September 2013

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YOGA FOR TRAUMA Poses Rewire the Brain, Build Resilience

ANIMAL OBESITY Pets Need Diet and Exercise, Too

September 2013

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Tennessee Valley

STAYING POWER

A Good Trainer Keeps Us On Track |

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publishersletter “The reason fat men are good natured is they can neither fight nor run.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt If you're like me, and are trying to get back into a fitness routine after a long layoff, I can offer these tips.

contact us Publisher Tom Maples Tom@Natvalley.com 404-395-9634 New Business Development Advertising Sales Cindy Wilson Cindy@Natvalley.com 256-476-6537 Design and Production Melanie Rankin Natural Awakenings in the Tennessee Valley 14 Woodland Ave. Trinity, Alabama 35673 Office: 256-340-1122 Fax: 256-217-4274 Natvalley.com © 2013 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

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Start slow.

Do what you can, even if it's not that much.

Don't overdo it!

Get massages weekly, or as often as you can.

Get a chiropractor. If you're a fat man, you need one. Trust me.

Get colon hydrotherapy. A series of 12 colonics is recommended. I would start getting these even before you start exercising, as I would the massages and the chiropractor.

Drink more water than you want to drink. Try for a gallon a day. The rule of thumb is half your body weight number in ounces per day. If you're me, that would be 5 quarts of water per day. I can't drink that much water, but some days I do get in a gallon. Drink a gallon of water a day and you'll be doing wonders for your body.

You will detoxify your body, for one thing. Toxic buildup from heavy metals, etc., is one thing that will prevent you from losing weight no matter how hard you try.

Get going! You can do it! If I can do it, anybody can.

I started out with aquarobics, or basically just walking and high-stepping in the pool. This is a great way to start an exercise program and really cuts down on the potential for injuries early on. I graduated from the shallow end to treading water in the deep end of the pool. Treading water is easy to do and very intuitive, and it burns 11 calories per minute, or as much as running 6 mph! Also, being immersed in water lowers your heart rate by something like 17 beats per minute, so you get a great workout with less stress on your heart. Add almost zero potential for injury, and I would have to recommend treading water as an ideal initial exercise for just about anyone.

Next, I started lifting weights. Low weight, high reps, just targeting the chest and arms, bench press and biceps. Just enough to get that feeling of tightness in the muscles. This has a tremendous psychological benefit for the fat man, because he can feel like a true weightlifter again, and project a vision of mighty, muscular arms and upper self. This helps to take the focus off the lower body, which is going to take a while to get fit. At this stage of the process, psychology is everything, and it is the mental gymnastics that are most important now. The challenge is to stay with it, for the long haul, and not get discouraged or derailed.

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natural awakenings

September 2013

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contents 10 5 newsbriefs 10 healthbriefs

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.

1 1 ecotip

11

12 globalbriefs

22 naturalpet

24 fitbody

12

25 calendar 28 resourceguide

14 SLOW DOWN

16

by Aaron Peavy

15 HORMONE HELP

by Chad Gilliam, M.M.S., PA-C

16 PICK A CARD, ANY CARD:

Unconditional Self-Love Message Cards: An Interview with Rita Loyd

18

18 WHOLE-BEING advertising & submissions

WORKOUTS

Moving the Body Opens the Door to Spirit

by Lisa Marshall

HOW TO ADVERTISE Display Ads due by the 10th of the month prior to publication.

To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 256-476-6537 or email Editor@Natvalley.com.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS* Newsbriefs due by the 10th of the month. Limit 50-250 words.

Content limited to special events and other announcements.

No advertorials, please.

Articles and ideas due by the 5th of the month. Articles generally contain 250-850 words, with some exceptions. No advertorials, please.

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

ADVERTISE WITH US TODAY 256-476-6537 -or- Editor@Natvalley.com *All submissions are subject to editing and will be printed at the publisher’s discretion. Article space often fills in advance. Deadline dates refer to the month prior to next publication and may change without notice due to holidays, shorter months, or printing schedules.

www.Natvalley.com Tennessee Valley, AL Natvalley.com 4

22 FAT FIGHT

22

Like Us, Pets Must Eat Right and Keep Moving

by Dr. Shawn Messonnier

24 STAYING POWER A Good Trainer Keeps Us On Track

by Debra Melani

40 24

newsbriefs Two new Yoga classes coming to The Yoga Center of Huntsville in September

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tarting September 2, Suzy Friedman is teaching a "Lunch Time Yoga Class" from 11am-12:15pm. Suzy has been teaching Iyengar-based yoga for over 10 years. Iyengarbased yoga focuses on form, technique, alignment, and body intelligence. Classes are sequenced in such a way as to allow the body to become supple, strong, and mobile.

Classes are fun and engaging, yet are safe and appropriate for all levels. Suzy completed her first level of Iyengar Yoga certification last fall and will be assessed for her second certification level this year. She also regularly attends Iyengar workshops around the country taught by advanced-level Iyengar teachers to strengthen her practice and her teaching.

Starting September 17, Lindsey Beth Melden is teaching and Early Morning Flow Yoga Class from 6:30-7:30am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Lindsey Beth graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance from Oklahoma City University.

After graduation, she immediately went to work dancing for Royal Caribbean cruise lines. She recently toured with Disney all over the country and the world as Sharpay in Disney’s High School Musical Celebration. She practiced Yoga in many different countries and fell in love with it. Lindsey Beth went to Costa Rica to receive her 200-hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training. She studied under Vidya Jazqueline Heisel from Frog Lotus Yoga.

For more information, call The Yoga Center of Huntsville at 256-533 7975 or visit YogaCenterOfHuntsville.com. See listing, page 30.

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 Sundays 8:30am

Satsang

Balanced Possibilities, Unlimited Wellness Workshop

Wednesdays 6:30pm

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hat are the biggest barriers to meeting health goals? Imbalances from excess sugar and stress can lead to weight gain, mood swings, fatigue, and frequently, disease. Beliefs and habits can also be a barrier to making healthy changes. In this workshop, learn simple, non-medical lifestyle tools around low glycemic nutrition, exercise, stress management, and especially thought exchanging. These lifestyle changes can make dramatic and sustainable improvements in the way one looks and feels.

This is an 8-week workshop that will be held on Wednesday from 6:30-8pm starting October 2 and ending November 20. The workshop will be held at Unity Church on the Mountain located at 328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville, AL 35801.

Carol Landry, of Possibilities Unlimited, and Briana Cousins, of Balanced Wellness, LLC, will facilitate the course. The cost of the course will be on a donation basis.

For more information or to register, contact BalancedWellnessLLC@gmail.com or call 256-683-3155.

News to Share? Join us!

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256-340-1122

Editor@NatValley.com

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

308 Lily Flagg Rd.

883-8596

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September 2013

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Reiki Classes in Huntsville

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hristine Kamback, LMT/Reiki Master/Teacher, has been teaching and practicing Reiki along with massage therapy in the Huntsville area for over 15 years. Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction, relaxation and healing. It is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us. If it is low, then we are more prone to illness and stress, and if it is high, we are more capable Christine Kamback of health and happiness.

Participants in this course will learn what Reiki is, its history, benefits and the 5 Principles of Reiki. The students will experience meditation, attunement to Reiki energy and learn traditional Reiki hand positions for a full body treatment, treatment of specific problems and self-healing.

Reiki One will be taught on September 7 from 12:305pm and September 8 from 12-3:30pm. The cost of the class is $150 plus a $20 fee for the Reiki One/Two textbook. No prerequisites are required. Reiki Two classes will be held on September 14 from 12:30-5:30pm and on September 15 from 12-5pm. Cost of the class is $250, and students must have taken Reiki One from a certified Reiki Master. Class is approved for Massage Therapists and Physical Therapists Continuing Education Units approved by the Alabama Boards and the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.

Location: Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500 Pratt Ave. For more information, visit ChristineKamback.com, call 256-714-8503 or email ChristineKamback@gmail.com. See listing, page 30.

Training and Continuing Education for Yoga Teachers

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he Yoga Dharma Intensive Studies Program is currently the only Teacher Training Program in the Tennessee Valley that is registered

by Yoga Alliance. In June 2013 three local teachers successfully passed their assessment exams after completing 200 hours of concentrated study. Congratulations to Beth Pugh, Ashley Russell, and Ashley Lopez for achieving certification.

During the upcoming 2013-2014 year, director Suzanne Newton will present monthly workshops for yoga teachers and those who aspire to teach yoga in the future. These workshops will be called Refining Your Practice and held at the Yoga Center of Huntsville, the new "home" of Yoga Dharma.

Participants must be willing to study all categories of postures, including inversions and have three years of training in any school or practice method. Those registered with Yoga Alliance will receive 3 continuing education credits.

The first workshop is scheduled for Saturday September 21 from 1-4:30pm. Pre-registration is required by 9/20. The fee is $45 if pre-registered and $55 at the door if space is available. Each workshop will offer asana, pranayama, meditation, philosophy, kinesiology and teaching methods instruction.

For more information about registration and future weekend workshops, go to YogaDharmaDowntown.com. See listing, page 30.

Tennessee Valley Baptist Nursing 11th Annual Huntsville Obedience Fellowship 2013 Nursing Seminar Tennessee Valley Baptist Nursing Fellowship is holdTraining Club’s (HOTC) Dog Fair The ing their Annual Nursing Seminar Saturday, September

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he 11th Annual HOTC Dog Fair will be held on September 28 at Monte Sano State Park from 9am-3pm. The Fair provides a wide range of demonstration and hands-on activities for the public and their canine companions, and gives local shelters and rescue groups the opportunity to showcase their dogs in need of a "forever" home. There will be vendors with dog-related items for sale and also help lend a country fair atmosphere to the event for everyone’s enjoyment.

Door prizes will be given away at 10:30am, 12 noon, and 2pm. The prize patrol will be out and about awarding your canine companion for showing off their tricks. Agility demonstrations, Dog Show for Kids, Obedience Performances, Training classes, and a Parade of Breeds is on the schedule for the day.

There will be demonstrations in agility, obedience, rally, canine musical freestyle and treat hide and seek as well as public participation in these events. A Micro-Chipping Clinic will also be available.

For more and complete details, visit DogFair.org.

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7, 2013. The theme for this year seminar is “Helping OthersCaring for Ourselves.” The seminar is to be held at Virginia College located at 2021 Drake Ave SW, Huntsville, AL from 8:30am-2:30pm. 4.8 Contact hours will be provided. PreRegistration will be $30, Walk-in $40, and Student HealthProfessionals (with I.D.) $5. Nursing license must be presented at the Registration Table upon arrival to receive credit.

Registration deadline for seminar is Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

The following topics and speakers will be presented at the seminar; “Long Term Care” by Heather Mangum, “Aging Interventions” by Chanda Crutcher, “Complimentary Therapies in the Health Process” by Dr. Jewel and Sabrina Euto, and “Brain Health; Use it or Loose it” by Marsha Farrel.

There will be vendor exhibits, door prizes, and great fellowship. Brunch will also be served.

For more information, call Charlotte Wyckoff at 256-8596738 or email at fci@hiwaay.net.

CranioSacral Therapy, The Healing Power of a Gentle Touch

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ranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a light-touch approach that can create dramatic improvements in your life. It releases tension deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance, according to the Upledger Institute.

Every day you endure stresses and strains and your body absorbs them. But your body can only handle so much tension before the tissues begin to tighten and potentially affect the brain and spinal cord. This can compromise the function of the central nervous system and the performance of nearly every other system in your body.

CST releases those tensions to allow the entire body to relax and self-correct.

Using a gentle touch—starting with about the weight of a nickel—the practitioner evaluates your internal environment. Then she uses distinctive light-touch techniques to release any restrictions found, thus allowing the CST to naturally eliminates pain and stress, strengthening your resistance to disease and enhancing your health.

CST improves the body’s ability to take better of itself and relieve a full spectrum of pain, illness and dysfunction, including migraines and headaches, chronic neck and back pain, stress and tension-related disorders, motor-coordination impairments, infant and childhood disorders, brain and spinal cord injuries, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, TMJ, scoliosis, central nervous system disorders, learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, PTSD, and much more. CST is gentle and can be effective for all ages, from newborns to elders.

For more information or an appointment, contact Marsha Mathes, licensed massage therapist, at 256-698-2151 or mathes79@knology.net. See listing, page 29.

Inner Wellness Center for

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

Call For More Information.

Becky Waters, CHT, BMSC 256.348.5236 3322 South Memorial Parkway Suite 641 Huntsville, AL 35801 www.centerforinnerwellness.com

Breathe. Love. Live.

Max the Crystal Skull Visits the Tennessee Valley on September 6-8

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any have heard about the “legend of the crystals skulls” but have never had the opportunity to see one these rare special crystals. Max is one of two crystal skulls who cannot be dated. Experts can't even figure out how Max was made because he bears no tool marks. This year, Debra Murat-Morris has opened up this unique opportunity to those who feel the call to visit and experience Max. Max the crystal skull has been the topic of many documentaries on the Discovery channel, Sci-Fi channel and the Travel channel.

Private sessions with Max of a half hour are $65 and an hour $100. The lecture is available for $35. There will be fireside ceremonies all three days (weather permitting), Friday evening at dusk, Saturday after the lecture and dawn Sunday morning. Hour healing sessions are available as well. As with last year, some choose to book the weekend’s events for $150. This fee includes one hour private with Max, lecture, ceremony, and one hour healing work. All proceeds collected from this event will go to Jo Ann Parks, as this event is completely sponsored by the host family for the honor of having Max choose to come here and visit.

Dates available are Friday, Sept 6, Saturday, Sept 7, and Sunday, Sept 8. Please contact Debra Murat-Morris (786-478-2390, DebMurat@gmail) or Melissa Posey (256- 652-5125, Melissa@poseyhealing.com) to reserve your time with Max.

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The Gene Makeover: Monte Sano Art Festival Monte Sano Art Festival is A New Approach to “The back in all its glory.” So reads Health and Wellness the banner headlining the new web

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r. Rodney Soto of the Holistic Medical Center of Alabama is pleased to introduce to the Huntsville community this unique innovative approach to cellular healing designed to achieve optimal health, maximize our potential and improve quality of life.

Dr. Rodney Soto The holistic approach to protect the body against environmental insults, prevent DNA destabilization and improve cellular health will be discussed on September 19 at 6:30pm. The seminar will be held at The Ledges Country Club, 32 Castle Down Dr, Huntsville. The cost of the event will be $35 and dinner will be served.

Space is limited, so RSVP by September 18. For more information or to reserve your spot, call 256-325-1648. See ad, page 26.

Own Your Brilliance: A Soulful Empowerment Conference for Women

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wn Your Brilliance, a soulful, empowerment conference for women, is a one-of-kind opportunity for local women to come together for deep transformation. It will be a life-changing evening, with inspirational speakers, performers, and dedicated time for self-reflection on a better life. It also serves to benefit a worthy, local, non-profit called Village of Promise. There are far too many women who want happiness, freedom and peace, but don’t know how to get it. The Own Your Brilliance Conference will awaken every guest to a new, empowered way of living.

The Own Your Brilliance Conference will give women the tools to bolster confidence, squash fears, create powerful partnerships, design a plan for success on their own terms, and impact a worthy, local organization, Village of Promise.

The success of the conference is due largely in part to the wonderful community and business partners. Special thanks to the presenting partner, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Office of Diversity.

The conference will be held on Oct 17 at 6pm in Wilson Hall Auditorium located at UAH, 301 Sparkman Dr, Huntsville. The cost for student admission is $25 with valid student ID. Early bird purchase of tickets will be $40 if purchased before September and 17 and $50 afterwards. Visit OwnYourBrilliance.eventbrite.com to purchase tickets.

For more information, contact Jamila M. Randall at 256-6041939 or Jamila.Design@gmail.com.

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site, MonteSanoArtFestival.com, and heralding the return of a longstanding Huntsville tradition.

The Monte Sano Art Show, as it was originally known, began in 1999 when Debby Simpson, a fine artist residing in the Monte Sano Community, decided to establish an outdoor art show in Huntsville. With the help of a committed group of friends, the first show was held in a parking lot of the Monte Sano Assessment and Enrichment with approximately thirty artists participating.

With over one hundred artist participating in 2014, the Monte Sano show was relocated to the beautiful setting of the Monte Sano State Park—its location to this day. With a breathtaking view of the valley below, the tagline “Art with a View” is a perfect fit.

In 2013, Curtis Benzle, noted artist and a Downtown Huntsville resident, was encouraged to assume the Directorship of the newly named Monte Sano Art Festival. With the help of an Organizing Committee of over thirty dedicated volunteers, the Festival returns to the Monte Sano State Park the third Saturday in September 2013, September 21, from 9am-5pm.

New this year, the Monte Sano Lodge Exhibition features local artists and musicians including The Thundering Herd Saxophone Ensemble, Strings of Pearl: Violin Trio, Golden Harp of Katherine Newman, Madison City Orchestra, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra String Quartet, and the Huntsville Master Chorale Ensemble.

For more information visit MonteSanoArtFestival.com.

Open House at the North Alabama Spay/Neuter Clinic

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he North Alabama Spay/Neuter Clinic will be hosting an open house at the clinic on September 8 from 2-4pm to celebrate their 5,000-surgery milestone since the clinic reopened in 2012.

The community is invited to drop and visit the clinic and enjoy refreshments.

This achievement is proof that the services of the clinic are needed in the community. The 501c3 nonprofit clinic offers low-cost/high quality spay and neuter services because they believe in reducing the euthanasia rate of unwanted animals. They are excited to continue on their mission and look forward to reaching their 6,000 milestone.

Location: 3303 North Memorial Parkway in Huntsville. For more information about the clinic or to schedule an interview, contact Beverly Dezenberg at 256-348-8741 or BevDez@knologynet.

Angel and Arch Angel Class at the Light the Christ Center

Teresa Randles Back in Business

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"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

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epictions of Angels can be found anywhere from movies and television to bumper stickers and bookmarks. But how much do we truly know about the Angelic Realm? In the new class, “Angels and Arch Angels,” the Light of Christ Center will be exploring all facets of Angels including meeting your own guardian angel, tips and tools for connecting to their world, information on the Arch Angels and much more. For eight weeks there will be different topics, personal experience sharing and meditations to contact the heavenly messengers that surround us at all times.

This class will begin Monday September 23 and conclude November 11. Weekly class time is 7pm. The cost is $80.

Please contact Miranda Foster at 256-520-8836 or Nancy Pendegraph at 256-539-5678 for further information. The Light of Christ Center is located at 4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville, AL.

fter graduating from the Madison School of Massage in October of 2012 and successfully obtaining her license, Teresa Randles never expected to require shoulder surgery. But that is what happened. In July of this year, Teresa had shoulder surgery and was required to do physical therapy.

Teresa has completed her physical therapy with flying colors and is now Teresa Randles seeing clients again.

Since receiving her licenses, Teresa completed a certification for fibromyalgia massage. She has also become a member of the Associated Bodyworks and Massage Professionals (ABMP), and she has been certified by the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodyworks (NCBTMB).

Ms. Randles owns Healthy Living Therapeutic Massage, LLC located inside Huntsville Pool and Land Therapy at 3303 Westmill Dr SW, Huntsville. Her mission is to give personal attention to each individual’s specific needs. She offers Swedish, Deep Tissue, Myofasical and Neuromuscular and Trigger Point Massage. Teresa offers flexible scheduling and sees clients by appointment only.

For more information or to schedule your appointment, call 256-426-1867 or visit HealthyLivingTherapeuticMassage. abmp.com. See ad, page 13.

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Allergy testing is covered by most insurance plans.

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natural awakenings

September 2013

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healthbriefs

Jog or Walk to Live Longer

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slow jog around the block a few times a week can prolong life. The Copenhagen City Heart Study monitored 1,878 joggers for 30 years and found that 44 percent of these subjects are less likely to prematurely die from any cause than non-runners. Males and females that continued to jog regularly added 6.2 years and 5.6 years, respectively, to their average lifespans.

It only takes 1.5 hours of slow-to-average-pace jogging a week to reap the longevity benefits. Walking is also beneficial; the National Institutes of Health says it can add up to 4.5 years to the average life expectancy. Seventy-five minutes of brisk walking a week can add 1.8 years to life expectancy after age 40, according to study results cited in PLOS Medicine.

School Lunches Minus the Meat

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s the first school in the nation to go completely meatless, 400 students at New York City’s P.S. 244, the Active Learning Elementary School, are treated to eclectic fare that includes black bean and cheese quesadillas, falafels, and tofu in an Asian sesame sauce. “We’ve had a really great response from the kids, but they also understand it’s about healthy options,” says Principal Bob Groff. “Because we teach them to make healthy choices, they understand what is happening and believe in what we’re doing, too.”

When the school opened in 2008, the cafeteria served vegetarian meals three days a week. “We started to try out recipes with small groups of students to see what they liked and didn’t like. It was a hit,” says Groff. All meals adhere to U.S. Department of Agriculture standards, so students get plenty of nutrient- and protein-dense vegetables. Students are also welcome to pack their own lunches, including meat.

Yoga Relieves Back Pain

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ould a simple yoga class ease chronic back pain? Yes, say researchers in two recent studies.

Scientists at the University of Washington found that subjects reported a 61 percent decrease in back pain when practicing yoga in a 12-week period compared with doing simple stretching. The researchers attributed their findings, published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, to yoga’s physical and breathing exercises and how they increase awareness and relaxation.

Another project, funded by Arthritis Research UK, showed that Britons with long-term back pain that took a 12-week yoga course reported 75 percent fewer sick days.

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Weightlifting Lowers Heart Disease and Diabetes Risks

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ewer than 10 percent of Americans regularly lift weights, but perhaps more of us should, according to a study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Scientists at the University of North Florida, in Jacksonville, found that weightlifters had a 37 percent reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors linked to heart disease and diabetes. Previous research has linked having greater muscle strength and mass (results of weightlifting) to lower rates of metabolic syndrome.

People with three out of five risk factors—a large waist (more than 40 inches for men, more than 35 inches for women), high triglycerides and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar—may be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.

The researchers also analyzed data from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which showed that young men were most likely to do regular weightlifting, while women, older people and Latinos were least likely. The survey statistics support the conclusion that non-weightlifters are more likely to exhibit metabolic syndrome.

ecotip

Hair to Dye For

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hree-quarters of American women are interested in changing their hair color, particularly to cover gray, according to a Clairol study. But other studies show they should be wary of most traditional hair dyes and consider natural alternatives. A study from the University of Southern California published in the International Journal of Cancer, for example, identified women using permanent hair dyes at least once a month to be at the highest risk for bladder cancer.

As early as 2007, the European Union banned 22 potentially dangerous chemicals in cosmetic and body care products, including hair dyes. In the journal Materials last year, British researchers warned of the increased cancer risk from toxic chemicals called secondary amines, found in European- and U.S.-manufactured permanent hair dyes, because they remain on the hair for extended periods long after application and can penetrate skin.

Meanwhile, increasing demand by consumers for safer products has expanded the market for natural hair dyes containing henna, oils and extracts from berries and other fruits, plus vegetables. Many are now available at pharmacies, organic salons and online, including do-it-yourself recipes.

Protein for Breakfast Curbs Food Cravings

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kipping breakfast or eating sugary breakfast breads and cereals sets us up for increased appetite all day long, while protein-rich food effectively satiates us, according to a recent University of Missouri-Columbia study. Subjects were 20 overweight young women, ages 18 to 20, divided into three groups: those that skipped breakfast, ate cereal, or enjoyed a 350-calorie, high-protein breakfast of eggs and lean meat. Researchers tracking brain function concluded that those eating the high-protein breakfast were better able to control their eating throughout the day and evening.

For people that don’t currently eat breakfast, lead researcher Heather Leidy, Ph.D., an assistant professor of nutrition and exercise physiology, says it only takes about three days to acclimate the body. Leidy suggests first trying plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or egg or meat burritos. Aim for 35 grams of protein in the morning for all-day control of food cravings.

Milk Linked to Acne

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eens with acne might consider cutting back on milk and other dairy products.

Foods with a high-glycemic index (carbohydrates affecting blood sugar levels) are the leading causes of acne at all ages, according to a meta-review of studies and clinical trials published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Now, researchers at New York University say milk’s natural hormones may additionally stimulate the acne-producing hormones present at puberty.

“Milk is designed to grow things—namely babies—and in the case of cows’ milk, calves,” comments Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar Solution. “It’s naturally full of muscle-building anabolic hormones… which [also] cause bad acne.” Hyman considers cows’ milk “nature’s perfect food only if you are a calf,” and warns of “60-some hormones in the average glass of milk; even organic, raw and bovine growth-hormone-free milk.”

Global Glamour Natural Beauty Aids from India

The health and beauty aisle at Indian grocery stores includes several natural products in wide use among Indian women. Here are some popular ones available in America.

Henna: Women mix powder from the henna plant with water to use as a natural hair dye and conditioner.

Coconut oil: Indian women regularly massage a natural oil into their scalp before washing to keep their hair healthy and prevent the scalp from drying out and itching. “Coconut oil helps to grow hair long,” advises Bibya Malik, owner of Bibya Hair Design, a salon chain in Chicago. “It is probably the most widely used hair oil in the Indian subcontinent; amla oil, jasmine oil and other herbal oils are used, as well.”

Rosewater: Most often used as a skin toner, some women also like to spray rosewater on their face as a refresher. Rosewater has a long history as a fragrance and as a flavoring in dessert recipes.

Ubtan: This mixture of turmeric, gram (chickpea) flour and herbs is combined with milk or water as a beauty treatment. Indian brides scrub their skin with it in the days prior to their wedding.

Source: Bibya Hair Design, research

by Bushra Bajwa

natural awakenings

September 2013

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

Freebie Fruit

Online Mapping Points the Way Falling Fruit (FallingFruit.org), created by Caleb Philips, co-founder of Boulder Food Rescue, and Ethan Welty, a photographer and geographer based in Boulder, Colorado, uses a map to cite locations of fruits and vegetables that are free to forage around the world. It looks like a Google map, with reported locations marked with dots.

Zoom in and click on one to find a description of what tree or bush is there. The description often includes information about the best season to pluck plant fruits, the quality and yield, a link to the species’ profile on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website and additional advice on accessing the spot.

Welty compiled most of the half-million or so locations from various municipal databases, local foraging organizations and urban gardening groups. Additionally, the map is open for Wikipedia-style public editing. He says, “Falling Fruit pinpoints all sorts of tasty trees in public parks, lining city streets and even hanging over fences from the UK to New Zealand.” It also lists beehives, public water wells and even dumpsters with excess food waste.

Scrub Up

Cleaning the Environment a Step at a Time Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer product companies, which makes Vaseline and Dove soaps, is doing away with a longtime manufacturing process because scientists and environmental groups are concerned that it contributes to polluting oceans. The company has decided to phase out the use of plastic microbeads as a scrubbing agent in all personal care products by 2015.

Small pieces of plastic material under five millimeters in diameter, referred to as micro-plastics, originate from a variety of different sources, including the breakdown of larger plastic materials in the water, the shedding of synthetic fibers from textiles during domestic clothes washing, and the micro-beads used for their abrasive properties in a range of consumer and industrial products.

Fare Sharing

Three Is the Perfect Number With increasing traffic congestion and escalating gas prices, carpooling has become a way of life in America’s biggest cities. Now new high-tech innovations such as ridesharing apps that make the process more efficient have given rise to a new class of riders know as “slugs”. The term was originally coined by bus drivers trying to distinguish between commuters awaiting carpool drivers and people standing in line for the bus, just as they used to stay vigilant for fake bus tokens known as slugs.

In many urban centers with specific lanes dedicated to cars with three occupants (HOV-3), having clearly marked entry and exit points benefits everyone— drivers move faster and save gas; riders get to work; and the environment gets a break. The magic number is three—something about having just two occupants doesn’t seem as safe to many people, although the concept is the same. If the worst happens and no drivers show up, there’s always the bus.

Source: Grist.com 12

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Killing Fields

Neonicotinoid Pesticides Threaten Birds and Insects, Too Controversial neonicotinoid pesticides linked to catastrophic honeybee declines in North America and Europe may also kill other creatures, posing ecological threats even graver than feared, according to a new report by the American Bird Conservancy. It claims that dangers to birds and stream-dwelling and soil-dwelling insects accidentally exposed to the chemicals have been underestimated by regulators and downplayed by industry.

“The environmental persistence of the neonicotinoids, their propensity for runoff and for groundwater infiltration and their cumulative and largely irreversible mode of action in invertebrates raise environmental concerns that go well beyond bees,” according to the report co-authors, pesticide policy expert Cynthia Palmer and pesticide toxicologist Pierre Mineau, Ph.D., who both work for the nonprofit. They note that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency typically sets guidelines for bird exposures using laboratory tests on just two species, which ignores widely varying sensitivities among hundreds of other species.

Scott Black, executive director of the Xerces Society, an invertebrate conservation group, says that integrated pest management (IPM), which combines precisely targeted chemical use with other, non-chemical means of pest control, can deliver industrial-scale yields in an environmentally sustainable way. To the detriment of wildlife, “[Our nation] has moved away from IPM, from scouting a farm, putting in habitat for beneficial insects and spraying only if there’s damage,” he warns.

“With neonicotinoids, they don’t do that anymore,” instead returning to indiscriminate blanket spraying.

Primary source: Tinyurl.com/ABCBirdReport

Shellfish Solution

Bivalve Farming May Purify Fouled Waters Scientists are investigating whether mussels can be grown in urban areas as a way of cleansing coastal waters of sewage, fertilizers and other pollutants. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has placed an experimental raft at the mouth of New York City’s Bronx River with long tendrils seeded with geukensia demissa hanging beneath it.

The two-year experiment will test whether the ribbed mussel can survive in the industrial and organic effluent found there. If it does, that could have implications for cleaning up coastal waters all over the world. The idea of using bivalves like mussels, oysters and clams to purify waterways has been on the minds of conservationists and scientists for decades. If the creatures can absorb enough nitrogen from the polluted water, it will prevent algae blooms that deprive waterways of the oxygen needed to support life.

Other researchers also are investigating the beneficial effects of raising seaweed and kelp in conjunction with bivalves to clean coastal waters.

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Source: E360.yale.edu

Fashion Freedom

Fair Trade Comes to Retail Clothing The revolution that started in food is expanding to clothing: origins matter. With fair trade coffee and organic fruit now standard on grocery shelves, consumers concerned with industry working conditions, environmental issues and outsourcing are now demanding similar accountability for their T-shirts. As a result, some retailers have started supplying information about how and where their products are made.

“There’s real demand for sweat-free products,” observes Ian Robinson, Ph.D., a lecturer and research scientist at the University of Michigan who studies labor issues. “Consumers don’t have the information they need, and they do care.”

The New York Times reported that a recent factory collapse in Bangladesh might play a part in changing that. Loblaw Companies Limited, the parent company of Joe Fresh, which produced clothing there, has vowed to audit factories more aggressively and compensate the victims’ families.

“The apparel industry can be a force for good,” vows Galen G. Weston, Loblaw’s chairman.

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Slow Down

by Aaron Peavy

Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it. ~M. Scott Peck

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verything is available to us at lightning speeds. We have fast food, the express lane, 24-hour service, speedy delivery, instant credit, streaming media, and more. Still, many of us feel unaccomplished and alienated at the end of the day. We have the ability to do more, with less, and faster than any other generation before, but something feels very wrong. No matter how much faster we can fit more stuff into the day, there remains a haunting, insatiable yearning within.

For many, attempting to fulfill this desire becomes obsessive. Yet, the more we grasp outside ourselves the more empty we feel. At times, it may simply seem easier for us to jump speedily from one thing to the next, rather than to stop and face the issue itself. Our fast-paced society is certainly very conducive to avoidance, but if we are on a path of becoming, we must face this feeling as part of our journey.

First, we must slow down. By no means is this a call to inertness or apathy, but simply taking our time to become aware of the things we do. “Stop and smell the roses,” as they say. In awareness, we may find there is a deep enjoyment in the little ordinary tasks of everyday life, but the abnormally fast pace of life leaves little room for noticing.

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Case in point, food should be nourishing and enjoyed in full awareness of each bite. If everyone approached eating in this way, it would change the diet and habits of our culture.

The rush seems to put humanity into a trance that makes it acceptable to put pseudo-food in our bodies, without as much as a thought about the impact on our health, the community, nor the environment.

Next, we must realize that no amount of things or activities will ever "fix" anything within us. Understanding this helps start the process of decoupling who we are from the stuff we have attached to through our outward grasping.

A state of non-attachment makes it easier to let go when it is time to move on, thus freeing us to be available for new experiences. Changes that occur in the world around us will have fewer effects on us, and we can come to an acceptance of what we have.

Further, we must simplify our approach. Reducing the load of daily activities and "obligations" may, in and of itself, clear a lot of the anxieties and burdens we feel, but never realized until they were gone. By taking measure of the stuff we carry upon ourselves, we may discern how much it actually serves the purpose of our journey. One way to determine if something is right for us is to ask a few simple questions.

For example, "how will I feel if I take on this activity?" Inversely, “what if I don’t?” The goal being to keep the pace of our life balanced for us to remain present in the awareness of each moment.

Last, having taken the preceding steps, we may begin to connect with people again. Though not the digital-age sort of connections, where a picture and text messages are sufficient, but real connections. Sharing ideas, joys, sorrows, and life with real people we care about brings the most amazing sense of satisfaction. More than anything, that sense is what is missing when we speed through life.

There is a broader movement based on the idea that faster is not better, called the Slow Movement. It is comprised of people all over the world who have simply dedicated themselves to slowing down and enjoying life again. There are no grand tenants or membership dues, just a desire to reconnect with each other in meaningful ways.

"The only thing for certain is that everything changes.

The rate of change increases. If you want to hang on you better speed up. That is the message of today. It could however be useful to remind everyone that our basic needs never change. The need to be seen and appreciated! It is the need to belong. The need for nearness and care, and for a little love! This is given only through slowness in human relations.

In order to master changes, we have to recover slowness, reflection and togetherness. There we will find real renewal."

–Guttorm Fløistad, Norwegian Professor and Philosopher.

Aaron Peavy has had a lifelong passion for inner exploration and personal transformation. Having studied various esoteric and exoteric traditions and practices over the years, he enjoys teaching from his experiences and working with people.

Hormone Help

by Chad Gilliam M.M.S., PA-C

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o you suffer tend to have decreased from menopauslibido. Some clinics al symptoms?

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Chad Gilliam, M.M.S., PA-C DHEA ( dehydroepianity, fatigue, decreased libido, insomnia, drosterone) is a prevaginal dryness, migraines, abnormal cursor to Testosterone and acts as an weight gain despite diet, etc. and want anti-inflammatory among other things. to fix these imbalances, contact me at Cortisol (stress hormone) must also be Madison Family Care. balanced as elevated levels of cortisol

I use the most up-to-date satend to cause women to have increased liva hormone testing to measure your abdominal fat and chronic fatigue. The hormonal imbalances. I then prescribe thyroid hormones must also be checked bio-identical hormones in the form of and free T3 obtained to assess the true creams, pills, or pellets to correct these condition of the thyroid gland. Most imbalances. We also utilize state of the practitioners only obtain a TSH (thyroid art breast imaging called thermography stimulating hormone) and T4 (thyroxine) to help detect any breast abnormalilevel which does not give a true meaties that are present or prevent breast sure of the thyroid gland. Women who abnormalities from developing. When have been told their thyroid was normal balancing female hormones, a cliniyet still suffer from weight gain, puffy cian needs to look at the following eyes, cold intolerance, fatigue, hair loss, hormones. Women have three types etc. may have subclinical hypothyroidof estrogen: estradiol, estrone, and ism which needs to be addressed if estriol. When these hormones become these symptoms are to be resolved. depleted in the female body, she can

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Pick a Card, Any Card Unconditional Self-Love Message Cards: An Interview with Rita Loyd

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ita Loyd's art and affirmations are gemlike illustrated poems. They are also potent prescriptions for conscious self-healing. Her watercolor work bursts with kaleidoscopic color and vibrant energy—the messages uplifting, unflinching, and revelatory. These messages, born in visual and verbal alchemy, show the truth of the self bathed in the warm light of unconditional self-love. Recently, Natural Awakenings sat down with Rita to talk about her new creation: an unconditional self-love message card deck.

What inspired you to create your unconditional self-love message card deck?

It was a matter of one thing leading me to the next. First, I began to paint art in 1996, as a way to cope with chronic illness and depression. My intention was to paint art that would lift my spirit and bring hope and encouragement to my life. Six months later, I began to write affirmations with my art as a way to deepen the healing experience and to verbally express the messages inside of the art.

I was pleased with my art and others liked it as well so I decided to share my art publicly through art exhibits, a greeting card line and magazine covers. In 2005, I had a major epiphany about my art. I discovered that my creative process was teaching me how to love myself and my art was a reflection of that journey.

As people saw my artwork in various places, some would suggest that I create a tarot card deck. My response was that if I ever created a card deck, it would be a self-love deck because that is what my art is about. But for now, my focus was on other projects. I created an art video entitled In search of self-love. I created a set of therapeutic line drawings that are being used by therapists in art therapy.

And in 2010, I self-published my book Unconditional SelfLove: What it is, why it is important and how to nurture it in your life.

Now, fast forward to this year, where I have been helping my Father for two years, care for my Mother who has Alzheimer’s disease. Caring for my Mother is a sacred experience but one that is also stressful. And this stress was something that I needed a distraction from.

Then one day this Spring, I received another email suggesting I create a card deck. I almost dismissed the idea again when something on my desk caught my eye. It was one of my gumbo-sized business cards with my art on the front. The card was printed by Zazzle.com and they had done such a beautiful job printing the bright colors. This gave me an idea! I could create a self-love deck and use Zazzle.com as the printer. Each card could have a different painting on the front and self-love advice on the back. I felt this would be the perfect project because I needed a positive and healing distraction in my life and one that would fit my limited schedule and energy level.

How has this project been healing for your life?

First of all, it combined several of my favorite things: inner 16

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reflection, spiritual thought, writing and helping others. It was fun to choose and condense what I thought were the fifty most important things to remember about self-love. And then once the decks were printed, people responded in such a positive way, that it brought new joy and new purpose to my life.

Your art is powerful. Where did the inspiration to paint your art come from?

To create art that would bring hope and encouragement, I would ask, “What is bothering me?” and, “Why is this bothering me?” Then I would examine my emotions and where they were coming from. Next, I would search my spiritual studies for advice on how to look at life in a more positive way. Once I figured out the advice that I needed to hear, I chose the symbolism that I could use to translate that message into artwork. Some of the messages that I have painted are: Discover yourself, Listen to yourself, Trust yourself, Love yourself, Go with the flow, Ground yourself, Slow down, and Imagine healing.

How did your creative process teach you to love yourself?

It created a space in my life; a reason and a setting in my life: to slow down, to ask questions, to listen for the answers, to search for new solutions, to be patient with myself, to be positive with myself, to set aside the inner critic, to give myself a voice, and to allow Rita Loyd myself to speak.

Once I realized that the creative process was teaching me how to love myself, at least within the boundaries of creating art, I was inspired to explore the meaning of selflove further and in doing so I taught myself how to incorporate self-love into all areas of my life. And that is where the advice in my book and deck comes from.

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What do you hope this deck will accomplish?

I hope, with all my heart, that this deck will be a tool that helps people remember to nurture unconditional self-love every day, especially when they are faced with a challenge, because it is during the challenging times in our lives that we need self-love the most.

Visit Rita's website NurturingArt.com to purchase her Unconditional Self-Love Message Card Deck.

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September 2013

17

WHOLE-BEING

WORKOUTS Moving the Body Opens the Door to Spirit

by Lisa Marshall

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t’s the Sabbath, a day of “Exercise can “the flail.” As the World Beat playlist picks up the prayer, and millions of be a powerful pace, Pierrat leads the people across America through a funky, raveare quietly sitting or kneelgateway to group like series of dance moves ing, humbly communing the spiritual.” aimed at “opening up” the with a power greater than hips and chest and somethemselves. ~ Chantal Pierrat thing less tangible deep

But inside the Alchemy inside. By song five, the of Movement studio in Boulsweat is flowing and some are dancing der, Colorado, the Soul Sweat faithful unabashedly, eyes closed, lost in the are connecting with their higher power music. Others are smiling broadly, makin a different fashion. In bare feet, and ing eye contact in the mirror. wearing yoga pants and tank tops, they

The sense of joy and interconnectfind a place before a wall-to-wall miredness in the room is palpable. “Exerror while a slow, Afro-Brazilian rhythm cise can be a powerful gateway to the vibrates the wooden floor. spiritual,” observes Pierrat, the founder

At the urging of instructor Chantal of Soul Sweat, a highly choreographed, Pierrat, they let their arms and necks spiritually charged dance workout. go limp, shaking off the week’s stresses

Twenty years after the yoga craze via a sensual, full-body writhe she calls

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introduced Westerners to the possibility that the two seemingly incongruous goals could be intertwined, the spirituality-fitness link has spread well beyond the yoga mat. It has spawned fusions ranging from Body Gospel, a Christian workout tape, and Jewish Yoga classes to triathlon programs rooted in Native American teachings and Buddhismbased running meditation workshops.

In addition, creative instructors have been fusing body/mind/spirit classics like yoga and Pilates with hardcore cardio disciplines like spinning and boxing. Half of all U.S. fitness clubs now offer mind/body programming, according to the IDEA Health & Fitness Association, and the portion of classes dedicated to “mind/spirit” versus just “body” is on the rise.

“The newer programming is balanced 50-50, rather than the 80-20 body-mind split of the past,” estimates Sandy Todd Webster, editor in chief of IDEA’s publications.

At a time when, according to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, the number of people that identify with “no organized religion” continues to grow (topping one-fifth of Americans and one-third of U.S. adults under 30), more people than ever are exploring exercise as a path to both flatter abs and deeper self-discovery. “We have spent so long focusing on the mind and the brain… but that is not the whole story,” says Pierrat. “The somatic, or physical, expression of spirituality is the future.”

In the Zone

The notion that intense dancing or a long run could spark what feels like a spiritual awakening makes sense to Philadelphia-based research neuroscientist and physician Andrew Newberg, author of How God Changes Your Brain. A pioneer in the field of integrative “neurotheology”, he has for years used brain imaging technologies to study the impact religious or spiritual practices like deep meditation, intense prayer and speaking in tongues have on the brain. Exercise, he says, provides many of the same effects.

In addition to prompting a surge of feel-good endorphins, a highly strenuous workout is one of the few activities that can lead to simultaneous activa-

“God has created us with a body. Why aren’t we praying with our body?” ~ Marcus Freed tion of both sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (calming) nervous system reactions. “Normally, when one of these is active, the other one shuts down, but when people drive one or the other to a very heightened level of activity, there is some evidence that the other turns on too,” explains Newberg.

That intense dual firing can paradoxically lead to an interruption in sensory information traveling to areas of the brain that control our sense of ourselves at any moment. “Not only do you have this great feeling of energy and calmness, but you tend to lose your sense of space and time,” he notes.

Newberg’s own research also suggests that when people “surrender” themselves in a spiritual practice, the frontal lobe (the practical part of the brain that keeps our thoughts in check) quiets. He speculates that something similar may happen in the midst of, say, a marathon or intense dance, enabling out of the ordinary thoughts and feelings to surface. “It can allow for creativity—a blending of different, more intuitive ideas in ways you don’t normally mix things,” comments Newberg.

So, is exercise able to only make us feel like we’re having a mystical experience, or is it somehow actually opening a channel to the divine? Newberg declines to go there, commenting that a brain scan tells what’s going on in the brain, not in the soul. Yet he has no doubt the two are inextricably linked.

He says, “There are many well-known examples of intense experiences, like Sufi dancing, generating spiritual experiences for people.”

Whole-Being Workouts

Marcus Freed is one of those people.

He grew up in a traditional Jewish family in London, England, and attended a rabbinical seminary in Israel. Still, he felt that something was missing in his spiritual life. “I thought, ‘God has created us with a body. Why aren’t we praying with our body?’”

Freed says that Biblical text often references the body: King David, in the

Book of Psalms, says, “Let all my bones praise the creator.” The Jewish Talmud refers to a rabbi that “stretched his spine with a prayer of gratitude.” Yet, Freed observes, the physical elements of daily spiritual practice have been largely forgotten over the centuries. When he discovered yoga, it filled a gap for him. “I found a way to draw upon this incredible spiritual literature but ground it in the body, so that experience is not just in the head, but also in the heart.”

Thus, Freed founded Bibliyoga, which launches each class with a Hebrew or Kabbalistic teaching, followed by poses that incorporate its themes, as reflected in his book, The Kosher Sutras: The Jewish Way in Yoga and Meditation. The practice, now taught in cities around the United States and Europe, has prompted the birth of similarly religion-infused classes, including Christ Yoga, and the Jewish Yoga Network. “A lot of people separate things, saying they’ll get their spirituality from one place and their exercise from somewhere else,” says Freed. “I think they are missing out.”

Mindful Sports

The spirituality-exercise link likewise resonates through other traditionally solo pursuits such as triathlon activities and running, in which many athletes say a more mindful approach to training has infused their sport with more meaning, and in some cases, improved their performances.

Ironman Marty Kibiloski, formerly a competitive marathoner and road racer, led what he terms a “high achievement, low contentment” life for years, measuring his self-worth by timed results that never quite satisfied him. In 2006, he attended a Running with the Mind of Meditation three-day workshop, based on Rinpoche Sakyong Mipham’s book of the same name. The retreat combined with his newfound interest in Buddhism, completely redefined running for him.

Kibiloski prefers to steer clear of the word “spiritual” (which he sees as natural awakenings

September 2013

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“Mobile meditation… trains you to have your mind be still when your body is active, which is how you are in everyday life.” ~ Marty Kibiloski somewhat ambiguous) when describing what he now experiences when running. Instead, he frames it as a vehicle for self-discovery, a mobile meditation that provides the intense focus and freedom from distraction that enables him to “awaken to how things really are.”

He now leads the retreat that proved pivotal for him, drawing more than 100 runners each Labor Day weekend to the Shambhala Mountain Center, in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado.

Participants learn to focus on the cadence of their footfalls, their breathing and their surroundings to, as he puts it, “move meditation beyond the cushion.”

He remarks, “It trains you to have your mind be still when your body is active, which is how you are in everyday life.”

Triathlete Mark Allen credits his work with Brant Secunda, a shaman and teacher in the Huichol Indian tradition of Mexico, for enabling him to overcome negative self-talk and physical stresses and go on to win the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, six times in the late 1980s and early 90s.

He notes, “In every one of my physical workouts, I also focused on training the spiritual aspect, so that when I got that chatter in my head, saying, ‘This is too hard’ or ‘I want to quit,’ I could go to a quiet place, rather than a negative one.”

Based on their book, Fit Soul, Fit Body: Nine Keys to a Healthier, Happier You, the pair conduct workshops around the country on how to strengthen both soul and body by intertwining both. “Some people think you are only spiritual when you are praying, but when you are moving your body, that is an intensely spiritual experience, too,” says Allen. “It’s my way of saying, ‘Thank you for letting me be alive.’”

Lisa Marshall is a freelance health writer near Boulder, CO. Connect at Lisa@LisaAnnMarshall.com.

UNIVERSAL FITNESS TIPS

Mindful Practices Enhance Any Routine

by Casey McAnn When it comes to attaining fitness, several well-regarded recommendations increase the likelihood of success.

Natural Awakenings canvassed online fitness sources for tips and techniques intended to keep workouts safe, fun and satisfying. Our favorites follow.

Always stretch – Light stretching before and after workouts loosens muscles and increases circulation for quicker repair and healing. It can also help prevent injuries. It’s ideal to hold stretches for at least 30 seconds, breathing “into” the muscles that are being stretched and inviting a gentle release of tension on the exhalation. If any pain surfaces while stretching a certain area, stop.

Start slowly – Begin and build workout routines slowly in order to avoid straining muscles and ligaments.

Exercise at least twice a week, the bare minimum for staying physically fit.

Be well rounded – Add leg and back exercises to crunches and bicep curls, and vary cardio routines to stay enthusiastic about workouts. Experiment with all the equipment available at a studio or gym, asking a trainer for guidance.

Drink plenty of water – Drinking water helps to decrease appetite and eliminate cravings, while nourishing and hydrating the body. The goal is to drink half of one’s body weight number in ounces each day.

Keep it regular – Making exercise a regularly scheduled part of the week eliminates excuses. Keep it on the calendar and show up as dutifully as for any other important appointment. Make up any days missed.

Increase intensity – More intense workouts mean less time spent doing them while achieving the same level of benefits. It’s also important to keep endurance exercises in any routine, however, because they are vital for cardiovascular benefits and building stamina.

Use weights – Adding muscle to the body increases strength, life expec-

tancy and fat burning. To tone muscles, use a weight that works for eight to 12 lifts. For bulk, use a weight suited to four to six lifts. Practice a weight training routine two to three times a week, keeping sessions under 45 minutes.

Add interval training – Sprinting for about 50 yards boosts metabolism and heart health. Return to the starting point by taking a slow walk. Repeat as many times as possible, making sure to warm up before the interval training and cool down afterwards.

Dress up – Energize a workout session and boost confidence by wearing something snazzy. Donning an exercise “uniform” gets us in the mood, and a new piece of clothing or footwear can make us excited to get moving again.

Be a safe runner – Every six weeks, cut running mileage and frequency in half for a week. This allows the body to recover from workouts and helps to prevent injury.

Make it meaningful – While walking or running, recite prayers or a gratitude list, or listen to inspirational podcasts and downloads.

Volunteer for fitness – Many volunteer tasks involve some form of physical movement. It feels good to burn calories while helping others.

Bring workout buddies – Friends and pets need exercise, too, and they provide restorative companionship.

Working out with a pal adds support and motivation, which are keys to success. Seek out a human buddy with similar fitness goals.

Go green – Research from the University of Essex, in England, shows that exercising in nature produces additional physical and mental benefits. The researchers found that “green exercise” improves mood, self-esteem, enjoyment and motivation.

Casey McAnn is a freelance writer in Boston, MA.

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naturalpet

FAT FIGHT Like Us, Pets Must Eat Right and Keep Moving

by Dr. Shawn Messonnier

the organization’s headquarters in Calabash, North Carolina.

Current medical consensus states that an animal is obese if it weighs at least 15 percent more than its ideal weight. But looking at body composition is more accurate, based on measurements top-to-bottom and side-toside and depth to the ribs and spine.

Health Issues

O

besity, a severe and debilitating illness, is the most common nutritional disease in both animals and people. The latest survey of 121 veterinarians in 36 states by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) and corroborating American Veterinarian Medical Association data reveal we have 80 million fat cats and obese dogs; that’s more than 58 percent of dogs and 52 percent of domesticated cats. “Pet obesity remains the leading health threat to our nation’s pets,” says Dr. Ernie Ward, APOP’s founder, from

Animals aren’t born fat. Obesity results from too many calories in food, snacks and treats, paired with a lack of aerobic exercise. People may believe they are showing love by rewarding begging with treats, but they actually may be slowly killing their companions with kindness, putting them on a path toward painful and costly medical problems.

These can include cancer, cardiac problems, complications from drug therapy, difficulty breathing, heat intolerance, hypertension, intervertebral

disk disease, orthopedic conditions (including arthritis), lethargy and ruptured ligaments. Also, because excess body fat first deposits in the cavities of the chest and abdomen and under the skin, hypothyroidism and diabetes mellitus can develop, so screen overweight animals for these disorders prior to treatment for obesity.

Tackling obesity involves restricting calories and increasing the metabolic rate with a controlled exercise program. Diet and exercise are the two most vital factors in fighting fat.

Eating Right

Simply switching to a store-bought “lite” pet food is inadequate because many are designed to maintain, not lose, weight. Also, many products contain chemicals, byproducts and unhealthy fillers that are contrary to a holistic program.

A homemade restricted-calorie diet is the best choice for obese animals.

The second is a processed “obesitymanagement” diet available through veterinarians, although many of these also contain chemicals, byproducts and fillers. Such diets can be used to attain the target weight, and then replaced with a homemade maintenance diet.

Foods high in fiber work well for shedding pounds because they increase metabolism. Vegetable fiber decreases fat and glucose absorption. Fluctuating glucose levels cause greater insulin release that can lead to diabetes; because

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Among owners of chubby pets, 45 percent believe their dog or cat is of a normal weight.

Coming in October

~ Association for Pet Obesity Prevention insulin is needed for fat storage, low, stable levels are preferred. Fiber also binds to fat in the intestinal tract and increases the movement of digested food through the intestines.

Supplement Options

Several natural therapies may be helpful for treating animal obesity. These include herbs such as cayenne, ginger and mustard; white bean extract; chromium; carnitine; hydroxycitric acid (HCA); epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG); and coenzyme Q10. All have been widely used with variable success, although not yet thoroughly researched or clinically proven.

A supplement called Vetri-Lean appears promising. Based on a white bean extract, it has cut starch digestion by up to 75 percent in the company’s clinical tests. The formula also has EGCG from green tea extract to boost metabolism, inhibit carbohydrate-digesting enzymes and help maintain normal blood insulin levels, all to help dissolve fat and control appetite.

Chromium

polynicotinate, another ingredient, also helps to curb appetite, build muscles and reduce fat.

Exercise is Key

As with humans, a regular program of supervised exercise is essential to pet health. Experience shows that it must be combined with a diet and supplement plan to achieve maximum results for overweight pets. Along with burning off excess calories, even mild exercise works to reduce hunger, improve muscle strength and aerobic capacity and improve functioning of organs.

Plus, as veterinarians further attest, the activity is mentally stimulating for both animals and guardians, while decreasing behavioral problems.

There is no one best exercise program for every animal; a sensible plan must be personalized to needs and abilities. Consult a veterinarian to determine the best regimen. As always, prevention is better than a cure, so staying alert to signs of additional pounds and keeping an animal from becoming obese in the first place is optimum.

Dr. Shawn Messonier has authored The Arthritis Solution for Dogs, 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog, and the award-winning Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats. His Paws & Claws Animal Hospital is located in Plano, TX. Find helpful tips at PetCareNaturally.com.

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fitbody

“Group training can cost as little as $15 an hour.

Women especially enjoy combining fitness with socializing. Working together and growing together, they feed off and rely on each other to show up.”

STAYING POWER A Good Trainer Keeps Us On Track

~ Kristin McGee

by Debra Melani

Maintaining one’s own fitness program can prove a challenge when the will to work out fizzles. Many people are getting help conquering roadblocks and staying on an effective path of regular exercise through an enduring relationship with a personal trainer.

A

pproximately 6.4 million Americans now engage personal trainers, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, including some in less traditional locations, like community centers and corporate workplaces. When a client sticks with a personal trainer over the long haul, the relationship can evolve beyond a caring coach into a steadfast mentor, producing benefits that transcend basic fitness.

“I have individuals I’ve worked with for 10 years, and have come to know them and their bodies and habits well,” says Kristin McGee, a New York City trainer who counts celebrities like Steve Martin and Tina Fey as clients. By understanding all aspects of each of her clients, she says she can better tailor programs to meet their needs.

When nine-year client Bebe Duke, 58, faced a lengthy rehabilitation after tripping and shattering a shoulder, McGee helped lift her spirits, ease her back into full-body fitness and even slay some psychological dragons. “We worked

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Natvalley.com

her lower half; we kept her strong and her moods steady with meditation and yoga,” McGee says. “The physical therapist knew how to work with her shoulder joint, but not with the rest of her body and the rest of her life.”

Duke felt, as she puts it, “a significant fear of falling” after the accident.

“So we spent an enormous amount of time on balance and making sure I didn’t feel nervous.”

McGee was able to help Duke prevent fitness loss, which can happen to anyone that goes four weeks without exercising, reports Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise journal.

Maintaining regular exercise can also deter depression, confirmed by a study in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

Three years after the injury, Duke can now hold a downward dog yoga pose and do a headstand. “I’m also running again,” Duke adds. “I’m signed up for a half marathon.”

Richard Cotton, a personal trainer in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the American College of Sports Medicine’s national di-

rector of certification, agrees that a good long-term trainer often serves as a fitness, nutrition and even life coach. “You can’t metaphorically cut off people’s heads and only train their bodies. Then you are just a technician,” he observes.

Building a true foundation for health requires understanding the importance of each building block, not just working with a trainer for a few sessions and afterwards going blindly through the motions, attests Sandra Blackie, a former professional bodybuilder, certified nutritionist and current personal trainer in San Diego, California. “I want to educate my clients.”

During extended periods, good trainers also revise routines at least once every four weeks to prevent adaptation, another problem that can hinder reaching fitness goals. “Without trainers, people often get stuck in a rut and lose motivation,” remarks Blackie, who also adapts exercises according to bodily changes due to aging or other conditions.

Long-term relationships also allow trainers to focus on the individual’s bottom-line goals, Cotton notes. For instance, “I want to lose 10 pounds,” might really mean, “I want the energy to play with my kids,” or “I want to feel more alert at work.”

“Achievable goals evolve from values,” Cotton explains. “It’s not about getting in super great shape for six months and then stopping. It’s about creating a foundation for life.”

Freelance journalist Debra Melani writes about health care and fitness from Lyons, CO. Connect at Debra Melani.com or DMelani@msn.com.

calendarofevents

a more spiritual being and master your spiritual destiny. FREE. Knology Cable Channel 11. 256534-1751. ECK-Alabama.org.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Caribbean Day at the Park 2013 – 12-6pm. A host of games for children and adults, a wide variety of food, and live music. Bring lawn chairs. Admission free. Stoner Field Park, 3715 Bragg St NW, Huntsville, AL 35810.

2013 Huntsville Walk to End Alzheimer's – 7:30am registration; 8:30am walk begins. Part of the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

Free food, entertainment, door prizes, Kid's Zone.

Registration is free. Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave, Huntsville, AL 35805.

256-830-4447.

Twickenhamfest: the Quartet for the End of Time – 3-5pm. The finale of Twickenham Fest 2013 includes Messiaen's "Quartet for the End of Time" for violin, clarinet, cello, and piano. Church of the Nativity, 208 Eustis Ave SE, Huntsville, AL 35801.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 36th Annual Section Labor Day Festival – 10am10pm. Musical entertainment all day featuring Gospel, Blue Grass, Country, and good ol’ Rock & Roll. Free children’s games and rides. Lots of food includes Homemade Ice Cream and Bar-B-Que. Section Community Park, one block off Hwy 35, Section, AL 35771.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 Art2—Downtown Quigley Arts & Entertainment District – 5-10pm, Sept 4-5. Live performances, activities, block parties and more. Admission free.

Downtown Square & Big Spring Park, Huntsville, AL 35801. 256-519-2787.

Backpack For Food – 6-8pm. Our goal is to raise 20,000 cans/nonperishable foods for backpack programs to partner with our local schools. Backpack programs help send students home with food for the weekend/holiday so they have the opportunity to eat.

Wilson Morgan "Adventure" Park, 300 Beltline Rd SW, Decatur, AL 35603.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 Tennessee Valley Baptist Nursing Fellowship 2013 Seminar “Helping Others-Caring for Ourselves” – 8:30am-2:30pm. 4.8 CEUs for nurses. Brunch will be served. $30, $40/walk-ins, $5/students with I.D. Virginia College, 2021 Drake Ave SW, Huntsville. Info: Charlotte Wyckoff, 256-859-6738 or Fci@hiwaay.net.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 The Spiritual Laws of Life – 2-3pm. Free introductory presentation and discussion series for people of all faiths. Learn how to keep in tune with your true spiritual nature. Earth Fare, 5900-C University Dr, Huntsville. 256-534-1751. ECK-Alabama.org.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

North Alabama Spay-Neuter Clinic Open House – 2-4pm. Celebrating 5,000 surgeries since reopening in 2012. Refreshments will be served. 3303 North Memorial Parkway, Huntsville.

Highlight Tour – 2pm. Learn more about the historic photographs in the exhibition during this informative public tour led by trained Museum docents. Huntsville Museum of Art, 300 Church St, Huntsville, AL 35801. 256-535-4350.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

Free Health Screening – 9:30am-12pm. Huntsville Hospital’s Mobile Medical Unit will be offering free health screenings to the public. Southeast Family YMCA, 1000 Weatherly Rd SE, Huntsville, AL 35803.

Taste of Home Cooking Expo – 12-6pm. Admission free. Von Braun Center East Hall, 700 Monroe St, Huntsville, AL 35801. 256-533-1953.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 Free Health Screening – 9:30am-12pm. Huntsville Hospital’s Mobile Medical Unit will be offering free health screenings to the public. Downtown Rescue Mission, 1400 Evangel Dr NW, Huntsville, AL 35816.

Tennessee Valley Arabian Horse Show – 8am.

Admission free. Agribition Center, 4592 Moores Mill Rd, Huntsville, AL 35811. 256-859-5896.

Cocktails & Dogtails – 5-8pm. Bring your pooch along as you stroll through the Huntsville Botanical Garden. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Admission charged. Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave, Huntsville, AL 35805. 256-830-4447.

United Way of Madison County Campaign Kick-Off and Community Fair – 10am-2pm.

This event is open to everyone in Madison County.

Learn how your investment is hard at work, hear the client stories, and share in food, fellowship and fun. Children's games, live music. Big Spring Park, Downtown Huntsville.

Oktoberfest – 5-11pm Thurs; 5pm-1am Fri; 12pm-1am Sat; 1-8pm Sun. The "Best Fest West of Germany." Rides, fun and activities for all ages, live music, and the finest German Beers and German Cuisine. Admission charged. Redstone Arsenal Activity Field, enter through gate 10 on Patton Rd SW, Huntsville, AL 35805.

Reiki I Classes – 12:30-5pm, Sat; 12-3:30pm, Sun. Taught by Christine Kamback. Cost: $150 plus a $20 fee for the Reiki One/Two textbook. No prerequisites are required. Class is approved for Massage Therapists and Physical Therapists CEUs. Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500 Pratt Ave, Suite A, Huntsville, AL 35801. 256-714-8503.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Planetarium Program: Ice Giants, Uranus and Neptune – 7:30pm. Admission charged. Monte Sano State Park Planetarium, beside the Country Grocery Store & Campground, Huntsville, AL 35801. 256-539-0316.

Reiki II Classes –12:30-5:30pm, Sat; 12-5pm, Sun. Taught by Christine Kamback. Cost: $250 and students must have taken Reiki One from a certified Reiki Master. Class is approved for Massage Therapists and Physical Therapists CEUs. Yoga Center of Huntsville, 500 Pratt Ave, Suite A, Huntsville, AL 35801. 256-714-8503.

Camp Out in the Garden – 5pm Fri-8am Sat. Take a flashlight walk of the Nature Trail, enjoy a hay ride and view the stars. Bring your own sleeping bags, tents and flashlights. Food provided. Admission charged. Huntsville Botanical Garden, 4747 Bob Wallace Ave, Huntsville, AL 35805. 256-830-4447.

Master Your Spiritual Destiny – 7:30-8pm. Inspiring stories and insights from Harold Klemp, spiritual leader and acclaimed author of more than sixty books on ECKANKAR. Discover how to become

Free Health Screening – 9:30am-12pm. Huntsville Hospital’s Mobile Medical Unit will be offering free health screenings to the public. New Market Health Screen, 3687 Winchester RD, New Market, AL 35761.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Senior Expo – 9am-4:30pm. Seniors can enjoy free food, entertainment, medical screenings and door prizes. Von Braun Center South Hall, 700 Monroe St, Huntsville, AL 35801.

Health Forum: Assisted Living – 11am-12pm.

Alicia Thomas from the Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments gives an overview of what you need to know to prepare for assisted living.

Admission free. Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, 915 Monroe St, Huntsville, AL 35801.

256-532-5940.

How to Do Things: Aromatherapy – 6:30-7:30pm.

Afton Harris of Blu Healing Spa shows how to use essential oils to balance and heal. HuntsvilleMadison County Public Library, 915 Monroe St, Huntsville, AL 35801. 256-532-5940.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 Dr. Rodney Soto presents “The Gene Makeover: A New Approach to Health and Wellness” – 6:30pm. The Seminar will be held at The Ledges Country Club, 32 Castle Downs Dr, Huntsville.

Dinner will be served. Cost: $35. To RSVP or for more information, call 256-325-1648.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 NEACA Fall Craft Show – 9am-7pm, Fri-Sat; 125pm, Sun. Various types of needlework, ceramics, flower arrangements, jewelry, decorated and handwoven baskets, pottery, stained glass, clothes, toys, woodwork and other items are featured. Admission free. Von Braun Center South Hall, 700 Monroe St, Huntsville, AL 35801. 256-533-1953.

natural awakenings

September 2013

25

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 Monte Sano Art Festival – 9am-5pm. Featuring the regions finest artists in an array of wonderful media, along with great music and delectable food.

Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville. MonteSanoArtFestival.com.

Movies in the Park: Brave – 8-10pm. Pop some popcorn, grab your blankets and lawn chairs and bring your family and friends for free “under the stars” showing of Brave. Community Archery Park at Point Mallard, 2901 Point Mallard Dr SE, Decatur, AL 35602. 256-341-4818.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Free Health Screening – 9:30am-12pm. Huntsville Hospital’s Mobile Medical Unit will be offering free health screenings to the public. Robert "Bob" Harrison Senior Wellness and Advocacy Center, 6156 Pulaski Pike, Huntsville, AL 35810.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 Ole Timey Craft & Bluegrass Festival – 4-10pm Fri; 9am-7pm Sat; 10am-5pm Sun. Bluegrass and country music all day. Southern comfort food and fixin's. Demonstrations of basket weaving, broom making, blacksmithing, Native American crafts, local produce. Admission charged. Paint Rock Valley Lodge & Retreat, County Rd 9, Estillfork, AL.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 11th Annual HOTC Dog Fair –9am-3pm. There will be a wide range of demonstrations and hands-on activities for the public and their canine companions.

Local shelters and rescue groups will showcase their dogs in need of a forever home. Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville. DogFair.org.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 Zumbathon FUNdraiser in Huntsville – 6-8pm.

Super fun event to benefit 4 local non-profit organizations. Professional DJ, awesome vendors, raffle prizes, and 5 instructors leading the Zumba way.

Admission $5. Vendor tables $10, contact Kathleen@elegantdancecompany.com. Alabama A&M Wellness Center, 4011 Meridian St., Huntsville, AL.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

savethedate Own Your Brilliance: A Soulful Empowerment Conference for Women

Need a deep transformation? Come and enjoy a life-changing conference, with inspirational speakers, performers, and dedicated time for self-reflection on a better life. Proceeds benefit non-profit Village of Promise.

October 17 • 6pm UAH Wilson Hall Auditorium, 301 Sparkman Dr, Huntsville Tickets: OwnYourBrilliance.Eventbrite.com

26

Tennessee Valley, AL

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ongoingevents

thursday Fusion Pilates – 9-10am. A fusion of Pilates and Hanna Somatic work teaching one to access and strengthen one’s deepest connections bringing balance to one’s spine and overall posture. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St, Ste C, Huntsville, AL. 256-704-5080. BodyLanguagePilates.com.

daily Madison County Farmers Market – 8am-5pm Mon-Fri; 6am-3pm Sat. Fresh, locally grown vegetables and fruit. 1022 Cook Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35801. 256-532-1661.

sunday Meditation – 8:30am. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, Huntsville, AL. 256-883-8596.

CSL-Huntsville.org.

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

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

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

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

Unity Church on the Mountain Worship Service – 11am, with Metaphysical Discussion at 9:30am.

Unity is a positive path for spiritual living. Reverend Phillip Fischer. Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr SE, Huntsville, AL. 256-536-2271.

UnityChurchOnTheMountain.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, AL. 256-895-0255.

LightOfChristCenter.org.

tuesday Latham UMC Farmers' Market – 3-7pm. Please come out and support local Alabama Farmers.

There will be live entertainment and events weekly.

Latham United Methodist Church, 109 Weatherly Rd SE, Huntsville, AL 35803.

Tuesday Farmers Market at Meridianville – 4-7pm. First Baptist Church of Meridianville, 175 Monroe Rd, Meridianville, AL 35759.

Petals for the Princess Market – 4:30-7:30pm.

Open-air market fresh produce and quality handcrafted artisan goods. Casa Grande Park, 218 2nd Ave SE, Decatur, 35601. Facebook.com/PetalsFor ThePrincessMarket.

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

CSL-Huntsville.org.

Beginner/Intermediate Mat Class – 6-7pm. This class adds more exercises from the series and will challenge one’s mind/body connections. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St, Ste C, Huntsville, AL. 256-704-5080. BodyLanguagePilates.com.

Tuesday Farmers Market at Meridianville – 4-7pm. First Baptist Church Meridianville, 175 Monroe Rd, Meridianville, AL 35759. Tuesday FarmersMarket.com.

Sierra Club North Alabama Tuesday Night Hike – 6-7:30pm. Depart at 6pm sharp from the Hiker's parking lot off Nolen Avenue. All dogs must remain on leash. Though not strenuous, hikes may be vigorous. Distance ranges from 2 to 4 miles. Park entrance fee charged. Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville, AL.

wednesday Balanced Possibilities, Unlimited Wellness 8-Week Workshop – Oct 2-Nov 20. The objective is to learn simple, non-medical lifestyle tools around low glycemic nutrition, exercise, stress management, and especially thought exchanging. Donations accepted. Unity Church on the Mountain, 1328 Governors Dr. SE, Huntsville, AL. 256-536-2271.

To register, contact BalancedWellnessLLC@gmail. com or call 256-683-3155.

Terry Heights Farmers Market – 4-7pm. Fresh, locally grown vegetables and fruit. Cash only.

Meadow Drive Baptist Church, 1000 Meadow Drive, Huntsville, Alabama 35816.

Yoga Wall Class with Bonnie Robertson – 5:306:30pm. Using the traditional yoga asanas, this exploration will allow you to go deeper within the body with the support and assistance of ropes, breaking down barriers of the mind and body. Body Language Pilates, 305 Jefferson St, Suite C, Downtown Huntsville. 256-704-5080. BodyLanguagePilates.com.

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

CSL-Huntsville.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. Led by Rev. David Leonard. Center for Spiritual Living, 308 Lily Flagg Rd, Huntsville, AL. 256-883-8596.

CSL-Huntsville.org.

Flying Monkey Community Garden Meeting – 6:15-7:15pm, 3rd Wednesday of each month.

The Flying Monkey Community Garden needs volunteers, as well as supporters. To sign up, contact Anna Sue on the Flying Monkey Arts floor, Studio 269. Flying Monkey Arts, 2211 Seminole Dr SW, Huntsville, AL 35805. Anna Sue: 256-533-0399.

The Greene Street Market at Nativity – 4-8pm.

Fresh, locally-grown vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers. Organically-raised beef, pork, chicken and eggs. 304 Eustis Ave, Huntsville, AL 35801. 256682-4429. GreeneStreetMarket.com.

friday Friday Night Artist Market – 5-8pm. Features art vendors, open artist studios and independent shops, hallway demonstrations and performance, relaxed open houses and a strong sense of community and connectedness. Admission free. Flying Monkey Arts, 2211 Seminole Dr SW, Huntsville, AL 35805.

256-468-5319.

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, AL. 256-895-0255.

saturday Bailey Cove Farmers Market – 8am-12pm. Fruits and vegetables of all kinds, all grown by local farmers. Artisanal breads, jams, jellies. Eggs, meat, flowers, and plants. St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 12200 Bailey Cove Rd, Huntsville, Al 35802.

BCFarmersMarket@gmail.com.

Madison Farmers Market – 8am-12pm. Local produce, home baked goods, goat cheese, milk, eggs, meats, fresh herbs, honey, relishes, jams and jellies.

Come see creations from local artisans including handmade cards, soaps, lotions, jewelry, candles, wood and iron works and other handmade items.

1282 Hughes Rd, Madison, AL 35758.

Audrey's Free Pilates in the Park – 10-11am, first Saturday of each month through September, weather permitting. Bring a mat, water, and sunglasses and meet by the big spring. Admission free. Big Spring Park, 200 Church St, Huntsville, AL 35801.

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, AL. FlyingMonkeyArts.org.

Community HU Song – 1:30-2pm. Join others in singing HU, an ancient love song to God that can help and uplift you in countless ways. Held each Saturday. Huntsville ECK Center, 900 Wellman Ave NE #3 (near Five Points). 256-534-1751.

ECK-Alabama.org.

natural awakenings

September 2013

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

ACUPUNCTURE

ENERGY HEALING

The Neeley Center for Health

CENTER FOR DIRECTIONAL HEALING™

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Chinese Herbology, Pastoral Counseling, Beam Ray Therapy, Rapid Eye Technology, Nutritional Supplementation, Detoxification.

For over 20 years, Susan Spalding and the staff at the Center for Directional Healing have been helping people achieve harmonic health through Directional Healing, Reflexology, and now the Amethyst Biomat. Clients may choose a single service, or combine all three for the most complete healing experience. Healing techniques, articles, and more information are available online at DirectionalHealing.com.

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

COLON HYDROTHERAPY CENTER FOR OPTIMAL WELLBEING U’Jeana Wilson Owner/Certified Colon Hydrotherapist Degree in Psychology 256-489-9806

Center for Optimal Wellbeing is the longest operating colonic therapy provider in Huntsville.

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

Hope For Life Colon Hydrotherapy

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 17.

Jarvis Natural Health Clinic 1489 Slaughter Road, Madison 256-837-3448

I-ACT Certified Colon Hydro Therapists. Do you know that 80% of your immune system is in your colon? Bathe your body from the inside to improve health. Colon irrigation aids in soothing and toning the colon, which makes elimination more effective.

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Susan Spalding 2225 Drake Ave. SW, Suite 18 Huntsville, 35805 256-882-0360 DirectionalHealing.com

ENERGY PSYCHOLOGY CENTER FOR PERSONAL GROWTH Shari Feinman-Prior, MS, MRET 915 Merchant Walk Way, SW Huntsville, AL 35801 256-289-3331 Shari1717@gmail.com

“SPARK YOUR LIGHT” FROM WITHIN YOUR TRUE BEING and TRANSFORM your life.

Offering an individualized integrative approach from energy psychology: Inner Counselor Process, Rapid Eye Technology, Healing Touch, Reiki, and Life Skills Coaching, to create change in deep seated patterns of behavior for a healthy and joyful life.

FARMERS MARKETS Farmers Market at Latham UMC on Weatherly

109 Weatherly Rd SE, Huntsville, AL 35803 256-881-4069 FarmersMarketAtLathamUMC.org Facebook.com/FarmersMarketAtLathamUMC Join us every Tuesday in May through September at Latham United Methodist Church on Weatherly beginning on May 7 from 3-7 pm in the Church parking lot on the Northeast corner of Weatherly Rd and South Parkway. Wide Variety of Fresh, Delicious, Locally grown Fruits, Vegetables provided by local farmers every week. Family Friendly Entertainment, Artisans and Activities.

MORGAN COUNTY/DECATUR FARMERS MARKET 211 1st Ave SE, Decatur, AL 35601 Burl Slaten • 256-476-5595

Open Monday-Saturday from 6am-5pm. There are a variety of vendors selling their homegrown foods.

They also shell peas and beans for a fee. Please support your local farmers.

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.

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

FAMILY MEDICINE MADISON FAMILY CARE

Chad Gilliam, M.M.S. PA-C 1230 Slaughter Road, Suite C, Madison, AL 256-722-0555 ProFamilyMed.com Progressive Family Medicine provides medical care for patients of all ages and uniquely blends Natural and Prescription medicines together to help speed the patient’s recovery. Progressive Family Medicine is the patient’s clinic of choice when they would like to understand how natural medicines work along with prescription drugs. See ads, page 9 and back page.

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

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

Call Today for YOUR Appointment.

HEALTH AND FITNESS Cronus Health & Fitness Eric J. Collier Certified Personal Trainer 256-509-9807 CronusPersonalFitness.com

Eric has been in the health and fitness industry for over 25 years.

Cronus Health & Fitness offers personally designed nutritional advise, exercise, and fitness programs for clients that already belong to a gym or just getting started that do not want to join a gym because of time constraints or feeling embarrassed. We will come to you instead of you coming to us!

HOLISTIC MEDICINE Holistic Medical Center of Alabama, P.A.

Rodney D. Soto, M.D., ABHIM, FAARFM 12205 County Line Road, Ste. E Madison, AL 256-325-1648 HolisticAlabama.com We offer an innovative model for health care that encompasses an individualized approach in order to balance and harmonize the mind, body and spirit thru a comprehensive assessment of your nutritional, hormonal, intestinal and immunological systems for the prevention and reversal of diseases. See ad, page 26.

HYPNOTHERAPY CENTER FOR INNER WELLNESS Becky Waters Certified Hypnotherapist and Professional Breathworker 3322 S. Memorial Parkway, Suite 641 Huntsville, AL 256-348-5236

Creating positive change through hypnotherapy and Breathwork. Empowering you to live to your highest potential. Relieve stress and anxiety, release negativity, pain management, pre/post medical procedure, fears/phobias, weight loss, smoking cessation, and more. See ad, page 7.

Marsha Mathes

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

JIN SHIN JYUTSU® Jin Shin Jyutsu of Huntsville Sandra Cope Huntsville 256-534-1794 256-509-3540

Certified Jin Shin Jyutsu Practitioner. An easy, effective way of restoring health and well-being by balancing the body’s energy pathways to enhance the body’s natural healing abilities. See ad, page 13.

LIFE COACHING SKILLS FOR LIFE COACHING Sue Barbara 256-653-6489

A compassionate life coaching method that begins with the understanding that we are whole and perfect. Life patterns are examined and transformed in order to live life intentionally, release the illusion of struggle, and reclaim life force. By focusing on the whole person (physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually), integrity is re-membered. See ad, page 17.

DIXIE PHILLIPS (LMT #2151) Dixie’s Sunrise Massage Therapy 3313 Memorial Parkway, Ste #116 Huntsville, AL 35801 256-585-0504 Hoss2ride@otelco.net

Massage Offering: MediCupping, Deep Tissue, Swedish. $10 off one hour session for Military Active Duty, Firemen, EMT or Police Officers.

Must advise at time of booking and show ID for discount. Since 2006.

See DixiesSunrise.MassageTherapy. com for all services.

Healthy Living Therapeutic Massage, LLC

Teresa Randles, (LMT #3601) 3303 Westmill Dr. Huntsville, AL 35805 256-426-1867 HealthyLivingTherapeuticMassage.abmp.com Healthy Living Therapeutic Massage is the place for relaxation, health, wellness, and stress reduction. Our mission is to give personal attention to each individual’s specific needs. You’re invited to experience the relaxation of therapeutic massage.

Available Monday-Saturday by appointment only. Located inside Huntsville Pool & Land Therapy. See ad, page 13.

MEETING ROOMS/ EVENT SPACE LIGHT OF CHRIST CENTER

4208 Holmes Ave, Huntsville 256-895-0255 • LightOfChristCenter.org Rent our beautiful vintage Centenarian House facility as the ideal venue for weddings, receptions, memorial services, classes/workshops and other gatherings. Call and leave a message if you’re interested in a tour or to speak with someone about your event. See ad, page 19.

MASSAGE Cloud Nine in home massages Evening and Weekend Appointments 256-337-6989

Finally, someone who makes housecalls! Swedish, Ortho and Deep Tissue massage in the privacy of your own home. Gift Certificates also available for any occasion.

NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR Alternative Medicine Associates Dr. Deb Gilliam, N.M.D. 1230 Slaughter Road, Madison, AL 256-325-0955

Gr w your business with us!

Advertise with us and reach thousands of healthy living individuals in the Tennessee Valley area.

Something for every budget!

256-340-1122

Editor@NatValley.com

Dr. Gilliam treats a variety of health problems with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, heart disease, hormone replacement and thyroid issues being at the forefront. Dr. Gilliam sees patients from around the world due to the reputation she has earned by treating hard to treat medical conditions. Dr. Gilliam works to find the cause of medical conditions and does not simply treat the patients’ symptoms. See ad, page 17.

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ORGANIC SKIN CARE NYR ORGANIC

Jennifer Campbell, Independent Team Leader 205­447­8678 CleanOrganicBeauty@gmail.com us.nyrorganic.com/shop/JenniferCampbell Certified organic award­ winning products from Neal’s Yard Remedies, a 30-­year success story from the UK, are now available in the US. Shop the collections, earn free products by hosting a skincare or spa event or begin your own NYR Organic business. Safe, beneficial and ethical. See ad, page 26.

PILATES Body Language, Inc.

305 Jefferson St., Ste. C 256-704-5080 sybil@bodylanguagepilates.com BodyLanguagePilates.com Our goal is to teach individuals how to take control of their health and well-being through the Pilates method, creating a wholesome person of sound mind, body, and spirit. Private, semi-private and group training on the equipment is available along with group mat classes.

SHAMAN HEALER Water, Willow & Moon Shamanic Healing Jeffrey Rich 256-­337-­1699 WaterWillowMoon.com Jeffrey.Rich@gmail.com

"Medicine for the Soul," shamanic healing is the sacred technology which can help you achieve wholeness by addressing the spiritual causes of dis­ease.

Empty? Out of sorts? Something "just not right"? "Haven't been the same since ..."? Explore the techniques of shamanic healing and find answers. Offering Soul Retrieval, Thoughtform Unraveling, Illumination, Space Clearing, Past Life Work and much more.

STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION Jaci Hogue

256-656-4108 jaci@alabamarolfmethod.com AlabamaRolfMethod.com A complete system of body education that balances the physical body, improves posture, and helps resolve chronic pain. Created by Dr. Ida P. Rolf in the 1950s, Structural Integration has been scientifically validated and has withstood the test of time, as millions of people have enjoyed the remarkable benefits.

SUSAN K. JEFFREYS

REIKI REIKI FREE CLINIC (NO CHARGE) Shari Feinman-Prior, MS, MRET 915-A Merchant Walk Way SW Huntsville, AL 35801 Shari1717@gmail.com

2-4pm, every Third Saturday of each month. For appointments, contact Shari Feinman-Prior at Shari1717@gmail.com.

REIKI CLASSES

Advanced Practitioner Lic.#249 Dr. Ida P. ROLF method 2336A Whitesburg Drive 256-512-2094 RolfGuild.org Serving Huntsville since 1995 “When the body gets working appropriately, then the force of gravity can flow through. Then spontaneously, the body heals itself.” —Ida P. Rolf. See ad, page 22.

CHRISTINE (LEE) KAMBACK, REIKI MASTER

Reiki classes, treatments & Massage Therapy Licensed Massage Therapist AL#405 256-714-8503 • ChristineKamback.com Serving the Huntsville area since 1998. All courses are NCBTMB and AL Board approved for Massage Therapists and Physical Therapists as well as the general public. Gentle effective therapy.

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WHOLE FOOD NUTRITION IsaBody for the Whole Body Eric J. Collier 256-509-9807 CronusNutrition.com

Eric has teamed up with a 10-year-old health, wellness, and nutritional supplement company that offers only highquality, natural, no-compromise products. Their world-class Research & Development team of 25 full time scientists ensures that the ingredients and products are engineered for safety, purity and potency. The IsaLean meal replacements shakes are made of high-quality un-denatured protein from New Zealand dairy cows that exceed USDA organic standards and sourced exclusively from grass-fed dairy cows not treated with hormones or antibiotics.

See ad, page 23.

YOGA CENTERS THE YOGA CENTER OF HUNTSVILLE

500 Pratt Ave, Suite A , Huntsville, AL 35801 256-533-7975 • YogaCenterOfHuntsville.com We offer all levels of Yoga for children, prenatal, beginners as well as Pilates, Meditation/ Pranayama. Our goal is for all students to achieve optimum health in a balance between mind, body and spirit while promoting a relaxing atmosphere to learn at your own pace. For our classes visit our web page.

YOGA TEACHER TRAINING YOGA DHARMA INTENSIVE STUDIES PROGRAM

Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga School (RYS 200) Suzanne Newton, Director • Huntsville AL Yoga Alliance E-RYT 500 International Association of Yoga Therapists Iyengar Yoga National Association of the US 256-585-3727 • YogaDharmaDowntown.com Suzanne.m.newton@gmail.com The Intensive Studies Program is designed for yoga practitioners with a minimum of three years of classroom training. If your focus is on personal development of your practice and/or earning CEU’s for the Yoga Alliance registration requirements, you may attend workshops that are offered on a regular basis. Monthly workshops meet at the Yoga Center of Huntsville. Contact Suzanne for more info.

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Progressive M ADISON Family F AMILY CARE M edic i n e

Alternative Medicine Associates • • • • • •

Complete Family Practice Sick Visits Diabetes Hypertension Asthma Thyroid

• • • • • •

Environmental Allergy Testing Food Allergy Testing Bio-Identical Hormones Laboratory Testing Gynecological Care X-Rays

Also welcoming Dr. Princess Robinson

Chad Gilliam, M.M.S., PA-C

Humphrey, MD

256-722-0555 1230 SLAUGHTER RD, SUITE C MADISON, AL 35758

ProFamilyMed.com Progress Toward Wellness & Prevention