Natural Awakenings Twin Cities May 2020

EE R F

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

Healing the

IMMUNE SYSTEM Autoimmune HOPE IN HARD TIMES Soul Nourishment

Breakthroughs Offer New Hope

All About Vitamin C

The Kitchen As Sacred Space

May 2020 | Twin Cities Edition | NAtwincities.com

“

The

STRENGTH to MEET LIFE

Sing HU once or twice a day for ten for fifteen minutes to spiritualize your state of consciousness.

During the time you’re singing HU, you are saying to Divine Spirit, “I’ve opened myself to you. Give me the understanding and the wisdom to meet the waves of life, and the problems, troubles, and whatever else.

Give me the strength to meet life.”

—Sri Harold Klemp The Mahanta, the Living ECK Master

HU k

Sacred Sound Ancient Mantra

The Path of Spiritual Freedom

www.Eckankar.org

2

Twin Cities Edition

HU (rhymes with you) is an ancient name for God that has been sung for thousands of years in many lands for spiritual unfoldment.Visit HearHU.org to learn more about its transformative and healing power.

NAtwincities.com

PSYCHOTHERAPY

SOLAR

HEALING MOTHER FRAN BIEGANEK, LP FOUR-WEEKALL ENERGY SOLAR INMS, THIS WEBINAR, We need WEBINAR to get angry Bhakti Wellness Center • 7550 France Ave. S. 1264 Energy Lane, St Paul EARTH 220, Edina PARTICIPANTS WILL: 800-620-3370 • AllEnergySolar.com and understand what 2 Suite Tuesdays, May 12-June 612-564-9947 • FranBieganekTherapy.com All Energy Solar is a trusted from 7-8:30 pm is at stake.

And then we • Learn a guidedandmeditation that will consciously As a Licensed Psychologist leader in the solar energy holistic practitioner, WeEarth provide clean, Registration: $98that connect Fran youworks with the Light Beings ofindustry.

Mother need to transform with clients to identify areas of green, solar energy potential growth, obstacles to solutions for residential, anger into action and Learn about the realms of theagricultural, earth: Mineral, Plant,clients. growth,• and processes that facilitate commercial, and government Join Annette, Environmental Healer and healing and transcendence of those Our team of industry professionals have been Animal, Human and Spiritual and how these realms to stand together united obstacles. She provides traumafocused on providing long-term, trusted relationships Transformation Guide to heal and deepen interconnected. informedare therapy that supports and just never give up. since 2009. Our industry experience allows us to

your connection with Mother Earth. ~Greta Thunberg

your goals of resiliency, healing confidently handle every aspect of the solar process.

• Connect with your personal guides and feeling better. See ad, page 3.

See ad, page earthly 13.

• Learn about your own Body ElementalTEACHINGS and how to SPIRITUAL RADIO/PODCASTS work together for the healing of your body

ECKANKAR TEMPLE OF ECK AM950 THE PROGRESSIVE VOICE 7450 Powers Blvd., Chanhassen and group healings to release OF MINNESOTA • Experience individual AM950Radio.com

To Register, visit

952-380-2200 • Eckankar.org

karmic energy that created separation

Are you looking for the The only Progressive Talk Radio personal experience of station•in Create Minnesota.

We strive to a stronger connection with the feminine God? Eckankar can help provide the best progressive energy within yourself and the Universe you fulfill your dream. We programming available and offer ways to explore your feature national talkers Bill Press, own unique and natural Thom Hartmann, Stephanie relationship with the Miller, Norman Goldman, and Divine through personalized study to apply in your more. We are also dedicated to local programming that everyday life. See ad, page 19. creates a community forum for important Minnesota Progressive issues. See ad, page 32.

AnnetteRugolo.com/calendar | 612-394-3736

BE well. STAY connected.

Support LOCAL BUSINESSES. LOCAL UPDATES AND RESOURCES With the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic causing uncertainty for citizens worldwide, Natural Awakenings in more committed than ever to supporting your health and wellbeing and the greater good of our community.

For the latest updates, tips and inspirations, visit NaturalTwinCities.com. You can also read our digital magazine, view a list of our easy-to-access distribution sites or subscribe to have each monthly issue delivered right to your mailbox.

Please remember to support local small businesses who are going out of their way to keep you healthy and green.

30

Twin Cities Edition

NAtwincities.com

May 2020

3

letter from the publisher

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

TWIN CITIES EDITION

Publisher Candi Broeffle

Editors Cheryl Hynes

Randy Kambic

Writer Jackie Flaherty

Ad Sales Candi Broeffle SchaOn Blodgett

Design & Production Sara Shrode

CONTACT US P.O. Box 27617 Golden Valley, MN 55427 Ph: 763-270-8604 NAtwincities.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $25 (for 12 issues) to the above address.

NATIONAL TEAM

CEO/Founder Sharon Bruckman COO/Franchise Sales Joe Dunne National Editor Jan Hollingsworth

Managing Editor Linda Sechrist

National Art Director Stephen Blancett Art Director Josh Pope

Financial Manager Yolanda Shebert Asst. Director of Ops Heather Gibbs

Digital Content Director Rachael Oppy

National Advertising Lisa Doyle-Mitchell Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation 4933 Tamiami Trail N., Ste. 203 Naples, FL 34103 Ph: 239-434-9392 • Fax: 239-434-9513 NaturalAwakeningsMag.com

© 2020 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised.

Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment.

W

hat a strange and remarkable time we are living in. The events of 9/11/2001 rocked us to our core, making us more vulnerable than we ever thought possible, and causing us to understand that the security we once took for granted would never return. We united as a nation and the world reached out in our sorrow.

We knew who our enemy was and how it wanted to bring terror into our lives, and yet we stood strong. We gathered around each other, supported one another, and did what we could to help restore the Candi Broeffle sense of security we once enjoyed. All too quickly our fear of other turned this state of unity into distrust and we became divided.

Here we are, less than 20 years later, facing an enemy without a face, without a religion, without any characteristics we can pinpoint. It’s completely unnerving, so in our fear we try to put a face to it. We tell ourselves that this enemy came from a lab in another faraway country that wants to take away our sense of well-being; this enemy only targets the old and those that are not in good health; this enemy is not real, but a madeup disease to take away our freedoms and rights; and the many more ideas designed to somehow restore some sense of security to our world. This kind of thinking or rationalization has the opposite effect by stimulating more fear which divides. That which divides is painful and destructive; that which unites is strengthening and constructive.

This is not to say that fear is unwarranted. People all over this country, all over the world, are facing fear caused by an event that is unprecedented in our lifetime. People are concerned for their health and the health of their families; jobs and incomes are being lost; many businesses won’t survive; and the silence of isolation can be deafening for many. Our lives are upended.

However, we can turn the fear inside-out by acknowledging that the greatest fear is coming from the minds of billions making unknown scenarios, not even true, but can become true if focused on long enough. Its opposite is equally true, where we can focus on whatever is positive in our life and help that to grow. To this end, partake of a most interesting read on page 19, “Hope in Hard Times,” by Vajracharya Dechan, and the Cherokee legend therein.

We know that fear can take away our choices. If there were, indeed, an enemy, it would be FEAR. It limits our creativity and causes us to focus only on our smallest self and outer events. It activates our fight, flight or freeze survival response which manifests in worry, guilt, anger, blame, judgement, overwhelm, lack of control, antagonism, resignation and other debilitating states.

Throughout the pages of this magazine and online on our website and social media pages, you will find more resources to help you abide in hope and well-being; with hope, our creativity opens, our blinders come off, and we can begin co-creating the world we want to live in: one filled with peace, love, freedom, wellness, security, ease and joy.

What a wonderful world!

Natural Awakenings Magazine is ranked 5th Nationally in CISION’S® 2016 Top 10 Health & Fitness Magazines

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soy-based ink.

4

Twin Cities Edition

Candi Broeffle, Publisher

NAtwincities.com

Natural Awakenings is a family of nearly 70 healthy living magazines celebrating 26 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

16

Contents 13 BREASTS LUMPS

14

AND BUMPS

Fibrocystic Breasts

14 AWAKEN TO

HOMEOPROPHYLAXIS

16 HEALING THE

20

IMMUNE SYSTEM

Autoimmune Breakthroughs Offer New Hope

19 HOPE IN HARD TIMES 20 SOUL NOURISHMENT

The Kitchen As Sacred Space

24 WELL-BEING IN THE ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 763-270-8604 or email Publisher@NAtwincities.com. Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@NAtwincities.com.

Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: Publisher@NAtwincities.com.

Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309.

For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

26

FACE OF A PANDEMIC

Boosting Your Physical and Psychological Immune Systems

26 ALL ABOUT VITAMIN C

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 8 health briefs 10 global briefs 12 eco tip

20 conscious

eating 28 calendar 28 resource guide May 2020

5

news briefs

Healing Mother Earth Webinar

A

Silver Fillings:

Just ugly?

Or harmful too?

This is a picture of a “Silver” or “Amalgam” filling. It is 50 52% MERCURY! If the mercury in this filling were spilled in a school, it would be evacuated....

This is a picture of a “light cured” composite filling.

They can last as long or longer than mercury fillings with no danger of releasing harmful heavy metals.

As noted on Dr. Mercola, Dr. Oz, and 60 Minutes...

Mercury fillings may have a significant negative impact on your overall health.

nnette Rugolo is offering a four-week online webinar to help participants connect to Mother Earth and strengthen their roots during these uncertain, sometimes chaotic times. The Embracing Mother Earth webinar will meet for 90 minutes beginning at 7 p.m., on Tuesdays, May 12 to June 2.

“Challenging times present us with opportunities to transform and this is one of those times,” says Rugolo, author of Soul Whisperer: Releasing Lost Souls, referring to the coronavirus pandemic that is disrupting all our lives. “We are being called to heal and reawaken our connection to Mother Earth.”

“There are higher dimensional light beings working with the Earth and waiting to connect with us, work with us and teach us new ways of being,” Rugolo explains. “Young children have been bringing the awareness of these beings into our lives for years as they talk about and try to describe what they see.”

“We now have a chance to go within and heal whatever has created a disconnect from the Earth and the ones who have been here to help us,” says Rugolo in regards to her upcoming webinar. “Only when we believe that these beings are real can we begin to co-create a world that is healthy, thriving and supportive to all who inhabit her.”

In this four-week webinar, participants learn a guided meditation to consciously connect with Mother Earth; learn about the realms of the Earth: mineral, plant, animal, human and spiritual and how they are interconnected; receive activations and meditations that will help heal the wounds that created a disconnect; connect with the light beings that have been supporting Mother Earth and with personal earthly guides; experience individual and group healings to release karmic energy that created the separation; learn how to communicate with the mineral and plant realms; and create a stronger connection with the feminine energy within one’s self and the Universe.

“You have been expanding your light and now it is time to bring your light to help the Earth,” Rugolo shares. “As you do, you will feel a deeper connection with your own body, with those around you and with the Earth itself.”

Rugolo, a master dowser, environmental healer and author, has been leading groups and individuals in healing meditations for Mother Earth since 2010. Through a deep understanding and the ability to connect and transform energy, she is a guide for others in navigating the multidimensional world in which we live.

Cost: $98/four-week online webinar. For more information or to register, visit AnnetteRugolo.com. See ad, page 3.

Make 2020 2017 YOUR year for healthy choices!

Dr. Madelyn Pearson is the current president of the Holistic Dental Association and has advanced training in safe mercury removal.

Call or visit our website for more info: (651) 483-9800

www.NaturalSmilesDental.com 6

Twin Cities Edition

NAtwincities.com

Healthy Girls Breast Oil Special In May

T

he flagship product, Healthy Girls Breast Oil, of Aromatherapy Nature’s Way LLC, has a special offer for Mother’s Day and the entire month of May. Through intense research and consultation with professional aromatherapists, Joyce Sobotta, founder, evolved Healthy Girls Breast Oil to the high-quality product it is today. The Healthy Girls Breast Oil formula, when applied with a loving, lymphatic breast self-massage, stimulates the immune system, softens breast tissue, and helps to decrease pain and tenderness, while it nurtures and protects breast tissue.

A new website to exclusively handle retail and wholesale orders of Healthy Girls Breast Oil can be found at HealthyGirlsBreastOil.com.

For the month of May, they honor all women by offering a special: Order two, two-packs (four bottles) of Healthy Girls Breast Oil and receive one bottle free. Your free bottle will be automatically added to each order of two, two-packs.

Sobotta transitioned that part of her business to her daughter, Cheryl Spitzer, in September 2018. Spitzer is a respected nutrition response testing (NRT) practitioner at Cheryl’s Therapeutic Nutrition, in St. Charles, and her office assistant, Lindsey, is invaluable in helping with all aspects of both businesses. For more information, visit CherylsTherapeuticNutrition.com.

Sobotta will continue to consult and educate about the lymphatic system and instructions for the lymphatic breast selfmassage, in blogs, newsletters, magazine articles and social media platforms. She includes scientific studies how essential oils benefit breast health.

For more info, visit AromatherapyNaturesWay. com. See ad, page 15.

May 2020

7

In a study of 76 people with mildly high total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, research published in the Journal of Herbal Medicine found that consuming 30 milliliters of vinegar made from date pulp and pits daily for four weeks significantly improved total cholesterol, LDL, triglyceride and HDL levels, as well as several biomarkers of inflammation.

Take Quercetin to Reduce Blood Pressure Supplementation with quercetin, a plant pigment found in capers, cilantro, fennel, onions, red leaf lettuce, watercress, elderberries, asparagus, kale, cocoa, apples and chia seeds, can significantly reduce both diastolic and systolic blood pressure, lowering each by about three milliliters/ Hg, reports a new review of research published in the Oxford Academic Journal, of 17 clinical studies that tested 896 participants. Quercetin also improved HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels when consumed for eight weeks or more.

8

Twin Cities Edition

NAtwincities.com

Fewer than seven hours of sleep for a child is not only linked to anxiety, depression, impulsiveness and cognitive difficulties, but also impacts a child’s brain structure, suggests new research from the UK’s Warwick University published in Molecular Psychiatry. Researchers used data that included MRI scans of more than 11,000 children ages 9 to 11 from 21 centers in the U.S. Parents also provided information about their child’s sleep duration and mental health conditions, and children performed a battery of cognitive tests. Researchers found that compared to children that slept between the recommended nine and 11 hours, those receiving less than seven hours had 53 percent more behavioral problems and scored 7.8 percent lower on cognitive tests. In children that slept less, volumes were smaller in five brain regions. Children that slept longer showed less depression and higher cognitive scores, and felt safer and more secure in their homes and neighborhoods.

SK Design/Shutterstock.com

A new Harvard study of 746 young sperm donors reports that men that exercise more have better sperm quality.

The men, with an average age of 26, at least a high school education and no radiation exposure or sexually transmitted diseases, were qualified to donate to a sperm bank in their area. Compared to men that seldom exercised, those that reported the most total exercise and logged the most time doing intense workouts had better sperm motility, which increases the chances for sperm to move through the female reproductive tract to reach an egg.

Tuck Kids In Early to Reduce Depression and Cognitive Issues

Ljupco Smokovski/Shutterstock.com

Exercise to Boost Sperm Quality

Dean Drobot/Shutterstock.com

Consume Date Vinegar to Boost Heart Health and Reduce Inflammation

health briefs

Kamira/Shutterstock.com

arilyn barbone/Shutterstock.com

Watch Out: Rapid Weather Changes Boost Flu Risk

Eat Less Sulfur Amino Acids to Reduce Heart Disease Risk A plant-based diet low in such sulfur amino acid foods as meat, dairy, nuts and soy may be key to lowering the risk of heart disease, concludes a study from the Penn State University College of Medicine. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins; a subcategory called sulfur amino acids plays integral roles in metabolism. Researchers correlated diets and blood biomarkers of more than 11,000 participants from a national study and found people that ate foods containing fewer sulfur amino acids tended to have a decreased risk for cardiometabolic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. They also found that the average American consumes almost two-and-a-half times more sulfur amino acids than the estimated average requirement. “People who eat lots of plant-based products like fruits and vegetables will consume lower amounts of sulfur amino acids,” says lead author Zhen Dong, a doctor of public health.

Confirming this, a Northwestern Medicine and Cornell University study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that every two servings of red meat, processed meat or poultry per week increased cardiovascular disease risk by 3 to 7 percent. For every two servings of red meat or processed meat per week, the risk of death from any cause was increased by 3 percent. The findings, based on an analysis of six studies involving 29,682 people, contradict a controversial study published last year that recommended people not reduce the amount of red meat and processed meat they eat. “Everyone interpreted that it was okay to eat red meat, but I don’t think that is what the science supports,” says senior study author Norrina Allen, a professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern.

Rapid weather swings as a result of climate change raise the risk of flu virus infections and epidemics, reports a study from Florida State University and international researchers. Tracing weather patterns and infection rates during a 20-year period in the U.S., China, Italy and France, scientists found that extreme fluctuations in weather during the autumn months of 2017 essentially kick-started that winter’s severe flu epidemic, implying, “The lapsed human immune system in winter caused by rapidly changing weather makes a person more susceptible to flu virus,” says lead author Zhaohua Wu, a professor of meteorology. The study warned that as weather variability increases, Europe could see a 50 percent increase in deaths tied to flu by the end of the century, but added that factoring in weather variability could help public health planning.

Caring for your loved one like family Providing assistance with: personal cares meal prep and feeding assistance medication administration transfers and mobility transportation advocacy at medical appointments. and more!

To learn more, call 763-600-6967 May 2020

9

Buzz Off

global briefs

If Australia can grow enough of the puffy, pink Asparagopsis taxiformis seaweed for every cow in Australia, the country could cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent.

That’s the conclusion the University of the Sunshine Coast (Australia) seaweed research group leader Associate Professor Nick Paul. The cows burp out methane, but, “When added to cow feed at less than two percent of the dry matter, this particular seaweed completely knocks out methane production. It contains chemicals that reduce the microbes in the cows’ stomachs that cause them to burp when they eat grass,” he says. Cows are known to eat seaweed. “This seaweed has caused a lot of global interest, and people around the world are working to make sure the cows are healthy, the beef and the milk are good quality,” Paul notes.

“But the one missing step, the big thing that is going to make sure this works at a global scale, is to make sure we can produce the seaweed sustainably.”

Life Perseveres

New Bird Species Found on Remote Island

Although thousands of species have been identified and finding new taxa like birds, is rare, a study published in the journal Science describes five new songbird species and five new subspecies found on a single small island near Sulawesi, Indonesia, during a six-week expedition. Scientists targeted the area because of its geological history and complexity, and the historical notes of other explorers.

Two factors that contributed to the description of the large number of species in a small geographic area included knowledge of geographical land connections that helped pinpoint isolated islands likely to harbor substantial endemism and accounts of historic collectors such as British naturalist Alfred Wallace. The findings suggest that human understanding of biogeographically complex regions remains incomplete.

10

Twin Cities Edition

NAtwincities.com

kurt/Shutterstock.com

Seaweed Lowers Cows’ Methane Emissions

New research from the University of Sheffield in the UK published in Scientific Reports suggests that individual members of a bee swarm behave like neurons in a human brain.

The scientists applied a theoretical model commonly used to study human psychology to the behavior of bee colonies, and they believe that studying “bee speak” could inform us about how our own minds make decisions. In the field of psychophysics, Weber’s law describes a relationship between the size of a stimulus and noticeable increases in its magnitude.

This general rule about stimulus and perception has been observed in birds, fish and even the collective behavior of simpler organisms, but not in whole clusters of tiny brains such as an insect hive. To investigate its role in the decision-making processes of the European honey bee (Apis mellifera), the researchers watched hives split apart and hunt for new homes. Among bees, the process of choosing a hive comes down to the interactions of scout bees communicating their discoveries through a visual display of body wiggles. “The study also supports the view of bee colonies as being similar to complete organisms,” says computer scientist and lead author Andreagiovanni Reina.

Charging Ahead

New Batteries From Fruit Waste

Carbon aerogels that exhibit high specific surface areas, high proportions of mesopores and significant levels of nitrogen doping have been developed for the first time using waste from durian fruit and jackfruit scraps using a chemical-free, green synthesis procedure. According to the Journal of Energy Storage, the electrodes also displayed long-term cycling stability and rapid charge–discharge processes. Both electrodes are attractive candidates for the next generation, high-performance, yet lowcost supercapacitors for energy storage devices derived from biowastes.

Holy Polygon/Shutterstock.com

Passing Gas

Daniel Prudek/Shutterstock.com

Bee Swarms Form Giant Brains

Diana Taliun/Shutterstock.com amilpetran/Shutterstock.com

Jolly Good

King of Bhutan Requests Selfless Gift

The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, turned 40 years old on February 21.

Rather than ask for gifts, he asked his people to either plant a tree, adopt a stray animal or clean up their neighborhood in his honor.

The Himalayan nation is consistently ranked one of the most eco-friendly countries in the world. In May 2016, Wangchuck and his wife celebrated the birth of their firstborn son by asking each of the nation’s households to plant a sapling, resulting in more than 108,000 trees planted.

Wild Things Maria Sbytova/Shutterstock.com

Wildness a Big Factor in Urban Parks

A new study led by the University of Washington (UW) has found that not all forms of nature are created equal when considering benefits to people’s well-being.

Experiencing wildness is particularly important for physical and mental health, according to the study published in the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Cities. This is the first study to show that wildness in urban areas is profoundly important for human well-being. “The wilder areas in an urban park seem to be affording more benefits to people, and their most meaningful interactions depended on those relatively wild features,” says lead author Elizabeth Lev, a graduate student in the UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences.

Senior author Peter Kahn, a UW professor of environmental and forest sciences and psychology, says, “Everywhere, development is chipping away at wild areas. Humanity has caused so much destruction and there’s no stopping it—unless we stop. We’re trying to show that if you’re going to develop an area, you at least need to understand the human costs.” The researchers hope studies like this can be used as part of the decisionmaking process for development proposals in parks and urban natural areas. They compiled their analysis methods into a handbook that can be used in other cities around the world.

Financial Fix

Great Britain Coal Use Falls With Carbon Tax

A tax on carbon dioxide emissions in Great Britain has led to the proportion of electricity generated from coal falling from 40 percent to 3 percent over six years, according to research led by University College London (UCL) and the University of Cambridge. In a report entitled The Value of International Electricity Trading, researchers showed the British Carbon Price Support tax caused electricity generated from coal to fall from 13.1 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2013 to 0.97 TWh in September 2019, and that coal was replaced by other less emission-heavy forms of generation such as gas. The decline in coal generation accelerated substantially after the tax was increased in 2015. The tax is one part of the Total Carbon Price, which also includes the price of EU Emissions Trading System permits. Project leader Dr. Giorgio Castagneto Gissey, of the Bartlett Institute for Sustainable Resources, says, “Should EU countries also adopt a high carbon tax, we would likely see huge carbon emission reductions throughout the continent as we’ve seen in Great Britain over the last few years.”

May 2020

11

eco tip JPC-PROD/Shutterstock.com

Virus Fighters

Essential Oils for Challenging Times In these coronavirus days, an essential oil mixture with legendary origins in the Bubonic Plague offers soothing scents for the homebound and might add some viral protection.

The mixture of five oils: eucalyptus, clove, cinnamon, lemon and rosemary, is known as Thieves. As the story goes, in the 1500s, as the Black Death decimated Europe, when four unemployed spice merchants that turned to robbing the bodies and homes of the dead were captured and threatened with being burned alive, they confessed to the judge their secret to avoiding infection—the spice blend that they rubbed on their hands, ears, feet and temples.

They were all hanged, but their formula survives as Thieves, and is today one of the most popular essential oil blends in the market, sold under that name and also as Five Guards, Health Shield and Fighting Five. Although shown to sharply reduce three kinds of airborne bacteria in 10 minutes, its antiviral properties have not been extensively studied. Its components, however, have proven antimicrobial, antiseptic and antiviral properties: n Eucalyptus, long used for respiratory infections, has been proven effective against a number of viruses, particularly the swine flu and herpes type 1 viruses. n Clove has exhibited strong antiviral activity against such viruses as the adenovirus type 3 respiratory virus, poliovirus and coxsackievirus. n Cinnamon leaf shows antiviral activity and can prevent pneumonia due to influenza. n Lemon oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties, and is often used in cleaning products.

12

Twin Cities Edition

NAtwincities.com

n Rosemary eases stress and has antiviral, antimicrobial and antidepressant qualities.

Thieves can be purchased in natural health stores or online. For a homemade blend, Jennifer Lane, an aromatherapist, registered nurse and founder of LovingEssential Oils.com, recommends combining these essential oils: 4 35 drops lemon 4 20 drops cinnamon leaf 4 15 drops clove bud 4 15 drops eucalyptus 4 10 drops rosemary Adding five drops of the blend, along with water in a diffuser, can waft the scent throughout a room and diminish airborne odors and germs. For respiratory support, put a few drops into a cup of steaming, but not boiling, water, drape a towel around the cup and face, and breathe in the fumes. Add it to a carrier oil like jojoba oil or coconut oil at a 1:30 ratio (such as one-half ounce Thieves to 15 ounces jojoba) and rub it on pulse points in the wrist and neck. But do not ingest the blend. If a child under 10 is in the house, don’t diffuse it or use it topically on them, because rosemary and eucalyptus can be unsafe for a child, advises Christina Anthis, author of The Beginner’s Guide to Essential Oils: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started.

Breasts Lumps and Bumps Fibrocystic Breasts

F

by Joyce Sobotta

ibrocystic breast tissue is often termed a disease by the medical profession. It is more characteristic of the breast rather than a disease. Many women notice monthly cyclic patterns, with symptoms most severe during ovulation and just before menstruation.

It can be uncomfortable, because the breasts develop those weird knobby cysts that feel like a breast cancer lump. But not all lumps are cancerous. Statistics show that 90 percent of breast lumps are benign. Benign breast lumps are common, usually move around when pressed and are not painful.

Breasts are composed of fat and connective tissue, and over time the ratio changes to more connective tissue, which results in the breasts becoming more dense. Breasts lumps are very common in women in their 40s, when their hormones are changing. Breast cysts are fluid-filled, and often a physician suggests a local anesthetic to aspirate with a needle. Instead of this painful experience, women can learn to do a gentle breast self-massage daily.

Giving one’s breasts a loving lymphatic massage every day not only moves the lymph, but it is healing in every way. Women have found that this massage reduces breast pain, inflammation, lumps, cysts and fibrocystic breast tissue. Plus, it can relieve PMS breast symptoms and may reduce fear of complications. Use a light touch, moving the skin instead of massaging the muscles. This is a beautiful, fun way to “get to know your girls and take care of them.”

The underlying cause of fibrocystic breast and other health concerns usually have the same origin. Consider these tips to nurture the breasts as well as improve the immune system:

Tips to Nurture the Breasts

Eat healthy. Reduce your body’s toxic burden by avoiding processed food, eating organic when possible and eliminating simple sugars and carbohydrates. Investigate any food sensitivities or allergies that may affect digestion. Good food choices will help a person keep a healthy weight. Look into probiotic supplements to help maintain a healthy ratio of intestinal flora.

Drink plenty of purified or filtered water. One half a person’s body weight in ounces of water every day will help to carry oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Enough water will eliminate toxins and waste and will help the individual experience less fatigue and pain.

Breathe deeply and slowly. Start deep in the diaphragm and inhale through the nose. Deep breathing is one of the best ways to move lymph fluid throughout the body. A person’s breath goes directly to the lungs, stimulating the vagus nerve to rest and restore the nervous system.

Stretch and get regular physical exercise. Jumping on a rebounder, walking, yoga, tai chi, Pilates and other moderate activities, such as dancing or swimming, all are helpful—especially when a person does them every day.

Don’t be afraid to sweat. Sweating helps detoxify the body and supports lymphatic function. Avoid aluminum-based antiperspirants.

Limit exposure to environmental toxins. Several studies indicate 95 percent of all cancer is due to diet and accumulation of toxins. Learn about harmful ingredients, read labels and choose safe personal care, beauty and household cleaning products.

Avoid restrictive clothing. Any tight clothing can impede lymph flow. Try to go bra-free for at least 12 hours a day. Studies show tight clothing blocks lymphocytes, the white blood cells that destroy abnormal cells.

Nurture and protect with quality essential oils. Pure essential oils help the immune system ward off infections, release toxins and relieve many emotional disturbances.

Essential oils are probiotic, increase blood flow, release and remove metabolic waste, provide regeneration, increase oxygen and alleviate hormonal-related issues.

Examine any emotional issues. Learn techniques that calm anxiety and heal, such as EFT and meditation. Women need to give themselves permission to forgive themselves for all the things they thought they did wrong.

No emotions are bad. They all have something to tell us. Everyone should be honest about their feelings and speak out what they feel.

Get plenty of good sleep. Quality sleep may prevent hypertension, nervous anxiety, inflammation and improper glucose control.

Sleeping in a room without light allows the body to repair many facets and keeps hormones healthy–especially melatonin.

Every woman needs to take charge of her breast health. It is not the responsibility of her doctor or anyone else. Women need to be mindful and aware of what is happening within their breasts and body. By using these tips, women will be better able to connect to their inner consciousness (intuition) and healing energy and learn to appreciate, love and celebrate their magnificence.

Joyce Sobotta is the founder/ owner of Healthy Girls Breast Oil and is available for presentations, consultations and essential oil classes. To learn more, visit Aromatherapy NaturesWay.com. See ad, page 15.

May 2020

13

AWAKEN TO

Homeoprophylaxis

by Cilla Whatcott, CCH, Ph.D.

T

here’s a growing awareness of the role microbes play in human health. Sales of probiotics and prebiotics have skyrocketed in the last few decades. As Sayer Ji states on his website GreenMedInfo.com, “When we engage in a war against germs and organisms, we are doomed to fail and to cripple not only our species, but our home as well. When we work with the natural world, honoring the complex web that we all share, we will bring back a vital health.” People are rapidly waking up to the natural world of health.

Part of that “natural world” includes something called homeoprophylaxis (HP). HP is administered in the mouth via tiny pellets. This is where natural immunity begins—in mucous membrane—where initial immune responses are triggered as the pellets touch the tongue. HP contains no adjuvants, preservatives, antibiotics or excipients of any kind.

It contains only the frequency of the disease. There’s no war against microbes. HP honors the natural world.

Diluted past Avogadro’s number (its molecular weight in grams), HP is a form of homeopathy that is devoid of any molecules and thus harmless. It contains an energetic frequency that “educates” the immune system to recognize a disease when met in the environment and effectively either repel the disease or mount an appropriate immune response.

Evidence Abounds

Effective applications include childhood disease, endemic tropical disease and epidemic disease. This 200-year-old method of disease protection has been used world14

Twin Cities Edition

NAtwincities.com

wide with no recorded deaths or injuries.

Large scale observational studies have been conducted in Cuba for leptospirosis (Bracho, G, Varela, E, Fernandez, R, et al.“Large-scale application of highly-diluted bacteria for leptospirosis epidemic control.” Homeopathy. 99 (2010): 156166.); in Brazil for meningitis in 85,000 people (Mroninski, Adriano, Mattos.

Homeopathic Links, Winter 2001, Vol 14(4)); Influenza (International Journal of High Dilution Research 2011; 10(36):174176); and for the prevention of childhood illnesses in 3500 children (Golden, Isaac.

Homeoprophylaxis-A Fifteen Year Clinical Study: A Statistical Review of Efficacy and Safety of Long Term Homeoprophylaxis.

Gisborne. Vic. 2004). Effectiveness has proven to be robust and, in many cases, to exceed the effectiveness of conventional vaccines in long-term health outcomes. India has utilized HP for the prevention of Japanese encephalitis for over 20 million people as well. (Srinivasulu, G. An Open Observational Study on the Prevention of Japanese Encephalitis through Miasmatic Prescription, Journal of Homoeopathy, UK 2014).

Most recently, the Cuban government has distributed Prevengovir to boost natural immunity in the presence of the current viral outbreak. Its homeopathic ingredients are: A. barbariae 200c; Bacillinum 30c; Influenzinum 30c; Tub aviare 200c; Pyrogenium 200c; Arsenicum alb 200c; Eupatorium perfoliatum 200c; and Baptisia tinctoria 200c.

HP is not the same as vaccination.

Its purpose is to address the terrain, not the germ. Instead of producing antibodies, HP enhances innate immunity, fortifying the natural terrain to support more robust health. It is endorsed by government-employed doctors in India, distributed widely in Cuba for epidemics, utilized in South American countries and well-known in Europe. It is growing in popularity in the U.S. Dr. Isaac Golden, the world’s leading researcher of HP and the author of the 15-year clinical study cited above, recently made the following statement: “Homeopathy could assist all governments immediately, at a low cost,

without any risk of side effects, ing no uncovered population at Homeoprophylaxis embodies and make a definite impact on the risk. Additionally, the same can be the energy of cooperation and progress of… [circulating viruses]. administered to multiple species— harmony. Instead of a war against human, avian and animal populaIn decades to come, I expect histodisease, it promotes robust rians to look back at recent decades tions—thus addressing all vectors of of pharmaceutical aggression and health by cooperation with natural disease. their domination of many health Homeoprophylaxis embodfrequencies so we can live in greater systems, and measure the immense ies the energy of cooperation and harmony with viruses and bacteria. harmony. Instead of a war against cost and the damage to millions of lives caused by those who prevented disease, it promotes robust health by decision makers from seeing the true evidence-based benefits cooperation with natural frequencies so we can live in greater of safe and inexpensive natural options.” harmony with viruses and bacteria. Easy accessibility, safety and ease of distribution are all available with HP. Thanks to Use in Epidemics forward-thinking countries and individuals, the world is awakAs Dr. Tetyana Obukhanych says in the film, Quest for Real Imening and the message is slowly being heard. munity, “Information is the antidote to fear.” In other words, the greater our consciousness of any topic, the more choices we have.

Cilla Whatcott, CCH, Ph.D., board-certified When our awareness is narrow, it seems we have no choices at all. classical homeopath, was featured in “The Truth If we believe only the evening news, the only choice seems to be about Vaccines,” and is the proud recipient of a 2016 panic and quarantine. Let’s step away from the current hype and public service award from the Weston A. Price fearmongering and examine the historical context to consider a Foundation for her work. She is the executive new perspective. director of Real Immunity, an organization that has Conventional vaccines have been the accepted and preproduced and directed the Real Immunity film series featured on ferred method of protection, yet they pose serious drawbacks Gaia.com that also offers customized homeoprophylaxis programs. to reaching those in need in a timely manner. Actual research For more information, visit RealImmunity.org. and development can take months to years initially. More time is required for mass production adding further delays before distribution. Complex regulations with inevitable setbacks can stall the process. Exorbitant costs can eclipse funding, making keeping up with rapidly evolving epidemics a difficult challenge.

Healthy Girls Breast Oil • Essential Oil Classes Expensive refrigeration is required for shipment and distribution.

Angelic Inspired Mystic Elixirs • Custom Blends Medical personnel are necessary for injection with hypodermic needles. Once administered, the required amount of time elapsContact me today! ing in the individual before antibody production occurs forestalls 715-878-4474 or 715-828-0117 Joyce@AromatherapyNaturesWay.com rapid protection. Certain vaccines can only be given to a narrow AromatherapyNaturesWay.com segment of the population such as adults over 18 years of age.

Adverse effects for some members of the population are a reality and distinct liability; and many question if vaccines are actually contributing to overall health and vitality.

Educator, Aromatherapy, Lymphatic, Consultations Using homeoprophylactic intervention for epidemics makes sense for a number of reasons. Initially, the remedies used in HP are very easily produced. Production time is brief, requiring two weeks or less. The cost of manufacturing is very low compared to Delivered right to your conventional vaccine production, making them readily available mailbox for just to poor and developing countries.

HP remedies remain stable at room temperature so they $25/year? require no refrigeration or cumbersome methods to transport.

Yes, please!

Since they are administered orally, they require no needles and no licensed medical personnel to distribute. Administrators can be rapidly treated in a short period of time at minimal cost. This flexibility allows HP to be adapted to most local conditions and to the poorest of populations. Distribution is swift and manageable.

Email Unlike vaccines, which are often targeted to specific age Publisher@NATwinCities.com groups, HP can be given to any age person very safely, leav-

Holistic Breast Health

Joyce Sobotta

Subscribe Today

May 2020

15

metamorworks/Shutterstock.com

Healing the Immune System Autoimmune Breakthroughs Offer New Hope

by April Thompson

S

ome 23 million Americans suffer from one or more autoimmune diseases—a category comprised of more than 80 conditions, including fibromyalgia, Hashimoto’s disease, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and Type 1 diabetes. These pernicious disorders are notoriously difficult to diagnose, even harder to treat and can be debilitating, diminishing the quality of life for sufferers.

Another commonality is the increased prevalence of autoimmune disease in women versus men; in the case of lupus, for example, a nine-fold difference. Some early indicators are that this may be related to a “gene dosage effect”, as men with XXY chromosomes have the same risk of developing lupus as other women, and women with XXX chromosomes (known in medical parlance as “superwomen”) have an even higher risk of autoimmune disease, according to Judith James, 16

Twin Cities Edition

chair of the Arthritis & Clinical Immunology Program at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, in Oklahoma City.

Yet there is hope on the horizon, as scientific discoveries unlock important insights about the manifestation and progression of autoimmune diseases leading to new treatments and prevention tips. Evidence is also mounting around the role of diet and lifestyle in autoimmune conditions, giving patients new avenues for taking charge of their health instead of simply waiting for a cure.

Autoimmune diseases are chronic and can affect almost any part of the body, including the heart, brain, muscles, skin, eyes, joints, lungs, kidneys, glands, digestive tract and blood vessels. Each disease carries its own set of symptoms, but inflammation is nearly always present, and are all connected by how the immune system attacks

NAtwincities.com

the body’s healthy tissues. “Those shared characteristics hold the potential for shared treatments, and ultimately potentially common cures,” says Jane Buckner, president of the Benaroya Research Institute (BRI), at Virginia Mason, in Seattle, which works to advance the prediction, prevention, reversal and cure of immune system diseases.

“I’m excited about our progress toward prevention. We are working to understand those tipping points in transitioning into disease that help us understand who is at highest risk, and helps give very directed therapies,” says James.

Self-Healing from Autoimmunity

By her early 20s, Mickey Trescott, of Willamette Valley, Oregon, was bedridden and had lost her job to autoimmune

bluedog studio/Shutterstock.com

disease. At one point, doctors thought it was multiple sclerosis (MS); she was dizzy, numb, falling over and slurring her speech.

Eventually, she was diagnosed with both Hashimoto’s and celiac diseases, affecting the thyroid and small intestine, respectively. Trescott, a nutritionist, chef and author of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, had been vegan for 10 years, but had a feeling that her body needed something different.

She found an early version of what would become known as the autoimmune protocol (AIP), and in following its guidelines, began to find relief. Trescott connected with other women and started a private Facebook group to share information on what was improving their condition from which the AIP community sprung. AIP, an elimination diet that seeks to reset the immune system by cutting out inflammation-causing foods and treating leaky gut, has much in common with the paleo diet and promotes vitamin- and nutrient-rich foods. However, every individual comes out of the AIP process with a customized diet.

For Trescott, “Gluten is a forever-no, and I am also allergic to dairy and sensitive to a lot of nightshade vegetables, like tomatoes and peppers.” It took three years to recover most of her functioning, and although she had been a personal chef, it was still challenging to determine a new approach to eating that didn’t include the grains and legumes that had been staples of her diet.

Trescott is still on medications, including the same thyroid support she’s relied on from the start. “There is a misconception that the AIP is an alternative to conventional medicine. We really pride ourselves on using all the tools in our toolbox, including surgery, medication and lifestyle changes,” she says.

Anecdotal successes like Trescott’s have led researchers to pursue funding to test the AIP’s efficacy. In a pilot study of 18 individuals with an average sick time of 19 years that didn’t respond to traditional medication, 73 percent were in clinical remission at the end of the trial, having followed the AIP. “It was a small sample size, but the results are promising,” says Trescott.

Physician, Healed Thyself

Like many physicians, Terry Wahls focused on treating her patients with drugs or surgical procedures—until the Iowa City doctor was diagnosed with MS in 2000. Within three years, despite conventional medical treatments, her back and stomach muscles had weakened to the point where she needed a tilt-recline wheelchair, and by the summer of 2007, she could no longer sit up.

Though Wahls had been a vegetarian on a low-fat diet for 20 years, she went back to eating meat and gave up all dairy, wheat and grains, but still wasn’t improving. Delving back into the science of her condition, Wahls realized that mitochondrial support was key, and the speed of her decline slowed while taking a cocktail of vitamins to support its functioning.

It wasn’t until she took a comprehensive approach to optimize everything she could take in through her food rather than relying on supplements that she saw radical results: Her brain fog, fatigue and pain went away and she biked around the block for the first time in six years. “Taking in nutrients in the form of food rather than supplements, you get related compounds and thousands of others in biologically anticipated ratios,” explains Wahls. “I still do take some supplements, but the magic is the food.”

Those key ingredients, says Wahls, include magnesium, zinc, selenium, sulfur, amino acids, cholesterol, omega-6 and omega-3s, fats, carnitine and creatine. Her rule of thumb for daily intake is three cups of leafy green vegetables; three cups of

sulfuric vegetables like cabbage, mushrooms and onions; and three cups of deeply pigmented vegetables, plus sources of protein for meat eaters and vegetarians.

While her work was initially not accepted, today she has funding from the National MS Society and her research has been published in numerous peerreviewed journals. “Basic science is now showing that the microbiome has a huge impact on the immune system activity and the brain; the food we eat can turn gene expression on and off,” says Wahls, who hasn’t taken any drugs for her autoimmune condition since 2008.

Buckner cautions against patients trying to manage disease with lifestyle changes alone, without giving available allopathic treatments a fair try. “People do better if they are treated early and aggressively. They are reliant on fewer medications down the road and don’t have permanent damage if they seek treatment early.”

However, even researchers focused on pharmaceutical approaches acknowledge the importance of diet and lifestyle.

Meggan Mackay, professor of Molecular Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, at Northwell Health, in Manhasset, New York, believes this can play a critical role in disease management. She cites numerous studies showing exercise as a stress-buster positively influencing disease outcomes, as well as a more specific study looking at the benefits of adding fish oil and vitamin D to the diets of lupus patients.

“The rise in obesity, which is linked to increased inflammation in the U.S., may be one of reasons we are seeing more autoimmune disease than ever,” says Mackay.

At-risk individuals should be aware of factors under their control, adds James.

“If someone is worried about autoimmune disease running in their family, monitoring and maintaining adequate vitamin D levels and avoiding smoking and other high-risk behaviors can help improve their chances.” Even sleep patterns can play a role in disease manifestation, says the researcher. In one study, individuals at high risk for autoimmune disease that slept less than seven hours per day were more likely to develop an autoimmune condition, according to James.

May 2020

17

There are some clear links between autoimmune diseases, such as the genetic predisposition that runs in families. “Someone with rheumatoid arthritis may have a sister with celiac disease, for example, and one individual may suffer from multiple autoimmune conditions. We can learn from these common genetic links,” says Buckner. These common links can serve as important clues. For example, Buckner says they are able to demonstrate changes in T cells in diabetes and MS that are the

Tooth by the Lake HOLISTIC GENERAL DENTISTRY

1401 Mainstreet Hopkins, MN 55343 952-475-1101 ToothByTheLake.net

Kari Seaverson DDS John Seaverson DDS

Experience healthier dentistry 18

Twin Cities Edition

NAtwincities.com

same, which might lead to common treatments for the two conditions.

While the process from basic scientific discovery to development of effective treatment can be slow, there are some concrete breakthroughs autoimmune researchers are excited about, having demonstrated ability to both prevent and delay disease. Citing a recent clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine, “They have demonstrated in kids at high risk for developing Type 1 diabetes the ability to delay onset for at least two years. It’s an incredibly exciting finding,” says Buckner.

Mackay is hopeful about advances in basic science addressing specific immune system abnormalities linked to inflammatory problems. “Lupus is very challenging to diagnose and treat because it can affect every system in the body,” says Mackay, whose research team has focused on lupus for decades. “The only forms of treatment have been very immune-suppressive medications that shut down the immune response.

None of these medications are specific, so in shutting down the immune response to treat lupus, they in turn interfere with the body’s ability to fight off infection and cancer.” Researchers are now honing in on single cells from biopsies that indicate which proteins are abnormal, thereby helping develop more selective therapies, she says.

Seeing progress in the lab is one thing; seeing it in the waiting room is another, and that’s where autoimmune scientists and clinicians are really beginning to note a difference. “I’ve seen patients for 25 years, and when we started, we had very few options in my clinic, which was full of wheelchairs,” says Buckner. “In the last 20 years, we have seen an explosion in research and available treatments. I don’t have wheelchairs in my office anymore.”

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

Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature. ~Saint Augustine

fizkes/Shutterstock.com

Common Links Serve as Research Clues

Hope in Hard Times

by Vajracharya Dechan, Charlotte M. Steen

A

s we look out into our current pandemic-focused world, perhaps it is difficult to imagine or even to hope for a better future. So much is uncertain, and yet it is in this time and space that it is imperative to bring forth the light, love and happiness that is within us in order to create a new world.

Sometimes it is easier to be complacent and even to sleepwalk through life, as if we no longer have a choice about our now and our future. But when we do this, we are wrong. In fact, each second that we are “giving up”, we are actually killing what is holy and precious within us. Don’t do this. Don’t kill what is holy and precious within you.

Each moment that we choose to acknowledge the divine and to envision a better future, we are able to become co-creators of this better world, this new world. In order to become co-creators of a new, better world, we need to be good people. We need to be good men and good women who honor and respect others and our Earth, who forgive all things, who learn from others and who want to help others without expecting anything in return.

Right now we have been given the time and space to be with our families and loved ones and to clearly cherish one another. Perhaps that is one gift of this pandemic time.

Another gift is now that most of us are not on our daily work and school-life treadmills, we can step back and look at what is working and what is not working in our lives. Do this.

Take this time to acknowledge the good in your lives and in each other. Magnify this good through mutual admiration.

Take this time to accept what is not good and not working in your lives and to change it. If you notice a fault in someone else, let it go and then examine yourself and how you manifest this same shortcoming.

Once you can see yourself and know your-

self in this way—change yourself. Be willing to change and to let go of what doesn’t work for you or for those around you. And then, embrace the beautiful new self that emerges.

Let us heed the advice of this Cherokee legend*:

“A Cherokee chief is talking to his grandson. ‘We all have a great battle going on inside us,’ he told the boy. ‘It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.

‘One is evil—he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.’

The elder went on and told the boy that this fight was going on inside him right now.

And it would continue all his life. The little boy sat thoughtfully for a moment then turned to ask his grandfather a question.

‘Which wolf will win?’ he said.

The Cherokee chief smiled at him and said simply: ‘The one you feed.’” *Fry, Colin. By Your Side. May 2010.

Start feeding the good wolf inside of you. Some call the good wolf your Buddha nature. Some call the good wolf your Christself. By whatever name you call the good wolf in you, focus your energies on sustaining it, on nurturing it, on allowing it to flourish. The more we focus on good and on being good, the more it multiplies. This is the universal law of cause and effect.

Not everyone is a visionary or a leader, but everyone can be good. Everyone can be holy. Everyone can begin today to create a new world of hope, of joy, of loving-kindness, of forgiveness, of peace.

It is easy to believe our actions and beliefs are small and will not impact anyone

else. Frankly, impacting and transforming your life is a holy miracle in itself. Know this.

In addition, your actions and your beliefs resonate throughout the world. Notice how one gust of wind moves the trees, the leaves, the clouds. Notice how the bright sunrise warms our hearts, warms our earth, makes life possible. Notice how the rain showers nourish and cleanse the earth and ourselves.

Notice how a smile and a wave to a stranger or a loved one transforms your day. Notice how taking out the garbage makes your world cleaner. Notice how receiving a dog’s wagging tail or a child’s smile or approval from a colleague makes your day brighter.

You may not realize the impact you make in the world or how your sunshine brings light to others’ lives. This is because we don’t always share that kind of information with one another. That means you will have to just trust and have faith that your goodness matters. And if you need proof as to how much you matter, go back to noticing how blessed you are by others’ goodness and mirror that blessing back to your heart.

We have this amazing holy opportunity right now to bring forth a new world that is not corrupt, that is not abusive, that is not evil. The only way to do this is to be just and honest, to respect and honor everyone, to be good women and good men. Our lives depend on our living our goodness. The future of our world, the future of our children’s and grandchildren’s world, depend on our willingness to be the grand, holy, good people we were always meant to be. Know this. Here and now, we are creating a new world, at this very moment.

Vajracharya Dechan, Charlotte M. Steen is the founder and Abbot of Dari Rulai ZhiMen Temple and of Upper Midwest Hanmi Buddhist Association (UMHBA), home to Minnesota’s Chinese Mystery School Buddhist Temple, 80 County Rd. C W., #804, Little Canada.

UMHBA offers Spiritual Healing services, Meditation classes and Hanmi Buddhist Dharma Rites (prayer services) to relieve suffering and to support those in transformation.

Know yourself. Change yourself. Overcome yourself. BE your change! For more information, visit MN-Hanmi-Buddhism.org.

May 2020

19

Practical Magic

Soul Nourishment The Kitchen As Sacred Space

by Marlaina Donato

I

n our busy lives, grabbing food on the run or eating while standing at the kitchen counter is often the norm. Designating the kitchen as a practical sanctuary and seeing the sacredness of food not only makes it more conducive to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but also gives our spirits much-needed satiety.

“If we don’t touch the transcendent— emotionally and spiritually—physical nourishment won’t fill us up,” says Ronna Kabatznick, Ph.D., former psychological consultant to Weight Watchers International and the author of The Zen of Eating: Ancient Answers to Modern Weight Problems. “Seeing the kitchen as sacred is something that represents gratitude, beauty and blessings.”

Delia Baron, co-author of Better Together Kitchen: Beautiful Recipes to Share With People You Love and the host of seasonal food workshops with partner Ronnit Hoppe in Melbourne, Australia, concurs, “The kitchen is often the heartbeat of the home and the best place to gather, feast, chat and create beautiful memories and rituals. The kitchen is also a place to connect to our food source.”

20

Twin Cities Edition

Fun and Felicity

Preparing meals the old-fashioned way can slow us down and foster mindfulness, but Kabatznick emphasizes that cooking is irrelevant. “Look at the kitchen in terms of possibilities: ‘What can I create in this space?’ You don’t have to turn into Julia Child,” she says, adding, “You could be eating Chinese takeout or a prune; it’s all about mindset and simple rituals like saying a blessing, appreciating what we eat as a great gift.” Kabatznick encourages everyone to eat with dignity, and this includes using the good dishes, putting fresh flowers on the table and eating with awareness.

Seeing the kitchen as the inspired nucleus of the home, it’s natural to add favorite items like art prints, colorful jars, sentimental treasures, dried flowers and other seasonal delights to nourish daily contentment. Conjuring an element of joy adorns the mundane. “Put on some music to put you in either a peaceful or joyful mood,” says Molly Larkin, author, healing practitioner and blogger at Ancient Wisdom for Balanced Living (MollyLarkin.com), in Corrales, New Mexico. “Turn off the TV and give everyone in the family a job.

NAtwincities.com

Meal prep can be enjoyable and even relaxing in a calm environment. For Baron, organization is key. She advises, “Having all the ingredients you need and working in a clean space also helps make the experience rewarding.”

The smallest of kitchens can be abundant and organized with the help of a little innovation. A simple bookcase can offer additional shelf space for dry goods, bowls of produce or favorite cups. A small end table can hold a favorite tea pot and a jar of gourmet dark chocolate. A beautiful basket can hold go-to spice jars, and a pretty pitcher near the stove can accommodate a multitude of cooking utensils. “If you can’t fit it all out of sight in a cabinet, get some glass jars, fill them with grains, flours and legumes and line them up on the countertop. It will be neat, and you can see what you have,” suggests Larkin.

In the end, a well-nourished body and spirit fosters a beautiful life and inspires the same in others. An advocate for supporting the hungry in all communities, Kabatznick underscores local efforts and seeing the big picture of our relationship with food: “Taking out the garbage and cleaning up is also a sacred act if we bring that attitude into it. Food connects us to the Earth, the moon and the stars. From the seed to the truck driver—everything and everyone involved—the process of food is miraculous.”

Marlaina Donato is the author of several books and a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

Solis Images/Shutterstock.com

Laugh throughout the meal preparation.

Dance as you cook. Do the same thing if you live alone.”

Preparing food, whether a healthy smoothie or a gourmet weekend dinner for two, is a way to express love for ourselves and others. Baron loves the presence of plants, lovely ceramics and interesting platters and dishes, and notes, “Families can definitely shop, chop, cook and mealplan together to make the kitchen a fun place to be. Doing these things together is very bonding and sends the message that looking after yourself is important.”

conscious eating

SACRED SERVINGS

Akashic Record Readings to Empower You on Your Soul’s Journey

Moroccan-Spiced Red Lentil Soup

photo by Marlaina Donato

Yields: 4 servings 4 cups water 1½ cup red lentils 1 tsp sea salt 1 medium-size organic carrot, chopped in bite-size pieces 2 soft, dried apricots, chopped, or 1 Tbsp golden raisins or 2 dates, chopped ¼ tsp ground cloves ¼ tsp ground turmeric ¼ tsp ground coriander seeds or ½ tsp crushed coriander seeds ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp crushed or ground cumin seeds 2 tsp extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil Bring water, carrots, apricots and all spices and seasonings to boil.

Add red lentils, stir once and set heat to low. Cover pot with lid.

Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, remove from heat. Add olive oil and allow to sit for five minutes before serving.

Optional toppings for each bowl: finely chopped red onion, red pepper flakes, fresh cilantro and/or a sprinkle of turmeric.

Spring Fever Salad with Flowers and Fruit

photo by Marlaina Donato

Yields: 4 servings 1 head romaine or green leaf lettuce 8 medium-large organic strawberries, thinly sliced, or 2 small packages of fresh organic raspberries Handful of fresh, chemical-free flowers from the garden or store’s produce section: nasturtium, pansies and/or calendulas; gathered wild: spring violets and dandelion blooms

In-the-Bowl Dressing:

Juice from one fresh tangerine 1 part organic apple cider vinegar to 2 parts avocado oil Dash of sea salt Add avocado oil, apple cider vinegar and salt into a large bowl, swirl around twice. Tear (don’t chop) lettuce and add to the preliminary dressing. Squeeze tangerine juice over lettuce and toss lightly until well-dressed. Place strawberry slices over salad.

Sprinkle (don’t toss) flowers on top or artfully place where desired. Serve immediately.

Barbara Brodsho, LLC BarbaraBrodsho.com 612-444-9751

Schedule a free Discovery Call.

Call Us For a New Look in the New Year!

952-567-1425 or 952-457-4367 SteinPaintingServices@gmail.com

Locally owned and independent since

Mastel’s

1968!

HEALTH FOODS EST. 1968

vitamins, minerals, supplements, herbs, grocery, personal care, homeopathy, tcm

1526 ST. CLAIR AVENUE, ST. PAUL, MN 55105 T. 651-690-1692 • WWW.MASTELS.COM OPEN WEEKDAYS 9-8 • SATURDAY 9-6 • SUNDAY 12-5

Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose. ~Lyndon B. Johnson

May 2020

21

Yields: 12 muffins ½ cup organic whole-wheat flour, sifted (protein-rich, gluten-free option: 1 cup organic brown rice flour and ½ cup organic soy flour or 1 cup organic brown rice flour and ½ cup garbanzo flour) ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ cup coconut sugar, evaporated cane juice or turbinado ½ tsp salt

Holistic Health is More Important than Ever Launch your career with programs from Anoka-Ramsey Community College

• Integrative Health & Healing Fully Online!

(A.S. degree and certificate) • Therapeutic Massage (diploma) Learn more at AnokaRamsey.edu

©2020 Anoka-Ramsey Community College, an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and educator and a member of Minnesota State. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Disclaimer, NonDiscrimination Statement, Student Consumer Information such as graduation rates and median debt can be found here: anokaramsey.edu/about-us/policies-disclosures/. This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities by calling the Minnesota Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-800-627-3529 200079CP

A member of Minnesota State

3½ tsp fresh baking powder 1 cup water or unsweetened non-dairy milk (or half of each to make a cup) 2 tsp extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil or cold-pressed sunflower oil 2 organic eggs, beaten (for vegan option: ¼ to ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce) 2 tsp natural vanilla extract 1½ mashed ripe bananas 2 tsp molasses 1 tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp cloves ¼ tsp dried ginger 2 dashes of nutmeg 1 dash of allspice (optional) Pre-heat oven to 400° F and grease muffin tin with sunflower or olive oil (or line with cupcake papers). Sift flour and cocoa powder into bowl. Add baking powder, salt, sugar and spices; mix well. Combine water/milk, vanilla, molasses, oil and eggs (or apple sauce), and add to dry mixture. Stir, lifting the spoon high with each stirring to get air into the mixture. Do not beat or overmix.

Leave it a bit lumpy.

Fold in bananas. Fill muffin cups half to three-quarters full and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. Place muffin tin on wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing each muffin by hand (avoid turning tin over to get muffins out, or the extra-moist, fruit-filled muffins might come apart).

Optional treat: Dip muffin tops into melted coconut oil and roll in coconut sugar or turbinado. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Let's Talk Natural Wellness In-depth interviews with natural health professionals who share the latest information for you to lead a healthier, happier life.

Sundays from 10-11 am Podcasts available at AM950Radio.com

Recipes by Marlaina Donato, author of several books and a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

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

For more recipes, go to NATwinCities.com.

22

Twin Cities Edition

NAtwincities.com

MIKHAIL MAKOVKIN/Shutterstock.com

Whole-Grain Dark Chocolate-Banana Muffins

GETTING A NEW BOAT THIS SUMMER? DID YOU KNOW that donating your recreational vehicle to a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization allows you to take a TAX DEDUCTION?

Our non-profit organization is accepting donations of new or used RECREATIONAL VEHICLES including: boats, ATV’s, RV’s, trailers, and snowmobiles.

Any Age, Any Condition!

To donate, contact: Steve Cruikshank Steve@FishingForLife.org 763-228-1193

WE WILL EVEN PICK THEM UP! We also gratefully accept donations of used rods, reels and sporting goods!

SERVING YOUTH, FAMILIES, VETERANS & COMMUNITIES THROUGH FISHING & OUTDOOR PROGRAMS

FISHINGFORLIFE.ORG

GROW YOUR OWN

BUSINESS

Publish a Natural Awakenings Magazine CHANNEL YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILL SETS AND BUILD YOUR OWN BUSINESS THAT EMPOWER YOU TO BE AN INFLUENCER IN YOUR COMMUNITY. Natural Awakenings is a franchise family of 65+ healthy living magazines, celebrating 26 years of publishing!

This rewarding home-based franchise opportunity provides training and ongoing support, following an established and proven business model.

To learn more information and current franchise availability, visit or call:

239-530-1377 NaturalAwakenings.com/Franchise May 2020

23

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” ~ Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

Well-Being in the Face of a Pandemic Boosting Your Physical and Psychological Immune Systems

by John Montes & Fran Bieganek

S

upporting Physical Well-Being

Physical well-being, beyond absence of disease, is about the choices we make to prevent and find a place of dynamic balance of body, mind and spirit. Our choices help us counterbalance the effects of internal influences such as genetics and external influences like environmental toxins and stress. Advances in research have let us understand those relationships and help us put theory into action.

Throughout research literature from both conventional and alternative medicine, stress is highlighted as having a strong role in the development of diseased states.

Acute and chronic stress manifest differently. Acute stress can have immune enhancing effects that are linked to the actions of the fight-or-flight response. This state of heightened sensitivity and increased circulation exists for mere survival and its immune protective qualities are short-lived. On the contrary, chronic stress has a definitive immuno-suppressive effect on the body, particularly in relation to respiratory and inflammatory diseases, not to mention effects on mental health.

Stress is defined as a response to emotional pressure in which an individual perceives they have little or no control, much like our current situation. As we collectively go through this health crisis, we have an opportunity to do activities that not only help us get a sense of control because of their immune-promoting qualities, but also address deeper issues that affect us long term.

As we socially distance and/or stay home, there are many things to do to help reduce the effects of stress and boost immunity: n Rest: Sleep is necessary for repair, for processing and healing. Prioritizing sleep is

24

Twin Cities Edition

NAtwincities.com

essential for your immune system to catch up and for your body to be stronger. n Hydrate: Drinking plenty of fluids can help us replenish nutrients and flush toxins. For some, a timer on the phone might be a good idea. Make sure to minimize the intake of inflammatory drinks laden with sugar or alcohol. n Stay Active: There is a direct link between exercise and resistance to disease via the fight or flight mechanism. Whether you have led an athletic or a sedentary lifestyle, getting a minimum 20 minutes of low to moderate intensity exercise a day will help increase circulation and maintain your immunity. Take advantage of this time to create a routine, let your body get used to it, and maintain it past the quarantine. n Nutrition: While it might be recommended to have emotionally satisfying treats around, make sure that for the most part you stick to natural, unprocessed or minimally processed whole foods as this will help decrease inflammation and provide your body with adequate building blocks for energy, healing and immunity.

Take some time to be mindful about what you are eating, giving yourself time to chew and savor it. n Supplements: There are plenty of recommendations out there about supplements and herbs to help you stay stronger and ward off disease. It is important to discontinue the use of immune-boosting

herbs and supplements if you start experiencing viral symptoms as most immune boosters can exacerbate a COVID-19 infection. n Breathe: Breathwork is the best way we have to help our nervous system go from a stress-response state into a rest/healing state. Inquire about diaphragmatic breathing and practice it three times a day for five minutes. n Fresh Air: Now that the weather is better, open your windows routinely to clear the air in your home. If allowed in your place of residence, take walks in green spaces, breathe the fresh air and soak in the healing beauty of nature.

Supporting Psychological Well-Being

Psychological well-being encompasses several areas: cognitive functioning, emotional states, social interactions and spiritual connection. In times of significant uncertainty, even the most robust psychological system can be shaken and begin to experience dysregulation. This can manifest in a variety of ways: a sense of helplessness, fear, anxiety, grief, sadness, confusion, loneliness and feeling alone. Add to this the impact of being quarantined: sensing a lack of control, feeling stir-crazy and bored, missing social connection. To minimize the impact of all this, it can be helpful to engage in activities that provide a protective shield for you and strengthen your psychological immune system. A list of possibilities: n Find someone (friend, family member, clergy, therapist) you can talk honestly with about your current experience and from whom you can feel supported sharing concerns, fears, struggles. When feelings are approached, you have much more capacity to manage them. If they are pushed aside, the more likely result is they will manage you. So, share them, feel them. n Normalize your routine as much as possible. Normalizing creates a sense of security to help offset the uncertainty. Keep to a schedule. If you’re working from home, get up at the same time, take breaks at the same time, stop working at the same time. If your employment has been suspended, keep to the schedule you had when you were working, filling in the work time with other activities. Keep up with rituals or create new ones. n Make future plans. Adopting a strategy of “acting as if ” can support a feeling of hope during this time of such uncertainty. n Find ways to experience pleasure. It’s a good distraction mechanism and some distraction can be a perfectly healthy way to manage stress. Be sure to engage all your senses.

Some examples: play, music, nature videos, favorite foods, nurture your physical body. n Engage in activities that give you a sense of purpose and meaning. They don’t need to be profound. The simplest of tasks can have meaning. Some ideas: support others, volunteer, time with loved ones, complete tasks.

n Spend intentional time feeling gratitude. “Gratitude is wine for the soul.

Go on. Get drunk.” (Rumi) Go ahead, create your list and share it!

John Montes is a licensed acupuncturist, manual therapist and herbalist practicing at Bhakti Wellness Center. With over 18 years of experience, his area of expertise is Orthopedic Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. He is taking new patients and is available for remote consultations for self-massage, acupressure and herbs. For more information, call 612-568-8889 or email John@BhaktiClinic.com.

Fran Bieganek is a licensed psychologist practicing holistic psychotherapy and neurofeedback at Bhakti Wellness Center. With over 20 years of experience, she currently specializes in the areas of trauma, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, and well-being. She works with both individuals and couples and is currently accepting new clients. For more information, call 612-564-9947 or email FranBieganekMslp@gmail.com or visit BhaktiClinic.com. See ad, page 31.

Supporting Social Well-Being

Would your clients enjoy Natural Awakenings magazine?

Supporting Spiritual Well-Being

Email Publisher@NATwinCities.com

n We are social beings. Lack of social connection is associated with increased levels of stress hormones. So stay connected: virtual hangouts, call/text often, acknowledge others when walking, time with pet(s), small doses of media to stay connected with the world. n Cultivate compassion for all. There is much scientific research to support the practice of compassion in lowering stress levels. Loving kindness meditation is a helpful practice. Bring into your mind the image of the following: someone you care about, someone who makes you smile, someone you know is suffering, someone who is difficult for you to think about, yourself. Send each one loving kindness by repeating this phrase throughout the meditation: “May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be safe, may you live with ease.” n Process your grief. There are specific losses you may be experiencing: job, health, income, physical contact with loved ones. And, there are those losses that seem to permeate all aspects of life right now: loss of certainty, loss of security, loss of trust.

Sharing your pain, your fear, your stories are necessary aspects of moving through grief.

and get free copies delivered right to your door.

May 2020

25

All About Vitamin C

by Alina Hornfeldt

V

itamin C is a humble, but versatile nutrient. Commonly found in citrus, berries and other fruit such as watermelon and mango, it assists the body in forming protein to make skin, ligaments and tendons as well as blood vessels; helps to heal wounds; and aids iron absorption. Vitamin C is an antioxidant. As such, it also is used by the body to fight free radicals which can age our bodies inside and out. But humans are one of the few animals, along with apes and guinea pigs, who do not make vitamin C nor have the ability to store it. As a water-soluble vitamin, it dissolves in water and any not used by the body rapidly leaves the system through urine excretion. All water-soluble vitamins need to be ingested regularly to prevent a deficiency.

Vitamin C as a known significant benefit to health goes back to 1747 and British naval surgeon James Lind’s experiments with citrus fruits as a treatment for scurvy. In 1932, chemist Walter Haworth determined the molecular structure of isolated hexuronic acid and named it ascorbic acid. The following year, Haworth led a team of scientists to synthetically create ascorbic acid. Today, vitamin C and ascorbic acid are used interchangeably. Haworth won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work with vitamin C in 1937. In 1970, chemist Linus Pauling published Vitamin C and the Common Cold. As a bestseller, it highly influenced the role of vitamin C in immune boosting to fight the common colds’ prevention and treatment in the mind of the greater public.

Today, immune boosting is definitely on the forefront of most everyone’s mind. Vitamin C is shown to aid in the motility (independent movement) of white blood cells. White blood cells are the body’s defense against germs such as bacteria and viruses. Because vitamin C moves through the body so quickly and cannot be created or stored, during times of vulnerability, supplementation throughout the day can be helpful to keep the immune system strong.

While getting the bulk of your nutrition from real foods such as fruits and vegetables

26

Twin Cities Edition

NAtwincities.com

is always recommended, vitamin C is an inexpensive and readily available nutrient to find in supplement form. Vitamin C supplements come in a wide variety. Capsules and tablets are common, as are lozenges, chewable gummies and wafers. It is also found as a powder which can be added to water, juice or smoothies. Since it comes in so many forms, finding a way to take it that suits the individual is easy. High quality vitamin C supplements are whole-food derived so the body has ready access. Very commonly, vitamin C is a top ingredient in multivitamins, so be sure to read labels to see what amount in milligrams is included. Most vitamin C supplements come in either 500or 1,000-milligram doses. Check with your doctor to see what dose is most appropriate for your age and level of health. Although too much vitamin C is unlikely to be harmful, a megadose may cause upset stomach, headache and insomnia.

Vitamin C may be very common, but don’t underestimate its importance in keeping your body at peak performance.

Taken throughout the day, you are giving your body what it needs to function efficiently and boost your immune system.

Alina Hornfeldt is the marketing manager at Mastel’s Health Foods. The staff at Mastel’s is experienced, very knowledgeable and available to help you find those supplements which best suit your needs. Mastel’s is located at 1526 St. Clair Ave., St Paul. For more information, call 651-690-1692 or visit Mastels.com. See ad, page 21.

Targeted Digital Marketing To Drive Leads and sales

A NEW PARADIGM in Online Display Advertising

Our company’s custom hyper-local targeting model is a superior local online alternative to cookie-based ads because we target brand websites without cookies using sophisticated research to identify the audiences that visit them.

Our Premium Product Delivers: 100% Reach - placement is not affected by cookie blocking.

100% Viewability - ads are placed above the fold for full exposure.

100% Transparency - we provide detailed monthly reports summarizing the exact sites your ad appeared, number of impressions and click through rates (CTR).

May Special

$12 CPM (normally $15 CPM)

Contact us: Hello@BoldExpressionsDigital.com For more information: BoldExpressionsDigital.com May 2020

27

calendar

JUNE

Coming Next Month

Due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and the precautions being made for your health and wellbeing, please check the event website to ensure the event is being held as scheduled. Also, check out our website NAtwincities.com for upcoming events.

Inspired Lifestyle Travel

Plus: Brain Health

save the dates

special event

Sri Harold Klemp, Spiritual Leader of Eckankar

Divine Messages with Nea Clare

Tune in to MCN Channel 6 TV. Experience the divine love and wisdom of Sri Harold Klemp by viewing his talks from Eckankar seminars every Friday.

Fridays, May 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 7-7:30pm.

To learn more about Eckankar, the Path of Spiritual Freedom, visit Eckankar.org, TempleOfECK.org and Facebook.com/ Eckankar.

community resource guide

BREAST HEALTH

MYOFASCIAL RELEASE & CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY

Barb Ryan, LMT • 612-922-2389 Bhakti Wellness Center 7550 France Avenue S, #220, Edina

AROMATHERAPY NATURE’S WAY Healthy Girls’ Breast Oil Joyce Sobotta • 715-878-4474 AromaTherapyNaturesWay.com

Specializing in persistent, chronic pain relief and mysteries of the body. Serving clients covered by auto insurance and worker’s compensation with a doctor’s referral. Also serving clients seeking the experience of deep relaxation and more selfconnection. Skilled and compassionate care. See ad, page 31.

28

Twin Cities Edition

NAtwincities.com

May 15 • 6:30-9pm.

NeaClareScheduling.as.me/Archangels.

CHIROPRACTIC

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

BODY WORK

Nea Clare is a channel for Spirit and works predominately with The HAO-a collective, multi-dimensional force that shares verbal and energetic messages through her. These events are designed for you to be able to have a personal audience with Spirit, to receive teachings that will awaken your consciousness to the Truth of You. Everyone who attends will receive an audio recording from the event. $35.

Healthy Girls’ Breast Oil when applied with a self-breast massage helps to balance, detoxify, soften breast tissue, improve lymphatic circulation and stimulate the immune system. Improved circulation helps your entire body! See ad, page 15.

GOLDEN SUN CHIROPRACTIC

Una Forde, DC • 952-922-1478 International Village Arcade Building 220 West 98th St, Suite 7, Bloomington Quality chiropractic care. Experience holistic healing and gentle chiropractic adjustments that allow the nervous system to relieve such symptoms as headache, back, neck pain and numbness which allow your body to return to a state of balance and well-being. 25 years’ experience.

COACHING CHANNEL OF DIVINE WISDOM Nea Clare NeaClare.com Nea@NeaClare.com • 612-227-3854

You can have a personal audience with your guides and the Archangels and Ascended Masters.

Get clarity. Take action. Feel connected. Book your session today and save 25%, using code: IAMWISE17. Or call Nea for a free consult. See ad, page 6.

COACHING COMPOSURE COACHING

Candi Broeffle, MBA, CPC Candi@ComposureCoaching.com 763-270-8604 ComposureCoaching.com Master your business so you can practice your passion. Business coaching for purpose-driven entrepreneurs to clarify your vision, build your confidence and create a soul-centered strategy. Call today for a free Discovery Session and get on your path to business success.

SOUL PURPOSE COACH & HOLISTIC HEALER

Barbara Brodsho, MA 612-444-9751 • BarbaraBrodsho.com Providing spiritual guidance to help live your purpose and thrive utilizing your soul’s Akashic Record. Discover your soul’s innate gifts, create a vocation that aligns with your soul’s passion, and gain new perspective, clarity and insight about your life’s challenges by understanding the lessons your soul chose to experience. Schedule a free discovery session to learn how to create a purpose-filled life. See ad, page 21.

COLORPUNCTURE PSINERGY NATURAL HEALTH & HOLISTIC WELLNESS SchaOn Blodgett, CCP, BTAT 93 Little Canada Rd West - Ste. 100 Little Canada/Roseville 612-217-4325 • PsinergyHealth.com

Offering empirical & sciencebased natural health therapies including Esogetics/Colorpuncture, basic Ayurvedic Medicine, as well as spiritual/energy-based therapies like Access Consciousness Bars, I-Ching, reiki and more. See ad, page 11.

COMPUTER REPAIR PSINERGY TECH

André Thomas - A+ Certified 93 Little Canada Rd West - Ste. 100 Little Canada/Roseville 612-234-7237 • PsinergyTech.com “Do you have a sick Computer?”

We Keep Computer Repair Simple. Onsite/In-Home or Office, Bring-to-Us Computer Repair Services. 2011-17 Angie’s List Super Service Award Winner.

Local • Greener • Highly Rated.

DENTIST HEALTH CENTERED DENTISTRY N7915-902 St River Falls, WI • 715-426-7777 HealthCenteredDentistry.com

Whole Person Dentistry observes and deals with the mind, body and spirit, not just your teeth. This approach to dentistry encompasses both modern science and knowledge drawn from the world’s great traditions in natural healing.

NATURAL SMILES DENTAL CARE 4700 Lexington Ave N, Suite D Shoreview 651-483-9800 NaturalSmilesDental.com

We ’ r e a n i n t e g r a t i v e practice committed to promoting dental wellness and overall assistance to the whole person. We desire to participate in the creation of healthier lives, while being sensitive to physical, philosophical, emotional and financial concerns. See ad, page 6.

PURE DENTAL

Dr. Amy Ha Truong 6230 10th St. N., Ste 520, Oakdale 651-731-3064 • PureDentalMN.com Pure Dental offers integrative, holistic, alternative and biological dentistry for your dental health.

We take pride in providing quality, holistic dental care and service for our patients. See ad, page 26.

SEDATION AND IMPLANT DENTISTRY 1815 Suburban Ave, St. Paul ToothBuilder.com 651-735-4661

We are a holistic dental practice devoted to restoring and enhancing the natural beauty of your smile using conservative, state-of-the-art dental procedures that result in beautiful, long lasting smiles! We specialize in safe removal of infected teeth as well as placing ceramic implants and restorations. See ad, page 12.

TOOTH BY THE LAKE

1401 Main St, Hopkins 952-475-1101 • ToothByTheLake.net We build a foundation of trust by treating our patients as individuals. Understanding how uneasy some patients may feel about their dental visits, we make a difference by providing a relaxing and positive experience. See ad, page 18.

ENERGY HEALING DESIREE PUNLA, CECP

DesireePunla@gmail.com 201-895-3140 • DesireePunla.com Desiree helps release energy blockages by accessing current/ past life and inherited information from the subconscious (Emotion Code), in addition to using an Ayurvedic form of healing touch (Marma Chikitsä Therapy), and channels messages to promote healing, balance and flow.

EMOTION CODE HEALING

Master Hong Certified Emotion Code Practitioner 9672 63rd Ave N, Maple Grove 763-208-4246 or 914-708-9463 Chronic pain? Suffering from emotions? Relationship problems?

Life not going as planned? The Emotion Code is a tool I use to help you break through any emotional and spiritual blocks so you can live your best life. Trial session only $35.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALING SOUL WHISPERER: RELEASING LOST SOULS Annette Rugolo ReleasingLostSouls.com

Children and some adults have the ability to see the spirits that are living among us. Others will hear or see unexplained noises or movement. Read the first two chapters in my book for free at ReleasingLostSouls.com. I share many experiences that explain what’s happening and what can be done. See ad, page 3.

ESSENTIAL OILS AROMATHERAPY NATURE’S WAY Essential Oils Joyce Sobotta • 715-878-4474 AromaTherapyNaturesWay.com

100% pure, quality, essential oils, and ultrasonic diffusers available on my website. I offer essential oil classes online and in person.

Sign up for an essential oil consultation and let me help you create a blend of essential oils that works synergistically for a wide range of health concerns. See ad, page 15.

May 2020

29

INTEGRATED HEALTH

GRAPHIC DESIGN CAMPFIRE STUDIO

Sara Shrode, Graphic Designer Minneapolis, MN 612-554-6304 • CampfireStudio.net Sara@CampfireStudio.net Ignite the possibilities of your next project by having Campfire Studio design it! Innovative, fullservice graphic design studio that takes the essence of a campfire—warmth, stories, community—and infuses it into every design project we do.

HEALTH FOOD STORES MASTEL’S HEALTH FOODS 1526 St Clair Ave, St Paul Mastels.com • 651-690-1692

Mastel’s Health Foods is Minnesota’s oldest health and wellness store. We carry a full line of vitamins, minerals, supplements, herbs and more. We emphasize organic, biodynamic, biodegradable, holistic and hypoallergenic products and pride ourselves on stocking hardto-find items. See ad, page 21.

HOUSING - SUPPORTIVE License #1102359 • 763-600-6967 8600 Northwood Parkway, New Hope Providing a caring and supportive home for adults, no matter their abilities. With 28plus years of experience, we offer a nurturing and familylike environment for up to four residents who are elderly and/or have developmental disabilities. Residents receive assistance with personal cares, meal prep and feeding assistance, medication administration, transfers and mobility, transportation and advocacy. We treat your loved one like family. See ad, page 9.

INTEGRATED HEALTH BHAKTI WELLNESS CENTER 7550 France Ave. S., #220, Edina 612-859-7709 • BhaktiClinic.com

Bhakti provides a holistic environment where independent practitioners come together to offer an integrative path to wellness; mind, body and spirit. Our providers offer chiropractic, energy therapy, massage, microcurrent therapy, acupuncture, psychotherapy and much more so that you can feel your best, remain healthy & thrive. See ad, page 31.

Twin Cities Edition

HOLISTIC GATEWAY, CENTER FOR THE HEALING ARTS

FRAN BIEGANEK, MS, LP

We are a healing arts collaborative offering a variety of services like Esogetics Colorpuncture, Energy Emission Analysis, Reiki, Qigong, Acupuncture and more. As a community-building center, we offer classes and workshops on astrology, meditation, reiki and energy healing, as well as yoga. See ad, page 18.

As a Licensed Psychologist and holistic practitioner, Fran works with clients to identify areas of potential growth, obstacles to growth, and processes that facilitate healing and transcendence of those obstacles. She provides traumainformed therapy that supports your goals of resiliency, healing and feeling better. See ad, page 31.

11 Little Canada Rd. E., Little Canada Cornelia@Holistic-Gateway.com 763-807-9866 • Holistic-Gateway.com

MACULAR REGENERATION CASSANDRA ROSE, L.AC.

Bhakti Wellness Center • 7550 France Ave. S. Suite 220, Edina 612-564-9947 • FranBieganekTherapy.com

RADIO/PODCASTS

612-564-8714 • RoseLAc.com Bhakti Wellness Center 7550 France Ave. S., #220, Edina

AM950 THE PROGRESSIVE VOICE OF MINNESOTA

Cassandra specializes in Macular Regeneration, a program using Acunova and Micro-Acupuncture, microcurrent therapy, herbs and supplements to benefit degenerative eye diseases such as macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt’s, conjuntivitis, post-herpetic eye pain, dry eye and more. See ad, page 31.

The only Progressive Talk Radio station in Minnesota. We strive to provide the best progressive programming available and feature national talkers Bill Press, Thom Hartmann, Stephanie Miller, Norman Goldman, and more. We are also dedicated to local programming that creates a community forum for important Minnesota Progressive issues. See ad, page 32.

AM950Radio.com

MASSAGE/STRETCHING

BROEFFLE LATIMORE ADULT FOSTER CARE

30

PSYCHOTHERAPY

HEALING TAJ

Theodore Rick Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) International Village Arcade Building 220 West 98th St, Ste. 7, Bloomington HealingTaj.com • 763-913-6722 “I love massage, but too often it feels good temporarily and then the pain and tightness comes back again. I have found with AIS that by stretching and lengthening the fibers, almost like a yoga/massage that the pain doesn’t come back again,” Warren King.

ORTHOPEDIC ACUPUNCTURE & BODYWORK JOHN MONTES, L.AC.

612-568-8889 • monteslac.com Bhakti Wellness Center, 7550 France Ave S., #220, Edina John is a licensed Acupuncturist, Medical Massage Therapist and Herbalist. With orthopedic acupuncture and body work he provides a whole-person approach to pain management taking into consideration mental and emotional health. His work is a carefully crafted balance between science and intuition. John is fluent in English and Spanish. See ad, page 31.

NAtwincities.com

SOLAR ALL ENERGY SOLAR

1264 Energy Lane, St Paul 800-620-3370 • AllEnergySolar.com All Energy Solar is a trusted leader in the solar energy industry. We provide clean, green, solar energy solutions for residential, commercial, agricultural, and government clients.

Our team of industry professionals have been focused on providing long-term, trusted relationships since 2009. Our industry experience allows us to confidently handle every aspect of the solar process.

See ad, page 2.

SPIRITUAL TEACHINGS ECKANKAR TEMPLE OF ECK 7450 Powers Blvd., Chanhassen 952-380-2200 • Eckankar.org

Are you looking for the personal experience of God? Eckankar can help you fulfill your dream. We offer ways to explore your own unique and natural relationship with the Divine through personalized study to apply in your everyday life. See ad, page 2.

A Cooperative of Private Practices

7550 France Ave S. Suite #200 | Edina, MN 55435 612-564-8714 | Bhakticlinic.com

Macular Regeneration acupuncture and more for degenerative eye diseases

Keep reading, working, driving and living your best life longer!

There is hope! Call Today!

Cassandra Rose, L.Ac. | (612) 564-8714

CANNABIS CERTIFICATION at Bhakti Wellness Center For more info: 612-517-7716 | Mperialhealth.com

Orthopedic Acupuncture & Bodywork A whole-person approach to chronic pain and injury.

John Montes LAc. CMT 612-568-8889 John integrates Neuromuscular and Myofascial Therapies with Acupuncture and Dry Needling to treat the root of the problem.

Auto insurance referrals are welcome.

We are committed to being of service to our community offering: Online Services

In-Clinic Services

Mental Health

Direct Primary Care

Wellness Coaching

Chiropractic Care

Hypnotherapy

Acupuncture

Distance Reiki

Minimizing unnecessary Urgent Care visits

Visit BhaktiClinic.com/covid-19 for updates and scheduling or call 612-859-7709

AM950 is the only Progressive Talk Radio station in Minnesota. We strive to provide the best progressive programming available. We feature national talkers Thom Hartmann, Stephanie Miller, Norman Goldman, Amy Goodman, and Brad Friedman. We are also dedicated to local programming that creates a community forum for important Minnesota Progressive issues.

As one of the few independently owned radio stations in the country, we are proud to cover news, issues, and stories that are not carried by the corporate media. The talk radio format allows us to air diverse voices and challenge conventional and establishment thinking, all with the goal of creating progressive change in our community.

Weekend Lifestyle Shows

SATURDAYS 8AM - 9AM

SATURDAYS 9AM - 10AM

SATURDAYS 1PM-3PM

SUNDAYS 10AM - 11AM

AM950Radio.com

SUNDAYS 11AM-12PM