H E A L T H Y
L I V I N G
H E A L T H Y
P L A N E T
feel good • live simply • laugh more
Changing the Way America Eats
FREE
Local CSA Options
Gyrotonic Is Moving Medicine for All Ages
Ventura’s OceanFriendly Garden Initiative
YOGA JONES
Celebrates 8 Years March 2012 | Ventura County to Malibu | NaturalVentura.com
2
Ventura County
www.NaturalVentura.com
contents 7 healthbriefs
7
10 globalbriefs 11 ecotip 14 greenliving 15 wisewords 16 naturalpet
8
34
22 healthykids
26 inspiration
Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.
12 GYROTONIC IS
MOVING MEDICINE FOR ALL AGES
By Frank Carbone
14 VENTURA’S
OCEAN-FRIENDLY GARDEN INITIATIVE
18
By Lisa Burton
15 CHOOSING FORKS OVER KNIVES
30 fitbody
Doctors Advocate a Plant-Based Diet
34 consciouseating
16 DISH UP VARIETY
14
by Linda Sechrist
Treat Your Dog to Good Health and Good Taste by Wendy Bedwell-Wilson
advertising & submissions
18 CHANGING THE
WAY AMERICA EATS
Nourishing the Shift to Farm-Fresh Foods how to advertise To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 805-302-2528 or email Natural Ventura.com. Deadline for ads: the 20th of the month. Editorial submissions Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@NaturalVentura.com. Deadline for editorial: the 10th of the month.
by Melinda Hemmelgarn
22 PREPARING KIDS FOR TOMORROW’S JOBS
U.S. Companies Pair Scientists with Schools by April Thompson
24 UNCONVENTIONAL GARDENS
calendar submissions Email Calendar Events to: Calendar@NaturalVentura.com or fax to 805-371-4435. Deadline for calendar: the 20th of the month.
No Space? No Problem.
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 586.764.2552. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.
30 STEP INTO FITNESS
by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko
26 LIVE YOUR DASH
30
by Linda Ellis
Dance Your Way to a Beautifully Strong and Flexible Body by Sandra Murphy
34 EATING WELL
ON A BUDGET
by Judith Fertig
natural awakenings
16 March 2012
3
newsbriefs Teen Meditation now offered in Thousand Oaks
contact us Publisher Deanna Richardson Publisher’s Assistant Theo Jefferson Contributing Writers Linda Sechrist, Martha Moran, Jan Tucker Frank Carbone, Denise Schreidel Graphic Production Martin Friedman Brynn Guthrie Bianca Rose Martinez
Teen classes commence Monday June 18, from 11:30am-12:30pm. Alex Fiore Teen Center, 1375 East Janss Rd. Thousand Oaks. Registration begins April 9. www. crpd.com (space is LIMITLESS)
Photographer Troy Overman Multi-Market Advertising 586.764.2552 3835 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Westlake Village, CA 91362 Phone: 805-302-2528 Fax: 805-371-4435 Email: publisher@naturalventura.com editor@naturalventura.com admin@naturalventura.com billing@naturalventura.com support@naturalventura.com NaturalVentura.com © 2011 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $32 (for 12 issues) to the above address.
Printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink.
4
Ventura County
Commencing Monday, June 18, 2012, the Alex Fiore Teen Center in Thousand Oaks will be offering a five-week course in meditation for teenagers age 12-17. Benefits of meditation include: enhanced ease adapting to life changes; increased mental clarity in decision making; a renewed sense of self worth and confidence; and a deeper love and respect for all things. When people begin a meditation practice a sense of frustration can arise as one attempts to clear the mind of all thoughts. Having a teacher to encourage you through this stage has its benefits. Instructors Shiva & David teach that meditation is a way of life, which gives you the option to choose peace over stress, and they believe that it should be fun. Shiva’s philosophy is simple. Instead of letting the mind control us, we use creative visualization to become the master of our mind. David brings music to the sessions, teaching kids that through sound vibrations we become active co-creators of our universe. Private and group sessions are also available NOW for teens & adults, details at: www.RaisingHumanConsciousness.com.
Relax, Center, and Heal with the Rejuvenating Power of Reiki Have you heard about or experienced Reiki and want to know more about what it is and how it can help you? Has your experience with Reiki energy positively affected your well-being, your health, your life? Learn how to give Reiki to yourself and become a certified Reiki Practitioner. Master Teacher, Melissa Remotti, will be holding a Reiki I class on Sunday, March 25th at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard. Reiki I is an introduction to the discovery of Universal Life Force Energy. This course covers the fundamentals, history, and science of Reiki and will assist you in understanding what it is and how to utilize it for your own self-healing, centering and relaxation. Developing your own personal relationship with Reiki and incorporating it into your daily life will prepare you to share it with others. If you have not yet experienced the power of Reiki, a one-hour session can introduce you to its numerous benefits. Practitioner, Claire Staffa at the Mind, Body, Spirit Center in Westlake Village is offering 15% off of an introductory session to anyone that registers for the Reiki I level training. Melissa Remotti and Claire Staffa are honored to share this unconditional love and healing with others and have over 25 years of combined experience in the healing arts. For more information, contact Melissa Remotti at 805-910-7739 or Claire Staffa at 818-707-9355 or visit harmoniousreiki.com.
www.NaturalVentura.com
Green Race Added to Ventura Earth Day Eco Fest on April 14 Healthy living includes a happy and healthy heart, that is why a Green Run is being added to Ventura Earth Day Festival to Encourage Healthy living! This event will be held in VENTURA, CA – Organizers of the Ventura Earth Day Eco Fest announce teaming up with Compete Green, an endurance lifestyle company specializing in event management and eco-friendly apparel, to host a 10k, 5k and 1k fun run to coincide with the Earth Day festivities at the seaside Promenade Park on Saturday April 14th. The run will start at 8:30 am, while the Earth Day festival begins at 10:00 am. The race courses will be routed along the beautiful Ventura oceanfront, providing a flat and fast course. As part of Compete Green’s established objectives, all awards, shirts and cups will be completely eco-friendly. Following the race, runners and spectators will enjoy the popular Earth Day celebration including free family-friendly entertainment, education, children’s activities, crafts, eco-friendly project displays, and green exhibitor booths. Earth Day festival organizers are still accepting sponsors and exhibitors through March 16, 2012. For more information on the running race event, visit CompeteGreen.com/ earthday. To learn more about the Earth Day Eco Fest visit VenturaEarthDay.org.
Powerful Crystal Healing Device Deb Court, has brought to the Ojai Valley a rare and powerful Crystal Healing device from the world renowned Healing Center, the Casa De Dom Inacio, in Brazil. Developed by John of God, a full trance medium healer in Brazil, the Crystal Light Bed, sometimes also called, an advanced chemotherapy machine, is a spiritual treatment device that uses colored light beams, focused at the chakras or energy centers, through seven, large, very pure, clear faceted, quartz crystals. The alternating, pulsating Crystal lights produce a balancing effect on the endocrine system, the cellular structure and energy body as you lay with your eyes closed going deep into a meditative state, while listening to soft relaxing music. Mention the Natural Awakening Magazine and you will receive $10.00 off your Crystal Bed Session, Crystals or Pendant purchases over $80.00. Crystal Bed in Ojai CrystalClearMiracles.com and Travel to John of God GuideToJohnOfGod.com 805-669-5643l
Have news to share? Email submissions to: editor@naturalventura.com
Body
Mind
the place for your whole being
Creating Health in the following areas: • Chronic Fatigue • Digestive Disorders • Weight Loss • Migraine Headaches • Allergies • Addictions • Hormone Issues • ADD & OCD • Anxiety & Depression • Pain & Injury • Insomnia • And Much More…
T
his time of year can be difficult for many, whether you have a history of struggling with depression or are just feeling the “winter blues.” Spring is around the corner, but you still may be struggling with feeling down or anxious. You may tend to believe the way you feel is your own fault – but I’m here to tell you that isn’t true. If your body’s chemistry is balanced, your behavior will be balanced. Likewise, if something with the chemistry of your body is out of balance, some aspect of your behavior will be off balance. Your body’s symptoms are simply the language it speaks to get your attention. If you are willing to listen to your body objectively, you can find ways to heal yourself while truly honoring yourself in the process. There are natural ways to support you in feeling better while you learn to tune in to your body’s language. Call to schedule an appointment today.
$20.00 OFF YOUR FIRST VISIT with this ad, offer expires April 1
Nancy Sacks, D.H.M. 31139 Via Colinas #205 Westlake Village, CA 91362 (818) 865-1900 • (866) 676-HEAL (4325) Check out our online pharmacy at www.HolisticHavenPharmacy.Com
Spirit natural awakenings
Well-Being March 2012
5
Coming in April
GREEN LIVING Celebrate Earth Day with Natural Awakenings’ April edition, brimming with eco-solutions for your home, work and everyday family life.
For more information about advertising and how you can participate, call
805-302-2528 6
Ventura County
Win a Week for Two at Farm of Life in Costa Rica Two lucky winners will enjoy a weeklong stay at a much-loved boutique health retreat in Costa Rica, sponsored by Natural Awakenings and Farm of Life (Finca de Vida). Secluded high in the cooling mountains above Dominical with views of the Pacific Ocean, Farm of Life offers yoga classes, health counseling, educational retreats, a wide variety of area activities, and a delicious raw food menu, featuring fresh produce from their permaculture garden. The property features spring-fed pools, an organic farm, mountainside yoga deck with sunset views of the Pacific Ocean, an inviting common house, and delightful hilltop cottages and cabins. The prize includes shared accommodations for two, ground transportation to and from the San José airport, nightly dinners and use of the communal kitchen and the farm’s fruits and vegetables to prepare your own breakfast and lunches. Winners will also enjoy health coaching, yoga sessions, two waterfall hikes, a beach excursion, permaculture farm tour and tour of Manuel Antonio National Park. The best part is simply relaxing in this very special mountain retreat with like-minded international guests while learning how to create a healthier lifestyle. Owners Jody and Brian Calvi have a well-deserved reputation for attentive, loving service and skillful health counseling devoted to helping guests explore the inner world of personal health while enjoying the peaceful, healing and inspirational natural surroundings. To enter, visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/contests. To learn more about Farm of Life, visit FarmOfLifecr.com and by Googling tripadvisor farm of life.
Mini Organic Reiki Facials Now Until March 9th in Ojai Nicole Adamonis has been fusing Reiki, and her love of a organic skin care products that feel great, and leaves her clients relaxed and rejuvenated for over 10 years. Nicole educates her clients on the importance of skin care "from the inside out" and includes a fresh juice at the end of every treatment . Here in Ojai until March 9th, Nicole Adamonis will be providing her "Organic Reiki Facial". Nicole is a licensed esthetician from New York City, Reiki and IET Practitioner. She uses pure organic skincare products made from, raw organic vegetable purees, spices and herbs (No Preservatives or botanical extracts). Combining her 10 years of esthetics with her energy healing you will radiate from the inside out. Antioxidant-rich organic apple, lemon and grape juices are blended with moisturizing organic sunflower, olive oil, refining organic raw cane sugar and honey and rejuvenating organic geranium and carrot seed botanicals for an organic and healthy complexion. Mini Organic Reiki facial's now until March 9th in Ojai. Call Nicole for an appointment 914-262-4453 or email her at nadamonis@aol.com.
www.NaturalVentura.com
healthbriefs
High Fiber Trumps Low Fat
W
hen food shopping, concentrate on fiber content, rather than just the amount of fat, suggests a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. New Michigan State University (MSU) research suggests that foods high in fiber—but not necessarily low in saturated fats or cholesterol— are tied to lowering the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes in teens; it’s a generation noted to be at high risk for developing chronic disease, due in part to the popularity of processed foods with this age group. The researchers found that due to low consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans, the teens’ total dietary fiber intake was about 13 grams a day, well below the recommended 26 grams and 38 grams for female and male adolescents, respectively. “Our study reinforced the current dietary recommendations for fiber intake by including a variety of plant-based foods,” says lead author Joseph Carlson, a registered dietician and associate professor at MSU. “It may be better to focus on including these foods than to focus, as is commonly done, on excluding foods high in saturated fat.” Teens are not the only ones that benefit from a fiber-rich diet. A recent report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that adult women and men that eat at least 26 grams and 30 grams of fiber a day, respectively, had a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular, infectious and respiratory diseases.
Grass-fed Benefits
A
new, in-depth guide to the benefits of grass-fed beef is now available from Animal Welfare Approved, a national nonprofit organization that audits, certifies and supports farmers that raise their animals according to the highest welfare standards, and outdoors on pasture or range. The Grassfed Primer, available as a free download at AnimalWelfareApproved.org/consumers/ food-labels, notes that grass-fed meat and dairy products offer health benefits via higher levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and vitamin E, and can reduce the risk of E. coli infection. Scientists now believe that CLA may be one of humanity’s most potent defenses against cancer.
Does Our Food Control Our Genes?
T
he old adage, “You are what you eat,” may be literally true. Based on findings from a groundbreaking study by researchers at Nanjing University, in China, the connection between our food’s biochemistry and our own may be more intimate than we imagined. The researchers discovered that tiny RNAs (a mirror-image form of DNA), or microRNAs, usually found in plants, were circulating in human blood; one of the most common sources was rice, a staple of their native subjects’ diets. After conducting tests with mice, they found that microRNAs were capable of altering cell function and directly manipulating the expression of genes. The study results, published in the journal Cell Research, suggest that the human body is a highly integrated ecosystem and suggest that genetic changes in one species may trigger alterations in another.
More Rest Equals Better Teen Performance
A
dolescents that log between six and 10 hours of sleep each night perform better in mathematics and physical education classes than those that sleep six hours or less, according to a study published in the International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. The researchers, after analyzing the sleep habits of 592 students aged 12 to 19 in Seville, Spain, further observed that bedtimes and wake times did not significantly influence academic outcomes; however, they did note that students that require less than 15 minutes to fall asleep tended to achieve better marks. natural awakenings
March 2012
7
globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.
2012 5 DAYS START NOW! OF ESS FREE FITN
IT GENTOF W! 10,000 Square Feet of Fitness
Little Thumbs
Gardening Helps Children Grow Gardening provides many varieties of engagement for children: designing, planting and maintaining a garden patch; harvesting, preparing and sharing food; working cooperatively in groups; learning about science and nutrition; and creating art and stories inspired by their garden experiences. When third, fourth and fifth grade students participating in a one-year gardening program were surveyed for life skills, they showed significant increases in self-understanding, interpersonal relationship skills and the ability to work in groups, compared with nonparticipating students. Qualitative surveys of 52 second and third grade students working in a community garden classroom program in San Antonio, Texas, further revealed the children were likely to have more positive bonding experiences with their parents and other adults. A study of children with learning disabilities that engaged in gardening measured increases in nonverbal communication skills, awareness levels of the advantages of order, understanding of how to participate in a cooperative effort, and the ability to form positive relationships with adults. Juvenile offenders that gardened showed improved self-esteem, interpersonal relationships and attitudes towards school. Overall, gardening has been recognized by many studies as a therapeutic healing activity that can positively impact mental health and well-being. Source: University of Colorado-Denver; Health Sciences Center
Ocean & harbor view from all workout areas
State - of - the - Art Equipment
Free weights, circuit training and cardio theatre
Group Fitness Classes
Yoga, Pilates, Tai-Chi and Spinning
Great Staff, Excellent Service Super Clean, Never Crowded Private Wet Areas, Lockers, Showers Towel service and personal care products
Cool Down Lounge
Steam, sauna, and rinse shower
Tanning & Massage Member Lounge
T.V.s, coffee, magazines, and WiFi
facebook.com/edgefitnessclub
805.815.4222 www.EdgeFitnessClub.com
Freeing Minds
Yoga Mitigates Prison Recidivism Overcrowding is a serious issue in American prisons partly because the rate of recidivism (return) is high. A 1994 study showed that 67.5 percent of the 300,000 adult prisoners released in 15 states were re-arrested within three years. James Fox, founder of the nonprofit Prison Yoga Project (PrisonYoga.com) believes that part of the problem is that the U.S. prison system overly emphasizes punishment during incarceration and that programs such as yoga classes might lower the rate of recidivism. He is an advocate for restorative justice and has worked with prisoners for 10 years. The theory is that yoga and meditation help prison inmates develop important emotional and social skills, including impulse control and willpower, and thus reduce tendencies toward antisocial and criminal behaviors. Fox observes how anyone that adheres to the practice can develop mindfulness, patience, diligence and self-motivation. The Prison Yoga Project provides training for yoga teachers that want to work in prisons. Fox also would like to maintain a scholarship fund to help former inmates do teacher training, so they can make a career out of the practice. Source: Dowser.org
8
Ventura County
www.NaturalVentura.com
“Enjoy 2012... Pain Free” Just Being Healthy Buy Your New Year’s Gift Pac of 3 $180.00
Stress Relief Muscle Rehabiltation
RECYCLED SHELTERS
(805) 901-6832
Nigeria Makes Houses from Plastic Bottles Citizens of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, can now live “inside” the plastic water bottles that previously littered their roads, canals and gutters, thanks to a project initiated by the Kaduna-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) Developmental Association for Renewable Energies, with help from foreign experts from African Community Trust, a London-based NGO. The prototype 624-square-foot, two-bedroom bungalow looks like an ordinary home, but it is made from capped, sand-filled plastic bottles. The bottles are stacked into layers and bonded together by mud and cement, with an intricate network of strings holding each bottle by its neck, providing extra support to the structure. Once approved, the country will start construction to alleviate a current deficit of 16 million housing units. Source: PhysOrg.com
BFFNA2012
Book You Appointment Now... justbeinghealthy.info
Bee Wary
Nature’s Wake-Up Set to Snooze Bees are awakening earlier each spring, according to a Rutgers University study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Scientists report that global warming over the past 130 years has caused several species of North American bees to emerge about 10 days earlier than they did previously, with most of the shift occurring since 1970. Scientific research known as phenology measures the timing of lifecycle events of animals and plants. “A shift in 10 days is a lot from the point of view of an insect whose lifetime is measured in weeks,” says Rutgers Entomologist Rachael Winfree, co-author of the study. Because bees are the world’s most important pollinators of flowers and plants, any change in this crucial relationship could prove devastating. Study leader Ignasi Bartomeus, Ph.D., says. “If bees and plants responded differently to climate change, bees could emerge in the spring before plants were flowering, in which case the bees would die because they wouldn’t have anything to eat. Or plants could flower before the bees emerged, in which case the plants would not be pollinated and would fail to reproduce.” Source: USA Today
natural awakenings
March 2012
9
globalbriefs
Smart Giving
Silicon Valley Launches Philanthropy 2.0
Celebrate International Women’s Day March 8 Viva la femme: 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. For activities worldwide, visit InternationalWomensDay.com.
Breathe Deep
The Gift of Cleaner Air The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently finalized new Mercury and Air Toxics Standards created to protect families from power plant emissions of mercury and airborne toxins such as arsenic, acid gas, nickel, selenium and cyanide. The new standards are expected to prevent 11,000 premature deaths, 4,300 heart attacks and 130,000 cases of childhood asthma symptoms each year. “It has taken almost 20 years to amend the Clean Air Act, despite clear, unequivocal scientific knowledge that mercury and other pollutants have been killing our children,” remarked Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network. Source: EarthDay.org
EXPIRES 3/31/12
Reinvention is nothing new in Silicon Valley, California, home of some of the world’s most prominent cutting-edge technology companies. Frustrated with what they perceive as the slow pace and inefficiency of many nonprofits, some of the area’s innovators are bringing fresh approaches to solving vexing social issues. Along with money, these social entrepreneurs are applying their business skills—from marketing to operations, together with their enthusiasm and business drive—to transform nonprofits into more savvy, goal-focused businesses. “Donors aren’t waiting until retirement now,” says Laura ArrillagaAndreessen, a philanthropist and author of Giving 2.0, a book on how to improve philanthropy. She says, “This is no longer about sympathy. It’s about strategy,” asserting that donors today are demanding more research and metrics before funding charitable projects. Beth Kanter, a nonprofit scholar and author of The Networked Nonprofit, points to MomsRising.org, which advocates for family-friendly laws, as a leading example. “MomsRising didn’t reinvent the wheel, and instead just focused on what they were enthusiastic about—mobilizing people,” she says. Instead of operating in a traditional manner, the nonprofit outsourced much of its operations, allowing it to run more nimbly on a virtual basis. Arrillaga-Andreessen advises, “If we are to solve these problems, the onus is on givers to facilitate that change.” Source: The Christian Science Monitor
10
Ventura County
www.NaturalVentura.com
ecotip Cold Comfort
Big Boosts in Fridge Efficiency Refrigerator manufacturers are making huge strides in creating more energyefficient products, and with recent improvements in standards, upcoming designs will use a fifth of the energy that household refrigerators required 40 years ago. That will save the average owner about $150 over a typical 12year product lifetime. Government analysts note that side-by-side refrigerators might be more convenient than traditional top-andbottom models, but they offer less usable space and use more electricity—50 to 150 more kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, about 20 percent of the unit’s total energy consumption. An icemaker and door-accessed ice and water service can each add another 10 to 15 percent to overall refrigerator energy consumption. Top Ten USA, the leading source of independent information about the
energy efficiency of common products, identifies and publicizes the most efficient products on the market, so that when consumers are able to find the most energy- and money-saving models to buy, manufacturers are encouraged to make products even more energyefficient. The nonprofit uses comprehen-
5
sive information from Energy Star, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), The California Energy Commission and professional and manufacturing trade publications to evaluate and determine the most energy-efficient refrigerators and freezers in the United States. They recently tested three size categories: medium (14 to 18 cubic feet); large (18 to 22 cubic feet) and extra-large (22 cubic feet and up). To compare the top 10 most efficient medium refrigerator models, visit Tinyurl. com/7wm6cub. Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, calculates that by upgrading to Energy Star appliances, Americans saved enough energy in 2010 alone to avoid creating greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 33 million cars, while saving nearly $18 billion on their utility bills. Source: NRDC.org
49 or more
$ off any purchase of $
Excludes Sushi & Sale Items
Coupon valid at time of purchase only. Must present coupon at time of purchase. One coupon per person per visit. Cannot be combined with Offer expires 1-31-12. 3-31-12. any other offer, discount or prior purchase. Offer
New Lower Prices! Like no other market! Committed to your total wellbeing, with the healthiest freshest foods, the finest produce & state-of-the-art health products. Ours is a friendly, neighborhood place.
10offExcludes any purchase of $99 or more Sushi & Sale Items
$
Coupon valid at time of purchase only. Must present coupon at time of
Find it all and more at Maddy’s! purchase. One coupon per person per visit. Cannot be combined with 3-31-12. any other offer, discount or prior purchase. Offer expires 1-31-12. • Organic & Locally-Grown Produce • Excellent Gluten-Free Foods • Vitamin & Health Supplements • Unique Wellness Tonic/Smoothie Bar • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at the Kitchen • Bakery features fresh baked breads, pastries, & special orders. • Butcher shop offers grass-fed, hormone-free meats & fresh seafood. Don't forget Maddy's Bakery
In the Summit Center for all of your delectable desserts. We have beautiful, delicious cakes 26767 Agoura Road, Calabasas & a wide variety of pastries 818-878-9704 • www.maddysmarkets.com to choose from. Mon-Sat: 7am-9pm • Sun: 7am-8pm Come & enjoy the sweetness! natural awakenings
March 2012
11
communityspotlight
Gyrotonic Is Moving Medicine For All Ages By Frank Carbone
G
yrotonic training is threedimensional exercise taught on unique weight and pulley based equipment. It involves the use of special exercise equipment that includes both weights and pulleys and
combines principles of swimming, yoga and dance as well as principles of the ancient discipline Tai Chi. Gyrotonic training seeks to stimulate the cardiovascular, skeletal, and muscular systems of the body, using circular, fluid workouts. This training has a wide range of core benefits. For starters, Gyrotonic movement encourages the development of strong muscles, and reduces stress. It also plays a key role in increasing flexibility as well as improving coordination. It is credited with improving blood circulation and the movement of lymphatic fluid in the body. It may even increase energy. Many who practice Gyrotonic training also claim that it is good for improving joint mobility, relieving pain and strengthening the nervous system. For those concerned with aging gracefully, it is said to provide mental and 12
Ventura County
physical stimulation that helps to slow the aging process. It may even help prevent osteoporosis. In some cases, it may also be beneficial if combined with physical therapy. Gyrotonic clients range in age from 15 to 83. Some are recovering from knee, back, neck, or other injuries and others are active people who want a balanced exercise regimen. The benefit most clients report is the confidence and increased physical and mental ability they feel as a result of increased strength, range of motion, flexibility. Gyrotonic minimizes the impact of arthritis, alleviates back pain and stiffness, and helps one maintain a youthful posture. It is the perfect exercise system for seniors at any level of fitness as it contributes to the prevention and management of osteoporosis by supporting and building internal strength. Exercises are performed on the Professional Pulley Tower. The system
www.NaturalVentura.com
is fully adjustable and can meet the needs of many people with varying body types and levels of strength. The even and constant resistance in the handle unit and pulley tower (through the triple reduction in the pulleys),
completely eliminates the jarring that takes place at the beginning and end of exercises performed on conventional exercise equipment when many injuries occur. Gyrotonic was created by Romanian-raised Hungarian named Juliu Horvath. He had a career that included ballet dancing and both competitive swimming and gymnastics. He moved to the United States in the 1970s and continued his career in ballet. Sadly, however, his career was ended due to an injury. Juliu created the equipment and exercises after many years of intense study and self-exploration. Clients report improved posture, strength and stamina, circulation, a greater sense of mobility and more restful sleep. This system allows users to stretch and strengthen muscles while simultaneously stimulating and strength-
ening connective tissues in and around the joints of the body. These exercises are synchronized with corresponding breathing patterns; thus enhancing aerobic and cardiovascular stimulation and promoting neuro-muscular rejuvenation. The body is 75% water; so by stimulating the fluid system with sound and movement we are in a sense of coming home to ourselves whereby true healing can emerge from the body’s own wisdom. It’s our birth right to move. Gyrotonic is fast becoming a welcomed movement modality that is popular all over the world by all walks of life and ages. Health is achieved through movement. Gyrotonic training helps to restore movement to this contracting culture. Its role in rehabilitation as well in general health is profound and must not be underestimated. Dancers have been using it for years. Chiropractors are starting to use it to complement their practices. Madonna Shaquile Oneil, and many famous golfers,athletes, and performers do it also. Perhaps the final stamp
of approval needed for a new exercise craze to blossom in the Western world. Frank Carbone Is a Singer/Songwriter/ Producer. An authorized Continuum Teacher with over 10 years of intense study with Continuum founder Emilie Conrad. Frank Teaches weekly classes and workshops in Ojai ,and around the world. Frank studied Gyrotonic In Germany with its creator Juliu Horvath. Frank Is the facilitator and DJ of DanceMedicine In Ojai every Thursday night at The Ojai Center for the Arts, and a Pre and Peri-Natal Therapist In Training with Dr Raymond Castellino. Frank Teaches Gyrotonic at "Body Wisdom" In Ojai and is available for private sessions 718-664-8547. Frank Carbone 718-664-8547 Body Wisdom Gyrotonic & Continuum Studio
Additional Gyrotonic Clinics in Ventura County Essential Movement Malibu 21361 Pacific Coast Hwy, Suite B Malibu, CA 90265 310-729-1294 essentialmovementmalibu.com Ventura Pilates & Spiraling Arts Studio 1455 East Main St. Ventura, CA 93001 805-648-4191 venturaspiralingarts.com Camarillo Pilates 221 E. Daily Drive, Suite 7 Camarillo, CA 93010 805- 384-8044 camarillopilates.com Proactive Pilates 860-V Hampshire Road Westlake Village, CA 91361 805-557-1524 proactivepilates.com Second Story Pilates 28811 Canwood Street, Suite 200 Agoura Hills, CA 91301 818-456-5030 secondstorypilates.com Bodysattva Healing Arts Center 1414 East Thousand Oaks Blvd. Suite 211 Thousand Oaks CA, 91362 805-497-0300 bodysattvacenter.com
natural awakenings
March 2012
13
greenliving
Ocean-Friendly Gardens Sustainability and Restoring the Health of Our Ocean By Lisa Burton
W
e all live in a watershed whether our home is inland such as Thousand Oaks or Ojai or a beach community like Oxnard or Ventura. A watershed is an area of land where all of the water that is underneath us or that drains off of our property and into the streets flows to the same lowest point; namely our rivers, lakes and ultimately the ocean. Keeping our watershed clean is not only important to maintaining healthy ecosystems for species and habitat, it is also important to our personal health which is impacted when we eat contaminated fish or swim and surf in polluted ocean water. Local businesses are often considered the primary culprit when it comes to polluting our watersheds. The fact is, homeowners play a huge role as major contributors to water pollution. The water we allow to run off into local streets and sewers is the primary problem. This is particularly evident after storms when we all too often hear that local beaches are closed due to contaminated run-off. “Water running into the ocean is not inherently harmful”, Douglas Kent writes in his book Ocean Friendly Gardens (published by Surfrider Foundation). “It is the stuff attached to it and
the stuff it picks up on the way to the ocean that is. Fertilizers, pesticides, oils, cleaning solutions and organic debris (such as pet waste) all run off a landscape”. When we look at traditional landscapes what do we see? Too often, our neighborhoods were specifically designed to remove as much water from our properties as possible. Downspouts from roofs are directed to impermeable surfaces such as driveways or flow directly into pipes that lead to the curb. Inefficient irrigation systems over-spray onto sidewalks and streets. Inappropriate, water-thirsty plans and lawns use too much of our water resources and chemical fertilizers. Fortunately, the trend is shifting to creating “ocean-friendly gardens” which not only recognize the benefits of retaining as much water on the property as possible for our droughtprone gardens; but also promote sustainable landscaping. Artistically created bioswales and dry stream beds which capture the water and allow it
to percolate into the soil are beautiful design elements for any garden. Many professional garden designers have been creating ocean-friendly, sustainable garden landscapes for thier clients for years and are thrilled that the concept is rapidly going mainstream. We are finally experiencing greater acceptance of replacing lawns and impermeable hardscapes with softer, wilder, climate-appropriate Mediterranean and native plant gardens that protect our watersheds, conserve water, support our local wildlife, and do not require chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Local state and city governments are rapidly getting onboard by requiring new developments to mitigate water run-off and install oceanfriendly gardens. They are also promoting educational workshops that encourage homeowners to make the change either by doing it themselves or hiring a professional. One such educational series will be held by the City of Ventura in partnership with Surfrider Foundation beginning March 10 and is open to all Ventura County residents. For more information go to ww2.surfrider.org/ventura/VenturaOFG. html or contact Jill Sarick at (805) 6524501 or jsarick@cityofventura.net. Professional garden designer Lisa Burton of Nature by Design has been at the forefront of sustainable landscaping in Ventura County for the past 12 years. She specializes in replacing lawns with ocean-friendly, Mediterranean and native plant gardens, and wildlife habitats. Visit her website, nbdgardens.com for more information.
Eco-Friendly, Water-Wise Sustainable Landscaping Y Native Plants Specialist Design & Installation
nbdgardens.com 14
Ventura County
Y
805.765-1707
www.NaturalVentura.com
FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION
wisewords
CHOOSING FORKS OVER KNIVES Doctors Advocate a Plant-Based Diet by Linda Sechrist
F
ilm Producer Brian Wendel’s concern for the many Americans suffering from multiple chronic diseases, as well as the strain this puts on our nation’s health care system and economy, sparked the idea for documenting what doctors researching the issue have to say about it. In his latest film, Forks Over Knives, these pioneering thinkers examine the claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases afflicting humanity can be controlled or reversed by avoiding the ingestion of animal-based and processed foods; more, they make a compelling case that switching to a whole-foods, plant-based diet can restore health. Much of the foundational science showing why a plant-based diet of whole foods is not only best for everyone’s health, but also for the planet, comes from noted nutrition research pioneer T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. He has summarized his results in his book, The China Study, co-authored with his son, Dr. Thomas M. Campbell. His 1980 study of 130 Chinese villages, involving 6,500 adults and their families, directly tied the consumption of animal protein-based foods to the development of cancer and heart disease. Based on his research, Colin Campbell, teamed up with Dr. Junshi Chen, currently a senior research professor with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in Beijing, specifically characterized casein, a protein found in milk from
mammals, as “the most relevant carcinogen ever identified.” With concrete evidence in hand, and accounting for other diet and lifestyle factors, the pair went on to conclude that consuming whole, plant-based foods offers the best strategy for improving health and preventing serious diseases. Other solid science presented in the film comes from Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., whose 150 scientific articles complement the 1995 publication of his peer-acclaimed book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, which summarizes the results of his long-term research on arresting and reversing coronary artery disease through
nutrition. In his two decades of global research, Esselstyn, who directs the cardiovascular prevention and reversal program at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, found that wherever people ate a plant-based diet, cancer and cardiovascular diseases were rare. In many of the case histories and personal stories chronicled in Forks Over Knives, diet was used as a treatment for various diseases and cited as being more effective than prescription drugs. Anthony Yen and Evelyn Oswick, for example, attest how their lives were saved by switching to a whole-foods, plant-based diet after a lifetime of illness that included multiple heart attacks and surgeries, as well as chronic chest pain. Treatment under the care of Esselstyn succeeded in reversing advanced-stage heart disease in both cases. Today, they enjoy active lives full of friends, family and meaningful work. Social media channels such as Facebook have been vital to spreading the word about the effective solutions presented by the Forks Over Knives film and companion book (complete with recipes). Wendel reports inspiring posts such as, “Your film changed my life,” or “I no longer require diabetes medication.” Potential savings in costs to people and the planet are vast. Consider, for instance, that according to the Polytechnic Institute of New York University, if the entire U.S. population were to adopt a plant-based diet for just one day, the nation would save at least 100 billion gallons of drinking water, enough to supply every person in every home in New England for nearly four months. Wendel foresees the ForksOver Knives.com website ultimately expanding into a news resource, linking people with information provided by leading experts in the whole-foods, plant-based world via various media platforms. It will also provide opportunities to blog with experts, listen to live broadcasts about food preparation and find resources to help individuals transition to a healthier, plant-based diet. Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings magazines.
natural awakenings
March 2012
15
naturalpet
A varied diet even reduces the chances of dogs developing an allergy to certain foods, like chicken or wheat, adds Delaney. “Feeding a dog food that’s not commonly used in the pet food industry—a food that he’s naïve to—reduces the potential that the animal will develop an allergic reaction to it.”
Shopping for Choices
Dish Up Variety Treat Your Dog to Good Health and Good Taste by Wendy Bedwell-Wilson
“B
roiled chicken, brown rice and steamed broccoli again?” When you sit down to dinner, you prefer some variety, and so does your dog, who may well inquire, “What, kibble again?” Day after day of the same mix of protein, carbohydrates, fats and veggies can hamper any appetite, human or canine. But a diet packed with different food types can make eating more enjoyable. Before concocting your own dog food blends, it helps to learn more about potential ingredients and the benefits of a varied diet, as well as how to successfully introduce new foods.
Healthful Variety By definition, a varied diet is dense in nutrients and changes regularly; a decided 16
Ventura County
departure from the stick-to-the-samefood routine encouraged by dog food experts of the past. Dr. Sean Delaney, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist in Davis, California, says that today’s varied diet for dogs should resemble a cornucopia, filled with healthy meats, whole grains, legumes, dairy, fruits and vegetables. “For optimum health, it’s better to have the food in a natural, unprocessed state,” he says. To start, dogs require 12 amino acids in their diets, so foods that contain all of them would provide the best quality protein for dogs, advises Dr. Rebecca Remillard, Ph.D., a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and founder of Veterinary Nutritional Consultations, in Hollister, North Carolina. “Egg and liver are of the highest protein quality because of their amino acid profiles,” she advises.
www.NaturalVentura.com
Dr. Tracy Lord, a holistic veterinarian based at the Animal Clinic and Wellness Center, in Williamsburg, Virginia, says that older theories once claimed that dogs would become picky eaters or experience indigestion on a varied diet, but that perspective has since been questioned. To the contrary, variety brings excitement and interest to the table— or the bowl. For instance, Lord points out, “If you feed your child a dinner of chicken, broccoli, brown rice and cantaloupe, you can pat yourself on the back for providing a well-balanced nutritious meal. But if you feed this same meal to your child three times a day throughout his life, you would start to see nutritional deficiencies.” Plus, no one would be surprised to hear that the child is tiring of it. The same holds true for dogs, she says. Their bodies appreciate the different sources of nutrition, while their taste buds respond to delicious change-ups. One popular type of varied diet centers on taking commercially prepared, top-quality, frozen, canned or dry foods and simply rotating them, as long as the owner provides a consistent number of calories. This approach will ensure that a dog receives the right balance of nutrients, says Remillard. She explains that, “Federally regulated, commercially prepared foods have processing methods and quality assurance programs that limit the potential for food-borne illnesses in pets and offer guarantees, a nutritional profile and bioavailability of nutrients.” Remillard further notes, however, that not all products are equal when it comes to highly desirable ingredients, so as with any other processed food, consumers must read labels. Varied diets also may be prepared at home. That’s where home chefs can
get creative with different types of meats, grains and vegetables, but they should follow guidelines prepared by a trained nutritionist, Remillard cautions. “Unless properly formulated by a nutritionist, diets developed at home are not likely to be complete and balanced,” she says. “The nutritional profile of any diet—including homemade diets—depends on how the recipe was formulated, the nutrient content of the ingredients and how the owner prepares the food. Homemade diets may also contain contaminants and food-borne microbes if the owner isn’t careful.” Sometimes, just adding a little something special to a dog’s bowl will give him the variety he’s craving. For example, “If we’re making something our dog loves, like grilled salmon or ahi, we’ll cook a little piece for her and give her a little less kibble in her dish,” relates Alyce Edmondton, who lives in Redmond, Washington. “We always share our dog-safe leftovers with her. We figure that if it’s good for us, it’s good for her, too.” Wendy Bedwell-Wilson’s healthy living pet articles regularly appear in national and international magazines. Her latest of six books on dogs, Shih Tzu, is part of the DogLife series. Connect at PetWriter@live.com.
Ventura’s Health Food Store for Dogs & Cats
1865 E. Main St. • Ventura 805.648.6060 Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-7pm Sat 11am-6pm • Closed Sunday
Voted Best Pet Store 5 years running Locally Owned & Operated
Receive a FREE GIFT for your dog or cat with $15 Purchase • Earn points every time you shop with our rewards card. • Delivery Available • Specializing in Raw Food Diets • Recommended by Veterinarians
A NEW DAY A NEW APP
Enjoy Natural Awakenings on the GO!
Your healthy living, healthy planet lifestyle app for the iPhone/iPad. • NATIONAL DIRECTORY • MONTHLY CONTENT • ARTICLE ARCHIVES • HEALTHY KIDS • NATURAL PETS • EN ESPAÑOL • IT’S FREE!
Search iTunes app store for “Natural Awakenings”and download! natural awakenings
March 2012
17
Nourishing the Shift to Farm-Fresh Foods
cies,” have “statistically different nutrient contents.” In other words, each variety promises a unique mix of healthprotecting compounds. Supermarkets must rely on crops and animal products that can withstand longdistance travel and also meet uniform appearance standards. Small farmers serving local markets, on the other hand, can better preserve the legacy of biologically diverse heirloom crops and heritage breeds because of the shorter distances between field and plate. An heirloom tomato picked ripe at peak flavor can’t survive a lengthy commute, but nothing tastes better when it’s plucked fresh from the vine and still warm from the sun. Planting diverse, region-specific crops also reduces the burden of weeds, pests and plant diseases—and any related chemical use—and helps provide safe nourishment for pollinators and wildlife, as well. No wonder the Organic Farming Research Foundation characterizes farmers as the largest group of ecosystem managers on Earth. Everyone can support a cause that feeds us well while caring for the planet.
by Melinda Hemmelgarn
Farmers’ Job Market
Changing the Way America Eats
K
entucky farmer and writer Wendell Berry states that in order for people to care about their food, “They have to taste it.” Tasting the difference between fresh, local, organic foods and those that travel hundreds or thousands of miles before touching our taste buds is catalyzing a healthy change across America. Consider the growth in patronage of farmers’ markets alone: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports the number of markets has soared, from 1,755 in 1994 to 7,175 in 2011. What’s driving the surge? Incentives include our appreciation of scrumptious seasonal flavor, a comforting sense of community and the reas-
18
Ventura County
surance of knowing exactly where our food comes from and who—often on a first-name basis—grew or produced it. Good, healthy food germinates in genuine relationships—between growers and consumers, and farmers and the Earth. Local markets boost hometown economies, too; the USDA predicts a record $7 billion in such food sales this year, delivering a greater proportion of food dollars directly to farmers. Regional food systems also support the biological diversity that is vital to sustainability. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, “different varieties of the same spe-
www.NaturalVentura.com
With 57 being the current average age of American farmers, and more than a quarter 65 or older, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition recognizes the desperate need for more young farmers. When the National Young Farmer’s Coalition recently surveyed 1,000 beginning farmers, it found that access to capital, land and health insurance presented the biggest hurdles to entering farming as a career. The Women, Food and Agriculture Network has identified access to health care as the main challenge facing females that want to farm. While city dwellers tend to idealize farming as a romantic occupation in a bucolic setting, it is actually a risky, physically demanding job. Despite the
challenges, farmers say they love their work because they enjoy being outside, working with their hands, producing high-quality food and being their own boss. It helps to be healthy, smart and an optimist at heart.
Sticker Price versus Hidden Costs
To consumers coping in a down economy, the cheapest price may sometimes seem like the best choice. John Ikerd, professor emeritus of agricultural economics at the University of Missouri, notes that, “Americans, on average, are spending only half as much of their disposable income for food today as they were in the 1960s.” However, at the same time, “The percentage spent on health care has doubled.” Scores of studies show that many of today’s chronic diseases are related to poor diet. Factor in medical costs associated with food-borne illnesses, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pesticide- and hormone-contaminated food and water, and it’s easy to understand why Michael Carolan, author of The Real Cost of Cheap Food, declares, “Cheap food... is actually quite expensive.” One way for families to save money on food costs is to reduce waste. Jonathan Bloom, author of American Wasteland, says Americans waste more than 40 percent of the food we produce for consumption, throwing away $100 billion-plus in food a year. Most of it ends up in landfills. Instead of providing incentives to agribusinesses to produce less expensive food, smarter national farm and food policies could prioritize producing higher quality food and wasting less of it. Kathy Bero, board president of NuGenesis Farm, in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, advocates shifting commodity payments to organic farmers. Her nonprofit educational farm promotes “food as medicine,” along with cost-saving, health-boosting consumer strategies such as learning how to garden and cook to maximize nutritional value.
Inspiring Trends
Stephanie Coughlin, a farmer in San Diego, California, says: “If you don’t have local farms, you don’t have local security.” Across the country, communities are proving how a few conscious buyers can improve everyone’s access to high-quality local foods. Farm to Hospital: As director of nutrition services at Fletcher Allen Health Care, in Burlington, Vermont, Registered Dietitian Diane Imrie has the power to influence the economic security and sustainability of her community and surrounding region. Imrie sources approximately 40 percent of the food served at her hospital from farms located within a day’s drive. In her work, she helps keep farmers on their land while providing higher quality food to patients and staff. The facility also supports onsite gardens, which yielded $2,000 worth of produce in 2011, despite Vermont’s short growing season. The hospital food is so popular that its café serves downtown businesspeople, further bolstering profitability and community benefits. For local maple sugar producer Bernie Comeau, Imrie’s consistent purchases provide an income he can count on every month. Imrie is glad to note that for farmers, selling their food to the hospital is “like a stamp of approval.” Marydale DeBor, who founded and led the “plow to plate” comprehensive food and disease-prevention initiative associated with Connecticut’s New Milford Hospital, maintains that, “Institutional leadership is critical.” She says that thanks to a supportive CEO that believed in bringing farm-fresh foods to hospital food services, their retail café more than doubled its revenue within two years. DeBor believes that hospital food should set an example for public health.
Balanced Beauty A holistic approach to facial rejuvenation
Holistic Facial Rejuvenation and Advanced Skin Care • Re-Educate Facial Muscles • Increase Collagen & Elastin • Lift Sagging Eyes & Jowls • Minimize Fine Lines & Wrinkles As Director of Services at Balanced Beauty, I’m delighted to offer consumers effective alternatives to cosmetic surgery, Botox, and fillers to address the visible signs of aging. — Maureena E. Bivins, Ph.D., LAc As your esthetician, I help you achieve beautiful, radiant skin. Come and be nurtured! — Sara Costello, L.E.
ABOUT FACE Is your skin becoming more red and sensitive? Dermatologists are reporting that it’s becoming a wide-spread problem. Why are so many women suffering from red, dry, inflamed skin conditions unrelated to Rosacea? The answer in most cases is over-exfoliation. In an effort to stave off lines and wrinkles, many women are simply overdoing it. For example, if you are someone who frequently applies retinal-based creams, uses an electric face brush, gets peels and microdermabrasion then you need to consider scheduling in some recovery time for your skin, otherwise it will become very red and angry. So remember, easy does it and you will be more pleased with the results! At Balanced Beauty we provide holistic, non-invasive treatments that work with your body’s natural capacity for renewal. — Dr. Maureena E. Bivins
20% Off Multi-Vitamin Hydrating Facial Reg. $80, now only $64
Vitamin C & E, grape extracts, EFAs & yam extracts nourish & balance your skin. New clients only, w/coupon.
31255 Cedar Valley Drive, Suite 307 Westlake Village, CA 91362
818.991.1550
www.balancedbeauty.com
natural awakenings
March 2012
19
“We need to support beginning farmers, and more food hubs and new distribution systems to facilitate access,” she says. “Consumers need to let their hospitals know they should focus on good food and nutrition.” Farm to Restaurant: Leigh Lockhart, owner of Main Squeeze Natural Foods Café and Juice Bar, in Columbia, Missouri, buys supplies directly from local organic farmers and never quibbles about price. She composts any food waste in her garden, where she grows some of the produce used in her restaurant. Rather than large plates of cheap food, Lockhart serves portions within U.S. Dietary Guidelines, comprising higher quality, more satisfying meals. Relationships with chefs are important to farmers, advises Carol Ann Sayle, owner of Boggy Creek Organic Farm, in Austin, Texas. Farmers can rely on a sure buyer; chefs appreciate dependable and high quality food; and customers return because of the great taste. Farm to School: Organic farmer Don Bustos, program director for the American Friends Service Committee of New Mexico, trains beginning farmers and ranchers in ways to provide food to the Albuquerque Public School District and beyond. For example, farmers grow
crops during the winter in solarpowered greenhouses, and aggregate their products to meet school needs. Mobile meat processing and distribution networks also create jobs while keeping small farmers economically and environmentally viable, explains Bustos. Local agriculture fuels strong communities and fresh local foods help children thrive. In the Pacific Northwest, AmeriCorps volunteer Emma Brewster works with the Real Food Challenge, a national youth-based program that encourages colleges and universities to shift 20 percent of their food budgets to farm-fresh, locally sourced foods. Brewster works with Lucy Norris, project manager for the Puget Sound Food Network, which creates opportunities beyond farmers’ markets for local area farmers to connect with regional processors, distributors and end users, including Seattle Public Schools.
Hands in the Dirt
Regardless of occupation, many people feel a natural urge to work with the soil and witness the miracle of seeds sprouting new life. Rose HaydenSmith, Ph.D., a garden historian and a designated leader in sustainable food systems at the University of California–
Davis, points out that home, school, community and workplace victory gardens established during World War II succeeded in producing about 40 percent of our nation’s vegetables. In both world wars, she says, our national leadership “recognized that food and health were vital national security issues.” They still are today. Melinda Hemmelgarn, a.k.a. the Food Sleuth (FoodSleuth@gmail.com), is a registered dietitian and award-winning writer and radio host, based in Columbia, Missouri. She co-created F.A.R.M.: Food, Art, Revolution Media – a Focus on Photography to Re-vitalize Agriculture and Strengthen Democracy to increase advocacy for organic farmers (Enduring-Image.blogspot.com). Learn more at Food Sleuth Radio at kopn.org.
How to Grow and Find Local Food Find a farmers’ market ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets In season in the region; local harvest calendars and markets FieldToPlate.com/guide.php Locate sustainably grown food nearby LocalHarvest.org Food gardening tips KitchenGardeners.org
Learn more about the 2012 Farm Bill at: Environmental Working Group and EWG Action Fund ewg.org Food Fight: The Citizen’s Guide to the Next Food and Farm Bill, by Daniel Imhoff WatershedMedia.org/foodfight_ overview.html Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy iatp.org National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition SustainableAgriculture.net
20
Ventura County
www.NaturalVentura.com
2012 Farm Bill Update by Melinda Hemmelgarn
T
he single piece of legislation known as the Farm Bill currently contains $90 billion in taxpayer funding and significantly affects farming, conservation, energy and the quality and price of the food on our plates. When the bill comes up for renewal every five years, the public has a chance to voice support for a greener, healthier, more sustainable food and farming system. Sign up for Farm Bill updates and action alerts from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (website below), and talk with members of Congress about concerns. Marydale DeBor, who works to improve food quality in Connecticut, recommends that citizens align with farm advocacy organizations. “Advo-
Expires 3/31/12
cacy is the single most important need now, around the Farm Bill and state policies,” she says.
program’s total $71 billion benefits were redeemed at farmers’ markets nationwide, directly benefiting local farmers.
Did you know?
n Crop insurance is the second-largest Farm Bill budget item.
n Most Farm Bill dollars support food assistance programs, namely food stamps or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), our nation’s largest safety net against hunger. In 2012, SNAP is projected to consume 75 percent of the total Farm Bill budget. n Most SNAP benefits are spent in supermarkets and convenience stores. SNAP can be used at farmers’ markets, but only by those that accept electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards. In 2011, SNAP’s $11 million of the
Expires 3/31/12
n The majority of subsidy payments go to large farms producing corn, cotton, wheat, rice and soybeans, which helps explain why soda is cheaper than 100 percent fruit juice, and corn-fed feedlot beef costs less than organic, grass-fed beef. n An improved Farm Bill would provide participation incentives for conservation, beginning farmers, local food economies and organic agriculture, and better align agriculture with public health.
Expires 3/31/12
natural awakenings
Expires 3/31/12
March 2012
21
healthykids
Preparing Kids for Tomorrow’s Jobs U.S. Companies Pair Scientists with Schools
Citizens Off the Sidelines
by April Thompson
Career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math are projected to grow 70 percent faster than other occupations—with 2.4 million job openings in those fields during the next six years.
T
hat’s great news for tomorrow’s job-seekers. Yet, most American youth are matriculating out of the country’s schools ill-equipped to compete for these high-tech, high-wage jobs; among developed nations, U.S. high school students currently rank 23rd in science and 31st in mathematics. Now, hundreds of schools are working to better prepare students by harnessing outside resources to reinvigorate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curricula in classrooms and afterschool programs. Forget rote memorization of the periodic table of the elements that previous generations may equate with science class. Kids in STEM programs are designing video games, programming robots and building solar cars— fun, hands-on, practical projects that add zest to technical subjects. The extra excitement helps, because many STEM programs extend the school day, either as a mandatory late-day module or an optional afterschool session.
22
Ventura County
“For example, the kids maintain an engineering journal of the challenges they experienced, to help them troubleshoot the next time.” Leapin’ Lizards is one of 34 STEM programs nationwide awarded funding through the 2011 Ashoka Changemakers’ Partnering for Excellence competition, backed by U.S. corporate heavyweights like Google, ExxonMobil and Amgen. Many participating companies are investing in STEM school programming to fill the pipeline of homegrown talent for potential future hires.
Psyched about Science
Kids like Camerino Sanchez-Park can’t get enough. “Robotics helped me learn a lot about science and battery-powered objects and engines,” says this fifth-grader at Faller Elementary School, in Ridgecrest, California. “The best part was working with the cool, high-tech robots. I would definitely do it again!” Sanchez-Park is one of 87 youths psyched about science as a result of hands-on afterschool programs run by a local nonprofit, High Desert Leapin’ Lizards. It taps the brainpower of scientists and engineers from a nearby naval base to instruct in subjects like renewable energy, chemistry and robotics. Rather than focusing on abstract concepts, students create working windmills or robots capable of tackling obstacle courses. “It not only sparks an interest in science, it teaches them how to think like a scientist,” says Program Administrator Sandra Goldstein Birmingham.
www.NaturalVentura.com
Another Ashoka winner, Citizen Schools, sees the challenge as a supplyand-demand problem that includes a lack of teachers trained to meet the current needs for STEM education. Consider, though, the 10 million professionals currently working in related fields, and Americans have a system-wide solution. “If we can put just 1 percent of them in the classroom, we could more than double the math and science teachers in the country,” advises Managing Director John Werner. Citizen Schools recruits corporate volunteers from the ranks of top technology, architecture, finance and other fields to lead afterschool “apprenticeships” for disadvantaged kids in public middle schools. Participating states include California, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts and Texas. Collaborating on real-life problems in small groups develops more than tangible skills, attests Marianne DeModena. Her sixth grade son, Christian Deguglielmo, completed apprenticeships with Google at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and with investment advisors Cambridge Associates, both in Boston. “Christian came home a different kid,” says DeModena. “It’s brought out his leadership abilities, school pride, social skills and confidence… it’s really opened up this other side of him. He says Citizen Schools is his favorite subject.” The program’s success is more than anecdotal: A longitudinal study by Policy Studies Associates, Inc. found that kids enrolled in Citizen Schools afterschool programs significantly
outperformed a comparison group on a range of indicators, including school attendance, proficiency test scores and graduation rate.
Boot Camps for the Career-Bound
Gateway to the Stars
Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science, or (MS)², taps into higher institutions of learning as another rich source of STEM prowess. Founded in 2005, the Washington, D.C., public charter school is located at the university, one of the nation’s preeminent historically black colleges. Every (MS)² classroom includes at least one undergraduate teaching assistant, providing youths with collegiate role models in STEM fields, while giving university students an opportunity to test their teaching skills. Executive Director Yohance Maqubela recognizes that not every student will end up pursuing a career in a STEM field, but that science and technology will permeate whatever discipline they choose. Above all, STEM curricula are designed to address one of the most frequently asked student questions: “Why am I learning this?” By making learning more relevant, these programs are helping kids stay motivated, think critically about their surroundings and connect the dots so they see the big picture. It’s a mindset that will serve them well, wherever life leads them. April Thompson is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C. Connect at AprilWrites.com.
Suffer Headaches?
Dr. Alan P. Duben
Chiropractor, Board Certified Kinesiologist, Nutritional Therapy, & Neuro-Emotional Technique
Dr. Lindsay Erickson Gentle Chiropractic, Nutritional Therapy, & Neuro-Emotional Technique
“Since I have been going to Duben Holistic Center, my headaches are completely relieved! Thank you.” - R.S.
Neck pain • Headaches • Weight Loss • Numbness Allergies • Fatigue • Detox • TMJ
Duben Holistic Chiropractic Center DocDuben.com • 805-494-1339
by April Thompson
C
amps specializing in STEM-related subjects are cropping up across the nation. For a period of a week or more, they give children the chance to steep themselves in a favorite subject with peers that share their passions. Hands-on projects such as sleuthing crime scenes and assessing environmental habitats give kids a taste of what it’s like to work in a particular field and stretch their brains and muscles in the process. Here are just a few of the types of STEM-oriented camps offered. Visit KidsCamps.com for a comprehensive listing. Experimenting: General science camps make it possible to sample its different branches, from astronomy to zoology, and learn how things work through fun, interactive experiments. These group-oriented camps foster leadership and teamwork, as well as curiosity and discipline; key characteristics for any career in science. Animals: Veterinary camps teach skills ranging from basic animal handling to diagnosing disease. Often co-sponsored by university animal science programs, these camps typically blend lab and classroom work with fascinating field trips. Beachcombing: Marine sciences camps help introduce kids to Earth’s precious and complex maritime and underwater ecosystems. These camps often involve enjoyable activities like tidepooling, beach surveys and canoeing, while teaching skills such as conservation principles and sampling methods. Mystery: Crime scene investigation (CSI) camps introduce youths to the field of forensic sciences. Campers learn the art and craft of evidence collection, while developing observation and problem-solving skills. They may get to practice DNA testing, ballistics analysis, autopsy techniques and other tools of the trade. Robot building: Robotics camps make the challenging field of engineering approachable for children of all ages. Students are taken step-by-step through the engineering process, from designing and building through programming and testing. The sessions often culminate in a competition in which camp robots are pitted against each other on a ball field or obstacle course.
Mention this ad for a special discount on the initial exam. In Westlake Village
natural awakenings
March 2012
23
Rooftop Raised-Beds
Urban farmers in the United States are now transforming an increasingly significant portion of the country’s millions of acres of flat rooftops. Launched in 2010, New York’s Brooklyn Grange rooftop farm operation (BrooklynGrangeFarm. com), totaling nearly an acre atop a mid-rise warehouse, is among the largest of its kind. Sometimes called “vertigo farming”, because the farmers overlook an urban skyline, these enterprises re-green the landscape, wisely manage rainwater and rebuild affordable local fresh food systems. The Grange grows produce in seven-inch-deep beds using a growing medium made from compost and small, porous stones and annually produces 40 cultivars of organic tomatoes, salad greens, peppers, Swiss chard, beets and carrots. Food is sometimes transported to market via bicycles.
Window Gardens
Windowfarm co-founders Rebecca Bray and Britta Riley (Windowfarms.org/story) help homeowners grow some of their own food in window spaces year-round. Their research-and-develop-it-yourself hydroponic system project facilitates plant cultivation without soil, using nutrient-infused water pumped through a series of growing containers. To date, more than 20,000 people have downloaded plans for their own Windowfarm.
unconventional
Alleyway Wonders
In the East Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, flowers, ferns and ivy gardens have replaced concrete alleyways thanks to Podmajersky, a local real estate development firm. The lush gardens provide a tranquil sanctuary from city bustle and an aesthetically pleasing and inspiring surrounding for the Chicago Arts District, home to 1,500 artists and other creative entrepreneurs. In Monroe, Wisconsin, one resident turned a humble downtown alley into a welcoming nature-scape. Taking advantage of the “heat-island effect” generated in paved urban areas from hard-surface buildings and a nearby parking lot, as well as a southern exposure, his Midwest gardens even include cacti.
GARDENS No Space? No Problem. by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko
F
or everyone that feels surrounded by a concrete jungle occasionally relieved by a pocket park, green strip or landscaped median, the concept of finding a place to grow their own food may seem like a fantasy. Fortunately, backyard, rooftop and community gardens are good ideas that are coming on strong. Around the country, productive green spaces are replacing paved lots and lawns with edible perennials and seasonal crops that enable folks to eat better and fresher, while reducing the family food bill. “Food plants can be grown anywhere, including on a high-rise balcony, miles from the nearest farm,” says David Tracey, author of Urban Agriculture: Ideas and Designs for the New Food Revolution. “You just need to meet the plant’s basic requirements for sunlight, water and a few nutrients. Cities are great places to grow specific kinds of food; they tend to have plenty of niche areas such as empty lots, rooftops and the ends of streets that new urban gardeners are using for growing fresh crops like salad greens and tomatoes.” 24
Ventura County
www.NaturalVentura.com
Go Fish
Aquaponics is a well-organized way to sustainably raised fish and fresh produce together. “It mimics natural recirculation of resources in wetlands in a constructed dual-use ecosystem; the only inputs are fish feed and a small amount of power,” explains Sylvia Bernstein, author of Aquaponic Gardening and founder of TheAquaponicSource.com. “Because an aquaponic system can be set up anywhere, including warehouses, parking lots and exhausted fields, it is ideally suited to help localize food production and provide an alternative to clearing more land to feed our future.”
Patio Paradise
“When your space is limited, you start to think creatively about how to best use it,” notes Tracey. “Consider all three dimensions of a balcony or other narrow areas to maximize
LocalHarvest.org lists some 2,500 community gardens in its database, as does the american community Gardening association (CommunityGarden.org). growing potential. Climbing vines such as grapes and berries, hanging pots with tomatoes and nasturtium, and fruit trees in half-barrels are great ways to grow more food in a small space. The crops don’t know they’re in a pot.” Herbs also love containers. Some plants, like tomatoes, can even be grown upside-down to more efficiently use limited space.
Vacant Lots
“Community gardens are an excellent solution for those with the garden itch and no good land to scratch,” advises Roger Doiron, founder of Kitchen Gardeners International (Kitchen Gardeners.org), a nonprofit community of 20,000 members that has been cultivating change since 2008. Community gardens have taken over empty city lots, church lawns and schoolyards that are collectively farmed for food, relaxation or social camaraderie. Co-gardening a neighbor’s lot and sharing the harvest is another option.
Eating the Lawn
Garden-Fresh Recipes Lemon Balm Iced Tea Yields 8 servings Lemon balm grows prolifically and is ideal for a refreshing summertime iced tea. Slowly simmer the flavor out of the lemon balm in a slow cooker or simmer on the stove. Vary proportions depending on the pot size and desired sweetness. Big bunch of fresh lemon balm stalks with leaves ½ cup honey ¼ cup lemon juice 8 cups purified water 1. Stuff as much rinsed lemon balm into a slow cooker as will fit. Cover with approximately 8 cups of water, depending on the size of the slow cooker, and let simmer about three hours on low heat. 2. Drain the resulting liquid into a pitcher. 3. While it’s still warm, add honey and lemon juice. It is easier to add the honey while the tea is still warm, because it readily dissolves. Add more water to taste. 4. Chill before serving.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
“There are no beauty contests in the plant world, but, if there were, a productive, ever-changing patch of diverse vegetables would beat out a monoculture of turf grass any time,” says Doiron, smiling. Put into food production, America’s 25 million acres of lawns could go a long way toward reducing the environmental cost of transporting produce hundreds or thousands of miles. Americans growing their own food isn’t a pie-in-the-sky fantasy. As University of California garden historian Rose Hayden-Smith confirms, “During the peak year for Victory Gardens, 1943, some government estimates indicated that up to 40 percent of the fresh fruits and vegetables consumed on the American home front were produced in school, home, community and workplace gardens.” “One of the first steps in bringing healthy foods to the forefront of society is bringing them to the front and center of our living spaces,” concludes Doiron. “Growing food in small spaces is all about doing what you can with what you have. It’s a matter of changing our notion of potential foodproducing landscapes.” It does wonders for people’s connection to nature, too.
Yields 4 servings
John Ivanko and Lisa Kivirist are co-authors of Farmstead Chef (FarmsteadChef.com), ECOpreneuring and Rural Renaissance. Their award-winning Inn Serendipity B&B (InnSerendipity.com) operates completely on renewable energy.
1. Mix spinach and strawberries in a large salad bowl.
Foodies prefer strawberries that are red inside and out, quarter-sized and organically grown. The dressing helps accent the sweetness of the fresh strawberries and spinach, with a nutty crunch from the chopped peanuts. Note: Mega-mutation versions of California strawberries are often sprayed with poisonous pest fumigants that harm people and the planet. 8 cups fresh spinach; wash, remove stems and tear into small pieces 3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced For the dressing: ½ cup water 1 cup vegetable oil ½ cup salted peanuts 1 /3 cup honey 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2. Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender. Pour to taste over salad. natural awakenings
March 2012
25
inspiration
LIVE YOUR DASH
REJUVENATE with
Sauna Therapy 40-min. Far Infrared Sauna Just $19 (reg. $40)
New clients w/ coupon • expires 4/30/12
by Linda Ellis
H
Imagine the Perfect You! Imagine Feeling Great!
• Re-Imaging Soul Sessions • Yummy Massage • Awaken Peace • Nutrition Coaching • Personal Growth Seminars
Call Paul Justi Now! 805-241-8392 Lightstreamseminars.com
26
Ventura County
ave you ever walked through a cemetery or read an obituary and pondered that small, seemingly insignificant dash between the day someone was born and the date he or she departed? This oftenoverlooked little line ultimately represents every breath and step we take in life. Until an epiphany awakens us to the brevity of this dash with which we have been blessed, true appreciation of our life cannot begin. So think about this long and hard; are there things you’d like to change? For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged. When, as newborns, we take that first independent, deliberate breath, we sign an invisible contract with life that we will do everything we can to preserve, cherish and live it. By seizing and inhabiting our moments and living our dash, instead of simply existing, we are abiding by that first unspoken oath. Because success should not be measured in what you will buy, or own, but in the pride you feel
www.NaturalVentura.com
in the person you’re with … when you are all alone. When we spend our time focused on problems, we subconsciously disregard all that is not a problem. In mulling over yesterday and worrying about tomorrow, we fail to recognize the presence of today. When we postpone living until everything is running smoothly, we forfeit the minutes of our now. Instead of focusing on the next achievement or acquisition, we need to practice focusing on all the blessings around us—our loved ones and the sheer pleasure found in simply being. The poet in me writes: So live in your now; be conscious, sincere. Let your mind allow you to be in your here! For it matters not, how much we own, the cars… the house… the cash. What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash. Linda Ellis’ global touchstone poem, The Dash, was followed by the Live Your Dash poem, and her new book, Live Your Dash. Join the conversation at Facebook.com/LindaEllisAuthor and Twitter.com/LiveYourDash.
Camarillo Bags To Riches 1942 Ventura Blvd 805-384-2247 Mon-Sat 10am-6pm Thurs 10am-7pm Friday 10am-8pm Christians Acting Together 71 S Glenn Drive 805-484-1254 Tues-Sat 10am-2pm
Channel Islands Driftwood Cottage Gifts for the Home & Heart 112 Los Altos Street 805-985-2066 l0am-5:30pm Closed Tues & Wed
Oxnard My Sisters Closet & Attic 535 South A Street 805-487-7770 Tues-Sat 10:30am-5pm
Ventura
Newbury Park
Harper Blue 2415 E Main Street 805-667-8167 Tues-Sat 11am-6:00pm
Merry Hall Tree Thrift Store 2929 Theresa Drive 805-498-7886 Mon-Sat 10am-3pm
Pretty Things Consignment 2020 E Main Street 805-660-5344 Tues-Sat 10am-5pm
Simi Valley
The Little Black Dress 2040 E Main Street 805-641-3737 Tues-Sat 11am-4pm
Fishy Finds Antiques & Consignment 4680 Los Angeles Avenue 805-526-4970 Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-5pm
Thousand Oaks Mad Attic 226 Skyline Drive 805-497-1990 Mon-Sat 10am-3pm Senior Concerns Bargain Boutique 80 E. Hillcrest Drive, Ste 110 805-373-0504 Mon-Fri 9:30am-4:30pm Sat Noon-4:30pm
Ojai Vicki’s Pink Thrift Shop 922 E. Ojai Avenue 805-646-1769 Mon-Sat 10am-3pm
The Refill Shoppe 1068 E Main Street 805-765-9135 Mon-Sat 10am-6pm Treasure Chest Thrift Shop 328 E Main Street 805-653-0555 Open 7 Days 9am-7:30pm Wear It Again Sam 1978 E Main Street 805-643-3989 Mon-Sat l0am-5:30pm
Westlake Village The Closet 3065 Thousand Oaks Blvd. #3 805-777-7070 7 Days from 11am-6pm natural awakenings
March 2012
27
naturalyoga
Yoga Jones Ventura Celebrates 8 Years Now Offering YogaWorks Teacher Training
Y
oga Jones is about to celebrate its eighth anniversary at its site on the corner of Oak and Santa Clara Streets in the heart of downtown Ventura. As a birthday present, the studio will launch its first teacher training in conjunction with YogaWorks beginning in July. Studio owner Tina Chappel has been practicing for twenty years, starting at Center for Yoga in the Larchmont district of Los Angeles, before taking her own teacher training in 1998 with nationally renowned yogi Ana Forrest. When she and her husband Tom Lane moved to Oak View twelve years ago, she taught out of a home studio, but this soon proved too restrictive. “Tom and I wanted to build a studio in Ventura with classes in a variety of different styles, the kind of studio in which we ourselves had originally practiced,” Tina says. “It was also critical to create a beautiful space in which students would feel met and encouraged in a supportive, contempla-
tive atmosphere.” They seem to have succeeded, as Yoga Jones won the VC Reporter’s Readers’ Poll for best yoga studio in Ventura County in both 2010 and 2011. “My own experience is that yoga is one of the best ways to keep healthy, both physically and spiritually healthy,” continues Tina, who is also a long-time practitioner of Buddhist meditation. “Students come in for a variety of reasons. Then their needs evolve and our classes are designed to meet those needs in whatever way the students feel appropriate. We are extremely fortunate to have a very experienced, caring staff whose offerings include strong vinyasa/flow, gentle, kundalini, Sivananda and Taoist yoga, among many other styles and traditions.” For more information on the studio, its classes and staff, please visit the Yoga Jones website: www.yogajones.com. The studio also has an extensive schedule of workshops with
Voted #1 Yoga Studio in the 2010 & 2011 VC Reporter’s Best of Ventura County Reader’s Poll Classes Workshops Mommy & Me Meditation Kundalini and Hatha YogaWorks Teacher Training Program Variety of Yoga Styles Visit our website for upcoming Workshops & Events www.yogajones.com
Buy One Class – Get One Free!
Ventura County
Gift Certificates Available Give yourself or the ones you love an infusion of calm
Best Reviews & Prices In Town
60 min. full body massage
$41 H
yoga jones
2686 Johnson Dr. suite 203, Ventura
(at the corner of Santa Clara, one block south of main)
www.stressbustersmassage.org
downtown ventura 643-JONZ (5669) 105 S. Oak Street, Suite #200, Downtown Ventura
28
Stress Busters Massage LICENSED THERAPISTS LIC # 5-10-1462
www.NaturalVentura.com
(805) 644-5356
visiting teachers from other areas. Tina is particularly excited about its upcoming teacher training, which will be led by YogaWorks teacher trainer Hazel Patterson. “I’d been thinking about starting a teacher training program for two or three years,” she says. “Then Hazel came by and suggested we team up with YogaWorks, using their 200-hour training curriculum. I am very impressed with the program they put together, and even more so with Hazel, who is a delightful person as well as a superb teacher.” Tina recommends that any yogis who might be interested in becoming a teacher, deepening their own practice, or both, consider taking the training, which will run for ten week-ends beginning on July 7. For more information, email info@yogajones.com or call 805-643-5669.
Karma Kids Yoga Birthday Parties A Unique Party for your Child Pajama Spa Yoga Party Music & Aromatherapy Hand & Foot Massages Relaxing Yoga Poses Fruit, Pizza & Juice Hair Braiding Party Favors Yoga Games 805·263·0459 valeriepike 1 @hotmail.com www.valeriesyogaforkids.vpweb.com
STRIKE A POSE Bring this ad in for 2 WEEKS of unlimited classes for $30
The roots of all goodness lie in
the soil of appreciation for goodness. ~Dalai Lama
Toning • Improved Flexibility • Weight Loss • Stress Relief • Strength Training
yogaworks.com
Tarzana 818.457 • Westlake Village Larchmont • Santa Monica -.6900 Main Street & Montana Ave • Pacific805.371.3030 Palisades • Westwood New students andresidents local residents only. Expires 3/31/12 New students and local only. Expires September 30, 2011.
natural awakenings
March 2012
29
fitbody
a plus—not everyone in his video is a size 0. Simmons and others have been helping people dance their way to fitness ever since.
Making Dance a Game
Step into Fitness Dance your way to a beautifully strong and flexible body. by Sandra Murphy
R
ichard Simmons grew up in the French Quarter of New Orleans where, he notes, “Lard was a food group and dessert mandatory.” Exercise studios were geared to those already in shape, not to people that
wanted to lose weight. So in 1974, Simmons opened Slimmons studio, followed by his classic exercise video, Sweatin’ to the Oldies, with motivating tunes like Dancing in the Street, Summer in the City and Loco-Motion;
In Portland, Oregon, Mara Woloshin was inspired to get a move on when she complained to her 15-year-old son, Benny, about her weight. “Benny challenged me to do some basic Wii Fitness and then Zumba Fitness,” says Woloshin. “I give myself the right to fail at most exercises and dance moves; I just keep moving and let my son give me tips, pointers and instruction.” Benny puts in his own dance fitness time, plus keeps mom on track for 30 minutes a day. The Wii video game keeps score. “I win sometimes; mostly with yoga, while he is terrific at dance stuff,” Woloshin says. “I’ve logged more than 1,200 days with the Wii so far, and love to shake my size 14 self. I’ve lost eight pounds and have built an incredible relationship with my teenager. We dance, compete, sweat and encourage each other. “We also enjoy conversations before and after Wii time. Are they meaningful? Sometimes. Does he laugh at me? Definitely. Does he look forward to our evening dance workouts together? Absolutely.” Wii games popular around the country include Just Dance, versions one and two, and Just Dance Kids plus Gold’s Gym Dance Workout and Zumba Fitness.
Popular DVDs In 2011, FitBottomedGirls.com compiled a list of the best dance videos they ever reviewed. The list launches with their hands-down favorite, So You Think You Can Dance Get Fit series. Melt away calories using a variety of dance styles and fun moves via Billy Blanks’ Dance with Me Groove & Burn. Several Dancing with the Stars cast members have videos out to improve fans’ look and style. Check out Cheryl Burke Presents Disco Abs (includes Village People’s classic YMCA) or Julianne Hough’s Dance with Julianne: Cardio Ballroom. More experienced dancers may like Dancing with the Stars Ballroom Buns and Abs. 30
Ventura County
www.NaturalVentura.com
Taking Fun Classes “Zumba Gold is a great reentry to exercise for baby boomers” advises Sherry Lucas, a licensed Zumba instructor in St. Louis. “Classes are approachable, available and affordable.” Recommended workout wear includes comfortable sweatwicking clothing and a good pair of shoes. Because of the side-to-side movements, she suggests tennis or basketball shoes, not running shoes. Community classes generally range from 45 to 90 minutes (find a local class at Zumba.com). An hour-long regular Zumba class can burn 400 to 600 calories says Lucas, depending upon body weight, workout intensity, conditioning level and individual metabolism. As a point of reference, NutriStrategy.com charts calories burned by a 155-pound person engaged in an hour of light calisthenics at 246 calories; leisurely biking, 281; and walking briskly uphill, 422. “Find a class and an instructor you like,” counsels Lucas. “Make a commitment to having some ‘you’ time. Part of exercise is being social, so it’s a chance to make new friends, too.” Doctor of Naturopathy Kathy Gruver, Ph.D., finds that a hip-hop workout best suits her needs four to five times a
week. Each 90-minute class is non-stop action and she rarely takes a break, although some class members don’t dance the entire time. Gruver works out at Rhythm Dance & Fitness Studios, near Santa Barbara, California, with choreographer Tamarr Paul. “I grew up dancing jazz, tap and ballet; nothing even close to hip-hop, and there are still moments that I can’t get a certain move or trip over my own feet. Still, it took just a few weeks to get my rhythm back and get in the groove,” says Gruver. “We run through a set of steps multiple times before we add more. Once we’ve learned a whole dance, we run it over and over to different music; some faster, some slower.” With dance, there’s something just right for everyone. Dance with the kids, the dog, while making the beds or vacuuming crumbs. Dance along with a video or take a class to learn something new and different while making new friends. In any case, breathe in the music. It all makes exercise fun. Sandra Murphy is a freelance writer at StLouisFreelanceWriter@mindspring.com. For information on local classes and instructors visit Zumba. com
Workout Your Mind & Body Exercise with Positive Affirmations by Shivananda
W
ould you like to add more fun to your workout and manifest your dreams at the same time? If you intend to change your life, an adjustment in perception must come first. Positive affirmations stated with a clear intention of what you want to achieve, spoken in the present tense, as if you already have what you desire, will transform your workout experience and your life’s course. Many people complain that they are thinking positively, yet not achieving the results they want. To step out of a history of dissatisfaction, the first step is to choose an affirmation that is believable, one that makes success attainable. Start by picking an hour each day when you are exercising or physically active (i.e. gardening, shopping, cleaning) to begin working with affirmations. When your body and your thoughts come into sync with each other you are on your way to achieving your goal. Our body is often craving something while our mind is yearning for something else. This leads to a great deal of frustration and can be the precursor for addictive behaviors. When
you realize that the only control you have in life is your ability to choose love over fear, you become immediately empowered. You have choice so use it! By giving both your physical body and your mind the same goal— inner peace--you move toward a state of equilibrium, as two polls that once were opposing come into alignment. The inner battle is laid to rest while inner peace can now be fully experienced. The mind has a tendency to wander, therefore using positive affirmations while working out keeps you focused. With each rep or each step on a treadmill, call out your affirmation. “I love who I am. I am strong & confident. I deserve happiness. I am prosperous & generous. I am perfect as I am. I have a deep respect for all beings. I love life.” Our bodies are formed of muscle and connective tissue, which on an emotional level stores memories. For example if you scrape your knee it may trigger a time when you did it as a child and the pain may be less or worse depending on that memory. Ingraining new positive thought pat-
terns into our tissue while working out, in essence, negates any past suffering and plants the seed for future/immediate bliss; we have changed our life’s script. Be conscious of what you are thinking when you are in the midst of your workout. If you are thinking how your life is not working at the moment, or how you don’t like your body, you will be imprinting these thoughts into your muscle cells. Take a few moments before your workout and bring in a positive image of yourself to mind. We can only hold so much memory, therefore as you clear out the old beliefs that no longer serve your highest purpose, you create space to acknowledge just how incredible you truly are. Shivananda is a Spiritual Being/ freelance writer who offers personal consultations in person or by phone. Shiva’s mission is to connect you with living a more purposeful, joyful life. Visit her website: www.RaisingHumanConsciousness.com
natural awakenings
March 2012
31
Chunky Apple Delight Serves 4-6
Recipe Preparation:
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 5-8 minutes
n Fill a medium size boiling pot half way with water.
Ingredients:
n Bring water to a boil.
5 medium sweet apples (Gala, Golden Delicious, Fuji, Braeburn or other), peeled and diced
n Boil apples until they are tender (al dente – firm, not too soft).
2 T of ground cinnamon 1 T. brown sugar ¼ c. walnuts (optional) 2 T. of lemon juice 3 T. Frangelico (hazelnut flavor) or Amaretto (almond flavor) - Optional Whip Cream (topping)
n Pour apples and water into a strainer, drain out water. n Place cooked apples in a large bowl. With a potato masher, mash apples so they are a bit mushy, but still chunky. n Pour in lemon juice, Stir. n Add in cinnamon, walnuts, brown sugar and Frangelico or Amaretto Liqueur. Mix. n Serve applesauce in a pretty dish, cup or glass – hot or cold — topped with Whip Cream.
Enjoy!
“Simply Delicious Living with Maryann®” is a FUN and Enchanting journey serving up simply delicious recipes and dedicated to all things home, hearth and joyous living! Watch the show on Time Warner Cable ON DEMAND® throughout Southern California (approximately 1.8 million digital subscribers). With your remote, Go to ON DEMAND, FIND IT ON DEMAND, COOKING & DINING and scroll to the SIMPLY DELICIOUS tab. In Ventura, the show is also seen on CAPS-TV, Mondays, 8:00pm and rebroadcasts weekly. To watch the show Online and PRINT OUT the RECIPES, visit our RECIPE & VIDEO blog at: http://www.SimplyDeliciousLiving.tv Read the SIMPLY DELICIOUS LIVING Monthly SYNDICATED COLUMN in Natural Awakenings Magazine and in the Ventura County Star, “VC Style” at http://blogs.venturacountystar.com/vcstyle ©2010 – Maryann Ridini Spencer
32
Ventura County
www.NaturalVentura.com
Feel Better with an Internal Cleansing
Designer Boutique – New & Resale –
IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS COLONICS CAN HELP: Constipation • Hemorrhoids • Chronic Headaches Bad Breath • Body Odor • Excessive Gas or Bloating Irritability, Depression • Skin Problems (acne) Inability to Lose Weight
Some benefits that have been reported are:
Why Pay More? Shop Resale! Bags • Clothing Furs • Jewelry Scarves • Shawls Shoes • Vintage
(805) 384-BAGS (2247) bagstoriches805@yahoo.com 1942 Ventura Blvd Old Town Camarillo
20%
OFF
First visit w/this ad
• • • • • •
Improved bowel function Clearer complexion Heightened mental clarity Fewer headaches More energy, weight loss Reduced gas and bloating Natural Awakenings readers receive
$10.00 OFF
Lissa McGraw
1-ACT Certified Colon Hydrotherapist
Colon Hydrotherapy “The joy you feel is life.”
(805) 766- 0356 • Espiritcolonics.com 1535 E. Main Street, Midtown Ventura
natural awakenings
March 2012
33
consciouseating “Having a realistic weekly budget is helpful, because you can’t go too far over budget before you realize you are in trouble,” advises Lisa Leake. To make it even easier to stay on track, she makes it a habit to shop near home and uses cash instead of credit.
EATING WELL ON A BUDGET by Judith Fertig
Seasonal Shopping “If we shop for seasonal produce and freeze or can surplus from our local farmers’ market, we can eat well all year and still eat frugally,” advises Rebecca Miller, a macrobiotic and healing foods caterer from Overland Park, Kansas. “When fresh blueberries are $3 a cup at the grocery during the off-season, for example, we can still enjoy canned berries in recipes or thawed from the freezer on our morning oatmeal.”
Eating Down the Fridge In tough economic times, many families include food in their spending cuts. How can we tighten our budget and yet still eat well?
S
ix months ago, Josh Viertel threw down the “value meal” gauntlet in a major way. The Slow Food USA president challenged cooks around the country to create a family-friendly feast for under $5. Many responded, sharing their tips and tricks at SlowFoodUSA. org/5Challenge. Here are some favorites.
Setting a Budget Five dollars per meal for 21 meals a week, plus snacks, neatly totals the $125 weekly food budget set by the Leake family, of Charlotte, North Carolina. Lisa and Jason Leake, parents of two young daughters, first explored what it would be like to eliminate processed food from their diet, which they describe in their blog at 100DaysofRealFood.com. Their success led to the additional challenge of eating real food on a budget. 34
Ventura County
Seattle-based Kim O’Donnel, author of The Meatlover’s Meatless Cookbook, blogs about family meals for USA Today. “I regularly emphasize what I call ‘eating down the frig,’” she says. “That means making use of what we’ve got on hand, like generations before us that also went through food shortages. We’re just out of practice.” One way to help ourselves learn, says O’Donnel, is to stock a “smarter” pantry. Staples include different varieties of dried beans; lentils; quickcooking grains such as quinoa, bulgur, couscous and purple barley; garbanzo beans; brown and black rice; and a few BPA-free canned goods like tomatoes, black beans and chickpeas. “If we take our time and watch for good deals, we can build a pantry at a low cost,” she says, because such ingredients are basically “blank slates.” As just one example of a low-cost, pantry-based
www.NaturalVentura.com
meal, O’Donnel might start with cooked red lentils, then add fresh ginger and garlic, sautéed onion with cumin, and fresh spinach and tomatoes, and then serve it with whole-wheat pita bread.
Ingredient-First Cooking
Jane Zieha, a certified public accountant, knows that feeding people and watching the bottom line can go together. She owns the acclaimed Blue Bird Bistro, in Kansas City, Missouri. An avowed all-natural, organic, sustainable and local foods passionista, Zieha has stayed true to the principles of her Pennsylvania upbringing. “I didn’t eat like anybody else growing up,” she says. “We never ate packaged food. We ate what was fresh. When I was old enough to go to a friend’s house for dinner, I was surprised at how they ate.” Today, both at home and at work, Zieha continues to select the best that local farmers can provide. “I don’t start with a recipe and then find the food, like most chefs and restaurants do,” she explains. “I find the ingredients and then go from there.”
Meat as a Condiment More expensive ingredients, such as heritage turkey, can bring more flavor and texture to an entrée as an ingredient instead of a standalone part of a meal, advises Zieha. She might feature heritage turkey in an enchilada filling, pasta or savory bread pudding, so that a little goes a long way. It also makes sense to shop for varieties of fish or cuts of meat that aren’t widely popular or that take longer to cook. Slow Food’s Viertel, who shops near Brooklyn, New York, remarks: “I buy ‘trash fish’—sea robin, squid, mackerel, sardines—because they are cheaper and I believe, taste best. The same is true of the other meats I buy. I never cook pork chops or filet mignon; I cook oxtail and short ribs.” Then, O’Donnel adds, the frugal cook turns bones of roasted poultry or trimmings from a whole fish into a delicious stock. Any homemade broth can be just the frozen asset we need for yet another tasty “value” meal. Cookbook author Judith Fertig writes at AlfrescoFoodAndLifestyle.blogspot.com.
communitysupportedagriculture Support Locally Grown Food
Buy a Share . . . Get a Bounty! MCGRATH FAMILY FARM 1012 W. Ventura Boulevard Camarillo, CA 805-983-0333 McGrathFamilyFarm.com
FARMER AND COOK FARMS 805-290-0988 FarmerAndCook.com
This is the freshest way to buy produce in the Ojai Valley, as well as a great way to know your grower, and in doing so, support the local economy. Our CSA has pickups every week, and the produce we harvest hasn’t been out of the ground or off the stalk for more than five or six hours, when our members pick up on time.
We commit to grow exceptionally high quality vegetables, herbs and fruit, and deliver a bountiful portion of it to you every week of the season. Become a member of our CSA program and every week from March to December you will receive a share of fresh, organically grown, inseason produce delivered to a convenient location in your neighborhood or ready for pick up at the farm.
RIO GOZO FARM HEALTHY FAMILY FARMS Santa Paula, CA HealthyFamilyFarms@gmail.com LocalHarvest.org/csa/M16881
Our year-round CSA functions much like a herdshare. Instead of receiving a box of products, members get discounts on products brought to our farmers’ markets on a weekly basis, as well as on special orders. Healthy Family Farms is a sustainable, pasture-based farming operation.
1651 S. Rice Road Ojai, CA 93023 805-272-8170 RioGozoFarm.blogspot.com Members pick up a weekly box dropped in downtown Ventura. Home delivery is an option for an extra charge. There are about seven to12 items in the share; produce varies according to season. Drop locations are currently in Ventura on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Drop locations and times may adjust as the program evolves.
UNDERWOOD FAMILY FARMS JOIN THE FARM!
4710 E. Hueneme Rd. Oxnard, CA 93033 805-246-1070 JoinTheFarm.com Become a member of our CSA to enjoy weekly shares of our fresh, certified-organic local produce. Members pick up their boxes at sites in Ventura and LA counties.
Info@UnderwoodFamilyFarms.com UnderwoodFamilyFarms.com By becoming a member of the Underwood Family Farms CSA, you will receive a weekly shipment of seasonal fruits and vegetables, grown on our farm. Our produce is all grown locally and will be harvested one day and delivered the next. If you would like to become a member of any of our CSA programs, please visit our website. We have two open CSAs: Camarillo and Moorpark.
natural awakenings natural awakenings
March March 2012
35 35
Energy Healing Can Be Powerful For Our Pets Master Healer Paramahansa Jagadish Gets Results By Charlotte Parker
P
aramahansa Jagadish is best known for his amazing healing power with adults and children. His deep and concentrated spiritual practice spans Eastern Yogic, Hawaiian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. But what most don’t realize is that this remarkable healer, with over 40 years of training in advanced sacred energy transmission, is a powerful and sensitive healer of our friends in the animal kingdom. Jagadish is a sincere lover of animals and respects their individuality and each of their souls. With remarkable success, he heals dogs, cats, horses, birds and even lizards. His animal healing began in
36
Ventura County
earnest when one of his clients, who personally had experienced his own healing with Jagadish, mentioned problems with his dog. The dog, an elderly Labrador Retriever, had little drive or energy. Jagadish started working on the dog from a distance and found that just at the time he was working on him, the dog got up and became more enlivened, and walked over to the family room where the owners were sitting. There was a noted change in the dog from that day onward. “There can be many reasons for an animal’s physical discomfort, pain, or behavioral problems. I communicate with their energy and find where the problem is and clear the energetic field. Sometimes the problem is actually with the pet owner and their communication with their pet,” says Jagadish. One client called afraid her cat was dying. Jagadish arrived in person and communicated with the cat and found that indeed the cat was dying. “I explained the cat’s desires for her own-
www.NaturalVentura.com
er to stop forcing her to live and that the owner’s intensive fear and concern were being experienced by the hyper sensitive cat as violent and unnerving,” reports Jagadish. Once this was translated, and the client was counseled in how best to handle the situation, it became a deep and cleansing experience filled with love for both the cat and her owner, allowing her beloved pet to pass on in peace and love. Recently he worked on a client’s elderly white lab, Katie, who was plagued by ear sores and had trouble walking due to her severe arthritis. Jagadish worked on her twice and now she is able to take walks and, remarkably, the ear sores have disappeared. In another case, he was working on a client during her private Karma Clearing session while her dog, Phoebe (a small mixed breed), was sitting next to her. Among Paramansa Jagadish’s specialties are Ancestral Healing and Karma Clearing. The benefits of both healing practices are especially profound because they get to the causal level of a person’s issues and problems. People can expect transformation on all levels of their life, including resolution of emotional and mental attachments as well as increased mental and physical health, vitality and creativity. He is able to assist the individual in creating a positive karmic path and altering negative energies that may be hindering them. The physical healing can also be profound. His results have confounded doctors, some of whom are now incorporating his healing. Phoebe had a tremendous fear of other dogs, which likely was caused prior to her adoption, and was terrified when another dog approached, making it very difficult to walk her. During the private Karma Clearing session, Phoebe sat right next to her owner the entire time. The client felt wonderful after the session, but what was really amazing is that since that day, Phoebe has been able to take walks and pass another dog without a problem. “It is really a miracle,” says her owner. Another client, one of the great rock musicians of the 60’s and 70’s, had a problem with his horse. The horse was listless and appeared depressed.
Just by healing him from a distance, Jagadish was able to communicate with the horse and restore his energy. At last report the horse was frisky and full of life. Jagadish, who is a vegetarian, sees animal lovers as generally very spiritual
because they see the inter-connectedness with all things and cross over the kingdom divide into the animal consciousness collective that can uplift each other individually and collectively. In his private sessions and intensives, Jagadish clears karma that has accumulated in the soul from this life, as well as from past lives, which helps advance career and financial prosperity, transform relationships, and opens one to higher levels of Spiritual Transformation and connection to Source and the Higher Self. Wherever Jagadish goes, he attracts master healers who are awed by his sacred healing work because they’ve never experienced anything quite like it. Caring and compassionate, he has dedicated his life to the spiritual transformation and healing of others, so they may experience a life of liberated joy, wisdom, peace and love, following the guidance of his teachers which include His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Baba Hari Dass, Dilgo Khyneste Rinpoche, and his Blessed Gurudev Siddha Mouni Baba Avadhut.
Paramahansa Jagadish provides an outreach of healing and teaching venues throughout the year. Please visit www.jagadish.org for more details and for events in your area or call 877.838.1133
Happy Spring Natural Awakenings Readers! We thank the many local business sponsors found in this months publication! They make this publication available. Please support them and feel free to contact them to share your appreciation for their committment to Holistic Living!
natural awakenings
March 2012
37
.
The Josephine DeMello SIDS Foundation, a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. With the help from public donations and fundraising events, the organization is able to help sponsor education and training for medical professional, and help fund SIDS research. We are here to serve the community in any way we can to help raise awareness, education, and promote Sudden Infant Death (SIDS) Risk Reduction. Come enjoy a night filled with wonderful entertainment by Tina’s Ports of Paradise, and great tasting food by Puerto Nuevo’s head chef Luis Robellada. March 8, 2012 6pm-9pm At Puerto Nuevo Restaurant 3600 Saviers Rd. Oxnard,Ca 93035 Josephine DeMello SIDS Foundation• (888)674-2999 www.joeydemellofoundation.org
38
Ventura County
www.NaturalVentura.com
calendarofevents tHursdaY marcH 1 Therapeutic Class – 3:30pm. Informational meeting for children who are delayed or disabled. Focusing on language, motor skills, socialization, sensory integration and parent instruction. Free. A Place to Grow Preschool, 414 E Ojai Ave, Ojai. Call Cassie Woods at 805-667-8200 with questions. Mommy and Me Yoga – 4pm. For Children and toddlers ages 3-6 years. Class teaches “Peaceful Piggy Meditation”, reads stories and plays fun games with instruments and dancing. Dads can be pretzels too! Grandmas welcome! $15/family. ZanZilla Yoga, 2750 E Main St, Ventura. 805-263-0459. Email ValeriePike1@hotmail.com with questions. ValeriesYogaforKids.vpweb.com. Training for Volunteers to Gather Signatures – 5:30-6:30pm. Food Labeling ballot initiative. for the CA Right to Know GE. Please help us get mandatory labeling of genetically engineered food on the November ballot. Location: Lassen’s, 4071 E Main St, Ventura, every Thursday in March. Contact: Jan Dietrick, LabelGMO Volunteer Outreach, labelgmoventura@gmail.com, 805-643-3640. Natural Intestinal Cleanse and Liver/Gallbladder Cleanse – 6:30pm. Three consecutive Thursday evenings in Ojai CA. by natural health expert Khabir Southwick. $125 includes herbal supplements. Call 805-640-1071 or email Khabir@Naturalhealingojai.com NaturalHealingOjai.com. Your Home as an Eco System – 7pm. Learn a holistic approach to healthy, eco-friendly, moneysaving energy assessments and upgrades, and how to accelerate your return on investment with rebates, grants and financing. Seminar hosted by The Ojai Retreat. Free. EcoLogic Life, 56 S Oak St, Ventura. Call Cynthia Grier at 805-648-2626 or email Cynthia@EcoLogicLife.com to reserve a space.
FridaY, marcH 2 Mommy and Me Yoga – 2pm. For Buddha babies, children and toddlers. Class teaches “Peaceful Piggy Meditation”, reads stories and plays fun games with instruments and dancing. Dads can be pretzels too! Grandmas welcome! $10/family. Zanzilla Yoga, 2750 E Main St, Ventura. 805-263-0459. Email ValeriePike1@hotmail.com with questions. ValeriesYogaforKids.vpweb.com. Mind Body Spirit Fun Conference “It’s All About You!” March 2 – 4 An International Hypnosis Federation event held at the beautiful Doubletree Resort in San Pedro, California, at the Marina. Dr. Bunny Vreeland will be a Keynote Speaker at the Conference. Hypnosisfederation.com.
saturdaY marcH 3 The Ojai Valley Green Coalition Food Council invites you to a zesty, zippy, puckering – 2-5pm. Master food preserver, Laurie Dill, will lead the workshop savory World of Citrus demonstration. This workshop is designed to encourage participants to become better food preservers using their backyard citrus trees to create a variety of products from culinary delights such as marmalades, chutneys, and flavored sugars to bath salts, facial scrubs, and household cleaners. 710 S. La Luna, Meiners Oaks. The cost is $30 for OVGC members and $35 for
non-members payable at the door. A reservation to ojaiculinaryclub@gmail.com www.ojaivalleygreencoalition.org. Mind Body Spirit Fun Conference “It’s All About You!” March 2 – 4 An International Hypnosis Federation event held at the beautiful Doubletree Resort in San Pedro, California, at the Marina. Dr. Bunny Vreeland will be a Keynote Speaker at the Conference. Hypnosisfederation.com.
sundaY marcH 4 Healing Meditation – 2-4pm. First Sunday Of Every Month Please wear white and bring in a piece of paper with your prayers and intentions of healing for yourself, Mother Earth, humanity and anyone else in your life. Street parking available. Crystal Oaks Chateau, Ojai. Please RSVP at 805-669-5643 or Deb@CrystalClearMiracles.com. Mind Body Spirit Fun Conference “It’s All About You!” March 2 – 4 An International Hypnosis Federation event held at the beautiful Doubletree Resort in San Pedro, California, at the Marina. Dr. Bunny Vreeland will be a Keynote Speaker at the Conference. Hypnosisfederation.com.
tuesdaY marcH 6 Buddhaful Babies and Toddlers – 11:30am. Yoga Jones 105 S. Oak St. Ste. 200 Ventura, CA Come and learn the ABC’s of Yoga and Baby Massage which eases colic and digestion. Email Valeriepike1@ hotmail.com with any questions, or go to ValeriesYogaforKids.vpweb.com or meetup.com Ventura Yoga for Kids Mommy and Me. $15 and $5 each additional child. Writers Group – 6:30pm. On the 1st Tuesday of each month, we share, support and encourage one another in growing our talents. Bring what you’re working on. Location: A Place of Peace, 2021 Sperry Ave. #22, Tuesdays through Fridays. 805-794-9878. teri@aplaceofpeace.org, aplaceofpeace.org.
day evenings in Ojai CA. by natural health expert Khabir Southwick. $125 includes herbal supplements. Call 805-640-1071 or email Khabir@Naturalhealingojai.com NaturalHealingOjai.com
FridaY marcH 9 Reflective Cinema – 7pm. Every 2nd Friday of the Month. Cinema Special: Seekers of Truth Independently and through his work in music, Yuval Ron actively promotes peace and goodwill. Yuval Ron works internationally in film, television, dance and theater. Among his many honors, he was invited to perform for the Dalai Lama, for Pir Zia Iniyat Khan. The Yuval Ron Ensemble, includes Arabic, Jewish and Christian artists who unite the sacred music traditions of Judaism, Sufism and the Armenian Church into an unusual mystical, spiritual and inspiring musical celebration. 2021 Sperry Ave, Ste 22, Ventura. 805-794-9878. APlaceOfPeace.org.
sundaY marcH 11 Sacred Art Experience – 2:00-4:30pm. $35 Discover the spiritual power embodied in a rare Buddhist textile tradition and connect to that energy within yourself. Join Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo, apprentice to Tibetan masters, for an experiential encounter with sacred art. Bell Arts Factory, studio #77, 432 No. Ventura Ave., Ventura. Reserve your space at www.SacredArtExperience.com or email us at info@threadsofawakening.com Limited to 10. Contact: 805-626-8272. Camp Summertime, Open House – 11am-2pm. Camp Summertime is located on 120 private acres at Calamigos Ranch. There is opportunity for swimming, horseback riding, rock climbing wall, marine science, boating, team sports, go carts, fishing, and tennis, plus professional transportation. For a brochure and more information call 818-706-7335.
wednesdaY marcH 14 Drum Circle – 7pm. Every 2nd Wednesday of the Month at 2021 Sperry Ave, Ste 22, Ventura. 805794-9878. APlaceOfPeace.org.
tHursdaY marcH 15
wednesdaY marcH 7 Full Moon Gathering – 6pm. On our lawn under the night sky, warmed by our fire-pit and heat lamps, at 2021 Sperry Ave, Ste 22, Ventura. 805-794-9878. APlaceOfPeace.org. Prostate Cancer Support Group – 6:30pm. 2nd & 4th Wed. For location & detailed info: 805-3794777 or TwcVv.org. Workshop & Training about GMOs in Food – 6:30-8:30pm. Free, North Oxnard United Methodist Church, 1801 Joliet Pl, Oxnard. 805-643-3640 labelgmoventura@gmail.com.
tHursdaY marcH 8 Training for Volunteers to Gather Signatures – 5:30-6:30pm. Food Labeling ballot initiative. for the CA Right to Know GE. Please help us get mandatory labeling of genetically engineered food on the November ballot. Location: Lassen’s, 4071 E Main St, Ventura, every Thursday in March. Contact: Jan Dietrick, LabelGMO Volunteer Outreach, labelgmoventura@gmail.com, 805-643-3640. Natural Intestinal Cleanse and Liver/Gallbladder Cleanse – 6:30pm. Three consecutive Thurs-
Today might be your Lucky Day! I is for Ireland – 4pm. Come and learn the Lord of the Dance Pose. We will color a Shamrock. You can wear Green! And we will listen to the National Symbol for Ireland the Irish Harp. We will also learn how to make Shamrock Mashed Potatoes and Magic Milk! And we will also talk about Irish Wisdom! Zanzilla. Contact Valerie Pike Mini Yogis Instructor with any questions, valeriepike1@hotmail.com or www. valeriesyogaforkids.vpweb.com Training for Volunteers to Gather Signatures – 5:30-6:30pm. Food Labeling ballot initiative. for the CA Right to Know GE. Please help us get mandatory labeling of genetically engineered food on the November ballot. Location: Lassen’s, 4071 E Main St, Ventura, every Thursday in March. Contact: Jan Dietrick, LabelGMO Volunteer Outreach, labelgmoventura@gmail.com, 805-643-3640. Natural Intestinal Cleanse and Liver/Gallbladder Cleanse – 6:30pm. Three consecutive Thursday evenings in Ojai CA. by natural health expert Khabir Southwick. $125 includes herbal supplements. Call 805-640-1071 or email Khabir@Naturalhealingojai.com, NaturalHealingOjai.com.
natural awakenings
March 2012
39
FRIDAY MARCH 16 Single Again – 6:45-8:30pm. FREE. Meets monthly every 3rd Friday to provide knowledge on a variety of topics, empowering and creating community for women who are in transition to once again expressing themselves as single individuals. Location varies - call for more information. 805-232-4591 or 323-791-2533.
SATURDAY MARCH 17 Ventura Green Mile – Starts 9am. St. Patrick’s Day 1-Mile Downhill & Downtown. Free event T-Shirt with every entry. Part of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Presented by the Elk’s Lodge 1430 of Ventura. A super downhill mile run/walk event in Downtown Ventura kicking off the Ventura the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Check-In & Registration at Mission Park in downtown Ventura. You will get your race bib and gear there and will then walk/jog a mile up to the starting line near Cemetery Park. $15 including Free event t-shirt. More information venturamile.com. Kid’s Expo 2012 – 9:30am-1:30pm. Come lets celebrate the children’s St. Patrick’s Day at Pacific View Mall!
SUNDAY MARCH 18 Camp Summertime, Open House – 11am-2pm. Camp Summertime is located on 120 private acres at Calamigos Ranch. There is opportunity for swimming, horseback riding, rock climbing wall, marine science, boating, team sports, go carts, fishing, and tennis, plus professional transportation. For a brochure and more information call 818-706-7335.
Elvenstar Farms, 15618 E. Tierra Rejada Rd., Moorpark. 805-529-2800.
FRIDAY MARCH 23 The Nanas and the Papas present their second Ojai show ‘Legacy’ – 7:30pm. With a talented cast of 10 singers and musicians over two weekends at the Ojai Youth Entertainers Studio. Performance space is the former Theater 150 located at 316 E. Matilija Street in Ojai. Tickets are $25 and include a complimentary glass of Casa Barranca wine. They may be purchased by calling 805-646-4300 or visiting www.ojaiyes.org.
SATURDAY MARCH 24 Walk Grant Park. – 10am. Meet at City Hall upper parking lot. Join in a bit of exercise and enjoy the spectacular coastal views from Grant Park while you learn more about the Vision Plan for the Ventura Botanical Gardens at Grant Park. All ages are welcome. We walk for about 2 hours with some uphill terrain; we stay mostly to established roads. Please wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a hat, sun protection, and water. We meet the 4th Saturday of each month. VBG Board Members are available to field your questions and provide background on the project. We look forward to seeing you. VenturaBotanicalGardens.com and join us on Facebook. Press contact: Denise.Buttrey@gmail.com.
genre comes to us from India. Using ancient Sanskrit mantras, the kirtan calls upon sacred energies which serve to quiet the mind, remove obstacles, and bring us back to the center of our being. Location: A Place of Peace, 2021 Sperry Ave. #22, 805-7949878. teri@aplaceofpeace.org, aplaceofpeace.org. Crystal Bowls Vibration and Sound Healing – 7pm. On the last Wednesday of every month Deborah and Richard Debuque lead a gentle healing circle for an hour. Location: A Place of Peace, 2021 Sperry Ave. #22, March 28th. 805-794-9878. teri@ aplaceofpeace.org, aplaceofpeace.org.
THURSDAY MARCH 29 Training for Volunteers to Gather Signatures – 5:30-6:30pm. Food Labeling ballot initiative. for the CA Right to Know GE. Please help us get mandatory labeling of genetically engineered food on the November ballot. Location: Lassen’s, 4071 E Main St, Ventura, every Thursday in March. Contact: Jan Dietrick, LabelGMO Volunteer Outreach, labelgmoventura@gmail.com, 805-643-3640. How to Naturally Lose Weight and Burn Fat – 6:30-8:00pm. By natural health & weightloss expert Khabir Southwick in Ojai, CA. $35 Email Khabir@ Naturalhealingojai.com or call 805640-1071. www.NaturalHealingOjail.com /events.
PLAN AHEAD
The Nanas and the Papas present their second Ojai show ‘Legacy’ – 7:30pm. With a talented cast of 10 singers and musicians over two weekends at the Ojai Youth Entertainers Studio. Performance space is the former Theater 150 located at 316 E. Matilija Street in Ojai. Tickets are $25 and include a complimentary glass of Casa Barranca wine. They may be purchased by calling 805 646-4300 or visiting www.ojaiyes.org.
Healing Meditation – 2-4pm. Please wear white and bring in a piece of paper with your prayers and intentions of healing for yourself, Mother Earth, humanity and anyone else in your life. Street parking available. Crystal Oaks Chateau, Ojai. Please RSVP at 805-669-5643 or Deb@ CrystalClearMiracles.com.
SUNDAY MARCH 25
MONDAY APRIL 2
The Nanas and the Papas present their second Ojai show ‘Legacy’ – 2pm. Matinee shows take place at with a talented cast of 10 singers and musicians over two weekends at the Ojai Youth Entertainers Studio. Performance space is the former Theater 150 located at 316 E. Matilija Street in Ojai. Tickets are $25 and include a complimentary glass of Casa Barranca wine. They may be purchased by calling 805-646-4300 or visiting www.ojaiyes.org.
The Nanas and the Papas present their second Ojai show ‘Legacy’– 7:30pm. With a talented cast of 10 singers and musicians over two weekends at the Ojai Youth Entertainers Studio. Performance space is the former Theater 150 located at 316 E. Matilija Street in Ojai. Tickets are $25 and include a complimentary glass of Casa Barranca wine. They may be purchased by calling 805 646-4300 or visiting www.ojaiyes.org.
MONDAY MARCH 26
TUESDAY APRIL 3
Prostate Cancer Support Group – 6:30pm. 2nd & 4th Wed. For location & detailed info: 805-3794777 or TwcVv.org.
Love Made Easy – 6:30-8:00pm. Small group workshops to heal any relationship in Ojai & Ventura. $15. Call 805-640-0498 for information.
THURSDAY MARCH 22
TUESDAY MARCH 27
Training for Volunteers to Gather Signatures – 5:30-6:30pm. Food Labeling ballot initiative. for the CA Right to Know GE. Please help us get mandatory labeling of genetically engineered food on the November ballot. Location: Lassen’s, 4071 E Main St, Ventura, every Thursday in March. Contact: Jan Dietrick, LabelGMO Volunteer Outreach, labelgmoventura@gmail.com, 805-643-3640.
5 Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss – 5:45-7pm. Learn how you can change your habits and free yourself from cravings to get healthy for life. Seminar by Michael B. Roth, DC- No- Charge lecture, call to reserve seating, space limited. Roth Wellness Center 805-644-0461.
The Nanas and the Papas present their second Ojai show ‘Legacy’– 7:30pm. With a talented cast of 10 singers and musicians over two weekends at the Ojai Youth Entertainers Studio. Performance space is the former Theater 150 located at 316 E. Matilija Street in Ojai. Tickets are $25 and include a complimentary glass of Casa Barranca wine. They may be purchased by calling 805-646-4300 or visiting www.ojaiyes.org.
Spring & Summer camp, Elvenstar Riding Academy – Spring day camp. The riding facility offers spring and summer horsemanship camps, classes for children and adults, scout-badge programs, and Mommy ad Me classes. Approved for Independent Study for PE programs. For more information call
Kirtan – 6pm. On the last Wednesday of every Month we spend an hour in our sanctuary circle. Without the work of mentally quieting the mind, Kirtan can carry us effortlessly to a place of quiet, to stillness. One of the oldest sacred music traditions of the world, the kirtan call-and-response chanting
TUESDAY MARCH 20 Solutions to Stress Related Health Issues – 5:457pm. Do you have chronic headaches, bloating & indigestion? No- Charge lecture, call to reserve seating Roth Wellness Center. 805-644-0461. Love Made Easy – 6:30-8:00pm. Small group workshops to heal any relationship in Ojai & Ventura. $15. Call 805-640-0498 for information.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 21 Eat Well...Think Well....Move Well.....Solutions for Coping with Stress – 6-8pm. Do you have chronic headaches, bloating & indigestion? Seminar by Michael B. Roth, DC- held at the Camarillo Health Care District, call to register 805-484-1919, small fee required.
40
Ventura County
WEDNESDAY MARCH 28
www.NaturalVentura.com
SUNDAY APRIL 1
WEDNESDAY APRIL 4 The Nanas and the Papas present their second Ojai show ‘Legacy’ – 2pm. Matinee shows take place with a talented cast of 10 singers and musicians over two weekends at the Ojai Youth Entertainers Studio. Performance space is the former Theater 150 located at 316 E. Matilija Street in Ojai. Tickets are $25 and include a complimentary glass of Casa Barranca wine. They may be purchased by calling 805-646-4300 or visiting www.ojaiyes.org.
ongoingevents
monday
NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email Calendar@NaturalVentura.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please. Visit NaturalVentura.com to submit online. Ventura & LA County Lyme Disease Support Group – Ongoing quarterly meetings for LymeLiterate Awareness & Education. Celebrating our 8th year. Los Robles Hospital, East Campus, 150 Via Merida, Thousand Oaks. Lisa M, Facilitator: 805-262-2446 or Annie G, Co-Facilitator: LymeDiseaseCoach@gmail.com.
daily A Treasure in the Sea – 8am-5pm. A 25-min video. Free. Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center, Auditorium, 1901 Spinnaker Dr, Ventura Harbor. 805-658-5730. Ortega Adobe Historical Residence – 10am-3pm. Built in 1857, is birthplace of Ortega Chili, founded by Emilio Ortega. 215 W Main St, Ventura. Ventura County Maritime Museum – 11am-5pm. Features an internationally renowned collection of maritime art. 2731 S Victoria Ave, Oxnard. 805984-6260. Gift Menu – Have Symmetry’s Botanical line personally delivered to your home: SymmetryDirect. com/JBH. 3400 Loma Vista Avenue, Ventura. 805901-6832. JustBeingHealthy.info. Visit the Spectacular Channel Islands – Island Packers provides half- and full-day boat trips to the islands. 1901 Spinnaker Dr, Ventura Harbor. 805642-1393. Channel Islands National Park Visitors Center: 805-658-5730. Agoura Animal Shelter - Monday through Thursday 12pm – 7pm., Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10am – 5 pm. 29525 West Agoura Road, Agoura, CA 91301. West of Kanan Road. 818- 991-0071 See adoptable pets at www.animalcare.lacounty.gov.
sunday Silent Meditation – 7:30-8:30am. Meditation Mount, 10340 Reeves Rd, Ojai. 805-646-5508. Meditation.com. Ojai Certified Farmers’ Market – 9am-1pm. Locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables. 300 E Matilija St, Ojai. 805-698-5555. OjaiCertifiedFarmersMarket.com. Ventura County Animal Shelter – 9am-4pm. Pet Adoptions: Precious Dogs, Cats, Rabbits & Birds. 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010, at the Camarillo airport. 805-388-4341. Unity of Ventura Service – 10am. Awakening To Love, Inspiring Spiritual Practice, Prosperity, and Service. Childcare is available. An ideal venue for weddings and other events. 700 E Main St, Ventura. 805-653-1059.
Unity of the Oaks Service – 10am. All welcome. Children’s program and babysitting available during service. Unity of the Oaks is a loving and accepting community that encourages personal growth through the practice of prayer and the acknowledgement of God in our daily lives. Minister - Rev. Molly Rockey Unity of the Oaks, 1414 E Thousand Oaks Blvd, Ste 113, Thousand Oaks. 805-496-6901. UnityOfTheOaks.org. Oxnard Farmers’ & Fishermen’s Market – 10am2pm. Adjacent to Marine Emporium Landing Shopping Center, Produce, live fish and crab sold dockside. 3600 S Harbor Blvd, Oxnard. 805-643-6458. Sunday Interfaith Service/Meditation/Inspiration. – 11am. We step out of the world of “doing” into our “beings” for an hour. We come together to raise our consciousness. We come together to reawaken our light. We return to our daily lives renewed. We offer a home for the soul and a bridge to Oneness - a Place to journey: emotionally, spiritually and personally. Location: A Place of Peace, 2021 Sperry Ave. #22, Ventura. 805-794-9878. teri@ aplaceofpeace.org, www.aplaceofpeace.org. Dharma for Kids – 11am-12:15pm. $5. Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center, 910 Hampshire Rd, Ste I, in the Water Court, Westlake Village. 818-508-7665. MeditateInThousandOaks.org. Prayers for World Peace – 11am-12:15pm. Chanted prayers, teaching and meditation. $8. Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center, 910 Hampshire Rd, Ste I, in the Water Court, Westlake Village. 818-508-7665. MeditateInThousandOaks.org. Kids’ Adventure Garden – 11am-3pm. A place for children to learn about nature and gardening. Tree house, butterfly garden and carnivorous plant bog. Free. 350 W Gainsborough Rd, Thousand Oaks. 805-494-7630. America’s Teaching Zoo – 11am-5pm. See up to 150 exotic birds, mammals and reptiles. $5/adults, $4/children, seniors. 7075 Campus Rd, Moorpark. 805-378-1441. Shelter Hope Pet Shop – 11am-7pm. Dogs, Bunnies & Cats for Adoption. Pet orphans from the Ventura County Shelter are available at the Shelter Hope Pet Shop in the Janss Marketplace, Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks. 805-388-4341. Eating Disorder Groups – 1pm. Is your Eating Disorder eating you up inside? Conversations with Mary Ellen Cullen, MSW, can help ease your pain. Location: A Place of Peace, 2021 Sperry Ave. #22, Ventura. 805-794-9878. teri@aplaceofpeace. org, aplaceofpeace.org. Healing Meditation – 2-4pm. First Sunday Of Every Month Please wear white and bring in a piece of paper with your prayers and intentions of healing for yourself, Mother Earth, humanity and anyone else in your life. Street parking available. Crystal Oaks Chateau, Ojai. Please RSVP at 805-669-5643 or Deb@CrystalClearMiracles.com.
Ventura County Animal Shelter – 11am-7pm. Pet Adoptions: Precious Dogs, Cats, Rabbits & Birds. 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010, at the Camarillo airport. 805-388-4341. Yoga for Lunch – 12:10-12:50pm. A quick shot of hatha. $52/unlimited classes/mo; $15/single class. 52 Weeks of Peace, 928 E Ojai Ave, Ventura. Shareen: 805-646-7000. 52WeeksOfPeace.com. Paws 4 Reading – 3:30-4:30pm. Read aloud to registered therapy dogs with a reading program designed to help improve children’s reading skills. Appointments required. Children’s Desk, Camarillo Library, 4101 Las Posas Rd, Camarillo. 805-3885755. VenCoLibrary.org. Free Health & Wellness Seminar Speaking Series – 5-7:30pm. Some of the topics will be, plus many more: Massage, Meditation and Healthy Stress Relief, Conscious Eating with the Soul and Self Healing, Reiki Energy Work, Mayofascial Release, Gardening for Health. Edge Fitness Club, 2860 Harbor Boulevard, Channel Islands, CA 93035. Refreshments will be served after the speakers. For more information call. 805-701-4680. Gluten-Free Support Group – 5:30-6:30pm. 1st Mon. Nutritionist and Health Educator Stacy Macris guides a support group to learn ways to stay motivated while practicing a gluten-free life. $20, includes a gluten-free snack. Natural Healthcare Center, 223 E Thousand Oaks Blvd, Ste 324, Thousand Oaks. RSVP to Toby: 805-497-4074. Bellydance Class with Kali – 6-7:15pm. Mixedlevel bellydance class with professional bellydancer. Increase strength, flexibility, technique, fluidity, and self-appreciation! $10 first class, $15 drop-in, discounts on multiple-class cards. Tropic Travels Studio, 2470 E. Main Street, Ventura. 818-445-9601. www.kalisundari.com. Newbury Park Laughter Yoga Club – 6:307:30pm. Free Laughter Yoga class. Christ the King Church, 3947 W Kimber Dr, Newbury Park. 805376-9641. NewburyParkYoga.com. Continuum Movement Classes In Ojai - 7-9pm. Every Wednesday. A Continuum class is an invitation to dive into the play of life, which spirals, undulates and pulsates with an ancient wisdom that becomes our guide and teacher. Continuum uses sound, breath, movement, and tracking pleasurable sensations to bring one into coming home to the intrinsic inner fluid self .Its a Somatic Rejuvenation! Gentle Floor work. Please bring blankets to make yourself comfortable. Donation $15 Every Monday and Wednesday at 52 Weeks Of Peace, 928 E Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA. 718-664-8547. Meditation Class – 7:30-9pm. Introduction to Buddhist thought and meditation. Drop-ins welcome. $12. Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center, 910 Hampshire Rd, Ste I, in the Water Court, Westlake Village. 818-508-7665. MeditateInThousandOaks.org.
tuesday Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. We come together in our community circle to begin our day and to raise our minds, hearts, and energies
natural awakenings
March 2012
41
toward Love and Peace as we ignite our light. We surrender the day in our sweet, quiet, gentle sanctuary. Location: A Place of Peace, 2021 Sperry Ave. #22, Ventura. 805-794-9878. teri@aplaceofpeace.org, apaceofpeace.org. Gentle Yoga – 8:30am. Location: A Place of Peace, 2021 Sperry Ave. #22, Ventura. 805-794-9878. teri@aplaceofpeace.org, www.aplaceofpeace.org. Stretch and Soothe Yoga – 9-10:30am. This is a slower paced, non-competitive class allowing for longer held poses to encourage muscle release. $20 drop-in fee or 8 class series $120. 1st class is complimentary. 31139 Via Colinas #205, Westlake. 805813-3777 to reserve your space. HolisticHaven.org. Intuitive & Spiritual Development – 10am-12pm & 7:30-9:30pm. Classes with Lexa Finley. $20/ class. Moorpark. 805-208-5684. JourneyIntoTheSpirit.com. Eating Disorder Groups – 12pm. Is your Eating Disorder eating you up inside? Conversations with Mary Ellen Cullen, MSW, can help ease your pain. Location: A Place of Peace, 2021 Sperry Ave. #22, Ventura, 805-794-9878. teri@aplaceofpeace. org, aplaceofpeace.org. Lunchtime Meditation – 12:15pm-1pm. Drop-ins welcome. $5. Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center, 910 Hampshire Rd, Ste I, in the Water Court, Westlake Village. 818-508-7665. MeditateInThousandOaks.org. Hot Yoga – 6-7pm. Balance and strength. $52/ unlimited classes/mo; $15/single class. 52 Weeks of Peace, 928 E Ojai Ave, Ventura. Shareen: 805646-7000. 52WeeksOfPeace.com. Meditation Class – 7:30-8:30pm. Introduction to Buddhist thought and meditation. Drop-ins welcome. $8. Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center, 910 Hampshire Rd, Ste I, in the Water Court, Westlake Village. 818-508-7665. MeditateInThousandOaks. org.
wednesday Swap Meet – 7am-2pm. Ventura County Fair Grounds, Lot A, 10 Harbor Blvd, Ventura. Sue: 818-590-5435. VenturaCounryFair.org. Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. We come together in our community circle to begin our day and to raise our minds, hearts, and energies toward Love and Peace as we ignite our light. We surrender the day in our sweet, quiet, gentle sanctuary. Location: A Place of Peace, 2021 Sperry Ave. #22, Ventura, Tuesdays through Fridays. 805794-9878. teri@aplaceofpeace.org, apaceofpeace.org. Group Meditation – 9am-9:35am. Led by Chopra Center Certified Instructor, Wendi Cohen. We begin with 3 soul questions, and end with “Seven Spiritual Laws of the Day” by Dr. Deepak Chopra. $10. 31139 Via Colinas #205, Westlake. To reserve your spot call: 818-970-6865, or email cohen2x2@aol.com. HolisticHaven.org. Stretch and Soothe Yoga – 9-10:30am. This is a slower paced, non-competitive class allowing for longer held poses to encourage muscle release. $20 drop-in fee or 8 class series $120. 1st class is complimentary. 31139 Via Colinas #205, Westlake. 805813-3777 to reserve your space. HolisticHaven.org.
42
Ventura County
Midtown Ventura Farmers’ Market – 9am-1pm. Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market. Pacific View Mall, W Parking Lot, Ventura. 805-529-6266. VCCFarmersMarkets.com. Integral Hatha Yoga – 9:30-11am. All ages, all levels. $52/unlimited classes/mo; $15/single class. 52 Weeks of Peace, 928 E Ojai Ave, Ventura. Shareen: 805-646-7000. 52WeeksOfPeace.com. Ventura County Animal Shelter – 11am-7pm. Pet Adoptions: Precious Dogs, Cats, Rabbits & Birds. 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010, at the Camarillo airport. 805-388-4341. Lunchtime Meditation – 12:15pm-1pm. Drop-ins welcome. $5. Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center, 910 Hampshire Rd, Ste I, in the Water Court, Westlake Village. 818-508-7665. MeditateInThousandOaks.org. Drop-in Computer Help – 2-3pm. Assistance with basic computer use and practice of internet skills. Camarillo Library, 2nd floor, Technology Rm, 4101 Las Posas Rd, Camarillo. 805-388-5222. Free Health & Wellness Seminar Speaking Series – 7pm-8:30pm. Some of the topics will be, plus many more: Massage, Meditation and Healthy Stress Relief, Conscious Eating with the Soul and Self Healing, Reiki Energy Work, Mayofascial Release, Gardening for Health. Edge Fitness Club, 2860 Harbor Boulevard, Channel Islands, CA 93035. Refreshments will be served after the speakers. For more information call. 805-701-4680. Continuum Movement Classes In Ojai - 7pm9pm. Every Wednesday. A Continuum class is an invitation to dive into the play of life, which spirals, undulates and pulsates with an ancient wisdom that becomes our guide and teacher. Continuum uses sound, breath, movement, and tracking pleasurable sensations to bring one into coming home to the intrinsic inner fluid self .Its a Somatic Rejuvenation! Gentle Floor work. Please bring blankets to make yourself comfortable. Donation $15 Every Monday and Wednesday at 52 Weeks Of Peace, 928 E Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA. 718-664-8547. Wisdom Wednesdays – 7pm. A free evening of inspiration from local and regional guest speakers, musicians, and teachers. Center for Spiritual Living, 880 Hampshire Rd, Ste V, Westlake Village. 805-4950105. CSL@CSLWestlake.org. CSLWestlake.org. Get Answers to Health Questions – 7pm-9pm. Bring your health questions to Dr. Grace ND, 40 years in the healing arts. Discover natural alternatives to radiant health. Free. 4360 E. Main St. RSVP 805-984-5325. AwakeningHealth.com.
thursday Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. We come together in our community circle to begin our day and to raise our minds, hearts, and energies toward Love and Peace as we ignite our light. We surrender the day in our sweet, quiet, gentle sanctuary. Location: A Place of Peace, 2021 Sperry Ave. #22, Ventura, Tuesdays through Fridays. 805794-9878. teri@aplaceofpeace.org, apaceofpeace.org. Gentle Yoga – 8:30am. Location: A Place of Peace, 2021 Sperry Ave. #22, Ventura. 805-794-9878. teri@aplaceofpeace.org, www.aplaceofpeace.org.
www.NaturalVentura.com
Stretch and Soothe Yoga – 9-10:30am. This is a slower paced, non-competitive class allowing for longer held poses to encourage muscle release. $20 drop-in fee or 8 class series $120. 1st class complimentary. 31139 Via Colinas #205, Westlake. 805813-3777 to reserve your space. HolisticHaven.org. Downtown Oxnard Farmers’ Market – 9am-1pm. Offering many fresh and locally grown items. Free drawing at 12pm. WIC and senior nutrition vouchers accepted. Located in Plaza Park with tables, chairs and music. C and Fifth streets, Oxnard. 805-483-7960. Lunchtime Meditation – 12:15pm-1pm. Drop-ins welcome. $5. Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center, 910 Hampshire Rd, Ste I, in the Water Court, Westlake Village. 818-508-7665. MeditateInThousandOaks.org. A Course in Miracles –12:30pm and 6:30pm. Join like minded others in study/process group as we journey towards self-discovery and changes in our perceptions. 2021 Sperry Ave, Ste 22, Ventura. 805-794-9878. APlaceOfPeace.org. Thousand Oaks Farmers’ Market – 3-7pm. Direct from the local farmers. The Oaks Shopping Center, E End Parking Lot, Wilbur & W Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks. 805-529-6266. Ventura County Animal Shelter – 3-7pm. Pet Adoptions: Precious Dogs, Cats, Rabbits & Birds. 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010, at the Camarillo airport. 805-388-4341. Integral Hatha Yoga – 4:30-6pm. All ages, all levels. $52/unlimited classes/mo; $15/single class. 52 Weeks of Peace, 928 E Ojai Ave, Ventura. Shareen: 805-646-7000. 52WeeksOfPeace.com. Ventura Buddhist Meditation Group – 6-8pm. First three Thursdays of the month. We focus on sitting meditation in the Buddhist tradition of Soto Zen. Newcomers welcome; instruction available at 5:30pm. Ventura Avenue Adult Center, 550 N. Ventura Ave, Ventura. 254-241-6l02 or PMBT@ PineMtnBuddhistTemple.org. Meditation Class – 7:30-8:30pm. Introduction to Buddhist thought and meditation. Classes are selfcontained, drop-ins welcome. $8. Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center, 910 Hampshire Rd, Ste I, in the Water Court, Westlake Village. 818-508-7665. MeditateInThousandOaks.org. DanceMedicine Of Ojai – 7:30-9:30pm. Healing through dance has been intrinsic to the human experience for millennia. Dance stimulates and energizes all the systems of the body: the cells, lymph, blood, bones, soft tissue, brain and emotions. The body knows what to do. The body knows how to heal. Touch the Source through movement, rhythm, and music, and transform your inner world. Thursday evenings. 113 S. Montgomery, Ojai, CA. Info:Frankjcarbone@aol.com, 718-664-8547 Donation suggestion $10.
friday Morning Meditation – 7:30-8:15am. We come together in our community circle to begin our day and to raise our minds, hearts, and energies toward Love and Peace as we ignite our light. We surrender the day in our sweet, quiet, gentle sanctuary. Location: A Place of Peace, 2021 Sperry Ave. #22, Ventura, Tuesdays through Fridays. 805-
794-9878. teri@aplaceofpeace.org, apaceofpeace. org. Qigong – 2-3pm. Certified instructor Edwin Suzuki teaches Qigong, the ancient Chinese movement of the body and mind exercises to maintain health. Free. Ventura Avenue Adult Center, 550 N Ventura Ave, Ventura. 805-648-3035. Ventura County Animal Shelter – 3-7pm. Pet Adoptions: Precious Dogs, Cats, Rabbits & Birds. 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010, at the Camarillo airport. 805-388-4341. Simi Valley Farmers’ Market – 3-8pm. Market featuring fresh produce, entertainment, and kidfriendly attractions. 1555 Simi Town Center Way, Simi Valley. 805-643-6458.
longer held poses to encourage muscle release. $20 drop-in fee or 8 class series $120. 1st class is complimentary. 31139 Via Colinas #205, Westlake. 805813-3777 to reserve your space. HolisticHaven.org. Gentle Yoga – 9-10:30am. Taught by Lida Martin. $10; discounts available for teens. Ventura Center for Spiritual Living, Teen Rm, 101 S Laurel St, Ventura. 805-643-1933. VenturaCSL.org. Advanced Hypnotherapy Classes – 9am12pm. New series, beginning Sat. March 17 through May 12. Vreeland College of the Healing Arts, 473 Post Street, corner of Willis, At the Camarillo Airport and Business Park. Located in the VOICEBOARD building.
saturday
Make-up Sessions are available for any missed classes. Visa, MasterCard, Check, Cash, PayPal accepted. Monthly payment plans available. Call to reserve your space. 805-482-8111.
Laughter Yoga – 7:30-8:15am. Laughter Yoga, reduce stress while improving one’s sense of humor. Free. Camarillo Yoga Center, 5800 Santa Rosa Rd, Ste 127, Camarillo. 805-484-8810. RoniRadio.com.
Moorpark Farmers’ Market – 9am-1pm. Farmfresh local produce and fun activities every week. Moorpark College, Parking Lot G1, Moorpark. 805-378-1431. VCCFarmersMarkets.com.
Camarillo Hospice Certified Farmers’ Market – 8am-12pm. A percentage of all gross sales benefits Camarillo Hospice. 2220 Ventura Blvd, Camarillo. 805-482-1507. CamarilloHospice.org/ FarmersMarket. Stretch and Soothe Yoga – 9-10:30am. This is a slower paced, non-competitive class allowing for
classifieds EMPLOYMENT MUCH MORE THAN A JOB – Self Enquiry Life Fellowship is a growing spiritual Nonprofit based in Santa Barbara. We have an immediate opening for a Design Assistant, who would work alongside our Editorial team on upcoming publications. Employees become part of a core team and work alongside dedicated volunteers in a deeply spiritual environment. This local team works under the guidance of a highly realized Himalayan monk who is the spiritual head of the Nonprofit. For complete job description and details on how to apply please go to: www.swamahiman.org/employment
FOR SALE CURRENTLY PUBLISHING NATURAL AWAKENINGS MAGAZINES – For sale in Birmingham, AL; North Central FL; Lexington, KY; Asheville, NC; Santa Fe/Albuquerque, NM; Cincinnati, OH; Tulsa, OK; Bucks/Montgomery Counties, PA; Columbia, SC; Southwest VA. Call for details 239-530-1377. FAR-INFRARED SAUNAS – Available for use or purchase. Excellent for arthritic pain, fibromyalgia and detoxing. Starting from $2,195. Oasis Wellness, Westlake Village. 805-777-8122. PURE WATER – Hi-Tech Filtration System removes heavy metals, chemical solvents, pesticides
Ventura County Animal Shelter – 9am-4pm. Pet Adoptions: Precious Dogs, Cats, Rabbits & Birds. 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010, at the Camarillo airport. 805-388-4341. Free Health & Wellness Seminar Speaking Series – 10am-11:30am. March 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st. Some of the topics will be, plus many more: Massage, Meditation and Healthy Stress Relief, and drugs. Made in the USA. Lifetime warranty. Free water samples. Oasis Wellness. 805-777-8122.
PET ADOPTIONS AGOURA ANIMAL SHELTER – Dogs, cats, rabbits and birds. See adoptable pets at AnimalCare. LACounty.gov. Hours: Monday to Thursday, 12–7pm; Friday to Sunday, 10am–5pm. 29525 West Agoura Rd, Agoura (west of Kanan Rd). 818-991-0071. VENTURA COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER – Dogs, cats, rabbits and birds. See adoptable pets at VCAS.us. Hours: Monday & Wednesday, 11am– 7pm; Thursday & Friday, 3pm–7pm; Saturday & Sunday, 9am–4pm. Closed Tuesdays & Holidays. 600 Aviation Dr, Camarillo (at the Camarillo Airport). 805-388-4341.
SERVICES/CLASSES OFFERED
Conscious Eating with the Soul and Self Healing, Reiki Energy Work, Mayofascial Release, Gardening for Health. Edge Fitness Club, 2860 Harbor Boulevard, Channel Islands, CA 93035. Refreshments will be served after the speakers. For more information call. 805-701-4680. Basic Hypnotherapy Classes – 1-4pm. 5 weeks. New series, beginning Sat. March 17 through April 14. Vreeland College of the Healing Arts, 473 Post Street, corner of Willis, At the Camarillo Airport and Business Park. Located in the VOICEBOARD building. *Make-up Sessions are available for any missed classes. Visa, MasterCard, Check, Cash, PayPal accepted. Monthly payment plans available. Call to reserve your space. 805-482-8111. Downtown Ventura Farmers’ Market – 8:30am12pm. Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Market. Over 40 vendors offer fresh local fruits, vegetables, baked goods, plants, flowers and more. Santa Clara & Palm sts, Ventura. 805-529-6266. VCCFarmersMarkets.com. Shelter Hope Pet Shop– 11am-7pm. Dogs, Bunnies & Cats for Adoption. Pet orphans from the Ventura County Shelter are available at the Shelter Hope Pet Shop in the Janss Marketplace, Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks. 805-388-4341. SpiritDance Meditation – 7:30-9:30pm. 1st Sat. Facilitated by Elisha Christopher Hayden. $8 suggested donation. United Centers for Spiritual Living, 340 Mobil Ave, Camarillo. 805-484-1137. NAKED VOICE WORKSHOP - Express yourself more powerfully! Call Stella Davies at 818-8799827. OASIS TRIPLE TREAT – Three full-length sessions including Ceragem Jade Massage, FarInfrared Sauna and TurboSonic Sound Vibration. 2 hours only $29. Oasis Wellness Center. 805777-8122. SUPPORT GROUPS – Affordable support groups and individual/family/couples counseling. Anxiety, depression, life transitions, divorce, self-esteem and more. Groups meet weekly, are coed and require an assessment prior to joining. Get the support you deserve. Camarillo & Ventura offices. 805204-7315. HEALING OAK SCHOOL OF MASSAGE of Simi Valley is now looking for experienced massage instructors. Please send your resume to massage@ healingoak.com.
ANIMAL WHISPERER – Looking for people who have animals they truly love and want to understand better. I have an intuitive ability to help your animal physically and emotionally, and to answer questions or concerns about your animal. I would love to help and work one on one with a select few animals and their owners so both live a happier life. Jennifer Darling, 805-320-0009 or JRastutis@sbcglobal.net.
HOLISTIC HEALING CENTER Space available to rent in our busy, complimentary health care clinic. Hourly, daily and monthly rates available. Consultation or treatment rooms available as well as a larger classroom/meeting/yoga studio. Practitioners must have current license/certification and insurance. Please direct all inquiries info@ venturaholistic.com
CREATIVE MEDITATION AND PROSPERITY TOOLS – For women. Six Thursdays, Oct 6th Nov 3rd. Gain specific tools & wonderful support to enhance health, wealth, career and relationships. $77/program or $15/session. Call 805-640-0498.
JOHN LEMAY, C.Ht. 701 E. Santa Clara St. Suite #40 Ventura CA 93001. 805-765-1445 contact@ johnlemay.com Stressed? Relax and find your true self. Book your session online at www.johnlemay. com.
natural awakenings
March 2012
43
communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Publisher@NaturalVentura.com to request our media kit.
ACUPUNCTURE FRED SICILIANO OMD, LAc, MH Licensed Acupuncturist & Medicinal Herb Specialist 4482 Market St, Ste 403 Ventura 805-654-8776 • FredsOffice.com
Natural Healthcare since 1981. Treat your body, safely and effectively. Acupressure, Clinical Nutrition, Medicinal Herbs & Acupuncture. Call for free consultation & low cost specials. Credit cards accepted.
MAUREENA BIVINS, PhD, LAC Acupuncture & Somatic Therapy 31255 Cedar Valley Dr. # 307 Westlake Village, Ca. 91362 818-991-2600 GreatHealthisPossible.com
Dr. Bivins has been working in the field of health and wellness in the Conejo Valley since 2001. Her approach combines the best of eastern and western medical perspectives providing a wellrounded approach to preventative health care. See ad on page 19.
I focus on a preventative and integrative approach to your heart health using traditional Chinese medicine supported by blood testing, nutritional and lifestyle counseling, herbal medicine and supplements. I use orthopedic acupuncture with individuals for musculoskeletal conditions including pain and soft tissue related injuries. Great care is taken with each of my patients, so they may achieve and maintain a healthy active lifestyle.
44
Ventura County
Dr. Jedidiah T. Smith, D.C. 1732 Palma Dr, Ste 104 Ventura 805-642-6565 VenturaWG.com
Caring, compassionate and skilled 3rd Generation Palmer Upper Cervical Doctor to help you overcome debilitating neurologic conditions, chronic migraines and pain.
ANIMAL WELFARE HUMANE SOCIETY OF VENTURA COUNTY 402 Bryant St, Ojai 805-646-6505 HumaneSocietyVC.org
We love people who love animals. We not only adopt out animals to loving homes, but we also run a low-cost spay and neuter and shot clinic, investigate abuse and neglect cases, and run a pet therapy program. We receive no direct financial assistance from city, county or state agencies, so we need your help.
COLON THERAPY AGOURA THERAPY SERVICES
Eloise Buchner, Certified Colon Therapist 5308 Derry Ave. Suite K Agoura Hills 818-707-2139 TherapyServicesPlus.com Safe and gentle hydro-colon therapy improves digestion, circulation, energy, weight loss and immune function while decreasing stress, anxiety and symptoms from medical side effects.
BUSINESS SUPPORT THE UPS STORE
1434 N. Moorpark Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA. 91360 805-494-6500 3835 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Westlake, CA. 91362 805-371-4434 Notary, Shredding, Mail Boxes, Green Peanut Recycling, Rubber Stamps, Fax/Scan, Digital Printing.
SHARI PHILLIPS ACUPUNCTURE Shari Phillips L.Ac. 2277 Townsgate Rd, Ste 214 Westlake Village 805-405-8828 Info@ShariPhillipsAcupuncture.com ShariPhillipsAcupuncture.com
VENTURA WELLNESS GROUP
CHIROPRACTIC ROTH WELLNESS CENTER Dr. Michael Roth, D.C. 1787 Mesa Verde, Ste 140 Ventura 805-644-0461 RothWellnessCenter.com
Dr. Michael Roth’s vision is being a facilitator in transforming health on the planet. He values your life as much as you do. He has been practicing in Ventura/Santa Barbara for over 24 years. Call for an appointment now to optimize your health, enhance vitality, and prevent future illness by addressing the underlying causes of health and weight loss problems.
www.NaturalVentura.com
ESPIRIT
Lissa McGraw I-ACT Certified 1535 E. Main Street Ventura 805-766-0356 Espiritcolonics.com Wanting to feel joyful? A toxic colon keeps us from experiencing real joy in our lives by carrying around old putrefied, bacteria ridden fecal matter with us everywhere we go. Learn what it feels like when you cleanse internally with colon hydrotherapy. I-ACT certified and use only the most current state of the art equipment. Warm, welcoming office and care greatly about your health. I encourage you to call me and begin your journey with colonics. You will be thrilled with the results. Accepting all major credit cards. “The joy you feel is life”.
OJAI COLON THERAPY
Jacalyn Booth Certified Colon Hydrotherapist 411 W. Ojai Ave., Ojai 805-901-3000 ojaicolontherapy.com Feel cleaner, Lighter, Healthier and more Energetic. Experience cleansing in a relaxing, nurturing environment. Gentle, Experienced Professional. Located in a medical office.
PURE BODY April Lucas 860 Hampshire Rd, Ste G (in Watercourt) Westlake Village 805-660-1288 April@PureBodyCT.com
Every day our bodies are being bombarded with pollutants from food, air, and stress, so it stands to reason that when your colon is cleansed, re-hydrated, and rejuvenated, the well being of your entire body is enhanced. Make the decision to detoxify your life today.
counselinG DIANE LERNER, C.Ht.
Certified Hypnotherapist Thousand Oaks 805-777-1033 www.PiscesSolutions.org
eco-FriendlY Products JAN TUCKER
805-222-5102 WhiteLotusLiving.com Pure products for a healthy life. Shop our website today for truly chemical-free, affordable every day products you’ll love. Cosmetics, personal care, mother and child, household, natural remedies, gardening and pets.
email service Provider QUICK LEG
818-292-8779 quickleg.com Quickleg brings a unique and bold approach to Cloud Based Email solutions. Its clean design with intuitive navigations and integrated Ajax technology will transform your communications, making information available anytime, anywhere, while adding value and security to your business. Our advanced Tools have been tailored to meet the needs of small and mid-sized businesses, corporations, government agencies and Non-profit organizations. We will be attending the January CES Convention in Vegas. Come by and visit our booth #70430 at the Venetian.
environmental orGaniZations
Hair salons ALEJANDRO SALON
SURFRIDER FOUNDATION Ventura County Chapter 805-667-2222 Surfrider.org/Ventura
The Ventura Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of Ventura County’s ocean, waves and beaches through conservation, activism, research and education.
Paula Rapson 2460 E. Main St., Ventura 702-321-8720 paulafaydesigns@live.com I have been doing hair for over 24 years and look forward to sharing my experience with you. Services for both men and women, including cuts, coloring, hi-lights, and more. Can’t wait to meet you, call for monthly specials.
FenG sHui HealinG JourneYs
LIVING SPACES
Feng Shui Lee Ann Manley Ventura 805-653-7285 SBWellnessDirectory.com/FengShui.htm
Fitness CAMARILLO PILATES, INC. 221 E. Daily Drive, Suite 7 Camarillo 805-384-8044 camarillopilates.com info@camarillopilates.com
Camarillo Pilates offers more than just Pilates! We also have Pre / Post-natal Pilates, GYROTONIC ® , EQUESTRIAN PILATES®. Mention this ad for a special offer!
TRAVEL TO JOHN OF GOD IN BRAZIL Deb Court 805-669-5643 Deb@GuideToJohnOfGod.com GuideToJohnOfGod.com
Deb Court will take you on a journey to the Casa De Dom Inacio atop the center of the largest Crystal Plate in the world to work with the Miracle Man of Brazil, where you will receive deep healing and transform on every level. Join us for a two-week journey, Feb 2012.
HYPnotHeraPY HYPNOTHERAPY COLLEGE/EDUCATION
Vreeland College of the Healing Arts Training & Treatment Center 473 Post St., Camarillo, CA 93010
Corner of Willis In the Camarillo Airport & Business Park
GYrotonics
805-482-8111 E-mail: Bunny@BunnyVreeland.com www.VreelandCollege.org
GYROTONICS
Frank Carbone 201 Bryant Street Suite 1H Ojai,Ca 93023 718-664-8547 Frankjcarbone@aol.com Authorized Continuum Teacher with over 10 years of intense study with Continuum founder Emilie Conrad, Gyrotonic Practitioner. Studied In Germany with its creator Juliu Horvath, Sivananda Yoga teacher,Reiki Practitioner, and a Pre and Peri-Natal Therapist In Training with Dr Raymond Castellino. DJ and Facilitator Of Ojai DanceMedicine, Continuum Movement class Instructor. Private sessions available.
Offering certified learning programs in: Clinical Hypnotherapy, MOTIVATIONAL COACHING C O M P L E M E N TA RY & ALTERNATIVE HEALING
In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks. ~John Muir natural awakenings
March 2012
45
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE NATURAL HEALTHCARE CENTER Roland Ryf, MS, LAc, Diplomate Anti-Aging Medicine Stacy Macris, MPH, Dietitian, Certified Reiki Master Massage Specialists on staff 223 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Ste 324, Thousand Oaks 91360 • 805-497-4074 ThousandOaksAcupuncturist.com
Cutting-edge Functional Medicine practice using acupuncture, herbal medicine, anti-aging medicine, natural hormone testing and therapy, stress management, nutritional and dietary counseling.
LYMPHATIC THERAPY Center for Lymphatic Wellness Donna Freaney, CLT 805-639-0447 LymphaticWellnessTherapy.com
MASSAGE INSTITUTES hEALING oAK sCHOOL OF mASSAGE 4356 Eileen St. Simi Valley 805-581-2542 Massage@HealingOak.com
Our school was founded on the principle that “touch therapy” can change your life! The director had a dream of bringing quality massage education to others. We have a wide array of modalities that we teach from Guided Meditation to Massage Therapy. Call or come by and check out our state certified school and store.
KENNETH R. KAFKA, MD
Board Certified Internal Medicine, Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine 202A Pirie Rd, Ojai (805-646-7195) 2211 Corinth Ste 204, Santa Monica (310-966-9194) KennethKafka.com DrKafka@sbcglobal.net Dr. Kafka has been integrating natural healing modalities with his traditional training for 25 years. Symptoms involving digestion, metabolism, cardiovascular health, hormonal changes for women and men, thyroid and adrenal imbalances, weight gain and mood/cognitive problems are commonly addressed utilizing a combination of holistic and conventional approaches.
ROOTS NATURAL MEDICINE Dr. Matthew Longwill, D.C. Dr. Emily Dickmeyer, N.D. Ventura • 805-339-0050 RootsMed.com
• Directional Non-Force Technique® Chiropractic: No twisting, cracking, popping. Fast relief with minimal number of visits. Longer treatment sessions. • Naturopathic Medicine: Botanical Medicine, Intravenous Therapy, Medical Nutrition, Classical Homeopathy, Bio-Identical Hormones. • HIGH POWER LASER THERAPY: A Revolution in Pain Management. Stimulates tissue growth and repair. We have the technology to treat chronic pain, acute injuries and neuropathies without side effects.
MASSAGE THERAPY MASSAGE BY MICHAEL
Michael Sompura, CMT 805-633-4776 LoveHeartWellness@gmail.com
MASSAGE THERAPY sUPPLIES hEALING oAK sCHOOL OF mASSAGE
4356 Eileen St. • Simi Valley 805-581-2542 Massage@HealingOak.com
805-642-1775 Nicollinsurance@yahoo.com GetMaxVentura.net
The world’s most powerful antioxidant is NOT in a fruit, juice, or berry - it’s in your body. For the most advanced Glutathione support you can find anywhere, take MaxOne, and feel unsurpassed cellular health.
KHABIR SOUTHWICK
Therapeutic Dietician, Whole Food Nutritionist, Ayurveda Consultant Ojai • 805-640-1071 NaturalHealingOjai.com Overweight? Fatigued? High blood pressure? Unstable blood sugar? Digestive issues? Experience the power of Ayurvedic nutrition and therapeutic diets for weight-loss, intestinal cleansing, detoxification and chronic health condition management. Complimentary telephone session. Credit cards welcome.
PERSONAL TRAINING MICHELE THE TRAINER
Personal Trainer & Life Coach 310-948-2560 Michele@MicheleTheTrainer.com Michele the Trainer’s mobile studio comes to YOU! Michele can transform you to the fittest, healthiest, pain-free longetivy possible. Michele lost 165 lbs, keeping it off for over 12 years!
TONIC LIFE
Edwina Camarillo, Independent Distributor 805-776-3771 Edwina@TonicLifeNow.com Edwina.TonicLifeNow.com
MARILYN MILLER, M.A.
Certified Career & Life Coach Ojai 805-640-0498 See ad page 27.
Ventura County
MAX INTERNATIONAL/MAXGXL
NATUROPATHIC PRODUCTS
LIFE COACH
46
NUTRITION
www.NaturalVentura.com
Tonic Life is 100% all-natural products, encapsulated herbs and tonics, for countless ailments, conditions and diseases. Never do we claim that the products can cure, but these marvelous, blessed products can actually help. As for our weight loss treatments, call for a free sample today.
REFLEXOLOGY REFLEXOLOGY BY LESLIE
Leslie James, Certified Reflexologist 701 E Santa Clara St, Ste 41 Ventura 805.901.4154 LeslieJames3@yahoo.com Say good-bye to depression, tension and pain. Enjoy the vitality, balance and clarity you receive from this ancient healing therapy, which treats the whole body and all its systems through the feet.
sKin care APRIORI BEATY - ORGANIC
Rhonda Clure Independent, Senior Consultant 805-338-7431 • 805-498-4024 R_Clure@yahoo.com UseLoveShare.com/IC/RhondaClure RhondaClure.blogspot.com Apriori Beauty provides skincare formulated with natural, organic ingredients with a unique internal and external approach to skin health. I teach classes, educating clientele and professionals about the safety of ingredients in products available on the market
social media suPPort YOUR BUSINESS SUPPORT Debbie Echevarria 805-620-0773 Debbie@ybstoday.com
Ta k e a n e w approach to the age old business need of Client Relationship Management and transform it into a multi-level business that specializes in database management, cold calls, social networking management, and business organization.
sPas ATTRACTIONS SPA
Massage ~ Facials ~ Waxing 287 Central Ave Fillmore 805-524-SPA2 (7722) AttractionsSpa.com Massage ~ Swedish, Hot Stone, Deep Therapeutic, Foot Reflexology, Mommy-To-Be Facials ~ Renewal, Anti Aging, Sun Undone, Acne, Pore Cleansing.
wellness centers
sPiritual centers
PACIFIC WELLNESS OF VENTURA
A PLACE OF PEACE
Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement 2807 Loma Vista Rd, Ste 101 Ventura 805-652-0524 PacificWellnessVentura.com
2021 Sperry Ave, Ste 22, Ventura 805-794-9878 APlaceOfPeace.org Teri@APlaceOfPeace.org Facebook: A Place of Peace We provide a place for people to come together for inspiration, creation and service: to raise consciousness toward balance and healing. We are a “Place” to journey: emotionally, spiritually and personally; a home for the soul and a bridge to Oneness. Our vision is to support and inspire: Peace, Love, Harmony and Balance.
sPiritual HealinG SHIVA WIN
The future is bursting with bioidenticals — they will change your life and everything about it! Let us show you how to achieve healthy aging by stopping the progressive loss of important hormones as you age.
WESTLAKE ALTERNATIVE HEALTHCARE
Hope Ryf, LAC Licensed Acupuncturist Westlake Village 805-494-3200 WestlakeAlternativeHealthcare.com
YoGa
Energy Healing & Meditation 805-633-4776 RaisingHumanConsciousness.org MeetUp.com/Shiva-Win
KIDS YOGA / PARENT AND CHILD YOGA Valerie Pike, Mini Yogis Instructor 805-263-0459 805-302-2528 (Cell) ValeriesYogaforKids.vpweb.com
SHIVANANDA Awakening Unconditional Love Meditation into Bliss 805-633-4776 RaisingHumanConsciousness.com
Baby & Toddler Yoga Soothes Colic, Guided Baby Massage helps with good digestion Come learn the Butterfly Swing with your baby!Yoga is a self nuturing time for yourself better than sleep! You are never too young or too old to start the practice of yoga. Yoga is a vacation from the rest of your day!
wellness centers HOLISTIC HAVEN
Nancy Sacks, Homeopath 31139 Via Colinas, Ste 205 Westlake Village 818-865-1900 HolisticHaven.org See ad page 5.
JUST BEING HEALTHY 1934 E Main St Ventura 805-901-6832 JustBeingHealthy.info
PLAN AHEAD
If you want to get off pain medication and experience real relief, give us a call. Our therapists are specially trained in massage to provide up to 30% to 50% relief upon the first visit potentially. Call to schedule pain relief today. See ad on page 9.
FridaY aPril 13 UNITY OF THE OAKS CHURCH PRESENTS MUSICFEST 2012 – 6:30pm. Unity of the Oaks Church of Thousand Oaks is proud to announce the 6th Annual Music Fest at the Hillcrest Arts Center, 403 Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. Local musicians will come together for another fun-filled evening of upbeat music. Hors d’oeuves and wine or beer will be served as guests write their bids on the Silent and Chinese auction items. Donations including all inclusive vacations and luxury gift baskets donated by local businesses will make up the auction items. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank. The tickets are $30 before April 1 and after $40. and are available on line at www.Hillcrestarts.org or by calling the box office at 805 381-1246.
natural awakenings
March 2012
47
Staci Lost 184 Pounds! “Slender success empowered me to make the changes that transformed my life” Call 805-496-3449 for your FREE CONSULTATION with Ronald Soderquist Ph.D. or Lynn Di Sarro MA. MFT. Many clergy and physicians refer to Westlake Hypnosis because of their 30 year reputation for caring and professional skills. Insurance may apply.
Enjoy many more Slender Success Stories at www.slendersuccess.com
Call 805 496-3449 for your
FREE CONSULTATION Refer to this Ad for $100. off your Slender Success program
WESTLAKE HYPNOSIS Treatment ad Training Center
950 Hampshire Road, Suite 102 Westlake Village