Natural Awakenings Naples/Fort Myers September 2017

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E E R

HEALTHY

LIVING

Creative

HEALTHY

PLANET

AGING

YOGA as a Way of Life

SOLAR

BEING BEAUTY

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Ways to Thrive in Your Later Years

Heats Up Demand Surges as Prices Fall

What Makes Us Glow

September 2017 | Collier/Lee Edition

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September 2017

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BACHELOR'S DEGREE

e v M i t e a dic n r i e ne t l A

COURSES INCLUDE Health Psychology Introduction to Homeopathy Principles of Acupuncture Traditional Chinese Medicine

Detoxification & Healing Antioxidants Naturopathy Nutrition and Aging

EVERGLADES UNIVERSITY 855.723.9087

Everglades University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award bachelor’s and master’s degrees. natural awakenings

September 2017

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contact us Publisher/Senior Editor Sharon Bruckman Naples/Fort Myers Editors Randy Kambic Linda Sechrist National Editor S. Alison Chabonais Calendar Editor Sara Peterson Design & Production Lisa Avery Stephen Gray-Blancett Steve Hagewood C. Michele Rose Sales & Marketing Christine Miller Lisa Doyle-Mitchell Administrative Assistant Heather Gibbs Accounting Kara Scofield Website Rachael Oppy Nicholas Bruckman

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September 2017

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OCT

letterfrompublisher

Coming Next Month Transformative

Travel Plus: Chiropractic October articles include: Life-Changing Travel Selecting a Chiropractor Bone-Density Exercises and so much more!

To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

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Ageless Living As soon as I grab my yoga mat to head off to the studio, my body, mind and spirit start awakening. I feel more empowered before I even get on the mat. I remember how intimidated I felt the first time I reentered a yoga studio just after celebrating my 60th birthday. Although I had intermittently practiced yoga since my early 20s, I didn’t feel confident about holding the poses correctly and keeping up with the class, partly because I was older now.

After that reinitiating class, I quickly decided that yoga could be the ideal foundational core of my renewed exercise routine, good for taking me into my elder years and supporting whatever other physical activities I chose to engage in.

Deeper-layered mental and spiritual benefits beyond the outward increase in flexibility and muscle strength continue to regularly get me onto the mat now, several years later.

These days, I affirm and give gratitude to the perfect (and imperfect) parts of my body during different yoga poses. I give love to my wrists while in downward dog and to my hips during deep stretches. Sun salutations open my heart. I thank myself for showing up and giving myself this dedicated time focused on nurturing well-being. (For more personal experiences shared by other local yogis, please turn to page 44.)

It’s all part of my age-less mind set. Visionary health pioneer Dr. Christiane Northrup believes, “It’s possible to get older without the deterioration of aging.” In her books and workshops, she inspires others in knowing that it’s never too late to change our beliefs and our health for the better.

One tip she gives that I have found a powerful practice is to notice how I talk about my health. If I find myself speaking about some claim of dis-ease or dis-ability, I try to speak about it in a positive statement, about what I’m capable of doing and how I aim to support myself. Northrup reminds us that there is an ageless life force that flows through us.

This month’s feature article by Deborah Shouse, “Aging with Passion and Purpose: Finding Fulfillment, Creativity and Meaning,” on page 36, reminds us that aging doesn’t mean we can’t make our later years as enjoyable as earlier chapters in our life. Like a book, the ending chapters can be the richest. Several local health practitioners share their tips for retaining youthful vigor on page 40.

With a little courage—and a look at our underlying beliefs about growing older—we can have a life that’s rich in relationships, health, social connections and everything our heart desires, regardless of chronological age. In our spiritual core, we are eternal beings.

I like Dr. Northrup’s number-one prescription: Have too much fun. She reports that the leading cause of health is exalted emotions of joy, pleasure and fun. So go have some fun!

Living lightly,

Sharon Bruckman, Publisher

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contents

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newsbriefs healthbriefs ecotip globalbriefs community spotlight healingways consciouseating fitbody inspiration wisewords greenliving businessspotlight healthykids naturalpet calendar classifieds resourceguide

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact Christine Miller at 239-272-8155 or email ChristineM@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com for Collier County or Lisa Doyle at 239-851-4729 or email LisaD@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com for Lee County.

Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: NAEditor@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com. Deadline for editorial: the 10th of the month. Or visit: swfl.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/Resources CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email calendar events to: NACalendar@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com or fax to 239-434-9513. Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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

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26 CANNABINOIDS The Most-Studied Therapeutic Compounds on the Planet

by Linda Sechrist

27 DREAM JOBS DO EXIST Four Florida Academy Massage Therapist Graduates Find Life-Changing Careers

by Lillie Viola

28 FLOATING AWAY STRESS Isolation Tanks Induce Deep Rest and Healing

by Gina McGalliard

32 FABULOUS FAN FARE

Healthy Tailgating Foods to Cheer For

by Judith Fertig

36 AGING WITH PASSION AND PURPOSE

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by Deborah Shouse

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Finding Fulfillment, Creativity and Meaning

42 RODNEY YEE ON YOGA AS A WAY OF LIFE

Simple Strategies for Staying on Track

by Marlaina Donato

44 MORE YOGA

OFF THE MAT THAN ON

by Linda Sechrist

46 BEING BEAUTY

What Makes Us Glow

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by Glennon Doyle Melton

48 SOLAR HEATS UP

Demand Surges as Prices Fall

by Jim Motavalli

50 NATURE’S CLASSROOM Outdoor Learning Engages the Whole Child

by Meredith Montgomery

52 FLUORIDE ALERT Excess in Food and Tap Water Harms Pets

by Karen Becker

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newsbriefs Natural Awakenings Family of Franchises Keeps Growing

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atural Awakenings Publishing Corp. (NAPC) welcomed three new publishers to a recent training session at the corporate headquarters in Naples, Florida. The NAPC staff spent several days with these entrepreneurs, discussing the ins and outs of publishing a new Natural Awakenings edition in southern Idaho and taking over (L-R) Linda Palmer and Leslie Cueva publication of existing magazines in (Miami), Zack Propes (Chattanooga), Chattanooga and Phoenix. A new staff Sharon Bruckman (CEO), Simone member of the Miami magazine also Anewalt (southern Idaho) and Tracy attended accompanied by the longPatterson (Phoenix) time owner.

Founded by Chief Executive Officer Sharon Bruckman with a single edition in Naples in 1994, Natural Awakenings has grown to become one of the largest, free, local, healthy living publications in the world, serving more than 3.5 million readers each month via more than 80 magazines published in cities across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

“Our devoted family of publishers, supported by advertisers, informs readers of many leading-edge national and local resources that offer paths to a happier, healthier and longer life,” says Bruckman. “Our active and growing readership has helped increase interest in naturally healthy living that has influenced mainstream America and is beneficial for people and the planet.”

For a list of locations where Natural Awakenings is published or to learn more about franchising opportunities, call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

See ad, page 66.

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World Day of Prayer in Naples and Fort Myers

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he World Day of Prayer: Peace in the Midst of Adversity celebration begins with a service at 7 p.m., September 13, followed by a 24hour prayer vigil. A closing ceremony will be held at 7 p.m., September 14, at Unity of Naples, and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., September 14, at Unity of Fort Myers. All our welcome, regardless of denomination, to participate in this celebration that engages people all over the world.

The Fort Myers event includes guest speakers, guided and self-reflection meditations, breakfast and lunch.

Participants are encouraged to submit prayer requests for global support.

Admission is free and donations are accepted. Locations: 2000 Unity Way, Naples; and 11120 Ranchette Rd., Fort Myers. For more information, call Naples at 239-775-3009 or visit NaplesUnity.org, or call Fort Myers at 239-278-1511, email Office@UnityOfFortMyers.org or visit WorldDayOfPrayer.org. See ads, pages 60 and 62.

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newsbriefs Hemp Oil Presentation at Happehatchee Center

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erry Ganley, an independent affiliate of PrimeMyBody (PMB), will give a presentation on the healing properties of Terry Ganley pharmaceutical-grade nano-enhanced hemp oil from 7 to 8 p.m., September 14, at the Happehatchee Center, in Estero.

Ganley says, “Our bodies have natural CBD [cannabinoid] receptors that respond to hemp oil, and most of us are deficient. Commonly used for natural pain relief, inflammation reduction, anxiety and insomnia relief, hemp oil is the cannabinoid-rich, whole-plant hemp extract, legal throughout the U.S. and in many other countries that provides all the plant-powered wellness benefits of cannabis for the body and brain without the psychoactive effects of THC.�

PMB claims that the product works faster, is stronger and more effective than tinctures, and that it has a natural, proprietary, drug-delivery system to bypass the gastrointestinal system and go directly into the bloodstream. The oil is extracted from cannabis sativa grown in Europe in pristine, non-GMO, soyand gluten-free organic conditions and is cultivated for its high-CBD/ low-tetrahydrocannabinol content.

Admission is free. Location: 8791 Corkscrew Rd. For more information, call Ganley at 203-536-1873 or the Happehatchee Center at 239-9925455, email TJGanley@hotmail.com or visit TGanley.PrimeMyBody.com.

See Resource Guide listing, page 69.

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Peace Day in the Park Celebrates Anniversary

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he 10th annual Peace Day in the Park, a free community gathering celebrating the International Day of Peace, will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., September 24, at Jaycee Park, in Cape Coral.

The theme of this year’s family- and pet-friendly event is Peace in the Midst of Adversity, featuring local artisans, vendors, yoga, live music, a chill-out zone, pet adoptions, meditation, live art, crafts, workshops, kids’ games, a fashion show, raffles, food and more.

Exhibitors and vendors include the Cape Coral Farmers’ Market, JCT Therapy, Lotus Blossom Clinic, Yoga Bird Studio, Natural Awakenings magazine, Zak’s Jewelry, Blue Dahlia Session Salon, The Mystical Moon, the Sierra Club, CREW Solar, EPEC, CasaShanti, What’s Up SWFL, Bath Fitter and Surfside Farmers’ Market.

All parking will be at Big John’s Plaza, with air-conditioned buses bringing attendees to and from the event. Pets are welcome. Location: Off Beach Pkwy., 4125 SE 20th Pl. For more information, email swfl4Peace@email.com or visit the event’s Facebook page. See ad, page 17.

Pelletiere Offers Body Connection Workshop

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r. Michele Pelletiere, owner of the Pelletiere Healing Center, in Bonita Springs, will host a Body Connection Workshop from 10 a.m. to noon, September 16, offering new options in physical experience, mind and personal healing using body rhythms and inner wisdom through focused attention, gentle breath, movement and touch.

Dr. Michele

“Today, there are lots of ways to Pelletiere distract us from the messages our body is giving us. Sometimes we even ignore these messages and suffer the consequences,” explains Pelletiere. “As you become more in tune with your body-mind, you’ll be empowered to live a life with less drama and more happiness. This workshop will provide the tools for better connection and a better life.”

Cost: $50. Location: 3411 Bonita Beach Rd., Ste. 302.

For more information or to register (suggested), call 239949-1222, email DrMichele@BackToWellbeing.com or visit BackToWellbeing.com. See Resource Guide listing, page 67. natural awakenings

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newsbriefs Kicking the Sugar Habit

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my Rybicki, a certified health coach with Simply Natural Coaching, will give a presentation on how to kick the sugar habit and factors to consider when choosing a health coach, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., September 13, at AHA! A Holistic Approach Center, in Fort Myers.

Rybicki, who provides both group and private coaching, will share easy ideas to help eliminate sugar and increase energy. The presentation will educate and motiAmy Rybicki vate attendees to take charge of their eating and conquer their cravings.

“Obesity, cancer, autoimmune diseases and other health problems are on the rise in our society,” says Rybicki, who will offer a group session option at the presentation.

“Cutting the sugar habit is a great step to healthier eating and a healthier you.”

Admission is free. Location: 15971 McGregor Blvd. For more information, call Rybicki at 239-671-2827 or the center at 239-433-5995, email AmyRybicki@ SimplyNaturalCoaching.com or aha@AHolisticApproachCenter.com, or visit AHolisticApproachCenter.com. See ad, page 22.

Fort Myers Chiro Studio Offers Weight-Loss Plan

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r. Christine Hoch and Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Cyndie Witthuhn, both of Fort Myers Chiropractic Studio, are offering a metabolic weight-loss program with the goal of reducing a pound a day and 15 to 30 pounds in one month. New patients can begin the program at 8 a.m. each Tuesday.

Dr. Christine Hoch Closely monitored by medical professionals, the plan reduces cholesterol, stabilizes blood sugar and blood pressure, and reduces dependence on medications.

Location: 8971 Daniels Center Dr., Ste. 304. For more information or an appointment, call 239-243-8735, email DrHoch@FortMyersChiroStudio.com or visit FortMyersChiroStudio.com. See ad, page 15.

Ultimate Relaxation Relocates in Naples

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he Ultimate Relaxation massage salon is now located just outside entrance three of the Coastland Center Mall, next to the Sears store, in Naples.

The salon offers deep tissue, reflexology or a combination of the two modalities to help relieve pain, stress and tension, and improve muscle alignment, metabolism and circulation. Gift certificates are available.

For more information or an appointment, call 239-793-8888. See ad, page 56.

News to share?

Send your submissions to:

NAeditor@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com

Deadline is the 10th of the month.

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Resonating Love Launches Helpful Services

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esonating Love, based in North Fort Myers, has begun using yoga, sound therapy, original music, meditation and energy work to conduct private sessions, group events and retreats. This combination of modalities helps participants learn how to deal with negativity in relationships, Alexander Weiss love themselves and others, find joy in difficult times and effectively protect themselves from different forms of stress.

“This is a broad-reaching system with immediate and practical applications that can be used in any and all circumstances,” says founder and CEO Alexander Weiss, a bestselling author, teacher, ordained minister and shamanic energy healing practitioner. “Resonating Love is a tangible, real and authentic means to transform your life, grow in love, experience bliss and help reach a place in life where things make sense.”

For more information, call 239-201-0390, email Alex@ ResonatingLove.org or visit ResonatingLove.org. See ad, page 55.

Journey to Inner Peace at Unity of Naples

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he Journey to Inner Peace interactive retreat will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., September 23, in the Fellowship Hall at Unity of Naples. Eileen Biaglow Chernow, a certified professional coach, will facilitate the event and delve into the principles of The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz. Refreshments will be served.

Participants will examine the beliefs they hold but would like

to give up, such as negative self-talk, anger and guilt, and gain new insight and solutions. According to Ruiz, “Before we learn to speak, our true nature is to love and be happy, to explore and enjoy life. As little children, we are completely authentic.”

Cost: $50, includes breakfast, lunch and snacks. Location: 2000 Unity Way. For more information or to register (by Sept.

17), email Eileen4Success@gmail.com.

They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. ~Andy Warhol natural awakenings

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newsbriefs Learn Hawaiian and Polynesian Dances in Naples

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herry “Hiwahiwa” Coffey, a professional hula dancer and director of the Hula Connection Dancers of Southwest Florida, will teach a progressive series of four classes in Hawaiian Hula and authentic Polynesian dances for teens and adults from 6 to 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month beginning September 5, at the House of Gaia, in Naples.

Sherry "Hiwahiwa"

Coffey trained at the prestigious Polynesian Cultural CenCoffey ter, on Oahu, and with many notable kumu hula (hula masters) and Tahitian choreographers.

Cost: $50 per class. Location: 1660 Trade Center Way. For more information or to register, call Coffey at 239-768-5575 or email Info@HouseOfGaia.org.

How to Continue the Climate Conversation

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breathe

r. Harold Wanless, University of Miami geology department chair and former chair of the Miami Dade Climate Change Task Force, will join with Dr. John Capece, president of the Campus Climate Corps and chairman of the Democratic Environmental Caucus, SW Florida Chapter, and the Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), Naples Chapter, to present a hands-on Climate Change Workshop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., October 7, at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Naples.

Focused on how present and future realities of climate change may impact our area, the workshop will educate attendees using current information on sea level rise, flooding, water conservation, storm mitigation, carbon emissions, fracking, forest fires and other factors.

“A better understanding of how climate change is influencing Southwest Florida citizens allows us to not only become effective climate change communicators, but also part of the solution. Florida’s extensive shoreline, low elevation and susceptibility to hurricanes make it is the single most vulnerable state to climate change,” says Amy Clifton, co-leader of the CCL Naples Chapter. “It also helps us in joining together with a more unified voice so that we can more effectively mobilize to prevent increasing degradation.”

Admission by suggested donation of $20/adults, $5/students. Optional buffet lunch $8/adults, $5/students. Reserve tickets at Tinyurl.com/ClimateChangeTickets. Location: 6340 Napa Woods Way, Naples. For more information, call K.C. Schulberg at 239-784-0880. See ad, page 61.

kudos Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist Karen Lauchlan has joined the staff at Wellbridges Health Center, in Bonita Springs. The 2000 graduate of Ben Benjamin’s Muscular Therapy Institute, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has worked in many disciplines and received extensive training and experience with CranioSacral Therapy, lymphatic drainage, therapeutic massage, chair massage and other modalities.

Lauchlan will also support Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Deborah J. Post as a health coach in her functional medicine practice at the center.

Karen Lauchlin

Location: 9200 Bonita Beach Rd., Ste. 213. For more information or an appointment, call 239-963-5701, visit Wellbridges.com. See ad, page 53.

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LESS SALT REDUCES NIGHTTIME POTTY VISITS

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study from Nagasaki University, in Japan, has found that reducing salt in the diet can cut down on the number of trips to the bathroom during the night. Researchers followed 321 men and women with high-salt diets and sleep problems for 12 weeks. Of the subjects, 223 reduced their salt intake from 10.7 grams per day to 8 grams and the remaining 98 increased their salt intake from 9.6 grams per day to 11 grams.

The nighttime urination frequency rate for the salt reduction group dropped from 2.3 times per night to 1.4 times, while the increased salt group’s rose from 2.3 to 2.7 times per night.

EARLY BIRDS EAT BETTER AND EXERCISE MORE

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esearchers from Helsinki, Finland, analyzed data from 2,000 people to find out how sleeping patterns affected their food choices. They discovered individuals that wake up early make healthier food choices throughout the day and are more physically active.

“Linking what and when people eat to their biological clock type provides a fresh perspective on why certain people are more likely to make unhealthy food decisions,” explains lead author Mirkka Maukonen, from the National Institute for Health and Welfare, in Helsinki.

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Caring for Others Prolongs Life

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healthbriefs

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esearchers from several international universities have found that seniors that provide caregiving services live longer than those that do not. The scientists analyzed survival data and information collected from the Berlin Aging Study on 500 adults over the age of 69 from 1990 to 2009. They compared survival rates from the subjects that provided caregiving for children, grandchildren and friends to those that did not.

Of the subjects analyzed, the half that took care of their grandchildren or children were still alive 10 years after their first interview in 1990. Caring for non-family members also produced positive results, with half of the subjects living for seven years after the initial interview. Conversely, 50 percent of those that did not participate in any caregiving had died just four years after their first interview.

The researchers warn that caregiving must be done in moderation. Ralph Hertwig, director of the Center for Adaptive Rationality and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, in Berlin, explains, “A moderate level of caregiving involvement seems to have positive effects on health, but previous studies have shown that more intense involvement causes stress, which has a negative effect on physical and mental health.”

Yoga Eases Eating Disorders

esearchers from Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, have found that regular yoga practice can help reduce anxiety and depression in young women with eating disorders. The scientists followed 20 girls between the ages of 14 and 18 that were enrolled in an outpatient eating disorder clinic that comprised the larger control group.

Those selected agreed to participate in a weekly yoga class and complete questionnaires after six and 12 weeks, assessing their anxiety, depression and mood. Of those that started the study, five attended all 12 yoga classes and six completed between seven and 11 classes. Researchers found decreases in anxiety, depression and negative thoughts among those that participated in the yoga classes, with no negative side effects.

Another study from the University of Delaware, in Newark, supports these results.

Half of the 38 residential eating disorder treatment program participants did one hour of yoga prior to dinner for five days and the other half did not. The yoga group showed significant reductions in pre-meal anxiety compared to the control group.

Meditation and Music Aid Memory in Early Stages of Alzheimer’s

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new study from West Virginia University, in Morgantown, reveals that listening to music and practicing meditation may help improve memory function for those in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers asked 60 adults experiencing subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a common predictor of Alzheimer’s, to engage in kirtan kriya musical meditation or listen to other music for 12 minutes a day for three months, and then consider continuing for an additional three months. Scientists measured the memory and cognitive function of the 53 participants that completed the six-month study and found significant improvements in both measurements at the three-month mark. At six months, the subjects in both groups had maintained or improved upon their initial results.

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Tonsillectomies Help Only Temporarily

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esearchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in Nashville, Tennessee, examined the effectiveness of tonsillectomies in children with recurring throat infections. Using data from nearly 10,000 studies of tonsillectomies, the scientists analyzed illness rates and quality of life for young patients following the surgery.

The analysis found that children experienced a notable drop in school absences and infections in the first year after the surgery, but that these benefits did not persist over time. Dr. Siva Chinnadurai, an associate professor of otolaryngology and co-author of the report, believes, “For any child being considered a candidate for surgery, the family must have a personalized discussion with their healthcare provider about all of the factors that may be in play and how tonsils fit in as one overall factor of that child’s health.”

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healthbriefs

Beetroot Juice Helps Older Brains Act Younger

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Laser Dentistry “Creating New Smiles Every Day”

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• Nitrous oxide gas, oral sedation • Orthodontics • Cosmetic dentistry • It’s worth the trip!

We Now Offer Lip Tie & Tongue Tie Laser Revision

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eets contain high levels of dietary nitrate, which can increase blood flow and improve exercise performance. Researchers from Wake Forest University, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, tested the impact of consuming beetroot juice prior to exercise on the somatomotor cortex, the part of the brain that processes information from the muscles.

Twenty-six older adults with hypertension that generally don’t exercise were split into two groups. Half were given a beetroot juice supplement with 560 milligrams of nitrate prior to a thrice-weekly, 50-minute treadmill walk for six weeks. The other half were given a placebo with very little nitrate.

The beetroot juice group showed substantially higher levels of nitrate after exercising than the placebo group.

“We knew going in that a number of studies had shown that exercise has positive effects on the brain,” explains W. Jack Rejeski, director of the Behavioral Medicine Laboratory in the Health and Exercise Science Department at Wake Forest and study coauthor. “We showed that compared to exercise alone, adding a beetroot juice supplement for hypertensive older adults to exercise resulted in brain connectivity that closely resembles what is seen in younger adults.”

ecotip

Persistent redness? • PimPles?

ViSibLe bLooD VeSSeLS?

Get treatment for

Retired Volunteers Keep National Parks Humming Retirees are volunteering at hundreds of nationally protected lands. They staff visitor centers, do maintenance, clean up debris and remind visitors to keep food items secure from wildlife. Last year, volunteers outnumbered National Park Service staff about 20 to one, expanding the financially strapped agency’s ability to serve hundreds of millions of visitors.

Nearly a third of them are 54 and up, contributing to the 7.9 million service hours worked in 2015 by all 400,000 volunteers. Volunteer opportunities also exist at National Wildlife Refuge sites, fish hatcheries and endangered species field offices of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Sallie Gentry, volunteer coordinator for the Southeast Region, based in Atlanta, notes that Georgia’s Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge has a dozen designated spots for motor homes in its Volunteer Village. She says most volunteers are local retired residents whose working hours vary while RV volunteers commit to 20 hours a week for at least three months. In return, they get free hookups for electricity, sewage, propane and water. “They have skills they want to contribute, but are also looking for a social outlet,” notes Gentry. Cookouts and potlucks are common.

She also cites the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, an important migratory stop especially for songbirds, as a place with great appeal. “We supply uniforms, training, tools and orientations,” says Gentry. “It’s a mutually beneficial investment.” She suggests that individuals apply for specific sites at least a year in advance.

Megan Wandag, volunteer coordinator for the USFWS Midwest Region, based in Minneapolis, cites the popular Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, in Bloomington, and the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, near Des Moines, as “oases near urban areas.”

USFWS Southwest Region volunteer coordinator Juli Niemann highlights the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, in central New Mexico, that has 18 recreation vehicle spots and an average occupancy duration of five months. “It’s a prime wintering place for sandhill cranes.”

Elzbieta Sekowska/Shutterstock.com

Elder Force

acne-rosacea SPA De LAriSSA Offers:

• Topical formula • Intense “Blue light” high frequency • Oral supplement • Lymphatic drainage • Spectacular results!

• First evaluation is Free!

Larissa Smolen

SPA De LAriSSA 239-571-9900

3811 Airport Rd. N • Ste 201B • Naples, FL 34105

Volunteer.gov updates site details and contact information at federal facilities nationwide.

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globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.

Milk Muddle

Dudarev Mikhail/Shutterstock.com

The Aurora Organic Dairy pastures and feedlots north of Greeley, Colorado, are home to more than 15,000 cows—more than 100 times the size of a typical organic herd. It is the main facility of the company that supplies milk to Walmart, Costco and other major retailers.

They adhere to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic regulations, but critical weaknesses exist in the inspection system the government uses to ensure that food is organic; farmers are allowed to hire their own inspectors to certify them, and thus can fall short of reaching standards without detection.

Organic dairies are required to allow the cows to graze daily throughout the growing season rather than be confined to barns and feedlots. Although the USDA National Organic Program allows for an extremely wide range of grazing practices that comply with the rule, Aurora was observed onsite and via satellite imagery by the Washington Post as having only a small percentage of the herd outdoors on any given day.

The company disputes the data. U.S. organic dairy sales amounted to $6 billion last year; although it is more expensive to produce, the milk may command a premium price of 100 percent more than regular.

J.D.S./Shutterstock.com

Organic Milk Producer Under Pressure

Plutonium Problem Glass or Cement May Encase Nuclear Waste

Congress might consider authorizing the U.S. Department of Energy to encase much of the nuclear waste at the Washington state Hanford Nuclear Reservation, the nation’s largest waste repository, in a cement-like mixture, according to a new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. It states that when burying the waste, cement would be less expensive and faster than vitrification, an alternative process currently used to turn the waste into glass logs.

A $17 billion vitrification plant, one of the federal government’s most expensive construction projects, is intended to separate much of the waste into high- and low-level radioactive material, but construction has stalled over design and safety concerns.

After the highly radioactive waste is immobilized in the glass logs, it would theoretically be shipped to an as-yet-nonexistent national repository proposed for Yucca Mountain, in Nevada.

The 56 million gallons of waste in question is left over from plutonium production for nuclear weapons since World War II, and the site itself has a history of leaks. The Department of Energy likes the cement burial, but state officials believe the best way to safely deal with the waste and protect the environment is by turning it into glass.

Source: enews.earthlink.net

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Bat Banter

The Egyptian fruit bat is a highly social mammal that roosts in crowded colonies. A machine learning algorithm helped decode their squeaks, revealing that they speak to one another as individuals.

The research appears in the journal Scientific Reports.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University, in Israel, discovered that the bats exchange information about specific problems in four categories. Ramin Skibba, at Nature, notes that besides humans, only dolphins and a handful of other species are known to address individuals, rather than making broad, general communication sounds. Studies allow that it may eventually be possible to understand nuanced communications in other species.

Rolling Internet

Winnebago Assists Computer Literacy Librarian Shannon Morrison drives the Digibus, a new, 40-foot-long Winnebago computer classroom that hit the road in January bound for Fresno County, California, communities with the goal of bringing free computer literacy and job searching skills to the public. It employs 12 computer tablets with keyboards and staff that include bilingual interpreters. The library bus was scheduled to spend one week at each of two different communities each month.

Milkweed Mittens

Leene/Shutterstock.com

Common Weed Is Lightweight Insulator The Canadian Coast Guard is testing milkweed pods as a source of potential environmentally friendly insulation in partnership with Encore3, a manufacturing company in Québec, Canada, in prototype parkas, gloves and mittens. The plant is roughly five times lighter than synthetic insulation and hypoallergenic.

The Farm Between, in Cambridge, Vermont, harvests the plants and sends the material to Encore3. Co-owner John Hayden says, “Milkweed is grown as an intercrop between the rows in our apple orchard to increase biodiversity and provide a host plant for monarch caterpillars. Monarch populations are in serious decline, and the two things we can do to help on the land we steward are to not use pesticides and provide milkweed habitat.”

Abel Zyl/Shutterstock.com

Rosa Jay/Shutterstock.com

Computers Decipher Animal Language

Free Wheeling

Architecture Becomes Portable Innovative, moveable mini-houses, tents and wagons are gaining advocates amid a trend toward traveling light with style. Designs range from the functional to the outlandish, and also encompass forms of transport from tugboats to tractors. The four-wheeled Collingwood Shepherd Hut wagon has a shingled exterior and wood-burning stove.

Some options can provide ready shelter during a crisis or protection in extreme weather. The Rapid Deployment Module temporary dwelling can be assembled in an hour; DesertSeal’s inflatable, lightweight tent can ward off extreme heat.

The experimental Camper Kart turns a shopping cart into a mini-home with a roof, sleeping deck and storage, all of which can be folded right back into the cart. The Portaledge is a small hanging tent that climbers can affix to a rock face and sleep in safely partway up the rock. Golden Gate 2 camper features a rounded timber frame, portholes and a spot for a surfboard.

Find fun pictures at AtlasObscura.com/ articles/mobile-architecture-tiny-houses.

Easy Mark

kaipadhking/Shutterstock.com

Lasers Stamp Prices on European Produce Food retailers are aiming to cut plastic and cardboard packaging by ditching stickers on fruits and vegetables, instead using high-tech laser “natural branding” and creating huge savings in materials, energy and CO2 emissions. Pilot projects are underway in Europe with organic avocados, sweet potatoes and coconuts.

The technique uses a strong light to remove pigment from the skin of produce. The mark is invisible once the skin is removed and doesn’t affect shelf life or produce quality. The laser technology also creates less than 1 percent of the carbon emissions needed to produce a similar-sized sticker.

Source: The Guardian natural awakenings

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globalbriefs Toxic Practices

The Monsanto agrochemical company, long cited for its ubiquitous toxic Roundup herbicide and pro-genetically modified organism (GMO) science, is reeling from the disclosure of internal communications that indicate it suppressed knowledge of the potential dangers of its herbicide and received insider help from U.S. regulators.

Many documents have been made public by attorneys involved in a personal injury case involving cancer, just one of hundreds pending (reference nonprofit U.S. Right to Know at usrtk.org). Attorney Brent Wisner states, “These [documents] show that Monsanto has deliberately been stopping studies that look bad for them, ghostwriting literature and engaging in a whole host of corporate malfeasance. They have been telling everybody that these products are safe because regulators have said they are safe, but it turns out that Monsanto has been in bed with U.S. regulators, while misleading European regulators.”

Monsanto is currently seeking to merge with Germany’s Bayer AG, another industry giant, but the deal is subject to government review. It remains to be seen if these revelations will interfere with the process or prompt other actions by such regulating bodies as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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Monsanto Faces New Scandal

Experiential Ed

Gestalt-Based Curricula Emerging Finland, internationally renowned for innovative educational practices, is poised to become the first country to eliminate school subjects. Officials are making changes to be implemented by 2020 that will revolutionize how the school system works by allowing pupils to absorb a body of knowledge about language, economics and communication skills.

“We need something to fit for the 21st century,” says Department of Education head Marjo Kyllonen. The system will be introduced for seniors beginning at age 16. They will choose which topic or phenomenon they want to study, bearing in mind their ambitions and capabilities. “Instead of staying passively in their benches listening to the teachers, students will now often work in smaller groups collaborating on projects, rather than just assigned classwork and homework.”

Another new model of learning sparked by XQ: The Super School Project (xqsuperschool.org) is underway at New Harmony High School, housed on a floating barge at the mouth of the Mississippi River southeast of New Orleans. They’ve received a $10 million grant to work on environmental issues when it opens in 2018.

“High schools today are not preparing students for the demands of today’s world,” says XQ Senior School Strategist Monica Martinez; she notes that about a third of college students must take remedial courses and are not prepared to thrive as employees.

communityspotlight

The Entrepreneurial Journey of Melanie and Ken Nickels

by Lee Walker

T

“

wenty years from now, you “My husband Ken and I self-funded will be more disappointed by every step of the very expensive Raw the things that you didn’t do Hair Organics process, as well as the than by the ones you did do, so throw process for Rodz Hair and Groomoff the bowlines, sail away from a safe ing products for men. Now with Raw harbor, catch the trade winds in your Paws, our newest line of hand-formusails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Allated natural and organic pet products, though this quote from Mark Twain can we have a small investor. Many times inspire an entrepreneur to take action, we have been hanging by our nails it doesn’t remotely hint at the long and and worried about making it through. arduous journey from birthing an idea Fortunately, we have a lot of faith and Melanie and Ken Nickels to reaping financial rewards. keep pushing forward, knowing that Melanie Nickels’ concept for somehow we’ll make it,” says Nickels.

100 percent eco-friendly Raw Hair Organics products was For several years, people haven’t seen much of Melanie or the result of her husband’s cancer diagnosis in 2004. “That’s Ken. “I work 10 to 12 hours at the salon five days a week and when I first became aware of the dangers of exposing myself Ken works 24/7 on social media to promote and sell our prodand my clients to toxic chemicals. At home, my husband ucts. Although he and I are workaholics, we both know when and I acknowledged that we immediately needed to change we need to take time out to recharge. With his cancer scare and our lifestyle. I knew that I also needed to change my salon four years of treatment, we’re sensitive to knowing when we environment so that I could be toxin-free at work,” says the need to step back, recharge and regroup,” advises Nickels. owner of Raw Hair Organic Salon, in Naples.

When the Nickels begin to wonder if all their hard work Frustrated by the lack of organic products available loto make four product lines—Raw Hair Organics, Raw Curls, cally, Nickels recognized that she would have to make her Rodz Grooming for Men and Raw Paws—is worth it, they own. That realization was the beginning of a very complicated pause to remember and appreciate the messages and phone process. “It would have been far less difficult if I had wanted calls they get from satisfied customers. “Thankfully, we hear to make regular shampoo and conditioner. However, to make from people who tell us how our products have improved healthy hair care products, I needed to find the right ingretheir lives, as well as their pet’s health. It’s music to our ears dients, locate a formulator to develop the recipe, test it on and just what we need to inspire us to keep making a differpeople, correctly estimate how much product to produce and ence,” enthuses Nickels. find a manufacturing plant that would produce my products in smaller quantities, as well as develop a marketing plan and Raw Hair Organics is located at 2940 Immokalee Rd., Unit find retail outlets that would sell our first line of Raw Hair 4, in Naples. For more information call 239-597-0939 or Organics products for all types of hair,” explains Nickels. visit RawHairOrganics.com. See ad, page 18.

If You Are Reading This, So Are Your Potential Customers.

Contact us today for ad rates. 239-272-8155 natural awakenings

September 2017

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Cannabinoids

The Most-Studied Therapeutic Compounds on the Planet

by Linda Sechrist

H

undreds of abstracts published on the results of cannabis research can’t be wrong. The links to 567 of them posted on GreenMedInfo.com give viewers the opportunity to click their way to research that demonstrates the wide range of healing attributes and therapeutic properties of Cannabis sativa. This important herbaceous species, which was used in conventional medicine until the 1930s, is a virtual treasure trove of phytochemicals, antioxidants, essential oils and cannabinoids—a class of diverse chemical compounds that act on specialized receptor cells that repress neurotransmitter release in the brain.

In 2016, Frontiers in Plant Science named cannabis “the plant of the thousand-and-one molecules.” From the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, in Germany, to Israel’s prestigious Hebrew University, in Jerusalem, which opened a cannabis research center and joined a consortium of 19 research teams at local academic institutions to study cannabinoids, the compounds of Cannabis sativa have become the most studied group of compounds on the planet. One of the most active of these cannabinoids is cannabidiol.

Referred to as CBD, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration legalized it in 2014 and categorized it as a supplement.

It was the discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) by Israeli chemist Raphael Mechoulam, a leading pioneer in cannabis research at Hebrew University, that first alerted medical science to the largest receptor system in humans, and the fact that the human brain produces its own cannabinoids that stimulate this receptor system. This revelation is essentially what legitimized the study of a substance previously only on the margins of scientific research.

The reason that Cannabis sativa works so efficiently is because of the human body’s ECS and its series of receptors that are configured only to accept cannabinoids, especially tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Until recently, the focus was largely on THC, because of its mind-altering effects. That focus has now shifted, due to the fact that CBD, the major non-psychoactive component of Cannabis sativa, has acquired a long list of medical benefits. According to a 2013 study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, CBD acts as an anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, antioxidant, antiemetic, anxiolytic and antipsychotic agent, and is therefore a potential remedy for the treatment of neuro-inflammation, epilepsy, oxidative injury, vomiting and nausea, anxiety and schizophrenia.

“To activate the body’s endocannabinoid system, an individual needs to consume a minimum of 20 milligrams of CBD per day. We suggest front loading for four to five days to activate the system by taking 20 milligrams three times per day.

Then find the milligram strength that works for the specific condition. Begin with more than needed to get desired results. After you get relief, reduce the strength and frequency to find the dosage that works

best for the individual condition,” says Walter Wright. He is the Marketing Director for Wright Marketing & Consulting, and a spokesperson for Sunshine Global Services, a producer of premium, highly researched hemp CBD and skincare products backed by a minimum of three independent lab tests and field testing. They are the first in the Eastern United States to achieve a completely THC-free (no traces) phytocannabinoid-rich hemp oil.

Some scientific reports even demonstrate that CBD benefits include antiproliferative, proapoptotic effects that inhibit cancer cell migration, adhesion and invasion. A 2006 study published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics found that CBD selectively and potently inhibited the growth of different breast tumor cell lines and exhibited significantly less potency in non-cancer cells.

In the future, it is possible that cannabis-based remedies may take their rightful place in the worldwide pharmacopeia once again. In the meantime, with the proliferation of CBD products in health food stores and online, it is important to research the quality and potency of what is offered.

Read labels and look for thirdparty International Organization for Standardization (ISO) lab testing for purity, as well as supercritical CO2 closed-clod extraction, a non-toxic and environmentally friendly botanical oil extraction method. Laboratories that are ISO-accredited have demonstrated that they are technically competent and able to produce precise and accurate test and/or calibration data.

For more information about CBD, call 800-334-1236 or visit SunshineGlobal Health.com. See ad, page 35.

Cannabinoids: a class of diverse chemical compounds that act on specialized receptor cells that repress neurotransmitter release in the brain.

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Dream Jobs Do Exist Four Florida Academy Massage Therapist Graduates Find Life-Changing Careers

by Lillie Viola

A

s reported by USA Today, women and men looking for a dream career want work that offers opportunities for flexibility, living a better balanced life and a chance to learn. Judi Austin, Zaiden Shannon, Paige Prather and James Miller, all graduates of the Florida Academy, in Fort Myers, found dream jobs that afforded them each of these opportunities.

In the Right Place

to feeling better than pain pills.

“I didn’t realize I had a calling until studying massage. My life has changed dramatically, and I love the instant gratification I get from making people feel better on my massage table. No one has to wait for the effects of a pain pill to kick in,” says Prather.

Right Timing

Judith Austin

Austin often imagined working as a massage therapist. Even before graduating from Florida Academy in 2016, she had her eye on a job at the New American Physical Fitness and Aquatic Center outpatient rehabilitation center.

“Before relocating to Okeechobee for my dream job, I was a ‘Jill of all trades’. I’d worked in banking, bookkeeping, electrical distribution and truck driving. That Zaiden Shannon visit to the academy campus and admissions counselor told me exactly where I belonged. Now I even have my dream vehicle; a fully loaded, garnet red 2016 Nissan Rogue. Her name is Ruby,” enthuses Austin.

Holistic Lifestyle Extension

For Shannon, a Cape Coral resident, stepping into a massage therapy career at ‘Tween Waters Inn, on Captiva Island, was a natural extension of her holistic lifestyle. “Prior to the academy, I attended the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, in Arizona, and studied nutrition. I taught yoga and meditation and worked with clients on their overall health. I can’t believe that I once thought of massage as a luxury. Now I understand the medical and spiritual healing benefits,” she says.

A Way Out of a Dead-End Job

Before Prather became a massage therapist at Humble Chiropractic, in Fort Myers, she had worked as a pharmaceutical technician, home health aid and medical assistant. “I was stuck in a dead-end job in a pain management office. I’d had a lot of medical office experience, and came to the conclusion that there had to be other answers

James Miller’s sister, a 2001 Florida Academy graduate, never gave up on encouraging him to follow in her footsteps. “Back then, I preferred working in the restaurant business as a manager for Pizza Hut, until Jamie finally convinced me,” says the Cape Coral resident who worked as a massage therapist at a salon and day Spa in Fort Myers after graduation, certification and licensing.

Now he is a sole proprietor who also works on call for Zeel.com, an online service that provides sameJames Miller day, in-home massage therapy. “One of the academy teachers, who are all top-notch, helpful, supportive and encouraging, recommended me for my first job.”

Austin, Shannon, Prather and Miller look forward to learning additional massage techniques through the academy’s continuing education classes. “I’ve taken a class in lymphatic drainage and am going to take one in Trager, which uses gentle, rocking massage to help release the body’s harmful holding patterns. As massage therapists, we all want to have a toolbox full of techniques that can ease our client’s discomfort,” advises Miller.

“I think that a growing number of individuals see massage therapy as a dream job because it allows them to not only build a business and design it for their own needs, but also to experience a sense of purpose in helping others,” says L.J. Zielke, Florida Academy president and co-owner.

Paige Prather

Florida Academy is located at Colonial Center at 4387 Colonial Blvd., in Ft. Myers. For more information, call 239-4892282 or 800-324-9543 or visit Florida-Academy.edu. See ad, page 11. natural awakenings

September 2017

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FLOATING AWAY STRESS Isolation Tanks Induce Deep Rest and Healing

by Gina McGalliard

S

ensory isolation in a floatation tank is known for inducing deep relaxation with subsequent improved health. A 2014 study published in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry investigating the effects of a series of flotation tank treatments for 65 participants, showed it to be an effective measure in decreasing stress, depression, anxiety and pain, while enhancing a sense of optimism and quality of sleep.

The Book of Floating: Exploring the Private Sea, by Michael Hutchison, reports on 20th-century research suggesting the therapy can help allay ailments like chronic pain, migraines

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and sore muscles. There’s also evidence for enhanced meditation, creativity and spiritual experiences.

Float therapy was invented by Dr. John C. Lilly, a neurophysiology specialist. The individual enters an enclosed tank containing 11 inches of water heated to 93.5 degrees—a normal temperature for human skin— and some 1,000 pounds of dissolved Epsom salt. The effect is like buoyantly floating in the Dead Sea, but in a clean, quiet, private realm. The water is typically filtered three to five times between each session and sanitized using UV light; some also use peroxide and ozone gas to purify the water.

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wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com

healingways

Without any sensory input—no sight, sound or tactile sensations—the floater typically enters a profound deeply calm state of theta brain waves that tends to bring the subconscious to the surface. It can take experienced meditators years to learn to consistently achieve this condition, remarks Bryan Gray, of Float North County, a spa in Solana Beach, California.

Ultimate Meditation Venue

Scientific research has shown that floating can release the feel-good neurotransmitters endorphins and dopamine, and lower the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol.

Studies performed by the Laureate Institute of Brain Research, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which maintains a float clinic, have found the therapy is an effective treatment for patients with anxiety disorders.

“It frees your mind of distraction and puts it in a zone,” explains Gray. “It removes the need for fight or flight, so those hormones are reduced. That part of the brain mellows out.”

Marvelous Magnesium

Lying for an hour in water infused with Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate, the body receives a huge infusion of magnesium, a mineral essential to optimal health. While calcium and vitamin D deficiencies get more attention, it’s even more likely most of us are low on this element due to magnesiumdepleting drugs and inadequate farm soils. Many ailments shown by research to be helped by floating have also been linked to magnesium deficiency.The mineral is also essential for heart health, strong bones and central

nervous system function, as reported in The Magnesium Miracle, by Dr. Carolyn Dean, a physician and naturopath in Kihei, Hawaii.

Wide-Ranging Healings

Chronic pain sufferers often find relief through floating because the lessened gravity allows the body to fully relax.

The accompanying serenity releases the brain’s natural endorphins, which act as natural painkillers, into the bloodstream, reports Hutchison.

The sheer tranquility of floating can alleviate some mental health issues. “We’ve treated several people with post-traumatic stress disorder. One man has returned six times and says he’s advanced more in the last three months while floating than he did in the prior five to 10 years,” says Andy Larson, owner of Float Milwaukee.

Athletes also appreciate floating because it shortens injury recovery periods through enhancing blood flow, helping to heal sore muscles. The way it facilitates a calm state ideal for implanting ideas into the subconscious mind enables them to better visualize improved performance.

Discoveries Within

Gina McGalliard is a freelance writer in San Diego, CA. Connect at GinaMcGalliard.com.

ACUPUNCTURE & ORIENTAL MEDICINE Acupuncture stimulates the body’s ability to heal, mend and repair ~ all on its own!

• Pain • Chronic Disorders • Overall Wellness • Kinesiology • NAET Allergy Treatments • Chinese Medicine

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Promoting Wellness in SW Florida for Over 20 Years

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Floaters can fall into what sleep specialists call the hypnagogic state, meaning they are apt to have lucid dreams while awake. Also known as Stage 1 sleep, it is the drowsiest condition we experience while still consciously aware. This is the scientific explanation for reports of visions or “Eureka!” problem-solving moments in the tank, says Hutchison.

This phenomenon can be especially beneficial for creative artists.

“We have a girl that always emerges from the tank with an idea for a new painting,” says Gray. He also regularly hosts a composer that has worked with famous singers, who has experienced innovative musical breakthroughs while floating.

Floating is among the rare healing modalities that can benefit body, mind and spirit in just one hour, with repeat benefits.

Gulf Coast Acupuncture

239.841.6611 • GulfCoastAcupuncture.com Ft. Myers: 6249 Presidential Ct Suite E

or Naples: 1250 Tamiami Tr. N. #301

natural awakenings

September 2017

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GROW Your Business Secure this special ad placement!

For more information about advertising

Contact us for more information.

and how you

can participate in Natural Awakenings of Collier/Lee Counties, call

239-272-8155.

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Local Residents Reflect upon their Flotation Experiences

by Linda Sechrist

W

hen Jeff Delaney talks about float therapy, the tone and volume of his voice, as well as the smile on his face, are immediate clues to how he feels about it. The vice president and co-founder of NUVIVA Medical Weight Loss Clinic, in Naples, has been doing float therapy once a week for a year and feels that the affects of the modality are amplified when he follows it with a massage that incorporates the active release technique (ART). This type of soft tissue therapy helps relieve tight muscles and nerve trigger points.

Therapy For Tight Muscles and Athletic Injuries

“The first time I floated two years ago, I knew when I exited the tank that I needed a second experience to truly evaluate the benefits.

After the second session, in which Jeff Delaney I fell asleep for 45 minutes, I felt as refreshed as if I’d slept for hours,” says Delaney, a fitness coach and body builder who trains hard six days a week. “Floating before a massage releases the tension in my muscles, makes them more pliable and

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allows the massage therapist to more easily break up any adhesions,” says Delaney, who also schedules a weekly chiropractor appointment as part of his self-care regimen.

Defying Gravity

Another exuberant floater who uses floatation therapy to defy gravity once a week is Melissa Wells. “I have a standing appointment at Naples Neuromuscular every Melissa Wells Wednesday at 10 a.m. When I get out of the floatation tank, I feel so Zen,” quips the owner of MW A Pilates Studio, in Naples. “Initially, it takes about three float sessions to get into the relaxation groove. I’m a pretty peaceful person, and I’ve noticed that floating intensifies my inner sense of peace.”

Mind Exploration

Scott Campbell, a Naples resident, floats regularly for a different purpose than defying gravity or releasing muscle tension. “The float tank is the best environment for meditation, mind exploration and expanding consciousness. It’s

secluded, dark and quiet. The sensory deprivation helps the mind to slow down its activity,” says Campbell, who also appreciates the physiological benefits.

Campbell Scott Campbell first learned about sensory deprivation tanks when he began reading about astral projection and lucid dreaming. Although he has never seen the 1980 film Altered States, which was based on John C. Lilly’s sensory deprivation research conducted in isolation tanks under the influence of psychoactive drugs, he jokes that he has seen an episode of The Simpsons in which the character Homer expands his horizons by visiting a Karma-ceuticals Shop where he floats. “The results of floating are compounded. The more I have floated, the better my dream recall, mental clarity, sleep and meditation. If I spend too much time away from the tank, I definitely notice.”

Releases Stress

“Releasing hormones, undoing the effects of stress and increasing your blood flow are just some of the benefits that floatation therapy provides,” says Tabatha Petersen, Tabatha Petersen owner of Naples Massage & Neuromuscular, where Delaney, Wells and Campbell float. “If I’m having a stressful week, I float every day. I encourage clients to float to relax, reduce pain, ease anxiety, reset muscles, open up joint space and release feelgood hormones that continue circulating in the body as many as five days after floating. The float tank helps your body to remember its state of balance, something we all need,” says Peterson.

Naples Massage & Neuromuscular is located at 5926 Premier Way, Ste. 134, in Naples. For more information, call 239325-9410 or visit NaplesMassage.net.

See ad, page 7. natural awakenings

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FABULOUS FAN FARE Healthy Tailgating Foods to Cheer For

by Judith Fertig

E

at, play, party… and repeat. We may call it tailgating, fangating, homegating, a watch party or simply eating with friends before a big game. According to the American Tailgaters Association, in St. Paul, Minnesota, an estimated 50 million Americans tailgate annually.

Whether we’re on the road or at home, making the menu healthy is a winning strategy for hosts and guests. Here, two experts divulge their winning ways.

Says Debbie Moose, author of Fan Fare: A Playbook of Great Recipes for Tailgating or Watching the Game at Home, Ivy League schools like Princeton and Yale claim credit for pregame picnics that 19th-century sports fans packed into their horse and buggy for local road trips. Moose lives in the tailgate trifecta of the North Carolina triangle, home to Duke, North Carolina and Wake Forest universities. She enjoyed discovering that University of Washington

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

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photos by Stephen Blancett

consciouseating

sports fans from the Seattle area like to sail to their chosen picnic spots, while University of Hawaii folks grill fish on hibachis in Honolulu.

Moose naturally prefers healthy, Southern-style fare such as deviled eggs and marinated green bean salad, which can be served hot, cold or at room temperature. “At the game or at home, your guests will be moving around, so go for foods that can be eaten with one hand,” she suggests.

She also plans her menu around color, universal appeal and variety because it’s healthier than just serving a mound of barbecued chicken wings and a big bowl of potato chips. She likes recipes that can do double duty; her black bean summer salad with cherry tomatoes and corn can function as a colorful side dish or as a salsa for nonGMO blue corn chips. “Recipes that you can do ahead of time make things easier on game day; just pull them from the fridge and go,” says Moose.

Daina Falk, of New York City, grew up around professional athletes because her father, David Falk, is a well-known sports agent. Excitement-generating sports are in her blood and inspired her to write The Hungry Fan’s Game Day Cookbook. She knows that most of the tailgating in her area takes place for football and baseball games and NASCAR races. On HungryFan.com, Falk serves up tips for every fangating/homegating occasion, from the Kentucky Derby to the Super Bowl.

“Keep your menu interesting,” says Falk. “I always like to feature a dish for each team. For instance, if you’re hosting an Alabama versus Washington watch party, you could feature an Alabama barbecue dish with white sauce and

oysters or other fresh seafood. Both dishes are characteristic of the local foods in the universities’ respective hometowns.”

Falk recommends buying more local beer than needed to make sure not to run out.

Game day guests can get hot and thirsty, indoors or out. Supply lots of filtered water in non-breakable containers.

For easy entertaining, Falk recommends biodegradable dishes and cups.

“Whenever there are a lot of people in one room, especially when they’re drinking, a glass will likely be broken,” she says. “Save yourself cleanup and the risk of glass shards by committing to temporary cups and plates that are Earth-friendly and compostable.”

Chilled Red Bell Pepper Soup Yields: 4 small servings Quadruple this recipe to make soup for a larger gathering. Serve in small sipping cups—cold for games in hot weather or hot for games in cold weather.

to 10 minutes or just until the beans are bright green; do not overcook.

Judith Fertig writes cookbooks and foodie fiction from Overland Park, KS (JudithFertig.com).

Pour the beans and hot water over the onions in the colander. Rinse under cold running water to cool down. Drain well for a few minutes.

Healthy Tailgating

Place the beans and onions in a large bowl or large re-sealable plastic bag.

Pour the dressing in and mix with the vegetables.

RECIPES

Crowd-Pleasing Marinated Green Beans Yields: 8 servings This simple salad is easy to double or triple. Make it the day before the game and refrigerate. /2 large red onion, thinly sliced 1 /3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 /4 cup herb-flavored white wine vinegar or regular white wine vinegar Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed, but left long 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Place the sliced onions in a colander over the sink.

In a small bowl, stir together the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper until combined. Stir in the garlic. Set aside.

When the water comes to a boil, add the green beans. Cover and cook for 5

Refrigerate four hours or overnight, stirring or shaking occasionally.

Let come to room temperature before serving.

Courtesy of Debbie Moose, Fan Fare: A Playbook of Great Recipes for Tailgating or Watching the Game at Home.

1 red bell pepper, stemmed 1 /2 cup low-fat Greek or dairy-free yogurt 1 /4 yellow onion 2 Tbsp tomato paste 1 small/mini-cucumber 1 /4 cup rice vinegar 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard 4 large garlic cloves 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Garnish: Flat leaf (Italian) parsley (minced optional) Roasted and salted pumpkin seeds Blend all main ingredients, except garnish, in a high-speed blender into purée.

Serve topped with the parsley and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.

Adapted from Daina Falk’s HungryFan.com.

Black Bean Summer Salad Yields: 8 side dishes or 4 light meals This salad is easily doubled to feed a crowd.

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and well drained 5 or 6 green onions, white and green parts, chopped 1 large sweet banana pepper, seeded and chopped 11/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp lime juice 21/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp chili powder Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 /3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

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In a large bowl, toss together the corn, black beans, green onions, banana pepper and tomatoes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, chili powder, salt and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat them all. Then stir in the cilantro.

Refrigerate from 1 to 3 hours to let the flavors come together.

Note: If using frozen corn, drain it well and lightly sauté in a couple of teaspoons of olive oil before adding it to the salad.

This removes moisture that may make the salad watery.

Courtesy of Debbie Moose, Southern Holidays: A Savor the South Cookbook.

Vegetarian-Friendly Barbecue Cauliflower Nuggets Yields: 8 appetizer servings Plant-based barbecue is a home run or touchdown.

1 head of cauliflower 1 cup all-purpose or gluten-free flour 1 Tbsp barbecue spice blend 1 cup nut milk of choice 1 cup tomato-based barbecue sauce Accompaniment: Dipping sauce of choice Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

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Glass Rimmer: Lime wedges (plus more for serving) 2 Tbsp kosher salt 1 /2 tsp chili powder

Rinse and separate cauliflower florets into small- to medium-sized pieces.

Michelada: 1 (32 oz) bottle of chilled Clamato (about 4 cups) 1 (32 oz) bottle or 3 (12 oz) bottles chilled Mexican lager 1 /2 cup fresh lime juice 11/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp bottled hot sauce 1 tsp bottled Maggi Seasoning

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the barbecue spice, flour and nut milk until smooth.

Remove the cauliflower from the baking sheet and plate alongside a dipping sauce of your choice.

Adapted from Daina Falk’s HungryFan.com.

Michelada Yields: 8 servings Mix this cocktail in a pitcher and serve over ice. Part bloody Mary and part beer, the umami flavor comes from Maggi Seasoning, a bottled condiment available at better grocery stores.

Rub rims of pint glasses with lime wedges and dip in salt mixture. Set aside.

Mix Clamato, lager, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and Maggi Seasoning in a large pitcher. Fill glasses with ice, top off with Michelada mixture and garnish with added lime wedges.

Adapted from Judith Fertig’s 500 Mexican Dishes.

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Dredge each piece of cauliflower in the batter before placing it on the baking sheet.

Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Brush the cauliflower with barbecue sauce and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes.

For the glass rimmer, mix the kosher salt and chili powder on a small plate.

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Finding Fulfillment, Creativity and Meaning

by Deborah Shouse

W

ant to age well? The answer isn’t in your 401k.

Self-acceptance, a positive attitude, creative expression, purposeful living and spiritual connections all anchor successful and meaningful aging. In fact, these kinds of preparations are just as important as saving money for retirement, according to Ron Pevny, director of the Center for Conscious Eldering, in Durango, Colorado, and author of Conscious Living, Conscious Aging.

Savor Self-Acceptance

While most people believe adulthood is the final stage of life, Dr. Bill Thomas is among the creative aging experts that identify another life chapter: elderhood. “Elders possess novel ways of approaching time, money, faith and relationships,” says Thomas, an Ithaca, New York geriatrician and fierce advocate for the value of aging.

“The best chapters may be near the end of the book,” Thomas continues. “Once you appreciate yourself and your years, you can relinquish outdated expectations and seek to discover your true self. Then the world can open up to you,” says Thomas. “Living a rewarding life means we are willing to say, ‘These chapters now are the most interesting.’” During this time, rather than feeling consumed by what we have to do, we can focus on what we want to do.

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Fill the Funnel of Friends

For older people, relationships offer foundational connections; but as we age, friends may drift away, relocate or die.

“Successful aging requires refilling our funnel of friends,” says Thomas, who considers socially engaged elders with friends wealthier than a socially isolated millionaire.

“Notice opportunities for interacting and connecting,” advises Shae Hadden, co-founder of The Eldering Institute in Vancouver, Canada. Talk with the checkout person at the grocery store or smile at a stranger walking her dog.

Cultivate a Positive Attitude

Our beliefs about aging shape our experiences. A Yale University study found that older individuals with more positive self-perceptions of aging lived 7.5 years longer than those less so inclined.

Connecting with positive role models helps us release limiting beliefs and embrace an attitude of gratitude instead.

Other life lessons can be gleaned from observing how negativity affects people physically, emotionally, and socially.

Holding onto regrets traps us in the past zapping energy and self-worth; it also keeps the best in us from shining out says Pevny. He suggests a simple letting-go ceremony, with friends as witnesses. If possible, hold it in a natural outdoor setting.

Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com

Aging with Passion and Purpose

Understand Our Life Stories

Creating our own life review helps us acknowledge and understand our most significant experiences and reminds us of all we’re bringing to our elder journey.

Pevny offers these approaches: n Develop a timeline, dividing life into seven-year sections. For each, write about the strongest memories and most influential people. n Consider what matters most, from people and values to challenges and dreams. n Write to children and grandchildren, sharing tales of our life’s most significant events and lessons. n Record key stories on audio or video.

Explore the Arts

The changes that aging brings can mire elders in depression and isolation. “Older people need to be brave and resilient,” says Susan Perlstein, of Brooklyn, New York, founder emeritus of the National Center for Creative Aging, in Washington, D.C., and founder of Elders Share the Arts, in New York City. “To age creatively, we need a flow of varied experiences, exploring new activities or reframing longtime interests from a fresh perspective.”

Expressive arts can engage people’s minds, bodies and spirits. A George Washington University study shows that people engaged in the arts are happier and healthier. Perlstein understands this firsthand, having begun taking guitar lessons in her 70s. Motivated to play simple songs for her new granddaughter, she subsequently learned to play jazz and blues tunes and joined a band.

“I’m doing something I love,” says Perlstein. “I’m meeting diverse people, learning new things and enjoying a rich life.”

EdBockStock/Shutterstock.com

At one of his conscious aging retreats, Pevny created a fire circle. Mike, 70, had been a dedicated long-distance runner for most of his life. Now plagued with mobility issues, Mike decided to let go of regrets. He brought a pair of running shorts into the circle and talked about what the sport had meant to him—its joys, challenges and camaraderie. Then he tossed the shorts into the fire, telling his friends, “I am letting go so I can find a new purpose and passion.”

The answers can lead to fresh settings, including local community centers and places of worship. Many universities have extension classes for lifelong learners. State arts councils support programs, and museums and libraries host helpful activities. Shepherd Centers encourage community learning and Road Scholar caters to elders that prefer to travel and study.

Discover a Purpose Older people are our Upon retirement some people feel greatest resource. We need purposeless and lost. They yearn for that offers up excitement, to nurture them and give something energy and joy. Hadden invites people them a chance to share to be curious and explore options.

“We’re designing our future around what they know. who we are and what we care about ~Susan Perlstein, founder, National Center for Creative Aging and Elders Share the Arts

Musician John Blegen, of Kansas City, Missouri, was 73 when he realized his lifelong secret desire to tap dance.

When Blegen met the then 87-year-old Billie Mahoney, Kansas City’s “Queen of Tap,” he blurted out his wish and fear of being “too old.” She just laughed and urged him to sign up for her adult beginner class. He asked for tap shoes for Christmas and happily shuffle-stepped his way through three class sessions.

“Tap class inspired me, encouraged me and gave me hope,” he says.

“Now I can shim sham and soft shoe.

It’s a dream come true.”

To unearth the inner artist, ask: n Which senses do I most like to engage? n Do I enjoy looking at art or listening to music? Do I like sharing feelings and experiences? If so, a thrill may come from writing stories or plays, acting or storytelling. n As a child, what did I yearn to do; maybe play the piano, paint or engineer a train set? Now is the time to turn those dreams into reality. n How can I reframe my life in a positive way when I can no longer do activities I love? If dancing was my focus before, how do I rechannel that energy and passion? If puttering in the garden is too strenuous, what other outdoor interests can I pursue?

now,” she says.

Try keeping a journal for several weeks. Jot down issues and ideas that intrigue, aggravate and haunt. After several weeks, reflect on the links between concerns that compel and those that irritate.

Perhaps we’re intrigued by a certain group of people or a compelling issue.

“A concern points to problems and people you want to help,” Hadden observes. This can range from lending a hand to struggling family members, maintaining our own health, volunteering for a literacy project or working to reduce world hunger. “Choose what inspires you to get out of bed each day, eager to move into action.”

Develop Inner Frontiers

People in their elder years may still be measured by midlife standards, which include physical power, productivity and achievement. “They come up short in the eyes of younger people,” dharma practitioner Kathleen Dowling Singh remarks. “But those standards do not define a human life.”

Rather, aging allows us to disengage from the pressures of appearances and accomplishments. As we release judgments and unwanted habits, we can increase our feelings of spirituality and peace. “When doors in the outer world seem to be closing, it’s time to cultivate inner resources that offer us joy and meaning. We have the beautiful privilege of slowing down and hearing what our heart is saying,” says Singh, of Sarasota, Florida.

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Photographee.eu/Shutterstock.com

Meditation is one way to deepen spiritually as we age. “Sit in solitude, gather your scattered thoughts and set an intention,” Singh suggests. “A daily practice shows what peace, silence and contentment feel like. As you become more comfortable, add time until you’re sitting for 20 to 40 minutes.”

Acknowledge Our Shelf Life

“We cannot speak about aging and awakening without speaking about death and dying,” Singh believes. “We need to confront our mortality.”

Meditating on the coming transition opens us up to the blessings of life. We can ask ourselves deep questions such as, “What am I doing? What do I want?

What does this all mean? What is spirit?”

Singh believes such searching questions are vital. None of us knows how much Earth time we have to awaken to a deeper, fuller experience of the sacred.

Help the World In today’s world of chaos and crisis, the wisdom of elders is more important than ever. “Older people need to be engaged, using their insights to help the Earth, community and world,” Pevny says. Creative aging is about improving the future for subsequent generations.

In 2008, longtime educator Nora Ellen Richard, 70, of Overland Park, Kansas, wanted to be of greater service. She

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respect, appreciation and celebration, and says, “As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned how vital it is to nurture the world I am in.”

Deborah Shouse is a writer, speaker, editor and dementia advocate. Her newest book is Connecting in the Land of Dementia: Creative Activities to Explore Together. Connect at DementiaJourney.org.

Nearly three-quarters of America’s adults believe they are lifelong learners. It helps them make new friends and community connections and prompts volunteerism.

Creative Aging Resources

~Pew Research Center

The Eldering Institute Eldering.org

asked herself, “What if I housed a foreign student?” and found the International Student Homestay Program. She embarked upon an exploration of cultures from around the world without leaving home.

Today, Richard has hosted more than a dozen female students and each relationship has expanded and enriched her life. “We talk about politics, food, religion and cultures; we even pray together,” Richard says. She points to memorable moments of bonding and

Elders Share the Arts Estanyc.org

swfl.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com

Center for Conscious Eldering CenterForConsciousEldering.com Changing Aging ChangingAging.org Dr. Bill Thomas DrBillThomas.org

From Aging to Sageing Sage-ing.org Kathleen Dowling Singh KathleenDowlingSingh.com National Center for Creative Aging CreativeAging.org Shepherd’s Centers of America ShepherdCenters.org

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Local Health Practitioners Model Graceful Aging Behaviors

by Linda Sechrist

L

ongevity has been proclaimed by the United Nations as the most significant social transformations of the 21st century. With 108,729,506 adults now over the age of 50, according to a 2014 U.S. Census, and a wealth of information available on how to live and thrive as a wise elder, unlimited possibilities exist for the individuals that are aging to leave behind a legacy of graceful aging behavior for younger generations to emulate.

Natural Awakenings asked seven local health practitioners to shed light on their personal legacy of graceful aging.

Making Peace With What Is

Deb Post, owner of Wellbridges Health Center, in Bonita Springs, is open and curious about anything that concerns nature and the human body, but pays little heed to keeping up with social media.

“Nature is so wonderful. I love surrounding myself with plants and animals. At age 40 and again at age 60, I backpacked in the Deborah Post wild with a group of people who were attempting to connect with what was important in their lives. It was my way of reflecting on my life and contemplating how I feel about death. Both times, the depth of those experiences and the sharing profoundly impacted me. My curiosity and willingness to look at things deeply is important to me because aging requires that we make peace with what is,” explains the advanced registered nurse practitioner.

Releasing Stress

To help insure his longevity, Dr. Jake Berman, owner of Berman Physical Therapy, in Naples, maintains his health by minimizing the number of times that he eats at restaurants, because he avoids GMOs and processed foods. His fitness regimen includes lifting weights and cardiovascular exercise five times Dr. Jake Berman per week. To supplement his diet, he takes vitamin C, fish oil, glutamine and green tea extract, and tries to drink a gallon of water every day. To restore his body, he sleeps a minimum of seven hours. “I balance my work and family time. But most importantly, I don’t allow stress to stay in my life,” says Berman.

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A Ketogenic Diet

Dr. Christine Hoch, owner of Fort Myers Chiropractic Studio, follows a modified ketogenic (highprotein/low-carb) diet, not only to keep her body burning fat for fuel rather than sugar, but to also to stabilize her mood and energy.

“This means that I eliminate sugar and starches from my diet. I daily Dr. Christine Hoch consume five servings of vegetables, two or three servings of protein and 1one or two servings of fruit. I also supplement my diet with a good multivitamin and several other key nutrients,” she says. “I move my body daily by walking, bike riding, swimming or working out in the gym. I work hard in my practice, but I also play hard by having fun and doing what I love, playing tennis, traveling and attending music concerts. I make sure I get six to eight hours of restful sleep each night.”

Reducing Inflammation

The owner of Root Causes Holistic Health Medicine and Integrative Skincare, in Fort Myers, Doreen DeStefano keeps stress to a minimum by working out, practicing yoga and getting enough sleep.

“Stress is a huge aging factor, which creates inflammation, increases blood pressure, wrinkles Doreen DeStefano the skin, turns hair gray and reduces blood flow. I counteract that with regular nutrient, vitamin and glutathione IV therapy and injections.

I get a monthly facial, do peptide injections a few times a year and get into the hyperbaric oxygen chamber as often as possible, because it reduces inflammation and increases blood flow and oxygenation in the brain,” advises DeStefano.

“Diet is the cornerstone of my graceful aging regimen.

I eat a mostly plant-based diet, with some occasional wild fish and free-range beef and chicken. I also take supplements, and detox seasonally,” says the licensed esthetician and licensed registered nurse.

For fun, DeStefano likes to be outdoors and get her hands and feet dirty in her garden. “In nature, it’s easy to remember that as long as everyone in my family is healthy, the rest is details,” she notes.

Maintaining Physical and Mental Capacity Jay Weitzner, a certified medical exercise specialist and owner of Symmetry, in Naples, is aging gracefully by maintaining his physical and mental capacity to the greatest degree possible for as long as possible. “My plan is simple. I weight train and perform cardiovascular exercises five to seven days a week. I read and study weekly,” remarks Weitzner.

Jay Weitzner

Of utmost importance in his daily routine is the time that he spends with his son. “For graceful maturation, I put myself in uncomfortable situations that allow for personal growth. I also study science instead of gossip and I eat healthy every day,” he says.

Loving What You Do

Christina Carlin, a licensed massage therapist and ayurvedic practitioner, is the owner of the Ayurveda, Massage & Yoga Institute, in Naples. She has been following a consistent daily routine of meditation, yoga, breath exercises, neti cleansing, dry brushing to keep lymph moving and ayurvedic daily oil massage (abhyanga ) since Christina Carlin she was a teenager. “Coconut oil in the summer helps to cool the body, while the heavier sesame oil in the winter warms the body,” explains Carlin.

Carlin feels that the time she spends in her home environment is a mini-vacation. “I am content and happy, which I feel is very important to graceful living. Most importantly, I deal with any stress right away and don’t procrastinate. I maintain a positive environment with friends and like-minded people that enrich my simple, but very happy life.”

Carlin takes time annually for seven days of panchakarma, comprising ayurveda’s five therapeutic treatments that are done in conjunction with a special detoxification diet. Treatments eliminate toxins from the body.

We are not victims of aging, sickness and death. These are part of the scenery, not the seer, who is immune to any form of change.

This seer is the spirit, the expression of eternal being. ~Deepak Chopra

Aging has a wonderful beauty and we should have respect for that. ~Eartha Kitt

Gratitude and Laughter

Terri Evans, a licensed acupuncturist and doctor of Oriental medicine, is the owner of TAE Healthy Aging Center, in Naples. She considers gratitude and appreciation as essential states of mind and heart, which are important to her graceful aging.

“I incorporate as much gratitude and appreciation as I can muster every Terri Evans day. Even in the worst circumstances, I dig deep to reach an attitude of gratitude. I love the vibration of gratitude that ripples deep into my core and then ripples out as the vibration of love, the highest and only energetic vibration that leads to healing and freedom.

Gratitude can get me back to love.”

Laughter, of course, is the icing on Evans’ cake. “I seek to achieve at least one belly laugh daily and strive to also help others achieve the same,” she says.

Anti-aging comments by individuals in the business of creating health and wellness are a reminder that energy is better spent on working for something than against it.

Local Resources

Ayurveda, Massage & Yoga Institute, 501 Goodlette Rd. N., Ste. A107, Naples. 239-450-6903.

Berman Physical Therapy, 501 Goodlette Rd., Ste. 104, Naples. 239-564-0069. BermanPT.com. See ad, page 43.

Fort Myers Chiropractic Studio, 8971 Daniels Center Dr., Ste. 304, Ft. Myers. 239-243-8735, FortMyersChiroStudio. com. See ad, page 15.

Root Causes Holistic Health Medicine and Integrative Skincare, 12734 Kenwood Ln., Ste. 84, Ft. Myers. 239425-2900. IntegratedSkinCare.com. See ad, page 31.

Symmetry, 1750 J&C Blvd., Ste. 10, Naples. 239-9402121. MuscleSystemCare.com. See ad, page 2.

TAE Healthy Aging Center, 11983 Tamiami Tr. N., Ste. 100A, Naples. 239-430-6800. TaeHealthyAging.com.

See ad, page 16.

Wellbridges Health Center, 9200 Bonita Beach Rd., Ste. 213, Bonita Springs. 239-231-8354. DebPost.com. See ad, page 53. natural awakenings

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fitbody

Rodney Yee on Yoga as a Way of Life Simple Strategies for Staying on Track

by Marlaina Donato

R

enowned yogi and international teacher Rodney Yee, of New York City, has maintained an inspired yoga practice for 37 years while juggling career obligations, fame and family life.

While the benefits of yoga are increasingly well known—from stress reduction and pain management to a more limber body and inner peace—Lee is also aware of the challenges to maintaining a consistent practice. Here he shares insights on the pitfalls encountered by both beginning and advanced students.

“My advice is to first get rid of self-berating behavior, including judgmental inner dialogue. In many aspects of life, we are constantly measuring ourselves against a standard, which is a waste of time and energy,” says Yee.

With a professional background in classical dance and gymnastics, Yee decided to give yoga a try at a nearby studio when he craved more physical flexibility. “As many people do, I came to yoga for a reason. I was a dancer with tight joints. After the first class, I couldn’t believe how I felt. It was not at all like an athletic high; I had a sense of well-being and knew what it means to feel peaceful and clear.”

For people with jam-packed lives, finding time for exercise can be daunting. Yee suggests a relaxed approach to scheduling yoga into a busy day. “As the rishis [Hindu sages] say, we shouldn’t ‘try’ to meditate, not try to force a natural state. To say, ‘I have to do yoga,’ just puts another thing on our to-do list. Sometimes discipline is needed, but another part of discipline is not about force.”

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You can blink and half your life is gone.

You can’t always be busy, busy, busy; you have to decide how to fill your life.

Different approaches to yoga abound, and part of staying motivated may include exploration of a variety of traditions as individual needs change due to lifestyle, health, interests or simple curiosity. Yee reminds us to go with the flow and follow how we feel in the moment. “Different schools of yoga exist because each offers something different. There is a form for all of our moods and a practice for how you feel at any given time.”

Reflecting on how his own practice has evolved through the years, Yee recollects, “In my 20s and 30s, my yoga practice was arduous, including three to four hours of strong, physical work and a half hour of pranayama [breath work].

Then for 20 years, it involved a lot of teaching. Over the past 17 years, my practice has become more subtle, with a focus on sequencing and meditation; it’s about how to do this all day long in the context of my body and my life; about being both centered and in the world. In some way, we’re always doing yoga, as we already take 20,000 breaths a day. From a philosophical and ethical point of view, yogis have no choice but to practice.”

Because many American women have found their way to a yogic path, men often assume it’s primarily a women’s niche. But yoga has been a male practice for nearly 2,500 years in other countries. Yee encourages men to not feel intimidated. “Why not try something that can help you improve your business, family life and even your golf game?” he queries.

While Yee believes in a no-pressure approach, he also suggests inviting ways to foster consistency. “If you are just beginning, set aside a half-hour before going to bed or get up a half-hour earlier. Also note that pain is less to be avoided than learned from.”

Wisdom can come from dedication to a yoga practice.

Yee’s philosophy is, “You can blink and half your life is gone.

You can’t always be busy, busy, busy; you have to decide how to fill your life. As spiritual teacher Ram Dass counsels, ‘Be here now.’ Train yourself to bring body, mind and heart together and fully drink from that.”

Learn more at YeeYoga.com.

Marlaina Donato is a freelance writer, author and multimedia artist. Connect at MarlainaDonato.com. natural awakenings

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More Yoga Off the Mat Than On

by Linda Sechrist

N

ewbie yogis are enthusiastic.

Eager to learn, progress and gain the expertise to do more challenging postures, they attend classes and unroll the mat every day. Eventually, they begin missing classes and decide to start a home yoga practice. Dedicated for a week or two, soon enough, the call of the mat tucked away in a closet becomes more like a whisper. Practicing yoga takes a backseat to more pressing demands such as family obligations, work, doctor appointment, music lessons, soccer practice and more. Eventually, all yogis learn that life will always hand them something that competes with mat time.

Natural Awakenings interviewed six local yoga teachers to talk about the inconsistencies of yoga practice and what keeps them coming back to their mat.

Salima Silverman

Monarch Wellness, Naples Salima Silverman has been teaching yoga to the general community including special needs children for more than seven years. Her classes at Monarch Wellness in Naples demonstrate to children and adults with special behavior challenges such as anxiety, introversion, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other issues how they can connect with their body and self-regulate.

“After any amount of time away from my mat, I’m motivated to return by a feeling. It’s how good I feel after I finish my practice. Students frequently express my sentiments when they say,

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‘I’ve had a long, exhausting day and had to push myself to get here, but I’m really glad that I did.’ Yogis of all levels notice the feel-good energy that circulates through and around them after practice. Internalize that feeling often enough, and it will lead you back to your mat,” says Silverman.

Beginners are frequently under the impression that they need to practice yoga for a full hour every day. “Knowing that sometimes I can only practice one hour of postures a week, I tell clients, “You don’t need an hour every day. Five to 10 minutes can change your perspective.’ Whether it’s a stretch, standing up at work to do a breathing exercise in the office or a child’s pose in the evening before bed, you’re consciously choosing to take time to be present to your practice and rest peacefully in the present, letting go of busy thoughts,” explains Silverman, who also teaches at House of Gaia in Naples.

I immediately had an insight that I was watching myself struggle to let go of the family incident. Being present to that moment sparked me to say, ‘Let’s forget what we just did and move forward’. Living moment-to-moment is yoga.”

King offers two tips. “A yoga mat strategically placed in a highly visible spot where you spend your time serves as a reminder. Because life events interfere, you have to prioritize. If you say to a friend, ‘I can’t meet you because I need to practice,’ there is no need to feel guilty. You’re role modeling how important it is to take care of yourself first so you can be more centered and available to your friend.”

Jennifer Colluci Awakening Through Synergy, Naples

Asking herself the question, “Why didn’t I do yoga while I was on vacation with my crazy family members?” King laughs with abandon. While observing a student struggling to get into a pose during a yoga class she was teaching, King recalled a frustrating family incident that had previously occurred during vacation a few weeks earlier. “Our inner world shows up in our outer world. I saw myself in that student struggling to get into a pose.

Colluci is drawn to her mat by an inner knowing. “I know how calm my mind is, how relaxed, peaceful and whole I feel, and how content I am after meditating and practicing or after a discussion about the yamas and niyamas,” she says. Yamas are self-regulating behaviors involving our interactions with others—nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, non-excess, nonpossessiveness and non-greed. Niyamas are personal practices that relate to our inner world—purity, self-discipline, training the senses, self-study, inner exploration and surrender to God.

“Internalizing the teachings from Yoga Sutras of Patanjali regarding yamas and niyamas, has enabled me to slow down, have a clear and peace-

Barbara King

Jennifer Colucci

Barbara King

BKS Yoga, Naples

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Kiersten Mooney ful mind and to live a more whole and well-rounded life in a crazy world. The Indian sage Patanjali taught me that yoga is living from a peaceful center, no matter where I am,” says Colluci.

Kiersten Mooney

Green Monkey Yoga, Naples Inconsistency is common in any physical movement practice. From the knowledge that she acquired while earning a degree in exercise physiology and from experience as a yoga teacher, Mooney has seen how the same motivational strategies work for any physical exercise.

“Find a buddy; preferably, more than one. Surround yourself with people and set a goal of committing to practicing together. A group yoga practice cultivates a sense of community wherein you get the support you need to accomplish your goals, have fun and are accountable to one another,” advises Mooney.

“The physiology of achieving a goal involves the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain. Write down specifically the goal you are committed to and break it down into bite-sized, dopamine-friendly pieces. If you want to do yoga every day, use a calendar and check off each time you practice. Each time your brain gets a whiff of this rewarding neurotransmitter, it will want you to repeat the associated behavior,” she enthuses.

Susan Carter

Seven Seas Yoga, Fort Myers A Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher, Carter teaches at Seven Seas Cottage, at Newton Park, in Fort Myers Beach, as well as AHA! A Holistic Approach Center, in Fort Myers. Her AHA! study group also focuses on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, guidelines for living a meaningful and

Susan Carter

Meredith Musick

purposeful life. “Patanjali never wrote anything about fancy postures, alignment or physical flexibility. He wrote about yoga as a tool that can be used to live a more contented life,” says Carter.

Called to her mat by a sense of gratitude and appreciation for her body, Carter advises, “The more yoga that you do, the more you listen to your body, and it starts communicating to you in a whole new way. This is important to me because I feel that the relationship I have with my body is the most important relationship I will ever have. Yoga cultivates this relationship.”

Inconsistency doesn’t warrant beating yourself up. “The important thing is to get back on the mat. Attend a class and learn a repertoire of poses that you can use in life’s varying circumstances. They will serve you in moments when you are tired, depressed, fearful or stressed out.

Yoga doesn’t make life easier; yoga makes you easier with your life,” she says.

Meredith Musick

Yoga and Massage Therapy, Naples Musick’s motivation for practicing yoga is learning to respond to life’s changing circumstances with equanimity and gaining strength to abstain from what attempts to divert attention away from her practice. “Yoga is about life, which I compare to an ocean of waves. I prefer to practice what singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen’s lyrics suggest; ‘If you don’t become the ocean, you’ll be seasick every day.’ Yoga provides me the grace to navigate the choppy fray of the waves. It also provides the opportunity to live my dharma, the inner development of my peace and happiness that shows up in my outer world

as teaching yoga classes or preparing my Vermont farm as a yoga retreat.

Straying from yoga is straying from my dharma which helps me to cultivate and live a purposeful life,” she advises.

“While I’m not always consistent with asanas, I am consistent with practicing guidance provided by the sutras, yamas and niyamas; the part of my practice that helps me integrate body, mind and spirit. Diligent and sincere, I feel guided off the mat where there is far more time to apply what I learned on it,” quips Musick.

Local Resources AHA! A Holistic Approach Center, 15971 McGregor Blvd., Ft. Myers. 239433-5995. AHolisticApproachCenter.com.

See ad, page 22.

Awakening Through Synergy, 1084 Business Ln., Naples. 239-529-7582.

AwakeningThroughSynergy.com. See ad, page 70.

BKS Yoga, 2900 Tamiami Tr. N. 239213-9276. BksYogaStudio.com. See ad, page 39.

GreenMonkey Yoga, Naples, 6200 Trail Blvd., 239-598-1938; Naples, 1800 Tamiami Tr. E., 239-598-1938; Coral Gables, 1430 S. Dixie Hwy., Ste. 116, 786-953-7709; Miami Beach, 800 Bay Rd., 305-397-8566. GreenMonkey.com.

See ad, page 70.

Monarch Wellness, 843 Myrtle Terr.

239-325-9210. MonarchWellness.net.

See ad, page 42.

Meredith Musick Yoga and Massage Therapy, Naples. 239-269-8846.

MeredithMusick.com. See ad, page 70.

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BEING BEAUTY What Makes Us Glow

by Glennon Doyle Melton

P

lenty of people are pretty, but haven’t yet learned how to be beautiful. They have the right look for the times, but they don’t glow. Beautiful women glow.

That’s because beautiful is not about how we look on the outside; it is about what we’re made of and being “full of beauty” on the inside. Beautiful people spend time discovering what their idea of beauty is on this Earth. They know themselves well enough to know what they love, and they love themselves enough to fill up with a little of their particular kind of beauty each day.

When we are with a beautiful woman, we might not notice her hair, skin, body or clothes, because we’ll be distracted by the way she makes us feel. She is so full of beauty that some of it overflows onto us. We feel warm and safe and curious around her. Her eyes typically twinkle a little and she’ll look at us closely—because a beautiful, wise woman knows that the quickest way to fill up with beauty is to soak in another’s beauty. The most beautiful women take their time with other people; they are filling up.

Women concerned with being pretty think about what they look like, but women concerned with being beautiful think about what they are looking at, taking in the loveliness around them. They are absorbing the whole beautiful world and making all that beauty theirs to give to others.

Source: Adapted excerpt from Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton (Flatiron Books). She’s the founder and president of the nonprofit Together Rising. Read more at Momastery.com/blog.

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inspiration

wisewords

ourselves may be the missing link in bridging science and spirituality.

What difference can exploring the nature of consciousness make?

Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo

JOINING SCIENCE TO SPIRITUALITY

by Linda Sechrist

I

n 2008, the Sebastopol, California, filmmaking team of Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo created Science and Nonduality (SAND), which later became a nonprofit organization aimed at fostering a new relationship with spirituality that is free from religious dogma, based on timeless wisdom traditions, informed by cutting-edge science and grounded in direct experience.

The next year, they organized the first SAND conference, exploring nonduality and the nature of consciousness. Since then, the duo has been producing short films that contribute to the expansion of human awareness, and hosting annual conferences in the U.S. and Europe involving leading scientists, academics and other pioneering thinkers.

Thousands of participants from around the world interact in forums and respectful dialogues with luminaries such as Menas Kafatos, Ph.D., a professor of computational physics at Chapman University, in Orange, California; Peter Russell, a theoretical physicist and author of From Science to God: A Physicist’s Journey into the Mystery of Consciousness; Robert Thurman, Ph.D., professor of Tibetan Buddhist studies at Columbia University, in New York City; evolutionary biologist Elisabet Sahtouris, author of EarthDance: Living Systems in Evolution; and Robert Lanza, physician, scientist and co-author of Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness are the Keys to Understanding the True Nature of the Universe.

Where do revelations about a deeper reality begin?

MB: Individual and communal explorations often occur around life’s big questions, such as what it means to be conscious and to seek meaning and purpose; the possible place of intuition as the edge where knowledge meets the unknown and unknowable; and how crucial individual awakening is to social transformation.

What is meant by nonduality?

ZB: Nonduality is the philosophical, spiritual and scientific understanding of fundamental oneness in which there is no separation. Through quantum mechanics, Western science has reached an understanding of what Eastern mystics have long understood. Duality, generally determined in terms of opposites such as self and other, conscious and unconscious, illusion and reality, as well as separation between the observer and the observed, is an illusion. Nonduality is the understanding that our identifying with common dualisms avoids recognition of a deeper reality.

Until recently, human sciences have ignored the problem of consciousness by calling it the “hard problem”.

This has led to our present fragmented worldview rife with chaos, conflict and crises. It may be time for scientists to accept the discoveries of the mystics and consider consciousness intrinsic to every observed scientific phenomenon.

Understanding that consciousness is the key to the universe, reality and

ZB: Understanding the new science that points to consciousness as allpervasive and the fundamental building block of reality—that we are all made of the same essence, like drops in the ocean—can change how we approach and harmonize day-to-day living. We can be far more open, peaceful and accepting of others.

Absurd violence, as well as economic, social and political crises, could all be things of the past, based on a new quantum understanding of our interconnectedness and oneness.

How has the nonduality movement evolved?

MB: SAND has evolved into something we never imagined when we began discussing the ideas that the true spirit of science and spiritually is best supported by an open mind and a non-dogmatic inquiry; while science seeks to understand our external reality and spiritual thinkers seek to understand our inner, personal experience of consciousness, these seemingly different disciplines rarely come together in open dialogue.

It became more evident that we weren’t looking for scientific answers or proof of what spiritual wisdom traditions teach, but rather to expand the questions asked of both science and spirituality.

Open-ended questions arise such as: What if space and time are just useful maps and quantum mechanics is pointing us to a deeper reality more mysterious than we can ever imagine? What if science and spirituality, while responding to our collective aspiration to grow and progress, would no longer need to carry the burden of having all the answers? What if we considered our search open-ended, rather then having to arrive at a grand theory of life or final state of enlightenment? What if, while we probe deeper into reality and who we are, we realize that knowledge gathered will always be just a stepping-stone?

For information about the 2017 conference in San Jose from Oct. 18 to 22, visit ScienceAndNonduality.com.

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greenliving green living

tile roofing materials to make the installation nearly undetectable. Tesla claims they’re three times as strong as standard roof shingles and guarantees them for the life of the house.

SOLAR HEATS UP

Solar Works for Many Now

Demand Surges as Prices Fall

Diyana Dimitrova/Shutterstock.com

by Jim Motavalli

N

ow is a good time to buy a solar system and get off the grid. Solar photovoltaic prices have fallen 67 percent in the last five years, reports Alexandra Hobson with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

It’s a boom period for solar—a record 14.8 gigawatts were installed last year in the U.S. Solar represented 39 percent of all new electric capacity added to the grid in 2016, surpassing natural gas (29 percent) and wind (26 percent). In the first quarter of this year, solar and wind together comprised more than half of all new U.S. power generation.

The Solar Investment Tax Credit was extended for five years at the end of 2015, so homeowners and businesses can qualify to deduct 30 percent of the installed cost from their federal taxes. Also, there’s no upper limit on the prices for the qualifying panels.

There are 1.3 million solar systems in the U.S. now, with a new one added every 84 seconds. Some 260,000 people currently work in the industry, double the figure of 2012.

California is the leader in installed capacity, followed by North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Utah.

Technical Breakthroughs

In 2016, the average residential solar system produced seven kilowatts, at an average installed cost of $3.06 per watt, 48

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according to Hobson. A system costing just over $21,000 before taking the income tax credit yields a final net cost of $15,000. “It’s a perfect marriage for residential customers,” says Bill Ellard, an energy economist with the American Solar Energy Society (ASES). “The systems will produce electricity for about five cents per kilowatt-hour year-round compared to the average electric price of 10.34 cents per kilowatt hour tracked in March 2017.”

New solar panel designs coming online mean even greater savings.

Panels with built-in micro-inverters are cutting home installation costs for large central units (although their longterm, all-weather durability isn’t clear yet). A breakthrough at Japan’s Kobe University means single solar cells could achieve 50 percent efficiency, up from the 30 percent formerly accepted as the upper limit.

Ugly panel frames may also be a thing of the past. More aesthetically pleasing frameless panels are expected this year from big players like SolarWorld, Canadian Solar and Trina Solar, with adapted mounting hardware. Producers like Prism Solar and DSM Advanced Surfaces are also working on frameless clear panels, with cells bound between panes of glass. These attractive clear panels are highly resistant to fire and corrosion.

Tesla, which recently acquired SolarCity, is marketing tempered glass photovoltaic shingles that integrate with

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For an average household electric load of 600 kilowatt-hours per month, for example, a daily dose of five hours of direct sunlight and four-kilowatt system will likely meet demand. For households with higher usage, especially in the South and West, bigger installations are the norm. “Solar system sizes have been growing fairly steadily as the price has come down,” Hobson notes.

Thanks to Google Earth, solar installers usually know if a property has the right conditions; avoiding the fee for an onsite inspection. Houses with a southern orientation within 40 degrees of direct southern exposure are golden.

Those with flat roofs work well because the panels can be tilted for maximum effect. Adjustable panels can also be adapted to the best angle per season.

Panels can’t be in shade for a significant part of the day.

Rooftop installers can work around vent pipes, skylights and chimneys. If major obstructions are a problem, ASES suggests a ground-mounted array or solar pergola, a freestanding wooden frame to mount panels.

Solar systems heat swimming pools, too, offering huge operational savings over conventional heaters.

They start at around $3,500 and average $5,500, compared to an average $2,664 for a fossil-fuel heater, reports HomeAdvisor.com.

Determine if a state has net metering laws, which make it easy to sell excess power from a whole-home system back to the grid. Check for local tax subsidies on top of the federal 30 percent. The beauty of solar is that once the system is in place, operating costs are negligible. The lifespan of today’s panels is two decades and the payback is just two to three years.

Jim Motavalli is an author, freelance journalist and speaker specializing in clean automotive and other environmental topics. He lives in Fairfield, CT. Connect at JimMotavalli.com.

businessspotlight

Allini Water Systems

Chemical-Free, Thirst-Quenching Clean Water

by Lisa Marlene

W

hen the doors of Allini Water Systems opened to the Naples market in 2016, owner Sal Calabrese and managing partner Jim Schaedel had one thing in mind—offering a water filtration system that produced organic and chemical-free drinking water for residents and business owners. Originally established in New York, the company also has an east coast operation.

To date, the Allini team has completed the installation of hundreds of high-quality organic water filtration systems in homes and businesses throughout Southwest Florida in Marco Island, Naples, Bonita Springs, and Fort Myers Beach. The water filtration systems use no chemicals, salt or reverse osmosis, and do not require cartridge replacements or monthly maintenance fees.

The filtration models in the Allini series consist of six layers, beginning with triplelayer organic coconut shell carbon that removes chlorination byproducts, chlorine, organics, tastes and odors.

Rapid Sand provides high-efficiency filtration, while KDF removes chlorine, heavy metals and bacteria. It also extends the life

of the filter media up to 15 times.

Layered stone and quartz crystals are the backbone of the Allini systems and prevent water channeling, aiding in the preservation of filter life while assisting in the body’s ability to hydrate more efficiently.

A ceramic pouch creates antioxidantstructured water with better taste. The super ceramic layer restructures and conditions water and the negative ion ceramic increases hydration and metabolism within body.

Garnet Grades is a combination of fine and coarse garnet. These hard and durable minerals assist in the filter’s ability to remove all fine sediments.

“Our smart meter runs on electric and is attached to the outdoor water main. It automatically counts down from 1,500 gallons to one gallon. Upon reaching one gallon, it is programmed to backwash for 10 minutes and then refill for 10 minutes. This is the key to no maintenance,” says Schaedel.

The filtration models in the Allini series consist of six layers.

Allini Water Systems of Naples is located at 1498 Rail Head Blvd. in Naples. For more information, call 239-451-4393 or visit NaplesWaterFilter.com. See ad, page 38.

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Kindergarten means “children’s garden” and originally took place outdoors. It’s commonplace today in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

healthykids

NATURE’S CLASSROOM Outdoor Learning Engages the Whole Child

by Meredith Montgomery

Nature-based schools provide a child-centered, guided discovery approach to early learning that appeals to kids, parents and teachers and offers far-ranging benefits.

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or youngsters at Tiny Trees Preschool, in Seattle, nature is their classroom— rain or shine; tuition even includes a rain suit and insulated rubber boots.

At Schlitz Audubon Nature Preschool, in Milwaukee, children use downed wood to build forts and fires. Students of Vermont’s Educating Children Outdoors (ECO) program use spray bottles of colored water to spell words in the snow.

Forest Schools Based on the publicly funded forest kindergarten model used by Scandinavian countries since 1995, Tiny Trees encompasses seven urban park locations throughout the city, ranging from 15 to 160 acres. With no buildings, playgrounds or commercially produced furniture and 30 percent less overhead, “We can make exceptional education affordable,” remarks CEO Andrew Jay. “Most of the day is spent exploring the forest. If children see salmon in the 50

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stream, we observe them from a bridge, and then search out the headwaters to see where they’re coming from,” explains Jay.

Nature Preschools The launch of Earth Day in 1970 and America’s nature center movement in the 1960s yielded another immersive nature-based model that includes indoor learning.

The preschool at the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Designcertified Schlitz Audubon Nature Center includes three nature-focused indoor classrooms and three outdoor areas— two with manmade structures like a slide and picnic tables, and one left completely natural. Founding Director Patti Bailie says the children spend most of their day outside and teachers can take them beyond the play areas to explore 185 acres of prairie, forest, wetlands and lakefront beach habitats.

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Tania Kolinko/Shutterstock.com

Public School Programs ECO currently collaborates with seven Vermont public schools from preschool to high school, offering year-long programs for students in inquiry-based outdoor learning for up to four hours a week.

“We immerse ourselves in nature with a 10-minute hike into the forest,” says program coordinator Melissa Purdy. Students first learn safety protocols and how to set up camp. Introducing skill-appropriate tools, preschoolers whittle sticks, third-graders build teepees and lean-tos, and high school students build bridges across streams.

Building Resiliency Sharing space with insects and plants requires special safety protocols and preparation, but the injury rate of outdoor learning is no higher than that of indoor schools. “Children are building risk literacy—they climb trees, but only to safe heights; they step on wet rocks, but learn how to do so without falling,” says Jay. Classrooms without walls work because students have a sense of freedom within reasonable boundaries.

“In winter, we dress warmly and do more hiking to generate body heat.

We use picnic shelters in heavy rains.

Children don’t have anxiety about the future—rain means puddles to splash in and snow means building snowmen,” says Jay.

Developing the Whole Child Outdoor learning naturally creates knowledge of local ecosystems, environmental stewards and a sense of place, but teachers also observe many other developmental benefits.

At the Magnolia Nature School, at Camp McDowell, in Nauvoo, Alabama, Madeleine Pearce’s agile and surefooted preschoolers can hike three

miles. Located in a rural county with a 67 percent poverty rate, the school partners with Head Start to secure tuition-free opportunities for families. Pearce attests how exploring the 1,100-acre property fosters language skills. “With less teacher instruction, children have more time to talk freely with each other.”

Instead of loudly calling kids in, Purdy uses bird calls or a drum, which fosters a sense of peace and respect.

During daily sit time students observe themselves as a part of nature.

“As birds sing and wildlife appears, children see the rewards of quiet and stillness, so self-regulation becomes natural,” agrees Bailie.

Bailie sees how children in forest kindergartens express better motor skills, physical development and cognitive abilities than those restricted to traditional playgrounds. Natural playscapes change with the season, are sensoryrich and provide extra oxygen to the brain—all factors that correlate to brain development. Such benefits are reported in Brain-Based Learning by Eric Jensen, Brain Rules by John J. Medina and the Early Childhood Education Journal.

Parents and teachers often describe nature preschool students as being more observant, confident, inquisitive and engaged.

Outdoor preschools also foster microbial exposure, essential for healthy immune system development.

“Without this exposure, children are at increased risk for developing allergies, asthma, irritable bowel disease, obesity and diabetes later in life,” says B. Brett Finlay, Ph.D., author of Let Them Eat Dirt, which cites supporting science.

Kindergarten readiness is a goal of all preschools, but Pearce doesn’t believe a traditional academic focus is required. “By putting nature first, children are socially and emotionally ready for kindergarten,” she says. “They know how to conquer challenges and are ready to take on academics.”

Meredith Montgomery publishes Natural Awakenings of Gulf Coast Alabama/Mississippi (HealthyLiving HealthyPlanet.com).

OUTDOOR PLAY “We are innately connected to nature, but need to provide opportunities to make that connection,” says Patti Bailie, former assistant director of Antioch University’s nature-based Early Childhood certificate program, in Keene, New Hampshire. Here’s how.

Get wild at home. Hang bird feeders, grow wildlife-attracting plants, start a compost pile and designate an area of the yard for natural play where kids can dig and the grass isn’t mowed.

Explore a forest instead of a playground. Without swing sets and toys, children create imaginative play, build forts and climb trees.

Incorporate active transportation into the family routine.

Walk, bike or paddle. Rain gear and flashlights enable rainy and after-dark explorations.

Join a family nature club. At ChildrenAndNature.org, connect with other families that value and use the natural world for playing, growing and learning via their Natural Families Forum.

NATURE JOURNALING TIPS

by Meredith Montgomery

Patiwat Sariya/Shutterstock.com

N

ature journal content is highly personal, ranging from scientific species accounts to wildlife-inspired stories. With just a notebook, pencil and fully engaged senses, nature enthusiasts of all ages can foster observation skills, creativity and outdoor exploration.

Prompt open-ended questions.

“Nature journals encourage children to ask questions and search for answers,” says Tiny Trees Preschool CEO Andrew Jay, of Seattle. Ask why flowers are blooming, how slugs suddenly appeared and what type of tree a leaf came from. Build upon findings with drawings and notes.

Make a sound map. Project Learning Tree, a nationwide environmental education program funded by the American Forest Association, suggests drawing an “X” in the middle of the page to represent where the child is sitting. Then use pictures, shapes or words to show the

relative locations of surrounding sounds.

Consider the macro perspective.

Vermont’s Outdoor Education Coordinator Melissa Purdy shows students close-up shots of moss or sticks without revealing what the abstract image is.

Students note what they observe and wonder as they try to solve the mystery.

Alternatively, challenge children to draw their own macro images by looking at an object with a magnifying glass.

Find a sit spot. Give children the time and space to write and draw freely in their journal as they sit quietly in nature. “Return to the same spot regularly and see how things have changed,” advises Patti Bailie, a professor of early childhood education at the University of Maine, in Farmington. If kids are too busy exploring and learning while outside, reflections can be captured once they’re back inside, too.

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Fluoride Alert Excess in Food and Tap Water Harms Pets

by Karen Becker

I

n 2009, an Environmental Working Group (EWG) study found that bone meal and animal byproducts in eight of 10 major national dog food brands contain fluoride in amounts between 1.6 and 2.5 times higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended maximum dose in drinking water. Some fluoride from tap water used in the manufacturing of pet food contributes to this.

Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., lead researcher of the study, remarks, “A failed regulatory system and suspect practices by some in the pet food industry puts countless dogs at risk of ingesting excessive fluoride.”

Fluoride occurs naturally in rocks, soil and thus some food plants and water supplies. More enters food via use of fluoride-based pesticides and commercial processing facilities. The EWG advises that two-thirds of all Americans, along with pets and farm animals, are exposed to artificially fluoridated tap water.

Fluoride Dangers to Humans While fluoride exposure hasn’t been studied in dogs or cats, according to 52

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Dr. Joseph Mercola, ample research points to the dangers of fluoride to human health, including: n Arthritis n Bone cancer (osteosarcoma) n Bone fractures n Brain damage and lowered IQ n Damaged sperm and increased infertility n Deactivation of 62 enzymes n Dementia n Disrupted immune system n Disrupted synthesis of collagen n Genetic damage and cell death n Hyperactivity and/or lethargy n Impaired sleep (inhibits melatonin produced by the pineal gland) n Increased lead absorption n Increased tumor and cancer rate n Inhibited formation of antibodies n Lowered thyroid function n Muscle disorders

Fluoride Dangers to Canines Dogs are at substantial long-term risk for exposure to unacceptably high levels of fluoride. They are, for example, at

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Monika Wisniewska/Shutterstock.com

naturalpet

significantly higher probability for bone cancer than humans, with more than 8,000 cases diagnosed each year in the U.S., compared with about 900 human cases.

According to the EWG, a dog drinking normal amounts of tap water would be exposed to 0.05 to 0.1 milligram (mg) of fluoride per kilogram (kg) of body weight daily. A 10-pound puppy that daily eats about a cup of dog food would ingest approximately 0.25 mg fluoride per kg body weight a day, based on average fluoride content in the eight contaminated brands it tested. Altogether, the puppy could be exposed to 3.5 times more fluoride than the EPA allows in drinking water.

Large breed puppies may be exposed to even more fluoride due to higher water intake.

Whatever the size and the appetite of a dog, combined fluoride exposure from food and water can easily become unsafe. Eating the same food every day, they may be constantly consuming more fluoride than is healthy for normal growth, leading to health problems and higher veterinary bills later in life.

Prevent High Ingestion of Fluoride

The EWG recommends owners purchase pet foods free of bone meal and other meals made from animal byproducts. It also suggests that government set fluoride limits in pet food that protect both puppies and large breeds most at risk for bone cancer.

Dr. Michael W. Fox, an internation-

Fluoride-Free Feeding Tips n In homemade food preparation, avoid Teflon-coated pans, which may increase the fluoride levels in food. n Avoid cooking with fluoridated water, which concentrates fluoride in the food. n Avoid toothpaste or oral rinses intended for humans, to brush canine teeth. Dental health products made for pets are fluoride-free.

Javier Brosch/Shutterstock.com

ally recognized veterinarian and former vice president of the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International, recommends providing pets with fluoride-free water; spring water or reverse osmosis filtered water also works well.

In preparing homemade food for a pet, make sure any added bone meal is free of fluoride and lead. Ethical bone meal producers will test for these contaminants; verify with the source.

Fox suggests a good bone meal substitute might be fossilized oyster shell, dolomite or a synthesized or refined calcium supplement like calcium citrate, ascorbate, stearate or gluconate. Or, consider a pure tricalcium and dicalcium phosphate, blended with magnesium.

Fox attests that bones from longerlived food animals such as dairy cows, laying hens and breeding stock likely contain higher levels of fluoride than shorterlived animals like chickens, calves and lambs. In his article “Fluoride in Pet Food: A Serious Health Risk for Both Dogs and Cats?” he writes: “Fluorides accumulate in farmed animals over time from phosphate fertilizers, phosphate supplements, bone meal and fish meal supplements and pesticide and industrial-pollutioncontaminated pastures and animal feed. The bones, fins, gills and scales of fish are often high in fluoride.” He recommends raw food diets that avoid ground bone from older animals like beef cattle and adult sheep.

Dr. Karen Becker is a proactive and integrative veterinarian in the Chicago area, consults internationally and writes Mercola Healthy Pets (HealthyPets.

Mercola.com).

Embrace Your Curls MIDA ADEMAJ THE CURL EXPERT at Salon Zenergy Naples, FL

Certified in naturally curly hair

by Ouidad’s Education Center in Manhattan. Salon Zenergy is the exclusive Ouidad salon in Southwest VIDAL SASSOON TRAINED Florida. Specializing in a technique ORGANIC COLOR that helps you remove the bulk and 239-298-2569 2950 Tamiami Trail N • Hibiscus Ctr frizz and love your natural curls. natural awakenings

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CONNECT WITH OUR READERS!

THREE-MONTH EDITORIAL CALENDAR AND MARKETING PLANNER

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calendarofevents

Intro to Wicca – 7pm. In this weekly progressive class, learn what wicca is, concept of Deity, altars, holidays, magick and more. Free. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers.

939-2769.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 Introduction to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) – 10-11am. Madeline Ebelini, MA, RYT introduces the internationally acclaimed eight-week stress-reduction course using mindfulness meditation, gentle yoga and scientific research pioneered by Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn at U Mass. Free. Integrative Mindfulness, The Fountains Professional Park, 3372 Woods Edge Cir, Ste 102, Bonita Springs. Preregister: 590-9485.

IntegrativeMindfulness.net.

Customer Appreciation Day – 10am-5pm. Join for a day filled with free samples, raffle baskets, wine tasting, mini Thai massage, reiki, yoga, acupuncture and many more local businesses and vendors. Receive 10% off the entire store. Call ahead and sign up for the Live Blood Cell Analysis at a special offer of $50. For Goodness Sake, 9118 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs. 992-5838.

Rune Casting for Beginners – 2pm. Learn the history, mythology, and several methods for casting the rune stones; one of the world’s oldest forms of divination. $30. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

Art Walk – Sept 1-2. 6-10pm, Fri; 11am-4pm, Sat. Fourteen art galleries invite locals and visitors to a self-guided walking tour throughout downtown Fort Myers River District core and the Gardener’s Park area. Art enthusiasts can meet the artists and enjoy the live art demonstrations. FortMyersArtWalk.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 Really, Really Free Market – 10am-2pm. Potluck of reusable items. No money, barter or trade; everything is free. Fleischmann Park, Naples. Facebook page: Naples Really Really Free Market.

Crystal Grids – 2pm. Learn how to lay out stones on a crystal grid in your space to enhance and bring in what you choose. You can use crystal grids for protection, prosperity, healing, stress relief and connecting to spirit energies and more. This workshop will be based on using the flower of life (sacred geometry). Free. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

Drum Circle – 4-5:30pm. Bring your drums, shakers, open heart and dance. Donation. The Happehatchee Center, 8791 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 992-5455. Happehatchee@gmail.com.

Happehatchee.org.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 Reiki Level I – 2pm. Learn hands-on healing method of universal life force energies. Information will be given on the chakras, auras, connecting to energies and crystal works. Attunement and certification available upon completion. $50. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 Full Moon/Sunset/Bird Rookery Kayak Tour – 5:15-8:15pm. With GAEA guides – guided kayak nature tours. Paddle on the Caloosahatchee and some wild creeks with thousands of birds going to roost for the night. This area is a perfect place to see sunset and moonrise. Includes all equipment and a Florida master naturalist as your guide. $40/person. Caloosahatchee River near Ft Myers. RSVP: 694-5513.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 Book Giveaway – 9:30am-5pm. Dr Mark Corke will distribute the book The Poison in Your Teeth,

by Dr Tom McGuire. Watch the video Evidence of Harm, a new documentary about mercury fillings.

Call the office for a tour or with questions on holistic care. Laser Dentistry, 1550 Matthew Dr, Ft Myers.

936-5442.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 Hawaiian Hula Classes – 6-7pm. Hawaiian Hula and other authentic Polynesian dances with Sherry “Hiwahiwa” Coffey, a professional hula dancer and director of the Hula Connection Dancers of SW Florida. $50/4-week monthly series. House of Gaia, 1660 Trade Center Way, Naples. Info/register: 768-5575 or Info@HouseOfGaia.org. See news brief, page 16.

Crystal Bowl Meditation – 6:30pm. With Laurie Barraco. The crystal bowls are a form of sound vibrational healing and gently remove energetic blockages and instantly align your chakras. Bring a pillow and/or blanket. $10. The Mystical Moon, 8951 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Ste 255, Bonita Springs.

RSVP: 301-0655. TheMysticalMoon.com.

Feel Relaxed and Supported EFT Tapping – 6:30-8pm. Also 9/13, 9/20 & 9/27. With Jenny Li Ciconne. An introduction to unlocking your personal journey to peace and joy, this series will focus on relationships and lights the way to bring the calm success we all seek. $30. 6710 Winkler Rd, Ste 2, Ft Myers. RSVP: 277-1399.

LotusBlossomClinic.com.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 Reiki Level I – 7pm. Learn hands-on healing method of universal life force energies. Information will be given on the chakras, auras, connecting to energies and crystal works. Attunement and certification available upon completion. $50. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 Reiki Power Weekend Level I and II – 10am4pm. The Happehatchee Center, 8791 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 992-5455. Happehatchee@gmail.com Happehatchee.org.

Women’s Gathering – 7pm. A monthly gathering for women over 21 to discuss women’s issues in society, religion and relationships. Support and empower other women and network. Vent in a safe environment. Refreshments will be served. $5. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 Psychic Faire – 10am-5pm. Choose from a list of readers and healers offering many services: psychic readings, palm readings, mediumship, reiki and more. $25/20 min. The Mystical Moon Ft Myers, 8890 Salrose Lane, Ste 107. RSVP: 939-3339.

TheMysticalMoon.com.

Ther apeuTic Massage

christina M. Mitchell, LMT, pFT, MLD/cDp Certified Lymphedema Therapist Compression Bandaging • • • • • • •

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bestbodymassage.com • iamchristinamitchell@gmail.com

MA49769 MM22673

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Pendulum Workshop – 2pm. Learn how to choose, cleanse and program your pendulum. Also, learn how to use your pendulum for divination, to find lost objects, to dowse and to test energy fields and chakras. Free charts available. Free. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

Introduction to Craniosacral Therapy and Lymphatic Drainage – 6-7pm. With Karen Lauchlan, RN, LMT. The creation of health and wellness outside common medical therapies isn’t well known to many people, but they are very powerful treatments; learn how these therapies can enhance health and wellness. Free. Wellbridges Health Center, 9200 Bonita Beach Rd, Ste 213, Bonita Springs. RSVP: 246-6622.

Yin-Thai Yoga – 2:30-4:30pm. With Jamie Shane. Sink deep into yin-style yoga poses as Shane works the magic of Thai yoga. $45/early registration, $50/day of. BKS Yoga Studio, 2900 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 213-9276. BKSYogaStudio.com.

Tarot Part I – 7pm. Learn the meanings of the cards and how to utilize this wonderful tool. A Rider Waite deck is required. $30. Part II offered on 9/21.

The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 Eckankar ECK Light and Sound Service – 11am. Topic: You Are a Spiritual Being, Here and Now! ECK Center of Southwest Florida, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 155, Ft Myers. 482-4030. EckFlorida.org.

Yin Yoga Nidra Restore and Renew – 1:30-3pm.

Join registered yoga teacher Bob Newman for this 90-minute class featuring gentle yin yoga to warm up, followed by the soothing guided relaxation of yoga nidra. No yoga experience necessary. $15.

Integrative Mindfulness, The Fountains Professional Park, 3372 Woods Edge Cir, Bonita. 404-9744.

IntegrativeMindfulness.net.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 Candlelight Yoga Flow – 7-8pm. With Dina Radcliffe, RYT. With soft music and candlelight gently flow from pose to pose, integrating breath with movement. Combines working postures to stretch and tone with gentle postures to free the joints and rest deeply. For beginners to intermediate. $15/ drop-in or $120/10 classes. 280-9095. IntegrativeMindfulness.net.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 Crystal Bowl Meditation – 6:30pm. With Laurie Barraco. The crystal bowls are a form of sound vibrational healing and gently remove energetic blockages and instantly align your chakras. Bring a pillow and/or blanket. $10. The Mystical Moon, 8890 Salrose Ln, Ste 107, Ft Myers. RSVP: 9393339. TheMysticalMoon.com.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 Thyroid Seminar – 11am. With Dr Robert Gilliland, DC. Discover natural solutions to correct thyroid problems, specific foods to avoid, why you feel

lousy taking thyroid hormones and more. 27499 Riverview Center Blvd, Bonita Springs. RSVP: 444-3106. See ad, page 20.

Tarot Part I – 2pm. Learn the meanings of the cards and how to utilize this wonderful tool. A Rider Waite deck is required. $30. Part II offered on 9/20.

The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

Complimentary Talk – 6:30pm. With Amy Rybicki from Simply Natural Coaching. Discover how to kick the sugar habit and if health coaching is right for you. AHA! A Holistic Approach Center, 15971 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 433-5995. AHA@A HolisticApproachCenter.com. See news brief, page 14.

24th Annual Unity World Day of Prayer – Sept 13-14. Opens with a service at 7pm in the sanctuary, followed by a 24-hour prayer vigil and concludes with a closing ceremony on Thursday at 7pm. Unity invites people of all faiths to join in this sacred prayer activity. Bring your family and friends to pray and send powerful blessing of peace to uplift our world. Unity of Naples, 2000 Unity Way. 775-3009. NaplesUnity. org. See ad on page 62 and news brief, page 10.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 Unity’s World Day of Prayer: Peace in the Midst: A Global Perspective – 7am-5pm. Begins with prayer breakfast, followed by meditative ceremonies throughout the day. Participate in creating prayer flags and other activities, including guest speakers that will focus on peace. A sacred lunch will also be provided. Drop-in any time of the day. Unity of Fort Myers, 11120 Ranchette Rd. 278-1511.

UnityOfFortMyers.org. See ad on page 60 and news brief on page 10.

Hemp Oil Presentation – 7-8pm. Terry Ganely will discuss the healing properties of a recently launched pharmaceutical-grade nano-enhanced hemp oil.

Happehatchee Center, 8791 Corkscrew Rd, Estero.

203-536-1873. TGanely.PrimeMyBody.com. See news brief on page 12 and ad on page 69.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 Music Walk – 6-10pm. The River District comes alive on the third Friday of the month as local and regional musicians line the streets. From jazz and blues to rock & roll, many genres can be heard and vary each month. Free to the public with many venues featuring additional attractions and specials.

Downtown Ft Myers. RiverDistrictEvents.com.

Manifestation and Meditation Using the Tarot – 7pm. Learn how to bring the powerful energies of the major arcana of the tarot into reality and attract energies or repel them. Learn how to meditate using the tarot to improve visualization skills and to “step into the card”. A Rider Waite deck will be utilized. $30. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

Connect to the Healer Within –7-9pm. With Dan and Karin. Firefly Within hosts an evening of learning, conversation and sharing of reiki energy to awaken and connect to the healer within. Donation for local charity groups. Kunjani Café, 780 Seagate Dr, Naples. 980-3257. FireflyWithin.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 Keep Lee County Beautiful River Cleanup – 9amnoon. Help keep the Estero River beautiful and a safe habitat for native inhabitants who live and rely upon the river for survival. Canoes, paddles and life jackets provided at no charge for registered volunteers.

Koreshan State Historic Site, 3800 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 992-0311. FloridaStateParks.org/Koreshan.

Reiki Level II – Sept 16-17. 9am-6pm. With RM Silvia Casabianca. Learn symbols that connect you deeply with higher sources of energy for physical/ emotional/mental and distance healing. Prerequisite: Reiki I. $265 (by 9/1), $295/thereafter. 18 FL CEUs, LMTs, nurses, MHC, CSWs, MFTs, nutritionists.

Bonita Springs. Call for directions: 948-9444. Preregister: EyesWideOpenC.com.

Body Connection Workshop – 10am-noon. This workshop will educate attendees to their body’s rhythms and inner wisdom through focused attention, gentle breath, movement and touch. Learn the tools for better connection and a better life. $50/person. Pelletiere Healing Center, 3411 Bonita Beach Rd, Ste 302, Bonita Springs. RSVP: 949-1222. See news brief, page 13.

Crystals and Gemstones Workshop – 2pm. Learn how to choose, cleanse and work with your crystals

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and gemstones. Crystal grids will also be demonstrated using the flower of life pattern also known as sacred geometry. Free. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

Storytelling Performance – 7-8:30pm. With Linda “Schuyler” Ford. Listen to personal stories, healing stories and other tales. $15. Office of Dr Joel Ying, 2335 Tamiami Tr N, Ste 206, Naples. Tickets: SeptemberStoriesNaples2017.eventbrite.com.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Kundalini Yoga Gong Bath – 2-4pm. With DamaDe’. A kundalini yoga class followed by the sound therapy of the gong while you lie in savasana. $25/early registration, $30/day of. BKS Yoga Studio, 2900 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 213-9276.

BKSYogaStudio.com.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 Candlelight Yoga Flow – 7-8pm. With Dina Radcliffe, RYT. With soft music and candlelight gently flow from pose to pose, integrating breath with movement. Combines working postures to stretch and tone with gentle postures to free the joints and rest deeply. For beginners to intermediate. $15/drop-in or $120/10 classes. 280-9095.

IntegrativeMindfulness.net.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 Crystal Bowl Meditation – 6:30pm. With Laurie Barraco. The crystal bowls are a form of sound vibrational healing and gently remove energetic blockages and instantly align your chakras. Bring a pillow and/or blanket. $10. The Mystical Moon, 8951 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Ste 255, Bonita Springs.

RSVP: 301-0655. TheMysticalMoon.com.

Community Healing Session – 6:30-8:40pm.

National Federation of Spiritual Healers(NFSH)/ The Healing Trust non-denomination with your hosts, healing members Karen Coratelli-Smith and David Karg. Arrive by 6:15pm. Reservations are required. No walk-ins. $20 cash or check.

Unity of Naples, Fellowship Hall, 2000 Unity Way. RSVP: Karen: 692-9120 or kSmith727@ comcast.net.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 Maya New Moon Manifestation Meditation – 7-8pm. Join a free guided meditation teleconference to connect with the Maya moon goddess Ix-Chel and sacred Earth Mother Ix-Mucane to harness the power of the divine feminine, the new moon, and Venus to aid in manifestation for the upcoming month. Call in free to 319-527-3182.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 Book Giveaway – 8am-5pm. Dr Mark Corke will distribute the book The Poison in Your Teeth, by Dr Tom McGuire. Watch the video Evidence of Harm, a new documentary about mercury fillings. Call the office for a tour or with questions on holistic care.

Laser Dentistry, 1550 Matthew Dr, Ft Myers. 9365442. FortMyersLaserDentist.com.

Autumnal Equinox – 6pm. Welcome fall and harvest energies and bring the season into being while enjoying the slowing of the Earth and the cycle of enjoying the fruits of our labor, both materially and spiritually. Happehatchee Center, 8791 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 992-5455. Happehatchee.org.

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Yin Yoga Nidra Restore and Renew – 1:30-3pm.

Join registered yoga teacher Bob Newman for this 90-minute class featuring gentle yin yoga to warm up, followed by the soothing guided relaxation of yoga nidra. No yoga experience necessary. $15.

Integrative Mindfulness, The Fountains Professional Park, 3372 Woods Edge Cir, Bonita. 404-9744.

IntegrativeMindfulness.net.

Open House/Workshop – 6:30-7:30pm. With Dr Christine L Hoch, DC. This open house/ workshop/Q&A will introduce a cutting-edge weight-loss program. All participants will receive a complimentary body composition test.

Sign up with in the week and receive $50 off program fee. Fort Myers Chiropractic Studio, 8971 Daniels Center Dr, Ste 304, Ft Myers.

243-8735. FortMyersChiroStudio.com. See news brief, page 14.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Candlelight Yoga Flow – 7-8pm. With Dina Radcliffe, RYT. With soft music and candlelight gently flow from pose to pose, integrating breath with movement. Combines working postures to stretch and tone with gentle postures to free the joints and rest deeply. For beginners to intermediate. $15/drop-in or $120/10 classes. 280-9095.

IntegrativeMindfulness.net.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 Reiki Healing for the Healer – 2:30-4pm. 4th Fri. With Lenka Spiska. Healers and reiki practitioners on all levels are encouraged to give and receive. $15 donation. Happehatchee Center, 8791 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 992-5455. Happehatchee.org.

Pet Walk – 6-8pm. The River District Alliance invites well-trained and leashed pets and their owners to enjoy An Evening in the River District, including pet-friendly exhibitors and vendors. Several downtown merchants will also be participating and welcoming pets. Owners assume all responsibility and risk for their pet. Downtown Ft Myers. FortMyersRiverDistrictAlliance.com.

Eckankar Community HU Chant – 6:30pm.

Vineyards Community Center, 6231 Arbor Blvd W, Naples. 482-4034. Eck-Florida.org.

Reiki Healing Circle – 7pm. Let the power of reiki help promote healing on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels. Free. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 Journey to Inner Peace – 10am-4pm. Facilitated

by Eileen Biaglow Chernow, MA, CPC. Referencing The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. Explore reality using truth, love and joy.

Be ready to look at one belief you hold about yourself that you would like to give up (negative self-talk, anger, guilt). $50 love offering includes a continental breakfast, lunch and snacks. Unity of Naples, Fellowship Hall, 2000 Unity Way. Register by 9/17: Eileen4Success@gmail.com. See news brief, page 15.

Psychic Faire – 10am-5pm. Choose from a list of readers and healers offering many services: psychic readings, palm readings, mediumship, reiki and more. $25/20 min. The Mystical Moon, 8951 Bonita Beach Rd SE, Ste 255, Bonita Springs. RSVP: 3010655. TheMysticalMoon.com.

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Theta Healing Basic DNA – Sept 23-25. 10am5pm. This three-day class will change your subconscious beliefs and inner most feelings to empower you to create the life you desire and let go of what is holding you back. Certified instructors Mark and Maria Hubbuch will guide participants through the material in Vianna Stibal’s book, ThetaHealing. $444. Naples. 910-6576. HarmonizingAmbientEnergy.com. MariaHubbuch.com.

Dowsing Class – 2pm. With Ross. Learn what dowsing is and how to use this method for finding objects underground, testing energy fields, spirit energies and also learn the different tools used for dowsing. Free. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

Pelvic Floor Health For Women – 2:30-4:30pm.

With JoAnn Rahl. Develop the ability to know how to contract and relax the pelvic floor from a Feldenkrais integrated systems perspective. $25/early registration, $30/day of. BKS Yoga Studio, 2900 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 213-9276.

BKSYogaStudio.com.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Peace Day in the Park – 10am-6pm. Live music, art, vendors, food, yoga, family and pet friendly, workshops, education, games, pet adoptions, blood drive, food drive, raffles, and fun. Free. Jaycee Park, Cape Coral. 560-5224. SWFL4Peace@email.com.

See ad on page 17 and news brief on page 13.

Eckankar Community HU Chant – 11am. ECK Center of Southwest Florida, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 155, Ft Myers. 482-4034. Eck-Florida.org.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 Crystal Bowl Meditation – 6:30pm. With Laurie Barraco. The crystal bowls are a form of sound vibrational healing and gently remove energetic blockages and instantly align your chakras. Bring a pillow and/or blanket. $10. The Mystical Moon, 8890 Salrose Ln, Ste 107, Ft Myers. RSVP: 9393339. TheMysticalMoon.com.

Ecstatic Kirtan – 7:15-8:45pm. With Missy Balsam. An evening of connection, community building and heart-opening singing. No experience necessary. $15 love offering. House of Gaia, 1660 Trade Center Way, Ste 1 & 3, Naples. 272-6152.

HouseOfGaia.org.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 Manifestation and Meditation Using the Tarot – 2pm. Learn how to bring the powerful energies of the major arcana of the tarot into reality. Also to attract energies or repel them. Also learn how to meditate using the tarot to improve visualization skills and to “step into the card”. A Rider Waite deck will be utilized. $30. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 Cupping and Auricular Therapy – 6-7pm. With Tasha Perez, MS, LMT. The Olympics brought one of these ancient therapies to the forefront and people want to know more; learn how these therapies can enhance health and wellness. Free. Wellbridges Health Center, 9200 Bonita Beach Rd, Ste 213, Bonita Springs.

RSVP: 246-6622.

Crystal Bowl Meditation – 6:45-7:45pm. Experience the vibrational healing power of quartz crystal bowls as you lie or sit in comfort. Jenny will also channel the healing energies of reiki. $10. RSVP: JennyLotusBlossom@gmail.com.

LotusBlossomClinic.com.

Rune Casting for Beginners – 7pm. Learn the history, mythology and several methods for casting the rune stones; one of the world’s oldest forms of divination. $30. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. RSVP: 939-2769.

Naples Storytelling Guild – 7-9pm. Community of storytellers and story listeners. Bring a story or just come to listen. Practice stories, get feedback, have fun! Free. Office of Dr Joel Ying, 2335 Tamiami Tr N, Ste 206, Naples. OpenDreaming.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 National Public Lands Day River Cleanup – 9amnoon. Help keep the Estero River beautiful and a safe habitat for native inhabitants that live and rely upon the river for survival. Canoes, paddles and life jackets provided at no charge for registered volunteers.

Koreshan State Historic Site, 3800 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 992-0311. FloridaStateParks.org/Koreshan.

Psychic Faire – 10am-4pm. Monthly reduced special on readings and services. Choose from an assortment of well-established and gifted psychics and healers. Tarot readers, soul chart progression, full chart astrology analysis, oracle card readers, rune caster, mediums, chakra cleansing and alignment, and shamanic journeys. $25/25 minutes. The Labyrinth, 12995 S Cleveland Ave, Ste 108, Ft Myers. 939-2769.

work. Prerequisite: ThetaHealing Basic DNA and ThetaHealing advanced courses. $444. Private home in Naples. Preregistration required: Karen Coratelli-Smith, licensed ThetaHealing instructor: 692-9120 or KSmith727@comcast.net. Info: ThetaHealing.com.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15 “Ding” Darling Days Birding and Eco-Festival – Oct 15-21. JN “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island. DingDarlingDays.com.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3

plan ahead SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1 Spa, Fitness and Yoga – Oct 1-7. Seven night vacation includes tips, transfers, taxes, spa meals, daily massage, and three facials with reflexology, loofa salt glow, fango, kundalini yoga, walks, aquatic exercises and more. $1,522/double or $1,706/single; extra $530/airfare. Ixtapan Spa Mexico. Sun Bird Travel: 430-2000.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 Vianna Stibal’s ThetaHealing Manifesting and Abundance Advanced ThetaHealing Weekend Class – Oct 7-8. With Karen and David. Class offers practitioner’s authority to practice the

Vianna Stibal’s ThetaHealing Basic DNA Weekend Class – Nov 3-5. With Karen and David. Includes Vianna Stibal’s ThetaHealing book.

First class in the series. Class offers practitioner’s authority to practice the work. Private home in Naples. $444. Preregistration required: Karen Coratelli-Smith, licensed ThetaHealing instructor: 692-9120 or KSmith727@comcast.net. Info: ThetaHealing.com.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16 India Trip – Nov 16-Dec 2. Visit the Taj Mahal, temples and Himalayas, stay in a palace, dip your toes in the holy Ganga River and more. Includes: daily yoga with Carla, three vegetarian meals per day, accommodations, ground transportation and airfare in India. Airfare to and from India not included. No alcohol or meat permitted on this trip. $3,300/dbl occupancy, $4,300/private room. 692-9747. LoveYogaCenter.com. See ad, page 21.

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ongoingevents NOTE: All calendar events must be received via email by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Email NAcalendar@naturalawakeningsmag.com for guidelines and to submit entries. No phone calls or faxes, please. Or visit swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com/advertising to submit online.

daily

and chairs provided. $10 suggested donation. Open Mind Zen Naples, 1250 Tamiami Tr N, Ste 205.

961-2491. OpenMindZenNaples.com.

Al-Anon Family Groups – Support for families and friends troubled by someone else’s drinking.

Naples. 263-5907 or 888-425-2666 for 24/7 info.

Schedule at SouthFloridaAl-Anon.org.

Celebration Church Services – 9:30-10:30am. A church that meets outdoors, welcomes everyone and has a huge heart. Cambier Park, 580 8th St S, Naples. 649-1588.

Yoga in Nature – Several days a week; see website for schedule. Multilevel yoga classes. $10/drop-in (cash/check). Happehatchee Center, 8791 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 992-5455. Schedule: Happehatchee.org.

Church of Spiritual Light – 9:45-11am. Sunday service. Spiritual connection, meditation, ritual, prayer and song. 1939 Park Meadows Dr, Ste 1, Ft Myers. 560-6314. ChurchOfSpiritualLight.org.

sunday Koreshan Farmers’ Market – 8am-1pm. Unique market in the historic settlement of the Koreshans. Fresh and local goods; native plants and trees. Free park admission; $1 environmental impact fee. Koreshan State Historic Site, 3800 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 992-0311.

Beginners’ Orientation: An Introduction to Meditation Postures and Techniques – 9:15-10am.

Last Sunday. Get to know our style of practice, our lineage, ways to practice Open Mind Zen. Cushions

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Unity of Bonita Springs Sunday Service – 10am.

With Rev Phil Schlaefer, music by Jerry Stawski.

Inspiring lesson, music and meditation. 28285 Imperial Pkwy. 947-3100.

Unity of Ft Myers Sunday service/youth and family ministry – 10am. Join at 9:30am for The Gathering, a 20-minute meditation and reiki session before and after service. 11120 Ranchette Rd. 278-1511.

UnityOfFortMyers.org.

Unity of Naples – 10am. Service and Sunday school conducted in open, accepting and empowering environment. Children deepen their relationship with God. Nursery care provided. Naples. 775-3009.

NaplesUnity.org.

Guided Historic Tours – 10-11:30am. Explore the 19th-century Koreshan religious settlement, its structures and gardens. Join our guided walking tours and learn about these idealistic pioneers. $2/ adults, $1/kids under 6 years old. Koreshan State Historic Site, 3800 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. Tickets: Ranger Station: 992-0311.

day Service – 10:30-11:30am. All welcome. 13411 Shire Ln, Ft Myers. 561-2700. uucfm.org.

Zen Meditation and Dharma Talk – 10-11:30am.

With Andy Solis or Laurie Lyons. Includes silent seated and walking meditation. Concludes with open discussion. $10 suggested donation. Open Mind Zen Naples, 1250 Tamiami Tr N, Ste 205. 961-2491.

OpenMindZenNaples.com.

Introductory Buddhist Teach-Ins and Meditation Practice – 4:45pm. Last Sun each month. greenmonkey, 6200 Trail Blvd, Naples.

FloridaMindfulness.org.

River and Creeks Manatee Kayak Tour – 10am2pm. Get up close and personal and learn about their history, habitat and habits. $55 includes equipment and FL master naturalist guide. GAEA guides. Ft Myers. 694-5513.

Center for Spiritual Living, Cape Coral – 10:30am service. Celebration, connection, community and more. 406 SE 24th Ave, Cape Coral.

574-6463. CSLCapeCoral.com.

Fort Myers Quakers – 10:30am. Refresh yourself with silent worship. Iona House, Calusa Nature Center, 3450 Ortiz Ave, Ft Myers. 437-4615. FortMyersQuakers.org or FtMyers.Quakers@gmail.com.

Spiritual Study Group – 10:30am. With Rev Joyce Heist. Study and discuss Science of Mind principles.

Happehatchee Center, 8791 Corkscrew Rd, Estero.

SJoyceH@aol.com.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Greater Naples – 10:30am. Service, youth classes and childcare. Celebrate freedom, reason and compassion.

All welcome. 6340 Napa Woods Way, Naples. 4556553. Office@uunaples.org. uunaples.org.

Unitarian Universalist Church of Ft Myers Sun-

Southwest Florida Amma Satsang – 2-5pm.

2nd Sun. Share in Amma’s blessings; meditation, bhajans, videos of Amma and her teachings. Vegetarian potluck afterwards. Free. Cape Coral. Info: 671-6058 or Kessel.Joyce@gmail.com.

Buddhist Teach-Ins and Meditation Practice – 6:30pm. With dharma teacher Fred Epsteiner, in the spirit of Thich Nhat Hanh. greenmonkey, 6200 Trail Blvd, Naples. FloridaMindfulness.org.

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Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) – 6:30pm. A 12-step program for food addiction. No dues, no fees, no weigh-ins. Cape Christian Fellowship, 2110 Chiquita Blvd, Cape Coral. 338-5948.

Drum and Dance Circle – 7-9pm. Drummers, dancers, jugglers, everyone welcome. BYO chair and instrument or come just to enjoy. Under the pavilion by the water in Centennial Park, Ft Myers. Info: Facebook page: Fort Myers Drum Circle.

monday

Search “Natural Awakenings”and download

Reverse the Age of the Spine Series – Noon1pm. Using the Great Yoga Wall, with Meredith Musick. For private location in Naples and more info: 269-8846.

Miracles Among Us – 1-3pm. 3rd Mon. Providing support for and education about the effects brain injuries have on people’s lives (the person with the

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All levels. BKS Yoga Studio, 2900 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 269-8846. MeredithMusick.com.

brain injury and their caretakers). North Collier Fire Station 45, 1885 Veterans Park Dr, Naples.

MiraclesAmongUs.org.

Women’s Overeaters Anonymous Step Writing Meeting – 10am. Free. 9470 Corkscrew Palms Circle, Ste 104, Estero. Sandy: 973-809-5338 or Helen: 247-0385.

Journey Within Meditation – 6-7pm. Crystal bowls and guided meditation will lead you into relaxation followed by reiki energy healing. Receive a personal message to continue your journey. 100% of donations go to local charity groups. Kunjani Craft Coffee and Gallery, 780 Seagate Dr, Naples.

980-3257 or FireflyWithin.org.

Adult Children of Alcoholics/Dysfunctional Families (ACA) – 6-7:30pm. 12-step meeting.

Unity Church of Naples choir room, 2000 Unity Way, Naples. Lissa: 908-752-0068. FloridaState.

ACAIntergroup.org.

Clay Handbuilding and Raku Techniques – 6-9pm.

Reduce stress in this five-week class with Richard Rosen. $195 plus materials ($50). Rosen Gallery & Studios, Naples Art District, 2172 J&C Blvd, Naples.

RSVP: 821-1061. rictra@earthlink.net.

A Course in Miracles – 7pm. Love offering. Unity of Naples Church Fireplace Room, 2000 Unity Way. 775-3009. NaplesUnity.org.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) – 7pm. A 12-step program for food addiction. No dues, no fees, no weigh-ins. Community Congregational Church, 15300 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. Mary: 216-870-0653.

Candlelight Yoga Flow – 7-8pm. With Dina Radcliffe. $15/drop-in or $120/10 classes. Integrative Mindfulness, The Fountains Professional Park, 3372 Woods Edge Cir, Bonita. 280-9095.

IntegrativeMindfulness.net.

Gurdjieff/The Fourth Way Discussion Group – 7-8pm. An exploration of the teachings of G I Gurd-

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Estuary Kayak Tour in Estero Bay – 10am-1pm.

Birds, dolphins, manatees and more. $40. Includes equipment and FL master naturalist guide. GAEA guides, Bonita Bch. 694-5513.

jieff, with readings and discussion. Introductory sessions meet in Bonita Springs. Info: 565-1410.

TheGurdjieffSocietyOfFlorida.org.

Mindfulness Meditation – 7-8:15pm. This informal class will explore the techniques of mindful meditation. Chairs and cushions provided. $10/suggested donation. Open Mind Zen Naples, 1250 Tamiami Tr N, Ste 205. 961-2491. OpenMindZenNaples.com.

Compassionate Friends: Collier County Group – 7:30pm. 2nd Mon. For bereaved parents. YMCA, 5450 YMCA Rd, Naples. 690-7801. swflcf@live.com.

Nar-Anon Family Groups – 7:30pm. Providing support and hope to those in despair because of a relative or friend’s addiction. First Baptist Church, 4117 Coronado Pkwy, Cape Coral. 940-2615.

tuesday Hatha Yoga – 9-10:30am. With Meredith Musick.

swfl.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com

Mid-Day Meditation – Noon-12:30pm. Enjoy your lunch time in mindful meditation overlooking the Peace Lake. Kathleen Kerswig, licensed Unity teacher, guides participants into silent self-reflection, allowing each person to connect with one’s own God self. Love dontation. Unity of Ft Myers, 11120 Ranchette Rd. 278-1511. UnityOfFortMyers.org.

Therapeutics Class – 1-2pm. Awakening Through Synergy, 1084 Business Ln, Naples. 529-7582.

AwakeningThroughSynergy.com.

FUNdamentals of Yoga – 6-7pm. With Ellen Duff.

An introduction to yoga that will help participants slowly build strength, flexibility and great technique. $10 (packages available). AHA! A Holistic Approach Center, 15971 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers.

433-5995.

Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) Group – 6-7:30pm. 12-step program. A fellowship of men and women that have suffered from anxiety or depression and anger after growing up in highly stressful environments. 10051 Plantation Rd, Ft Myers. 931-9009.

Coed Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA) – 6:308pm. A 12-step program for men and women. Common purpose is a desire for healthier relationships.

9470 Corkscrew Palms Cir, Ste 104, Estero. David K: 470-0899.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) – 7pm. A 12-step program for food addiction. No dues, no fees, no weigh-ins. Gulf Coast Church of Christ, 9550 Ben C Pratt (6 Mile Cypress), Ft Myers. 338-5948.

La Leche League – 7pm. 1st Tue. Mother-to-mother breastfeeding support group. Children welcome.

Free. St Hilary’s Episcopal Church, 5011 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. lllFlorida.com.

Ecstatic Kirtan – 7:15-8:45pm. Last Tue. With Missy Balsam. An evening of connection, community building and heart-opening singing. No experience necessary. $15 love offering. House of Gaia, 1660 Trade Center Way, Ste 1 & 3, Naples.

272-6152. HouseOfGaia.org.

wednesday Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) – 9:30am. A 12-step program for food addiction.

No dues, no fees, no weigh-ins. Community Congregational Church, 15300 Tamiami Tr N, Naples.

Sandy: 301-938-7503.

Caregiver Support Group for the Blind and Visually Impaired – 10am. 3rd Wed. Facilitated

by Rick Hart. Learn the importance of taking care of yourself, healthy ways to manage stress, relaxation techniques and the importance of connecting with other caregivers. Lighthouse of Collier, 2685 Horseshoe Dr S, Ste 211, Naples. RSVP: 430-3934.

Women Seeking Serenity Through the 12 Steps – 10am. Free. Hope Lutheran Church, Old US 41, Bonita. Carol: 405-1947.

Cocohatchee River/Wiggins Pass Estuary Kayak Tour – 10am-1pm. Birds, dolphins and other critters. $45. Includes all equipment and FL master naturalist guide. GAEA guides. N Naples. 694-5513.

Peer Support Group for the Blind and Visually Impaired – 12:30-2:30pm. Facilitated by Rick Hart.

Learn to cope and feel less isolated while making connections with others. Lighthouse of Collier, 2685 Horseshoe Dr S, Ste 211, Naples. RSVP: 430-3934.

Tai Chi Eight-Form – 2-3pm. With Sondra Dansby. Improve posture, balance, fall prevention, reduce blood pressure and restore emotional balance. $10 (packages available). AHA! A Holistic Approach Center, 15971 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 433-5995.

Natural Awakenings M agazine is Ranked 5th Nationally in Cision’s 2016 Top 10 Health & Fi tness Magazines List

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Adult Children of Alcoholic/Dysfunctional Families – 2:30-4pm. Feel guilty while standing up for yourself? Dry Palms Foundation, 1251 Lamar Rd, N Ft Myers. Jane: 728-7106.

Confident Caterpillars – 5:30-6:30pm. With Salima Silverman. Children ages 5-12 learn healthy coping skills, build self-confidence and enjoy fun exercise. $80/4 classes. Client discount available.

Monarch Wellness, Naples. Preregistration required: 231-3208. MonarchWellness.net.

Healing, Prayer and Meditation Service – 6pm.

First Wed. Love offering. Unity of Naples Church, Sanctuary, 2000 Unity Way, Naples. 775-3009.

NaplesUnity.org.

Vinyasa Yoga – 6-7pm. With Ellen Duff. Flow yoga is the smooth way that poses run together and become like a dance. The breath acts as an anchor to the movement as you flow from one pose to the next in time with an inhale or exhale. $10 (packages available). AHA! A Holistic Approach Center, 15971 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 433-5995.

Pet Loss and Grief Support Group – 6:30pm.

2nd Wed. Compassionate support: pet loss, medical crisis, chronic illness. Free. 1939 Park Meadows Dr, Ft Myers. 936-1732.

Evening Meditation – 6:45-7:15pm. Quiet yourself mid-week during this time of calming self-reflection, connecting with one’s own God self. Love dontation.

Unity of Ft Myers, 11120 Ranchette Rd. 278-1511.

UnityOfFortMyers.org.

La Leche League – 7pm. 3rd Wed. Mother-tomother breastfeeding support group. Children welcome. Free. Cape Coral Hospital Women’s Center, 2nd fl, 636 Del Prado Blvd S, Cape Coral. lllflorida.com.

Families Anonymous – 7-8:15pm. For relatives and friends of those that suffer from a current, suspected or former problem of substance abuse or related behavioral problem. Open to all. No dues or fees.

Moorings Presbyterian Church, Naples. 595-1938.

FamiliesAnonymous.org.

Meditation Class – 7-8:15pm. Guided meditation and practical advice with Buddhist monk Kelsang Chopag. No experience necessary. $10. Open Mind Zen, 1250 N Tamiami Tr, Ste 205, Naples.

MeditationInNaples.org.

Nar-Anon Family Groups – 7:30pm. Providing support and hope to those in despair because of a relative or friend’s addiction. Cape Professional Center, 1216 SW 4th St, Ste 6, Cape Coral.

691-3653.

thursday

Yoga is an art and science of living. ~Indra Devi

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Hatha Yoga – 9-10:30am. With Meredith Musick.

All levels. BKS Yoga Studio, 2900 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 269-8846. MeredithMusick.com.

Stretch and Strength – 11:30-12:30pm. With Sondra Dansby. Using breath, core work, stretching and the resistance of your own body to build strength, it varies each week. $10 (packages available). AHA! A Holistic Approach Center, 15971 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 433-5995.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) – 1:30pm. A 12-step program for food addiction.

No dues, no fees, no weigh-ins. New Image Tabernacle Church, 81 Pondella Rd, N Ft Myers.

585-955-3910.

mother breastfeeding support group. Center Point Community Church, 6590 Golden Gate Pkwy, Naples. 404-4933. Laurielll@aol.com.

classifieds

Women’s Co-Dependents Anonymous – Noon.

Hope Lutheran Church, Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs.

Sally: 920-279-2388.

Fee for classifieds is a minimum charge of $25 for up to the first 20 words and $1 for each additional word.

To place an ad, email NAclassifieds@ naturalawakeningsmag.com.

Adult Children of Alcoholic/Dysfunctional Families – 2:30-4pm. Feel guilty when standing up for yourself? Dry Palms Foundation, 1251 Lamar Rd. Jane: 728-7106.

Feldenkrais ATM – 2-3pm. JoAnn Rahl will verbally guide participants through a sequence of gentle movements intended to help develop a greater awareness of how one moves. $20/drop-in. BKS Yoga Studio, 2900 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 213-9276.

BKSYogaStudio.com.

Kids Yoga – 4-5pm. With Salima Silverman. Kids practice yoga in a fun interactive environment, learn poses, balance, strength and self-awareness. $10/ drop-in. BKS Yoga Studio, 2900 Tamiami Tr N, Naples. 213-9273. BKSYogaStudio.com.

Infant and Pregnancy Loss Support Group – 5:15-6:45pm. 2nd Thurs. 1095 Whippoorwill Ln, Naples. 298-9725. Facebook page: Grieving Together.

The Edible Gardening Exchange Speaker Series – 5:30pm. Open and informal chat on edible topics.

Bring seeds to share. 6:30pm, speaker. BYO cup for coffee and tea. Membership fee: $10; Lee Parks and Rec lifetime membership card required $10. North Fort Myers Rec Center, 2000 N Recreation Park Way. 610-530-8883.

Yin/Yoga Nidra Class – 5:30-6:45pm. Awakening Through Synergy, 1084 Business Ln, Naples. 5297582. AwakeningThroughSynergy.com.

Restorative Yoga – 6-7pm. Nourish, nurture and create balance in the body, mind and spirit. Connect to the body through sequencing that supports digestion. Breath awareness, visualization, and auditory guidance creates an imprint empowering the student. $10 (packages available). AHA! A Holistic Approach Center, 15971 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers. 433-5995.

Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) Group – 6-7:30pm. 12-step program. A fellowship of men and women that have suffered from anxiety or depression and anger after growing up in highly stressful environments. 10051 Plantation Rd, Ft Myers. 931-9009.

Silent Meditation – 7-8:15pm. Seated and walking meditation in the Zen tradition. Discussion on presented topic. $10/suggested donation. Open Mind Zen Naples, 1250 Tamiami Tr N, Ste 205. 961-2491.

OpenMindZenNaples.com.

Messages and Meditation –7:30pm. With Deborah Noonon. Open discussion. Guided meditation, followed by spirit messages. $15. Center of Eternal Light, 260 Professional Pl, N Ft Myers. 599-4700.

CenterOfEternalLight.com.

friday La Leche League – 10am. 2nd Fri. Mother-to-

Healing the Healers/Reiki Healing Circle – 2:304pm. 4th Fri. With Lenka Spiska. Healers and reiki practitioners on all levels are encouraged to give and receive. $15 donation. Happehatchee Center, peace pavilion, 8791 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 992-5455.

Happehatchee.org.

Sunset/Bird Rookery Kayak Tour – 5:30-8:30pm.

On the Caloosahatchee River. See thousands of birds coming in to roost for the night. $40. Includes equipment and FL master naturalist guide. GAEA guides, Ft Myers. 694-5513.

UniTeens Night – 6-8:30pm. Activities, discussions, meditations, crafts, fun and food for teenagers to connect with established friends or make new ones.

Unity of Fort Myers, 11120 Ranchette Rd. RSVP: 278-1511. UnityOfFortMyers.org.

Who’s Got the Juice Talent Show – 8-10pm.

Maximum of 10 contestants will receive five minutes of fame per show that runs biweekly throughout the summer. $5/ticket (max 25 guests).

Juicelation, 4947 Tamiami Tr N, Ste 104, Naples.

Info: 529-2290.

FOR RENT LUXURY SEPARATE TREATMENT ROOM/ OFFICE – Available in Castello Professional and Wellness Center. Perfect for massage, acupuncture, aesthetics or similar. Super location, close to Park Shore and Pelican Bay, just off US 41 and Pine Ridge. $395/month all-inclusive. 24-hour access.

398-5578.

OPPORTUNITIES SEEKING PERSONAL BUSINESS ASSISTANT – Acting/improv experience useful, not required. My work includes recognizing and energizing potential business projects while confronting boredom and distractions. The opportunity will include creating goals, marketing, managing timelines and supporting focus and personal motivation to empower a senior citizen to continue to produce value to humanity. The initial agreement will include a

saturday

five-to-10-hour/week work commitment that will

Compassionate Friends: Lee County Group – 9am. 4th Sat. For bereaved parents. Unity Church of Bonita, 28285 Imperial Pkwy, Bonita Springs.

690-7801. swflcf@live.com.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) – 10am.

A 12-step program for food addiction. No dues, no fees, no weigh-ins. Moorings Presbyterian Church, 791 Harbour Dr, Naples. Dallas: 208-610-2096.

Women Seeking Serenity through the 12 Steps – 10am. Free. Hope Lutheran Church, Old 41 Rd, Bonita Springs. Carol: 405-1947.

Guided Historic Tours – 10-11:30am. Explore the 19th-century religious Koreshan settlement, its structures and gardens. Join our guided walking tours and learn about these idealistic pioneers. $2/ adults, $1/kids under 6 years old. Koreshan State Historic Site, 3800 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. Tickets: Ranger Station: 992-0311.

Estuary Kayak Tour in Estero Bay – 10am-1pm.

Birds, dolphins, manatees and more. $40. Includes all equipment and FL master naturalist guide. GAEA guides, Bonita Bch. 694-5513.

Really, Really Free Market – 10am-2pm. Potluck of reusable items. No money, barter or trade; everything is free. Fleischmann Park, Naples. Facebook page: Naples Really Really Free Market.

Drum Class/Circle – 3-4pm, class; 4-5:30, circle.

1st Sat. With Debo Kumi. Bring your drums, shakers, open heart and dance. Learn new rhythms for the circle. $10/class; donation/circle. The Happehatchee Center, 8791 Corkscrew Rd, Estero. 992-5455.

Happehatchee@gmail.com Happehatchee.org.

be renegotiated as the work relationship develops.

Bill: 597-7372.

START A CAREER YOU CAN BE PASSIONATE ABOUT – Publish your own Natural Awakenings magazine. Home-based business, complete with comprehensive training and support system. New franchises are available or purchase a magazine that is currently publishing. Call 530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/MyMagazine.

SERVICES ELDER CARE – MUSIC THERAPY – Violinist and musical therapist JamesSteven Farnsworth brings loving kindness and beautiful music for the care of Alzheimer’s; those in surgical rehabilitation; and those in hospice treatment. He has many excellent recommendations. Please visit his website for further information: JamesSteven.com/ TheHealingViolin. Sublime music refreshes the soul and mind. He can be contacted at 510-292-7786.

STUCK IN A RUT? – Empowerment coaching sessions for women who want to change their lives by changing their thoughts. Call 293-3323 or email MaryJo@MaryJoMichele.com to get started today!

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Publish One of the Nation’s Leading Healthy Living Magazines Natural Awakenings Magazine

is ranked 5th Nationally in Cision’s® 2016 Top 10 Health & Fitness Magazines list 1.

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Spry Living – 8,907,303 Shape – 2,521,203 Men’s Health – 1,852,715 Prevention – 1,539,872

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Women’s Health – 1,511,791 Weight Watchers Magazine – 1,126,168 Dr. Oz The Good Life – 870,524 Vim & Vigor – 789,000 Experience Life – 700,000

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Contact us about acquiring an existing publication FOR SALE highlighted in RED* Natural Awakenings publishes in over 80 markets across the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic (listed below).

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

ACUPUNCTURE ACUPUNCTURE CARE OF NAPLES Charles Caccamesi, Acupuncture Physician, DOM 501 Goodlette Rd N, Unit D100, Naples 239-877-2531

New England School of Acupuncture graduate with 26 years experience. Charles specializes in complex symptomology, chronic pain conditions, expert facial rejuvenation, side effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

ACUPUNCTURE CENTER OF NAPLES Dr. Xiu Qiong Cen, AP, OMD (China) 5683 Naples Blvd, Naples 34109 P: 239-513-9232 • F: 239-513-9293 DrCenAcupuncture@gmail.com

Licensed acupuncture physician with 28 years experience in acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

Experienced in pain management, women’s health, insomnia, migraines, digestion issues and much more. See ad, page 12.

DR. ROBERT MURDOCH, BOARDCERTIFIED ACUPUNCTURE PHYSICIAN AHA! A Holistic Approach Center 15971 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers, 33908 239-433-5995

An acupuncture physician since 1986, Dr. Murdoch has devoted his life to helping people recover from mild and severe injury and illness.

Also utilizing functional medicine, he has worked in hospitals and has treated patients of all ages and states of health. In addition to television and radio appearances, Dr. Murdoch has authored three books and has been published in the British Medical Journal, Red Flags, and Acupuncture Today.

PHYLLIS C. WEBER, AP

Oriental Medicine Naples & Ft Myers • 239-841-6611 GulfCoastAcupuncture.com Specializing in pain, chronic disorders, overall wellness, allergy treatments (NAET) and k i n e s i o l o g y. A c u p u n c t u r e stimulates the body’s ability to heal all on its own! AP771. See ad, page 29.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE DR JOEL YING, MD

2335 Tamiami Trl N, Ste 206, Naples 239-200-6796 • JoyHealthWellness.com Support body, mind and spirit with a holistic approach to health and wellness. Integrate natural medicine, wellness, craniosacral therapy. As a physician and educator, visit LivingthePresentMoment.com for blog, newsletter, online study group and courses.

AYURVEDA CHRISTINA CARLIN, AYURVEDIC PRACTITIONER

Ayurveda Clinic, Massage & Yoga Therapy 501 Goodlette-Frank Rd N, Ste A107, Naples, 34102 • 239-450-6903 Practicing holistic medicine since 1987. Professional Member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association, specializing in highly personalized Ayurvedic treatments and lifestyle consultations, Massage and individual Yoga sessions for chronic and acute problems. Pancha Karma, Shirodhara and skin care. Ayurveda and Yoga Study program available. MA0023929, MM0008584, FB0716888. See ad, page 6.

TERESA KENNEDY (MA71100) Therapy of the Gulf (MM21480) 824 Anchor Rode Dr, Naples 928-444-0606 • 239-262-8722

Licensed massage therapist with 14 years of experience. Myofacial orthopedic and sports massage therapist. Educated, trained and worked with patients, including individuals with cancer, in Connecticut.

ROLFED IN PARADISE, INC.

Cindi Curci-Lee, RN, BSN Advanced Certified Rolfer Movement Practitioner Yamuna Body Rolling Instructor 5100 N Tamiami Trl, Ste 126, Naples 7680 Cambridge Manor Pl, Ste 100, Ft Myers RolfedInParadise@gmail.com • 239-777-4070 Longing for relief from headaches, backaches, joint restrictions, or pain? Love to improve your posture or sport performance? Rolfing’s the 21st century solution! MA38152, MM35843 (Naples), MM29338 (Ft Myers).

PAULA TERRY, LMT

239-821-3088, by appt. (Collier & Lee) Trained at the Upledger Institute, Paula utilizes CranioSacral Therapy combined with HeartC en ter ed Th er ap y, S o mato Emotional Release™, Lymphatic Drainage, love and nurturement to foster the healing your body needs.

Doula services. MA35358.

STUART WRIGHT, ND

BIOFEEDBACK FIREFLY WITHIN, LLC

Karin S Wolfe, CBS 3405 Pelican Landing Pkwy, Bonita Springs 239-980-3257 • FireflyWithin.com Info@FireflyWithin.com Certified Biofeedback Specialist by the Natural Therapies Certification Board. Testing nearly 7,000 patterns in your body, mind and spirit, and providing energy to the most imbalanced areas creating a space for healing. A consultation and report is provided with each session. CBS#5563.

Certified Advanced Rolfer Advanced Cranial Therapist Advanced Visceral Therapist Certified Movement Educator Naturopathic Wellness Consulting

By Appointment: 239-272-6443 Over 30 years excelling in Quick Pain Relief. Specializing in Back Pain, Structural Integration & Alignment, All Joint Pain Related Issues, Mobility Improvement, Sports Injuries, Non- Chiropractic Spinal Release. MA36890.

CHIROPRACTOR

BODYWORK ART OF HOLISTIC MASSAGE Est. 1991 Alvina Quatrano, LMT FL MA 50896 For Info or Appt: 732-266-5276 AOHMassage.com

Enjoy a relaxing and healing massage to suit your needs.

Integrating a lifetime of experience.

Swedish, Zero Balancing, Process Acupressure, Reflexology, Reiki, Sports, Cranio-Sacral, Pregnancy and organic facials. Facial Specialist FB9742820. FL Provider #50-9777 – CEU Classes.

NETWORK CHIROPRACTOR Dr. Michele Pelletiere 3411 Bonita Beach Rd, Ste 302, Bonita Springs • 239-949-1222

N.S.A. Practitioner level III. “Healing waves” release tension throughout the body, increasing wellness and quality of life, promoting new strategies for a healthy spine and nervous system.

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COLON THERAPY

DENTISTRY LASER DENTISTRY

CAPE CORAL COLONICS

Kelly Swan, Licensed Colon Therapist 4720 SE 15th Ave, Ste 209, Cape Coral 239-549-7559 Colon hydrotherapy is an ancient art used to support natural healing.

Releasing dormant toxins may improve issues with constipation, diarrhea, skin and overall wellbeing. MA77085, MM33594.

CLEANSING SPRINGS INC.

Rosalind (Roz) Fusco LMT, CT 239-596-1110 • 239-571-9816 • MA27876 CleansingSprings.com Internationally Certified with 30 years Licensed Nursing experience; offering a new dimension of colonics with stateof-the-art water system. Massage with Vodder trained Lymphatic Specialists. Facials, Body Wraps, and Far-infrared Sauna. MM13162.

RB INSTITUTE, INC.

C. Robyn Berry, LMT, CRR, CCT, CLDT 13601 McGregor Blvd, Ste 13, Ft Myers 239-939-4646 • RobynBerry.com Colon therapist since 1994.

Enclosed gravity method, uv/ ozone purified water, superior to others. Massage, Reflex-ology, Upledger CranioSacral/SER & Ly m p h D r a i n a g e , Vi s c e r a l Manipulation, Raindrop, Ear Candling, Ozone/Oxygen Steam cabinet, BEFE foot detox, Far-Infrared Sauna. MM7376, MA018351. See ad, page 60.

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY INNERCONNECTIONS

Frederick B. Stahlman, BS, PT, CST-D InnerConnectionsPT.com Naples: 239-398-3154

Upledger Institute instructor.

30 years of experience. Holistic practice focusing on personal empowerment and teamwork.

Craniosacral therapy, fascial mobilization, lymphatic drainage.

Energy balancing, structural manual therapies with customized exercise. See ad, page 6.

Mark Corke, DDS 1550 Matthew Dr, Ft Myers 33907 239-936-5442 • FortMyersLaserDentist.com Dr. Corke enjoys working with holistic patients and practitioners on the journey to wellness. His practice “gets it” and is worth the trip to Fort Myers to experience his many services. From dental lasers to ozone he has many tools and a sympathetic ear. See ad, page 20.

ROGER J. PINT, MPH, DMD

9200 Bonita Beach Rd, Ste 111 Bonita Springs, 34135 • 239-676-8730 BonitaDentalStudio.com Dr. Pint can join your health journey and play a role in minimizing toxicity; this includes protection while removing dental materials plus consultation. All X-rays are digital and minimal. See ad, page 31.

ECO-SPIRITUAL CENTER HAPPEHATCHEE ECO-SPIRITUAL CENTER 8791 Corkscrew Rd, Estero 33928 239-992-5455 • Happehatchee.org

A park in the heart of the village, with Yoga in Nature several days a week, drumming lessons and healing circles. Peace Pavilion and Historic Happehatchee House are available to rent for ceremonies and events. Happehatchee events calendar link and class descriptions: Happehatchee.org/ our-events/.

ENERGY HEALING REV. KAREN CORATELLI-SMITH 239-692-9120 HealingInAmerica-Southeast.org HugsForHappiness.com KSmith727@comcast.net

Licensed teacher and certified practitioner of ThetaHealing and Healing in America. Past Life Regression Counselor and Spiritual Counselor, Cranio-Sacral Therapist, Seraphim Blueprint and Esoteric practitioner.

CORE STAR – JIM CRABTREE CoreStarEnergyHealing.com 239-597-7372

Graduate of Barbara Brennan School of Healing. Jim has conducted more than 9,000 healing sessions, using many techniques to help restructure the energy body and restore health.

MARIA HUBBUCH

239-910-6576 MariaHubbuch@aol.com HarmonizingAmbientEnergy.com Certified teacher and licensed practitioner offering classes and individual healing sessions inperson or distance: ThetaHealing®, Esoteric Healing ® , Seraphim Blueprint ® , Reiki, Axiatonal Alignments.

MAUREEN SANDERS, HOLISTIC ENERGETIC MEDICINE

Healing People & Animals since 2005 MaureenSanders.com • TheHorseShaman.com 239-253-9008 Opening the pathways to reveal the underlying causes that prevent humans and animals from truly healing. Difficult physical, emotional and behavioral issues are resolved to bring forth wellness, joy and spiritual growth.

ESSENTIAL OILS I LOVE OILS, INC.

Peter and Susie Bagwell 17030 Alico Commerce Ct, #303, Ft Myers 33967 • 239-362-0385 • 586-604-3500 ILoveOils.com Plants defend themselves from threats yet grow and thrive. Let them help you! Learn about essential oils and save money at our free classes.

FENG SHUI LINDA MUNDT DESIGN

239-405-7330 • LindaMundt.com Linda@LindaMundt.com Creating space for a peaceful mind.

More than 10 years creating homes, schools and businesses to enhance relationships, health, clear thinking and project start-up energy. Color and space design.

Staging. Clutter clearing.

The most important pieces of equipment you need for doing yoga are your body and your mind. ~Rodney Yee 68

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FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

HOLISTIC CENTER

HUGHES CENTER FOR FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

AHA! A HOLISTIC APPROACH CENTER

Pamela Hughes, D.O. 800 Goodlette Rd, Ste 270, Naples 34102 239-649-7400 • HughesCenterNaples.com

Honored to continue the traditions of the retiring Dr. David Perlmutter, Dr. Hughes, through functional diagnostic medicine and a comprehensive patient-specific approach, will provide adults and children the tools to restore normal body function by locating the root source of their illness or symptoms. See ad, inside back cover.

ZORAYDA “JIJI” TORRES, MD, ABIHM, IFMCP

Internal Medicine, Functional Medicine Office: 239-444-5636 • UpstreamMD.com Dr. Torres is a board-certified internist with over 17 years of experience and knows the limitations of conventional internal medicine. She is among the few Certified Practitioner M.D.s, trained by the Institute For Functional Medicine. See ad, page 12.

WELLBRIDGES, INC

9200 Bonita Beach Rd, Ste 213, Bonita Springs 239-481-5600 • 239-481-5603 fax DebPost.com Comprehensive, fully integrated health care individualized for adults and children. Chronic fatigue, male and female hormone imbalance.

Digestive disorders, women’s health care, autism, ADHD and related issues. See ad, page 53.

HEALTHY DINING FOOD & THOUGHT ORGANIC FARM MARKET & CAFÉ

2132 Tamiami Trl N, Naples 239-213-2222 • FoodAndThought.com Open Mon-Sat 7am-8pm.

Florida’s only 100% organic market and café. Fresh produce delivered daily. Homemade breakfast, lunch and dinner. See ad, page 10.

WYNN’S MARKET

141 9th St N, Naples 239-261-7157 • WynnsOnline.com

15971 McGregor, Ft Myers • 239-433-5995 AHolisticApproachCenter.com

Come heal with us! We offer many natural healing options – acupuncture, clinical psychotherapy (RTR and couples therapy, massage, bodywork, Quantum Energetic, classes (yoga, tai chi, Stretch ‘n Strength), infrared sauna, reiki classes and much more! See ad, page 22.

EYES WIDE OPEN

239-948-9444 • SilviaCasabianca.com Regain Body Wisdom! Innovative, holistic support to reduce stress and anxiety, improve lifestyle, find life purpose or simply cultivate wellness for self, the community or the planet. Psychotherapy, couples counseling, parenting guidance. CEU classes for health professionals. Call for consultation or further information.

HOLISTIC HEALTH TERRY GANLEY

PrimeMyBody Independent Affiliate 203-536-1873 • TJGanley@hotmail.com TGanley.PrimeMyBody.com

OCT

Coming Next Month Chiropractic

CARE Plus: Transformative Travel October articles include: Selecting a Chiropractor Bone-Density Exercises Life-Changing Travel and so much more!

Enjoy the health promoting benefits of hemp without the high.

CBD oil is the cannabinoid rich whole plant Hemp extract, legal in all 50 states. Hemp oil provides all of the plant powered wellness benefits of cannabis for the body and brain – without the psychoactive effects of THC.

HYPNOTHERAPY CONCERNED HEALTH ALTERNATIVES Lynn D. Thomas, RN, CHt, Director Certified Medical Clinical Hypnotherapist & Energy Practitioner 239-494-1363 • HypnosisBasics.com

Achieve permanent, positive life and habit changes through safe, rapid, effective relaxation techniques.

Work with your subconscious mind through direct suggestion and regression to reach your fullest potential. Release the Past = Gain Freedom. PL, LBL, EFT, NLP. See ad, page 16.

Discover what Wynn’s Family Market has to offer! Fresh, quality, healthy meals as well as your favorite comfort foods! Organic, natural and imported selections. Gluten-free offerings. See ad, page 53.

Aging has a wonderful beauty and we should have respect for that. ~Eartha Kitt

To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

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INTUITIVE CONSULTATION HEATHER FAUN BASL

NUTRITION D-SIGNED NUTRITION, LLC

630-210-8688, 312-502-1539 GraceAngels.com Heather@GraceAngels.com Specializing in intuitive counsel and psychic work including Akashic records, card readings, connection with loved ones, home and business readings/clearings, energy healing, personal mentoring and angel work with children. Working with individuals that have health concerns, mental stress and/or want to find clarity with their life situations.

MEDICAL SPA ASSUAGE SPA

9407 Cypress Lake Dr, Ste C, Ft Myers 33919 1201 Piper Blvd, Unit 1, Naples 34110 239-333-1450 • AssuageCenters.com The finest relaxation treatments from around the planet have been brought to Fort Myers. Each technique is perfected for your mind, body, face and skin. See ad, page 34.

NATURAL & ORGANIC MARKET ADA’S NATURAL MARKET

7070 College Pkwy, Ft Myers 33907 Mon-Sat: 9am-8pm, Sun: 9am-7pm Ph: 239-939-9600 • Fax: 239-288-6210 AdasMarket.com Natural and organic produce and grocery items. Vitamins and supplements. Organic juice and smoothie bar. New Green Leaf Café. Market- prepared foods.

1000’s of gluten-free items. See ad, page 39.

Dee Harris, RDN, LDN, CDE Bonita Bay Executive Center 3531 Bonita Bay Blvd, Ste 300, Bonita Sprgs 239-676-5249 • D-SignedNutrition.com Medical Nutrition Therapy and health coaching that personalizes your program to restore health and wellness. Improve digestion, elimination, brain health, immune support and hormonal balance.

See ad, page 21.

REALTOR KAREN L. BEATTY, ABR, GRI

Downing-Frye Realty, Inc Naples • 239-269-7788 Klbeatty48@aol.com • KarenBeatty.com Florida native, loving and selling Naples since 1977. Karen knows t h e m a r k e t , o ff e r s e x p e r t counseling with efficient reliability. She takes the stress out of buying or selling and gets the job done with a smile. Choose Karen for ease and joy in your real estate transaction!

PSYCHOTHERAPY

YOGA

GOTTMAN METHOD COUPLES THERAPY AND SEX THERAPY

AWAKENING THROUGH SYNERGY, LLC

Peg Walsh, MS, CNS Clinical Nurse Specialist 9990 Coconut Rd, Bonita Springs 34135 718-208-6986 • FtMyersTherapy.com

Relationships are precious.

Learn how to heal yours with research-based methods from the Gottman Institute.

Reconnect sexually with your partner using sex therapy.

Explore individually the issues that are troubling and holding you back.

DOROTHY RODWELL, LMFT & RTR THERAPIST

AHA! A Holistic Approach Center 15971 McGregor Blvd, Ft Myers 239-433-5995 AHolisticApproachCenter.com Dorothy Rodwell can help free you from anxiety, PTSD, grief and depression with Rapid Trauma Resolution (RTR), a newer, briefer and emotionally painless therapy. She is also trained in the Gottman method of Couples Therapy. See ad, page 22.

Jennifer Colucci 1084 Business Ln, Naples • 239- 529-7582 AwakeningThroughSynergy.com

Brand new healing art space offering therapeutic and Thai massage, yoga therapy and multistyle yoga classes and workshops including Therapeutics, Hatha, Yin/ Yoga Nidra, restorative, Vinyasa-Flow and crystal bowls. MA# 74913. MM# 35896.

BKS YOGA STUDIO

2900 Tamiami Trl N, Naples 239-213-9276 • BKSYogaStudio.com Variety of yoga classes daily, monthly workshops, child care and kids’ yoga. Massage, Thai yoga bodywork and private yoga sessions with master instructors. See ad, page 39.

GREENMONKEY YOGA

(formerly Bala Vinyasa Yoga) GreenMonkey.com • 239-598-1938 6200 Trail Blvd N, Naples 1800 Tamiami Tr E, Naples Two locations in Central and South Naples. Daily classes for all levels, monthly workshops and private sessions with exceptional teachers, plus awardwinning massage therapy and boutique. 200- and 300-hour Registered Yoga School.

MM#19486.

MEREDITH MUSICK, LMT, E-RYT 2000 239-269-8846 MeredithMusick.com

Serving Naples since 1999. Hatha and therapeutic Yoga. Improve posture, breath-work, heal injuries, The Great Yoga Wall®. Massage therapy: sports, Swedish, Lomi Lomi. Nutritional counsel.

Summer special: 3 for 2.

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