COMPLIMENTARY
Apr. 2015 Vol. 8 — Issue 4
Fab Spring Fashion Local natural and organic fiber designs
PLUS:
Solutions for painful feet O REGON H EALTHYL IVING . COM
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Table of Contents APRIL 2015 | VOLUME 8, ISSUE 4
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16 20 24 27 HEALTH FITNESS NATURAL EVENTS
STYLE
FOOD
Natural Fiber Fashion: Local natural and organic fiber designs
Veg Out: Sore Feet: Drop the carbs for Plantar fasciitis more nutrition Back on the Run: Fitness after a heart attack ..................pg. 19
Short Sleeves Ahead: Tone up arms
Good Vibrations: Tibetan singing bowls
Local Events Calendar: Find out what’s going on in your community
Oregon Healthy Living • April 6, 2015
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The editor’s desk
ADVERTISER INDEX
Spring came early in Southern Oregon, so you may already be in your T-shirts and shorts. Did you ever stop to wonder about what it takes to produce that material? Three local designers share how they choose to makes clothing in this issue. Next month we will be focusing on the teen scene: what our youth need from diet to fitness to screen time.
crose@mailtribune.com
On the cover Jacksonville photographer David Gibb captured the natural beauty of our natural fiber models and clothing this month on a sunny day at Britt Trails. Our appreciation goes to Heidi Carlson, Serene Dussell and Rose Gertsner for providing the fashion and the models. Their craftwork demonstrates how we can creatively produce and buy local for healthier options.
STAFF EDITOR: Cheryl P. Rose ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Dena DeRose DESIGN & PRODUCTION: Bret Jackson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER: Denise Baratta, David Gibb
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Cathleen Cole, Margaret Battistelli Gardner, Cindy Quick Wilson
Abdill Career College ....................2 Ashland Dental Associates ...........11 Ashland Food Co-op ..................19 Bear Creek Naturopathic Clinic ...17 The Blue Giraffe Day Spa Salon ....5 BrainJoy ........................................5 The Herb Shop ............................11 Katzen Orthodontics ....................25 Medford Food Co-op ..................17 Medical Eye Center .......................9 Medicap Pharmacy .......................9 Nature’s Pet Market .....................22 Oregon Advanced Imaging ...........4 Planned parenthood ......................3 Providence Medford Medical Center............................28 Sherm’s Food 4 Less ....................23 Shop’n Kart.................................15 Southern Oregon Foot & Ankle Clinic .............................27 Southern Oregon Subaru ............12 The Springs at Veranda Park .......15 Oregon Healthy Living Magazine is published by the Southern Oregon Media Group Advertising Department, 111 N. Fir St., Medford, OR 97501. General information: 541.776.4411 To advertise: 541.776.4422 Submissions and feedback: crose@mailtribune.com
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Blessed Lotus Tribal Wear Modeled by Nova Sunrise of Williams Nova top in Light Tan, made of cotton, $38 Sunrise skirt in Light Turquoise, a blend of hemp, organic cotton with a touch of spandex, $120 Simplicity scarf in Brown, made of cotton, $22
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STYLE
Natural Fiber Flair Handmade clothing represents values and value
TEXT BY CHERYL P. R OSE PHOTOS BY DAVID GIBB
M
ost of us probably don’t give a lot of thought to where the clothes we buy off the rack came into being. Three local designers/seamstresses have made it their passion to create clothing that is not only attractive and comfortable, but also attuned to their personal beliefs about health and the environment.
“A lot of fabrics are made with harmful chemicals; natural and organic fabrics are not,” says Serene Dussell of Blessed Lotus Tribal Wear in Williams. “When putting on these manufactured clothes, you’re covering yourself with these chemicals. Some may think that’s a hippie attitude, but it’s kind of true.”
Hempress Arise Modeled by Allie Jones of Williams Endless Summer sleeveless cowl dress in Spring Green, a blend of organic cotton and Tencel, $88 Gypsy Mama skirt with “Moving Forward” original screen print design in Sunburst Yellow, a blend of hemp, organic cotton with a touch of spandex, $72
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STYLE
Sympatico Clothing Modeled by Anastacia LeVasseur of Talent Tuxedo top in Copen blue, a blend of hemp and Tencel, $78 Tank top, a blend of hemp and Tencel, $54 Angled skirt in Copen blue, a blend of hemp and Tencel, $76 Beaded pendant and earrings by Stephanie Gould of Dragonfly Creations in Ashland
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STYLE
Heidi Carlson of Hempress Arise in Williams and Rose Gerstner of Sympatico Clothing in Jacksonville also exclusively use natural fibers such as hemp, organic cotton and Tencel, a rayon-like fabric made from wood pulp. Both are concerned by the amount of pesticides conventional cotton growers use. At this time, all the designers get their raw hemp fabric imported from China. With Oregon granting the first licenses for growing industrial hemp in February, the women are enthusiastic about the possibility of reducing the carbon footprint of the materials and being able to buy local. “I would be delighted to buy fabric in the United States,” Gerstner says. As small businesses, none of the women have storefronts. They sell their clothing primarily online at business websites and Etsy.com or at fairs and festivals along the West Coast. Hempress Arise can also be found at the Ashland Artisans Emporium. Their customers are interested in natural fiber clothing for ecological reasons, but also because it represents unique design and practical value. “My customers say they like buying directly from the maker,” Dussell says. “I make my clothes with love and I feel people are drawn to that.”
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STYLE
Hempress Arise Modeled by Allie Jones of Williams Transcendence tube top in Mulberry, a blend of hemp and organic cotton, $56 Queen Rhapsody Bloomers in black and gray stripes, a blend of hemp, organic cotton with a touch of spandex, $88
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STYLE
Blessed Lotus Tribal Wear Modeled by Nova Sunrise of Williams Harmonia dress in Passionate Purple, made of hemp and organic cotton with a touch of spandex, $88 Simplicity circle scarf, made of 100 percent cotton, $22
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STYLE Gerstner adds that customers like the properties of the natural fabrics. “These fabrics have good drape, they’re washable, they resist smells, they’re antimicrobial and durable,” she says. “They are very comfortable to wear. Then the designs fit comfortably and can be worn for work or for casual purposes. Customers like the uniqueness of handmade designs. They don’t want fast fashion.” Carlson said that natural fiber clothing needs no special care and can be laundered as any other clothing. However, to preserve the color, she recommends line-drying rather than machine drying. Dussell encourages consumers to consider where and how the products they purchase are made. “Where we put our money is where we’re voting,” she says. “When we put our money into local and natural products, we’re demonstrating what we believe in.”
Sympatico Clothing Modeled by Anastacia LeVasseur of Talent Swallowtail top in Butternut, a blend of hemp and Tencel, $78 Flip skirt in Raspberry, a blend of hemp and Tencel, $70
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Oregon Healthy Living • April 6, 2015
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O
od
les o
f Zoodles
Spiralized vegetables are the new pasta TEXT BY CATHLEEN COLE
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paghetti and meat sauce, macaroni and cheese, pasta salad – these dishes are delicious and filling. But if you’re trying to lose weight or avoid gluten, they’re not the best choices. How can you get the satisfying taste and texture of pasta without the overload of carbohydrates and gluten? Zoodles, or zucchini noodles, and vegetable spirals could be the answer.
A low-calorie pasta substitute
The idea is to create the texture and shape of pasta while lowering caloric intake, says Tiazza Rose, a sports nutritionist and certified personal trainer based in Ashland. It’s also an option for people who can’t tolerate gluten. Vegetable spiralizers became popular in the United States when people were looking for gluten-free options, she says. Zucchini is an abundant vegetable, low in calories and carbohydrates, and its texture is good to work with, Rose notes. “It’s a great way to cut down calories tremendously,” she says of eating vegetable noodles and spirals. But be careful with the toppings and dressings if you’re trying to keep the dish low-calorie, she warns.
Since many of the vegetable noodles, such as zucchini, have the texture of wheat noodles, it feels like eating regular pasta. “It’s another way of feeling like you’re not depriving yourself,” Rose says. “But you’re not stuffing yourself with foods that are not nutritious.” You don’t have to buy an expensive spiralizer, Rose explains. Several simple hand-held models sell for less than $15, and you can get countertop units with hand cranks and several blade options for less than $50. If you really want to go inexpensively to test veggie noodles, just use a vegetable peeler. “The idea of zucchini noodles or vegetable noodles is pretty amazing,” Rose says. If a recipe calls for pasta, try substituting
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FOOD
zoodles instead. “It’s one of the best ways to sneak veggies into your kids’ meals,” Rose confirms. “Kids love noodles.”
Veggie choices
Kayley Gamm, a registered dietitian with Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, advises avoiding starchy vegetables such as potatoes and winter squashes – butternut, acorn and spaghetti – if you’re trying to limit carbohydrates. Lower-carbohydrate choices are zucchinis and cucumbers. If gluten, not carbohydrates, is what you’re trying to eliminate, starchy vegetables are higher in fiber and
carbohydrates and help keep you feeling fuller longer, Gamm explains. Diabetics should avoid starchy vegetables that are high in carbohydrates, which raise blood-sugar levels higher than low-carbohydrate foods. Eating vegetable noodles adds vitamins and minerals to your diet, Gamm confirms, and it’s a good way to introduce new vegetables to children. Use them as a base for a salad or heat them up and serve them the way you would pasta. Add them to soups and stir-fry dishes. It’s “pasta” without the guilt. “Any way that you get your vegetables, I’m happy,” Gamm says.
DELICIOUS DISHES WITH ZOODLES & VEGGIE SPIRALS SPIRALIZED ZUCCHINI NOODLE STIR FRY WITH CHICKEN & CASHEWS 3 zucchinis, spiralized 1 large carrot, julienned 1 small yellow onion, finely diced 2 cups spinach 1 tsp. olive oil 2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped (Rotisserie chicken works great!) 1/4 cup cashews, chopped
ZUCCHINI NOODLES WITH TOMATOES AND PESTO Pesto: 1 cup packed fresh basil 1 clove garlic 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese Kosher salt & pepper to taste 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil Zoodles: 21 oz. (3 medium or 4 small) zucchinis, spiralized 1 cup heirloom grape or cherry tomatoes, halved Kosher salt and black pepper to taste In a food processor pulse basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil while pulsing. Set aside. Prepare vegetables and mix with pesto. From Tiazza Rose
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Sauce: 3 tbsp. soy sauce 3 tbsp. Yoshida’s Gourmet sauce 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tsp. corn starch 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes Use a spiralizer to cut the zucchini into noodles. (Peeling the zucchini is optional). Mix all of the sauce ingredients and set aside. In a large pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat, and lightly saute the carrots and onions until translucent. Add the zucchini noodles and cook for three minutes. Add the chicken, sauce and spinach and cook until the chicken is warm and the spinach is wilted.
ZUCCHINI NOODLES WITH CILANTRO-LIME CHICKEN 3 large zucchini 1.5 lbs. boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces 1/2 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. salt, divided 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper 2 tsp. any small hot pepper/jalapeño or to taste, seeded and minced (leave seeds in for very hot version) 1 medium or 1/2 large lime, juice of 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped Cooking spray Using a spiralizer, make zucchini noodles, transfer into a large bowl and set aside. Preheat large deep skillet on high heat and add chicken. Saute until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add cumin, 1/2 tsp. salt and ground black pepper towards the end. Stir and cook for another minute. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Serve warm and top with chopped cashews.
Wipe clean or wash and pat dry the skillet and return to the stove on high heat. Spray with cooking spray and add zucchini noodles. Saute for 1.5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add previously cooked chicken, remaining salt, small hot peppers/jalapeños, lime juice and cilantro. Stir gently and serve hot.
From Tiazza Rose
From mouth-watering-foods.blogspot.com
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FOOD GREEK CUCUMBER SALAD WITH LEMON AND FETA 1/2 seedless English cucumber (about 7 ounces) 1/4 of a green bell pepper, chopped 1/3 cup grape tomatoes, halved 5 pitted kalamata olives 1 tbsp. red onion, sliced 1/2 fresh lemon 1 oz. fresh feta, sliced thick 1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp. fresh oregano leaves, minced Spiralize the cucumbers with a spiralizer. Cut the strands into smaller pieces, about 5-6 inches long so it’s easier to eat. Place the cucumber in a large bowl along with the bell pepper, tomatoes, olives and red onion. Squeeze half of the lemon over it, drizzle with half of the olive oil and toss with fresh oregano, salt and pepper. Place on a plate, top with a slice of feta and finish with remaining olive oil. From Gina’s Skinny Recipes at skinnytaste.com
SNEAKY VEGGIE SUBSTITUTIONS • Replace chips and crackers with cucumber or zucchini slices and carrot or celery stalks for spreads and dips • Stuff mini bell peppers instead of using sandwich bread • Use lettuce or cabbage to wrap your sandwich instead of bread • Try a Portobello mushroom as your hamburger “bun” • Bake “fries” from sweet potatoes or carrots • Mash cauliflower as a substitute for pasta or potatoes in dishes such as macaroni and cheese or baked casserole • Bake a spaghetti squash instead of pasta for “noodles” • Try adding other types of leafy greens to salads beyond iceberg lettuce • Add chopped vegetables to your breakfast eggs
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Getting back on your feet Preventing and treating heel pain
from plantar fasciitis
TEXT BY CATHLEEN COLE
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van Merrill, a doctor of podiatric medicine in Medford and a marathon runner, knows firsthand about the pain plantar fasciitis causes. “I’ve had it about two years,” he says, noting that the condition came from overuse caused by overtraining for a 31-mile trail run. Although runners and other athletes tend to be more at risk for plantar fasciitis, the pain and swelling in the plantar fascia can knock just about anyone off his or her feet.
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is pain and inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick, fibrous tissue that attaches to the heel bone, spans across the bottom of the foot and attaches to the back of the toes. It acts like a bowstring to maintain the arch of the foot. The condition causes stabbing pain in the arch and heel, especially when you first get out of bed in the morning.
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That’s because the plantar fascia and calf muscles shorten and tighten when at rest. When your feet hit the floor after sleeping, micro tears in the fascia occur and become inflamed. This can also occur after long periods of standing or sitting. The process is ongoing injury from micro tears and ongoing pain from the inflammation. “It’s constantly being torn and partly healed,” Merrill explains. “It’s going back and forth.” What causes plantar fasciitis in the first place? There can be several contributing factors including flat (pronated) or higharched feet, poor shoe support or shoes that are too short, walking or running uphill, walking or running on soft terrain such as sand, increasing age, sudden weight gain, tight calf muscles, overuse and trauma. Tom Kalivas, owner of Paradise Footwear in Medford, is a certified pedorthist – a specialist in using footwear including shoes, shoe modifications, orthotics and other devices to prevent or alleviate foot problems. He has training in the biomechanics of the lower extremities focusing on the foot and ankle. His clients usually already have problems when they come to his store seeking help, and the No. 1 problem is plantar fasciitis.
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HEALTH Treatment
If you have any type of foot pain, it’s important to take care of it immediately, Kalivas advises, because foot pain usually doesn’t go away on its own. Merrill agrees, warning athletes to never try to run through the pain and to stop activity immediately. If foot pain strikes, take a break from your physical activity to rest your feet. Try over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Stretch your calf muscles several times a day to keep them loose. Applying ice to your feet for about 10 minutes at a time a few times a day helps reduce inflammation. Don’t go barefoot, especially when you get out of bed in the morning. Keep a pair of supportive sandals by your bed. Always wear shoes with good arch support, and add semi-rigid, over-thecounter orthotics if necessary. If treating yourself at home doesn’t work, it’s time to see a doctor who might prescribe a stronger prescription NSAID. A cortisone injection in the heel can offer relief too. You’ll still be advised to keep up with the icing and stretching. If over-the-counter inserts aren’t cutting it, your podiatrist can get you custom orthotics.
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PLANTAR FASCIITIS CONTRIBUTING FACTORS Flat (pronated) feet High-arched feet Poor shoe support Shoes that are too short Walking or running uphill Walking or running on soft terrain (sand) Increasing age Sudden weight gain Tight calf muscles Overuse, overtraining Trauma
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HEALTH “It can take up to four to six months for the pain to resolve,” Merrill says. “You have to hit it from all areas.” After six months of treatment with no considerable relief, surgery could be considered. “If all else fails, a surgical option is available,” he notes.
Prevention
“Footwear is your most important equipment when you’re a runner or a walker,” Kalivas emphasizes. Merrill concurs. “Good shoes are essential to help avoid plantar fasciitis and other foot problems,” he says. If you’re starting an exercise program, start out slowly and always do your stretches, Merrill recommends. Kalivas advises runners to replace their shoes about every 400 miles to protect their feet, knees and hips. That usually works out to be about every three months for marathon runners. “Don’t let your shoes wear out,” Merrill warns. “Shoes are cheap when compared to foot surgery.”
IF THE SHOE FITS Properly fitting shoes with good arch support are must-haves for healthy feet. Here are a few brands Merrill and Kalivas recommend in no particular order of merit: Asics Brooks Dansko Easy Spirit Ecco Hoka One One New Balance Rockport SAS (San Antonio Shoemakers) Saucony Vionic
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Do You Have the ‘Heart to Start’ a Fitness Regime? A prominent cardiologist says you do — and you should. TEXT BY MARGARET BATTISTELLI GARDNER
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he fitness industry often seems focused on making the thin and healthy, well, even thinner and healthier. But the “eight-week exercise prescription” featured in author and cardiologist James Beckerman’s new book, “Heart to Start,” is targeted toward cardiac patients who often are underserved when it comes to fitness support and inspiration.
“One of my goals as a cardiologist is to inspire people who already have a diagnosis to bounce back and start making new goals and to have some inspiration in their lives,” Beckerman says. “The message applies to anyone, but some of us don’t get to hear it enough.” Beckerman’s “Heart to Start” regime focuses on personal stories from people who made positive life changes after getting a cardiac diagnosis. Real change, he says, has to come from within. “As much as I love the idea of Fitbits and all these watches and stuff that are perhaps facilitators, at the end of the day the real change has to come from somewhere else, a little bit deeper,” he says.
“Heart to Start,” Beckerman says, is his attempt to reach people in a more thoughtful way. He believes that the healthcare industry is selling patients short with its laserfocus on pharmaceuticals, and that most patients would be better served with more emphasis on fitness. Doctors, he says, should be prescribing exercise like they do pills. “Exercise or fitness, however you term it, is the most underutilized, underprescribed and most effective tool we have to make our lives better, make our health better,” he says. “Unfortunately, the healthcare community isn’t trained to administer this prescription; it’s not a part of medical school. Perhaps we feel so bogged down by all of the other medications and procedures we need to discuss or explain that sometimes we overlook the most important thing that’s staring us in the face.” Dr. James Beckerman will be the featured guest at a Providence Medford Medical Center community event on May 28 at RCC/SOU Higher Education Center Auditorium from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., where he will talk about his book, as well as exercise and activity. For information, call 541.732.6753.
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Your Right to
Bare Arms I
Looking fabulous in a tank or tee does not require hours in the gym
BY CINDY QUICK WILSON • PHOTOS BY DENISE BARATTA
t’s a spring ritual for most of us—that self-critical assessment in front of the mirror as we anticipate wearing summer clothing that hides none of the sins of holiday indulgences. If you’re dreading T-shirts, tank tops and sleeveless dresses, you still have time to slim down, tone up and strengthen those arms before the bulky clothes come off. 20
Medford personal trainer Mae Barraclough, certified through National Academy of Sports Medicine, shares her tips and favorite year-round exercises for getting (and keeping) those enviable arms.
Top 5 Arm Toning Exercises and Tips to Help You Do Them Right! Here is a quick and effective circuit routine to get your upper body in great shape. Complete this circuit two-to-three times, doing each exercise in order with minimal rest in between. Follow it up with 25 to 30 minutes of moderate cardio exercise, like jogging, biking or elliptical to fire up your fat-burning powers.
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FITNESS
Triceps Kickbacks – This move is great for adding some firmness and tone to the backs of your arms. From a hands-andknees position on the floor, hold one dumbbell at your chest, allowing your elbow to bend. Straighten your arm completely while keeping your shoulder still. Tighten your core and don’t let the tummy sag downward. Reps: 12 to 15 for each arm
Elevated Push-Ups – You might be surprised to learn that push-ups are an excellent choice for toning arms and torso, as well as burning lots of calories. Find any elevated stable surface that lets you complete your desired number of reps. A countertop works great. As you get stronger, use progressively lower surfaces to increase the challenge. At all times, engage your core muscles and focus on creating perfect alignment: a racing stripe from your ear all the way to your ankle. Reps: 15 to 20
Shoulder Side Raises – Standing tall with dumbbells held at your sides, keep your arms straight and palms down as you lift the dumbbells to shoulder level, creating a T-shape. To protect your shoulder joints, bring your arms slightly inward and keep a tiny bend in your elbows, as if you are hugging a big redwood tree. Reps: 12 to 15
Rotating Overhead Presses – Find a firm stance with feet hip-width apart. Hold your dumbbells with palms facing in toward your chest. Keep your core muscles engaged as you push the weights overhead, turning your palms forward. As you bring the weights back to the starting position, envision pulling them down and in. Reps: 15 to 20
Bent Over Rows – This exercise tones biceps, shoulders and back while doing wonders for your posture. Sit back into your hips like you’re sitting into a low chair, bringing your chest parallel to the floor. Keep your back flat as you pull the weights up toward your ribcage, squeezing your shoulder blades together and toward your spine. Maintain a neutral neck position. Reps: 15 to 20
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FITNESS Pull-Ups – If you have access to a gym, take advantage of the pull-up machine. Pull-ups have an amazing effect on your body, toning your back and biceps while burning more calories than any other upper body exercise. The pull-up machine is designed to offer you assistance by giving you a platform to kneel or stand on that takes the desired amount off your body weight. Choose a level of assistance that allows you to complete 12 to 15 reps.
Tips for Success Don’t Underestimate the Role of Nutrition Barraclough says an important key to having sleek and toned arms is cutting excess body fat to reveal the muscle tone beneath. “Losing body fat is all about creating a calorie deficit,” she says. “That means burning more calories than you consume.” If it Doesn’t Challenge You, it Doesn’t Change You “A common mistake I see, especially among female lifters, is choosing weights that are too light so you’re not challenging your metabolic powerhouse (your muscle system) to fire on all cylinders. By the end of your set, your muscles should feel very fatigued, almost as if you can’t do another repetition without failing altogether.”
“Don’t underestimate the role of nutrition.” Mae Barraclough, NASM certified personal trainer
Focus on Form Using correct form and maintaining body alignment during movements are both vital for achieving maximum results and preventing injuries. Working out in front of a mirror helps you check your form and alignment. Critical Core “An essential step in each and every exercise is to engage your core,” Barraclough stresses. “This means all the muscles that wrap your abdomen and support your spine. Make sure you are able to breathe while maintaining core engagement, ensuring that you’re really getting those abdominal muscles going and not just holding in your breath.”
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Bowled Over
Advocates say sound therapy aligns vibrations for better health, inc TEXT BY MARGARET BATTISTELLI GARDNER • PHOTOS BY DENISE BARATTA
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ating back 2,500 years, sound healing (or Vibrational Bowls Therapy) is anything but New Age. Fans of the Tibetan practice say it can reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, balance emotions, enhance creativity, improve concentration and immunity, and even reduce pain.
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Treatments are offered in individual or group sessions that last from 60 to 90 minutes as clients rest comfortably. The bowls are struck in deliberate sequences on, around and above the body with a mallet to produce a “ting” sound and/ or rubbed around the edges with the mallet to produce the vibrational ringing sound known as “singing.” “Tones are heard, as well as felt throughout the body, providing alleviation of symptoms,” says Karen Parnell, a certified Tibetan Bowls practitioner who offers sessions at Orenda Energy Arts in Medford. “The sound of the bowls is
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NATURAL
“Tones are heard, as well as felt throughout the body, providing alleviation of symptoms. The sound of the bowls is both captivating and calming.” — Karen Parnell, Orenda Energy Arts in Medford.
Karen Parnell leads a vibration therapy session with Tibetan Singing Bowls at Orenda Energy Arts in Medford.
th, increased vitality and emotional balance. both captivating and calming. The healing experience of hand-hammered Himalayan singing bowls can heal both through sound and through vibration because of the consciousness used in creating them.” Parnell says that the salutary effect is produced by the unseen force of the vibrating bowls, combined with intention and prayer. “As much as 70 percent of the human body is made up of water, so when
you strike a singing bowl next to your body, the vibration makes a mandala, a pattern, in your body, which is healing and relaxing,” she says. Claudia Ingraham, an energy worker who conducts sound healing sessions in her Jacksonville studio, says clients feel lighter, brighter and happier after just one session. “As long as the person is not blocking it or has a negative attitude about it, I have often seen releases of blockages
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NATURAL
NOT YOUR ORDINARY BOWL Historians believe that metal-working artisans perfected the techniques for making Himalayan Singing Bowls nearly 2,500 years ago.
Vibrations and sound from hand-hammered Himalayan singing bowls are thought to promote a healing effect on the body, mind and spirit. Right: Karen Parnell uses Himalayan singing bowls around the chakra points of Vickie Dove using vibration and sound therapy to promote healing at wellness. in the first session,” she says. “All they have to do is relax and receive, and be as open as possible with intentions for their body to heal in the best way possible. The sound is the healer; I am the facilitator.” Ingraham cautions against sound healing sessions for pregnant women and people with pacemakers or metal implants, and advises that anyone with any medical condition check with a physician first. Clients report being taken very quickly into a deep, meditative state during sessions, as well as sensing a feeling of peace and safety. But the positive effects last long after the sessions, as well. Russ Schweikert is an Ashland insurance agent and insomniac who went to a session with Parnell “on a whim, with no expectations.”
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“This was the most powerful thing I’ve done in 10 years,” he says. “After the first session, I slept like a baby for eight hours straight that night. I knew something was going on, but I couldn’t really tell you what it was. I felt different. I heard things and smelled things differently. It woke up my senses, and it was really rejuvenating.” Betsy Biber, a retired Ashland teacher, says she left her first session with Parnell relieved of digestion issues that had plagued her for years. “Something really shifted,” Biber says, “and it’s still with me. If you think about it, all matter is made of energy. All we are is energy, really – vibrations at different levels, concentrated energy. When the bowls are played, it lets off vibrational energy. So it makes sense that it would have an impact.”
Himalayan Singing Bowls practitioner Karen Parnell says the making of traditional Tibetan Singing Bowls is handed down from generation to generation within a family clan or caste. Each bowl begins as a ball of a sevenmetal alloy of gold, silver, iron, mercury, tin, copper and lead. “Each of the sacred metals is aligned with the seven creative planets and with the seven chakras of the human body,” Parnell says. “And each is fine-tuned to the specific note that affects each individual chakra. It takes three to four people to hand-hammer each bowl — one to hold the hot metal with blacksmith tongs while two to three others alternate hammering and chanting, ‘om mane padme hom,’ infusing the bowl with healing intentions even as it’s being created.” (“Om mane padme hom’ is an ancient Tibetan Buddhist mantra that denotes powerful compassion and translates to “jewel in the lotus.”)
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Local Events THERAPEUTIC YOGA WITH BEN GRUNDLE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2015 – 8:30 A.M. TO 9:45 A.M. Studio Z, 280 E. Hersey St. #1, Ashland For more information call: 541.821.6550
PEAR BLOSSOM RUN – 5K/10 MILES SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2015 – FIRST RACE STARTS AT 7 A.M. Medford YMCA, 522 West 6th St., Medford For more information or to register go to: www.pearblossomrun.com
MUD SPRINGS TRAIL HIKE SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2015 – 9:30 A.M. TO 5 P.M.
Albertsons Parking Lot, 1690 Allen Creek Road, Grants Pass For more information call or email: 541.488.5789/morgan@kswild.com
BIKING THE GREENWAY TO TASTE WILD EDIBLES TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015 – 4:30 P.M. TO 6:30 P.M. Ashland Dog Park, off of Helman and Nevada Streets, Ashland Pre-register online: www.ashland.or.us/register or call 541.488.6606
VOLUNTEER WEDNESDAYS, COME CELEBRATE EARTH DAY! WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015 – 11 A.M. TO 4 P.M. Coyote Trails School of Nature, 2931 South Pacific Highway, Medford For more information call: 541.772.1390
LOST CREEK TRAIL RUNS – 5K/30K/30K RELAY SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2015 – PACKET PICK UP AND DAY OF RACE REGISTRATION 7 A.M. TO 8:30 A.M. Joseph H. Stewart State Park, Lost Creek Lake, Trail For more information or to register go to: www.lctrailruns.com
MACULAR DEGENERATION EYE CARE EDUCATIONAL FORUM TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015 – 6 P.M. TO 7 P.M. Medical Eye Center, 1333 East Barnett Road, Medford For more information call: 541.779.4711
FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT HIMALAYAN SINGING BOWL SOUND HEALING & MEDITATION, MAY 1, 2015 – 7 P.M. Orenda Energy Arts, 617 East Main Street, Medford For more information or to register call/e-mail: Karen Parnell, 541.621.7891/OrendaEnergyArts@gmail.com
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