Nalc0416 by Natural Awakenings Lowcountry

YOU CAN DO IT!

Lose up to 30 pounds in 30 days!

AFTER

BEFORE

Medically Supervised

WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM

AFTER

Take advantage of this special limited time offer which includes:

BEFORE

• Medical consultation/exam • Comprehensive blood work • EKG • Nutritional counseling

Lost 85 lbs. in 25 weeks!

Lost 43 lbs. in 24 weeks!

only

NO SE CI EXER IRED! REQUs may vary

Restrictions apply

Result

CALL NOW TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE CONSULTATION 588 Old Mt. Holly Rd. Goose Creek, SC 29445

843-203-8313

letterfrompublisher

Best wishes,

ads@nalowcountry.com

Sandy Anderson

Phone: 843-821-7404 www.NALowcountry.com

I know you join me in wishing Sandy and her husband all the best as they set out on their adventure to find a simpler life. A special thank you to Sandy for all her hard work in building this magazine to what it is today, and for her incredible service to this community over the past 11 years. I come to this role after being with a software company for the past 16 years. Although I had been successful and I enjoyed my time there, it was no longer as fulfilling as it once had been. I was fairly comfortable though, and I didn’t have any plans to leave. When layoffs rolled around last summer, what I at first thought was one of the worst events in my life turned out to be one of the best. Sometimes the universe gives us just the kick we need to move us out of our complacency and on to a better life. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to apply learned business skills with my passion for natural health and wellness. Fast forward to November. I had a conversation with a friend about a business she’d discovered through this magazine, and decided I needed to pick up the current copy. There it was, notice that the Charleston area edition was for sale—exactly what I was looking for! I love that it’s the go-to resource to learn about and locate everything a community has to offer to help us live a naturally healthier life. I think Sandy and I both knew that I would be her successor from our first call. Sometimes you just know when something is meant to be. So here I am, and I couldn’t be more excited. If you see me out at a local event, please come up and say hi. This is your magazine Lowcountry, and I want it to reflect this community. Hence, the sea turtle cover for my inaugural issue. I have several friends who monitor baby sea turtle nests, and I joined one of them for an early morning nest patrol on the beach the first day I was officially unemployed. So this cover is symbolic to me, symbolic of my love for this area and of one chapter closing and another one beginning. It also seems a fitting cover with Earth Day coming up on the 22nd. Be sure to check out this month’s articles on “Everyday Sustainability,” “Avoiding Exposure to Environmental Toxins” and “Troubled Waters”, especially timely considering the current tragedy in Flint. With a nod to Sandy’s bid for simplicity, we also offer “Marie Kondo on the Joy of Tidying Up.” As our magazine motto notes, I hope April finds you feeling good, living simply and laughing more.

Natural Awakenings-Lowcountry PO Box 1001, Isle of Palms, SC 29451 Design & Production T.W.S. Graphics

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

I am sad to say so long but I am happy to “pass the torch” to the new Publisher/Editor and owner of Natural Awakenings Lowcountry, Toni Conover. She is the right person to continue the work that I started 11 years ago. Toni brings her own professional and fresh perspective to the consistency that you can continue to enjoy. I am off on a new adventure, excited to see where life takes me next. During my years with Natural Awakenings—including working with the wonderful advertisers, supporters/readers and contributors—I have received as much, if not more, than I have given. Now I am seeking a more simplified, relaxed and fun lifestyle. Join me in my transition from monthly deadlines to de-cluttering and scaling down from a traditional home. We plan to go on the road exploring and hopefully, eventually settling into a tiny home to live mortgage free! Follow along with our adventures and my musings on my new blog: purposedlywandering.com

NA Lowcountry Edition

Happy Spring! Toni Owen Conover, Publisher NALowcountry.com

contents 9 7 newsbriefs 9 healthbriefs 11 globalbriefs 13 actionalert 19 healthykids 11 21 greenliving 23 consciouseating 26 fitbody 27 inspiration 28 wisewords 21 29 resourceguide 32 calendar 33 classifieds advertising & submissions How to Advertise FOR NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request our rates, please contact us at 843-821-7404 or email: ads@nalowcountry.com. Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month for the next month’s issue. EDITORIAL submissions FOR NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE Email articles, news items and ideas to: editor@nalowcountry.com Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month for the next month’s issue. calendar submissions FOR NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE Email calendar events to: calendar@nalowcountry.com Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month for the next month’s issue. 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.

NA Lowcountry Edition

15 AVOIDING Exposure to Environmental Toxins

NALowcountry.com

by Dr. Patrick and Andrea Lovegrove

16 EVERYDAY

SUSTAINABILITY

Practical Ways We Can Help Out the Planet by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko

19 A GREENER SHADE OF YOUTH

New Generations Put Earth First

by Randy Kambic

21 TROUBLED WATERS Our Precious Freshwater Supplies Are Shrinking by Linda Sechrist

23 EDIBLE HEIRLOOMS Old-Fashioned Fruits and Veggies Return to the Table by Avery Mack

26 MILLENNIALS’ TAKE ON FITNESS

They Like Short, Social and Fun Workouts by Derek Flanzraich

27 EARTH SONG

Mother Nature’s Rhythms Restore the Soul by Susan Andra Lion

28 MARIE KONDO

ON THE JOY OF TIDYING UP

Simplicity Invites Happiness into Our Lives by April Thompson

NALowcountry.com 6

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.

newsbriefs HealthSmart Expanding in the Lowcountry

.L. Scott and Charlotte Ison, owners of HealthSmart stores in Bluffton and West Ashley, are set to open their third location this month, at 1739 Maybank Highway, in James Island. Each HealthSmart store is uniquely built around that community’s needs, including vitamins, supplements, essential oils and organic, grass-fed meats from Hunter Cattle, in Brooklet, Georgia. The pair had run successful businesses before, but they found themselves wanting to make a positive contribution in their community. They opened their first HealthSmart store in Bluffton in February 2015, followed by the West Ashley store in June 2015. Although they are expanding, HealthSmart will remain a locally owned family business. Scott says their knowledge and friendliness set them apart from other stores. “When you walk into your local HealthSmart you can expect a warm greeting and knowledgable staff.” says Scott. “We hear every day from our customers that we are helping them and that they are glad we are here. That is not something you hear often in most industries.”

Services offered at Lime and Lotus include clinical nutrition, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, holistic mental health and natural female hormone balancing. They offer in-depth, one-on-one sessions with licensed holistic healthcare providers, as well as group sessions and workshops. The collaborative community of practitioners at Lime and Lotus allows patients to experience unique access to a wide range of therapies and modalities as they pursue their health goals toward total wellness in body, mind and spirit. Location: 925 Wappoo Rd., Ste. F, Charleston. For more information, call 843-214-2997, email Hello@LimeAndLotus.com or visit LimeAndLotus.com. See listing, page 29.

Natural Awakenings readers receive 10 percent off during the month of April. For more information, visit HealthSmartSC.com. See ad, page 23.

Lime and Lotus Spring Open House

ime and Lotus healing arts center, focused on bringing quality, professional healing arts services to the Charleston community, will host its spring celebration and open house from 5 to 8 p.m., April 20. Attendees will be able to meet holistic practitioners, indulge in a complimentary mini-session and enjoy wine and appetizers during this free community event. natural awakenings

April 2016

Mercury-Free Eco-Dentistry Charleston County Practice Opens in Mount Pleasant Environmental Management Obenchain, DDS who practiced Earth Day 2016 Dr.withJulieGlenns Bay Dental Associates, in Surf-

side Beach, has recently relocated and opened her own practice, Pleasant Smiles Cosmetic & Family Dentistry, at 924 Tall Pine Road, in Mount Pleasant. She is offering a new patient Dr. Julie appointment special of $110 for adults and $65 Obenchain, for kids. DDS In addition to standard cosmetic and family dentistry, Obenchain is also a passionate provider of mercury-free and eco-dentistry. She does not use tooth fillings containing mercury (amalgam) and is an expert in the safe removal and disposal of existing fillings containing mercury. An eco-dentist focused on the long-term health of her patients and the environment, Obenchain provides BPA-free composite fillings, retainers and night guards. She works hand-in-hand with oncologists and physicians treating cancer patients to help protect their oral health while undergoing treatment. To schedule an appointment, call 843-884-0701. For more information, visit PleasantSmilesCFD.com See ad, page 21 and listing, page 30.

harleston County’s 17th annual Earth Day Festival, which aims to educate Lowcountry residents about environmental issues in a celebratory atmosphere, will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 23, at Riverfront Park, in North Charleston. This year’s theme is, “Be Earth Smart!” Activities include an Earth Day art contest, reptile and bird demonstrations, live music, a scavenger hunt and a variety of educational and interactive exhibits focused on promoting environmental stewardship. An educational tent features the different phases in the cycle of composting: farm, table, food waste and compost. Attendees will have the opportunity to take free samples of finished compost home with them. They can enjoy food from local vendors, served with compostable material to limit landfill waste. Parking, admission and all activities are free. Location: 1001 Everglades Ave., Charleston. See ad, page 13.

Divorce and Relationship Coaching Renowned Psychics with Debbie Martinez ebbie Martinez, a certified life coach speHayes and Jackson D cializing in divorce and relationships, has to Visit Asheville recently brought her practice, Transformation

llison Hayes and Jill M. thru Divorce, to the Charleston area. She helps Jackson, two award-winning navigate the entire divorce process, includDebbie professional psychics, mediums ing conflict resolution, co-parenting, staying Martinez and teachers, will visit the Om organized, communication strategies, dealing Sanctuary Education and Holistic with a difficult ex-spouse, being a single parent, letting go of Oasis, in Asheville, for four days in June. The duo will negative emotions and reinventing yourself. Psychic & Medium present psychic and mediumship gallery demonstration Having been through her own divorce, Martinez real-Psychic & Mediuma Messages from on from June 3;Heaven workshops ized there was a piece of the puzzle missing, and Trans- Messages & Earth on mediumship, psychic develop& Earthreiki energy healing and lectures on June 4 and 5; ment, formation thru Divorce was formed. Martinez is a Florida Heaven and provide private psychic and mediumship readings on Supreme Court certified family mediator and qualified FEATURING WORLD RENOWNED A June 6. FEATURING WORLD RENOWNED AWARD W arbitrator. She writes a divorce column for The Florida Participants can attend any or all days. While there is Villager magazine, is a contributor to The Huffington Post no guarantee, attendees to the gallery event may receive a and has written and been featured in multiple magazines psychic guidance or evidential messages from loved ones. as well as TV and radio. For Information and Tickets visit www.mystica Hayes and Jackson, both recognized twice as Best American As a divorce coach, Martinez comes in during one For Information and Tickets visit www.mysticandmedium Psychics’ Psychic of the Year, are currently working with of the most difficult times of a person’s life and creates Creative Laughter Productions to develop a metaphysical a partnership with her clients. “Choose to change your TV show. perspective about this time in your life,” she says. “Your thoughts and actions create your life—good, bad or Location: 87 Richmond Hill Dr., Asheville. For more indifferent—so strive for the good.” information and tickets, call 828-414-4765, email Info@ MysticAndMedium.com or visit MysticAndMedium.com. For more information, call 305-984-5121, email See ad, page 22. Debbie@TransformationThruDivorce.com or visit TransformationThruDivorce.com. See ad, page 27.

Allison Hayes THE ROCK GIRL Allison Hayes THE ROCK GIRL AND Jil

NA Lowcountry Edition

NALowcountry.com

u o Y l u f i t u a e B –Naturally!

healthbriefs

Kiwis Boost Heart Health

”green” salon specializing in:

multi-center study from the University of All Nutrient Organic Hair Color/Products Salamanca, in Spain, has found that conNewest hair cutting/shaping techniques suming even one kiwi fruit (Actinidia deliciosa) per week will significantly boost cardiovascuHealing Reiki Sessions e S lar health. The researchers tested 1,469 healthy h e t e t n d Facials & Mani/Pedis All Natural people throughout Spain. The volunteers were Pla given dietary questionnaires and underwent testCall 843-767-0311 Today ing for cholesterol lipids and inflammatory markers for heart disease. for your professional consultation with Stylists: Buy into your The researchers determined that those that ate at least one kiwi fruit per week Debbie | Cathy | Kathleen community had significantly lower triglycerides and fibrinogen (a marker for inflammation), … Support our 8484 advertisers and higher HDL-cholesterol levels. Higher levels of HDL-cholesterol are associDorchester Rd ated with reduced incidence of atherosclerosis. Ste 12-B The researchers concluded: “Consumption of at least one kiwi a week is assoCoosaw Creek ciated with lower plasma concentrations of fibrinogen and improved plasma lipid Center profile in the context of a normal diet and regular exercise.” Grow your business with Natural Awakenings

Directions: Call 850-316-7485 or email PcolaPublisher@ NaturalAwakeningsMag.com

to discuss an advertising package to suit every budget.

Nature’s Colors Aid Focus and Accuracy

1. Is it recycled

For every $100 spent in locally owned business, $68 returns to the community

or made from sustainable materials?

• Is it recycled or made from sustainable materials? 2. Is it resource saving? • Is it resource saving? 3. Is it vintage or • Is it vintage or pre-owned pre-owned? Asking these Asking these questions questions before you buy can before helpyou buy can help you make a you make a green choice source: the350project.net

esearchers from the University of Melbourne determined that taking a quick break and looking at natural colors can significantly increase attention, focus and job performance. The researchers tested 150 university students that were randomly selected to view one of two city scenes consisting of a building with and without a flowering meadow green roof. The two views were experienced as micro-breaks, a 30-second period that can be taken every 40 minutes. Both groups were tested before and after viewing the scene for sustained attention spans, along with a performance test upon completing a task. Subjects that looked at the scene with the verdant roof had significantly longer attention spans and fewer errors in doing their tasks.

BEFORE YOU BUY:

THINK BEFORE YOU BUY:

The ‘Dirty Dozen’ of Cancer-Causing Chemicals

THINK

Make your community a little GREENER … Support our advertisers

green choice.

Family Wellness Center of Charleston

Better Care, Better Cost, Better Living! We don’t work for insurance companies, hospitals, or the government. We work for you!

cientists at the Environmental Working Group published a list of the 12 chemicals that have been most prevalently linked to cancer in numerous research studies. The list encompasses bisphenol A, atrazine, organophosphate pesticides, dibutyl phthalate, lead, mercury, per- or polyfluorochemicals (PFC), phthalates, diethlyhexyl phthalate, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, triclosan and nonylphenol. The scientists suggest that consumers can reduce their exposure to each of these chemicals by avoiding plastics marked with “PC” (polycarbonates) or the recycling number 7 mark, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics in food packaging, PFC-treated wrappers on food and other products, lead paints, mercury-laden seafoods, phthalates-containing fragrances and plastics, foam products made before 2005, foreign antibacterial soaps, and detergents and paints with nonylphenol. Other proactive measures include drinking only filtered water when in agricultural areas and purchasing organic foods. The researchers contend, “Given that we live in a sea of chemicals, it makes sense to begin reducing exposures to ones we know are bad actors.”

-Preventive & Integrative Medicine -Advanced Lab Biomarkers for heart disease -Advanced testing for food intolerance and allergies -Management of chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol -Weight Loss We offer our patients a -Detox Programs meaningful alternative to -TeleMedicine a traditional practice. -House Calls -Discounted Medications -Discounted Labs

Are you struggling with weight loss?

$50 Off

Initial Weight Loss Appointment

Regular Price- $200 Discounted price with this coupon -$150

9217 University Blvd. Ste. C1B North Charleston, SC 29406

843.729.8269

www.HealthCharleston.com

natural awakenings

April 2016

coverartist

Tai Chi Eases Effects of Chronic Disease

review of research from the University of British Columbia tested the effects of tai chi exercise upon people with four chronic diseases: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, osteoarthritis and cancer. Dr. Yi-Wen Chen and his team analyzed 33 studies of more than 1,500 people that participated in tai chi. The research also tested the effects of the practice on general health, including walking speed, muscle strength, speed in standing up from a sitting position, quality of life, symptoms of depression and knee strength. The heart disease patients among the subjects showed a reduction in depression symptoms, and all shared a reduction of muscle stiffness and pain, increased speeds in both walking and standing from a sitting position and improved well-being. “Given the fact that many middle-aged and older persons have more than one chronic condition, it’s important to examine the benefits of treatment/exercise interventions across several co-existing conditions,” says Chen.

LaFogg©

Jonah’s Dream

World Tai Chi & Qigong Day is April 30

Deborah LaFogg Docherty Deborah LaFogg Docherty’s art combines her passions for nature and painting. “I strive to give people a glimpse of how animals live in the wild—where they live, court, raise their young and survive,” she says. “I paint a picture of a secret world that many never get a chance to see firsthand.” Docherty’s cover painting, Jonah’s Dream, was inspired by the true tale of two Florida fishermen that split open a fish’s stomach and found an infant sea turtle inside. Docherty had the chance to meet the turtle, named Jonah, while it was being rehabilitated at a local marine center. The artist paints in acrylics, oils and pastels, her medium for this piece. Her paintings inspire other artists to try pastels and neophytes to tap into their creativity. “For me, art is all about having fun,” Docherty says. Docherty attended Paier College of Art, in her home state of Connecticut, majoring in illustration and commercial art. After moving to South Florida more than 30 years ago, she joined the SunSentinel, first as a writer and cartoonist, and now designs special sections. Docherty lives with her husband and four cats in Boynton Beach, Florida.

Fracking Fluids Found Toxic to Health

n analyzing 1,021 chemicals contained in fluids and wastewater used in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for oil or natural gas, a Yale University study found that at least 157 of the chemicals—including arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde and mercury—are associated with either developmental toxicity, reproductive toxicity or both. Of the total identified chemicals, 925 were used in the hydraulic fracturing process, 132 in fracking wastewater and 36 were present in both. The scientists utilized the REPROTOX database in the Chemical Abstract Service registry and then reviewed the available research, including human and animal studies. Toxicity data wasn’t available for 781 of the chemicals used in fracking. Among the other 240 chemicals, 103 were reproductive toxins. An additional 95 were developmental toxins. Another 41 have been found to be both reproductive and developmental toxins. The researchers further suggested that at least 67 of the chemicals be prioritized in drinking water testing. Senior author and Professor of Public Health Nicole Deziel, Ph.D., adds, “This evaluation is a first step to prioritize the vast array of potential environmental contaminants from hydraulic fracturing for future exposure and health studies. Quantification of the potential exposure to these chemicals, such as by monitoring drinking water in people’s homes, is vital for understanding the [associated] public health impact.”

View the artist’s portfolio at LaFogg.com. 10

NA Lowcountry Edition

NALowcountry.com

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

Ground Control

Down-to-Earth Climate Change Strategy The Center for Food Safety’s Cool Foods Campaign report Soil & Carbon: Soil Solutions to Climate Problems maintains that it’s possible to take atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) that fuels climate change and put it back into the soil, where much of it was once a solid mineral. There’s too much carbon in the atmosphere and the oceans, but not enough stable carbon in the ground supporting healthy soils. Cultivated soils globally have lost 50 to 70 percent of their original carbon content through paving, converting grasslands to cropland and agricultural practices that rob soil of organic matter and its ability to store carbon, making it more susceptible to flooding and erosion. Healthy soils—fed through organic agriculture practices like polycultures, cover crops and compost—give soil microbes the ability to store more CO2 and withstand drought and floods better, because revitalized soil structure allows it to act like a sponge. The report concludes, “Rebuilding soil carbon is a zero-risk, low-cost proposition. It has universal application and we already know how to do it.”

WHY ARE THESE WOMEN SMILING?

Download the report at Tinyurl.com/CFS-Climate-Report.

Bee Kind The Good Fight for Honeybees A U.S. federal appeals court has blocked the use of the pesticide sulfoxaflor over concerns about its effect on honeybees, which have been disappearing throughout the country in recent years. “Initial studies showed sulfoxaflor was highly toxic to honeybees, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was required to get further tests,” says Circuit Judge Mary Schroeder. “Given the precariousness of bee populations, leaving the EPA’s registration of sulfoxaflor in place risks more potential environmental harm than vacating it.” The product, sold in the U.S. as Transform or Closer, must be pulled from store shelves by October 18. Paul Towers, a spokesperson for the nonprofit advocacy group Pesticide Action Network, comments, “This is [an example of] the classic pesticide industry shell game. As more science underscores the harms of a pesticide, they shift to newer, less-studied products, and it takes regulators years to catch up.” On another front, an insect form of Alzheimer’s disease caused by aluminum contamination from pesticides is another suspected contributing cause of the welldocumented widespread bee colony collapse, according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE. Honeybees studied had levels of aluminum in their bodies equivalent to those that could cause brain damage in humans.

They just learned how to put pep in their mojos by reading Natural Awakenings. Advertise in our

May Women’s Wellness Issue To advertise or participate in our next issue, call

843-821-7404

Ads@NALowcountry.com Advertising deadline April 10, 2016

natural awakenings

April 2016

Working Worms

Oily Oops

They Can Safely Biodegrade Plastic Waste

Touted Dispersants Worsened Effects of Gulf Oil Spill A study conducted by the University of Georgia has found that the Corexit oil dispersant lauded by British Petroleum during the devastating 2010 Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico oil spill not only failed to perform as expected, but may have formed deposits on the seafloor in a chemically altered condition. The naturally occurring proliferation of a particular species of bacteria (marinobacters) that eats untreated oil was completely curtailed when the spill was replaced with dispersed oil. This could be a worst-case scenario, because marine life would continue to be exposed to it over many years, if not decades. According to the report Environmental and Health Impacts of the BP Gulf Oil Spill, “As compared with only oil, Corexitladen oil is four times more lethal; dispersed oil is 10 times more deadly than the dispersant alone.” The Center for Biological Diversity reports, “One of the dispersants used at the BP spill, Corexit 9527A, contains the toxin 2-butoxyethanol, which may cause injury to red blood cells, kidneys or the liver with repeated or excessive exposure.” Many nations have since outlawed the use of dispersants in their territorial waters in response to these revelations.

Mealworms can safely and effectively biodegrade certain types of plastic waste, according to groundbreaking new research from Stanford University and China’s Beihang University. In two newly released companion studies, researchers reveal that microorganisms living in the mealworm’s gut effectively break down Styrofoam and plastic into biodegraded fragments that look similar to tiny rabbit droppings. Plastic waste takes notoriously long to biodegrade; a single water bottle is estimated to take 450 years to break down in a landfill. Due to poor waste management, plastic waste often ends up in the environment, and research reveals that 90 percent of all seabirds and up to 25 percent of fish sold in markets have plastic waste in their stomachs. Worms that dined regularly on plastic appeared to be as healthy as their non-plastic-eating companions, and researchers believe that the waste they produce could be safely repurposed in agriculture. Further research is needed before the worms can be widely deployed. It’s possible that worms could also biodegrade polypropylene, used in textiles, bioplastics and microbeads. Source: Discovery.com

Grading Grocers

Greenpeace Issues Report on Seafood As a link between the oceans and consumers, supermarkets play a pivotal role in the destruction of our oceans and have big opportunities to help protect them. Greenpeace evaluates major U.S. retailers for seafood sustainability in four key areas. Policies examine the systems in place that govern a company’s purchasing decisions and how it avoids supporting destructive practices. They encourage retailers to enforce strong standards for both the wild-caught and farm-raised seafood in their stores. They also evaluate retailers’ participation in coalitions and initiatives that promote seafood sustainability and ocean conservation such as supporting sustainable fishing, calling for protection of vital marine habitat and working to stop human rights abuses in the seafood industry. Finally, the need for labeling and transparency takes into account retailers’ levels of truthfulness about where and how they source their seafood and how clearly this is communicated to customers. The group’s Red List Inventory, a scientifically compiled list of 22 marine species that don’t belong in supermarkets, is at Tinyurl.com/GreenpeaceRedList. View the store ratings at Seafood.GreenpeaceUSA.org/grocery-store-scorecard.

Read the report at Tinyurl.com/ BP-Oil-Spill-Report. 12

NA Lowcountry Edition

NALowcountry.com

Free Park-ing National Parks Announce Fee-Free Days The National Park Service turns 100 years young in 2016 and is offering free admission on special days. Next up are April 16 to 24, National Park Week; August 25 to 28, its birthday celebration; September 24, National Public Lands Day; and November 11, Veterans Day. They invite everyone to come out and play.

actionalert Ballot Power

Community Initiatives Secure Local Eco-Rights

While America will choose its next president this November, voters in Oregon may also vote on the right to local community selfgovernment, enabling protection of citizens’ fundamental rights and prohibiting corporate activities that violate them. The Oregonians for Community Rights group, formed by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF), submitted a constitutional amendment proposal to the secretary of state in January as a prelude to a larger signaturegathering effort to qualify the measure for the state ballot. Concurrently, the CELDF is supporting other community initiatives on various topics that may inspire other regions to also be active at the grassroots level. For example, Oregon’s Coos County Protection Council is currently finishing its signature gathering to place a Right to a Sustainable Energy Future ordinance on a special ballot in May. It would protect citizens’ rights to clean air and water and the production of sustainable, localized energy, instead of county approval of several potential non-green energy projects. Oregon’s Columbia County Sustainable Action for Green Energy is gathering signatures for a Right to a Sustainable Energy Future ordinance for its November ballot that would protect the county from fossil fuel projects like coal and oil trains and a proposed methanol plant, and close two natural gas power plants by 2025. Other state groups are seeking to have November ballots in Lane and Lincoln counties include bans on aerial pesticide spraying. A Lane County group has filed a local food system charter amendment that would ban GMO (genetically modified) crops locally. “Community rights are driven by the people in the community, not by any organization targeting potential activism,” says Kai Huschke, Northwest and Hawaii community organizer of the CELDF, which has supported 200-plus separate community initiatives. Particularly active states have included New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon and Pennsylvania. “Organizing typically comes about due to a localized threat. It means settling into a long-term battle to change the structure of government, having resolve and organizing beyond just a ballot vote.”

Holistic/ Preventive Dentist James Sexton DMD MAGD

Call for appointment: 843-881-1418 Mt Pleasant 843-293-6700 Myrtle Beach

• Anti-ageing dentistry • Biocompatible materials • Safe removal of mercury fillings since 1975 following IAOMT protocol • Master Academy of General Dentistry • Associate Fellow American Academy of Implant Dentistry

Never above you. Never below you. Always beside you. ~Walter Winchell

Learn how to take local action at celdf.org.

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. ~Buddha natural awakenings

April 2016

PERK UP YOUR NUMBERS

Get a boost from Natural Awakenings Advertise your goods and services in our

May Women’s Wellness Issue

Reach Natural Awakenings’ Readers Seeking: • Acupuncture • Alternative Healing • Aromatherapy • Ayurveda • Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy • Birth Networks • Chiropractic • Dental Care

• Energy Healing • Enzyme Therapy • Fitness/Health Clubs • Herbalists • Homeopathy • Integrative Physicians • Life Coaches • Midwives • Natural/Organic Foods

advertising deadline April 10, 2016

• Nutritional Counseling • Pilates/Yoga • Relationship Counseling • Retreats/Workshops • Skin Care • Spas • Spiritual Practices • Wellness Trainers & Coaches ... and this is just a partial list

Avoiding Exposure to Environmental Toxins by Dr. Patrick and Andrea Lovegrove

Nearly everyone is at risk of exposure to toxic chemicals: the annual report by the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute; Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now, generated as a result of the president’s cancer panel, noted, “The American people—even before they are born—are bombarded with myriad combinations of dangerous exposures, which refers to the more than 300 different pollutants found in umbilical cords of newborns.

he high levels of chemicals found in pregnant women’s bodies are the result of the many toxic substances in a variety of products used by the majority of women, men and adolescents on a daily basis—plastics, shampoos, soaps, lotions, food can linings, flame retardants, pesticides, chemical cleaners and many other items. Many of the carcinogens reviewed by the panel can be measured via specific blood and urine tests (Genova Diagnostics Toxic Effects CORE, hair analysis and heavy metal RBC analysis testing) before pregnancy. “With the growing body of evidence linking environment exposures to cancer, the public is becoming increasingly aware of the unacceptable burden of cancer resulting from environmental and occupational exposures that could have been prevented through appropriate national action,” reports the panel of prestigious mainstream medical experts. The panel’s recommendations to the president for using the power of his office “to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care

costs, cripple our nation’s productivity and devastate American lives” is supported by the medical mainstream organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the World Health Organization, Britain’s Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, National Cancer Institute and similar groups. Our first line of defense for reducing risk of exposure to dangerous and toxic chemicals includes eating organic (pesticide-free foods), refraining from using chemical cleaners in our home, switching to chemical-free soaps, shampoos, lotions and makeup, reducing the use of plastics and limiting our exposure to other artificial or chemical materials such as paint and flame-retardant upholstery. Additionally, avoid tattoos that contain many heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and mercury, and dental amalgam fillings that contain mercury. One myth about chemicals is that the U.S. government makes sure they’re safe before they go on the marketplace. In fact, most are assumed

to be safe unless proven otherwise. Of the 80,000 or more chemicals in global commerce today, only a tiny share has been rigorously screened for safety. Even when a substance is retired because of health concerns, the replacement chemical may be equally harmful. While the issue of environmental toxins and babies born with traces of carcinogens in their umbilical cord is discouraging and frustrating, European countries are setting a new standard by testing chemicals before they are allowed on the market. The U.S. lags far behind, due to the power of the chemical political lobby on Congress. People need to get involved in government at the local, state and national level to demand a change in legislation. For now, the best approach is to protect ourselves. We need to do our own research before buying any new product, consult consumer resources such as The Environmental Working Group (ewg.org), and ask our doctor for cellular toxin testing. Patrick Lovegrove DO is the founder of Merge Medical Center, a holistic medical center located in Mount Pleasant, where he practices holistic internal medicine along with other natural health practitioners. For more information, call 843-469-1001 or visit MergeMedicalCenter.com. See listing page 29. natural awakenings

April 2016

STRESSED? DEPRESSED? CHRONIC PAIN? CAN’T SLEEP? Magneceutical HALO

One FREE hour session on the Magneceutical HALO

CALL DR ANN

www.drannjenkins.com www.facebook.com/drannjenkins

EARTH DAY April 22

NA Lowcountry Edition

Practical Ways We Can Help Out the Planet by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko

843-270-9913 1164 Northbridge Dr. Charleston, SC 29407

EVERYDAY SUSTAINABILITY

or many Americans, living more sustainably has become a natural part of their daily routine as they consistently recycle, eat healthy and use energy more efficiently. It’s just what they normally do every day. Every one of them had to start somewhere, growing their efforts over time to the point that nearly every activity yields better results for themselves, their family, their community and the planet. It might begin with the way we eat and eventually expand to encompass the way we work.

New American Way

“The sustainability movement is large and growing in the U.S.,” says Todd Larsen, with Green America, a grassroots nonprofit organization harnessing economic forces to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. “Half a million people turned out in New York City to march for action on climate change. People also are working in their local communiNALowcountry.com

ties to oppose fracking and pollution, and to support green building and clean energy. Many businesses now include sustainability as a core business practice, including the 3,000 certified members of Green America’s Green Business Network.” This month, Natural Awakenings profiles the experiences of representative individuals from around the country that are helping to both make the world more sustainable and their own lives richer and more meaningful. From growing and cooking family food and line-drying laundry to powering their business with renewable energy, their approaches are as varied as the places they call home.

First Steps

“Many people start with something small at home, particularly if they’re concerned about the impacts on their family’s health,” says Larsen. “More Americans are approaching sustainability first through food. It’s relatively

easy to change spending habits to incorporate more organic, fair trade and non-GMO [genetically modified] foods, and with the growth of farmers’ markets nationwide, people are able to buy local more easily.” A focus on food quality is how Wendy Brown and her husband and five children launched their eco-journey just outside of Portland, Maine. “We started thinking about where our food came from, how it was grown and raised and what we could do to ensure that it was better,” says Brown. “What we don’t grow or forage ourselves, we try to purchase from local farmers.” Living more simply during the past decade has helped the family cut debt and become more financially stable. “Our entry point to sustainable living was to grow tomatoes on the steps of an apartment that Kelly and I once called home years ago,” echoes Erik Knutzen, who, with his wife Kelly Coyne, have transformed their 960-square-foot Los Angeles bungalow into an oasis where they grow food, keep chickens and bees, brew, bake and house their bikes. Gabriele Marewski’s journey also started with what she ate. “I became a vegetarian at 14, after reading Diet for a Small Planet, by Frances Moore Lappé,” says Marewski, who in 1999 turned an avocado orchard in Homestead, Florida, into Paradise Farms. “Forty-seven years later, I’m still a strict vegetarian. I believe it’s the single most important statement we can make about saving the planet.” Marewski’s five-acre farm showcases certified organic micro greens, edible flowers, oyster mushrooms and a variety of tropical fruits marketed to Miami-area chefs. Her farm also offers Dinner in Paradise farm-to-table experiences to raise funds for local nonprofits providing food for underprivileged city residents, and bed-andbreakfast lodging. Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology offers a free online course, Sustainability in Everyday Life, based on five themes: energy, climate change, food, chemicals and globalization. “People can make a difference by making responsible choices in their everyday life,” says Anna Nyström Claesson, one of the three original teachers.

CranioSaCral Therapy aura phoTography energy healing Healing Oasis, LLC

healingoasisllc.com

843-743-5222

natural awakenings

April 2016

Consume Less

“Every step toward sustainability is important and in the right direction,” explains Gina Miresse, with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), which will again host the world’s largest energy fair in June in Custer, Wisconsin. “It’s easy to start at home by adopting one new practice and sticking with it until it becomes a habit; then add a second practice and so on. This keeps people from getting overwhelmed.” We might, for example, switch to non-toxic home cleaning products when current products are used up. “There’s no need to throw everything in the trash and replace it all immediately—that would partially defeat the purpose of sustainability,” says Miresse. Green America, which suggests green alternatives to many products in online publications at GreenAmerica. org, recommends a congruent strategy. “We see people first change the way they purchase their food, move to reduce their purchases overall and green those they make, and then make their home more energy-efficient,” remarks Larsen. “Next, they consider walking and biking more.” Pamela Dixon explains, “On a day-to-day basis, it’s really about the products we use, like transferring to eco-friendly cleaners and yard maintenance, recycling electronic devices, paying bills electronically and receiving statements via email.” She and her husband, David Anderson, own Dave’s BrewFarm, in rural Wilson, Wisconsin, where they grow herbs, hops, raspberries and apples on 35 acres. “A 20-kilowatt wind generator supplies our electricity, and we use geothermal for heating and cooling,” adds Dixon. Due to career opportunities involving teaching principles of sustainability, the Wisconsin couple is in the process of selling the BrewFarm to move to La Crosse. “At our new home, we’re replacing the windows and appliances with more energy-efficient ones. We also chose our neighborhood so we can walk or bike to local grocery co-ops. We prefer to repair things when they break rather than buying something new, recycle everything the city will accept, compost food scraps and buy clothes at secondhand stores.” 18

NA Lowcountry Edition

When the MREA Energy Fair began 27 years ago, the majority of attendees were interested in learning about first steps, such as recycling, relates Miresse. Today, sustainability basics ranging from fuel savings to water conservation are familiar, and they’re focused on revitalizing local economies. “Folks are now considering more ambitious practices such as sourcing food directly from local farmers, producing their own solar energy and incorporating energy storage, driving an electric vehicle or switching to more socially responsible investing.” The fair’s 250 workshops provide tools to help in taking their next steps on the journey to sustainability. Knutzen and Coyne’s passion has evolved from growing food into a larger DIY mode. “Cooking from scratch is something I prefer to do,” comments Knutzen. “I even grind my own flour.” Library books provide his primary source of inspiration. The Brown family likely echoes the thoughts of many American families. “We have many dreams, but the stark reality is that we live in a world that requires money,” says Wendy Brown. An electric car or solar electric system, for example, is a large investment. “The biggest barriers were mental blocks because we ‘gave up’ previous lifestyle norms,” she says. “Most people we know have a clothes dryer and can’t imagine living without one. Line-drying is just part of the bigger issue of time management for us, because living sustainably and doing things by hand takes longer.”

Each Day Counts

“The biggest and most positive impact I have comes from my general nonwaste philosophy,” advises Brown. “I try to reuse something rather than throwing it away. I’ve made underwear out of old camisoles and pajama pants from old flannel sheets. I reuse elastic from worn-out clothing. My travel beverage cup is a sauce jar with a reusable canning lid drilled with a hole for a reusable straw. Such examples show how we live every day.” Marewski’s love of travel doesn’t interfere with her sustainability quest. “When I travel, I like to walk or bicycle across countries,” she says. “It gives me a closer connection to the land and spontaneous contact with interesting

NALowcountry.com

people. I’m building a tiny home on wheels that’ll be completely self-sufficient, with solar, composting toilet and water catchment to reduce my footprint even further.” “Last August, I started a tenuretrack position in the school of business at Viterbo University,” says Dixon, who emphasizes how students can pursue sustainability in business and life. “I teach systems thinking, complex systems change and globally responsible leadership, all of which have a sustainability component.” She’s also faculty advisor to Enactus, a student organization focused on social entrepreneurship and making a positive impact on the community. “The best part of how we live is when my daughters make everyday eco-minded choices without even realizing it,” observes Brown. “I can see how remarkable it is, because I have the perspective of having lived differently. But for them, it’s just the way things are done. I think in that way, I’ve succeeded.” Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko’s ecojourney is captured in their books, ECOpreneuring, Farmstead Chef, Homemade for Sale, Rural Renaissance and Soil Sisters. Every day, they eat from their organic gardens surrounding their farm powered by the wind and sun.

Next Steps to Sustainability Green America GreenAmerica.org Midwest Renewable Energy Association MidwestRenew.org Browsing Nature’s Aisles by Eric and Wendy Brown ECOpreneuring by Lisa Kivirist and John Ivanko Surviving the Apocalypse in the Suburbs by Wendy Brown The Urban Homestead and Making It by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen

healthykids

Transform Your Life

A GREENER SHADE OF YOUTH

with a

Master Coach

New Generations Put Earth First by Randy Kambic

Every generation gets a chance to change the world. ~Paul David Hewson (Bono)

aby boomers inspired in their youth by Earth Day are now supporting a new generation’s enthusiasm for sustainability through educational and employment opportunities. A 2015 Nature Conservancy survey of 602 teens from 13 to 18 years old revealed that roughly 76 percent strongly believe that issues like climate change can be solved if action is taken now; they also hold that safeguarding important lands and waters should be a priority, regardless of ancillary benefits or the economy. This represents an increase in awareness since a 2010 Yale University Project on Climate Change Communication survey of 517 youths 13 to 17 years old showed that just 54 percent believed global warming was even happening. Launched as Teens for Safe Cosmetics in 2005 and renamed Teens Turning Green two years later, today’s expanded Turning Green (TG) nonprofit of Marin County, California, also informs and inspires college and graduate students to live and advocate for an eco-lifestyle (TurningGreen.org).

TG’s first 30-day Project Green Challenge (PGC) in 2011 involved 2,600 students nationwide and internationally; last fall’s annual edition drew 4,000 students. “We’ve seen tremendous increases in sustainability offices and curriculums at universities nationwide,” notes Judi Shils, founder and executive director. “They have set an intention.” Reilly Reynolds, a senior at Ohio Wesleyan University, hopes to take up urban farming and eventually own a farm-to-table organic restaurant. The PGC finalist and TG student advisory board member says, “I strive to lead an environmentally friendly and socially responsible life, but there is always room for improvement.” Another PGC 2015 finalist, Matt Gal, a senior at the University of Arkansas, also aspires to be an organic farmer. He wants “to grow and give away as much fresh and organic food as possible to people who need it most.” The TG ProjectGreenU.org site features eco-friendly products, plus

• Are you ready to feel better? • Get unstuck and moving forward • Awaken to who you really are • 34 years coaching, consulting, training • NLP, Sufi wisdom, hypnosis & more... RESULTS! Design Your Life Strengthen Your Spiritual Self Heal Self-Sabotage

FREE introductory conversation

843-478-4090 www.GerrySchmidt.com

natural awakenings

April 2016

Charleston Holistic Center, LLC

Are you or a loved one experiencing?

• PTSD • Phobias • Anxiety • Anger or Anger Triggers • Traumatic Events Comprehensive treatment for all types of Psychological Traumas is available using EMDR, EFT, Hypnosis, and a complete analysis and results-oriented wellness approach www.CharlestonHolisticCenter.com

Call Today: 225-2024

15% off a Smoking Sessation or Soul Retrieval

Session when you mention this ad.

info@CharlestonHolisticCenter.com www.CharlestonHolisticCenter.com 2366 Ashley River Rd, Bldg #8, Charleston

Did you know that Natural Awakenings Ezine is free?

green advice geared for college students. It also operates a Conscience College Road Tour, leadership program, and organic non-GMO school lunch programs in Marin County and Sausalito schools via its Conscious Kitchen and Eco Top Chef programs. Milwaukee’s 13th annual Sustainability Summit and Exposition (SustainabilitySummit.us), from April 13 to 15, will admit local students for free. “We’ll address trends and potential careers in energy engineering, environmental health and water quality technology, sustainability and renewable energy,” says Summit Chair George Stone, a Milwaukee Area Technical College natural sciences instructor. Bradley Blaeser, founder and co-owner of The Green Team of Wisconsin, Inc., which provides ecofriendly landscaping and gardening services, helped start the Sustainable Enterprise Association of Milwaukee. As a social worker at the nonprofit Neighborhood House of Milwaukee in the late 90s, he helped young people in schools and community centers learn how to build their own aquaponics system, plus other gardening skills. “We hit the marks as far as science guidelines,” he recalls. “Kids would see the entire seed-to-harvest cycle through after-school and summer camps. Teachers also embraced nature a little more and saw how they could infuse it in curriculums.” He notes that two young men that subsequently graduated from local colleges currently work for Neighborhood House and Growing Power. More recently, he’s worked with two local organizations, Next Door Foundation and Operation Dream, to teach youngsters agricultural skills and find recruits for related job training internships and employment. Green Team landscape technician Darius Smith, 25, of Milwaukee, will become a crew leader this spring. “You get a good feeling installing plants,” he says. “We’re a team, working in sync.” For the 13th year, the Agricultural Fair Association of New Jersey (njagfairs.com) has selected a youth ambassador—Rebecca Carmeli-Peslak, 16, of Millstone Township, near Princeton—to visit 2016 fairs to promote agritourism and encourage youngsters to pursue agricultural careers. “It’s important for kids to know where food comes from,” says Carmeli-Peslak, who is also in her second year as a local 4-H Club health and fitness ambassador, visiting Monmouth County libraries to speak on healthy eating and exercise. She’s training selected peers to speak in other counties; the club’s latest Look to You award recognizes her mentoring prowess. She says, “I want to be a large animal vet and own a farm.” “Young people are becoming well informed about environmental issues by traditional and social media,” observes Shils. “There’s exponential growth in their taking a stand and becoming more active.”

For your free E-subscription visit NALowcountry.com Our ezine works on any mobile or desktop device!

NA Lowcountry Edition

NALowcountry.com

Randy Kambic is an Estero, FL, freelance editor and writer who regularly contributes to Natural Awakenings.

greenliving

TROUBLED

WATERS Our Precious Freshwater Supplies Are Shrinking by Linda Sechrist

irtually all water, atmospheric water vapor and soil moisture presently gracing the Earth has been perpetually recycled through billions of years of evaporation, condensation and precipitation. As all living things are composed of mostly water and thus a part of this cycle, we may be drinking the same water that a Tyrannosaurus Rex splashed in 68 million years ago, along with what was poured into Cleopatra’s bath. Perhaps this mythological sense of water’s endlessness or the

National Aeronautics and Space Administration images from outer space of a blue planet nearly three-quarters covered by water makes us complacent. Yet only 2.5 percent of Earth’s water is not salt water and of sufficient quality to be consumable by humans, plants and animals. Vulnerable to the demands of humanity’s unprecedented population explosion, careless development and toxic pollution and other contamination, we must reexamine this precious resource. Sandra Postel, founder of the Global Water Policy

Clean drinking water is rapidly being depleted all around the world.

Project, who has studied freshwater issues for more than 30 years, says, “Communities, farmers and corporations are asking what we really need the water for, whether we can meet that need with less, and how water can be better managed [through] ingenuity and ecological intelligence, rather than big pumps, pipelines, dams and canals.” Seeking to reclaim lost ground in the protection of our water and wetland resources, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the 2015 Clean Water Rule. The new regulations are needed to restore the strength to the 1972 Clean Water Act that has been weakened by the courts and previous administrations. Notably, within hours of activating the regulation, the EPA was served with lawsuits from corporate polluters, and within weeks, more than 20 state attorneys general filed suit against it. Today the legal battle continues over whether the new regulation will be allowed to stay in force or not. “Every day, local, state and federal governments are granting permission to industries to pollute, deforest, degrade and despoil our environments, resulting in serious effects on our planet and our bodies,” says Maya K. van Rossum, a Delaware Riverkeeper and head of the four-state Delaware Riverkeeper Network. Under van Rossum’s leadership the network has created a national initiative called For the Generations advocating for the passage of constitutional protection for environmental rights at both the state and federal levels. It was inspired by a legal victory secured by van Rossum and her organization in 2013 in a case titled Robinson Town-

We use a Mercury safe removal protocol when replacing mercury fillings in order to ensure your comfort and safety. Visit our website to review our mercury removal protocol.

Call To Set Up A Free Consultation Accepting New Patients Emergency Appointments Always Available

BPA Free Night Guards BPA Free & bis-GMA Free Dental Fillings

julie obenchain, dds

843-884-0701 PleasantSmilesCFD.com 924 Tall Pine Road, Mt. Pleasant

natural awakenings

April 2016

Water is the foundation of life.

ship, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, et al. vs. the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which used Pennsylvania’s Constitutional Environmental Rights Amendment to strike down significant portions of a pro-fracking piece of legislation as unconstitutional. Until this legal victory, Pennsylvania’s constitutional environmental rights amendment was dismissed as a mere statement of policy rather than a true legal protection. “Each individual process of fracking uses on the order of 5 million gallons of freshwater water mixed with chemicals for drilling and fracking operations, introducing highly contaminated wastewater into our environment,” explains van Rossum. “Every frack increases the chances of carcinogenic chemical leakage into the soil and water sources.” In the pioneering Pennsylvania case, the court’s ruling made clear that the environmental rights of citizens aren’t granted by law, but are inherent and rights that cannot be removed, annulled or overturned by government or law. “Even more significant, the court stated that these environmental rights belong to present generations living on Earth today and to future generations,” enthuses van Rossum. She also cites that although America’s Declara-

tion of Independence includes several inalienable rights, our federal constitution and those of 48 states fail to provide protection for three basic needs required to enjoy them— the right to pure water, clean air and healthy environments. Van Rossum’s audiences are shocked to learn that clean water isn’t enforced as a human right. Threatened by myriad environmental, political, economic and social forces, and contamination from carcinogenic pesticides, toxic herbicides, chemical warfare and rocket fuel research materials plus heavy metals like mercury and lead, an era of clean water scarcity already exists in parts of our own country and much of the world. Episodic tragedies like the 2015 Gold King Mine wastewater spill near Silverton, Colorado, and Flint, Michigan’s current lead-laced drinking water crisis raise public awareness. “The technologies and know-how exist to increase the productivity of every liter of water,” says Postel. “But citizens must first understand the issues and insist on policies, laws and institutions that promote the sustainable use and safety of clean water.” Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.

Freshwater Needs Spur Fresh Thinking United Nations World Water Development Report Tinyurl.com/UNWaterReport Food & Water Watch on Corporate Takeover of Water Tinyurl.com/CorporateWaterTakeover Public Citizen on How to Protect Our Public Right to Clean Water Tinyurl.com/WhyOpposeWater Privatization U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Roster of Contaminated Water Cleanup Sites epa.gov/superfund Clean Water Rule Call to Action epa.gov/cleanwaterrule

OM Sanctuary

Education and Holistic Retreat Oasis in Beautiful Asheville, NC

June 3-6, 2016 • Psychic and Mediumship Gallery Friday June 3

• Workshops and Lectures

Saturday June 4 & Sunday June 5

Psychic & Medium Messages from Heaven & Earth

• Private Readings with Celebrity

Psychic Allison The Rock Girl and Psychic Medium Jill M. Jackson – Monday June 6

FEATURING WORLD RENOWNED AWARD WINNING PSYCHICS

Allison Hayes THE ROCK GIRL AND Jill M. Jackson For Information and Tickets visit www.mysticandmedium.com or call 828-414-4765 22

NA Lowcountry Edition

NALowcountry.com

consciouseating

Edible Heirlooms Old-Fashioned Fruits and Veggies Return to the Table by Avery Mack

f the 7,500 varieties of apples in the world, 2,500 are grown in the U.S., but only 100 commercially. As of the 1990s, 70 percent were Red Delicious; more recently they’re being replaced with Gala, Granny Smith and Fuji types from taller, thinner trees that can be planted more compactly for easier harvesting, yet are more sensitive to disease and require trellis supports. Mass-produced fruits and vegetables have been modified over the years to make them look appealing and ship well, while sacrificing taste. Consumers in search of health-enhancing nutrients and robust flavor can find them by instead connecting with the past through food and flowers. “Heirloom seeds have remained intact and unexposed to commercial pesticides,” says Jere Gettle, owner of Baker Creek Seed Company, in Mansfield, Missouri. “They’re reliable—plants grown now will be the same next year; not so with hybrids.” This cleaner, tastier alternative to the status quo

is typically packed with more good vitamins than good looks. Heirloom produce often also delivers a unique regional flavor, such as Vidalia onions or Hatch chile peppers.

Exemplary Fruits

Fine restaurants like to feature Yellow Wonder wild strawberries because they taste like cream. The fragrant Baron von Solemacher strawberry, an antique German Alpine variety, is small and sweet, red and full of flavor; it’s been around since the Stone Age. For pies and preserves, pair them with Victorian rhubarb, which dates back to 1856. Eat only the rhubarb stalks; the leaves contain poisonous oxalic acid. Aunt Molly’s ground cherry (husk tomato) hails from Poland. “It’s sweet, with a hint of tart, like pineapple-apricot,” says Gettle. “The Amish and Germans use them in pies. Their high pectin content makes them good for preserves. Heirlooms send people in search of old recipes and they end up creating their own variations. It’s food as history.” natural awakenings

April 2016

Herbs

Valuable Vegetables

Trending this year are purple veggies like the brilliantly colored Pusa Jamuni radish. Pair it with bright pink Pusa Gulabi radishes, high in carotenoids and anthocyanins, atop a stunning salad with Amsterdam prickly-seeded spinach’s arrow-shaped leaves, a variety once grown by Thomas Jefferson. Add a fennellike flavor with Pink Plume celery. Brighten salsas using the Buena Mulata hot pepper, a deep violet that ripens to a sweet red. Serve with pink pleated Mushroom Basket tomatoes or Lucid Gems, with their black/orange peel and striking yellow/orange flesh. Purple tomatillos are sweeter than green varieties and can be eaten right off the plant. “Purple sweet potatoes are found in Hawaii, but aren’t common on the mainland,” explains Gettle. “Molokai Purple sweet potatoes keep their deep purple color even when cooked, and are much higher in antioxidants than the orange variety.” To be novel, serve the Albino beet. Baker Creek’s customers use it raw in salads, roasted or fried and don’t let the greens go to waste. Monique Prince, a clinical social worker in Chester, New Hampshire, grows heirloom organic radishes, greens, herbs, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and pumpkins in eight raised beds. She received Ganisisikuk pole beans (seventh-generation seeds) and Abnaki cranberry runner beans from a Native American client. Rather than eat the bounty, she’s accumulating the seeds to save the varieties. 24

NA Lowcountry Edition

Thai basil loves summer heat. Make batches of pesto, then freeze it in ice cube trays for later. Christina Major, a nutritionist in Trevorton, Pennsylvania, grows heirloom herbs that include borage, with its edible flowers, and marshmallow, which is a decongestant when added to tea. Her 300-squarefoot garden supplies summer veggies such as scarlet runner beans, more than 50 kinds of perennial herbs for year-round use and heirloom raspberries, gooseberries and blackberries “that are eaten as fast as they’re picked,” she says. Heirloom enthusiasts like to exchange seeds to try new varieties. “From December to March, traders swap seeds and plot their gardens,” says Major. “I got 20 kinds of tomatoes by connecting with other traders on Facebook.”

Look for Non-GMOs

Flowers

The Non-GMO Project label on U.S. food products assures consumers they have no genetically modified ingredients. Now a few seed companies are starting to display the butterfly label, as well. “As demand for non-GMO choices continues to rise, farmers are seeking more non-GMO seed,” says Megan Westgate, executive director of the Non-GMO Project. “Similarly, smaller farms and home gardeners are choosing to plant more organic and non-GMO varieties.” High Mowing Organic Seeds, in Wolcott, Vermont, is the current leader, with 700 Non-GMO Projectverified seeds. Company President Tom Stearns explains, “We continue to hear about GMO concerns from our customers and while we are certified organic, that doesn’t say anything about GMO contamination.” His team helped develop a verification program for seeds because they wanted third-party verification of their claims. “We’d spent a huge amount of time implementing preventative measures and did GMO testing, but felt this wasn’t enough,” he notes. Stearns reports that there are many more genetically engineered plants than most people realize. “Some 40 GMO plant species include petunia and endive,” he says. Plus, “Contamination risks exist even when a GMO crop isn’t commercially approved, like when GMO wheat escapes field trials.”

Connect with the freelance writer via AveryMack@mindspring.com.

Source: EcoWatch.com

Heirlooms extend to trees and bushes. The drought-resistant Fourwing Saltbush has a deep root system and provides cover for songbirds in the West. ~BBB Seed

Of 400,000 flowering plants in the world, 20 percent are in danger of extinction. “Instead of marigolds and petunias, consider old-fashioned annuals. Trying new things is fun,” says Gettle. Four O’clocks, familiar to many Midwesterners, come in several colors and are easily cultivated from their abundant seeds. The succulent Ice plant, with its white-pink flowers, looks like it was dipped in sugar; its edible leaves taste like spinach. Black Swan’s burgundy poppies have a frill-like edge, while Mother of Pearl poppies offer subtle watercolors. “Save seeds, share with neighbors and pass them on to the kids,” advises Gettle. “They’re evidence of our culture.”

NALowcountry.com

Homegrown Heirloom Cookery

Vegan Tuscan Kale Soup Yields: 4 servings 1 /3 cup extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup finely chopped celery ½ cup finely chopped onion ½ cup finely chopped carrot ¼ cup finely chopped fresh purple basil leaf 1 lb ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaf 1 lb waxy boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces 1 lb lacinato kale, washed and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips ½ cup dry cannellini beans, cooked until tender 2 qt vegetable stock Sea salt to taste Heat olive oil in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat and sauté the celery, onion, carrot and basil until they’re almost soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and continue cooking until their liquid has almost cooked out, about 20 minutes more. Add in the thyme and boiling potatoes, sautéing them for another 5 minutes. Add kale and reduce heat to low, cooking until wilted, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and cooked beans, return heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least an hour. Serve with toasted slices of bread. Source: Adapted from Mediterranean Vegetables by Clifford Wright.

Salsa Morada

Cover and boil gently for 20 minutes.

Yields: Five cups (five 8-oz jars)

Remove from heat and let stand for 2 to 3 hours or until the peppers are completely soft.

1½ lb sweet green peppers, seeded and chopped 8 oz Violet Buena Mulata hot peppers, seeded and chopped 1 cup organic sugar 1½ Tbsp pickling salt 2 Tbsp powdered fair trade unsweetened chocolate 1½ cup vinegar (preferred variety) 2 tsp ground coriander 1 Tbsp ground hot chile pepper (optional)

Purée to a smooth creamy consistency using a blender. Reheat in a clean preserving pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes, and then adjust the heat factor with additional pepper to taste. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

Place the green pepper, Buena Mulata, sugar, salt, chocolate, vinegar and coriander in a heavy preserving pan.

Source: Adapted from a recipe courtesy of William Woys Weaver.

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

Springbank Retreat for Eco-Spirituality and the Arts 1-, 2-, & 3-month sabbaticals, Feb. 3-April 27

Enjoy 80 acres of quiet beauty.

Celtic Spirituality: A Spirituality for the 21st Century, April 1-3 Spirit Quest, April 8-10 Drum Making, April 12-13 Know Thyself, April 15-17 Spa for the Soul, April 20 & 21 Register by calling 843-382-9777 l www.SpringbankRetreat.org

Springbank@SpringbankRetreat.org l 1345 Springbank Rd., Kingstree, SC 29556

On Earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it. ~Jules Renard

natural awakenings

April 2016

fitbody

Millennials’ Take on Fitness

They Like Short, Social and Fun Workouts by Derek Flanzraich

illennials are a big deal. Most businesses view them as trendsetters for good reason: Born between the early 1980s and early 2000s, they make up 25 percent of the population and represent $200 billion in annual buying power. Like the baby boomers before them, they also have the power to profoundly influence other generations, both young and old. Millennials have largely rejected previous fitness trends and instead paved a new path to health and wellness. In doing so, they’ve transformed both the business of fitness and the idea of what it means to be healthy. They’ve created a more personalized approach that encompasses the values of their generation.

What They Are Millennials are a fast-paced, wellinformed group. They devour news and information as soon as it’s released and then share it with others, usually via social media. This quick turnover cycle has led to an “out with the old, in with the new” mentality in many aspects of life. For a generation that strives to be trailblazers, things quickly become outdated. Millennials are always seek26

NA Lowcountry Edition

ing new ways to get fit and eat healthy, even if it means creating something unique to them. The Internet has allowed these young adults to find more like-minded people than ever before. They grew up with constant connectivity, which has allowed them to build larger communities of friends online as well as locally, and keep everyone apprised of their fitness goals and progress. Millennials’ overscheduled lives mean they value shorter, quicker and more convenient options, especially in regard to workouts and healthy meals. They are more likely than any other age group to track their own health progress and use technologies such as health and fitness apps which monitor such data as steps, heart rate and caloric intake as a complement to their fitness routines. Being healthy means more than weight loss or looking good to them. For this pivotal generation, health is increasingly about living a happier life.

What They Like Millennials’ values and unique approach to health have fostered the growth of innovative fitness movements, health-focused stores and restaurants

NALowcountry.com

and alternative medicine. Here are the three biggest trends making an impact on the wellness industry. What’s hot: Shorter, full-body workouts that are also fun. What’s not: Steady-state cardio exercises as a starting point for losing weight and improving health. It’s been increasingly shown that steady-state cardio workouts may be the most effective way to lose weight, but they also lack widespread appeal. Instead of sticking to a traditional treadmill, many millennials have flocked to workout regimens that regularly switch exercises or use high-intensity interval training, such as Zumba, SoulCycle and CrossFit. What’s hot: A more holistic approach to health. What’s not: Diets that emphasize rapid weight loss. Millennials don’t believe that weight is the major indicator of health as much as previous generations have. Instead, they increasingly think of weight as just one among many key components of a healthy lifestyle. A higher percentage define being healthy as having regular physical activity and good eating habits. What’s hot: Alternative workouts that are customizable, fun and social. What’s not: Inflexible gym memberships and daily attendance. Instead of hitting the gym, young adults tend to prefer new forms of fitness that can be personalized to their needs. They like obstacle races such as Tough Mudder, fun and distance runs like The Color Run, at-home fitness workouts like P90X, and bodyweight regimens. As a group, millennials are redefining wellness and changing how following generations will view health. Their preferences for fun, personalized workouts and holistic wellness have fueled trends with far-reaching implications for the food, tech and healthcare industries, and that’s just the start. Derek Flanzraich is an entrepreneur on a mission to help the world think about health in a healthier way. He is the founder and CEO of Greatist, a New York City-based media startup working to make healthy living cool.

inspiration

IYENGAR YOGA CHARLESTON 716 S. Shelmore Blvd. Suite 102 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843.990.0212

iyengaryogacharleston.com | debra@iyengaryogacharleston.com

Earth Song

Mother Nature’s Rhythms Restore the Soul by Susan Andra Lion

other Earth’s gentle hand is the secure cushion that warms us on long nights and sings comforting messages through endless days, protecting us even when things seem amiss. Take in her lovely presence. Embrace her consistent wisdom. Know that her dreams are ours and ours hers, connected by timely, comforting songs. It’s time to step away from the manicured lawns, concrete walks and well-planned gardens. An open door beckons us to the sparkling air out there to listen to the grasses breathe and murmur. Prairie grasses roll on and on through curvaceous hills and flat-edged fields, undeterred by human attempts to control their rippling arpeggios. We are asked to just listen. Be alone with the music of the grasses and be in harmony with the hum of the universe. Mother Earth’s apron is laden with flowers; simple, ever-present reminders that we are loved. She tempts us to take some time off, shed our shoes and settle into the lyrical realms of her strong body. DebbieM-NA-011116.indd 1 The trees reach to the depths of the earth, deep into the Providing Quality Individual Massage mystery of lavender waters, and simultaneously throw their & Movement Therapy Classes/Workshops (CEUs) arms to the heavens, connecting all things living. The wind hears the prevailing songs that weave in and out of these Fluid Integration Bodywork ~ Cranio-Sacral lovely courtiers of the forest. In listening to their unerring Watsu ~ Continuum Movement ~ Nia stories, we let their siren songs sigh into our soul. It’s time to play in Earth’s garden and see her for who she is—today. Don’t hesitate. Go, play, linger, breathe and be Ashima (Cathy) Kahrs, CMT one with the present moment. License MAS 1607 ~ Authorized Continuum Teacher Adapted from Just Imagine Trees, a coloring book for all ages, by Susan Andra Lion.

1/11/16 2:21 P

Call for appointment 843-813-2834 www.joyouslivingmassage.com Mt Pleasant & Goose Creek natural awakenings

April 2016

wisewords

Marie Kondo on the Joy of Tidying Up

Simplicity Invites Happiness into Our Lives by April Thompson

that the best way to choose what to keep is to actually hold each item. As you do, ask yourself, “Does this spark joy?” When you touch something, your body reacts, and its response to each item is different. The process of assessing how you feel about the things you own—identifying those that have fulfilled their purpose, expressing your gratitude and bidding them farewell and good wishes for their onward journey—is a rite of passage to a new life.

Must keepsakes be included?

How can we begin to get and stay organized? It’s not about a set of rules, but acquiring the right mindset for becoming a tidy person. Think in concrete terms, 28

NA Lowcountry Edition

so that you can picture what it would be like to live in a clutter-free space. Start by identifying your bigger goal. Ask yourself why you want this, repeating the question to get to the root of the answer. As you explore the reasons behind your ideal lifestyle, you’ll realize that the ultimate reason is to be happy. Then you are ready to begin. I recommend cleaning out and organizing your entire space in one go-around. When completed, the change is so profound that it inspires a strong aversion to your previously cluttered state. The key is to make the change so sudden that you experience a complete change of heart. By discarding the easy things first, you can gradually hone your decision-making skills, including knowing who else can use what you don’t need. I recommend starting with clothes, then move to books, documents, miscellaneous items and finally anything with sentimental value. photo by Ichigo Natsuno

apanese organizing consultant Marie Kondo helps us discover happiness through tidiness. Already perusing home and lifestyle magazines by age 5, she spent her childhood “tidying” up her surroundings rather than playing with toys. The organizing system Kondo went on to develop, the KonMari method, defies most long-held rules of organizing, such as installing clever storage solutions to accommodate stuff or decluttering one area at a time. Her New York Times bestseller, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has been published in 30 countries, demonstrating that her methods speak to universal desires, including a hunger for order and simplicity. She’s now released a companion book, Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up. Kondo’s principles, including vertically stacking clothing and using special folding methods for socks, can seem quirky, yet her approach gets results. Kondo claims a nearly zero percent “clutter relapse” rate among clients because they’ve become surrounded only by things they love.

Is it important to touch every single object in the decision process? At one point in my life, I was virtually a “disposal unit”, constantly on the lookout for superfluous things. One day, I realized that I had been so focused on what to discard that I had forgotten to cherish the things I loved. Through this experience, I concluded

NALowcountry.com

Mementoes are reminders of a time that gave us joy, yet truly precious memories will never vanish, even if you discard the associated objects. By handling each sentimental item, you process your past. The space we live in should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.

What do you recommend for organizing what remains after a purge? The secret to maintaining an uncluttered room is to pursue simplicity in storage, so that you can see at a glance what you have. My storage rules are simple: Store all items of the same type in one place and don’t scatter storage space.

How does this process change us and our relationship to things? Through it, you identify both what you love and need in your home and in your life. People have told me that decluttering has helped them achieve lifelong dreams, such as launching their own business; in other cases, it has helped them let go of negative attachments and unhappy relationships. Despite a drastic reduction in belongings, no one has ever regretted it, even those that ended up with a fifth of their earlier possessions. It’s a continuing strong reminder that they have been living all this time with things they didn’t need. Connect with freelance writer April Thompson, of Washington, D.C., at AprilWrites.com.

communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide email ads@nalowcountry.com

ACUPUNCTURE CHARLESTON COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE

1307 Savannah Hwy â&#x20AC;˘ 843-763-7200 feelgreatcharleston.com Voted Best Acupuncturist in Charleston 2012! Pain Management, Autoimmune, Infertility, Digestion, Migraines, Fatigue, Allergies, Diabetes, Stress and much more. Sliding Scale $20-$40 all return visits.

COLBY M. CHRISTY, L.Ac.

Five Element Acupuncture, 125 Spring St. 843-442-4566 â&#x20AC;˘ colbychristy@gmail.com Colby Christy, Master Acupuncturist, offers 20 years experience integrating traditional acupuncture, plant medicine, and education to help individuals improve their wholehearted health.

Dr. JULIE ALLISON, DAOM, Lac Mount Pleasant, West Ashley, Kiawah 843-708-9262

Dr. Allison is a licensed acupuncturist/herbalist specializing in Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Reproductive Health and Musculoskeletal Pain Management and treats many conditions including autoimmune disease, digestive issues, stress, anxiety and insomnia. She is also certified in Mei Zen Cosmetic Acupuncture.

DR. PATRICK S. LOVEGROVE Merge Medical Center Mt. Pleasant â&#x20AC;˘ 843-469-1001 MergeMedicalCenter.com

in our Community Resource Guide â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Lowcountryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Only Healthy Living, Healthy Planet Directoryâ&#x20AC;? Affordable prices. Call 843-821-7404 Or email: ads@nalowcountry.com

POPIEL HOLISTIC THERAPY

AMA Board- certified Medical Susan Popiel, RN, CST Doctor specializing in alternative/ 1037-D Chuck Dawley Blvd Ste 206, MP integrative medicine, holistic SusanPopiel.com â&#x20AC;˘ 843-834-4168 nutrition, weight loss, fatigue and With a background in nursing, pain management. Services include Susan offers treatments which acupuncture, bioidentical hormones, naturally support your greater anti-aging, nutra-ceuticals, health and wellbeing. Acupresdetoxification, Chinese/Ayurvedic sure (no needles utilized), medicine, naturopathy, Reiki, & blood/saliva/urine/ Craniosacral Therapy, Zero A Chat hair/stool Functional Medicine lab analysis for With Balancing, Surgery Preparation. treatment of chronic disease.

LIME AND LOTUS, LLC

Abigail McClam BRAIN TRAINING

"CJHBJM T QBTTJPO GPS NJOEGVMOFTT NFEJUBUJPO BOE JOUFHSBUJWF IPMJTUJD NFEJDJOF DBNF GSPN IFS QFSTPOBM Healing Arts Center MJGFMPOH SFMBUJPOTIJQ XJUI DISPOJD QBJO )FS QFSTPOBM KPVSOFZ XJUI DISPOJD QBJO IBT TFSWFE BT B TPVSDF PG 925 Wappoo Rd Ste F, Charleston BRAINCORE NEUROFEEDBACK JOTQJSBUJPO IFBSUCSFBL BOE FOMJHIUFONFOU PWFS UIF MBTU UXFOUZ mWF ZFBST "CJHBJM TIBSFT IFS FYQFSJFODFT LimeandLotus.com â&#x20AC;˘ 843-214-2997 990 Lake Hunter Circle, Ste 212, MP 29464 LOPXMFEHF BOE TLJMMT XJUI PUIFST BT PXOFS PG UIF DPMMBCPSBUJWF IPMJTUJD IFBMUI DBSF QSBDUJDF 844-BRAIN-ON (272-4666) Services: Clinical Nutrition, -PUVT )FBMJOH $FOUSF JO %PXOUPXO $IBSMFTUPO 4$ Chiropractic, Acupuncture, Massage Braincore.dianne@gmail.com

Therapy, Counseling, Natural )PX EJE ZPV mSTU HFU TUBSUFE JO CPEZXPSL Female Hormone We BOE NFEJUBUJPOBalancing. offer individual sessions and group * XBT mSTU JOUSPEVDFE UP CPEZXPSL BOE workshops for the mind, body and spirit.Â NFEJUBUJPO BCPVU FJHIU ZFBST BHP * IBE

22 22

beauty consultant Your Grooming Guru

find out why!

Specializing in brain training, an effective, * XBT UPME CZ %VLF QBJO TQFDJBMJTUT UIFSF FODJOH "U BHF mOJTIJOH NZ EFHSFF JO drug-free treatment for: XFSF OP NPSF TVSHFSJFT OP NPSF JOKFD IVNBO TFSWJDFT BU &MPO 6OJWFSTJUZ * XBT ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, UJPOT BOE OP NPSF QJMMT * UPPL TJY NFEJ SFGFSSFE UP BO BDVQVODUVSJTU JO "TIFWJMMF Migraines, Memory, Peak Performance and more. No side effects. Permanent changes. IJU UIF XBMM XJUI 8FTUFSO NFEJDJOF BGUFS

DBUJPOT EBJMZ UIBU DPVME IFMQ BMMFWJBUF UIF

MJWJOH NPTU PG NZ MJGF XJUI DISPOJD QBJO

DISPOJD OFVSPMPHJDBM MFH QBJO * XBT FYQFSJ

CHIROPRACTOR

1319 Savannah Hwy Ste C (in Artisans Inc Salon) â&#x20AC;˘ 843-813-1838 YourGroomingGuru.com

1731 N Main St, Suite H â&#x20AC;˘ 843-810-1225 (Sangaree Center behind Old South Diner) SummervilleCommunityAcupuncture.com

LIST YOUR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

Abigail McClam, BA, LMBT 232A Ashley Ave â&#x20AC;˘ Lotuscharleston.com Abigail@lotuscharleston.com â&#x20AC;˘ 843-724-9807 Licensed Holistic Massage & integrative bodywork practitioner offering massage, aromatherapy, energy healing and breathing techniques to help individuals nurture health, restore balance, manage pain, trauma and injury as they learn to embrace their own body-mind wisdom.

ALTERNATIVE HOLISTIC MEDICINE

SUMMERVILLE COMM. ACUPUNCTURE

Bring us your headaches; back pain, tennis elbow, indigestion or whatever is bothering you! Affordable Acupuncture between $15-45, plus a $10 paperwork fee for new patients. PTSD treatments for Veterans $5. Appointments or Walk-ins welcome!

LOTUS HOLISTIC MASSAGE

COLUCCI CHIROPRACTIC AND WELLNESS CENTER

Your Grooming Guru, Barbara BrantWilliams, is an experienced hairstylist, makeup artist and certified Organic Color Specialist practicing out of Artisans Salon. She is Charlestonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go-to source for hair, makeup and beauty product knowledge... visit YourGroomingGuru.com to

bodywork

Dr. Gina Colucci 1806 Trolley Rd, Summerville ColucciChiropractic.com â&#x20AC;˘ 843-875-5700 Serving the Summerville area for 29 years, specializing in holistic care; weight loss & nutritional cleansing, pain management, bioidentical hormones, sugar detox, stress testing, chiropractic, peripheral neuropathy, detox footbaths, emotional (TBM/NET) and wellness care.

JOYOUS LIVING THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE (JLTM)

DRS. GINA & MICHAEL COURSON

Authorized Continuum Teacher, Certified Wellspring Practitioner, Certified Watsu Practitioner, Fluid Integration Therapy Cranio-Sacral/ Sacred Spaces Massage, Chakra Dialog/Tissue Awareness Therapy, Lymph Drainage Therapy, Myofascial Release, Raindrop/Aromatherapy Treatment, Nia Blue Belt Instructor (group/private), Primary Facilitator for NCBTMB approved workshops thru JLTM. Visit joyouslivingmassage.com for details. See ad page 27.

Family Practice providing full service health and wellness care. Many technologies including no twisting and cracking. M a s s a g e t h e r a p y, nutritional counseling, energy balance and detox. Insurance accepted. Free Consults. Open Saturdays.

Ashima Kahrs, CMT Mt. Pleasant & Goose Creek Location 843-813-2834 â&#x20AC;˘ ashima.cathy1@comcast.net

3373 South Morgans Pt Rd, Suite 307, MP coursonchiro.com 426 West Coleman Blvd Ste D, MP mtpleasantchiro.com â&#x20AC;˘ 843-971-8814

natural awakenings

April 2016

ENERGY HEALING

CHURCHES Unity Church of Charleston 2535 Leeds Avenue 843-566-0600 • unitychs.org Reverend Ed Kosak, Minister

CARMEN GAGNON

314-276-7772 • clgagnon1@yahoo.com Offering Life/DNA activation accessing your highest potential & purpose. Energetic rebalancing of chakras, elementials and core. Crystal energy healing for your mind-body-spirit.

Sunday Services: 9:30am & 11:15am. Are you more spiritual than religious? Do you believe in many paths to God? Then please join us!

Jennifer E. Michaels

A CENTER FOR WELL BEING

Energy Healer & Spiritual Life Coach Coleman Blvd, MP • 843-514-2848 JEMichaels.com • jennifer@jemichaels.com

843-769-6848 acenterforwellbeing.com Grass Roots Healthcare since 1991 Therapeutic Massage, Colon Hydrotherapy, Detox Foot Baths. Healthy Food Choice Coaching, NBCTH Certified and I-ACT Members. Offering people a vehicle to help improve their quality of life. Specializing in Probiotic education.

DENTISTRY JAMES SEXTON, DMD, MAGD Please call for appointment: Mt Pleasant 843-881-1418 Myrtle Beach 843-293-6700

Holistic, preventive dentistry. Safe removal of mercury fillings since 1975, following IAOMT protocol. Offering anti-aging dentistry and biocompatible materials. See ad page 13.

Welcome Spring! Now is a great time come out of hibernation and feel better... Energy Healing and Spiritual Life Coaching offer intuitive guidance and support to live your best life. I specialize in working with those in recovery or overcoming spiritual abuse. Group meditation, Individual & Corporate sessions available. Professional & confidential. Call today!

PREMA ALTERNATIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY

Darlana Fiehtsam, MSW, PhD Folly Beach, SC harmonybegins.com • 843-327-8848 Spiritual psychotherapy and energy healing, specializing in healing sexual problems, anxiety and PTSD. Blending intuitive gifts with professional training, Dr. Darlana, a certified medium, has a doctorate in transpersonal psychology.

JULIE OBENCHAIN, DDS

924 Tall Pine Rd, Mt Pleasant PleasantSmilesCFD.com 843-884-0701 BPA & bis-GMA free dental fillings and BPA free night guards. Mercury free, mercury safe. Accepting new patients and emergency appointments. Please call for consultation. See ad page 21.

eco cleaning ABOVE & BEYOND CLEANING, LLC Kimberly Henderson 843-901-4779 aboveandbeyondcleaningllc.com

Beyond

Cleaning, LLC

Healthy Living starts with an Eco-clean home or office. Health and wholeness are our top priority by providing our clients with a “green” clean by using natural & botanical cleaning products.

FUNCTIONAL/Integrative MEDICINE CENTER FOR OCCUPATIONAL & ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE Drs. Lieberman, Weirs, & Herbert 843-572-1600 • COEM.com

Preventative and Personalized Healthcare w/over 75 years of combined medical practice. BoardCertified Environmental, Functional & Integrative Medicine. We get to the root cause of your illness. Allergy Testing. Autoimmune Diseases. Women’s Health. See ad pages 5 and 35.

HEALTH FOOD STORES GOD’S GREEN ACRE

1240-C Central Ave, Summerville 843-873-3953 godsgreenacreonline.com Your doorway to total health. Serving Summerville over 40 years. Natural & gluten-free products. Probiotics, organic oils, vitamins & supplements, essential oils and so much more…

NA Lowcountry Edition

Herbs and Health Foods 119 North Goose Creek Blvd, Ste K Goose Creek • 843-797-3200 Best selection of herbs in SC. Organic tea, spices, supplements, essential oils, wheat-free and glutenfree products. 10am-7pm M-Sat, closed Sunday.

HEALTH & WELLNESS BEMER DISTRIBUTOR

COLON HEALTH

Above

VITAMIN PLUS+

NALowcountry.com

Gerry Schmidt, PhD 843-588-9286 • Helpcirculation.com Gerry.Lee.Schmidt@gmail.com Reverse aging in just 8 minutes, 2X/day with BEMER—reduces inflammation, pain, digestive issues, improves sleep and energy/vitality, plus more. Used by NASA and Olympic teams, in 42 countries for 15 years. Try it FREE!

KANGEN IONIZED WATER

Thomas P Meletis, Distributor 843-729-7837 • tpm13@aol.com Change your water, change your life! Water is the single most important element that goes in our body. Drinking the right type of water may be the single most important piece in achieving and maintaining optimal health. Visit www. KangenDemo.com to see a comparison. View all 8 machines at www. TopShelfWater.net. *Financing at zero interest*

WELLNESS WINS

Clara Powell 703-217-5269 • Wellness-wins.com CJ@wellness-wins-com Discover whole body balance and wellness through education and lifestyle changes. Focus: allergies, pain and digestive system problems. Providing testing, workshops, classes and family/ individual consultation FREE 15-minute consultation and monthly shopping tours available.

INTUITIVE GUIDANCE CAROL COTTRELL, INTUITIVE MEDIUM Ccottrell.com 843-324-6460 carol@ccottrell.com

Connect with passed loved ones to experience healing, love and guidance. Individual or group readings available in-person or via Skype. Mediumship classes also available.

life coach ALEKA THORVALSON, CPC, PCC Aloha Healing Arts Life Strategies Coaching & Hypnosis 843-870-7455 • Alekasky.com

Achieve lasting transformation that awakens the whole self. Release blocks, gain clarity, purpose, inspiration and motivation. Individuals—Couples—Families. Professionally Credentialed Coach with the International Coach Federation.

ORGANIC SALON & BOUTIQUE COTTAGE AROMA BELLA DAY SPA

2671 Fort Trenholm Rd, Johns Island 29455 843-266-3619 Cottagearomabella.com Relax and renew your mind, body and soul while enjoying our luxurious services. All treatments are tailored just for you using the finest all-natural products. See ad page 7.

SALON INDIGO

732 South Shelmore Blvd, Ste 100 Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 @ Shelmore Village • 843-991-6835 Our experienced team of hairstylists & skincare specialist use 100% certified organic products. We specialize in haircutting, coloring and make-up application. We sell All Nutrient™, Moroccan Oils, Dr. Hauschka™, 100% Pure™, iLike™ and many other boutique items.

OSTEOPATHY CENTER FOR OCCUPATIONAL & ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE Dr. Bettina Herbert 843-572-1600 • COEM.com

Dr. Bettina Herbert, MD, has 25 years of osteopathic experience and is board certified in Physical Medicine. Treatment uses gentle manipulation primarily using cranial osteopathy to relieve pain, improve performance and promote healing. See ad pages 5 and 35.

VITAMINS, SUPPLEMENTS & HERBS

reiki BODHI TREE CHARLESTON

EUCALYPTUS WELLNESS CO.

Maureen Donohue (LMT #3231) 792 Folly Rd, James Island 843-327-4761 • Bodhitreecharleston.com Client focused, heart-centered, therapeutic Reiki and massage. Maureen Donohue is a Usui Reiki Master/Teacher, Massage Therapist and Medical Reiki Master™. Teaching Reiki classes throughout the Southeast, approved by NCBTMB as a CEU Provider.

ULTIMATE HEALING

280 W Coleman Blvd Suite E Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 Eucalyptuswellness.com • 843-388-4956 Offering an extensive line of all natural products including vitamins, supplements, herbs, aromatherapy, body care and much more. Visit our store and shop the wide selection of products and meet our dedicated, knowledgeable staff. Open Monday thru Saturday 10am-7pm.

YOGA cLASSES

Gisele Perez RN Mount Pleasant, SC 804-868-8465 • healinglight3@yahoo.com

GC Yoga

Reiki is a safe practice that supports and balances the body on every level, physically, emotionally and spiritually. It helps you to cope with a wide range of medical conditions. Discover the power of Reiki. Gisele is a Registered Nurse, Usui Reiki Master and Medical Reiki Master. Schedule your session today.

THERMOGRAPHY BREAST THERMOGRAPHY INTL. Shanna Schulze 877-315-7226, Ext 447 EarlyDetectionIsKey@gmail.com Btiscan.com

Radiation Free Cancer & Inflammation Screening. Locations in south FL, west FL & SC. Injury documentation, determine origination of pain, evaluate nerve pathology and monitor progress of current treatments.

105 Laurel Ave, Goose Creek 29445 Goodcallyoga.com 843-303-2014 GC Yoga of Goose Creek offers group yoga classes for all levels in a positive and unintimidating environment. Feel strong, calm, and get your stretch on!

Ahhh... Springtime, Find Your Natural Match!

Transformational Coach GERRY SCHMIDT, PhD

Master Coach Central location • 843-478-4090 GerrySchmidt.com Awaken to who you really are. Get unstuck, empowered, implement your vision. Never let fear decide your fate. RESULTS! Individuals, families, group sessions. Complimentary intro session. Call me! See ad page 19.

Try it for FREE at NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. ~George Bernard Shaw natural awakenings

April 2016

calendarofevents Our Calendar is filled with classes, workshops and events that feed your mind/ body/spirit and promote a healthy lifestyle. All submissions for the May issue must be received no later than April 10. Basic listings are a maximum of 35 words, not including the day/date and cost $5/month. Highlighted events are $.50/word plus $10/photo. Please email to: calendar@nalowcountry.com.

FRIDAY, APRIL 1

SATURDAY, APRIL 9

Celtic Spirituality: A Spirituality for the 21st Century – 7pm-1pm, Sunday. Participants will go on a pilgrimage with meditations, song, & creative expression. $275 fee includes lodging & meals. Springbank Retreat, Kingstree. 843382-9777, Springbank@SpringbankRetreat.org, SpringbankRetreat.org.

Charleston Divorce Workshop – 8:30am-noon Voigt Murphy Law Firm, 815 Savannah Hwy. Workshop helps participants explore legal, financial and emotional issues of divorce with a family law attorney, a financial professional and a therapist. $45, Secondsaturdaycharleston.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 2 Spiritual Awakening SatSang with Sunita Hira – 12pm. Topic: GOD - “What is the controlling force that regulates all events we experience in this imaginary world? Namaste Center. 820 Central Avenue Suite C, Summerville. Namastecenter5@gmail.com. Buddhist Brahma Vihara Meditation Four Immeasurables – 7:30am - Loving Kindness (Metta), 8:30 am - Compassion (Karuna), 9:30am Sympathetic Joy (Mudita), 10:30am - Equanimity (Upekkha). Love offering. Unity of Charleston, 2535 Leeds Ave. Unitychs.org 843-566-0600.

SUNDAY, APRIL 3 Lowcountry Cajun Festival – noon-6pm James Island County Park. Foot-stompin’ tunes, hot and spicy foods, children’s activities and all around ragin’ Cajun entertainment! Festival admission: $15/adults (13 & up); Free/12 & under and Gold Pass holders.

TUESDAY, APRIL 5 21 Day Whole Food Detox – 6-7pm. Includes detox products, weekly group classes, recipes and much more! $289. Lime and Lotus. 925-F Wapoo Rd. Register 843-214-2997. LimeandLotus.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6 Digestion Workshop – 6:15pm. Dr. Colucci shares the connection between inflammation and disease, how to restore the gut lining, dietary changes to influence anxiety, depression, stress, brain fog and more. $10/class. Colucci Wellness, Summerville. RSVP 843-875-5700.

FRIDAY, APRIL 8 Spirit Quest – 7pm-1pm Sunday. Prayer, being open to Spirit & listening in the profound quiet of nature. $200 fee includes lodging & meals. Springbank Retreat, Kingstree. 843-382-9777. Springbank@ SpringbankRetreat.org, SpringbankRetreat.org.

Unity Community Indoor Flea Market Sat, April 9 • 8am-1pm Fabulous Finds! Location: 2535 Leeds Ave., Charleston (corner of Dorchester Rd and Leeds Ave.)

NA Lowcountry Edition

Essential Oil Workshop – 1-2:30pm. Join us for a sensory experience, complete with take-home products made during our event. Features Breathe Cosmetologist and Herbalist Jenny Keasling. $35 per attendee. Reservation required. Breathepilates.us. 843-884-4420. Usui/Holy Fire Reiki I & II Classes – 9am-6pm Sat/Sun. Healing with Reiki energy for yourself & others, CEs for Nurses/Massage Therapists. $410. Usui/Karuna Reiki Master & ICRT Licensed Teacher Dianne Thomas, Summerville 843-2972468, Thepinkdolphin.com.

Come learn about CBD Oil (Cannabis Sativa) and its medicinal benefits April 10 • 3-4pm

Please RSVP 843-388-4956, limited seating. Eucalyptus Wellness 280 West Coleman Blvd S-E, Mount Pleasant

Lowcountry Kids Expo April 10 • noon-5pm

The Lowcountry Kids Expo returns to the Omar Convention Center in Mount Pleasant! The Expo highlights local businesses sharing information about health & wellness, safety, special needs, child care, summer camps, and other important family-related topics. Free admission and free activities including bounce houses, face painting, character meet & greets, stage shows and more! For sponsor information contact events@SunshineFamilyExpos.com or visit SunshineFamilyExpos.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 12 Drum-Making – 9:30am-5pm, Tues/Wed. Create & shape a handheld drum in the Native tradition. Blessing & awakening of the drum. $300 fee includes meals, lodging, materials. Springbank Retreat, Kingstree. Contact Springbank@ SpringbankRetreat.org, 843-382-9777, SpringbankRetreat.org.

NALowcountry.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 15 Know Thyself – 7pm-1pm Sunday. Explore fundamental interconnectedness, universal consciousness, broadening of human awareness and effects of intentionality on the environment. Springbank Retreat, Kingstree. $275 fee includes meals & lodging. Contact Springbank@SpringbankRetreat.org, 843-382-9777, SpringbankRetreat.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 16 REIKI LEVEL II – Sat/Sun. Delve into Level II Symbols, the chakra system, Distant Healing. Class includes practical hands-on time , question/answer and discussion. 12 hr CEU. Registration, Level I required. Bodhi Tree Charleston. 843-327-4761. Bodhitreecharleston.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 17 Relationship Skills for Seniors – 2-4 pm. Includes discussion/play on the 5 basic building blocks of any relationship; Self Awareness, Intimacy Skills, Communication, Sexuality, Friendship. $20. Namastecenter5@gmail.com. Reiki Clinic – 2-4pm. Public invited to receive FREE 20 minute session. All lineage Reiki Practitioners welcome to give and receive Reiki. Dianne Thomas, Usui/Karuna Reiki Master & ICRT Licensed Teacher. Pink Dolphin, Summerville 843297-2468, Thepinkdolphin.com. 2016: A Year Of Interfaith Teachings and Dialog: Hinduism – 9:30am and 11:15am. Ms. Shaila Shroff of Charleston Hindu Temple. Music by Muni Natarajan, Hindu pries, and Austin O’Malley native flutes. Love offering. Unity of Charleston, 2535 Leeds Ave. Unitychs.org, 843-566-0600. Unity Truth Talks – 1pm. “Compassionate Communication,” to live a meaningful and fulfilling life. Diana (Deeana) Deaver, emotional wellness coach. Love offering. Unity of Charleston, 2535 Leeds Ave. Unitychs.org, 843-566-0600.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20 Spring Open House – 5-8pm. Meet our holistic practitioners, indulge in a mini session, enjoy wine and appetizers. FREE. Lime and Lotus. 925-F Wapoo Rd. Register 843-214-2997. LimeandLotus.com. Digestion Workshop – 6:15pm. Dr. Colucci shares the connection between inflammation and disease, how to restore the gut lining, dietary changes to influence anxiety, depression, stress, brain fog and more. $10/class. Colucci Wellness, Summerville. RSVP 843-875-5700. Spa for the Soul – 10am-4pm, Thursday. Heal body, mind, soul. Experience foot massage, healing touch, aromatherapy, instruction in nutritional wellness and artistic expression. $200 fee includes lodging & meals. Springbank Retreat, Kingstree. 843-382-9777, Springbank@SpringbankRetreat. org, or SpringbankRetreat.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 21 Intuitive Playground – 7-9pm. Discover your intuition. Learn techniques for improving your skills and life. Energy exchange. $10. Lime and Lotus. 925-F Wapoo Rd. Register 843-214-2997. LimeandLotus.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 23 Survival Medicine with Darryl Patton, ND, Master Herbalist – 9am-5pm. Sat/Sun. Stalk wild and edible plants, create an herbal medicine chest, more. Go home with the salves, liniments and tinctures you make. $130 Members/$150 Non-members. Scherbalsociety.com/workshops.

SUNDAY, APRIL 24 African Market Festival – 1-5pm. African food, drumming, dancing, arts, crafts, vendors, auction benefitting underprivileged school children in Liberia. Free rain or shine. Unity of Charleston, 2535 Leeds Ave. Unitychs.org, Unitycharleston@msn. com, 843-566-0600.

TUESDAY, APRIL 27 Usui/Holy Fire Reiki I & II Classes – 9am6pm Tues/Wed. Healing with Reiki energy for yourself & others. $410. Usui/Holy Fire Reiki Master Eileen Ayers. The Pink Dolphin, Summerville. Call 860-857-4815 to register.

Saturday, April 30 Crafting with Reiki – 2-4pm. Utilizing Reiki to create with the purpose of healing. This month, dream catcher! Anissa Russell, Usui/ Holy Fire Reiki Master, Teacher. $35 The Pink Dolphin, Summerville. Contact Dianne at 297-2468.

plan ahead SUNDAY, MAY 1 Unity Church Service at scenic Bowens Island – 11am. with Rev Kosak. 1870 Bowens Island Rd, Charleston. Rev Holland leads 10am service at Unity of Charleston, 2335 Leeds Ave, N. Charleston. Unitychs.org, Unitycharleston@msn.com, 843566-0600.

Saturday, May 14 Charleston Divorce Workshop – 8:30am-noon Voigt Murphy Law Firm, 815 Savannah Hwy. Workshop helps participants explore legal, financial and emotional issues of divorce with a family law attorney, a financial professional and a therapist. $45, Secondsaturdaycharleston.com.

JUNE 6 – JUNE 8 Mystic/Medium Metaphysical Retreat – Join Celebrity Psychic Allison Hayes, The Rock Girl and Medium Jill M. Jackson. Gallery, Workshops, Private Readings. Attend 1 day or all 4 for a discount! OM Sanctuary Holistic Center, Asheville, NC. Mysticandmedium.com. 828-414-4765.

ongoing events monday Complimentary Natural Female Hormone Balancing Consultations – 10am-4pm Lime and Lotus, 925-F Wappoo Rd. Dr Stephanie Zgraggen is offering complimentary natural female hormone balancing consultations. LimeandLotus.com, 843-214-2997. Nia – 4-5pm Hanahan Senior Center, 3102 Mabeline Rd (near Trident Tech off Rivers Ave). Lively movement class, energetic, embraces The Body’s Way/Nia Way. With Ashima Kahrs, Nia Blue Belt Instructor, 843-813-2834.

tuesday CofCs Center for Creative Retirement Weekly Lectures – 1pm St. Joseph Family Life Center, 1695 Raoul Wallenberg Blvd, W Ashley. Weekly lectures on many topics. First time guests are FREE. Information, contact David Barnard: 216-6640. The Reiki Connection – 7pm Unity Church, 2535 Leeds Ave. All welcome for guided meditation followed by mini Reiki sessions by certified practitioners. Love offering. (1st Tuesdays for practitioners only). Chrys Franks, Reiki Master/ Teacher, 364-5725.

wednesday Complimentary Natural Female Hormone Balancing Consultations – 10am-4pm Lime and Lotus, 925-F Wappoo Rd. Dr Stephanie Zgraggen is offering complimentary natural female hormone balancing consultations. LimeandLotus.com, 843-214-2997. Kids Yoga – 4pm (ages 3-12) Play Garden, 320 West Coleman Blvd, Mt Pleasant. Fun way to relax after school at drop-in eco-friendly play space. KidsPlayGarden.com. Free Hydration Clinic – 6-7pm (1st Wed) Dr. Marianne Rosen, 776 Daniel Ellis Dr Ste 1A, James Island (right side before entrance to Lowes). Learn how to change your life for the best. 723-6529. Meditation Class – 6:30-7:30pm, Center for Holistic Health, 1470 Ben Sawyers Blvd Ste7. Guided & silent for beginners & advanced with Energy Healer & Spiritual Life Coach Jennifer Michaels. $10/class, Drop-ins welcome. Jemichaels.com, Jennifer@ jemichaels.com, 843-514-2848.

thursday Introduction to Meditation – 7-8:15pm at Unity Church, 2535 Leeds Ave, N. Charleston. Open to public. Learn different types of meditation and how to apply them in daily life. $10 or $5 students/ seniors. MeditationInSouthCarolina.org.

friday

Kids Yoga Class – 11am-noon (ages 4-11) GC Yoga, 105 Laurel Ave, Goose Creek. Utilizing yoga poses creatively tucked into activities, music, stories and more. $8/child; $4/sibling. Adult class also offered at 11am. Goodcallyoga.com, 843-303-2014.

sunday Zen Meditation Group – 7:45-10:15am Holy Cow Yoga, 10 Windermere Blvd. Three halfhour rounds of sitting with walking meditation in between. Newcomers asked to arrive 8:15 for brief introduction to the practice. FREE, info@ charlestonzen.org, CharlestonZen.org. Unity of Charleston Services – 9:30am; 11:15am Unity Church, 2535 Leeds Ave, N Charleston. Are you more spiritual than religious? So are we! Do you believe in many paths to God? Then join us. Unitychs.org, 843-566-0600. Max Meditation System – 10-11am (every Sunday) Healing Oasis, 772 St Andrews Blvd, W Ashley. Fusing five-styles of meditation into one guided by Carmen Gagnon. $10 at the door, Info: 314276-7772. New Spirit Books & Gifts in Unity Church of Charleston – 10:30am-1pm. Spiritual, metaphysical, and inspirational books, crystals, incense, tarot/oracle cards. 2535 Leeds Ave. Charleston. Newspiritbg@gmail.com. 843-566-0600.

classifieds Have a job to fill or a space to rent? List it in our Classifieds! Information is due by April 10 for the May issue. Cost is $25/month for 30 words, additional words are $.50/each. Must be prepaid. Email to ads@nalowcountry.com foster parents

Nia – 11am-noon Hanahan Senior Center, 3102 Mabeline Rd (near Trident Tech). Lively movement class, energetic, embraces The Body’s Way/Nia Way. With Ashima Kahrs, Nia Blue Belt Instructor, 843-813-2834. Transmission Meditation – 6:30pm Healing Oasis, 772 St Andrews. Very powerful work. Benefical for humanity and self. Healingoasisllc.com, 843-7435222, Transmissionmediation.org.

saturday Simply Meditate – 10:30am-noon (every 4th Saturday) at Circular Church, 150 Meeting Street. Classroom below Lance Hall. Drop-in classes with guided meditations, suitable for beginners and experienced alike. $10 or $5 students/seniors. MeditationInSouthCarolina.org.

FOSTER PARENTS NEEDED – In Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester Counties. South Carolina MENTOR is seeking families/individuals willing to foster a child in need of a home. Must be 21, have a spare bedroom, driver’s license, vehicle, high school diploma/GED. Up to $930 monthly stipend. For more information contact: 843-329-7614 or 843-817-0837, www.scmentor.com.

Membership Opportunity NAMASTE CENTER invites Progressive Therapists, Holistic Practitioners, Teachers, Yoga Instructors to join our membership and teach in Summerville. The Circle of Healers, building transformative relationships. Namastecenter5@ gmail.com.

natural awakenings

April 2016

Publish a Natural Awakenings Magazine in Your Community Share Your Vision and Make a Difference Our publishers ranked us among the highest in franchise satisfaction for our Training, Support, Core Values and Integrity! As a Natural Awakenings publisher, you can enjoy learning about healthy and joyous living while working from your home and earn a good income doing something you love! No publishing experience is necessary. You’ll work for yourself but not by yourself. We offer a complete training and support system that allows you to successfully publish your own magazine.

• Meaningful New Career • Low Initial Investment • Proven Business System • Home-Based Business • Exceptional Franchise Support & Training

For more information, visit our website: NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/mymagazine or call 239-530-1377

Natural Awakenings publishes in over 95 markets across the U.S. and Puerto Rico

Natural Awakenings is now expanding into new markets across the U.S. Contact us about starting a magazine in a community of your choice or acquiring an existing publication for sale highlighted in red below. • Central OH • Charlotte, NC* • Orlando, FL • Dallas Metroplex, TX • Huntsville, AL • Cincinnati, OH* • Lake Norman, NC* • Palm Beach, FL • Dallas/FW Metro N • Gulf Coast AL/MS* • Toledo, OH • Triangle NC • Peace River, FL • Houston, TX • Phoenix, AZ* • Oklahoma City, OK • Bergen/Passaic NJ* • Sarasota, FL • San Antonio, TX* • Tucson, AZ • Portland, OR • Central NJ • Tampa/St. Pete., FL • SE Texas • East Bay Area, CA • Bucks/Montgomery • Hudson County, NJ • FL’s Treasure Coast • Richmond, VA • San Diego, CA Counties, PA • Mercer County, NJ • Seattle, WA • Boulder/Ft. Collins, CO • Atlanta, GA • Monmouth/Ocean, NJ • Harrisburg/York, PA • Hawaiian Islands • Madison, WI* • Denver, CO • Lancaster/Berks, PA • North Central NJ • Chicago, IL • Milwaukee, WI • Fairfield County, CT • Lehigh Valley, PA* • Chicago West. Suburbs • South NJ • Puerto Rico • Hartford, CT • Pocono, PA/ • Santa Fe/Abq., NM • Indianapolis, IN • New Haven/ *Existing magazines for sale Warren Co., NJ Middlesex, CT • Las Vegas, NV • Baton Rouge, LA • Scranton/ • Washington, DC • Albany, NY • Lafayette, LA Wilkes-Barre, PA • Daytona/Volusia/ • Buffalo, NY • New Orleans, LA • Rhode Island Flagler, FL • Central NY • Portland, ME • Charleston, SC • NW FL Emerald Coast • Long Island, NY • Boston, MA • Columbia, SC • Ft. Lauderdale, FL • Manhattan, NY* • Ann Arbor, MI • Grand Strand, SC* • Jacksonville/St. Aug., FL • Lower Hudson • East Michigan • Greenville, SC • Melbourne/Vero, FL Valley West, NY Natural Awakenings recently won • Wayne County, MI* • Chattanooga, TN • Miami & Florida Keys the prestigious FBR50 Franchise • Rochester, NY • Western MI Satisfaction Award from Franchise • Memphis, TN • Naples/Ft. Myers, FL • Westchester/ Business Review. To learn more, • Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN • Austin, TX Putnam, NY • visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com NA Lowcountry Edition NALowcountry.com 34North Central FL

PEST

ELIMINATION

843-718-3834 allgreen4u.com

Being green is not just a “buzz” word to us. Our award winning product line is organic and naturally derived. We use products that are beneficial to your environment, safer for you, your children and your pets!

Our exclusive product line “NatureLine” works so well we give our customers a one year warranty on general pests, and a lifetime warranty on Termite and Wood Destroying insects. We will even take over your existing termite bond!

Free Estimates Free Inspections

SAVE

100

off any annual

Service Program!

Mention you saw this ad and save $100 off any annual Service Program!

843-718-3834

All Green Pest Elimination • 843-718-3834 • allgreen4u.com

One Call gets them all...