeter on 30 acres of land with a paved cul-de-sac located in Meridianville, 10 minutes from downtown Huntsville.

“It’s going to be a community surrounded by like-minded individuals who share your interest in having a safe neighborhood for your children to roam, where you know each and every person that lives near you, and you feel safe and cozy because you are a part of a populace that dreams of leaving a smaller footprint,” says Krista.

The Tiny House Movement is growing all over the country, with many people desiring to shed the heavy financial burden of owning a traditional size home. The Tiny House philosophy is associated with environmental consciousness and living a simpler life with more personal freedom.

Plans for the development consist of 80-100 homes, along with a community gathering area with firepits, public garden, a greenway that circles the property, hiking trails, an outdoor fitness area and playground.

The first organizational meeting for the community was held in July, and there is another meeting scheduled for August 27. One person who attended the meeting summed up the enthusiasm of the people interested in forming the new budding lifestyle community: “Krista, what you are doing is the most important thing going on in Alabama right now!”

For more information about the tiny house community and about the Aug 27 meeting, contact Krista Billiter at 615-7100176 or TinyAlabama@gmail.com.

he School of Philosophy and Meditation will be offering a ten-week course in Practical Philosophy starting this September. The classes aim to connect people with the happiness, wisdom, and awareness that are already within them and in so doing to uplift the society in which they live.

Classes consist of group discussions with texts from wisdom traditions of East and West and simple practices in mindfulness that serve to increase awareness of oneself and others. Topics include happiness, freedom and the nature of truth, beauty and love. The focus is on how wisdom can be made real and practical in our daily lives. Students are encouraged to neither reject nor accept anything until they have put it into practice themselves.

The practice of transcendental meditation is also a key element of the School as it has been found to support the student in the process of self-enquiry. Introduction to the practice will be available to students at a later date.

The organization is headed by James Maddox, who wanted to offer back to the community what has been received over many years. James, and his wife Jessie, have both attended Philosophy Schools in Georgia and England and have practiced meditation from an early age.

Dates: Mondays 6:30-8:30pm, September 12 through November 14. Cost: $75 ($45 students and seniors). Location: Unity on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville.

Register at: AlabamaPhilosophy.com. 256-883-8446. Info@ AlabamaPhilosophy.com. See ad, page 18.

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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August 2016

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newsbriefs Healthy Cooking Classes with Dana Sims at Alabama Holistic Health

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ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the estimated cases of arthritis alone in 2005 are 21.4 million.

However, because of the influx of aging baby boomers, those figures are expected to rise to 41.1 million by 2030, and that doesn’t take into account all other forms of inflammatory disorders. With all the global natural modalities that exist today, we now have the opportunity to educate ourselves, and others, in natural options for both reversal and prevention of Dana Sims these life-altering disorders.

CWR and Nutritional Dietary Counselor, Dana Sims knows firsthand of what it means to avoid inflammatory foods at all cost. She enjoys creating meals that are enjoyable and less stressful. Dana teaches the concept of “Farm to Table” eating. She believes real food is packed full of nutritional value. Come get educated on how to eliminate possible offending foods.

Dates: August 11, 18, and 25; 6:30pm-8pm. Location: Alabama Holistic Health, 204 Lowe Dr, Ste 7, Huntsville.

256-801-9162. Cost: $150 for all 3 classes. Call to reserve your seat. See listing, page 31.

Lisa Philippart, LPC, Joins the Healing Arts Center

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isa Philippart is a Licensed Professional Counselor and newest member to join the Healing Arts Center team. Lisa has been working as a mental health therapist for over ten years, working with adults and couples.

Her areas of specialization include a focus on eating disorders, grief and loss, geriatrics, women’s issues, and stress management. Her practice also Lisa Philippart provides assistance with relationships, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, conflict resolution, and work and career-related issues.

Lisa graduated from the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio with a Bachelor of Science in Education, and from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs with a Master of Arts in Counseling and Human Services. Lisa is certified in geriatric counseling and distance counseling. She is a Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor, a National Board Certified Counselor, and a member of the Christian Counseling Association and the Alabama Counseling Association.

She is also a professional provider for the National Eating Disorders Association.

As a psychotherapist at the Healing Arts Center, her goal is to serve as the “mind” piece of the integrative healing process of mind, body, and spirit. Her therapeutic modalities include dialectical behavior therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, narrative therapy, and positive psychology. Her office provides a comfortable and supportive atmosphere where clients can work to attain personal growth and mental and emotional well-being.

Lisa can be reached at 256-326-0909 at UrLifeMatters@ hotmail.com. UrLifeMatters.org. See ad, page 7.

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Foot Reflexology Class

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eflexology is the scientific study of reflex points on the feet and hands that correlate to each organ, gland and all components of the body. When stimulation or pressure is applied to these specific reflex points, it assists the body to return to balance or homeostasis. It balances the Chi or life force similar to acupuncture. This ancient art of healing is depicted on the Egyptian wall paintings showing Marsha Mathes its use and was found in the physician’s tomb at Saqqara in Egypt.

The main benefit reflexology offers is balance/homeostasis and relaxation. Since most of the illness or disease of today is caused by tension and stress, relaxation is a huge benefactor to our health, both physically and mentally. By reducing stress and tension, this improves the circulatory system which in turn assists with the immune, nervous and digestive systems. Another wonderful benefit is that it feels great too. Not only will the whole body and mind benefit, but your feet will too.

The instructor, Marsha Mathes, is a NCBTMB Approved Provider, an AL State Instructor and a licensed massage therapist. She has been practicing reflexology for 30+ years and massage for 19 years.

Location: Madison School of Massage. Date: August 20-21 from 8:30am-5:30pm. Both days for 16 NCBTMB CEs for licensed massage therapists. If paid by 8/6, the cost is $325; otherwise $350. Register with Marsha: 256-698-2151 or Mathes79@knology.net, or visit MarshaMathes.SkinCare Therapy.net. See listing, page 31.

Health Coach Consultations at Raw Healing & Wellness

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aw Healing & Wellness is owned and operated by Ginger McBride. She has a background in integrative nutrition and is passionate about helping others achieve their wellness. She offers holistic health consultations to balance one’s life. Balancing diet and exercise is only a small portion of our health. She also focuses on emotional aspects known as primary food. This is the food that nourishes our souls, such as relationships, career, spirituality, creativity, etc. It is her goal to support clients in achieving a happy and healthy life.

She will provide a safe, judgment-free environment, where clients can speak freely and have undivided attention. A health coach can serve as a mentor, guide and friend to the path of wellness.

It is not absolutely necessary to eat only raw foods to take this program. The term “raw” has multiple meanings. On the one hand, it does refer to eating raw food. This has numerous health benefits. It’s great for a detox or cleanse, and consists mostly of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. It avoids large amounts of sodium, artificial sweeteners and processed foods. It is as close to authenticity as one can get. The other meaning of “raw” has a correlation to getting down to the raw issue. Ginger wants to help you get to the root of unhappiness, correct it and guide her clients to be their happier and healthier self!

Huntsville location. Contact Ginger at 256-213-1894 or RawHealingWellness@gmail.com. RawHealingandWellness. com. See listing, page 30.

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

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August7/11/14 2016 12:11 PM7

healthbriefs

Delayed Kindergarten Reduces Attention Deficit

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elaying kindergarten enrollment for one year shows significant mental health benefits for children, according to a Stanford University study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Reviewing results from a mental health survey completed by more than 35,000 Danish parents, the researchers saw that youngsters held back from kindergarten for as little as one year showed a 73 percent reduction in inattentiveness and hyperactivity for an average child at age 11, compared to children enrolled the year earlier.

Measuring inattentiveness and hyperactivity reflect a child’s ability to selfregulate. The generally accepted theory is that young people that are able to stay focused, sit still and pay attention longer tend to do much better in school.

“This is some of the most convincing evidence we’ve seen to support what U.S. parents and policymakers have already been doing—choosing to delay entry into kindergarten,” says Stanford Graduate School of Education Professor Thomas S. Dee. In addition to improved mental health, children with later kindergarten enrollment dates also exhibited superior emotional and social skills.

The number of U.S. children entering kindergarten at age 6 instead of 5 has progressively increased to about 20 percent, according to the study. Many parents are opting to delay kindergarten enrollment for a year to give their children a leg up in physical and emotional maturity and social skills.

Grape Juice Boosts Memory and Driving Skills

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esearch from the UK University of Leeds has confirmed that drinking just one glass of grape juice a day increases spatial memory and driving abilities. The researchers attribute the brain boosting benefits to the polyphenols in the grapes.

The study followed 25 healthy mothers between the ages of 40 and 50. Each had young children and worked more than 30 hours a week. The mothers drank 12 ounces of Concord grape juice every day for 12 weeks and had their driving skills tested before and after the study period using a computer simulator.

Louise Dye, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Leeds and senior author of the study, notes, “This research is very promising, as it suggests that the cognitive benefits associated with Concord grape juice are not exclusive to adults with early memory decline. We saw these benefits even after the grape juice was no longer being consumed, suggesting a long-term effect of dietary flavonoids.”

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Breastfed Babies Have Fewer Colds and Ear Infections

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study from the University of Texas has found that increased breastfeeding decreases ear infections among nursing children. The researchers followed 367 babies between 1 and 12 months old from 2008 through 2014.

The scientists analyzed family history traits of smoking, ear infections, breastfeeding and formula feeding. Nose and throat mucosal samples were taken throughout the study period to identify infections, and parents informed the researchers whenever the baby experienced an infection.

The study was led by Dr. Tasnee Chonmaitree, a pediatrics professor from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. “We clearly showed that frequent upper respiratory infections, carriage of bacteria in the nose and lack of breastfeeding are major risk factors for ear infections,” he states. “Prolonged breastfeeding was associated with significant reductions in both colds and ear infections, a common complication of colds.”

healthbriefs

Young Adult Insomnia Linked to Chronic Pain

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esearch from the University of Groningen, in The Netherlands, has found that young adults between 19 and 22 years old that don’t sleep well may have more chronic pain later in life. The researchers followed 1,750 people for three years.

About 50 percent of the participants that had sleep problems at the beginning of the study still had them at the end of the study. Roughly 38 percent of those reported chronic pain after three years. This compares to 14 percent of those that didn’t have sleep problems at the start of the research, but reported chronic pain at its conclusion.

Overall, the study found that sleep problems were associated with more musculoskeletal pains, headaches and abdominal pain. The relationship occurred in both men and women, but was stronger among women.

Legumes Facilitate Weight Loss

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review of 21 clinical trials has found that just one daily serving of legumes can facilitate an average drop of three-quarters of a pound over a sixweek period. Published in the journal Obesity, the research analyzed results from studies that tested a total of 940 men and women eating about three-quarters of a cup of beans, lentils, chickpeas and other legumes each day. The subjects reported feeling nearly one-third fuller on average after eating about 5.6 ounces of these foods with their meals, compared with a control group’s diet. These beneficial legumes may also reduce body fat percentages.

According to senior study author and physician John Sievenpiper, Ph.D., of St. Michael’s Hospital’s Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center and the University of Toronto, “Ninety percent of weight-loss diets fail, resulting in weight regain, which may be due in part to hunger and food cravings. Knowing which foods make people feel fuller longer may help them lose weight and keep it off.”

Aromatherapy Soothes Allergies

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esearch from Korea’s Chung-Ang University has found that inhaling aromatherapy infusions comprising a combination of sandalwood, frankincense and ravensara for five minutes twice daily significantly reduces symptoms of allergies after seven days.

The researchers tested 54 men and women, half of which were tested using a placebo of almond oil.

Total nasal symptom score (TNSS) and rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) results were both significantly lower in the aromatherapy group. TNSS scores decreased by more than half and RQLQ scores decreased by more than 60 percent. Scores for fatigue and sleep quality also improved in the aromatherapy group.

“These findings indicate that inhalation of certain aromatherapy oils help relieve perennial allergic rhinitis symptoms, improve rhinitis-specific quality of life and reduce fatigue in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis,” Chung-Ang University’s Seo Yeon Choi and Kyungsook Park explain in their paper.

Prenatal Sun Exposure Lowers Asthma Risk

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esearch has shown that children with mothers that live in sunnier locations during their second trimester are significantly less likely to have asthma than other children.

A consortium of researchers from the University of Kansas, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology analyzed data from both hospitals and national surveys to determine sunlight exposure for the mothers. Increased exposure to sunlight increases levels of natural vitamin D.

“We’re not looking at sunny places versus non-sunny places,” clarifies David Slusky, a University of Kansas assistant professor of economics. “We looked at the relative differences of the level of sunlight at a particular place at a particular time of year.” natural awakenings

August 2016

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communityspotlight

Military Stress Acupuncture Clinic

by Tom Maples

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here is a nonpharmaceutical therapy that is working wonders with Huntsville’s military veterans who suffer from the symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

It’s available every Tuesday evening, takes about half an hour, and it’s free, though donations are accepted.

The treatment is called Auriculotherapy, or ear acupuncture, and it is offered as part of the Military Stress Christie Berry Acupuncture Clinic at Alabama Holistic Health. The clinic serves veterans, active military personnel, reservists and their family members suffering with Military Stress, PTSD, PTSS, or other military related issues that may benefit from the services offered.

Participating veterans have reported a range of remarkable benefits from the 30-minute treatments each week, including improved mental clarity and focus, increased energy, improved sleep, reduction in stress and anxiety, less irritability, fewer flashbacks and nightmares, fewer headaches and migraines, improved pain management and decreased pain medication needs.

“It’s awesome!” says Shannon, a military wife. “I slept better than I have in a month. I felt better right away after the first treatment.”

“I had no pain and no nightmares for five days after my last treatment,” says Delilah Mack. “Since participating I feel better than I have in years. I am glad to come for treatment and feel that I am much better.”

“It helps to turn off my mind,” says Joseph Crowell, an Army veteran.

“Oh, it really helps me,” says Eugene Brantley, another Army vet. “My mental clarity is so much improved after a treatment, and it lasts several days after.”

Indeed, many of the participants have said that after two or three treatments, they notice that the improvement and

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relief that they experience extends further into the week, to the point where they are getting a full week’s coverage between Tuesday treatments.

“This is getting me through the whole week,” says Royce Scott after his third visit. “It’s amazing. Takes care of my stress, anger, anxiety. My wife can tell a huge difference. She’s coming with me next week!”

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This has been a life changer already,” Leah, a military wife, wrote on her treatment feedback form (after only a few visits).

“I usually have migraines/headaches daily. This past week, I did not have any. My back/neck shoulder pain has improved,” wrote one participant who did not leave her name.

“My sleep is much better,” says Ty Oswald. “Also the tingling in my side and leg has almost gone away, and I had that going on for years.” Ty has been coming every week since the clinic opened in June, and said that he experienced noticeable relief after just the first visit.

He also brings his six-year-old son.

“The first time Ty’s son came in, I only used one needle,” says Christie Berry of Alabama Holistic Health. “I put one in the parasympathetic point in his ear, which calms the stress response.

The second time he came in he sat right up and turned his ear toward me, saying ‘I’m ready for my needles!’ Now we’re up to two needles in each ear with him.”

Christie likes to tell people who are worried about needles that a six-yearold loves getting his treatments. Indeed, the hair-thin needles only penetrate about a millimeter into the top layer of

skin on the ear. If there is any pain, it is only momentary.

“If someone really can’t stand needles, I can use tiny beads or seeds, taped to the pressure points on ear,” says Christie. Some clinic attendees do the needle treatment first, then leave with beads that keep the stimulation going on the auriculotherapy points.

The beads fall off after a few days.

The standard treatment is five needles in each ear at specific points that follow a protocol established by NADA, the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association. The NADA protocol has proven to be extremely effective in alleviating symptoms of stress and trauma. The needles signal the brain to turn on production of certain chemicals in the body, such as endorphins to fight pain, or to turn other chemicals off, such as the stress hormone cortisol.

During treatment, people sit in a room together in a circle of chairs, and

Extra room available at Alabama Holistic Health either Christie or Mike Neeley, another licensed acupuncturist and clinic volunteer, places the needles. Recipients are then asked to close their eyes and rest for 30 minutes as the acupuncture does its work. Or, if they would prefer to talk, there is another room in the clinic set aside for conversation during treatment.

“Some people just want to rest quietly during the treatment, but others are energized and want to talk. We encourage this because it is therapeutic for them, so we have the other room ready,” says Christie.

Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB), an organization that was started in order to provide on-site trauma relief to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, uses the NADA five-needle protocol.

Over the past ten years, AWB has been

Ty’s six-year-old son, receiving acupuncture on the ground around the world to help treat trauma victims of both natural and man-made disasters, including major earthquakes like in Haiti and in Nepal and the Syrian refugee crisis in Greece.

AWB began its Military Stress Recovery Project in 2006, and it now has 30 affiliated clinics operating around the country, including the one just started in Huntsville.

“AWB had already established the ideal clinic model for treating veterans’ stress,” says Christie. “We wanted to implement it in Huntsville because there are so many veterans in this area who are suffering from post-traumatic issues. They are surviving all of these deployments only to come home and lose the battle here.”

Ty Oswald can relate. Deployed with the Army overseas for six years, Ty came home to find that there were no real resources for returning vets in regard to just having a peer to talk to about their experiences.

“The people at Redstone Arsenal don’t really deploy, so there weren’t any support groups that I could find in Huntsville of the type I was looking for, which is just guys getting together to hang out and talk,” says Ty. “That’s really all that some guys need.”

The need is increasingly urgent, because the rates of suicide, homelessness, repeat jail time, and abuse of drugs and alcohol are all on the rise among veterans who have returned home from the warzones. At least 22 veterans take their lives every day in the U.S.

natural awakenings

August 2016

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Auriculotherapy (Ear Acupuncture) PAIN CONTROL n Migraine & Headache n General Pain/Discomfort

Natural and Alternative Therapies for Health and Well-Being

STRESS MANAGEMENT n PTSD n Day to Day

Dr. Christina L. Berry, Ed.D., ACI, ADS

HEALTH & WELLNESS n Weight loss n Addiction

204 Lowe Ave, Ste 3, Huntsville, AL ALHolisticHealth.com Info@ALHolisticHealth.com

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Call for your appointment today

256-801-9162

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Diet & Supplement recommendations Natural Detoxification Overall Mental Improvement Spiritual Journey Counseling

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“Twenty-two is the number that I use because it is a number that people are familiar with,” says Ty, “but the actual number is almost certainly higher, because some deaths that are really suicides are listed as death from other causes.”

In 2013, Ty started BeArded WARRIORs (Be A Warrior!) a Veteran Suicide Prevention & Awareness support group.

The group meets on the 22nd of each month at the Veterans Memorial on Monroe Street in downtown Huntsville from 5-7pm. “The goal is just to get together and talk,” says Ty. “We do have some organized events. We held a 22-mile ruck (a hike with weighted packs) for suicide prevention awareness in March and had a good turnout. We also try to get guys involved in activities, such as building houses for Habitat for Humanity, or doing something else positive and active, to keep themselves busy. It’s the ‘dwell time’ where a guy just sits and thinks about stuff that is often not good.”

“I have a pickup truck that has our info on it, and just the other day a guy stopped me in a parking lot and just wanted to talk for a bit. That’s what I’m here for,” says Ty. Ty was a key participant in getting the word out about the new stress clinic. The first night was on June 7, and four people showed up for treatments. By the third week, there were 20. There is room for many more.

“I’ve seen this go from four people to twenty people,” says Bee Irv, a massage therapist and regular volunteer on Tuesday nights. “It is amazing how well this is working for them.”

Some of the participants are Bee’s massage clients, including military wives. “The wives go through this with their husbands,” she says. “They need treatment just as much.

People with PTSD don’t necessarily feel stressed all the time, but they can’t handle new stress. This is really helping my clients improve their coping skills; also their sleep. One of them has had no bad dreams since she has been coming here, and all of these great results are just from a few weeks!”

“I am so glad we are doing this,” says Mike Neeley, the other acupuncturist who volunteers with the clinic. “It is a way of giving back to the community.”

“I cannot put into words how gratifying it is to hear how well this is working for the people who come here,” says Christie Berry. “I hear that someone has gone a whole week without bad dreams. That their anxiety levels are low. Their pain is under control. Wives say their husband is a different person. Whole families are coming in. All after only a few weeks. We are so blessed.”

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The Military Stress Acupuncture Clinic is each Tuesday from 6:30-8pm at Alabama Holistic Health, 204 Lowe Ave, SE, Ste 3, Huntsville. 256-801-9162. Join them on FB: Military Stress Acupuncture Clinic Alabama or join their closed group.

Read more at ALHolisticHealth.com or email at Info@ ALHolisticHealth.com. See ad, page 12.

BeArded Warriors is online at Facebook.com/BeArded WARRIORs. There is a closed discussion forum that veterans, active duty service members, and their family members can join, found at Facebook.com/groups/BeArdedWARRIORsForum.

Ty Oswald can be reached at 256-661-0631 or by email at WhatsBehindtheBeard@gmail.com.

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August 2016

13

GROWING UP EMPOWERED Helping Kids Step into Their Best Selves

by Judith Fertig

T

he plugged-in, stressed-out world that challenges adults can be even more difficult for teens in the throes of hormones, peer pressure and a selfie culture. Parents can help their children thrive and become empowered individuals by nurturing desirable character traits such as resourcefulness, resilience, perseverance, self-reliance, independence, empathy and social competence.

Child psychologist Michele Borba, Ed.D., of Palm Springs, California, is a former classroom teacher and the mother of three grown children who dispenses advice at MicheleBorba.com/blog.

Her main parenting focus is character education, as reflected in her latest book, Unselfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World. “Tune in to what your kids love,” advises Borba. “Then find learning experiences that help them develop traits they need to be happy, productive adults.”

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This positive parenting approach—accentuating youthful desires and strengths, instead of deficiencies and weaknesses—helps young people develop a secure footing in life. “Kids are driven by their hearts,” observes Borba. “A positive parent doesn’t do the cookie-cutter approach, as in, ‘That’s what worked for other kids in the neighborhood,’ nor even reference what the parent did as a teen.” Teens also impose upon themselves, thinking that being trendy, beautiful, rich and famous are valuable life goals. “The positive parent looks at each child as an individual, listens to what really makes them light up, and then supports that.”

Dreaming Big

Landmark Worldwide, active in 125 cities globally, is committed to the idea that people everywhere have the possibility of achieving success, fulfillment

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and greatness. Corporate leaders praise its programs for helping participants relate, communicate and perform well.

Josselyne Herman-Saccio, a Landmark program leader in New York City, remarks, “Every one of us has a dream, yet too many of us choose our path with fear, disguised as practicality. Our kids might get the message that, ‘You don’t do your dream as your career.’”

That thought can leave anyone feeling like something is missing.

After putting off her own career as a singer and ultimately deciding to go for it, Herman-Saccio recorded That’s What Love Can Do with her group Boy Krazy. The song rose to the top of the pop charts in 1993.

That empowering experience helped her decide to help others—including her own three children—fulfill their dreams. Today, Herman-Saccio leads the Landmark Forum for adults, and the company also offers a version of the course for 13-to-17-year-olds, an interactive, three-day program in cities across the U.S. It helps teens first understand their existing patterns of thoughts and behaviors and then move forward to create new possibilities and face new challenges and discover a new level of power, freedom, self-expression and peace of mind. For a teen to register, a parent or legal guardian must register for or have completed the organization’s adult forum and provide permission.

Teens planning for life after high school get help identifying their career passion at schools such as Upland Hills School, in Oxford, Michigan.

Its emphasis on experiential learning culminates in a senior project the teen produces, whether it’s writing a novel, building a storage shed or volunteering at the local senior citizen center. Each must someway contribute to the community. Beginning with the student’s dream, they must work their way through obstacles, setbacks and all the steps required to bring a dream to reality.

Emotional Literacy/Healthy Risk-Taking

Sometimes parents need to address a teen’s longing for friends and social connections. For youths that especially need to nurture their social skills, such

as high-functioning kids with autism or Asperger’s syndrome, film school might be an answer. At the Joey Travolta Film School and summer camp, in Lafayette, California, kids work together to make a movie; they start with a script, create sets, operate the camera, act and direct.

At the Hunter School, in Romney, New Hampshire, kids dealing with attention challenges can nurture mindbody awareness, energetic mindfulness and sensory integration. It all helps them get to know themselves and relate better to others.

Outdoor skills can help teens develop healthy risk-taking behaviors, as well as teach resilience, perseverance and self-reliance. SheJumps (SheJumps. org), in Salt Lake City, offers young women 6 to 18 years old an opportunity to master outdoor living skills, boost confidence and encourage leadership via collaborating with strong female role models. Fun activities include mountain biking, skiing and trailblazing.

Leadership

Over time, experiential learning can help youths develop leadership skills.

Lander, Wyoming’s National Outdoor Leadership School, a gap-year program for high school graduates taking a year off before college, offers courses lasting two weeks, several months or even a full year. Activities include sea kayaking, Alaskan mountain and glacier climbing and wilderness medicine.

Teens already on track and wanting to develop additional leadership skills can tap into motivational speaker and self-help author Tony Robbins’ annual Unleash the Power Within youth leadership program event. Groups of youths

14 to 17 years old collectively participate to create individual breakthroughs, move beyond fears and limiting beliefs, accomplish goals and realize true desires. Application requirements include a good academic record, at least 20 hours of community service and a guidance counselor’s recommendation.

Robbins maintains, “Grow and give is what life is all about.”

Service to Others

A way for youngsters 5 to 19 years old to become empowered is by joining a 4-H group in urban, suburban or rural areas.

If we envision a farm kid raising a calf to show at the state fair, that’s still one facet of today’s 4-H, but far from the entire scope. Founded in 1902, 4-H is a global nonprofit dedicated to learning by doing; specialties now range from computer science and graphic design to leadership, healthy living and the performing arts.

Positive mentoring by adults and developing community spirit ground 4-H clubs, camps and programs.

Research by Tufts University’s Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development and America’s land-grant colleges and universities shows that people with a 4-H background are more likely to give back to their communities than others (see Tinyurl. com/YouthDevelopmentStudy).

For Grammy-winner Jennifer Nettles, of Nashville, 4-H meant learning to perform at an early age, even flying to Chicago to do it. “I don’t know that I would be where I am today without 4-H,” she says.

“Mentors there help you. They helped me with the skills of performing and learning about being on stage; they also taught me the importance of giving back.”

Sustainable Sustenance

Growing food for themselves and others can be a great adventure for teens, while fostering resourcefulness, perseverance and ecological awareness. Seventeenyear-old Katie Stagliano launched Katie’s Krops, in Summerville, South Carolina, several years ago based on her desire to fight hunger by growing food for people that need it. Today, the enterprise offers grants for youth in any area to start and maintain a local garden, provided they give away the produce to the hungry.

The initiative has grown to more than 50 gardens around the U.S.

Both Mobile Urban Growers, in Mobile, Alabama, and Closer to Earth, in Oklahoma City, empower youth through exercising organic gardening skills, environmental and food justice advocacy and personal mentorship.

Empowering experiences for teens don’t have to cost a lot or involve travel.

“Dream big, but start small. Look around your own backyard, in your community,” says Borba. “Teens can learn to pay it forward in all kinds of ways. They can get together with their peers and take on a doable project to help others. They may even need to start by learning to self-regulate and manage stress by getting away from their phones and instead being outside getting exercise.”

Casual family activities can provide opportunities for conversations about what teens want in life or what they’re worried about, and that opens the door for adults to step up to help mentor and empower their children.

“Boys are more likely to talk while they’re doing something, like shooting baskets with you in the driveway,” observes Borba. “Girls are more likely to talk if it’s one-on-one.”

Positive parents actively listen and then clarify what they heard from their teens, says Herman-Saccio. This information helps point the way forward, to more interactive dialogue, brainstorming, problem-solving, helpful experiences and eventually, youth empowerment.

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

natural awakenings

August 2016

15

Nature is my medicine.

greenliving

Heal Body and Spirit

by Sandra Murphy

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in. ~John Muir Renew

Since ancient times, gardens have been employed as a place of healing for body and spirit. Japanese healthcare providers prescribe shinrin-yoku, meaning, “walking in forests to promote health” or “forest bathing”. Its intent is to use sight, sound and smell to connect with nature through stress-reducing, meditative walks.

Based on a program created by the Morikami Japanese Gardens, in Delray Beach, Florida, Washington state’s Bloedel Reserve, on Bainbridge Island, conducts Strolls for Well-Being. Participants sign up for a free, 10-week session of 12 self-guided walks and three group meetings. A companion workbook is provided to encourage journaling on themes such as forgiveness, gratitude and joy.

“Public gardens are a safe place where people can focus and do the work,” says Erin Jennings, with Bloedel.

“We see people that wish to reflect and refuel or simply be more aware and intentional in life.” With 150 acres of natural woodlands and landscaped areas, ranging from a moss garden to a bird marsh, participants can take as much time as they need.

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Refresh

Bees are an integral part of any flowering garden, and Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary, in Floyd, Virginia, sustainably hosts 30 hives on six acres adjacent to a field planted with buckwheat, mustard, sunflowers and clover for its biodynamic beekeeping. An orchard on the property dovetails with an organic farm next door. Tours, talks, plant sales, food and music enhance the hospitality.

Hope Hill Lavender Farm, in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, adds lavender to soap, sugar scrubs, lotion and essential oil. “It takes 11 pounds of hand-picked fresh blossoms to make one ounce of essential oil,” says Troy Jochems, coowner with his wife, Wendy. A member of the mint family, lavender adds distinctive flavor and fragrance to both sweet and savory dishes (find recipes at HopeHillLavenderFarm.com). Visit the farm on summer weekends through mid-August and plan to partake of the annual lavender festival next June.

In Glen Allen, Virginia, visitors enjoy a cool serving of lavender lemonade or honey ice cream at Lavender Fields Herb Farm after a stroll through

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Photo courtesy of The Boiron Medicinal Garden at the Rodale Institute

The Garden Cure Natural Sanctuaries

~Sara Moss-Wolfe the garden. Greenhouse tours and fall classes on growing herbs, vegetables and lavender include how to make an herbal wreath.

Restore

Tea Wellness classes and tastings of fair trade heirloom varieties are a big draw at Light of Day Organics, in Traverse City, Michigan. They’re taught by founder and horticulturist Angela Macke, a registered nurse. It’s the only dual-certified organic and Demeter Biodynamic commercial grower of tea plants in North America.

The Boiron Medicinal Garden at the Rodale Institute, in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, emphasizes the importance of plants in homeopathy. Maggie Saska, plant production specialist with the research farm, explains, “Walking tours with educational signage in the garden let visitors know which species to look for when planting their own organic healing garden. Plants from a store may not be organically grown or of the correct species,” although a nursery may afford more options.

Christophe Merville, D.Pharm., Boiron USA director of education and pharmacy development, attests that many familiar plants can offer benefits beyond beauty, such as reducing stress, promoting healing or easing congestion. He cautions, “People think plants are naturally safe, but they can be dangerous. St. John’s wort extract, for example, can relieve mild depression, but interacts with prescription medicines. It also reacts to light, so users may experience rashes from sun exposure.

“Lemon balm can be made into an antioxidant tea. It can be grown in a garden, on a balcony or indoors, and combines well with chamomile or lavender.

We like it for helping to relieve anxiety or to improve mental performance.”

Merville suggests steeping German chamomile tea for relaxing sleep.

He says breathing in the steam helps a stuffy nose. When used as a compress, it can relieve pain and itch from rashes. “Don’t drink too much or make it too concentrated,” he warns,

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 Only 12 percent of U.S. adults go outside nearly every day, 8 percent several times a week and 6 percent only once or twice a week. Two percent never venture outside.  When U.S. adults take time out of doors, just under a third spend more than an hour there and almost a quarter spend at least 30 minutes while the rest average five to 10 minutes or less.  Thirty-eight percent of Americans 55 years and over invest at least an hour outside each day, compared to 25 percent of those under 35.

Source: National Recreation and Park Association because of its blood-thinning properties. Saska and Merville recommend that enthusiasts take classes, work with an herbalist and find a good reference book. Merville prefers Rodale’s 21st Century Herbal for beginners.

Vicki Nowicki, founder of Liberty Gardens, in Downers Grove, Illinois, observes, “The world is seeing the first generations that don’t have a relationship with the land or know how to grow their own food.” Its seed-lending library, classes and tours, along with other healing gardens throughout the country, aim to get everyone back to basics including going outside.

Connect with freelance writer Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@ mindspring.com. natural awakenings

August 2016

17

naturalpet

HANDLE WILD THINGS WITH CARE How to Help Injured Animals

by Sandra Murphy

W

hen encountering a bird or animal that appears to be abandoned, take only minimal steps to help. “People mean well but a lot of rescues we see, didn’t need help,” says Lacy Campbell, wildlife care center operations manager for the Audubon Society of Portland, Oregon.

Make sure the animal is away from traffic or predators, and then call a local wildlife rehabilitator before taking further action, especially if the animal is injured.

Vulnerable Little Ones

Baby squirrels can fall out of the nest.

“Leave him at the base of the tree,” says Jennifer Keats Curtis, author of the children’s book Squirrel Rescue. “Mom will rebuild the nest before coming to get her baby. If it’s cold, put it in a box with a towel. Once squirrels have been treated as a pet, they can’t be released.”

Tiny, not-yet-feathered nestlings should be returned home; it’s a myth that human scent poses a problem.

If the nest is out of reach or can’t be

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located, make one with a box and soft cloth. Put it in the tree, so the parents can resume feeding. Leave the area so as not to frighten them.

“After young robins, scrub jays, crows and owls leave the nest, they typically spend up to a week on the ground before they can fly,” says Campbell. “At night, the parents will escort the fully feathered fledglings to safety beneath a bush.”

In parks, ducks and geese may nest away from the water. Mama will lead her babies to the pond, even across busy streets. If it’s safe, stop the car to halt traffic, act as their crossing guard, and then resume driving.

A box turtle operates on innate GPS. “It lives in an area the size of a football field,” explains Curtis. “It will go onward, no matter how many times people try to redirect it. If injured by a car or lawn mower, the shell can be mended by a rehab center.”

Bunnies eat at dusk and dawn. Inbetween, the nest may look abandoned.

“Wild baby rabbits are difficult to keep alive if injured,” says Curtis. “At sundown, see if mom returns; if not, they need a wildlife rehab expert.”

A lone, young raccoon is either old enough to climb a tree by itself or the mother will carry it. If we feed a raccoon, it will become a beggar.

Opossums are dramatic actors. When cornered, they hiss and fall over and play dead in a coma-like state for up to four hours. Check back later. If a mother possum has been killed by a

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The best outcome for injured animals is rescue, rehabilitation and return to the wild. car, call a rehab official to check her pouch for potential babies.

“If you find a young deer fawn or moose calf, leave it. The mother comes back several times each day to nurse,” advises Amanda Nicholson, director of outreach for the Wildlife Center of Virginia, in Waynesboro. “Its coloring helps it remain undetected by predators.”

Other Unexpected Encounters “Don’t feed wild animals or leave out food or accessible comestible trash.

Bobcats, wolves, bears and coyotes will avoid people unless food is involved,” cautions Jennifer Place, program associate for Born Free USA, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C. “Wild animals protect their space, food and young, so stay on marked trails when hiking and never turn your back on them.”

For unexpected meetings, stay calm. “Make sure there’s an escape route for the animal,” says Place. “With foxes or coyotes, throw sticks or small rocks, but don’t hit the animal. Make yourself look large and yell.” With snakes, sidestep away slowly for more than six feet before walking in the other direction. Bears require a different response. “Speak in a low voice so the bear realizes you are not prey. Never climb a tree,” says Place. “Bears know the terrain, can run faster than a horse and can climb trees, too. Sidestep away, remaining carefully upright, calm and unthreatening. If the bear moves toward you, keep talking until he moves away.

Running kicks in its prey drive.”

Yellowstone Park regulations require visitors to stay 25 yards away from most wildlife and 100 yards away from bears and wolves. Selfie photos with animals can result in injury or death for humans and animals through carelessness; safety depends on good judgement, respect and common sense.

Friends of wildlife know beforehand how to contact local rehabilitators if there’s an emergency, observe before taking action, and protect pets. “Always

Wildlife Transport Tips If a wild animal is injured, wear heavy gloves in its vicinity to avoid being bitten or scratched. Completely cover the animal with a blanket so it stays relatively calm, and place it in a carrier for transport to a rehabilitation facility. A warm hot water bottle can help ward off shock.

Do not give the animal water, milk or food. Time is of the essence to ward off dangers of stress. Wild animals can carry disease without appearing to be ill. Fleas, ticks and mites are likely, so keep injured wildlife away from pets and children. leash dogs when going into the yard at night and keep cats indoors,” says Place. “Peaceful co-existence allows for the safety of both people and animals, domestic and wild.”

Connect with freelance writer Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@ mindspring.com.

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19

consciouseating

A GOOD FOOD FIGHT

Keeping Food Out of the Trash Bin

by April Thompson

A

s much as 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. is wasted, even as one in six Americans goes hungry. Instead of feeding people better, we are feeding the city dump.

Of all types of trash, food consumes the most space in our municipal landfills, followed by plastic and paper. Rotting food then releases harmful methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

While food waste is a big problem, social entrepreneurs see a big opportunity. Around the country, they are working to reduce, recover and rethink discarded food valued at more than $160 billion a year. In the process, they are not only cutting food costs, but also creating jobs and fighting climate change.

University of Maryland College Park alumna Cam Pascual co-founded the nonprofit Food Recovery Network

(FRN) after watching hundreds of pounds of food hit the trash in her campus dining hall every night. Pascual and her colleagues mobilized a volunteer network to shuttle leftovers from the university to soup kitchens, donating 200 meals a night to feed the hungry.

In the last five years, FRN has recovered more than 1 million pounds of food from 184 campuses in 42 states, proving that ingenuity and philanthropy can together fight the food waste travesty. “There are two major barriers to recovering leftover food; one is awareness, like helping businesses to understand the laws that protect them from liability,” says Pascual, the organization’s current director of innovation and operations.

“The other is the labor involved. Universities are the perfect ecosystem for food recovery because college students have flexible schedules and are community

Food waste reduction can be engineered in ways less noticeable to consumers, such as doing away with dining hall trays or using smaller plates. ~Cam Pascual 20

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We as individuals have real agency in helping minimize wasted food in America. ~Jonathan Bloom service-minded, offering a ready supply of volunteers.”

The latest FRN initiative is a certification program to verify that farms and restaurants are engaging in food recovery that includes creating a toolkit to help restaurants safely recover leftover meals.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture recently set a goal of slashing food waste in half by 2030, with several supporting bills approaching the floor in Congress. The EPA food recovery hierarchy calls for reducing food waste first and foremost, with recovering food to feed people or animals as a fallback and utilizing landfills only as a last resort.

“It’s one thing to set goals, but to realize those reductions in food waste, we have to change our behavior,” says Jonathan Bloom, author of American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We Can Do About It). Farms and households are the two largest generators of food waste, according to Bloom, whose blog at WastedFood.com offers dozens of beneficial tips for keeping food out of the trash bin.

Fighting food waste starts before we go to the grocery. Bloom recommends consumers organize cupboards to know what’s already in stock, plan meals and stick to the shopping list. Post-purchase, easy tips include serving smaller portions, freezing leftovers and sharing surplus with friends and neighbors.

Bloom’s website fans contribute more ideas like mixing veggie scraps into pet food or making them into soup stock. Using a smaller refrigerator keeps shoppers from bulking up while saving energy costs. The battle against wasted food needs to start at home, where small steps add up to big change.

Connect with freelance writer April Thompson, of Washington, D.C., at AprilWrites.com.

A FOOD FIGHT WORTH WINNING

Diverting Unsold Food from Full Landfills to Hungry Tummies

J

onathan Bloom speaks to college students around the U.S. explaining how fighting food waste requires changing beliefs and behaviors about food. “Recognize that taste should trump appearance, and don’t be so concerned with superficialities,” is a leading message. He cites replicable countermeasures like Hungry Harvest and Imperfect Produce, both predicated upon giving “ugly produce” a second chance. Based in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco’s Bay Area, respectively, these businesses offer low-cost home delivery of surplus produce, much of which is rejected for not meeting grocery stores’ high cosmetic standards.

Here are more examples of the community pioneers working to divert food from overstuffed landfills to people.

Daily Table (DailyTable.org) purchases excess food from growers, manufacturers and supermarkets to provide healthy food at fast-food prices for populations in need. The Dorchester, Massachusetts, retail grocery store offers fresh produce and grocery items, plus ready-to-cook and grab-n-go prepared meals.

Fruitcycle (TheFruitcycle.com) makes healthy dried snacks from produce that would otherwise be tossed. The Washington, D.C.-area business also provides jobs for formerly incarcerated, homeless or otherwise disadvantaged women.

Food Cowboy (FoodCowboy.com) reroutes food rejected by distributors. Truck drivers use a mobile app to communicate availability of such produce and find a charity or compost site to accept it.

Re-Nuble (Re-Nuble.com) transforms food waste into affordable, organic fertilizer for hydroponic growing, thus contributing a solution to hunger.

BluApple (TheBluApple.com) makes a plastic, fruitshaped device that can triple the shelf life of refrigerated food. It absorbs ethylene, a naturally occurring gas that accelerates spoilage.

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by Randy Kambic

E

ven mainstream media have picked up on the many physical and mental benefits of walking, including weight loss, reduced stress, increased energy and better sleep, and that’s only the beginning. These additional compelling effects may well catalyze us to consistently step out for a daily walk, understanding that cumulative steps count, too. For more inspiration, check out this month’s race walking at the Summer Olympics.

Walking helps heart health and diabetes. According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Call to Action on Walking program launched last fall, the risk of heart disease and diabetes can be significantly reduced via an average of 22 minutes a day of brisk walking. “Physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain cancers, osteoporosis, cognitive decline and even depression,” says Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of the division of preventive medicine at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Can you imagine if there was a pill that could simultaneously have all those benefits? Everyone would be clamoring for it.”

Walking reduces anxiety and clears thinking. The results of a national survey of nearly 3,000 women between

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the ages of 42 and 52 published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that those that walked as part of a regular physical activity showed fewer signs of depression compared with inactive women. The more physical activity a woman logged, the less likely she was to exhibit such symptoms, suggesting that moderateto-intense levels of exercise may help protect against mental illness. The survey further revealed that 85 percent believe walking helps reduce any present anxiety and feelings of depression, while two-thirds reported that walking stimulates their thinking.

Walking facilitates doctor-patient communication. Columbus, Ohio-based Walk with a Doc (WalkWithADoc.org) helps organize free walking events each month via 230 chapters nationwide.

They’re led by physicians and other healthcare authorities. “It’s a casual forum in which to communicate and also learn about the health benefits of walking,” says Executive Director Rachael Habash, who’s aiming for 350 chapters by year’s end. When doctors emphasize the benefits of exercise, patients tend to listen.

Walking boosts life performance.

“Until the late 1960s, 90 percent of America’s children that lived up to a

The moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow. ~Henry David Thoreau mile away walked to school. Today, that figure is 30 percent,” says Sheila Franklin, of the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity, in The Walking Revolution documentary (scroll to the video at EveryBodyWalk.org). Experts warn that less walking by youngsters can create sedentary habits and lead to shortened life spans.

Daily walks to school boost cognitive performance in students, according to Mary Pat King, the National Parent Teacher Association director of programs and projects. Dr. Richard Jackson, a pediatrician, professor and chair of Environmental Health Sciences at the School of Public Health at University of California, Los Angeles,. and former environmental health director at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, reports that walking improves children’s learning ability, concentration, moods and creativity.

Even lifelong walkers are moved to walk more by using a pedometer to track their steps and distance traveled, says Dr. Lauren Elson, a physical medicine and rehabilitation instructor at Harvard Medical School, who is also the medical editor of the recent Harvard Special Health Report Walking for Health

(Health.Harvard.edu/walk). A metareview of 26 studies found that using the device raised physical activity levels by nearly 27 percent, adding about 2,500 steps per day. Most stores that sell exercise equipment offer inexpensive pedometers, while smartphone users can download an app such as Moves, Breeze or Pedometer++. Apple’s iOS includes the free app Health.

Walking leads to meaningful exchanges. Social connections and honest conversations between two people can be aided by walking outside instead of sitting inside. Clay Cockrell, a licensed clinical social worker in New York City, began walking with clients 12 years ago. He notes that casual venues like parks have been especially helpful for men. “They sometimes have a more difficult time making eye contact in sessions. Outside, they are looking where they are going, looking at nature, other people—the pressure is less. My own health has improved, as well,” he says.

He shares ideas with the public and other therapists at WalkAndTalk.com to maximize the benefits. He sees moving the body forward along a path as a metaphor for moving forward in life.

Adds Habash, “We believe that engaging in health should be simple and fun, like putting one foot in front of the other at every opportunity.”

Randy Kambic is an Estero, FL, freelance writer and editor who regularly contributes to Natural Awakenings.

The Whispering Heart

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

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

Public Clearance

7:00pm, Friday August 19th

Ongoing Classes:

Intro to Metaphysics - Thursdays

New Classes: Meditation Class

7:00pm, Mondays Aug 8th - Aug 29th

Metaphysics 201 Class Consciousness Chart and Clearance 7:00pm, Thursdays Aug 25th - Oct 27th Looking Ahead:

Past Life Seminar 7:00pm - Tuesdays Oct 4th - Oct 25th

Clearance Workshop

Thursdays Nov 3 & 10 and Friday Nov 18 at 7:00pm Our labyrinth is always open for your meditative walks.

A heart-based healing center with the latest health and wellness technologies Dynamic Infrared Sauna • BioMat In Light Wellness System MusicGlove Therapy • Healing Touch Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Coming soon: Mild Hyperbaric Therapy

All services just $1 per minute

256-822-1108 1221 13th Ave SE, Decatur

MON-FRI 10am-5pm SAT 10am-3pm

Walk-ins welcome, or call for your appointment today

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

natural awakenings

August 2016

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healthykids drop in original thinking that happens as students move into early adolescence,” reports Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind.

Creativity isn’t only child’s play; parents also could do well to infuse their own lives with its discoveries and delights. “Through creativity, parents can reawaken a sense of wonder and joy, and nurture characteristics like patience,” says Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way for Parents: Raising Creative Children.

YAY FOR

PLAY

Ways to Spark a Child’s Creativity

by April Thompson

W

hether it’s playing dress-up, making forts from sofa cushions or drawing pictures, creative moments can define and distinguish a happy childhood. Yet it’s not all just fun and games, according to experts. Childhood creativity, nurtured both in the classroom and at home, is crucial for developing qualities such as sound decision-making, flexible thinking and mental resiliency.

Analyzing more than 150 studies across the fields of psychology, neuroscience, education and business management, the Center for Childhood Creativity, in Sausalito, California, found many important life skills are affiliated with a creative upbringing.

The resulting white paper, Inspiring a Generation to Create, underscores that rather than simply being an innate trait, creativity can be taught.

“Creativity should be an integral part of every child’s education. The research shows that we can avoid the

Engaging Parents

Cameron wrote the book in part to guide her own daughter, actress and film director Domenica Cameron-Scorsese, in her creative journey through motherhood.

While many such works focus on art projects for kids, Cameron’s book emphasizes activities that put creative fuel in the parental tank. For example, she recommends parents take up the ritual of “morning pages”; writing three pages of stream-of-consciousness thoughts the first thing each morning.

Jean Van’t Hul, author of The Artful Parent, started a daily sketchbook practice for herself and to set an example for her kids. “I like that the kids see me creating regularly and they’ve joined in a couple times. I also want to get over my self-limited belief that I’m not a good artist,” remarks Van’t Hul, who blogs at ArtfulParent.com.

Engaging Kids

A family ritual, like a bedtime story or relationship with a pet, can be re-imagined to inspire household members to co-create together. “Instead of always reading to my kids, we take turns making up stories by ‘giving’ each other three things, like an airplane, a shovel and a pair of pants, which we have to use in a story,” says Nicole Corey Rada, a working mother of two in Richmond, Virginia. “Sometimes, we pretend our pets are having conversations, and use different voices and accents to express what they might be saying, given their

Every child and parent is creative. Exercising our creativity is an act of faith. ~ Julia Cameron circumstance at the time. This is a family favorite; we laugh constantly.”

Mark Runco, Ph.D., a University of Georgia professor of gifted and creative education, founder of the Creativity Research Journal and advisor to the Center for Childhood Creativity, notes the importance of balancing unstructured and structured activities, creating space for both individual expression and creative collaboration.

To foster the former, Van’t Hul encourages “strewing”, which she refers to as “the art of casually yet strategically leaving invitations for learning and creativity out for kids to discover on their own.” Invitations to play could be a basket of non-toxic blocks, a recycled-paper sketchpad opened to a blank page or some nature finds from a walk in the woods.

As an example of the latter, Cameron suggests that parents lead kids on a weekly creative expedition, allowing the kids to choose a new place to aimlessly explore such as a park, bookstore, pet shop or museum. According to the author, that sense of shared adventure, fostered in a safe space, naturally nurtures the creative process, both for now and the future.

“If you make art the center, insisting that kids be creative, they may feel a sense of pressure,” advises Cameron.

“If you make inspiration the center, it spills over into art.”

Connect with freelance writer April Thompson, of Washington, D.C., at AprilWrites.com.

natural awakenings

August 2016

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wisewords

Barnet Bain on How Creativity Can Save the World Fresh Thinking Challenges Rigid Mindsets

by Linda Sechrist

F

ilmmaker Barnet Bain’s credits include writer/director of Milton’s Secret, due out this fall, starring Donald Sutherland and Michelle Rodriguez and based on Eckhart Tolle’s book, producer of the Oscarwinning What Dreams May Come, executive producer of the Emmy-award nominee Homeless to Harvard and writer/producer of The Celestine Prophecy movie. Now, as author of The Book of Doing and Being: Rediscovering Creativity in Life, Love, and Work, he offers tools that everyone can use to develop a creativity practice designed to move us beyond our unconscious hand-me-down worldview, escape mental and emotional straightjackets and unlock great reservoirs of imagination. In so doing, we discover we can create anything we like; from a work of art to a fulfilling relationship.

Why is creativity so vital now?

More than ever before, the nature of human consciousness today is making it apparent that we live inside stories and are pushing up against their edges. Strategies we’ve used to try to attain control, success or empowerment—structured ideas about how the world works, false assurances and guarantees about life— may not be working. As a result, we are mired in anxiety, stress and crises. It all offers us the opportunity to wake up to a larger truth that supersedes everything else: We must discover where our true safety resides, in building newly intelligent relationships within, as well as with

others, using capacities beyond logic and reason.

Why do we need an internal sense of safety?

Safety found within shows up in our experiences of the world. As we become increasingly reliant on and confident in our creative skills to survive and thrive, we give ourselves the gift of resilience in chaos.

Humanity’s creativity must be awakened in order to meet the challenges of a changing world and effectively address problems that appear to have too few solutions. The same inner awareness and skill set that give birth to the creative process can be applied to all aspects of life. Only through creative acts can we rise above unworkable paradigms, group thinking and earlier conditioning to create new and more fluid stories that grow from revised thoughts, beliefs, choices and attitudes that mature from the inside out.

Deep, compassionate understanding of how we arrived at this point allows us to shed restrictions. It begins with facing the whys and wherefores of our most intimate consciousness.

How do male and female energies play into this?

Everyone possesses both masculine and feminine energies; neither is better or less valuable than the other. Doing and acting characterize masculine energy, which makes things. It builds, structures, orders and files. Being

characterizes the feminine, womb-like energy, pregnant with possibilities and subsequent manifested outcomes. The capacities to imagine, feel and receive also are feminine. In the dance with the masculine, the harmony of these feminine qualities is the primal desire for and the impulse of creativity itself.

When the masculine and feminine energies are balanced and intimately joined, they express the ability to act, create, manifest, build and bring order.

When we learn how to balance them, we become more creative and effective, individually and collectively. We are better at meeting challenges and responding to opportunities.

How does chauvinism block creativity?

Chauvinism, an elevation of masculine over feminine energy, would separate us from our feelings. It does violence to femininity and castrates legitimate masculinity. The mildest trace of such subordination diminishes and reduces primal creative energies to second place, so that nothing new can arrive. Civilization suffers from this systemic disorder to the degree that we believe our needs won’t be met unless we are controlling or relying disproportionately on action principles. A culture that elevates doing over being is ignorant of how to pop the clutch and shift into neutral, and so keeps driving down the same road without hope of changing direction.

When spirituality was more alive inside religious traditions, we honored the sanctity of the Sabbath and the importance of putting aside doing in order to be intimate with the mystery of life. It’s what breathes new life into our thoughts and feelings, arousing body, mind and spirit to new heights.

Every creator understands that all creativity is a gift of the feminine energy and a gift of the gods. Integrative masculine energies are always constellated around such a gift. Allowing ourselves to become intimate with a greater state of being rather than doing, we open ourselves to receiving a new relationship with life.

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

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

MONDAY, AUGUST 1

A Spiritual Community supporting the practice of knowing God in the heart of every person.

ONGOING SERVICES AND CLASSES! New Thought Classes

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

Revealing Services Sundays 9:45am

Celebration Services Sundays 10:30am

Meditation

Tuesdays & Wednesdays 6:00pm

Satsang

Wednesdays 6:30pm

Huntsville First Monday Sacred Harp Singing – 7-8:30pm. Community singing from the Sacred Harp oblong tune book. All are welcome to participate or to listen. No experience necessary. Free. Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Dr, Huntsville.

256-536-2882.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7 Guest Speaker, Rev. Wanda Gail Campbell – 11am. Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville. 256-536-2271. Unity OnTheMountain.org.

MONDAY, AUGUST 8 Meditation Class – 7pm, Mondays, Aug 8-29. Fourweek course by Rev. Peggy Shanahan on the study and practice of the Science of Meditation, both Eastern and Western. $40. Light of Christ Center, 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville. Register: 256-895-0255.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9 Junior Master Gardener, K-8th – 9:30-11:30am (Aug 9 and 23). Each class will combine a lesson, gardening activities, fresh food tastings and student garden journals to increase basic knowledge of nutrition through vegetable gardening in a healthy environment. $10 ($8/members) per class. Huntsville Botanical Garden. Info: Soozi Pline, spline@ hsvbg.org or 256-837-4344.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11 Master Gardeners of North Alabama Meeting – 6-8pm. Barbara Kammerud will present Plants of the National Park System. Huntsville Botanical Garden, Murray Hall, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave, Huntsville.

256-830-4447.

Healthy Cooking Classes – 6:30-8pm, Aug 11, 18 and 25. Three-part class with CWR and Nutritional Dietary Counselor, Dana Sims. Learn how to avoid inflammatory foods that cause many disorders, and to create easy, enjoyable meals full of nutritional value. $150. Alabama Holistic Health, 204 Lowe Dr, Ste 7, Huntsville. 256-801-9162.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12 Friday Night Art Walk – 5-8pm. Shop local in Downtown Huntsville with a wide variety of artisans and live music. Free. Downtown Huntsville Square.

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

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19 Open House at Alabama Holistic Health – 1-6pm.

Alabama Holistic Health will be holding an open

www.cslhuntsville.org

308 Lily Flagg Rd.

883-8596

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Tennessee Valley

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house in their new location. There will be food, prizes and discounts for future treatments. New office hours are M-Th 9-6. 204 Lowe Ave SE, Ste 7 in Huntsville (one building over from previous location).

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20 Foot Reflexology Class – 8:30am-5:30pm (SatSun). Marsha Mathes. Learn how to create relaxation and return the body to balance or homeostasis by stimulating reflex points on the feet. 16 NCBTMB CEs for LMTs. $325 by 8/6, $350 after. Madison School of Massage. Register: 256-256-698-2151 or Mathes79@knology.net. MarshaMathes.Skin CareTherapy.net.

Drop in and Create Saturdays – 11am-1pm, every 3rd Saturday. Families are invited to participate in a monthly, free hands-on art activity in the Stender Family Interactive Galleries. August theme: Imaginary Inkblot Creatures. Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St, Huntsville. 256-535-4350

FRIDAY, AUGUST 26 Holistic Pet Food Presentation – 5:30pm. Join Speaker Billy Hoekman as he discusses the wonders of organic whole and fermented foods and the vital role nutrition plays in pet wellness as a preventative to chronic illnesses. Free. Pets, Love and Happiness, 905 Meridian St N, Huntsville. 256 429-9112.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27 Eldenbridge Institute Fall Permaculture Design Course – 8am-5pm (six alternating weekends starting 8/27). The complete 72-hour Permaculture Design Certification (PDC) course, covering the principles for designing sustainable and regenerative systems. Includes energy, food, water, and natural buildings. $995, discount for students/seniors. Madison. Register online at Eldenbridge.org.

ongoingevents

friday

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

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.

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.

saturday Bailey Cove Farmers Market – 8am-12pm. Fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables of all kinds, along with eggs, meats, artisan breads, flowers and other locally produced products. St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 12200 Bailey Cove Rd, Huntsville.

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. Adult Book Discussion 9:30-10:30am. Children’s Sunday School 11am (ages 4-9). Unity is a positive path for spiritual living. All are welcome!

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.

A Course In Miracles: Integrating the Lessons Through Heart Centered Listening – 4-5:30pm.

For students of ACIM daily lessons (workbook) or text. Donations accepted. Healing Arts Center, 525 Fountain Row, Huntsville. RevWandaGail@ gmail.com.

monday Pre/Current/Post Enlightenment Classes – 2-3pm, Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Learn how to let your divine light shine so that you may be a beacon to illuminate the path for those who are truly lost and unaware of their ancient ancestry. Suggested Donation: $25-$50 for supplies and instructors. Huntsville location. Info: ATLANMysterySchool@1lifederes.com.

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

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

tuesday Latham Farmers Market – 3-6pm. Buy from farmers who sell the fruit, vegetables, meat, and poultry grown on their own farms. Latham United Methodist Church, 109 Weatherly Rd SE, Huntsville. LathamFarmersMarket.com.

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.

Military Stress Acupuncture Clinic – 6:30-8pm.

For active duty and veterans with Military Stress, PTSS, PTSD. Acupuncturists and massage therapists available to relieve stress or pain. Donation only.

Alabama Holistic Health, 204 Lowe Ave, SE, Ste 3, Huntsville. 256-801-9162. ALHolisticHealth.com.

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

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

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

thursday Winchester Rd Farmers Market – 4-7pm. Local Farmers sell local fresh produce, vegetables, herbs, flowers, dairy, meats, eggs, bakery items, and much more. GracePointe Church, 2940 Winchester Rd, New Market, AL. The Greene Street Market – 4-8pm. Downtown Huntsville’s open-air market for fresh, locally grown vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers. Local produce, grass fed beef and pork, free range chickens and eggs, and more. Local artisans. Eustis Ave between Greene and Franklin Streets.

Youth Group at Unity Church on the Mountain – 6:30-7:30pm, 2nd Thursday of each month. 10 years old and up. Snack provided. Bring friends. Parents welcome, too. Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville. Info: contact Amy Landrenau, AmyLandrenau@aol.com.

Madison City Farmers Market – 8am-12pm.

Fresh, quality produce, food products, and handcrafted items, all grown or made in the Tennessee Valley. Trinity Baptist Church, 1088 Hughes Rd, Madison, Alabama 35758. 256-656-7841.

Lowe Mill’s Open Air Market – 9am-1pm. Shop local farmers, artisans, and makers for your organic vegetables, handmade jams jellies and cheeses, and more. All products produced or grown within 125 miles of Lowe Mill. Free. Lowe Mill, North Parking Lot, 2211 Seminole Dr, Huntsville. 256-533-0399.

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.

Crystal Light Bed Sessions – 1-4pm. A 20-minute crystal light bed session that to relax, de-stress, balance and re-energize your energy system. $20.

Dream Maker, 4004 Triana Blvd, Huntsville. 256883-8446. Facebook.com/DreamMakerHuntsville.

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. EckAlabama.org.

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.

classifieds Fee for classifieds is $1 per word per month.

To place listing, email content to Editor@ Natvalley.com. Deadline is the 10th of the month.

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

natural awakenings

August 2016

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

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

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

See ad, page 12.

THE NEELEY CENTER FOR HEALTH

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

CHIROPRACTOR DR. JAMIE BUNIS, DC

Dr. Jamie’s Wellness Center 917 Merchant’s Walk, Ste A, Huntsville 256-434-7977 DrJamiesWellnessCenter.com Comprehensive chiropractic and wellness services. Applied Nutritional Analysis Testing (ANA) and nutritional counseling.

Standard Process® high-grade nutritional supplements.

Aromatherapy. Essential oils.

Detoxification. Multiple styles of massage, including Qi-ssage. Free educational classes on many healing modalities. Located behind Whole Foods. See ad, page 22.

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COLON HYDROTHERAPY HOPE FOR LIFE COLONICS

Tina Pencola Owner/Certified Colon Hydrotherapist 10300 Bailey Cove Rd, Suite-7A Huntsville, AL 35803 256-270-8731 • 256-684-0020 Hope4LifeAL.com Tina.HopeForLife@outlook.com Our goal is to live long and live strong. Young or old, male or female, healthy or sick, will benefit from an internal cleansing. Mention this ad and get $10 off your first colonic session. See ad, page 13.

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.

ESSENTIAL OILS CINDY WILSON

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

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

FAMILY MEDICINE MADISON FAMILY CARE

Chad Gilliam, M.M.S. PA-C 1230 Slaughter Road, Suite C, Madison, AL 256-722-0555 MadisonFamilyCare.com Madison Family Care provides medical care for patients of all ages and uniquely blends Natural and Prescription medicines together to help speed the patient’s recovery. Madison Family Care is the patient’s clinic of choice when they would like to understand how natural medicines work along with prescription drugs. See ad, page 32.

Facebook.com/natvalley

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 19.

HAIR SALON CJ HAIR AND ART STUDIO

CJ Denison 105E Church St Madison, AL 35758 • 256-603-9018 Specializing in N AT U R A L Hairstyles.

Cuts with Texture and Movement. Specializing in Fine Hair, Razor cuts, Men's Hair Pieces with A NATURAL Look. Specializing in Hair Color OFF the Scalp. Hair Painting. A Safer way to Color or HiLight Your Hair to Help in Decreasing the Exposure to the Scalp. HEALTHY HAIR is HAPPY HAIR. Also Original Art Work and Private Art lessons available. Call Today for YOUR Appointment.

HEALTH COACH RAW HEALING & WELLNESS

Ginger McBride, Certified Health Coach Huntsville, AL • 256-213-1894 RawHealingWellness@gmail.com RawHealingandWellness.com Health coach with a background in integrative nutrition offering consultations with a free health history. Emphasis on balancing primary food that nourishes the soul—such as career, spirituality, creativity, relationships—and secondary food that nourishes the body.

HEALTH & FITNESS

NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR

HEAD-TO-TOE TRAINING

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE ASSOCIATES

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

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

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 19.

8006 Madison Pike, Ste 5 Madison, AL • 256-772-2006 HeadToToe@knology.net Head-To-Toe.com

HYPNOTHERAPY MARSHA MATHES

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

MASSAGE THERAPY RON GRAY, LMT #36

The Dream Maker 4004 Triana Blvd SW, Huntsville 256-883-8446 Over 24 years experience providing an original mix of massage therapy modalities including Polarity Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy, Energy Balancing, Neuromuscular, Deep Tissue, Myofascial Therapy, Reiki, and Lymphatic Drainage.

Works in harmony with the body’s inner wisdom, gently guiding your session with integrity, intuition and skill. See ad, page 12.

J. L. JONES, LMT, AL #3610

Chi of Life Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, LLC 614 Madison St, Ste #4, Huntsville 256-812-1284 • BodyWorkByJL@gmail.com ChiOfLife.MassageTherapy.com Assisting your well-being and recovery from discomfort and injury using a variety of Swedish, deep-tissue and neuro-muscular techniques. Energy-based work including Reiki and Reflexology.

All services performed in a caring, secure environment. Limited outcall available.

Dr. Deb Gilliam, N.M.D. 1230 Slaughter Rd, Ste E, Madison, AL 256-325-0955

NUTRITION COUNSELING & HEALTHY COOKING HEAD 2 TOE CHANGE, LLC

Dana Sims, BS, MA, Plant-Based Nutrition, Certified Wholistic Rejuvenist (CWR) 204 Lowe Ave, Suite 3, Huntsville 256-323-1265 • Head2ToeChange.net Healthy Shopping/Label Reading.

Learn Foods to Avoid Pain/ Inflammation; Chemical Cuisine: Do You REALLY Know What You’re Eating? by Dr. Gloria Gilbere. Individualized meal plans prepared for people who have a specific diagnosis and require strict dietary needs.

TARA SPAGNOLA

Nutritional Counseling Services 256-964-7993 TaraSpagnola@gmail.com

REIKI LIGHT JOURNEY REIKI

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

See ad, page 21.

STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION JACI HOGUE

256-656-4108 JaciHogue@gmail.com A complete system of body education that balances the physical body, improves posture, and helps resolve chronic pain.

Created by Dr. Ida P. Rolf in the 1950s, Structural Integration has been scientifically validated and has withstood the test of time, as millions of people have enjoyed the remarkable benefits.

SUSAN K. JEFFREYS

Advanced Practitioner Lic.#249 Dr. Ida P. ROLF method 525 Fountain Row 256-508-3351 • RolfGuild.org Serving Huntsville since 1995

Meal planning, herbal and supplemental advice for weight loss, thyroid disorders, chronic illness, anxiety and depression.

Advice on healing ailments with natural methods and products that c a n b e p u r c h a s e d l o c a l l y.

Professional experience in diet counseling in a medical setting.

Dominion Restart Dominion Restart can assist in mental and psychological, digestive, immune, and hormonal issues at any stage of life.

Call or Text 256-651-2572 DominionSalonandSpa.com

“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 12.

Holistic Wellness and Life Coaching Wesley and Linda McCarley Diet and nutrition counseling Holistic massage Herbal remedies Eastern medicines Essential oils Muscle Testing Kinesiology Natural lifestyle changes

natural awakenings

August 2016

31

Age Healthier, Live Happier!

Check for the Seal to make sure your doctor is a

GIVE YOUR BODY WHAT IT NEEDS: Bioidentical Hormone Pellet Therapy for Women & Men • Regain energy, muscle strength and greater ability to lose weight • Increase mental clarity Financing • Feel younger and happier again Available • Increase quality of life while preventing age-related illness For more information on hormones, visit

BHRTvideos.com

$200 Coupon Valid only for new patients

MADISON FAMILY CARE and WELLNESS CENTER

Chad Gilliam, M.M.S., PA-C • Dr. Gary Adams, M.D. 1230 Slaughter Rd, Suite C • Madison, AL 35758

256-722-0555 • MadisonFamilyCare.com This coupon covers your initial hormone consultation, examination, and lab work!

Mention this month’s issue of Natural Awakenings when you call to make your appointment.

YOGA’S ALMOST LIKE MUSIC IN A WAY, THERE’S NO END TO IT.

~Sting

Reposition your marketing.

Advertise your products and services in Natural Awakenings’

Sept. Music & Yoga Issue Contact us at: 256-808-8044 Editor@Natvalley.com