August 2012 - Seattle Natural Awakenings

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YOUR BEST

BIRTH

Optimal Care For Women In Seattle

BAREFOOTIN’ Going Shoeless Reboots Health

Parkour

Fast Moving Freestyle Fitness

Local Investing

Keeping Dollars in the Community August 2012 | Seattle Edition | SeattleAwakenings.com

Present

THE 10th ANNUAL

Green Building

SLAM

Ten fast paced, mind-blowing talks about remarkable green building projects

Saturday, September 15, 2012 5:00 Registration, Networking and Hors d’oeuvers 7:00 Presentations 9:00 Dessert, Scholarship Fundraiser, and Fun Emcee Jason Lear of Batt + Lear UW Kane Hall, 2nd Floor Seattle Campus — Free Parking!

Early bird and NW EcoBuilding Guild member ticket discounts available at GreenBuildingSlam.org

Learn More & Get Tickets At GreenBuildingSlam.org

letterfrompublisher

W

elcome to the August issue of Seattle Natural Awakenings! We’ve devoted a number of pages this month to an important topic that may affect you or someone you know: growing your family. Whether birth takes place in a hospital, at home, or a free standing birth center; and whether it’s low intervention, or emergency or planned cesarean, there are so many emotions and lessons associated with bringing a new life into the world. There’s no one right way to approach this amazing life event, and there are as many variations as there are parents.

The most helpful thing I did in my pregnancy was ask myself “what do I need to know to make the birth choices that are right for me?” I realized my entire concept of birth was based on highly unrealistic and sometimes scary television shows and movies, and I had enormous blind spots: I began with very little accurate information about birth and the risks of routine interventions like induction, etc. I started reading and learning about evidence-based care, which led me to seek a low-intervention birth with midwives and a doula. My daughter was born into my arms in a free standing birth center, which looked like a gorgeous bed and breakfast. I loved the high level of care and attention from midwives who had no other clients in labor but me, and we were spoiled rotten (deservedly so - labor was hard!) by our postpartum doula after my daughter Eliyana arrived.

I wanted to stay as natural as possible, but I’m very grateful for the availability of medical intervention and technology for the less common but critical occasions when natural isn’t possible or safe. It’s not the type of birth that empowers the mother; empowerment in birth comes from making educated choices that you believe will provide the best outcome for your birth given your unique circumstances. Start by learning about the “optimal care” model for birth espoused by author and medical writer Henci Goer (page 12). “Birth Plans” (page 16) can help you think through and formulate your ideal scenario for delivery. Leading up to birth, “Prenatal Yoga” (page 17) can help you relax, stretch away the aches and develop a more zen-like mindset some women find helpful during labor.

Many people, no doubt including moms, are finding that “earthing,” which is walking or sitting barefoot outside, is helpful to decrease stress and promote healing, according to a recent study. Learn how in “Barefootin’: It Grounds Us” (page 10). For another fresh approach to wellness, this one a bit more active, parkour presents creative possibility in the form of acrobatic freerunning mixed with jumping, vaulting and other moves using structures found in an urban environment. Learn more in “Do You Parkour?” (page 24). There’s much more in these pages, so dive in and enjoy.

Have a healthy, happy August!

contact us Publishers Ann Dorn David Seregow National Editor S. Alison Chabonais Account Manager Dena Marie 425-350-5448 Dena@SeattleAwakenings.com Design & Production Patrick Floresca Franchise Sales John Voell II 239-530-1377 To Advertise: 206-788-7313 or 425-350-5448

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We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

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natural awakenings

August 2012

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contents 7 5 newsbriefs 7 healthbriefs 9 globalbriefs 10 healingways 15 actionalert 16 healthykids

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17 yogalife 18 community

spotlight 20 greenliving

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

10 BAREFOOTIN’:

IT GROUNDS US

Reap Earth’s Energy for Wellness

by Debra Melani

10

12 YOUR BEST BIRTH

A Conversation With Author Henci Goer

By Ann Dorn

15 NATIONAL RALLY 5 22 ecotip FOR CHANGE 24 fitbody Seattle Activists Rally For 26 calendar Evidence-Based Birth Care 16 28 classifieds 16 BIRTH PLANS 30 resourceguide Creating Your Ideal Roadmap 19 For Birth advertising & submissions

By Amy Meister-Stetson

17 PRENATAL YOGA

Supporting A Healthy Pregnancy how to advertise To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media By Andrea Blair Cirignano kit, please contact us at 206-788-7313 or 425-350-5448 or email Publisher@SeattleAwakenings.com.

LOCAL MOMS SPEAK Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month.

Advice For Birth And Growing

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Editorial submissions Email articles, news items and ideas to: Submissions@SeattleAwakenings.com Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month. calendar submissions Email Calendar Events to: Calendar@SeattleAwakenings.com or submit online at SeattleAwakenings.com. Deadline for calendar: the 12th of the month.

20 INVESTING IN

MAIN STREET

Cities, Schools and Churches Move their Money to Local Economies

by Rebecca Leisher

22 GREENING YOUR WARDROBE

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Your Family

regional markets Eco-Friendly Clothing Options Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing DO YOU PARKOUR? franchised family of locallyowned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other

Using The World As A Fitness markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities Playground call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

by Randy Kambi

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newsbriefs Essential Oil Program Offers Natural Health Education

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astyr University’s Essential Oil Therapy Certificate Program is holding a free program information Session on Monday, September 10, 6-9pm.

The program is taught by Jimm Harrison, the author of Aromatherapy: Therapeutic Use of Essential Oils for Esthetics and a holistic beauty expert for professional spa and skin care.

Attendees can expect to enhance their own quality of life, learn how to start a new career as an aromatherapist, or apply their new essential oil skills in an existing health care practice.

“Essential oils are your real solution to bug bites and repellent, itching, burns, infection and other types of skin damage, including wrinkles and UV damage,” Harrison says. “Among many other uses, they reduce inflammation and itching through their antihistamine action and help heal wounds and prevent scarring—wrinkles are a type of scar.”

The non-credit program offers a flexible weekend schedule, and attendees can enroll in one class at a time or take the entire seven courses to receive a certificate. The first course, “Essential Oil Therapy: Foundations,” offers an overview of how to use essential oils.

Essential Oil Therapy Certificate Program courses begin Oct. 5 and are held during evening and weekend hours. Cost varies. Free information session: 6-9pm Monday, Sept. 10. For more information and registration: Bastyr.edu/ContinuingEducation or 425-602-3152.

Rainy City Midwifery Offering New Prenatal Classes

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ainy City Midwifery has announced a new weekly prenatal yoga and meditation class at Seattle’s newest birth center, Center For Birth. The pay-what-you-can class is held every Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. for pregnant women, and partners are welcome to participate, according to midwives and class teachers Beth Coyote and Hirsche.

“This class will help you get to know your body, make friends with your mind, and resolve discomforts of pregnancy,” Coyote explains. “It will also help you prepare for natural birth and deepen your relationship with your growing baby.”

Coyote, who has been a midwife for over 30 years and also teaches meditation, says that meditation is important for expectant families. “It is especially useful as they ap-

proach the rigors and joys of labor, birth and parenting,” she says.

Prenatal yoga and meditation class takes place every Wednesday from 7-8:30pm at Center For Birth, 1500 Eastlake Avenue E. (corner of Eastlake and Galer) in Seattle.

Pay what you can. More information: 206-861-8300 or RainyCityMidwiferyAndAcupuncture.com.

Festival Offers Food, Fun For Good Causes

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he Goddess Festival will take place at Lower Woodland Park in Seattle Washington from 12 to 9 p.m. on August 25 and is free to the public. A fundraising event, this year the Goddess Festival will raise money for Savor the Sound, FamilyWorks and The Wallingford Community Senior Center.

Attendees will enjoy local musical and dance performances, the Artemis Kid Zone with root beer garden, local craft beer and wine garden looking over the main stage, and over 20 local craft and food vendors.

“The Goddess Festival believes that when we as individuals come together as a community and begin to believe in one another we have the ability to transform the world in which we live,” says organizer Tara Babette Shuttleworth.

The Goddess Festival takes place 12-9pm, August 25th, at Lower Woodland Park, 5900 W Green Lake Way N, Seattle.

Free. For more information: GoddessFestival.info.

Tenth Annual Green Building Slam Takes Place Sept. 15

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he tenth annual 10x10x10 Green Building Slam will take place starting at 5pm on Sept. 15. Produced by the NW EcoBuilding Guild and The University of Washington’s Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Office, the event highlights ten regional green building projects selected by a jury. Winners will each give a ten minute presentation about their project and prizes will be awarded. Hors d’oeuvres by Blueacre will be served from 5-7pm, presentations begin at 7pm, and dessert and networking follows at 9pm. A portion of proceeds goes to fund scholarships.

Second floor of Kane Hall, University of Washington’s Red Square. Tickets for the general public are $39/advance, $49 at the door (discount for NW EcoBuilding Guild members).

For more information: GreenBuildingSlam.org. natural awakenings

August 2012

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Better Doggie Bags Want Not, Waste Not

The New York Times estimates that 78 million dogs produce more than 10.6 million tons of dung annually.

To tackle the growing problem of unhygienic doggie doo-doo, about which USA Today reports, “At some beaches, dogs help raise bacteria levels so high that visitors must stay out of the water,” operators of Allan H. Treman Marine State Park, in Ithaca, New York, started a project in 2009 to compost the waste in its dog park.

Plastic bags that don’t decompose easily end up in landfills, so park officials began placing corn-based, compostable bags in dispensers. A local company, Cayuga Compost, picks up the waste weekly for processing and deposits it into a pile mixed with yard and wood waste at a nearby composting site.

In 18 months, the company composted 12 tons of dog waste from the park. Lab tests have shown that the compost is pathogen-free and has a high-nutrient profile that is perfect for flowers, shrubs and trees. Cayuga Program Manager Mark Whiting calls it a great example of upcycling—taking something that is otherwise considered worthless and turning it into a product with higher value.

Note: ZeroWasteUSA.com and similar entities provide complete sustainable systems for pet waste disposal; biodegradable bags are widely available at retail.

The Healthetarians Host Kids Cooking Classes

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local education-focused nonprofit known as the Healthetarians is hosting kids only cooking classes four days per week throughout the month of August at Whole Foods Market in Roosevelt Square in Seattle.

Children ages 7-13 are invited to come learn to cook healthy foods, with a focus on plant-based and allergen-friendly meals.

“Childhood obesity is on the rise and it’s time to take action,” says Healthetarians co-founder Sarah O’Toole. “We want to show kids that cooking healthy can be tasty and fun.”

One class has a theme: “Healthy Hero Thursdays” highlights a different superfood for each class. Buckwheat, berries, quinoa and beans each take turns being in the spotlight during August. Past classes have included kid-friendly ethnic cuisine inspired by the culinary traditions of Mexico and England, among others.

Cooking class prices vary per class. Classes are held at The Eat Well Kitchen in Whole Foods Market, 1026 NE 64th Street, Seattle. For more information or to register: 360550-0887.

Discovering Your Path To Attainment

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ertified hypnotherapist Amy MeisterStetson will lead a guided visualization for discovering how to fulfill goals and find creative passion from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 30 at East West Bookshop.

“Do you keep doing the same thing day in and day out, grappling with the same questions and wondering why things never change? This class is for you,” Meister-Stetson says.

“Come with a curious, playful, and open mind and leave with a fire in your heart for reaching your highest purpose and knowing how to get there.”

Meister-Stetson has a private practice in Seattle and provides general hypnotherapy for weight control, smoking cessation, goal-setting, anxiety, decision-making and more.

Discovering Your Path To Attainment takes place 7-8:30pm on Thursday, August 30 at East West Bookshop , 6500 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle. $10. For more information: 206-2404180 or Amy@SupportingBirth.com.

Ocean Shores Body & Soul Festival Takes Place In August

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he Ocean Shores Body & Soul Festival is a two-day holistic fair in Ocean Shores, Washington, on August 18-19. The festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $3/ day or $5 for the weekend.

Classes about all aspects of the mind, body and spirit are held throughout both days of the festival are included with the price of admission. Vendors include readers, art, health and beauty providers.

The festival will be held at the Ocean Shores Lions Club, 833 Anchor Avenue NW, Ocean Shores, Wash. For more information: OceanShoresFestival.com.

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healthbriefs

Training Helps Bust Teacher Burnout

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eaching is tough, and teachers that stick with the profession have higher than average rates of stress and burnout than most other college-educated workers. A new study published by the journal Emotion explores how Cultivating Emotional Balance (CEB), a training approach that combines Buddhist practices of meditation and compassion with education drawn from Western psychology about emotion, can help. Teachers that participated in an eight-week CEB program showed a strong drop in feelings of depression and an increase in positive states of mind.

Cheap Bling is Bad News

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esearch from the Ecology Center, a nonprofit environmental organization, discloses that more than half of low-cost metal adult and children’s jewelry contain large amounts of toxic chemicals, including lead, cadmium, nickel, chromium and chlorine (from polyvinyl chloride, or PVC). The report notes that these chemicals have been linked in animal and some human studies to acute allergies and long-term health impacts such as birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity and cancer. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, young children should not be given or allowed to play with cheap metal jewelry, especially when unsupervised.

Source: HealthyStuff.org

Mom’s Diet Can Boost Baby’s Immunity

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hat a new mom eats during her pregnancy affects her unborn baby’s immunity, especially vis-a-vis allergies, reports new research in The Journal of Physiology. The research found that if a mother’s diet contains a certain group of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as those found in fish, walnut oil or flaxseed, the baby’s gut develops differently. These substances are thought to improve the way gut immune cells respond to bacteria and foreign substances, making the baby less likely to suffer from allergies. natural awakenings

August 2012

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Why Folk Remedies Rock

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hat do white tea, witch hazel and rose extract—long used as natural aids for preserving youth and well-being—have in common? They all possess potential health and beauty properties that could be simply too good to ignore, say scientists from London’s Kingston University. The researchers, working in collaboration with British beauty brand Neal’s Yard Remedies, tested 21 plant extracts and discovered that their naturally occurring substances may offer new treatments to block the progression of inflammation. The findings are promising as potential treatments for aging skin, as well as more serious illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis, neurodegenerative conditions and cardiovascular and pulmonary problems.

Using human cells as their model, the researchers applied three different concentrations of white tea (freeze-dried powder), witch hazel (dried herb) and rose extract (in a medicinal tincture) to see what effect the mixtures might have on suppressing the rogue enzymes and oxidants that play key roles in cellular inflammation and aging. All three remedies were remarkably effective in keeping inflammation in check.

Whenever inflammation starts—whether as a simple cut to a finger, exposure to the sun, chemicals or pollutants, or irritation due to an arthritic joint—the body begins to produce a protein compound called interleukin 8 that exacerbates the process. The three substances tested appear to successfully interfere with this. White tea displayed the most marked results.

lESS SlEEP MEANS lowEr grADES

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esearch presented in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the 25th anniversary meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, suggests that poor sleep hygiene is associated with a lower grade-point average, both in high school and college. This can be prevented, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, by cultivating habits and behaviors that promote healthy sleep, such as establishing a relaxing bedtime routine and avoiding ingesting caffeine during the afternoon and at night.

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ew research is turning up another natural remedy to mend what ails us.

Native to both North America and Europe and historically appreciated by Hippocrates as “nature’s medicine chest,” elderberries are especially rich in antioxidants, putting them near the top of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) list. Both the flowers and fruit are used to make tea, juice, wine, preserves and nutraceutical products to treat a variety of ills.

International herbalist James Duke, Ph.D., author of The Green Pharmacy, recognizes the elderberry’s age-old reputation as a remedy for viral infections and for treating cough, flu and tonsillitis. It’s even being studied for its activity against HIV and for regulating blood sugar.

Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia are examining its potential for preventing strokes and prostate cancer, reducing inflammation and boosting resistance to infectious diseases. They’re set to host the first International Symposium on the Elderberry, from June 9 to 14, 2013.

Terry Durham, a farmer and conservationist in Ashland, Missouri, describes elderberries—which are typically harvested in late August through early September—as “the superfruit in our own backyard.”

globalbriefs Danger Signs

Monsanto Weed Killer Causes Animal Mutations The world’s most popular weed killer, Monsanto’s Roundup, a systemic, broad-spectrum herbicide, can induce morphological changes in vertebrate skeletal animals, say U.S. biologists studying its effect on amphibians.

A study by University of Pittsburgh researchers says the poison, tested in environmentally relevant concentrations, caused the shapes of two species of amphibians to change. The study is the first to show these dangerous consequences.

The presence of predators can cause tadpoles to change shape by altering their stress hormones, but similar shape changes seen after exposure to Roundup suggest the weed killer may interfere with the hormones of tadpoles, and potentially, many other animals. The development is important because amphibians not only serve as a barometer of an ecosystem’s health, but also as an indicator of potential dangers to other species in the food chain, including humans.

Fit Lit

Long Live Exceptional Books With the avalanche of digital content available on a host of common devices that include computers, tablets and phones, some educators are concerned that literary classics are getting short shrift in the mix of websites, blogs, social networks and music. The Great Books Summer Program (GreatBooksSummer.com) introduces young book lovers to literature they would not typically encounter in today’s classrooms.

The unique summer camp, held for the past 10 years at Amherst College, in Massachusetts, and Stanford University, in California, was created for middle school and high school students to discover and maintain critical reading and thinking skills during their seasonal break and beyond.

“Great Books’ faculty not only stresses the importance of reading, but introduces exceptional literature that students wouldn’t typically discover on their own,” says co-founder and Academic Director Peter Temes, Ph.D. Primary goals of the program are to help students learn how to read and think at a college level; learn how to engage in lively, spirited, yet disciplined discussion; gain new powers of perception, critical thinking and self-expression; develop greater confidence with peers and adults; and launch their own lifelong intellectual journey. Register now for next summer.

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Source: The Christian Science Monitor natural awakenings

August 2012

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healingways

BAREFOOTIN’: IT GROUNDS US Reap Earth’s Energy for Wellness

by Debra Melani

Imagine feeling the surge of well-being that comes from strolling barefoot on a moist, sandy beach or sinking all 10 toes into a cool, lush lawn on a warm summer day. Both comprise an experience known as “grounding” or “earthing”. Recent research suggests that these tempting life experiences offer more than feel-good frolics; they might help reboot health.

“B

y the end of the day, I could hardly walk. My feet would be screaming,” relates Lynn Deen, 66, of Mio, Michigan, describing dealing with Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis in both heels. “I struggled with it for four years. I tried everything, from conventional treatments to complementary therapies. Nothing touched it.”

Then Deen listened to an online interview about earthing, a therapy that involves connecting with the Earth’s electrical field, either through skin-to-ground contact (barefoot strolls) or by using home grounding products available online. Motivated by a yearning to maintain her active lifestyle, she decided to try it. Three months later, she attested, “My heels were completely normal.” And because she opted to use a special earthing bedsheet, Deen says her husband benefited, too. “We have better sleep, less snoring and a better sense of well-being,” she reports.

Theoretically, because the water-abundant human body is a good electrical conductor, such grounding allows negatively charged free electrons, which are rife on the Earth’s surface, to enter the body and scour it for free radicals: those positively charged particles that may cause disease and inflammation.

“Most of the diseases today are related to chronic inflammation,” says Dr. Martin Gallagher, a physician and chiropractor who heads Medical Wellness Associates, a large integrative medicine clinic in Jeannette, Pennsylvania. “That inflammation is considered to be the buildup of positive electrons. The Earth’s free electrons neutralize these chemical buzz bombs, called free radicals, bringing the body back to homeostasis. It is that state of equilibrium that allows the body to heal.”

Today’s lifestyles have nearly eliminated that natural

*Tools for Wellness & Conscious Living

MONTHLY DINING EVENT Wednesday Aug 15th, 6:30pm at the Mount Baker Community Club, Seattle You don’t need to be a vegetarian to enjoy a delicious multi-course vegetarian dinner. Catered by a different restaurant or chef each month. $15 plus tax for members, $20 plus tax for guests, children half-price.

VegofWa.org/monthlydining.aspx or 206 706 2635 for reservations.

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*Inspiring Books & Meaningful Gifts 6500 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle 206-523-3726

* Transformative Classes & Events See complete schedule online www.EastWestBookshop.com

healing effect, says James Oschman, director of the Nature’s Own Research Association, in Dover, New Hampshire.

“When I was a kid, my shoes came off in the spring and didn’t come back on until fall,” Oschman recalls. Today, almost everybody wears plastic-soled shoes, rides in vehicles and hangs out indoors on carpet and wood or tiled floors, completely blocking these free electrons, which Oschman maintains are the most effective and efficient antioxidants available. He states, “We’ve experienced a total disconnect.”

His claim is supported by small studies that are beginning to accumulate, indicating the potential benefits of grounding. Here is a sampling of the findings, from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

Helped the body’s natural healing response. Researchers compared physiological changes during a two-hour grounding session of 14 men and 14 women and then a two-hour sham session. Changes in respiration and heart rates plus blood oxygenation within 20 minutes of grounding appeared to aid the healing process, reports lead author Gaetan Chevalier, Ph.D., director of the Earthing Institute. He notes that as in previous studies, subjects with acute inflammation experienced less swelling, redness, heat and pain.

Improved sleep and reduced pain and stress. Researchers grounded 12 patients looking for these benefits while they slept. Comparing their cortisol levels (a stress-related hormone) prior to the eight-week study with results from periodic retesting and follow-up interviews, they found that grounding reduced nighttime levels of cortisol and better

aligned its secretion with the body’s natural 24-hour circadian rhythm, which is important for sleep. Subjects reported improvements in all three areas.

Decreased muscle pain. Researchers looked at blood counts and chemistry in eight active exercisers, following routines that assured muscle soreness. Four subjects treated with grounding techniques showed a boosted immune response and reported reduced pain.

Oschman says that some professional athletes swear by the practice, including members of four U.S. Tour de France teams (between 2003 and 2007) that were grounded nightly during the competitions.

Gallagher, who estimates that 70 percent of his patients consciously practice grounding, sees improvement in conditions including heart disease, arthritis, chronic pain, autoimmune diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome, attention deficit disorder, allergies, asthma, menopausal symptoms, sleep apnea and jet lag. Judged safe for all ages, blood-thinners present the only known complication, so heart patients should consult their doctors.

“This is like the relationship of vitamin D from sunlight,” concludes Gallagher. “We are receiving something that is integral to our design, part of our nature. Earthing isn’t an intellectual concept; it’s a necessity of life.”

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

natural awakenings

August 2012

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Your Best

Birth

Optimal Care For Birthing Mothers SNA: What are the potential drawbacks of medical interventions?

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growing number of women are interested in avoiding unnecessary medical intervention during labor and birth, but face many challenges in finding accurate information about their options. Author and medical writer Henci Goer explains why she believes there is a better model for providing safe, low-intervention birth care.

Expectations And Desires For Birth SNA: Given the fact that all mothers want a healthy baby, and presumably all would choose medical intervention when needed, what’s the best way to talk about “natural” birth?

HG: “Natural” is not a very useful term. “Optimal care” is a better term.

It means “the least amount of medical intervention that will produce the best outcomes given the individual person’s case.” What it comes down to for me is women making informed choices, and the problem I see is very few women are given accurate and complete information about their options. All too many women undergoing conventional management from a medical-model practitioner are given either inadequate, no, or misinformation from their care provider.

SNA: What beliefs about birth influence mother’s decisions?

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message that our culture sends to childbearing women, but these beliefs are not, in fact, accurate. Labor and birth almost always will go just fine; meddling with it unnecessarily causes problems, not averts them; in most cases where problems arise, simple measures and having patience will be all that is needed; epidurals are far from risk free; and nondrug strategies for dealing with pain are both safe and effective by women’s own report.

HG: I think the problem is that we have a birth culture in this country that instills a tremendous amount of fear and that leads to women making decisions that are distorted by that fear. The underlying belief implicit in conventional labor management is that birth is a terribly difficult and dangerous experience where something can go wrong at any moment; that it is also

an agonizing experience, that a high use of medical intervention will avert the potential disasters and that epidurals are a “risk-free” solution for coping with unbearable pain. It’s a very strong

HG: The problem with routine or frequent use of medical intervention is that they all have risks as well as benefits. This means that if you intervene routinely, and for problems that could be resolved by simple means such as walking around or talking about fears, or just having more patience, you are exposing women to the risks without any counterbalancing benefits.

SNA: How many births should be cesarean according to the optimal birth care model?

HG: We have good evidence that the cesarean rate should be between 10-15 percent, but the latest statistic shows that our national cesarean rate is 33 percent. (Editor’s note: cesarean rates at most major Seattle area hospitals are above 40 percent.) Common sense tells you one in three women does not need major surgery in order to be a healthy woman giving birth to a healthy baby, and, in fact, research shows that as the rate climbs beyond this sweet spot, maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality begin to rise.

However, very few obstetricians or hospitals have a cesarean rate under 15 percent.

SNA: What other interventions are associated with negative birth outcomes?

HG: There is no research to support having a routine IV, or continuous electronic fetal monitoring, or depriving women of food or fluids, or rupturing membranes to start or speed

in women who are planning vaginal births.

SNA: What questions should women ask prospective care providers?

Henci Goer

up labor, or keeping women in bed.

In addition, inductions are strongly associated with a higher rate of cesareans. We know this from studies of elective induction - induction for other than medical reasons - which tells us that the link has to do with induction itself, not the reason for it. The ideal induction rate is 10 percent, and in the U.S. it is currently over 40 percent

HG: It is possible to have this model of care in the hospital. It isn’t common, and it isn’t easy to find it. Women should be wary if their prospective care provider doesn’t know or won’t tell their c-section rate. I would also take it as a red flag if the provider says ‘I only do them when they’re necessary.’ That should be followed up by the question of how often they find them necessary. The provider’s attitude toward other interventions is also a clue. A provider who has no problem with elective induction or has a casual attitude toward inducing labor is a warning sign. So is a casual attitude toward an epidural. I don’t think an epidural should ever be off the table, because you don’t know what kind of labor you are going to have, but encouragement to plan on having one would be another red flag. And finally, another warning sign is a hospital with a lot of restrictions or policies requiring routine interventions.

Making An Informed Choice SNA: Do all care providers basically have the birthing mother’s best interests at heart?

HG: Most do, but it is naïve to assume that the recommendations that are being made are being made based on what is best for the woman because there are powerful factors driving health care that have nothing to do with her or her baby’s wellbeing. One driver is defensive medicine. Another is strong perverse economic incentives for highly medicalized births and cesareans. The ideal birth from both the hospital’s and the doctor’s point of view is a scheduled c-section. For the hospital, it makes staffing needs predictable and ensures more billable services such as anesthesia and longer postpartum stay. For the doctor, it isn’t so much more money as time management. It’s only human nature to rationalize that what is best for us is also best, or at least harmless, for women.

The best thing a pregnant woman can do is recognize she is going to have to be careful in what she chooses and not assume that she can sit back and everything will be taken care of in the

natural awakenings

August 2012

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SEATTLE OPTIMAL CARE BIRTH RESOURCES Obstetrician: Luba Foltz, MD 1101 Madison Street, Suite 950 Seattle, WA 98104 206-682-5800

Birth Center & Home Birth: Rainy City Midwifery Beth Coyote, CPM; Lynn Hughes, LM; Anne Hirsch, CPM 1500 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle 206-861-8300

Hypnosis: Supporting Birth Amy Meister-Stetson, Cht, CCE 6204B 8th Ave NW, Seattle 206-240-4180

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the doula’s presence helpful.

SNA: How do women find providers who follow the optimal care model?

HG: You want someone who works in that philosophy, who will minimize the use of medical intervention and maximize other strategies for solving problems that arise in labor. Optimal care does not mean the woman will have a labor free of medical intervention, but it tends to minimize it.

Interview prospective care providers and ask their cesarean section rate.

Call your local hospital and ask to talk to the intra-partum labor and delivery unit nurse manager and ask who the most progressive care provider is. Find a local birth network organization, or a birth resource center, although here you may have to be careful because some birth resource centers are commercial now, not grassroots. See if anyone in your community has been evaluated on TheBirthSurvey.org.

SNA: Should women who want a birth following the model of optimal care work with a midwife?

HG: In general that’s the better bet, but you can’t assume that a midwife is going to be gentle and supportive and the sort of thing we tend to associate with midwives, and you can’t assume that an obstetrician, male or female, is going to be the opposite. You still have to investigate the individual provider.

Still, the midwifery model of care is closer to the evidence based model.

SNA: What are the benefits of having a doula present during birth?

HG: The research is very consistent that having a doula improves outcomes —fewer cesareans and fewer instrumental deliveries. This is probably because they reduce use of epidurals, and also may reduce anxiety. Sometimes husbands worry that with a doula there, they will be pushed out of the circle, but a doula’s presence is equally valuable for the man. Fathers are being asked to do and be everything to their partners during labor despite limited training, never having been at a birth before, and while having their own intense emotional experience. Research shows fathers actually perform more supportive actions when there is a doula present, and when interviewed later, they all agreed that they found

SNA: What are the options for an outof-hospital birth?

HG: There are two out-of-hospital options: free standing birth centers, and home birth. The research supports the use of birth centers for a healthy woman. Compared to healthy woman planning hospital delivery, you see much less medical intervention, including cesareans, with equally good outcomes. For healthy women having a planned homebirth with a qualified care provider, outcomes are also equally good, again, with far less intervention than with hospital births.

Henci Goer is an award-winning medical writer, internationally known speaker and the author of The Thinking Woman’s Guide To A Better Birth and Optimal Care in Childbirth: The Case for a Physiologic Approach. She is active online as moderator of Lamaze International’s forum “Ask Henci,” where women can ask questions about what the research tells us best promotes safe, healthy birth, learn good questions to ask their practitioners, and more. Connect with her at Lamaze.org/askHenci or her website, HenciGoer.com.

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National Rally For Change Evidence-Based Care For Mothers And Babies

A

national movement is underway to improve birth in America. At least 40 cities across the country are holding a “National Rally for Change” on Labor Day, September 3, to bring awareness to the alarmingly high rates of medically unnecessary cesarean sections and labor inductions. This campaign, organized by ImprovingBirth.org, seeks to educate and empower women with evidencebased information in order to make truly informed choices regarding their maternity care.

“We’re not talking about natural birth, we’re just talking about normal physiological birth,” says Dawn Thompson, president of ImprovingBirth.org.

“Every woman should have the right to choose the type of birth she wants; we are just asking for them to be evidence based and fully informed choices.”

The facts speak for themselves.

The World Health Organization recommends cesarean rates should be no higher than 10-15 percent and that anything higher does more harm than good for moms and babies.

Despite this warning, 1 in 3 American women are giving birth surgically. That equates to a high number of medically unnecessary surgeries. Additionally, the recommended rate of induction is 10 percent or less but in an analysis of 19 hospitals across the country, it was found that 44 percent of women planning a vaginal birth were medically induced.

An eye-opening study published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology examined the “quality of evidence that underlies the recommendations made by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.” It was discovered that only 30 percent of these guidelines were based on “good

For more information: ImprovingBirth.org or Amy@SupportingBirth.com

“This labor day, come stand in support of evidence-based care for all mothers and babies.” and consistent scientific evidence” and that 32 percent were based simply on “consensus and opinion.” When obstetric guidelines were looked at individually, a mere 25 percent was found to be based on quality science and nearly 35 percent based on opinion.

The U.S. outspends every country in the world for maternity care, yet our maternal mortality rate is higher than 49 other countries. In fact, Amnesty International reports that “women in the U.S. face a greater risk of maternal death than nearly all European countries, as well as Canada and several countries in Asia and the Middle East.”

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healthykids

Giving Birth?

It’s Good To Have A Plan

by Amy Meister-Stetson

U

pon arrival at her birth place, a woman is usually asked if she has a birth plan to place in her chart.

This is a document describing her goals and preferences for labor and birth. It is not a contract that guarantees how birth will go, but a way to communicate her preferences with staff. This is important because a woman in labor may experience an on-call doctor or midwife, or a new shift of nurses. Frequently, birth plans include a brief introduction of mom and those supporting her, relevant medical information, preferences regarding medications, interven-

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tions, feeding and postpartum adjustment, and any other important concerns.

After considering the potential scenarios and determining your preferred course of action, discuss your birth plan with your provider. Of course in an emergency, medical protocol will take priority over birth preferences, but getting educated about your options in advance can help decrease additional stress and increase informed decision-making so you can adjust more easily to whatever labor has to offer.

Important Tips: • 1 page limit—use bullet points to summarize. Longer plans are less likely to be read.

• Use phrases such as “I prefer” or “I would rather not ____ unless medically necessary” rather than demanding statements such as “I forbid” or “Doctor must ____.”

• Ask for a longer-than-usual prenatal appointment to go over your birth plan before labor begins. If your goals are out of alignment with your provider or birth place, you might consider other providers or birth places, or adjust your expectations.

• Take two copies to your birth plan—one for your chart so medical staff know your preferences, and one for you and your support team to refer back to as needed.

Even though most providers welcome plans that are flexible and well-researched, it may be wise to ask his/her opinion on birth plans.

Helpful birth plan information can also be found at: http://bit.ly/O9N457 and http://bit.ly/NWYSsW. Also, ask a friend to set up a meal train for you for the first several weeks after the birth using MealTrain.com. And remember that there are a lot of new and experienced parents in the same boat with you. For local drop-in support try Birth and Beyond BirthAndBeyond.com/events.html, or if you’d like a steady group, visit PEPS.org.

Amy Meister-Stetson is a certified hypnotherapist specializing in Body-Centered Hypnosis for Birth. Find her at SupportingBirth.org.

yogalife

Prenatal Yoga Supporting Healthy Pregnancy

by Andrea blair cirignano

I

t’s not uncommon for women to find that yoga helps their pregnancy, and some even turn to yoga before they get pregnant.

“I asked a few teachers if I could sit in on their prenatal yoga classes to get closer to that female Mother energy,” said local instructor; Rachel Dawn Lowe, E-RYT, PYT, “I then became pregnant.”

Lowe continued to take prenatal classes throughout both of her pregnancies and began to train to teach the practice with her first pregnancy.

Sometimes more advanced practitioners think that prenatal classes are too easy and not physically challenging enough, but Lowe sees important benefits.

“Prenatal yoga gives women two important things that regular yoga classes do not: permission to embrace the yoga body, by listening more and not feeling the need to push through poses, and a community of mothers, providing a place of open communication about pregnancy, labor and motherhood,” Lowe says.

Many doulas, midwives and even doctors recommend yoga, not only as a great prenatal exercise but also a way to prepare for birth.

“Prenatal yoga helps women connect to the breath through a physical practice that gives their rapidly changing bodies more ease,” said Anne Phyfe

Palmer, RPYT, owner of 8 Limbs Yoga Centers in Seattle. “The breath is, to me, the most important tool for labor.”

Although most local prenatal classes are in an open environment where women feel comfortable to talk about their bodies and most instructors will offer time to connect with baby, another common misconception about prenatal yoga is that it will be “some hippy kumbaya type of thing,” said local yoga student Nichelle Hegstrom.

Hegstrom said she thought she would hate prenatal yoga but ended up loving it because she enjoyed the support of other women going through a similar experience. She ended up attending prenatal class three times per week during her pregnancy.

Hegstrom said she started prenatal yoga at about four months but, accord-

“A calm and focused mama is going to be more able to be present and attentive to the needs of her baby.” ing to Palmer, anytime an expecting mother considers starting is the right time to roll out the mat.

For pregnant women looking to incorporate some yoga into their lives

when a local class doesn’t fit onto the schedule, Palmer and Lowe both recommend cat/cow pose. (Start in all fours. Inhale as baby moves toward the mat and tailbone and gaze move up.

Exhale and round spine as gaze moves toward baby.)

Once baby arrives, new mothers can continue their practice with postnatal yoga, also available at many local studios and some classes even welcome babies. The appropriate time to start prenatal yoga will vary from woman to woman and new moms should consult their doctor before starting to exercise again.

“Postnatal yoga helps women release stress and help the aches and pains of nursing and caring for a baby,” said Palmer who added “[prenatal and postnatal] classes offer women a built-in community of women in similar stages of pregnancy and motherhood.”

Palmer acknowledges that getting to postnatal classes can be challenging for a new mother balancing a full schedule with a new baby so one pose she recommends for a new mother short on time is downward-facing dog. Lowe suggests tree pose and side stretches for a new mother when she can’t make it to a studio class.

Whether a woman does prenatal yoga and/or postnatal yoga and whether she gets on the mat at a studio or at home, the benefits of a mother’s practice extend beyond her own body and mind and can improve the whole family dynamic.

“A calm and focused mama is going to be more able to be present and attentive to the needs of her baby,” said Palmer.

Writer Andrea Blair Cirignano is a local yoga instructor with a journalism background. She believes yoga is for everyone and that each member of the community could benefit from the practice in some way, shape or form.

Her articles highlight the unique pairing of this ancient practice with a modern Pacific Northwest lifestyle. Find out more about Andrea at abcyogi.com.

natural awakenings

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Advice From local Moms: on birth & growing Your Family Whether you are thinking about becoming a mother for the first time, or getting ready to add another child to your brood, there’s a mom who has been there! Six local moms offer their heartfelt advice and stories to help you navigate your transition to motherhood. own Your labor, claim Your Power Tasha Mosher

I

labored with my first child at home until I chose to do a hospital transfer. I pushed to the point of utter exhaustion.

My daughter was born naturally 20 minutes after I was admitted.

I had a lot of fear during my second pregnancy—losing trust that I could navigate those deep waters again. A midwifery friend told me to disregard my fears—my body would remember

exactly what needed to be done. I’ve always believed in seeking balance during childbirth. I focused on grounding my mind amidst the universe of physical sensations and finding calm in the intensity. I went into my feminine self and allowed my partner to embrace his masculinity. I owned my second labor—breathing, walking, relaxing, dancing, moving and swaying to help my child be born into my husband’s hands in our home. My midwife and assistant were very present, but gave me the silence and space to do what I intuitively knew was right to have a beautiful birth.

be ready For Every Emotion You can imagine And Then A Few More Kimberly Slattery

W

hen I received that phone call saying our baby was finally ready for us, it was the sweetest night I have ever experienced. I will never forget it long as I live—it still feels like just yesterday.

All those years of waiting for two to become three, and we finally had this precious baby in our arms. We didn’t know at the time if it was for a weekend, a month, or for life, but we knew that we were finally a family. Two years later, standing in front of the judge, was one of the purest moments of love

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of my life. He made us a family. Our eyes were filled with tears and I was filled with overwhelming gratitude. My husband and I both come from parents that were adopted as well so adoption is a big part of our family. We set out to give him the world and to keep his biological family in our hearts, as we know that one day he will likely be ready for that journey. We will give him every resource we have so that he may find and feel a completeness in his soul.

Listen To Your Intuition And Focus On Being The Best Mother You Can Be Ashley Wornell

M

y first child was born by emergency c-section, and I was distraught for a very long time (I went natural for as long as they would let me after my water broke).

I seriously considered a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) for my second, but was encouraged to pray and listen to my intuition as well as to research.

So my second was born by planned c-section, and was in the same problematic position—very stuck! I have big babies and a prominent coccyx.

I was not distraught after my second baby was born. For me, I’m certain the difference was because of the Blessingway (a mother-centered alternative to a baby shower) that important women in my life threw for me during my second pregnancy. Because I knew my child would be born by surgery, I was able to turn my attention to becoming a mother of two. I had promises of encouragement, reminders of my strengths as a mother, sister, friend, daughter and wife, and advice from women who were already mothers of multiple children. The point wasn’t having the perfect birth experience, but in being the best mother I could possibly be. And that, in my opinion,

made my second child’s birth a perfect one to me.

Ask Questions And Debrief Your Birth Experience Jen Vaughan

T

he experience of having a c-section was traumatic, and one question lingered with me—why did it feel like my incision was by my ribs? I wanted to know what went on in there.

A few days after delivery, I spoke with the OB who performed the c-section and this helped put my mind at ease. I could not feel pain during the operation, but felt pressure in my upper abdomen and lots of movement. Due to a combination of her position and how well lodged she was, it took three people to get my daughter out of my pelvis! Then, due to her position, they could not deliver her head first through the incision above my pubic bone.

Instead, they had to turn her around and deliver her breech (feet first). I felt a great deal of peace after speaking to the OB and understanding what happened during her birth.

have welcomed babies into the world with perfectly manageable and uncomplicated births. Your body was made to do this!

Tell Everyone Your Intentions And Keep An Open Mind Samantha VanSlyke

I

had a birth in a hospital and I went as natural as possible. My OB and the nursing staff were very supportive of my choice.

No drugs for me, only an IV because I was dehydrated, and everything went according to plan. By the time I even considered drugs, I was pushing my daughter out. What helped the most I think was telling everyone my intentions: I said from the beginning I wanted a natural birth, and that’s what happened. Even though some people told me I was nuts, the pain of child birth was more appealing than a needle in the back. And that was the right choice for me. But you have to have an open mind—sometimes it doesn’t always go according to your plan.

Seek Out Positive Birth Stories During Your Pregnancy Nicole Miller

T

ry not to pay much mind to ‘war stories’ or fearmongering.

People seem to be far more vocal about terrifying experiences than they are joyful ones. It can be disheartening. Just know that there are so very many women who

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INVESTING IN MAIN STREET Cities, Schools and Churches Move their Money to Local Economies by rebecca leisher

S

ince the big corporate banks contributed to crashing the economy in 2008, news sources report that they’ve been rewarded with bailouts, tax breaks and executive bonuses, while American workers have lost jobs and homes. There is little wonder that many Americans—and now, institutions and local governments—have been closing their accounts at these corporate banks and transferring the money to community banks and credit unions. The intent is to send a strong message about responsibility to government and Wall Street, while supporting institutions that genuinely stimulate local economies.

The first Bank Transfer Day, last November, was publicized over five weeks, largely through social networks. During that period, credit unions received an estimated $4.5 billion in new deposits transferred from banks, according to the Credit Union National Association.

Citizens are calling for financial institutions to be accountable, encouraged by the popularity of the Move Your Money campaign. Schools, churches and local governments across the country have been transferring large sums, or at

least considering doing so, in order to invest in local economies instead of Wall Street.

Last year, the city of San Jose, California, moved nearly $1 billion from the Bank of America because of the bank’s high record of home foreclosures. City council members linked foreclosures to lost tax revenue, reduced services and layoffs, and urged other U.S. cities to follow their example.

The Seattle, Washington, city council responded to the Occupy Wall Street movement by unanimously passing a resolution to review its banking and investment practices, “…to ensure that public funds are invested in responsible financial institutions that support our community.” Officials in Los Angeles, New York City and Portland, Oregon, are discussing proposals that address how and where city funds are invested. Massachusetts launched the Small Business Banking Partnership initiative last year to leverage small business loans, and has already deposited $106 million in state reserve funds into community banks.

Student activists and the Responsible Endowments Coalition are urging colleges and universities—some of which have assets comparable to those of a town or city— to move at least a portion of their endowments from Wall Street. The Peralta Community College District, in California, with an annual budget of $140 million, has done just that. The district’s board of trustees voted unanimously last November to move its assets into community banks and credit unions.

Churches and faith organizations are moving their money, too. Congregations in the California interfaith coalition LA Voice vowed to divest $2 million from Wells Fargo and the Bank of America, ending a 200-year relationship with the big banks. The Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, in East San Jose, pulled $3 million out of the Bank of America and reinvested the funds into Micro Branch, a division of Self-Help Federal Credit Union, designed to assist underserved communities.

Moving money to where banking practices and investments are transparent is the most effective action.

Oregon Banks Local represents small businesses, family farms and community banks. It offers a website tool that ranks local banks and credit unions on such criteria as where they are headquartered, jobs created and the extent of local investment, showing which financial institutions truly serve local communities.

“People from all walks of life are angry at the banks,” says Ilana Berger, co-director of The New Bottom Line, a national campaign that promotes moving money from Wall Street. But the broad appeal of this grassroots movement toward financial reform is based on more than anger or strategy. “It’s a way to move our money to follow our values,” says Berger. “It’s an opportunity to really protest against the banks, but also a way to show what we want them to be.”

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Freelance writer Rebecca Leisher originated this article as part of “9 Strategies to End Corporate Rule,” for the Spring 2012 issue of YES! magazine. natural awakenings

August 2012

21

ecotip

How to Green Everyone’s Wardrobe

E

very fall, even with back-to-school sales, buying clothes can be costly for families. Also, new togs take a toll on the planet: Most common synthetic fabrics are petroleum-based; and according to the Sustainable Cotton Project (SustainableCotton. org), 25 percent of all insecticides applied in this country, including known carcinogens, are used to grow cotton.

Perceived as a disposable commodity, garments purchased for growing children are typically discarded after serving only a fraction of their useful life, while teens dismiss outfits when fashions change. Adults often have closets full of items from when they weighed less.

Here are 10 commonsense ways to redress the problem and lighten the family’s ecological footprint.

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Wash only as needed. Avoid wasting energy and water by washing clothing only when it’s dirty, rather than after a single gentle wearing; then drip- or line-dry.

Go unisex for tots. Siblings can wear family hand-me-downs and share basic items like shirts and pants.

Share. Family members, friends and neighbors can swap perfectly wearable fashions when they tire of them.

Help strangers. Charitable nonprofits, detailed on websites like DressFor Success.org (women’s business attire) OneWorldRunning.com (athletic gear sent to developing countries) and SalvationArmyUSA.org (caring for the homeless), all have on-the-ground networks in place to redistribute goods.

Give it back. Some brands take back and recycle their products. Nike (NikeReuseAShoe.com), for instance, repurposes any brand of worn-out athletic shoes in the making of new sports facilities.

Shop where you drop. When dropping off donated clothing and other items at a thrift or resale store, walk inside and see what’s for sale.

Read labels before purchasing.

Some clothes require more maintenance that isn’t eco-friendly, such as special detergents, ironing or even dry cleaning, which typically uses toxic perchloroethylene (PERC)—unless it’s a green cleaning process.

Look for alternatives. Clothing made from organic, low-impact or recycled materials such as organic cotton, hemp, bamboo and recycled fibers, is available in stores and online.

Dress casually. Dress suits for men and women require dry cleaning, so whenever possible, leave such fine attire in the closet.

Buy the good stuff. Brand names often live up to their advertising. Prestigious trademarks often get that way by producing better-made, more durable clothing and also protecting their image by avoiding exploitive practices.

Check them out online via third-party evaluators.

Source: Adapted from BigGreenPurse. com.

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fitbody

Do You Parkour?

Using the World as a Fitness Playground by randy kambic

A

thletes’ hunger for new ways to exercise, challenge and express themselves continually prompts the evolution of new sports, often rooted in earlier pursuits.

Windsurfing, snowboarding and mountain biking are examples.

Now, a growing number of parkour practitioners are springboarding and combining ingredients from multiple sports and activities in an effort to defy gravity using nothing but sturdy shoes and props.

First popularized in France, parkour means “of the course” (specifically, an obstacle course)—a form of acrobatic freerunning, spiked with vaulting, somersaulting, jumping and climbing; even running up and over walls. Based on exacting training, street athletes overcome or use a creative range of obstacles in their immediate environment.

Such moves have been popularized by movie stars such as Jackie Chan and Daniel Craig’s James Bond in the opening scenes of Quantum of Solace, as well as You Tube postings.

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competed in gymnastics, track and field or diving in their youth particularly enjoy reviving earlier skills.

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American Parkour (APK), headquartered in Washington, D.C., considers itself the leading such community in the world. Established in 2005 by Mark Toorock, its website now hosts 90,000-plus registered users and is visited monthly by 100,000 inquirers.

It provides news, daily workout emails, training guides, advice for beginners, instructional tutorials, guidelines for local recreation, and photo and video galleries.

Toorock, who played high school soccer and was then a serious martial artist in oom yung doe, kung fu and capoeira (which bridges dancing and gymnastics), was instantly hooked in 2003 when he saw a video of David Belle; the French native and acknowledged founder of parkour has appeared in 20-plus movies and commercials since 2000. “It was so different and authentic, what he was doing,” he says.

After opening the first parkour and freerunning gym at Primal Fitness, in D.C., in 2006, APK expanded to locations in Gainesville, Florida, and San Antonio, Texas. All offer an introductory session, full supervised parkour curriculum, boot camps, womenspecific classes, summer camps and freerunning classes.

Toorock co-created and coproduced Jump City: Seattle, eight, one-hour parkour action shows to introduce more people to the concept (G4TV.com). Other fitness centers that now focus on parkour include: Base Fitness, in Noblesville, Indiana; Apex Movement, outside of Denver; Parkour Visions, in Seattle; Miami Freerunning, in Florida; and Fight or Flight Academy, in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. More clubs are getting up to speed nationwide, with the San Antonio parks and recreation department currently adding a parkour park.

Tap Into the Energy

“Parkour allows adults to either continue or learn gymnastics for the

first time in a new, creative context,” Toorock says. Natalie Strasser, a competitive gymnast for 13 years, including at Kent State University, is a Los Angeles-based APK-sponsored athlete and conducts workshops.

Travis Graves, head trainer for APK Academies, which trains teachers, says, “One of the first priorities for beginners is instilling a respect for the forces and impact of landings, so we work on rolling, balance and footwork.” He also emphasizes the importance of thorough warm-up and cool-down periods, as well as overall safety guidelines.

“Some women might feel intimidated, as most of what they see on You Tube are teenagers or young men doing their thing,” comments Graves.

“But anyone can experiment and develop his or her own parkour style at their own comfort level.”

Lisa Peterson, of McLean, Virginia, was first attracted to parkour’s creative movements, which represented a personal next step after years as a teacher and performer in ballet, ballroom and Argentine tango dancing. “As a victim of child abuse, I am always looking for ways to strengthen my confidence and self-esteem,” she says. “Parkour has done that for me.”

APK regularly holds community gathering “jams” around the country.

“We encourage everyone to follow our guidelines,” notes Toorock, “although we can’t say that other methods are wrong.”

“Everyone has a sphere of capabilities. We help individuals expand safely and in proper progression,” he explains. “Some beginners may wear protective gear like gloves or shin guards but almost always relinquish them because they don’t want to rely on them, but take full responsibility for themselves and gain full freedom of movement.

“The world is a playground,” he concludes. “Parkour just makes more use of more of it.”

Learn more at AmericanParkour.com and DavidBelle.com.

Randy Kambic is a freelance editor and writer in Estero, FL, and a copyeditor for Natural Awakenings.

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calendarofevents

206-552-8819. Bit.ly/nutritionAug12.

NoTE: All Calendar events must be received by the 12th of the month prior to publication and adhere to our guidelines. Email Calendar@SeattleAwakenings.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

Alternatively, visit SeattleAwakenings.com to submit online.

Greendrinks Picnic – 5:30-9pm. Featuring vendors, bands on stage, food, drinks and fun with other Greendrinkers. This Greendrinks event is family friendly. Hunter Farm Gathering Place, 7744 35th Ave NE, Seattle. SeattleGreendrinks.org.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15

Mediterranean Summer Salad – 7-8:30pm.

Experience, learn and eat. Chef Randa Hilal will demonstrate how to create a Mediterranean summer salad using fresh local ingredients. Learn variations on a theme and enjoy the finished product. $10. East West Bookshop, 6500 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle. Registration required. 206-523-3726.

EastWestBookShop.com/Events/3994.

MONDAY, AUGUST 6 Health & Freedom with Team Northrup – 7-8:30pm. Join 2 leaders in Team Northrup for an intimate discussion on the health and wealth connection. Learn about a business model that has supported thousands of people in creating optimal health and financial freedom and a community on the cutting edge of health and wellness championed by Dr. Christiane Northrup. Free for guests. Equinox Apartment Conference Room, 1520 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle. Registration required.

206-552-8819. Bit.ly/seattlehealthfreedom.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10 Simkin Center Infant Massage Educator Certification Training – August 10-13. Take the first steps toward becoming a Certified Educator of Infant Massage (CEIM) approved by Infant Massage USA (IMUSA) and the International Association for Infant Massage (IAIM, Sweden). Educators of infant massage lead group and private classes for parents and caregivers in how to massage their babies and children. $650. Bastyr University, 14500 Juanita Drive NE, Kenmore. Registration required.

425-602-3361. Bastyr.edu.

Sound Healing: Group Session – 7:30-9pm. Join Tibetan singing bowl master Suren Shrestha for an evening of deep relaxation and rejuvenation. Large Tibetan bowls emit low frequencies that can help bring harmony and balance. $20. East West Bookshop, 6500 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle. Registra-

tion required. 206-523-3726. EastWestBookShop. com/Events/3960.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11 APPLE Core Healthy Lifestyle Workshop – 9am-2pm. Experts from the Bastyr University Department of Nutrition and Exercise Science invite you to the second annual Active Pediatric and Parental Lifestyle Education (APPLE) Core, a healthy lifestyle workshop for children ages 8-12 and their parents. Activities will include fun and instructive physical activity and health education, lunch, and each family will receive a QFC gift card for purchasing healthy food. $15 per family. Bastyr University, 14500 Juanita Drive NE, Kenmore. Registration required. 425-602-3260.

BastyrCenter.org/Content/View/2176.

Intuitive Consultations, Creative Project Development, Crystal Energy Work – August 11, 22 & 25. 12-5pm. Intuitive life and business consultant Robyn M Fritz, MA and Fallon, the citrine Lemurian quartz, offer practical, intuitive insight and crystalline wisdom. They help one tap their heart’s path; explore relationships, career, creativity; develop creative projects; clear home and business space; and more. $30/15 minutes. $50/half hour. $85/hour. East West Bookshop, 6500 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle. 800-587-6002.

AlchemyWestinc.com.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 12 Back to Balance Nutrition & Lifestyle Seminar – 4-5:30pm. Learn about a holistic approach to kicking the sugar habit. Topics include: lowglycemic eating, anti-inflammatory nutrition, proper supplementation for stabilizing blood sugar, eliminating carb cravings, and more following an approach recommended by NYT best-selling author Dr. Christiane Northrup in Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom. Free. Equionox Apartments, 1520 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle. Registration required.

Lift Your The Goddess Spirits With Festival 2012 Dena Marie! Party with a purpose!

A fund raising event for our Youth, Families & Elderly Lower Woodland Park August 25th 12-9 pm GoddessFestival.info

Dena Marie: Chakras 101

26

Seattle

SeattleAwakenings.com

TUESDAY, AUGUST 14

P re - a n d P e r i n a t a l M a s s a g e T h e r a p y Certification Course – August 15-18. With author Carole Osborne. This pre- and perinatal massage therapy course is a 32-hour specialization certification. Move far beyond general adaptations for maternity and pregnancy massage in this learner friendly, hands-on certification workshop. Includes pregnancy massage practicum. $695. Bastyr University, 14500 Juanita Drive NE, Kenmore.

Registration required. 425-602-3361. Bastyr.edu.

Write Your Life Mini Series-2 part – 7-8:30pm, August 15 & 22. Professional writer and full-time seeker Lara Simmons has designed this course to get people writing and help manifest the life they desire. Sessions include: self-advice, releasing your story and being present to your life. $20. East West Bookshop, 6500 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle. 206523-3726. EastWestBookShop.com/Events/3972.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 16 The Sacred Language of the Human Body

by Mona Delfino – 7-9pm. Talk-shop and book signing. $25. Friends, Philosophy & Tea, 13850 Bel-Red Rd, Bellevue. Registration required.

SacredReconnections.com/About.html.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18 Ocean Shores Body & Soul Festival – August 18-19. The Body and Soul Festival is a holistic lifestyle event. It is an opportunity for individuals to explore their options in creating healthier and more conscious lifestyles. Circle of Healing will be there leading an essential oils workshop and creating custom intuitive healing therapy blends. $3/day or $5 weekend pass includes all classes.

Ocean Shores Lions Club, 832 Ocean Shores Blvd, Ocean Shores. OceanShoresFestival.com.

Say Yes to Your Own Healing Practice – 2-5 pm. Intuitive life coach Betsy Gutting shares systems-for-success to partner with one’s wise

Ocean Shores Body & Soul Festival

Ocean Shores, Wash.

August 19th-20th OceanShoresFestival.com

Dena Marie: Tune Up Your Intuition

Weekend Retreat Refuel & Reenergize at Paca Pride Guest Ranch

Sept. 7-9th 425-350-5448

LiftYourSpiritsWith DenaMarie.com

self, sooth the inner critic, and move through inertia into clarity. $30. East West Bookshop, 6500 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle. 206-523-3726.

EastWestBookShop.com/Events/1575.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 19 Dancing for Birth Instructor Training – August 19-20. Become a certified Dancing for Birth Instructor or enhance and diversify professional skills. Learn how to energize and empower women in the childbearing year. We’ll dance the way through a “language of movement” specifically designed to prepare for and facilitate birth and celebrate new motherhood. $399. Bastyr University, 14500 Juanita Drive NE, Kenmore. Registration required. 425-602-3361. Bastyr.edu.

MONDAY, AUGUST 20 Health & Freedom with Team Northrup – 7-8:30pm. Join 2 leaders within Team Northrup for an intimate discussion on the health and wealth connection. Learn about a business model that has supported thousands of people in creating optimal health and financial freedom, and a community on the cutting edge of health and wellness championed by Dr. Christiane Northrup. Free for guests.

Roy Street Coffee and Tea, 700 Broadway Ave E, Seattle. Registration required. 206-552-8819.

Bit.ly/seattlehealthfreedom.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22 Health & Wellness Spa Seminar – 7-8:30pm.

Get pampered with a luscious facial or hand-cial with a professional, paraben-free, skin health line. Learn the benefits of inner and outer nutrition: nourishing cells, holistic eating, and caring for one’s skin by following an approach recom-

mended by NYT best-selling author, Dr. Christiane Northrup in Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom.

Free. Equinox Apartments, 1520 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle. Registration required. 206-552-8819.

Bit.ly/healthwellnessaug22.

work with essential oils and detailed notes & recipes. Free. Skagit Community Coop, Mt. Vernon.

425-210-2532. SkagitFoodCoop.com.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 25

Creating Happiness: The Art of Peaceful Living – 7-8:30pm. Gen Kelsang Jampa will offer Buddha’s timeless advice on how to create happiness in one’s busy daily life. Free. Olympic Sculpture Park Pavillion, 2901 Western Ave, Seattle.

206-526-9565. MeditateInSeattle.org.

The Goddess Festival – 12-9pm. The Goddess Festival is a community fundraising event benefitting our youth, family and the elderly. This year the Goddess Festival will raise money for Savor the Sound, FamilyWorks and The Wallingford Community Senior Center. Featuring local musical and dance performances, Artemis Kid Zone with root beer garden, local craft beer and wine garden, vendors and more. Free and Open to the Public.

Lower Woodland Park, 5900 W Green Lake Way N, Seattle. 206-669-5775. GoddessFestival.info.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

TUESDAY, AUGUST 28 Path of Kriya Yoga – 7-8:30pm . Paramhansa Yogananda brought the ancient technique of Kriya Yoga meditation to the West from India.

Kriyacharyas Hriman and Padma McGilloway will give a free talk on the history of kriya yoga, its underlying psycho-physiological effects, and the opportunities for learning kriya and its related precepts and practices. Free. East West Bookshop, 6500 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle. 206-523-3726.

EastWestBookShop.com/Events/3834.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29 Community Immunity with Essential Oils – 6:30-8pm. Learn how to purchase, store and blend quality essential oils for home remedies. Class participants will smell, mix and test several recipes and take one home. Come away with confidence to

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classifieds Fee for classifieds is $1.00 per word per month. To place listing, email content to Publisher@SeattleAwakenings.com.

Deadline is the 12th of the month.

ADULT FAMILY HOMES We’ll help you take care of your aging parents or other loved ones. RN-owned, 17 yrs. experience in elderly care. Assisted by professional and long-term employed staff. Located in the Wedgewood and Meadowbrook areas. References and testimonials available. www.viewhavenhomes.net, Call Josie @ 206-679-9082, 206-362-3650.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Nutraceutical & herbal DNA research company moving HQ to Seattle. Looking for home-based business builders. Local training, leads provided.

NutritionScience@aol.com.

CULTURAL OPPORTUNITY Make a Difference Host an Exchange Student!

Council for Educational Travel USA is seeking caring families to host one international high schoolaged student. Give your family the experience of a lifetime. 425-350-5448. CETUSA.org.

save the date MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 FREE Program Information Session – 6-9pm.

Spend an evening exploring Bastyr’s four new non-credit weekend programs: Essential Oils & Aromatherapy, Hypnotherapy, Indigenous Wisdom Teachings, & Medical Qigong. Meet the

instructors & attend two mini-workshops free.

All welcome. Free. Bastyr University, 14500 Juanita Dr. NE, Kenmore. Registration required.

425-602-3152. Bastyr.edu/Continuing-Education.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 Get At The Roots Wellness & Weight Loss Program – 7-8:15pm. Get At The Roots is a 12-week personalized program. Class is not about restricting calories; it is about feeding the body. 1 payment of $270 or 3 payments of $105. Dandelion Botanical Company, 2nd floor, 5424 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle.

Registration required. 206-818-6929. NutriSpire.

Wordpress.com/Get-To-The-Roots-Weight-Loss.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 Raja and Hatha Yoga Intensive – Thursdays through Nov 15. Learn meditation, yoga, the universal philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali’s Eight-Fold Path. This course features the modern, definitive text written by Swami Kriyananda, The Art and Science of Raja Yoga.

Also offered at East West Bookshop in Seattle on Tuesdays, Sept 11-Nov 27. $440 plus text. Ananda Meditation Temple, 23305 Bothell-Everett Hwy, Bothell. Registration required. 425-806-3700.

AnandaWashington.org/Classes/Raja.

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 Hypnotherapy: Awareness & Integration – “Awareness & Integration” (50 hours) is one of two courses in Bastyr’s non-credit Hypnotherapy Training Program. Take this course separately or also take “Transformation & Healing” to complete the 100-hour program. Each seminar is held over two weekends. No prior experience needed. $635.

Bastyr University, 14500 Juanita Dr. NE, Kenmore.

Registration required. 425-602-3152. Bastyr.edu/ Continuing-Education.

Medical Qigong Self-Care: Qigong I – Bastyr is offering two new non-credit Medical Qigong certificate programs. Qigong I is the first of three courses in the “Medical Qigong Self-Care” program. Learn to cultivate Qi to maintain a healthier body/mind.

Public welcome; practitioners who complete the program can go on to become Medical Qigong Therapists. $1125. Bastyr University, 14500 Juanita Dr. NE, Kenmore. Registration required. 425-6023152. Bastyr.edu/Continuing-Education.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5

Yoga Teacher Training – 10 weekends through Feb 17. Learn the classic Hatha Yoga postures with a focus on the subtler aspects such as breath awareness, prana in the spine and chakras, affirmations, safe yoga practice and more. $2995 plus text.

Ananda Meditation Temple, 23305 Bothell-Everett Hwy, Bothell. Registration required. 425-806-3700.

AnandaWashington.org/Teacher-Training/YTT.

Essential Oils: Foundations – October 5-7.

The “Foundations” class is the first class in the new Essential Oil & Aromatherapy Certificate Program. Take this class alone as an excellent introduction to using essential oils, or continue on to complete the remaining 7 seminars in the program. No prior experience needed. General public, health care professionals, estheticians, spa therapists, & wellness professionals welcome. $375. Bastyr University, 14500 Juanita Dr. NE, Kenmore. Registration required. 425-602-3152.

Bastyr.edu/Continuing-Education.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 Heal Your Life Workshop Leader Training – Sept 16-23. Become a licensed Heal Your Life workshop leader in the philosophy of Louise Hay. Complete manuals and materials provided. $3795 special for Natural Awakenings readers includes lodging and most meals. Bahia Hotel, Mission Bay Dr, San Diego. Registration required. 800-9694584. HealYourLifeTraining.com.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

The publication for the discerning life traveler.

to encourage perinatal emotional health. Taught by instructors from the award-winning organization, MotherWoman. $549. Bastyr University, 14500 Juanita Drive NE, Kenmore. Registration required.

425-602-3361. Bastyr.edu.

Perinatal Support Group Facilitator Training – Sept 20-23. The Perinatal Support Group Facilitator Training is 25 hours in how to lead a thriving support group to serve new mothers and families

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3 Hypnotherapy: Transformation & Healing – 9am-5pm. “Transformation & Healing” (50 hours) is one of two courses in Bastyr’s non-credit Hypnotherapy Training program. Take Transformation & Healing alone or also take “Awareness & Integration” to complete the 100-hour program. No prior experience needed. General public & health care practioners welcome. Each course is conducted over two weekends. $635. Bastyr University, 14500 Juanita Dr. NE, Kenmore. Registration required.

425-602-3152. Bastyr.edu/Continuing-Education.

Natural Choice Directory of Puget Sound Green Resources • Natural Health Food & Supplements • Mind & Spirit

Your Choice for a Sustainable Future 425.373.1987 www.NaturalChoice.net

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4/29/11 5:29 PM

ongoingevents sunday Cascadia Hikes – 8am-12pm. Learn about local and natural history, sustainability and ecology while viewing waterfalls and wildlife on these guided half-day hikes. Includes hotel pick up and drop off, nature guide, refreshments, transportation, and entry fees. $95. Register: EvergreenEscapes.com/ Seattle-Hiking-Tour.asp.

Community Yoga Class – 9-10:15am. Beginner pay-what-you-can yoga class. All welcome. Taught by a registered yoga teacher. Donations accepted.

Three Trees Yoga & Healing Arts Center, 204 S. 348th St, Ste 2, Federal Way. 253-815-9642.

ThreeTreesYoga.com.

Wing Chun Martial Arts – 11am-1pm. Wing Chun is a martial art that can be used for general fitness; to relieve stress, improve reflexes, coordination speed and power and more. $10. Friends, Philosophy & Tea, 13850 Bel-Red Rd, Bellevue. 206-349-9376. Allenmbriski@gmail.com.

FriendsPhilosophyAndTea.com.

monday Breast Feeding Class – 10:30am. With Renee Beebe and Lauren Harris. Get questions answered by an expert, check your baby’s weight and boost confidence in this weekly drop-in support group. $15 suggested donation. Dragonfly Holistic Healing, 760 N. 34th St, Seattle. 206-356-7252.

DragonflyHolisticHealing.com.

Feldenkrais® Awareness Through Movement – 6:30-7:45pm. With Becci Parsons Happy Hour - New strategies for unwinding, relaxing and recovering from life’s challenges. Cultivate resilience and become your most potent self. $20/drop-in, $15/series. M’illumino, 6921 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle. 206-545-7272. BecciParsons.com.

tuesday Seattle Greendrinks – 5:30pm. 2nd Tues. Informal social networking to connect and unite those working or interested in environmental issues. Locations vary. Details: SeattleGreendrinks.org.

Sustaining Vitality Qigong – 7-9pm. Discover Chinese Qigong, the study of internal energy and the natural way to enhance or maintain a healthy energetic lifestyle. Class includes meditation and movement exercises. Suitable for all levels including beginners. $10/class. Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave N, Seattle, Rm 5. Contact Dennis at 425-775-9609.

Fmi.Qigong@gmail.com. Fmi-Qigong.com.

Tribal Style Bellydance – 7-9pm. With Shay Moore. Classes get people moving to the global groove as they develop core tribal bellydance

movements with strength, grace, and flexibility.

Women of all ages, shapes, sizes, and experience welcome. $75 per 6 week session. M’Illumino, 6921 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle. Registration required. 206-525-0363. DeepRootsDance.com.

wednesday Feldenkrais® Awareness Through Movement – 11am-12pm. With LeeAnn Starovasnik. Engage the brain and body in new ways while learning to move more easily, more comfortably and even more playfully. $20/drop-in, $75/5 prepaid classes.

M’illumino, 6921 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle.

206-525-0363. Info@M-illumino.com.

Free Energetic Healing Clinic – 2-5pm. Experience the powerful healing energies of Pranic Healing Therapy to help overcome depression, stress, anxiety, grief, pain, disease, negative thoughts and emotions, and more. Energize one’s system to increase health, well-being and overall vitality. Free. Friends, Philosophy & Tea, 13850 Bel-Red Rd, Bellevue. 425-641-4364.

FriendsPhilosophyandTea.com.

Rainy City Prenatal Yoga & Meditation – 7pm. For pregnant women - partners welcome.

Get to know your body, make friends with your mind and resolve discomforts of pregnancy. Prepare for natural birth. Deepen your relationship with your growing baby. Taught by Beth Coyote, midwife and meditator and Anne Hirsch, midwife and experienced prenatal yoga teacher. Pay what you can. Center For Birth, 1500 Eastlake Avenue E, Seattle. 206-861-8300.

RainyCityMidwiferyAndAcupuncture.com/ Events.html.

Wednesday Wellness Talk – 7pm-8pm. 3rd Wed. Join us for a series of free monthly talks on a variety of health and wellness topics on the third Wednesday of each month. Topics to be announced - check website for updates. Space is limited; please call to reserve a seat. Free. Butterfly Balance Wellness Center, 3515 SW Alaska St, 2nd Fl, West Seattle. Registration required. 206-755-9900.

ButterflyBalance.com.

Red Cedar Circle – 7:30-9:30pm. Local and organic drumming, song, prayer, teachings & stories.

Free. Interfaith Community Church, 1763 NW 62nd St, Seattle. 206-683-1378.

answer questions about current and future projects. These open and informal events cover green remodeling and design, solar, water harvesting and edible gardening. Free. Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW, Seattle.

206-317-4671. WSToolLibrary.org.

Weston A Price Foundation Seattle Meeting – 6-8:30pm. 3rd Thurs. This month’s meeting will be a potluck and relaxing conversation. There will not be a presentation this month. Firefly Kitchens, 844 NW 49th St, Seattle.

Baby Diaper Service 101 – 6:30-7:30pm. 2nd Thurs. Mark Stief, owner, will present the ins and outs of diaper service, share best practice cloth diapering techniques and educate expectant parents on the health and environmental benefits of cloth diapers. $10/family. Parent Trust for Washington Children, 2200 Rainier Ave S, Seattle. Registration required. 206-634-2229.

BabyDiaperService.net/Baby/Diapering-101.

Feldenkrais® Awareness Through Movement – 6:30-7:30pm. See Wednesday description. $20/drop-in, $75/5 prepaid classes. M’illumino, 6921 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle. 206-525-0363.

Info@M-illumino.com.

friday InterPlay – 10:30am-12pm. An improvisational practice that playfully explores the things a body can do: move, make sounds, tell stories, sing, and experience stillness. Based on life-affirming body wisdom principles and the transformative power of play. $10 suggested donation. M-illumino, 6921 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle. 206-525-0363.

Info@M-illumino.com.

saturday Feldenkrais® Awareness Through Movement – 9-10:15am. With LeeAnn Starovasnik and Vicki Robinson. Learn to move more easily and more comfortably while improving your sense of balance and overall well being. $20/drop-in, $75/5 prepaid classes. M’illumino, 6921 Roosevelt Way NE, Rm 3, Seattle. 206-525-0363. M-illumino.com.

thursday Urban Forest Restoration – 10am. Nature Consortium hosts volunteer work parties in the West Duwamish Greenbelt for performing restoration activities, including planting native species, removing invasive species, mulching and more. Register: NatureC.org/Volunteer.

Monthly DIY Meetup and Ask an Expert – 6-8pm. 2nd Thurs. West Seattle Tool Library hosts expert DIY coaches who are willing to

Who wants to know about your Event/Class/Workshop? $20 per calendar listing. No charge for nonprofits producing events free to the public.Submit by the 12th of each month at SeattleAwakenings.com.

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naturaldirectory Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Natural Directory, email Publisher@SeattleAwakenings.com to request our media kit.

BEDDING SEATTLE NATURAL MATTRESS 206-419-9550 SeattleNaturalMattress.com

Manufacturer and retailer of natural, chemicalfree latex mattresses designed to provide a comfortable and supportive alternative to traditional spring mattresses. See ad page 14.

BODYTALK JOY OF HEALTH SOLUTIONS Patricia Sullivan Seattle & Woodinville 206-920-5528 JoyOfHealthSolutions.com

Get to the cause of your issue or ‘story’ easily and with great results! Resolving anxiety, pain, allergies, digestive, immune i s s u e s , i n j u r y, s t r u c t u r a l challenges and more.

CHILDREN’S SERVICES BABY DIAPER SERVICE 206-634-2229 BabyDiaperService.Net

Committed to providing 100% pure cotton diapers for your baby. Convenient weekly pickup and delivery of cloth diapers and accessories. Better for baby’s skin, more sustainable than washing at home. See ad page 22.

dentists INTEGRATIVE DENTISTRY 9730 3rd Ave NE, Suite 205 Seattle, WA 98115 206-367-6453 Info@MitchMarderDDS.com MitchMarderDDS.com

We are a holistic dental practice specializing in safe mercury filling removal, non-surgical periodontal care, and TMJ/ orthodontic treatments. We welcome new patients! See ad page 11.

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All One Quantum Energy Research uses non-invasive, evidence-based technology to look deeper into one’s health without side effects. Get detailed information on one’s body, and save money on supplements that aren’t needed. See ad page 11

ESSENTIAL OILS CIRCLE OF HEALING

Snohomish, WA 425-210-2532 CircleOfHealingEssentialOils.com Offering aromatherapy products to help live a healthier, happier and more balanced life using all organic ingredients when available so you can be sure that you are receiving the most effective products possible. Local classes and hands-on workshops available.

MEDICAL THRIVE NATURAL FAMILY MEDICINE Dr. Scott Moser, ND LMP 5020 Meridian Ave N, Ste 104 Seattle, WA 98103 206-257-1488 Info@ThriveNaturalMedicine.com ThriveNaturalMedicine.com

Thrive offers botanical medicine, nutrition, physical medicine, nutraceuticals and counseling to treat the whole family. Most insurance plans accepted. Book an appointment today and Thrive!

MOVEMENT CENTERS M’ILLUMINO

6921 Roosevelt Way NE Seattle, WA 98115 206-525-0363 Info@M-Illumino.com M-Illumino.com At m’illumino, we are dedicated to your transformation through movement. Take a class, try private sessions, discover your own innate grace. See ad page 9.

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NATURAL PRODUCTS GLADRAGS

503-282-0436 Orders@GladRags.com GladRags.com Live more sustainably with GladRags washable menstrual pads and menstrual cups. Join the community of women who have decided to make a lower carbon footprint every month!

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Individual consultations by appointment.

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Spiritually informed hypnotherapy and Reiki for life transitions, personal growth, healing and more. Connect with deep inner wisdom and live life’s bigger story.

yoga KANJIN YOGA

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Across North America, Natural Awakenings’ over 85 publishers are helping more than 3.6 million readers make positive changes in their lives, while promoting local practitioners and providers who support natural, Earth-friendly lifestyles. Create a healthier community while building your own financial security in the franchise market of your choice. You’ll work for yourself but not by yourself. Complete training and support is provided.

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August 2012

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dōTERRA® Citrus Bliss Is 20 Percent Off In August!

Quantities limited. While supplies last from independent distributor.

dōTERRA®’s Citrus Bliss invigorating blend merges the benefits of citrus essential oils. We combine the powerful essences of wild orange, lemon, grapefruit, mandarin, bergamot, tangerine, and clementine with a hint of vanilla to form this unique and harmonious blend. For aromatic or topical use.

dōTERRA® (CPTG) Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® essential oils represent the safest, purest, and most beneficial essential oils available today. They are gently and skillfully distilled from plants that have been patiently harvested at the perfect moment by experienced growers from around the world for ideal extract composition and efficacy. Experienced essential oil users will immediately recognize dōTERRA®’s superior quality standard for naturally safe, purely effective therapeutic-grade essential oils.

Quantities limited - call today to get your bottle of Citrus Bliss!

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