P guided meditations, mindful practices, or tedious efforts to “watch your breath,” the ancient OJAYA Deep Meditation “Armor” technique quickly settles you into a calm state of deep, blissful, rejuvenating rest. It’s totally effortless, and so powerful that you do not need to meditate long hours. Just 10-20 minutes attacks and dissolves the deep roots of anxiety, lethargy and stress. Brain fog evaporates and your vital energies get recharged in
OJAYA is the first and only method that I can actually feel the effects when I meditate. — Zoe Gordon, Hoover, Alabama
and frenzy of life in the real world , , , and a rare ancient beauty secret for healthy youthful aging
OJAYA makes you strong from the inside — so you can get out there and do something great. Closely guarded for generations, these classic secrets of the OJAYA “Armor” technique are now revealed to you on our exquisitely beautiful videos — produced with love in the Earthborn Rainforest. Learn OJAYA on our site — start now free.
Let’s think about our HOME. For some, it is living in the country; for others, it may be in the suburbs or the city. This month’s feature article, Sustainable Sanctuaries, highlights some of the newer trends, like Biophilic Design. The topic of water and energy conservation reveals a broader, more holistic viewpoint to grasp the many issues we face. Great thought can go into all aspects of creating a sustainable custom environment—from the location and materials for the lot, like plants, ground cover, and the driveway—to the building itself and all that comes into the home space, including products for everyday use. The article shares viable solutions supporting our role as responsible stewards of this planet that we share as one. Read this pithy piece beginning on page 16.
On another note, many of us enjoy the multiple benefits of moving our bodies to the rhythms of dance music. This month’s Fit Body article is all about ballroom dancing— might you take steps toward signing up for a beginner’s class to experience learning a new skill and have fun, too? You might invite someone to join you on the dance floor! As the article mentions, dance is not just for kids. Read more on page 14.
What is the relationship between regenerative organic agriculture and health care? Simply put, it’s about healing our food production system. An NGO representative to the United Nations, Nadine Clopton connects the dots between the health of our soil and our personal health. Read how the Rodale Institute’s “farm to hospital” is changing the conversation. Learn more about this movement, its goals, and how you, as a consumer, can help. Find this Wise Words article by Kirby Baldwin about Clopton and the regenerative movement on page 22.
Our Healing Ways article on conservative dentistry is a must-read before you make your next dental appointment! Learn why “less is more” in tooth repair, and the importance of having your dentist
understand the connections between what’s in your mouth and the rest of the body. Does your dentist talk to you about your allergies when considering the compatibility of dental materials? Read about the differences between conservative, biological, and biomimetic dentistry in this informative article on page 10.
Having a healthy and peaceful home environment is a goal worth pursuing, says Liz Menkes, a certified electromagnetic radiation specialist. Research indicates that Wi-Fi, cell phone, and other electrical devices have side effects through electromagnetic frequency (EMF) exposure. Learn how EMF can affect your health and what you can do to reduce this exposure (every electrical item emits EMF—whether it’s turned on or not).
Read our Green Living article, Reducing Radiation Risks, for additional information on classes and resources to help create EMF-free spaces; see page 12.
The asphalt-paved schoolyards of yesterday are losing ground to trees. This change appears to better serve the needs of the children coming of age. This month’s Healthy Kids department article discusses how the students themselves may participate in transforming their schoolyard into living spaces, including tree plantings for shade, especially welcomed for schools in a warmer climate. Read more on page 20.
This October Special Edition, Healthy Planet, represents great hope for our collective future, empowered with knowledge and focus. May you enjoy the cooler days of autumn and put them to great use!
Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~ Albert Camus Susan Q Wood Publisher
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“My vision is to assist in the consciousness evolution of healing and to give healing messages in my readings and sessions,” states Yvette Candy Candelario, of YCC Tuning Fork Therapy, in Fort Lauderdale. “I feel add ing complementary medicine to traditional treatments is always helpful, but an active role by the patient is needed. Get a medical diagnosis, do your research, and never give up proven traditional therapies and unproven alternative ones. Albert Einstein stated, ‘There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.’”
As a holistic healer, Candelario chooses the latter, helping her clients focus on living a healthful lifestyle. A specialist in tuning fork (vibrational) therapy as well as a reiki master, Candelario uses a hands-on approach to assist them in clearing the body’s energy fields.
Her menu of services also includes intuitive healing messages, crystal healing sessions, and metaphysical supplies, including candles for manifestation.
A client shared, “Yvette is the real deal, knowledgeable and sincere. She doesn’t rush the reading and they are accurate. Most of the time I don’t even have to ask a lot of questions because she answers them in the reading. I’d definitely recommend a reading with her.”
Location: 5130 N Federal Hwy., Ste. 7, Ft Lauderdale. To schedule a private session, call 929-554-0281 or visit YCCHealingTherapy.com.
Eating higher amounts of fish, specifically tuna and non-fried fish, appears to increase the risk of malignant melanoma, according to a Brown University study of 491,367 U.S. adults published in the journal Cancer Causes and Control. Examining 15 years of data, the researchers found that compared to subjects with a median daily fish intake of .11 ounces, those with a median daily intake of 1.5 ounces had a 22 percent higher risk of malignant melanoma and a 28 percent increased risk of melanoma in situ, characterized by abnormal cells in the outer layer of the skin. “We speculate that our findings could possibly be attributed to contaminants in fish, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, arsenic and mercury,” says study author Eunyoung Cho, an associate professor of dermatology and epidemiology. Pending further research on the underlying biological mechanisms, the authors did not recommend any changes to fish consumption.
bring about immediate and effective changes in life. Attendees will receive hands-on training, demonstrations, tools and techniques, and an action plan to put into practice as a certified practitioner following the sessions. Best of all, sessions are backed by a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.
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How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. ~Anne Frank
The critical impor tance of simple lifestyle strategies in cancer preven tion has been borne out by two recent endeavors. In a fiveyear study of 2,157 physically active people over 70 from five European countries, international researchers found that 2,000 International Units a day of vitamin D3 and one gram a day of marine omega-3s, plus a simple home-strength exercise program, reduced the risk of invasive cancers by 61 percent. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston, that analyzed the diets and health outcomes of 134,775 people, found that a Western-style diet rich in red and processed meat, sugar, refined grains and carbohydrates was linked with an E. coli strain prominent in colorectal cancer.
Dry skin can afflict people at any age, particularly those living in dry climates, and it is common place in older people due to the natural loss of oil glands. Japanese researchers have found a possible solution: a probiotic originally fermented from a Southeast Asian rice-and-fish dish that boosts skin moisture within weeks. In a double-blind study, they tested 80 middle-aged adults with a supplement of heat-killed Lactiplantibacillus plantarum probiotics for 12 weeks. They found the supplement significantly increased skin water content and reduced transepi dermal water loss in the face, particularly for seniors and those with the driest skin.
A Himalayan fungus that has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cordyceps sinensis, at tracted global attention in 1993 when Chinese ath letes broke world records in track and field. To study its effects, Brazilian researchers conducted a ran domized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in which they gave 30 amateur marathoners two grams of the fungus each day for 12 weeks. Compared to the placebo group, those in the Cordyceps group had significantly lower heart rates at eight weeks and improved aerobic performance at 12 weeks.
Research underscores the importance of large mammals as ecosystem engineers, shaping natural processes and se questering carbon. Now scientists are planning to reintroduce these animals to the wild. According to a study published in the journal Ecography, reintroducing just 20 large mammal species—13 herbivores and seven predators—can help increase biodiversity around the world and mitigate climate change. Some candidates for rewilding are brown bears, bi son, wild horses, jaguars, reindeer, Eurasian beavers, elk, moose, wolverines, tigers and hippopotami. Large herbivores and predators continue to suffer alarming losses, and researchers estimate that almost two-thirds of the world’s large carnivores are threatened with extinction. Only 6 percent or less of 730 ecoregions retain the large mammal communities that were dominant 500 years ago.
In the paper, a global team of researchers led by the U.N. Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre and the U.S. nonprofit RESOLVE point out that the rewilding of large mammals is an essential, but often omitted component of restoration efforts, and should become a global priority in the decade ahead. Restoring intact communities of large mam mals won’t be easy. Populations have feared large wild animals, especially predators, often undertaking popular measures to minimize their numbers or eliminate them completely.
The U.S. Forest Service is speed ing efforts to protect giant se quoias from wildfires; almost 20 percent of the ancient trees have been destroyed by wildfire in the last two years. They will thin the forest in and around sequoia groves by removing brush and smaller trees from 13,000 acres of national forest to protect 12 giant sequoia groves this summer and conduct prescribed burns using the agency’s emergency authority under the National Environmental Policy Act. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore says, “Without urgent action, wildfires could eliminate countless more iconic giant sequoias.”
Giant sequoias can live for more than 3,000 years and are found only on the western slopes of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. The trees are adapted to fire with thick, spongy bark, and the heat releases seeds from their cones, allowing young trees to take root in areas cleared by fire. A policy to put out wildfires as quickly as possible has created unnaturally dense forests and allowed brush and dead wood to accumulate. Climate change has led to hotter temperatures, severe drought, a year-round fire season and the proliferation of bark beetles that have killed the drought-weakened trees. Bigger, hotter fires are more likely to reach giant sequoi as’ crowns, killing them.
The World Weather Network is an international coali tion of 28 arts organizations that believe artists and writers should be a larger part of the dialogue sur rounding climate change. A creative team at each weather station will conduct local programming on the ground and post “weather reports” on the network website over the course of the year. Project organizer Michael Morris of Artangel (UK) says, “We want to see what happens when artists and writers start to use their imagination and lateral kind of abilities to think through something which is difficult to think about.” The project will continue through June 2023.
The Fogo Island, Newfoundland, weather station that sits in the Labrador current, an “iceberg alley” along which melting ice travels, is focused on three differ ent ecosystems. Other stations are located in Peru and London, where visitors can interact with a sound installation called A Thousand Words for Weather at the Senate House Library. One thousand words in 10 lan guages describing various weather terms were record ed and the weather outside the building as reported by live updates alters the mix, velocity and volume, so that on any day the experience will be completely different.
Ijustcame back from Switzerland and Italy, in my quest visiting various top biological medicine wellness clinics throughout the world, finding new alternative treatments for optimal health. I had the privilege to speak with various doctors about their mo dalities as well as answer ques tions from the doctors and pa tients about their suggested treatments.
Gary with wife Stacey, an American couple from Texas, asked me if it was correct that he needed to replace all his porce lain fused to heavy metal crowns as they may have mercury under neath. The answer was yes . I rec ommended they watch the docu mentary Root Cause and YouTube video, The Toxic Tooth, by Calgary University, showing the fumes emitted from a tooth with a mer cury filling. In my experience, we find mercury underneath 99 per cent of the crowns we remove, causing galvanic currents of elec tricity between the different met als. We find corrosion and decay. Many dentists leave the mercury underneath the crowns they have placed as they have told me they do not want to open Pandora’s Box. So, Pandora wreaks havoc on your health.
In addition to physical harm, millions of dental mercury fillings end up in our waterways, con taminating the oceans and the food we eat.
Gary now understands the toxicity of mercury in each one of his mitochondria which compromises the ability of the cell to pro duce energy, making him feel exhausted. Symptoms your kidneys
may be compromised include:
• Diabetes diagnosis
• Loss of vision
• Neuropathy
• High blood pressure
• Urinary tract infection
After replacing your mercury fillings safely, here are things you can do to help improve your kid ney health naturally:
• Eat grapes, red/white
• Exercise 30 mins. 2x day
• Decrease fat intake
• Increase Omega 3 intake
• Stay hydrated; drink at least 3 liters of clean water per day
• Drink herbal teas
• Control blood sugar
• Monitor blood pressure; it is a great indicator your kidneys may not be work ing correctly
• Stay active
• Monitor weight and diet
• Stop smoking
• Monitor OTC pill intake
• Acupuncture may help
Your kidneys are fist-sized organs located at the bottom of your rib cage, on both sides of your spine. They perform several func tions. Most importantly, they filter waste products, excess water, and other impurities from your blood. These waste products are stored in your bladder and later expelled through urine. In addition, your kidneys regulate your body’s pH, salt, and potassium levels. They also produce hormones that regulate blood pressure and control the production of red blood cells. Maintaining kidney health is criti cal to your overall health and general well-being.
1. Hydration is key. The adult human body is composed of almost 60 percent water. Each organ, from the brain to the liver, requires water to function effec tively.
2. Choose foods that support kidney health—grapes, peanuts, and some berries contain a ben eficial plant compound called resveratrol. In one animal study, researchers found that treatment with resveratrol lowered kidney inflammation in rats with polycystic kidney disease.
3. Drink kidney-cleansing teas
.
4. Supplement with supportive nutrients—Vitamin B6 is an essential cofactor in many metabolic reactions. B6 is required to metabolize glyoxylate, which can become oxalate instead of glycine if B6 is deficient, and too much oxalate may lead to kidney stones.
For more information or to book an appointment, visit GoNaturalDentistry.com or call 954-938-4599; we will take care of your needs and partner with you.
Love, Dr. Yolie
by Linda Sechrist
dentistry is described as being conservative, biological or biomimetic, the description that pre cedes such health care is extremely important. That 10- or 12-letter term signifies a specific type of dentistry that’s the best option for both our teeth and the rest of our bodies, as Ann Lee found out when the pieces to her dental puzzle fell together in just the right order.
Lee, a naturopathic doctor and licensed acupuncturist who owns the Health for Life Clinic, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, had been experiencing problems with her sinuses for years. She had been alerted to a potential problem with one of her teeth via a preventive tool known as medical infrared thermograph screen ing. But it wasn’t until after she read an interview with dentist Blanche Grube in a naturopathic magazine about conservative dentistry that she made the connection. She bought Grube’s book, Chew on This But Don’t Swallow: A Must-Read Before Your Next Dental Visit, and read it from cover to cover. Grube drew upon 46 years of clinical observation, continuing education conferences and thousands of hours of study to analyze how the whole body functions and what part teeth play in overall health.
Says Lee, “I had a capped tooth with metal underneath. Once I got it removed, all the things connected to it resolved. My sinus issues, post-nasal drippage, coughing, and even my trigeminal neuralgia that I had for 10 years resolved.” Trigeminal neuralgia affects the nerves running from the face to the brain, causing electrical shock sensations to the jaw and face that can be trig gered by stress or certain movements.
Today, when Lee suspects a correlation between the physical problems a patient has with the amount of metal in their mouth such as fillings, crowns and permanent retainers, she relates their physical problems to metal oxidation and inflammation that can manifest in numerous ways, and suggests that the patient read Grube’s book and consider any of the non-metal options now available.
Bernice Teplitsky, DDS, owner of Wrigleyville Dental, in Chicago, interprets biological dentistry as dealing with the whole person. “Both biological and conservative dentistry deal with biocompatible materials, making sure that each is right for the individual. Determining the compatibility of dental materi als is important for those who have existing allergies, because
A dentistry branch whose goal is to conserve the teeth in the mouth, using operative practices, as well as endodontics. It also involves various types of direct and indirect restorations of the individual teeth.
Dental practices that utilize mercuryfree and mercury-safe dentistry, the impact of dental conditions, devices and treatments on oral and systemic health, including the biocompatibility of dental materials and techniques.
A type of tooth-conserving dentistry, treats weak, fractured and decayed teeth in a way that keeps them strong and seals them from bacterial invasion; eliminates cutting teeth down for crowns and destructive root canal treatment.
their immune systems have already been compromised, and having to deal with new allergies to dental materials may only worsen their condition,” she says.
Conservative dentistry involves remov ing a minimum of healthy tooth structure during the restorative process. By con serving natural enamel and dentin, many of the complications caused by excessive tooth shaving and drilling are avoided.
“Students who went to dental school 15 years ago weren’t taught biological, biomimetic or conservative dentistry, and
they didn’t have the superior materials that we have today,” says Teplitsky. “Unless they took continuing education units that taught these things, they didn’t learn that traditional approaches require unneces sary removal of tooth structure and fail to replicate the properties of natural teeth, leading to major complications includ ing root canals, fractures and extractions. They also didn’t learn that what is going in the mouth with the teeth and gums relates to the overall condition of a person’s health.”
According to studies reported in Science Direct, which offers the latest peer-reviewed research papers, teeth naturally have the optimal properties and structure to withstand the many challeng es of the oral environment. Conservative dentistry, with its innovative materials, efficiently preserves this natural tooth structure, particularly when combined with early detection.
Linda Sechrist is Natural Awakenings’ senior staff writer.
We are tied to our devices, continually connected via phones, tablets and comput ers, but this convenience comes at a cost. Many people are surprised to learn that our devices are constantly emitting elec tromagnetic fields (EMFs) and radiofre quency radiation (RF). According to the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, there is strong evidence of a correlation between these exposures and neurological, cardiac and pulmonary disease, as well as reproductive disorders, immune dysfunction, cancer and other health conditions.
Our exposure to EMFs has dramati cally increased over the past few years, especially in homes containing cord less phones, wireless routers and smart meters. Every electrical device emits an EMF, whether or not it’s turned on. This constant radiation can cause damage to cells, and even comes from appliances such as refrigerators, microwaves, wash ing machines and baby monitors. The closer a device is to a person, the more potent the charge. “EMFs cause VGCC’s [voltage-gated calcium channels] to swing open and allow excess calcium into the cell. This causes elevated oxida tive stress, inflammation and ultimately, if not counteracted, disease,” says Mieke Jacobs, an EMF consultant and founder of Healthy House Chicago.
Jacobs, who does private house inspec tions in the Midwest, says that the rise of smart appliances and lighting in recent years has increased certain types of EMFs. “Dirty electricity consists of highfrequency voltage transients riding along
the 60-Hertz electricity provided by the utility company. Many people are surprised to learn how prevalent it is in seemingly safer sources such as solar panels, compact fluorescent lights, dimmer switches and energy-efficient appliances,” she says.
As a certified electromagnetic radiation specialist and founder of EMF Healthy, in Sedona, Arizona, Liz Menkes focuses on the radio frequency EMFs found in wireless devices and systems, alternating current (AC) electric and magnetic sources in wir ing and appliances, and dirty electricity, all commonly found in homes. “EMFs have been linked to many symptoms and health conditions, and there is evidence of cancer risk from all four types,” she says. “AC magnetic fields were classified as a possible human carcinogen in 2001 due to evidence of increased risk for childhood leukemia. Radio frequency was classified as a possible human carcinogen in 2011 due to evidence of increased risk for brain tumors. Plus, there are links to many other health condi tions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.”
Symptoms from EMF exposure can manifest in many ways. “Early warning signs include difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, headaches, irritability and anxiety. It is estimated about 30 percent of the population is moderately sensitive to EMFs, but have not connected the dots, since these are common symptoms that can be caused by many things. Other common symptoms can include tinnitus, skin rashes, dizziness, sharp stabbing pains, leg cramps, high blood pressure, nausea and hyperactivity, especially in children,” says Menkes. Less common symptoms include heart arrhythmias, unexplained nightmares and nosebleeds, as well as ADHD and food allergies in kids, adds Jacobs.
Tangible steps can be taken to lessen the risk. “The number one mistake people make is sleeping with their cell phones near the head of the bed. Leave it turned off in another room and get a battery-operated alarm clock,” says Menkes. “Turn off Wi-Fi at night, since EMF radiation affects melatonin production. If possible, hardwire your laptops, tablets, cell phones and other devices to eliminate Wi-Fi completely in the house. If you must use a cell phone, keep it in airplane mode as much as possible and don’t store it in a pocket or otherwise close to the body.”
More in-depth interventions include electrical rewiring, as well as radio-frequency shielding that blocks EMFs with copper or another absorbent material. “Replacing dimmer switches helps, but not all electricians are aware of EMFs and have different priorities when upgrading a home,” says Jacobs.
The federal government has no restrictions on overall EMF exposure. “The wireless industry and the government agencies that are supposed to regulate this industry want you to believe that the science is settled and wireless exposures are safe. Unfortunately, this message is not reality. EMF damage can manifest in myriad ways that include many conditions and that are occurring in everincreasing amounts,” says Lloyd Burrell, author of EMF Practical Guide and France-based founder of ElectricalSense.com.
The Building Biology Institute offers classes and resources to help create environments free of EMF hazards. “Any measure to reduce your exposure is worth taking, and will contribute to a healthier and more peaceful home environment,” says Menkes.
Carrie Jackson is a Chicago-based freelance writer and fre quent contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine. Connect at CarrieJacksonWrites.com
The journey between who you once were and who you are now becoming, is where the dance of life really takes place.
~ Barbara De Angelis
by Marlaina Donato
Whetherit’s salsa, hip-hop, belly dance or ballet, finding our groove has proven to ease depression, support the cardiovas cular system and improve overall joint function. By all accounts, dancing gives us a step toward better health, but equally as noteworthy is its potential to bring more fun into our lives. Contrary to popular opinion, dancing is not just for kids, and special ability is not necessary. “You are never too old, and there is no such thing as two left feet, but we can also argue: When you have great instructors teaching you, you can learn anything as a beginner,” says Monique Maldonado, marketing director of the Latin Rhythms Academy of Dance and Performance, in Chicago.
Stepping into a dance studio can help us enrich our lives while sharpening cognitive function. After participat ing in an eight-month dance pro gram during which they memorized intricate steps of the merengue, salsa and samba, Spanish-speaking, middle-aged and older adults had significant improvement in working memory scores, reported University of Illinois Chicago researchers in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. “Just like working out and puzzles, dancing works out brain paths and keeps them active and healthy,”
says Maldonado. Tango lovers will be pleased to know that the passionate dance style has been shown in a 2017 study published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine to lower anxiety and stress levels more effec tively than mindfulness meditation.
Mike Hallworth teaches cruise ship passengers, mostly in their 60s and 70s, how to navigate the dance floor. “We teach all the main dance genres, including ballroom and Latin American, salsa and mambo, along with modern jive,” says the Southport, Englandbased, lifelong dancer who teaches with his wife, Jan. “For those not as ag ile as they would like to be, I would sug gest starting with ballroom, social foxtrot and waltz, then progress to Latin American, cha-cha and rumba.”
At age 75, he partially attributes his basal metabolic rate of 60—common in men 15 years his junior—to his love of dancing, which “can burn up to 385 calo ries per hour with salsa or 400 calories per hour with swing,” he notes.
Joan Price, a contempo rary line dance instructor in Sebastopol, California, also attests to
the longevity-promoting perks of moving joyfully. “At 78, line dancing keeps me physically fit, mentally alert and happy to be alive. The older we get, the more we need social activity, physical movement and mental stimulation. You get all three at once with line dancing.”
The form has long outgrown its country-western music roots and now offers something for everyone, includ ing Latin, swing, contemporary pop and Broadway. “Since you dance on your own in a row, line dancing is ideal for singles and for partners of non-dancers. It’s also wonderful for people who want a social activity that doesn’t involve dat ing or partnering,” says Price. She says
that there are thousands of different line dances, ranging from super-simple to ex traordinarily complex. “As a beginner, be sure and choose a class that is beginning level,” she says. “Beginning level teaches basic steps, patterns and terminology— and the joy of dance!”
For those looking for a little more heat, Latin dance can accommodate any fitness level. “If you are looking for a fun, new hobby, any style is a fit, but if you are more interested in advancing your salsa skill level, trying mambo and cha-cha can be a nice challenge,” says Maldonado. “Sensual bachata is for those who want a little more spice and advanced body movement.”
Hallworth often sees people
approaching dance with uncertainty and apprehension, and he encourages an open mind: “Dancing isn’t for everyone, but if you give it a chance, you will be well rewarded. Most people learning to dance are a friendly bunch and will help newcomers.”
For Maldonado, it is also about shared experience, which she feels is one of the most beautiful aspects of Latin dance: “It’s a great, diverse group of people who can change your outlook on life. Being a part of any dance community can truly be life-changing.”
Marlaina Donato is an author, composer and painter. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.
“Being a part of any dance community can truly be life-changing.” ~Monique Maldonado
Nothingunderscored the im portance of a comfortable and versatile sanctuary quite like the pandemic. Stuck at home isolating, many families reconfigured their living arrange ments to accommodate expanding uses for work, schooling, cooking, entertainment and more. Today, that spirit of renewal lin gers, prompting steady and robust activity in the construction and interior design industries.
A house is literally our shelter from the storm, made more critical as we increas ingly encounter extreme and unprecedented weather events due to climate change. When we upgrade, remodel, build or buy new cocoons for our families, the time is ripe to incorporate elements that preserve and pro mote the health of humans and the planet.
Lindsay Baker, CEO of the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), is part of a growing community of industry profes sionals trying to figure out how to design,
build and operate structures in more environmentally sustainable, socially impactful and healthy ways. “We ask what would it look like if a building were to give back more to the world than it took,” she explains. “We’re a resource-consumptive industry with a large carbon footprint. Forty percent of global carbon emissions are caused by the energy required to construct and operate buildings. We also use lots of materials that pose negative impacts on people’s health—products known to contain carcinogens or cause respiratory problems—and people spend 90 percent of their time indoors, so everything we’re exposed to indoors has a huge impact on our health.”
The ILFI Living Building Challenge sets bold aspirational goals, and buildings around the world have proven that it is possible to hit these benchmarks. “The energy impera tive is that the building produces more energy than it consumes, and that happens by generating renewable energy like solar power onsite and using very little energy,” Baker asserts. “For water, we ask that ev eryone return the water that goes through the building cleaner than it entered, which means people need to treat water onsite and use a lot less of it. You can do that with composting toilets, as well as grey water systems and rainwater recapture strategies.”
Baker is proud of ILFI’s ambitious goals. “If you decide to do a renovation to save 5 or 10 percent of your water or energy
Photo courtesy of International Living Future Institute Photo courtesy of Pulte Homes at Babcock Ranchconsumption, it will feel good to get there, but what we’ve found is that when you set a really exciting target for yourself, the whole process is more fun and you get further with similar amounts of effort and money, because you’re thinking about systems differently, questioning assumptions about what a home might be capable of doing and employing a different level of creativity. At the end of the day, it can lead to a much more beautiful, more efficient building.”
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Energy Conservation
Energy conservation is job number one for Jennifer Languell, founder and president of Trifecta Construction Solutions, in Babcock Ranch, Florida. “An inexpensive but impact ful upgrade is adding insulation. If you’re in an existing house, add insulation on top of what you already have. If you’re new construction, beef it up. You also want to address unwanted points of air infiltration using gaskets, weather stripping and caulking around exterior doors and windows. Over time, these items can shrink or get damaged, and may need to be replaced to seal the house and minimize air drafts,” she says. “You want to im prove efficiency first, which costs much less than transitioning to renewable energy. And when you do transition, you only have to buy smaller quantities of photovoltaic panels to offset your power generation.”
According to Languell, windows are climate-specific and can be modified by adding or subtracting panes, coatings and treat ments. “In Montana, I want the heat from the sun coming into my house, but in Florida, I don’t,” she says. “Natural light is great, but there’s a balance between your glass-to-wall ratio. In Florida, you would never have a skylight, but up north you’d consider it. And at this point, everyone should be transitioning to LED lighting, which will save money and energy.”
As waterways dry up and areas around the world become more drought-prone, water conservation becomes an increas ingly important imperative. The simplest modifications are low-flow shower heads,
“Grey water and rainwater collection systems are gaining momentum, and these systems for home use have come leaps and bounds from where they were 10 years ago,” she says. “They can take water from your laundry or shower, treat it, and use it to flush toilets, for example—a huge ben efit for the West Coast and a huge water
savings, because you’re using your water twice before you dispose of it.”
With regard to building materials and products, the annual ILFI Red List calls out chemicals with negative human health impacts that shouldn’t be used in build ings, such as bisphenol A, chlorofluoro carbons, formaldehyde, flame retardants, phthalates, toxic heavy metals and volatile organic compounds (VOC). Its Declare label is like a nutrition sticker that details what is in a building product, whether it is free of Red List chemicals and what its carbon footprint is.
“Consumers should demand transpar ency; they should know what is in the products put in their homes,” Baker says. “One of the rules of thumb I like to apply is to ask, ‘How far is this material removed from nature?’ Wood is one of the better materials from an ecological and health standpoint. Fake wood flooring that is meant to look like wood but in fact isn’t— not so much. A lot of what we’re support ing is about getting back to the basics, removing chemicals and using brick, wood and clay.”
According to Languell, the more durable and local a material is, the better for the environment. “I’d never say no to a metal or concrete roof that lasts 50 years versus shin gles with a 15-year cycle. Although bamboo is rapidly renewable, most of it comes from China, so the greenhouse gases associated
with the transportation makes it less environmentally friendly. Local materials are ideal. The closer the better. Get granite from Georgia, instead of Italy.”
When it comes to human health, home décor and cleaning products are equally as important as the construction materi als, Languell advises. “Many times we’ll build a healthy and efficient home and then people put all sorts of fabrics and chemicals in there that are off-gassing because they’re not thinking about the health of the indoor environment.”
“There’s good, better and best quality furniture,” says Robin Wilson, a New York City eco-designer and founder of Robin Wilson Home. “Good might use inex pensive wood or heavy-duty cardboards that look great, but if you sit on the arm of the sofa, it caves in. Better might have a less expensive wood, but it’s solid frame construction. The best is a very good wood and solid frame construction made for heirloom quality. There are costs associ ated with each level, and I recommend spending the most budget you have on a quality product, because that sofa, if it’s made well and it’s styled in a classic design, can be recovered over and over again; therefore, you’re being eco-friendly to the world because it’s not going into a landfill.”
Her favorite materials for furnishings are sustainably forested or reclaimed wood, long-lasting metals like steel and aluminum, fast-growing bamboo and recycled or reclaimed plastics. She’s also a proponent of vintage pieces. “With all furniture, if it can be salvaged, salvage it. Healthwise, make sure the materials are hyper-washed to protect you from allergens. Old glazes or paints might have lead in them, so take vintage furniture
n LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (LEED) (usgbc.org) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world.
n SUSTAINABLE FURNISHINGS COUNCIL (SustainableFurnishings.org) champions wood from sus tainable forests and elimination of toxins in furniture; links to eco-responsible vendors.
n ENERGY STAR (EnergyStar.gov) certifies products and offers guidance for efficient home solutions by U.S. regions and climates.
n THE ASTHMA AND ALLERGY FOUNDATION OF AMERICA (AsthmaAndAllergyFriendly.com) certi fies asthma- and allergy-friendly options for insulation, air filters, flooring and paint.
n HOMEFREE (HomeFree.HealthyBuilding.net) showcases less toxic options for flooring, paint, drywall, countertops, cabinetry, doors, insulation, sealants and more.
n WATERSENSE (epa.gov/watersense) offers guidance by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for water conservation and water-saving products.
n UNDERWRITERS LABORATORY (ul.com) certi fies safe and environmentally sound solutions in renew able energy, building materials, consumer electronics and home goods.
n INTERNATIONAL LIVING FUTURE INSTITUTE (Living-Future.org) accredits industry pros and certi fies buildings that positively impact human and natural health.
Mohawk and Interface offer low-carbon, healthy carpets that mimic natural forms like a rocky beach,” she says. “Fractals are of ten mentioned in biophilic design because they’re fascinating geo metric compositions in nature like fly wings and bark that have an inherent intelligence to them, and we’ve come to understand that these natural elements are not just interesting, they also have measurable positive impact on our psyche and mental health.”
Baker is particularly excited about interior design innovations that reconnect us to nature, known as biophilic design. “Natural light is important, but also, lighting manufacturers are figuring out how to produce lighting that feels like you’re sitting outside in a forest while a cloud passes by or under a tree with dappled light.
“I rate durability over everything else. If you build it once and it doesn’t get destroyed by a natural disaster, you’re going to gener ate less waste and use fewer resources,” Languell says. “Durability might mean fireproofing in California, windproofing in Florida and floodproofing in Louisiana. It also means futureproofing your home, especially if you’re building new. Anticipate technologies that are coming. Even if you can’t afford photovoltaic panels now, for a couple of bucks, you can run electric conduit from your panel up to your roof so if ever you decide to buy them, it’s not a major overhaul of your house. Dual-pipe your house and have the pipes ready to tie in rainwater or grey water, even if it’s not financially vi able right now. Wire your house for a 220-volt plug in your garage so everyone that has an electric vehicle can charge it overnight.”
Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer and editor. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.
rope, playing hopscotch or shooting hoops have traditionally been enjoyed on asphalt-paved schoolyards enclosed by chain-link fencing. But over the last few decades, city leaders, school districts and other stakeholders have been trans forming such areas into verdant play-learn spaces, designed for and by students and the community, which also offer green space for surrounding neighborhoods to enjoy during non-school hours.
While there is no official definition of a green schoolyard, these projects often share such elements as shade trees and native plantings. Asphalt urban heat islands are being replaced with permeable pavers, rain gardens and vegetative ditches called bioswales to help retain rainwater.
Incorporating climate-appropriate materials and arboriculture that pro vides ornamental shading using trees and shrubs is important, says Alejandra Chiesa, California state director of Green Schoolyards America, a nine-year-old nonprofit. Even poured rubber surfacing or artificial turf can become too hot and contribute to unhealthy environments for children if not shaded, she says. Planting
Sukjai Photo/AdobeStock.comshade trees and selecting cooler materials such as wood, mulch or engineered wood fiber is critical, especially in hotter climates.
“Playground equipment made from recycled materials can still get very hot and should be kept under the shade of trees,” she cautions. Green schoolyards can incorporate logs, stumps and play equipment made from real wood which provide great play value and stay cooler.
Brenda Kessler, the green schoolyards program coordinator for the Children & Nature Network (C&NN), works with teams made up of city and school dis trict leaders, along with local partners, to implement schoolyard makeovers. The organization is in the process of publish ing district design guidelines that detail different features. “We’re not prescriptive, but it can include elements like outdoor classrooms, stormwater retention in frastructure, pollinator gardens, edible gardens, shade structures and boulders,” Kessler says.
The Trust for Public Land, which works to create parks and preserve public lands, began transforming schoolyards 25 years ago in response to the shortage of space available for new parks. “Every schoolyard we do across the country looks different. We’re responding to the local require ments,” says Danielle Denk, the Trust’s Community Schoolyards initiative direc tor. The organization has partnered with New York City’s Department of Education for its Schoolyard to Playground Initiative. The program has remade more than 260
schoolyards in all five boroughs, opening up the grounds to extended after-school and weekend hours. Parks that may include such new features as shaded seat ing and exercise tracks are now within a 10-minute walk for 4 million New Yorkers.
In urban areas, large-caliper trees provide shade and bring down the overall temperature of the school, creating a more comfortable indoor learning environment. Trees also improve air quality and noise pollution in schools located in industrial neighborhoods. Dearborn, Michigan, is one such industrial city that seeks to re duce air and noise pollution through green schoolyards.
Priya Cook, director of the C&NN green schoolyards program, says its projects support local teams in systems change and initiative. Removing asphalt and replacing it with permeable pavers, bioswales and rain gardens also mitigates flooding. In Milwaukee, C&NN sup ported scaling work of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District to install rainwater retention features on school playgrounds.
Rural communities, which may already have good soil and tree canopies, are also
candidates for green schoolyards. “We found in rural communities that the schools serve an impor tant civic role. Some of these ar eas do not have a physical park or gathering place for social events. Green schoolyards provide [a] venue for the social infrastructure that is crucial in rural America,” Denk says.
Green schoolyards can offer hands-on learning spaces where children help with planting, mulching and soil health. Wildlife habitats, native gardens and natu ral ecosystems offer opportunities to learn about migrating birds and insects. Raised bed vegetable gardens provide nutrition and gardening education.
Cook says academic benefits go be yond learning about nature: “One feature that comes up a lot is creating space for outdoor learning in general. Many subjects can be taught outside, whether or not they’re physically focused on that natural environment.”
Green schoolyards are going interna tional. C&NN is spearheading a multiorganizational effort to create a Global Lesson on Greening School Grounds and Outdoor Learning project; the plan will be drafted at a meeting this November in Salzburg, Austria. “We›re all coming together to advance green schoolyards worldwide,” Kessler says.
Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and regu lar contributor to Natural Awakenings.
Green schoolyards can offer hands-on learning spaces where children help with planting, mulching and soil health.
by Kirby Baldwin
Duringthe last century, the rise of chemical-based agriculture has severely changed the way food is produced, and we have failed to recognize its unintend ed consequences. Research has revealed that if we continue on this path, our soil will give out and we will be unable to feed our children and grandchildren within the next 60 years. Thankfully, there is still time and positive transformation is possible
through regenerative organic agriculture, which has its roots in Indigenous, tradi tional, ecological knowledge.
For more than 70 years, the Rodale Institute has been on the leading edge of the movement to promote a better, natu ral and more responsible way of modern farming by conducting research into the cultivation of healthy, living soils. Today, Nadine Clopton is advancing its related efforts through regenerative health care.
Clopton has been an NGO youth representative to the United Nations for more than six years, was the first young person to serve as a director on the board, and is now serving as an elected vice president of the Global NGO Executive Committee. In her role as program manager with Rodale Institute, Clopton combines her loves of health, advocacy and the ecosystem. Learning about food as medicine was transfor mative in her own health journey with chronic illnesses, and she hopes that others are also able to experience the transformative sense of well-being and connection that comes through such a lifestyle practice.
Regenerative health care carries potent “medicine” for a lot of the things that are ailing us in this country: the epidemic of chronic illnesses, the climate crisis, global food insecurity and ecological health. We believe that healing our soil is a prereq uisite for healing ourselves. Regenerative health care draws the link between agriculture and health care because we need those two systems to talk with one another, and the answers are right be neath our feet.
The best thing we can do is take those three things out of a silo and look at them as part of a complex, interconnected web.
In Rodale Institute’s “farm to hospital” model with St. Luke’s Hospital, we have
a working farm at the hospital and much of the produce grown there ends up on the patient’s plates, in the cafeteria or in a CSA [community-supported agriculture] share that the hospital employees can take home. At Rodale Institute, we’re hoping to build that bridge between agriculture and health care, and invite doctors and farmers to be part of the cycle of health care: thinking about the health of our soil and the health and the nutrient density of what’s on our plates.
working farm. We’re passionate about the idea of getting doctors out of their practices and letting them get their hands in the soil. There’s no better way to learn about the real fundamental difference between conventional and regenerative organic agriculture than by picking up a scoop of soil in our conventional model and picking up a scoop of soil in our regenerative organic model.
Healing our planet begins with healing ourselves and how we relate to the planet and to one another, so through these tangible, in-person experiences, we can get even closer to that ultimate goal of a healed system.
The heart and soul of what I’m working on right now centers around connect ing health care and agriculture with Rodale Institute’s first-ever Regenerative Healthcare Conference. We’re inviting doctors, nurses, RDs [registered dieti cian], nutritionists and others with inter ests in health and well-being to the farm for four days to get their hands in the soil and learn about how soil health is directly correlated to human health and how food is medicine.
We’re working closely with Dr. Scott Stoll’s team at The Plantrician Project and bringing together some incredible lumi naries like Dr. Uma Naidoo, Dr. Maya Shetreat, Dr. Rupa Marya, Dr. Michelle Perro, Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and others. To our knowledge, this is the first-ever medical conference to be taking place on a living, breathing,
Get to know a farmer! Go get your hands in the soil, talk to your local farmers and start to rebuild that web of connection and relationship. Look around you and see how the Earth responds when we’re operating in a way that’s regenerative and allows natural systems to thrive. And for practitioners, get curious! Start break ing out of the siloed worldview of health and medicine and learn about the potent medicines that are all around us in our food and our soil.
Kirby Baldwin writes for KnoWEwell, the Regenerative Whole Health Hub and col laborative partner of Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp
What is next in your plans for the future of regenerative health care?
What are some tips for consumers and practitioners to help this movement?
Halloween is celebrated on October 31, and as always on this fun holiday for humans, it’s impor tant to take precautions to ensure furry family members wake up healthy, happy and safe on November 1. Here are some potential hazards to avoid.
CHOCOLATE: All chocolate is toxic to both cats and dogs, and the darker it is, the more toxic. It contains a caffeine-like stimulant that when ingested by a pet, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, rac ing pulse and seizures. Make sure all family members and guests, including children, understand the importance of keeping chocolate away from the dog or cat.
SUGAR-FREE GOODIES CONTAINING XYLITOL: This is a popular sugar sub stitute added to an increasing number of consumer products, including sugar-free candy, gum, mints and baked goods. A small amount of xylitol can cause a rapid and dangerous blood sugar drop in dogs, as well as acute liver failure. Xylitol’s effect on cats is unknown, but keep it far away from the kitties, as well.
RAISINS AND TRAIL MIX: Instead of candy, some well-meaning people hand out tiny boxes of raisins or small bags of trail mix containing raisins and/ or chocolate candy such as M&Ms.
Unfortunately, raisins are toxic to dogs and cats, and can cause kidney failure even in very small amounts. Chocolate-covered raisins pose a double-barrelled risk.
CANDY WRAPPERS: Halloween candy isn’t the only health threat for dogs and cats. Empty candy wrappers smell like what was in them, enticing a pet. The ingestion of foil and cellophane wrap pers can cause a life-threatening bowel obstruction. It’s very important to stress to children, in particular, the need to keep all candy wrappers out of the reach of pets.
CANDLES AND GLOW STICKS: Candles, including the small ones inside Jack-o’-lanterns, are fire hazards. Make sure they are well beyond a pet’s reach, so that a kitty doesn’t wander across a table or shelf decorated with lit candles or a dog doesn’t get too frisky with a carved pump kin with a candle inside. Glow sticks and jewelry have become very popular, and pets (especially cats) have been known to chew on them. The substance that creates the glow is phenol, which can leak out and burn a pet’s fur and tongue. Choking on small pieces is another hazard.
SCARY HUMAN COSTUMES: Some pets can become very fearful or aggressive
One of the best-kept secrets in medicine is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). Here, you breathe pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Injured or damaged cells replicate using an eightfold increase in a patient’s own stem cells during this treatment. The pressure pushes oxygen into the plasma to reach injured areas any where in the body.
HBOT has proven effective for COVID-19 and its long haulers, anti-aging issues like cognitive fog, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. It also treats people who’ve ex perienced physical and concussive trauma. “It can return these veterans to their families free
of PTSD and other injuries,” says Raymond Crallé, a Registered Physical Therapist who leads the team. “We can help people who think their golden years aren’t so golden.”
The outpatient Delray Beach facility of fers an effective combination of HBOT and physical therapy. Their hyperbaric chambers are clear acrylic, preventing claustrophobia. Chambers include an entertainment center.
Blankets and pillows keep users comfortable. Professionally trained staff are HBOT proficient in safety procedures. “There are 14 Medicare and insurance-approved conditions. We also treat stroke patients, professional athletes, and others seeking wellness goals,” says Crallé.
Crallé has been involved in the breakthrough use of HBOT and in many published studies. He has worked with children and adults and participated in an HBOT study for Veterans. Crallé was recognized by his peers as a pioneer in the field of hyperbaric medicine.
Contact Oxygen Rescue Care Centers of America, 525 NE 3rd Ave, Ste 107, Delray Beach, FL 33444, 561-819-0412.
Animal shelters and rescue organizations typically experience an increase in lost pets in the days following Halloween. Opening and closing the front door for trick-or-treaters, coupled with the event’s high level of excitement, can create an opportunity for a frightened or adventurous pet to run off.
at the sight of certain Halloween costumes, including those that may resemble a dog or cat. In such instances, take precautions to keep both a pet and trick-or-treaters safe.
ELABORATE PET COSTUMES: Even if a pet isn’t costume-averse (many dogs and most cats are), make sure whatever is put on her is lightweight to avoid overheating, doesn’t confine or restrain their movement in any way and is free of any adornments they might be tempted to chew off and swallow. If they are frightened or annoyed by the puppy princess gown or the Grumpy Cat mask, be a pal and don’t force the issue. Let them enjoy the holiday, too.
TRICK-OR-TREATERS AND OTHER VISITORS: If lots of costumed kids or adults show up at the house on Halloween, be aware that a constantly ringing doorbell, knocks and strangers at the door and a general mood of excitement can create an overstimulating environment for a pet. Some pets become anxious, fearful and aggressive
when their normally quiet, predictable evening is anything but. If a pet tends to find commotion at the front door or visitors stressful, it’s best to secure them in a quiet, safe spot before the action starts.
OPEN DOORS: Animal shelters and rescue organizations typically experience an increase in lost pets in the days following Halloween. Opening and closing the front door for trick-or-treaters, coupled with the event’s high level of excitement, can create an opportunity for a frightened or adventurous pet to run off. Make sure a pet’s ID tag and/or microchip database information, if applicable, are up to date and take precautions to prevent them from slipping out the door and into the night.
Common sense and a little preparation will ensure a fourlegged family member is none the worse for wear the next morning.
Veterinarian Karen Shaw Becker has spent her career empow ering animal guardians to make knowledgeable decisions to extend the life and improve well-being of their animals.
Amidst the whirlwind of our daily busyness, Mother Nature goes about her own affairs, conjuring everyday miracles from the humble trinity of tangled roots, dark soil and sunlight. On our way to our next task, we might catch snippets of afternoon gold blur past in a window, but we may long for more time to accept October’s invitation of long shadows.
Having an indoor haven touched with nature’s balm takes the edge off the workat-home days, the can’t-catch-a-breath days and the won’t-stop-raining days. Bringing a bit of the outside in helps us to remember the big picture. The 12th-centu ry mystic and healer Hildegard of Bingen called the energy of the Earth veriditas, or greenness, and it is easy to tap into this life force by aligning our senses with the rhythms of nature.
Beauty is an often forgotten necessity, but can gently lead us back on track when we place a vase of fresh flowers, pine branches or wild rose hips on a window sill. Designating one wall in the house for
a photographic tapestry of spring cherry trees, mountain snow, a turquoise beach or majestic oaks can lower blood pressure just as effectively as actually being there. Keeping a “scent jar” on the desk filled with dried garden basil, bee balm or sweet grass clippings from the lawn can give us a breath of summer all year long. Placing a piece of found driftwood, preserved birch or a bowl of handmade potpourri on a cof fee table can make afternoon breaks more mindful. A simple table fountain can bless any space with the harmony of its waters. Creating a “changing season” shelf and cel ebrating the hour invites the whole family to contribute to inspired whimsy.
Even if we simply place found branches in a basket with amber holiday lights in a cozy corner, living more closely with nature can help us maintain core serenity. The dance of each season is brief, but tuning into their wealth can make our own dance a bit more magical.
Marlaina Donato is an author, composer and painter. Connect at WildflowerLady. com
Photographee.eu/AdobeStock.comAtlantic Institute of Oriental Medi cine — 9am-10pm, Earn a Master’s Degree in Oriental Medicine in 36 months! Become a Licensed Acupunc turist. Enrolling now for our Winter Session/night classes. Financial Aid available & approved for Veteran train ing. 954-763-9840 ext. 213. Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine (ATOM), 100 E Broward Blvd., Ste 100, Ft Lau derdale. atom.edu.
Earn a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) degree in 24 months! — 9am-5pm. If you want to expand your knowledge in Oriental Medicine call now 954-763-9840 ext. 230. New classes start in October and April. Atlantic Institute of Oriental Med icine (ATOM), 100 E Broward Blvd., Ste 100, Ft Lauderdale. atom.edu
NewLife Expo, Two Day Event, Broward County Convention Cen ter — 10am-7pm: Oct. 8 & Sunday, Oct. 9. Gary Null, Thomas John, and
others will enlighten your mind, body, and spirit. Exhibitors, Speakers, Work shops • Panels • Performances • Free Lectures • Free Samples. Information or Free Brochure, call 516-897-0900. Broward County Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd, Ft Lauderdale. NewLifeExpo.com.
Blush Autumn — 10:30am-Noon $111. Would you like to experience the joy of a purposeful picnic? Create a fresh flower crown, delight in the beau ty of flowers and dine brunch alfresco. Register early, space is limited. TY Park, 3300 N Park Rd, Hollywood, FL Email Jowana at houseofpetali@gmail. com for details.
YOGA Teacher Training, Real ize Your Dreams! — Yoga Center of Deerfield Beach, 11 Weekends thru April 30. In-studio or online. Leading teacher trainings since 1988. 954-4272353, YogaCenterDB.com.
IANDS South Florida - International Association for Near Death Studies
1st Sunday monthly, 3-5pm Meeting
- Discussions include Spiritually Trans formative Experiences. All interested in the studies are welcomed. Locations will vary, call for details. Reverend Gail Fein, 305-798-8974.
Hypnotherapy Made Easy — 7–7:25pm. Last Wednesday each month. Group Hyp notherapy with Leslie Seckelman, CHT. Amazing and relaxing group hypnotherapy session for free! Take 20 minutes to let go of the busyness of life and experience ease. Let yourself be transported. 541-301-9685. An Open Mind. HarmonyResounds.com.
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Max Meditation System™ — 7pm. Made for today’s modern seeker, Max Medita tion is based on a fusion of ancient Yogic techniques and Zen mind training mixed with modern psychological science and Neurolinguistic programming (NLP). Max Meditation is a guided meditation experi ence at Temple Medicine, 120 E Oakland Park Blvd, Ste 101. Phone: 954-406-8199.
Free Zoom class on your physical/emo tional/spiritual health — 7pm, last Thurs day of every month. Learn more on the Holistic Approach to your health and feeling good in our now time, including shifting old limiting beliefs and energetic thought patterns and habits, so you can move ahead to live with freedom, fulfillment, and hap piness! Call Ilka for details: 754-222-6971.
Paddle With A Purpose, Waterway and Shoreline Cleanup 9–11am, help re move trash and make new friends (third Saturday each month). Kayaks and canoes available on a first come, first serve basis; bringing your own is encouraged. Loca tion varies. Information, Robert Figueroa, 917-652-1050.
Holistic Healing, Wellness & Psychic Fair
Last Saturday Monthly on Zoom. 1–10pm est. 15 Global Speakers, Lectures, Door Prizes, Fun Experiences. By Love Donation. Call for info: 786-419-1389. SheriKaplan.com/healersnetworkvirtualfair.
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Dr. Lipovetskiy specializes in natural, biological, and cosmetic dentistry offering latest in technology in our relaxing environment. We provide mercury safe dentistry, metal-free braces, and biocompatible metal-free zirconia implants. He specializes in TMJ and sleep apnea.
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Dr. Chebanu recognizes the importance of natural therapies and health solutions. His office specializes in Biocompatible and Holistic Dentistry, Restorative and Cosmetic Dentistry, Ceramic Dental Implants, Oral Surgery, and TMJ Disorders. See ad page 11.
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We follow strict amalgam removal protocols incorporating nutritional supplements for safe mercury detoxification ~ IAOMT member.
To promote better healing, our hygiene care incorporates ozone and essential oils for gum treatments. Only mercury-free biocompatible crowns and dental materials used. Free holistic toothpaste recipe. See ad page 13.
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ATLANTIC INSTITUTE OF ORIENTAL MEDICINE (ATOM)
100 E Broward Blvd., Ste. 100 Fort Lauderdale FL 33301 954-763-9840 ATOM.edu
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Come visit our farm friends and treat yourself with amazing goods. Enjoy our Farm-To-Table Cafe. Private party availability. Weekend petting zoo & pony rides.
HARMONY RESOUNDS WELLNESS
Leslie Seckelman, Certified Hypnotherapist 541-301-9685
HarmonyResounds.com
Can’t bear the monotony of life anymore? There is something more… fulfilling, exciting and freeing out there for you! Schedule a Free Hypnotherapy Consultation today.
11440 N Kendall Dr, #203, Miami 33176 Stellar-Synergy.com/youretreatservices
Reduce stress and anxiety. We provide empowerment tools and resources to help shift individuals for personal health and wellness. Workshops/Virtual Sessions/ classes for adults and children.
Psychic Readings • Astrology • Coaching • Animal Communication • Human Design • EFT Tapping
SPIRIT IN TRANSITION
Matthew Koren 954-406-8199, Oakland Park Activate.SpiritInTransition.com
LILITH REESE - LEAD DESIGNER 954-591-8170
GlassRootsEnergetics@gmail.com
LilithReese.com
Desiring more clarity and peaceful ambiance in your home?
Decluttering/Realigning your Interior Decor will achieve this.
Call me for support and a complimentary consultation.
CATHERINE EDELSON MA, CH, CDS 954-745-0735
C@TheHypnosisFix.com TheHypnosisFix.com
Giving you tools you can use when you most need it. Access the best toolkit nature gave you with Hypnosis! Your first Hypnozoom session — 50% off.
Hypnotists believe everything is hypnosis. We offer powerful, ecological, and practical solutions to each client.
Certified Hypnotist, ADHD Coaching, EFT practitioner, Certified Divorce Specialist.
Engage with powerful tools of an ancient Mystery School—the Lineage of King Salomon. These teachings support your conscious evolution into a perfected Light being, to become aware of our mission to serve worldwide. Join us for advanced spiritual training in meditation, alchemy, kabbalah, sacred geometry, astral travel, and more! See ad page 19/
MASTER NUMEROLOGIST
Lillie Cintron, MBA, MN 727-365-3161, Fort Lauderdale LillieCintron.com
Numerology advisory services for individuals, couples, children, teens & corporate team building. Know your true self and move forward in life, relationships, career, and business.
THE SEEDING REIKI
Rita Zachelmayer RH Reiki Master Shaman
370 Camino Gardens Blvd., Suite 112 Boca Raton, FL 33432 561-573-7569
RitaZachelmayer@icloud.com TheSeedingReiki.com
Reiki is a technique that brings relaxation, stress reduction, and harmony. It’s a chance to take a break and to be kind to yourself. Our pets love reiki too!
HAIR HOLISTIC ECO-FRIENDLY STUDIO
Ibana Villasenor
141 NW 20th St., Ste. B7 Boca Raton FL 33431 561-372-5354
HairHolistic@gmail.com HairHolistic.com
Hair services & products with a truly holistic approach like scalphair detox, and jet rejuvenation. Hair coloring with Henna or ecofriendly dyes, and formaldehydefree keratine.
YCC TUNING FORK THERAPY
Yvette C. Candelario
5130 N Fed Hwy, Ste 7, Ft Lauderdale 929-554-0281
YvetteCCandelario@outlook.com YCCHealingTherapy.com
Our most popular service: Medium Reading, $100. A 30-minute Tuning Fork therapy with 30-minute crystal healing, $130. Other products and services are available. See ad page 23.
WENDY COTTIERS
954-873-7388 WendyCottiers@att.net WendyCottiers.com
Wendy Cottiers Holistic Nutritionist, Individual, Family & Group Counseling.
Monthly Events & Cooking Classes register at WendyCottiers.com 954-873-7388.
Scientists have discovered a natural way to kill germs fast.
Now thousands of people are using it against viruses and bacteria that cause illness.
Colds and many other illnesses start when viruses get in your nose and multiply. If you don’t stop them early, they spread and cause misery.
Hundreds of studies confirm copper kills viruses and bacteria almost instantly just by touch.
That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyptians used copper to purify water and heal wounds. They didn’t know about viruses and bacteria, but now we do.
“The antimicrobial activity of copper is well established.” National Institutes of Health.
Scientists say copper’s high conductance disrupts the electrical balance in a microbe cell and destroys it in seconds.
The EPA recommended hospitals use copper for touch surfaces like faucets and doorknobs. This cut the spread of MRSA and other illnesses by over half, and saved lives.
The strong scientific evidence gave inventor Doug Cornell an idea. He made a smooth copper probe
with a tip to fit in the bottom of the nostril, where viruses collect.
When he felt a tickle in his nose like a cold about to start, he rubbed the copper gently in his nose for 60 seconds.
“It worked!” he exclaimed. “The cold never happened. I used to get 2-3 bad colds every year. Now I use my device whenever I feel a sign I am about to get sick.”
He hasn’t had a cold in 10 years.
Users say:
“It works! I love it!”
“I can’t believe how good my nose feels.”
“Is it supposed to work that fast?”
“One of the best presents ever.”
“Sixteen flights, not a sniffle!”
“Cold sores gone!”
“It saved me last holidays. The kids all got sick, but not me.”
“I am shocked! My sinus cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.”
“Best sleep I’ve had in years!”
After his first success with it, he asked relatives and friends to try it. They all said it worked, so he patented CopperZap® and put it on the market.
Soon hundreds of people had tried it. 99% said copper worked if they used it right away at the first sign of germs, like a tickle in the nose or a scratchy throat.
Longtime users say they haven’t been sick in years. They have less stress, less medical costs, and more time to enjoy life.
Customers report using copper against:
Colds Flu
Virus variants
Sinus trouble
Cold sores
Fever blisters
Canker sores
Strep throat
Night stuffiness
Morning congestion
Nasal drip
Infected sores
Infected wounds
Styes
Ringworm
Other microbial threats
The handle is curved and textured to increase contact. Copper can kill germs picked up on fingers and hands after you touch things other people have touched.
The EPA says copper works just as well when tarnished.
Dr. Bill Keevil led one of the science teams. He placed millions of viruses on a copper surface. “They started to die literally as soon as they touched it.”
CopperZap® is made in the USA of pure copper. It has a 90-day full money back guarantee. Price $79.95. Get $10 off each CopperZap with code NATA31.
Go to www.CopperZap.com or call toll-free 1-888-411-6114.
Buy once, use forever.
Statements are not intended as product health claims and have not been evaluated by the FDA. Not claimed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
New research: Copper kills viruses in seconds.