Natural Healing Natural Wellness Fall 2014

2014

Healing

NATURALWellness

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IN

O SID K

From the Makers of the Topricin速 Family of Healing Pain Relief Products

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Healing

FALL 2014

NATURAL Wellness

E R U T A E F

DailyOm: Decorating Life: The World as Home Pg. 4

DREAM WORKS:

e: v r e o S e to

A Real Nightmare Pg. 5

h ty of Lif Pain W e i s a Tho d Qu l er with

MODERN SAGE:

g Hope anWho Suff n i v r Se toring terans

Bathtub Reflections Pg. 7

HEALING SCENTS:

Emotional Balance with Therapeutic Essential Oils Pg. 9

QUICKIE CHICK:

Stress & The Upside of Down Pg. 11

Res ican Ve r Ame

27

Pg.

ASK ANNIE-THE DETOX DIVA: Cherokee Wisdom for Living the Great Life Pg. 16

ALEXANDRA’S INSIGHTS:

My Messy Kitchen = Psychological Troubles Pg. 17

OPTIONS FOR LIFE: Food

Synergy: Boosting The AntiCancer Diet Pg. 19

PHYSICAL ADVANTAGE:

“How Can You Know?” Pg. 23

REFLEXOLOGY:

PLANET WAVES: Goddesses of Astrology Pg. 30

NUTRITIONAL BITES: Cold Comfort Food Fixes Pg. 34

Welcome New Columnists YOUR JOYOLOGIST: Keeping the Feeling Alive Pg. 38

CURB THE CHAOS: Tips & Solutions to Become Clutter Free Pg. 40

GUEST COLUMNIST:

Want to See Clearly, Start Your Eye Yoga Today Pg. 42

HEALING CIRCLE & HEALING INNOVATIONS: Topricin Skateboarding Promo, How Topricin for Children Helps Eczema Pg. 43

Reflexology & Grief Pg. 24

IN THE NEWS:

THE NATURAL MEDICINE WOMAN: 7 Suprising Health

Topricin Turns 20!, Mixing Music & Medicine at the O+ Festival, HAIL, SPARTAN WARRIORS! Pg. 44

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar Pg. 25

Healing

FALL 2014

NATURAL Wellness

A Word From The Publisher t’s been a lush fall here in New York’s Hudson Valley, with the trees putting on a spectacular display for “leaf peepers” before they turned brown and tumbled to the ground. With barren trees, cooler weather, shorter days and longer nights, I’m happy to offer you this newsletter to peruse as you put another log on the fire!

CONTRIBUTORS: Joan Apter Annie B. Bond Dorothy Breininger Debbie Burklund Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook Eric Francis Doug Grunther Leah Guy Laurel House Elyn Jacobs Alexandra Jamieson Patricia Martin Roufia Payman Madisyn Taylor Laurie Towers Tricia Heather Vuchinich President & Chief of Research: Lou Paradise Publisher: Aurora Paradise Managing Editor: Patricia Martin Art Director: Elizabeth Chen Graphic Artist: Elizabeth Paradise

Our feature article focuses on our brave American veterans and how we are dedicated to helping them. (And I think you’ll be fascinated to read how our Lou Paradise invented Topricin as a result of his own service in the Marine Corps.)

There’s lots more fantastic reading ahead, as well. Roufia offers “Cold Comfort Food Fixes” that are just right for the season plus a great recipe for delicious homemade chicken soup; Elyn enhances the nutritional value of an anti-cancer diet with food synergy formulas; and our Natural Medicine Woman outlines the surprising health benefits of apple cider vinegar.

DailyOM encourages us to “Decorate our Life” while Alexandra tackles organizing her messy kitchen. You’ll be inspired reading Annie’s “Cherokee Wisdom for Living the Great Life” and the Quickie Chick’s advice for seeing the “up side of down.”...Joan reveals how to achieve emotional balance with essential oils, Eric illuminates us on the goddesses of Astrology, and Doug explores how nightmares come to us in the service of health and wholeness...Laurie gives you reasons you can be sure a personal trainer is right for you....Deborah discusses reflexology and the grieving process...and Leah encourages us to enjoy bathtub reflections!

It’s a jam-packed issue, with two new columnists. Let me introduce you to “Dorothy the Organizer” (Dorothy Breininger) who is the one and only organizing expert on A&E’s “Hoarders” and gives us great tips and solutions for making our homes clutter free. I’d also like you to meet Tricia, the “Joyologist” who coaches us to live life to the fullest.

As always, wishing you good health, joy, and a most spectacular season!

Aurora Aurora Paradise, Chief Operations Officer and Publisher Aurora Paradise is Chief Operations Officer of Topical BioMedics. Besides publishing the newsletter, Aurora oversees the day-to-day operations of the company.

DailyOM

DECORATING LIFE: THE WORLD AS HOME

-By Madisyn Taylor

Each day we choose to decorate our lIfe Just as we do our homes. here are few things more thrilling than having a new house or an empty room to decorate.

Our imaginations soar as we consider the many possibilities. In the same way, our lives offer us the opportunity to express ourselves within various contexts, to ask ourselves questions about what we want to see as we move through our days and how we want things to flow. Some people do this instinctively, moving through the various environments they inhabit and shifting the energy with their presence. These people have a knack for decorating life. This can be as simple as the way they dress, the way they speak, or the fact that they always bring a bouquet of wildflowers when they come for a visit.

As we move through the world, we make a statement, whether we intend to or not. We shift the energy one way when we enter a room dressed elegantly and simply, and another when we show up in bright, cheerful colors and a floppy hat. One is not better than the other. It is simply a question of the mood we wish to create. What we wear is just one choice we can focus on. The way we speak to people, or touch them, shifts the energy more profoundly than almost anything else.

The words we speak and the tone in which we say them are the music we choose to play in the world that is our home. Some of us fill the space with passionate arias, others with healing hymns. Again, one is not better than the other. We are all called to contribute.

Just as we consciously create an environment within our homes, we can consciously choose to decorate life itself with our particular energy. Ideally, in doing so, we express our deeper selves, so that the adornments we add to the world make it more meaningful, more beautiful, and as welcoming as a beloved home.

Reprinted from DailyOM- Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day. Register for free at www.dailyom.com.

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Dream works A

R E A L

N I G H T M A R E

-By Doug Grunther

e all have nightmares. As I have stated in previous columns, both from what I learned from studying with dream expert Dr. Jeremy Taylor and from my own experience, all dreams come in the service of health and wholeness— especially nightmares.

Here's a nightmare recently sent to me, followed by potential meanings I suggested: I'm at a party with lots of people and laughter. The house is a large white mansion which is a “family� home. The party ends and the man who owns the home is holding me hostage. I know he slits the throats and guts of anyone who doesn't do what he says. I also know that I cannot save anyone when he has them as an object of his attention.

Later I'm spending time with my children and he insists we go to the movies. We can't all fit into his car since it's a little sports car and only fits two people. So we drive separately. My kids and I get to the movie theatre first and don't wait for him. We go in and sit way in the back row and duck down in the seats. I tell them to be still so we can't be found.

Then suddenly a good friend of mine shows up. The man who held us hostage sees her and realizes she's talking to me.

He's furious that we're trying to hide from him. My friend, who is very feisty and willing to stand up for herself, starts arguing with him which gets him even angrier and he threatens to kill her son. I get between them so he can't hurt her and insist he stop. I tell him she has already lost one child. He seems to soften.

As he is walking away I pull out a machete that has been tucked into one of the theatre chairs and I cut off his head.

The lights come on and the movie has ended. From the left side of the stage the stray cat that in waking life has been hanging around my house jumps off the stage and starts licking up the blood, cleaning up the mess.

And then I am awake and am very freaked out.

Here are the projections and observations I offered the dreamer: When we have a very strong, emotional dream such as the one presented here, it's helpful to write it down and review it slowly, letting whatever feelings and thoughts emerge come forward, and then write them down. What I do with my "big, emotional, dramatic" dreams is, as I'm reviewing the storyline and details of the dream, I ask myself "What is this dream trying to teach me?" continued on next page

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As I do this I want to remember that “all dreams come in the service of health and wholeness” (even the dark, uncomfortable ones). When I do that with this dream, a very interesting and powerful part of the storyline emerges for me. Towards the beginning of the dream, I, as the dreamer, say about the murderous man I’m living with:

And yet, towards the end of the dream when the murderous man is threatening to kill my friend’s son, the dream states, I get between them so that he doesn’t harm her and I tell him to stop.

So if this were my dream, on a deep level it’s showing me that while I may have convinced myself in the past that I don’t have the power to protect what’s important, in fact I do. As the dreamer I describe my friend as someone willing to stand up for herself. So it’s interesting that I take on this very quality by not accepting the murderous man’s behavior, stepping in, and then killing him with the machete.

In addition to the fact that in the dream I successfully stand up to protect what’s important, there’s another powerful action which takes place at the end of the dream: The stray cat comes out and cleans up the blood.

The dream opens in a large mansion which the dreamer describes as a family home. So if this was my dream, there’s something about family life I find “murderous,” killing my independent spirit in some way (blood in a dream often refers to my bloodline).

My ally in the dream who comes forward to clean up the blood is a “stray” cat, or one without a family or true home. So if this were my dream one of the themes I’d focus on is accessing the independent, freespirit part of me which can clean up this situation.

And finally the dream mentions both a knife and a machete. Often these are metaphors for “cutting through” to the deeper meaning of a situation. “Death” in a dream metaphorically refers to a powerful transformation of some kind, because the only way we can make a significant change in our lives is to let some old, no longer productive thought pattern or feeling pattern “die” so that we can move on. The fact that I cut off the head of the murderous man would imply to me that what I need to change is a thought pattern in my head which has been holding me back, but which I can now let go of.

Finally, as dark and menacing as this dream appears, it opens with people “laughing.” If this was my dream, I’d see this laughter as referring to the fact that while I describe myself in the beginning of the dream as a “hostage” and my friend as brave and willing to stand up for herself, what actually happens is that I stand up to the murderer and defeat him.

So the joke is that what I would rather see as strength in someone else, in actual fact I am capable of standing up for myself.

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modern sage

B A T H T U B

R E F L E C T I O N S

-By Leah Guy

fter a long day’s work, I’ve been spending quite a bit of time in the tub. I’ve started practicing a new form of stress relief called relaxitation: meditation in the tub. As I was finishing a bath recently and watching the water drain, I began thinking about drains in general.

Sink drains, tub drains, physical drains, emotional drains.

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We think that small negative ‘things’ in our lives don’t affect the whole. We try to isolate a stressor and believe that it’s not wreaking havoc on our other affairs. But, think of the drain. What happens in the kitchen sink when a small bean clogs one of the drain holes? The water still goes down, but at a slower pace. Think of that drain with several food particles from the dinner plate, covering many holes. A much slower drain, indeed. Even tiny hairs in a bath sink can quickly cause a complete clog.

Meet plunger, your new assistant.

Imagine that those food particles or hair strands represent negative stressors in your life.

In a healthy state of mind, we want life to be less cumbersome. We seek happiness, love, positive movement and a continuous gentle flow. Life thrives in these environments. To think that one negative factor (be it a person, habit, debt, burdensome weight or addiction) is not causing your entire life to be more difficult (less thriving) is false thinking. No matter what is clogging your drain, be it small or large, your life is being held back from the movement it is trying to make.

Maybe it’s time to start clearing out some blockages in your life with your personal plunger. Remove the beans and pull out the gnarly hairs so that your life-force can flow freely. Fall is a wonderful time to clear out the old and prepare for a safe, comfortable nesting place for the winter.

A good way to regularly plunge is by giving thanks for all that is brilliantly alive and working wondrously in your life and consider how much time you are spending plunging the same issues that are holding you back. I hope your drains are free-flowing from here forward.

And, I highly suggest tub relaxation for further discoveries.

Your friend,

Leah Page 8

HEALING SCENTS

EMOTIONAL BALANCE WITH THERAPEUTIC ESSENTIAL OILS -By Joan Apter or over 5,000 years people have used aromatic plants to enhance the human experience. Although the term "aromatherapy" is new to many, the practice of using aromatic essential oils for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual balance is an ancient art.

Essential Oils enhance brain wave function, improve spiritual awareness and bring about a beautiful balance to the body. Aromatherapy is the art and science of the use and application of therapeutic essential oils

How to Achieve Emotional Balance with Essential Oils Essential oils contain molecules that pass directly to the emotional brain.

They assist in the release of negative emotions, allowing you to manifest your highest potential. “The Feelings Kit� from Young Living Oils, features six essential oil blends formulated by D. Gary Young to contain essential oils found to strengthen and stabilize emotions, promote emotional clearance, and self renewal.

They may be applied as a daily regimen, as you focus on your intention to release and let go.

VALOR

An empowering combination of spruce, rosewood, blue tansy and frankincense. Balances energies and instills courage, confidence and self-esteem. Apply to the feet.

HARMONY

Promotes physical and emotional healing by balancing the energy centers of the body (chakras). Helpful in reducing stress, it is uplifting and elevating. Contains lavender, geranium, frankincense, sandalwood, orange, jasmine, rose and other essential oils. Rub on the chakra points.

FORGIVENESS

An uplifting combination of rose, melissa, helichrysum, angelica, geranium, frankincense, sandalwood, and other essential oils.

Forgiveness is essential for moving through physical, mental, emotional and spiritual imbalances. Apply around the navel.

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RELEASE

Helps to release anger and memory trauma from the liver, creating emotional wellbeing. Facilitates the release of negative emotions.. Contains ylang ylang, lavandin, geranium, sandalwood and blue tansy. Apply over the liver.

PRESENT TIME

Promotes feelings of living in the moment. Contains neroli, ylang ylang and spruce. Apply to the wrists and behind the ears.

INNER CHILD

Stimulates memory response and helps us to reconnect with the authentic self. Contains orange, tangerine, jasmine, lemongrass, neroli, sandalwood and spruce.

Rub 1-2 drops under nose.

Note:

It is of primary importance to know the quality of the essential oil you are using. Essential oils must be distilled with low temperature, low pressure, and absolutely no synthetic adulterants, if they are to maintain their therapeutic benefits. Make sure the company you choose knows the source of its oils, and can produce gas chromatograms from independent labs as proof of their purity. Never take essential oils internally unless you know your company is therapeutic grade!! Off the shelf oils are often diluted with chemicals.

I use and recommend Young Living therapeutic grade essential oils. There are over 50 hospitals that use these oils in their emergency and treatment rooms. Therapeutic grade essential oils, when diffused, clean and purify the air of bacteria, mold and fungus. They also have a calming and uplifting effect on the staff and patients.

The link below is an interview with Dr. Woodson Merrell, Director of integrative Medicine, Beth Israel Hospital, NYC, on why they use Young Living oils: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6pU72bqSXHk

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QUickie chick STRESS AND THE UPSIDE OF DOWN

-By Laurel House

tress isn’t always all bad. There is generally an upside of down. Stress included.

When it comes to stress there are two types of people, those who thrive on stress and those who are paralyzed under the pressure.

Let's start with Stress Thrivers: Those who shine when confronted with a crunch-time situation on a make-it or break-it project with potentially fatal glitches—their heart rate is instantly elevated, they move in double time, and suddenly have the ability to come up with solutions to brain-numbing problems that haunted their sleep for the past two weeks.

Game on!

On the other hand there are the Stress Paralyzers: If nothing that I just said resonates with you, apparently you are the other type of person who, instead, is paralyzed when a stressfueled situation presents itself—your mind becomes numb, you can hardly remember your own name let alone how to construct an intelligently-strung sentence during a presentation to the president of your company.

What kind of stress do you carry?

It’s important to understand the difference between good stress and stress gone bad.

The trick is to harness “good” stress while letting go of “bad” stress.

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Calling On Good Stress Stress is a surge of energy that, in moderate amounts, has been shown to improve memory, heart function and the immune system. The human condition is equipped to handle healthy amounts of stress (think of our ancestors, the cavemen, who had to run for their lives from wild animals) thanks to naturally-occurring chemicals called “fight-orflight” hormones that force cortisol and adrenaline to surge through our bodies. Ever heard the stories of women who suddenly have the strength to lift a car off of their child? Obviously they didn’t instantly develop super-human muscles. This kind of stress is healthy because it powers you up. The good thing is that it’s short lived and doesn’t sit there in your system, leaving you constantly feeling amped up and over-stimulated. It’s a blip of power that you use up when in need, and subsides on its own when no longer needed.

When Good Stress Goes Bad But here’s the kicker, if you overdo it in the stress department, and that little blip turns into an ongoing elevated state, it can quickly turn from something stimulating and strengthening to something that can weaken your immune system, minimizing your clarity of thought, cause inflammation, wrinkles, weight gain, and even sexuality and fetility Issues (oh no!). The line between good and bad, my friends, is fine.

The trick is to harness “good” stress while letting go of “bad” stress.

How To Get A Grip Sure, taking off to far-away countries and pamper-promising spas offer momentary interludes from the frenetic fast-lane of life that we have, for some odd reason, voluntarily merged onto. While excusing yourself entirely and escaping to a land far, far away from life’s frenzied flow is permissible on occasion, allowing daily interludes, even for just 5-minutes, can alleviate chronic stress and help you to finally get a much needed grip.

As much time, money and energy as we place on de-stressing, the secret to stress reduction is relatively easy: me-time. Celebrities depend on their gaggle of Gurus to get them through the day. So what are real people supposed to do? Just because our faces aren’t brandished on billboards and swathed on the silver screen doesn’t mean that we don’t need a little (okay a lot of) help too.

You can actually extract the essence of relaxation with these de-stressing sanity savers. continued on next page

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STOP MIND YOUR MANTRA Similar to how you create lists in your head that you repeat over and over again so that you don’t forget them—which only stresses you out even more—come up with a mantra that you can repeat over and over… one that actually calms you.

Focusing on the rhythmic repetition of a mantra (phrase or sentence) has been scientifically proven to slow the respiratory rate while relaxing the mind. Try: “I am happy, I am calm, I am healthy.” Or something as simple as “Everything will be ok…” Then repeat, repeat, repeat!

SPRITZ AWAY STRESS Lavender is naturally ease-inducing, its scent eases you into a state of calm! Use lavenderinfused water in a spritzer bottle to calm sudden stress. I use a lavender and flax-filled eye pillow to help me fall asleep at night.

GET DIRTY Stick your fingers in dirt! Sometimes getting a little dirty is all you need to clear out your mind. Focusing on the scent of the herbs or flowers, noticing when the buds break through along the vine, how the leaves grow, when the caterpillars come out… all help you to get out of your head for a bit. Getting back to nature is a great way to nurture yourself. No backyard? Bring it into the house, plant your perennials or herbs in windowsill gardens!

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SOOTHE YOUR SOLES Having mangled muscles manipulated is the ideal self-celebrating activity for many spa-goers. But when at the mercy of time, it is essential to extract the pure essence of massage - which is located in the foot! More than just conveniently placed, easy to reach body parts, feet are actually known as the “gateway to the body.” Foot massage, or reflexology, is an ancient practice of manipulation and stimulation to restore health and balance to the entire body through reflex therapy applied to the feet.

Rub away stress through your solar plexus--For instant relief from stress, press the solar plexus (the nerve center of the body) reflex point- located in the middle of the bottom of your foot- for 30 seconds.

Release and repeat. The spot can elicit calm, AND help reduce morning sickness!

Stop anxiety in its tracks!--Rub the brain, stomach and solar plexus reflexology points on your feet.

The brain, your body’s mental stress center, is at the point of the base of the ball of the big toe. Relieve butterflies by rubbing the stomach - at the arch of the foot. Pay particular attention to “crunchy” spots which is a sign of congestions. Spend 20-30 seconds on each foot. Repeat as needed.

GET PAMPERED! Massage improves circulation, helping in the interchange of oxygen and nutrients between the blood and tissue cells, which increases muscle recovery and strengthening. More than relieving the muscles, massage helps bring the body and mind into balance, soothing stress both physically and emotionally. Another stress-relieving aspect (that might help further rationalize the splurge) is that it’s believed to be able to burst fat cells, forcing them to be absorbed away instead of bunching up on your thighs. According to reflexology there are certain pressure points on the feet that can stimulate the metabolism and encourage weight loss. continued on next page

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PUT YOUR PROBLEMS IN A SCARF Research has shown that the repetitive motion of knitting is an instant stress reducer.

So get some knitting needles and balls of yarn and knit a scarf. Seriously stressed? You can always knit a blanket or a sweater!

GET LICKED Pets heal. Recent studies show that the sheer act of petting a dog relaxes the body, lowers heart rate and blood pressure, and steadies breathing. By caring for a pet, the focus is off of your problems, adding to the calming effect.

And, better than a treadmill, take a hike or play chase in the backyard with your furry friend. The exercise comes with a dose of fun, which, like laughter, is often considered the best medicine. More than the natural calm that comes over pet owners, adopting a dog or a cat can add to that sense of peace, knowing that you have saved that innocent animal’s life. Adopted pets somehow know that you are giving them another chance. They embody gratitude.

“THINKING OF YOU” Little notes can say a lot, especially when they come in the form of surprises meant to brighten your day.

Stash your favorite smile-evoking slips of paper in your desk drawer for a fast pick-me-up amidst a frenzied day. As cheesy as it sounds, make it a Hallmark Day for someone special. Pay it forward!

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THE DETOX DIVA

C H E R O K E E W I S D O M F O R L I V I N G T H E G R E AT L I F E

-By Annie B. Bond

Dear Annie, I lose my motivation for green living now and then.

I am not sensitive to chemicals, so that issue isn’t galvanizing for me.

Any inspiring thoughts? - Sam A., WA Dear Sam, A wise and thoughtful Cherokee medicine priest, David Winston, told me that the Cherokee believe that humans are here on Earth, in part, as caretakers of the Great Life.

Creation gave us all gifts, and the gifts are the basis for that specific species’ offering back to Creation. The bee makes honey, the maple tree runs sap, and a silkworm spins silk.

Our gift as humans is our large cerebral cortex, and our offering–-or role—is to find our way back to the path of being truly human and to leave the earth better than we found it by using our problem-solving abilities.

We can’t make honey or maple sap, but we can be caretakers of the planet in a way not possible by any other species.

The Cherokee believe humans couldn’t shoulder the responsibility of our cortex; it was too much. The trauma of this failure was so severe that the human spirit shattered into two pieces. The heart splintered off into one piece and the shadowy side of human nature into another piece, with the two broken parts vying for control.

The result of this shattered spirit is the “John Grabs All” mentality toward the earth–-the deeply broken and disharmonious relationships with ourselves, families, communities, and the Great Life.

Weaving our hearts and shadow back together is very hard work, which the Cherokee call remaking yourself. Our greatest challenge, David believes, is to heal so that we may find our way back onto the path to fulfill our sacred spiritual contract and become caretakers and fully human.

I hope you find this as inspiring and sobering, all at once, as I do, Sam. - Annie

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MY M ES SY K I TC H E N = P SYC H O LO G I C A L T R O U B L ES -By Alexandra Jamieson

admit it: I had some kitchen shame.

I have an organization issue, and it was getting in the way!

See, I “kinda know” where everything is when I start to cook – after all, I do the shopping and put away the groceries.

But I’m usually in a bit of a rush (mantra for this year: slow down & breathe!).

And tend to fling things into the cabinet or fridge.

And then I realized how this “no big deal” way of being was hurting me.

See, my kitchen started to feel cluttered and messy.

Even when the counters were clean, I knew there was a disorganized mess awaiting me every time I opened the fridge.

And having those unfinished, unmanaged, messes makes me uncomfortable.

I started to notice I was a little stressed in my kitchen –which makes cooking feel not-so-fun.

And when I feel uncomfortable in my skin, my whole being feels off.

And when I feel off, my body craves something to make me feel better, or distract me from the real issue at hand.

You may have felt this too: feeling uncomfortable or frustrated about something, and then your body starts to crave foods (usually fat, salt or sugar) to feel better?

There’s actually a psychological reason for this: the Zeigarnik Effect.

This effect explains how the brain is constantly annoying you when you have something unfinished in your life. It reminds you that something you were going to do isn’t done—and we experience dissonance.

It’s human nature to finish what we start, and when we don’t finish, our brains poke us all day long, depleting our willpower and making us uncomfortable.

Well, I’m dedicated to asking the real reason behind my cravings so that I feel authentic, connected and like I’m making progress towards my big motivating desires.

And my real craving was for organization and clarity!

But how to tackle the mess?

I decided to get some help!

I called my friend Jordana, an organizational expert with a great sense of humor, to come over and help me make sense of my kitchen.

I wanted to share with you some of the best tips I got from cleaning out and organizing my kitchen last weekend...I’m so totally in love with my fridge now—I like to just open it and marvel! continued on next page

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1.

Take it all off (or out)

When you reorganize your fridge (or spice cabinet – yikes!) take everything out first. This helps you see how much room you have, if you have any multiples of items (3 bags of hemp seeds, anyone?) and you can check the dates of everything. Throw out the expired, old food, and maybe take a wet towel to clean off the surfaces.

2.

Don’t should all over yourself: Do what works for you

One of the BEST things I learned from Jordana is to take the healthy veggies out of the crisper drawers and bring them to the top shelf where I would see them – and be more likely to use them!

I thought I “should” use the crisper drawers for veggies – but learned that I could do what worked best for me and my family. (Like leaving the fun, messy drawings my son makes on the front of the fridge, while cleaning out the inside of the fridge) Organize your kitchen to eat healthier!

Don’t hide the food you want to eat more of—put greens in lifeprolonging green bags within easy reach. I made so much room on the shelves by storing bottled drinks in the drawers.

3.

Don’t do it alone

Calling in an organized, helpful friend to help me out was the best thing I could have done. See, getting started feels like the biggest obstacle.

I didn’t know where to start! I thought I had to map it all out first! I had emotional attachments to old jars of mustard, but my friend didn’t!

See, when you have a friend who you trust to help guide you through the process, you don’t waste time worrying and thinking.

You just get it done.

Now, I LOVE my kitchen!

I was so inspired and felt free and clear last night, that I whipped up a huge spread for friends and we enjoyed a lovely meal together.

Cooking became a joy when my kitchen was organized.

Are you inspired to organize your fridge?

My organized fridge! It’s so clear and easy to get the healthy stuff out – I love opening the door and am totally inspired to eat healthier!

What will you do first?

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FO O D SY N E R GY: B O O S T I N G T H E A N T I - C A N C E R D I E T -By Elyn Jacobs

hen does 2+2= more than 4? Food synergy is the art of combining individual foods that, when eaten together, boost the nutritional value of each other. Eating certain foods together provides more health benefits than eating one food alone or even just at different times throughout the day. Studies have shown that the antioxidant effects of consuming a combination of foods are more than additive but synergistic.

Just as individual supplements often require a buddy vitamin to enhance bioavailability or effectiveness, so do foods. Eating superfoods such as kale, broccoli, blueberries and avocados is always a good idea, but combing the nutrients in these foods can supercharge the benefits.

For example, if you eat blueberries with walnuts, that’s better than just either by itself. It’s not 1+1 = 2, its 1 +1 = 3.

While the list of synergistic combinations is growing daily, here are some excellent combinations:

Tomatoes, Broccoli and Healthy Fats Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a pigment-rich antioxidant known as a carotenoid, which reduces cancer risk and cardiovascular disease. Pairing tomatoes with broccoli has the ability to reduce tumor growth, far more so than if the two are eaten separately. The carotenoids in tomatoes help to increase the bioactive component selenium in broccoli, and yield the most cancer-preventative benefits. Now add some olive oil and avocado– fats make carotenoids more bioavailable, so the olive oil will help your body absorb these fat soluble antioxidants from the tomatoes. Many of the vitamins and micronutrients in food are fat-soluble, which means they cannot be absorbed without the presence of adequate fat. That means that if you eat fruits or vegetables without fat, you’ll absorb only a fraction of the nutrients you would absorb if you ate them with fat. Roasted carrots with thyme and grass-fed butter anyone? (Yes, butter is better and contains valuable CLA-conjugated linoleic acid, a potent cancer fighter when made from the milk of grass-fed cows).

And about those avocados—consider adding tomatoes to your guacamole.

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Kale & Vitamin C-Rich Foods Plant-based iron is much more easily absorbed when it is combined with vitamin C. Combine citrus fruits, strawberries, and vegetables such as broccoli, red peppers, and tomatoes with kale, leeks, beet greens, spinach, mustard greens or swiss chard. So whether you’re sautéing dark greens or making a salad, be sure to include a vitamin C-rich food or a splash of citrus. You’ll increase your immunity and muscle strength by eating this combo than by eating these foods separately (iron carries oxygen to red blood cells, staving off muscle fatigue and vitamin C boots immunity). And don’t forget to add some healthy fats, which aid the absorption of another carotenoid called lutein, which is found in green leafy vegetables. Use oil olive based dressings or sprinkle walnuts, pistachios, or grated cheese over your greens.

Green Tea &Curcumin Curcumin has been shown to provide extensive anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. But when it’s paired with the active ingredient in green tea, a catechin called EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), its cancer-fighting abilities increase significantly.

Vitamin D & Vitamin K2 Vitamin D is a hormone like thyroid, estrogen or testosterone and it acts more like a hormone with receptor sites on healthy cells and even more on cancer cells. A deficiency plays a crucial role in increased risk of cancer and a number of other illnesses. Fat soluble vitamins, such as vitamins K2, A and E, all work synergistically for optimal health and are necessary for optimal use of Vitamin D. Sufficient vitamin K2 helps to ensure that calcium is bound and held in bones and at the same time is removed from our arteries, joints or other tissues where it doesn’t belong. Vitamin K2 also inhibits cancer cell lines, such as colon, breast, leukemia, brain and many more.

Blueberries & Walnuts Boost brain health with this combination–there is synergy between blueberries and almost every other food (including other fruits and berries). If you eat blueberries with walnuts, that’s better than just either by itself. Love dark chocolate? Add some to the mix.

Chocolate and berries are both very high in antioxidants, but when eaten together your body absorbs the nutrients up to three times better. This pair will improve blood flow to your brain and heart to maximize each other’s benefits. continued on next page

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Is the scent of your neighbor’s grilled steak making your mouth water?

Join the fun, but you might want to serve your grilled steak smothered in garlic and rosemary, and alongside a kale or tomato salad.

Meat & Spices Summertime beckons a juicy spice-rubbed grilled steak, but grilling produces nasty carcinogens. Meat forms a compound called malondialdehyde when cooked, and this compound has been shown to cause cancer and heart disease. Turns out that pairing your grilled steak with delicious herbs will maximize each other’s benefits.

The antioxidants in herbs and spices will reduce this compound by 70%, so you can enjoy that steak with less worry. Why? It’s thought that the herb’s antioxidants literally soak up the meat’s dangerous free radicals.

The next time you grill, try rubbing oregano, rosemary, black pepper, paprika and/or garlic into it to get these benefits—just be sure your meat is grass fed.

Apples & Chocolate, Ooohh, & Some Wine?

Apples, particularly Red Delicious, are known to be high in an anti-inflammatory flavonoid called quercetin, especially in their skins. Quercetin, also found in red wine, onions, and green tea, has anti-estrogenic effects and may reduce the metastatic potential of cancer cells. (It’s important to buy organic because pesticides concentrate in the skins of conventionally grown apples.) By itself, quercetin has been shown to reduce the risk of allergies, heart attack, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and several cancers. Chocolate (the darker the better), grapes, red wine, and tea contain the flavonoid catechin, an antioxidant that reduces the risks for atherosclerosis and cancer. Together, they pack an even more powerful punch.

The lesson here is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables prepared in a variety of ways. Different compounds in each food work on different anti-cancer pathways. Aim for eating five to 10 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables daily, and at least 20-25 different fruits and vegetables weekly. Whole food and dietary supplements can be helpful, but you can’t supplement your way out of a bad diet, and individual supplements still need to be taken synergistically (for example, if you take vitamin D, you may want to consider vitamin K2—see above). We’ve only just begun to uncover all the powerful synergies, so add a different herb; try a new combo…variety truly is the spice of life! continued on next page

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Bruised Kale Salad: -Green leafy kale, stems discarded -Olive oil -Sea salt and pepper *Wash and dry kale. Mix together oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Bunch the kale and slice thin or chop. Massage the seasoned oil into the kale. Serve with poached or runny eggs, or as a side dish for fish, meats, chicken, tofu or bean dishes (plate kale and put your main course on top to infuse the flavors.)

Tomato Basil Salad: -Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size -Fresh basil leaves, sliced and chopped (I find rolling them up in a log and slicing is easiest) -Fresh parsley, chopped, large stems removed -Organic extra virgin olive oil *Toss all together with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. How much to use? One pint of tomatoes will need about 1/3 to ½ half cup chopped parsley and depending on the size of your basil leaves, about Ÿ cup, but all is to taste. Use enough oil to dress but not drown the tomatoes.

For more information and recipes: http://elynjacobs.com/2012/07/27/an-herb-garden-to-fight-cancer/ http://elynjacobs.com/2013/01/17/salvestrols-does-nature-hold-the-answer-to-cancer/ http://elynjacobs.com/2012/03/28/cancer-fighting-farm-stand-recipes/

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“ H O W

C A N

I

B E

n my day-to-day dealings in health and fitness, I’m often sandwiched by people who are sitting on the fence of surrendering to the idea of FINALLY trying to get back into shape. In my other biz, “The Bridal Body Shop,” as well as in the radio show by the same name, my cohost Elite Ziegelman and I repeatedly, and ad nauseum, tackle the challenges of people taking that first step or reentry after many previous failed attempts into a more formal and structured ritual to working out.

As there are so many reasons that people can come up with for NOT finding a personal trainer and working out— and believe me, we have heard them all!—here are just a few reasons why you should...

The field of personal training is built on a basic, fundamental fact that we as humans are intrinsically social creatures, and usually have to have that comradery aspect as the carrot dangling before us.

A personal trainer, by nature, ends up wearing more than one hat in addition to being a skilled professional who brings to the table a wealth of information that their client can either embrace or dismiss. Truthfully, if the entire population would be able to summon up the incentive to workout on their own, a good amount of personal trainers would find themselves out of work.

The gym, for the novice, can be a terribly intimidating place, full of people who may or may not have superior

S U R E ? ”

-By Laurie Towers

bodies. A personal trainer then becomes "the barrier" to insulate the client through the awkward transition of working out in front of others.

As life comes fully packed with other commitments, the priority of fitness and personal health can wane from time to time. In this case the trainer becomes "the cheerleader" and gently but enthusiastically creates a ceremony to keep the client motivated and in a consistent routine. This is not always easy, and not always successful.

As other aspects of the client’s day can bleed into the session, the trainer can transition into the life coach/social worker role, all of which can be benign if the client sees it as well-meaning advice, and DOESNT substitute that training session for actual therapy in the true sense. That’s where the waters can become very murky for the client as well as the trainer.

To recap, a trainer has to wear many hats in order to induce, maintain, and motivate a person toward good health...It’s this “human factor” that will keep this role vital as it cannot be outsourced or mass produced. In this sense, a personal trainer will never become obsolete.

Even with the economic malaise of the past two years, individuals with the ability to budget for sessions STILL saw their trainers; even if it were a reduction in frequency, it was still an ongoing commitment. So here’s to all the social creatures. Cheers!

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R E F L E X O L O G Y

&

G R I E F

-By Deborah Burklund

he biochemical cascade that is created in your body during times of negative stress (yes, there is such a thing as positive stress) or out and out grief can be redirected and sometimes halted during a real reflexology appointment, as opposed to just a foot massage. As soon as you feel the touch of a therapeutic hand—be it a that of a talented reflexologist, a gifted nurse, or someone who loves you deep down in their soul—your Cortisol levels (that create naughty belly fat) and cytokines (that can encourage growth of cancer cells) go down. Then, add to that the attention paid to the reflexes of the central nervous system and adrenals, and your body is being set up for reversal of this cascade and healing. The body wants to heal, and if you give it what it needs, you may get nice results.

During times of grief, even if it's covert, something you were unaware of, emotional release may be experienced during your appointment, or maybe later that day. It won't be anything you can't deal with, and should be considered a part of the healing process.

(Though the trick can be in making the connection.)

It goes without saying that a level of comfort and trust has probably been established for such a release to be possible, and it should be treated with the deepest respect. Handing them a tissue and continuing their treatment can further the feeling of safety.

The feeling of safety that Topricin provides to me and my clients comes from its homeopathic, toxin-free formulas as well as the fact that there is no intrusive, chemical fragrance. It supports my professionalism and the message that I care about my client.

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7 SURPRISING BENEFITS OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

-By Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook

here are countless claims on the Internet about seemingly miraculous health benefits of apple cider vinegar consumption, but is it all true? I hit the research journals to separate fact from fiction and proven claims from the Internet-sustained myth.

I discovered that apple cider vinegar has many beneficial properties but most of the claims floating around in cyberspace are unfounded in research. Here are some of the evidence-based benefits of apple cider vinegar:

Improve Insulin Sensitivity in Diabetes

Several studies demonstrate vinegar’s ability to improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar responses when eaten as part of meals or taken before bedtime, which may offer help in the treatment of diabetes. Here are links to a few of the studies, if you’re interested in learning more: Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, another European Journal of Clinical Nutrition study, and Diabetes Care.

Regulate Blood Chemistry in Diabetics

Improving insulin sensitivity isn’t the only way apple cider vinegar appears to help diabetics. It has been shown to help normalize other aspects of blood chemistry as well. Research showed that apple cider vinegar helped regulate blood chemistry of diabetic animals fed the vinegar as part of their regular diet for four weeks.

Killing E. Coli on Produce

The Journal of Food Protection assessed the effects of spraying various solutions on lettuce inoculated with E. coli. While the apple cider vinegar did not kill the E. coli completely, it helped to reduce the numbers of the bacteria linked with food poisoning yet did not affect the taste of the lettuce or its crispness.

Regulate the Effects of Dietary Cholesterol

In a study published in the Journal of Membrane Biology, researchers studied the effects of a high cholesterol diet on animals fed apple cider vinegar versus animals that only ate the high cholesterol diet. They found that the apple cider vinegar exerted a protective effect on the liver and kidneys, among other protective benefits. continued on next page

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Aids Weight Loss

While there are conflicting studies about apple cider vinegar’s effects on obesity and weight loss, according to research in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, apple cider vinegar can help reduce the number of calories eaten at a meal by between 200 and 275. Additional study results published in the journal Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry also showed that vinegar helped with weight loss in obese individuals.

Its Chlorogenic Acid May Help with Heart Disease Apple cider vinegar contains the nutrient, chlorogenic acid which, according to the journal Biochemical Pharmacology, helps prevent LDL cholesterol, also known as the “bad cholesterol” from oxidizing, which is an important step in the progression of heart disease.

Reduce Bacteria in Oral Infections

A study published in the journal Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology and Endodontics found that apple cider vinegar demonstrated antibacterial activity against a bacteria known as E. faecalis, which can be linked to infection in root canals and elsewhere in the body.

Anti-Cancer Effects?

There is a lot of internet hype about apple cider vinegar’s anti-cancer effects but the research doesn’t really support it. While some studies showed anti-cancer effects of rice vinegar and sugar cane vinegar in laboratory settings, there is little research on apple cider vinegar and whether it has any anti-cancer effects. So, it may have anti-cancer effects, it might not. We’ll have to wait for the research to find out.

How to Benefit

Keep in mind that you should never drink apple cider vinegar undiluted.

Always use it diluted in water or juice or mixed with oil in a salad dressing.

The vinegar is an acid that can burn the delicate mucus membranes of the digestive tract. Most nutrition experts recommend choosing an unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar with the “mother” left intact.

This is the collection of beneficial microbes that convert apple cider into apple cider vinegar.

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SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE:

RESTORING HOPE & QUALITY OF LIFE TO AMERICAN VETERANS WHO SUFFER WITH PAIN -By Patricia Martin ith Veteran’s Day recognized each November, we want to shine the spotlight on the dedication and sacrifices made by our heroic veterans of every generation so we can keep them in our thoughts all year long.

Veterans share two key attributes: service and devotion to our country. And many also have something else in common: pain issues. And you may be surprised to know that Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Cream was created by a decorated Marine Corps veteran: Lou Paradise.

Lou, the inventor of Topricin and president and chief of research at Topical BioMedics, served two tours of duty in Vietnam as a helicopter medivac combat/rescue crew chief. As a result of the physical demands of his service and resulting injuries, he suffered from trauma injuries and severe bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), a debilitating nerve-related problem that affects the hands with burning, tingling pain.

The pain in Lou’s arm and hand was unbearable. He says, “With my pain at its worst, I had to sit in a chair to sleep, and was lucky to get two or three hours of rest per night.”

Although he was frustrated and desperate for relief, Lou refused to have surgery or be dependent on chemical pain pills. “I’m not a proponent of pharmaceutical or over-thecounter medications, which only mask symptoms, may have deadly side effects, and can be addictive,” he explains, “And I also knew that surgery was not the answer for my pain.”

When his military tour ended, Lou traveled to Hong Kong, where he met British and Asian doctors trained in Eastern and holistic medicine and learned about homeopathy.

He was so impressed by homeopathy’s powerful healing potential that he studied healing as the ultimate form of relieving pain.

First he tried single-ingredient oral homeopathic medicines, which offered little relief. Lou began to feel that the answer to pain relief might be found by combining homeopathic medicines, delivering them in a cream base, and applying them to the specific site of the pain. He experimented with different combinations of proven homeopathic medicines such as Echinacea, arnica, and other natural elements and tested each formulation on himself.

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His persistence paid off. In just a few weeks, Lou perfected his formula and found he could sleep longer and experienced his symptoms of pain relieved, with improved range of motion, function and mobility.

Having developed his proprietary formula, he has remained pain free ever since.

When others learned about Lou’s discovery of tapping into the body’s own healing process and tried his formula, they found that it helped to relieve their pain symptoms, too. It was then that Lou decided it was time to share his healing innovation with as many people as possible. In 1994 he launched his company, Topical BioMedics, with a product that’s become widely known as Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Cream.

“I never thought any good could come from my severe pain issues, but because of my suffering I was able to develop Topricin and help hundreds of thousands of pain suffers end their misery,” Lou says. “It’s been very gratifying and humbling.”

injuries and suicide is more likely to occur in individuals who take Rx drugs.

Lou believes, “Our warriors have been too busy laying their lives on the line in service to their country while helping as many people as possible stay alive to even consider their own needs. We owe it to them to have everything in place for them upon their return. We owe it to those coming out of the battlefields to be ready, willing, and able to provide for their physical, emotional, spiritual, and financial needs.

“Treating war wounds and chronic pain therapy should include physical and other therapies—not pain pills which have hazardous side effects and/or are highly addictive.

Along with medical treatment, they should have ready access to emotional therapy and support, behavioral therapy, family counseling, and career training.”

For more than 20 years now, Lou has been on a mission to help men, women, and children live life without the discomfort of pain or the harmful side effects of OTC chemical pain pills and addictive opiates. “I am pleased to bring an innovative natural healing technology to the traditional medical community, building the bridge between conventional medical care and well-researched natural medicine,” says Lou. “Doctors love having Topricin in their healing ‘tool kit’ as it can help reduce the need or dependency on all classifications of oral pain pills, thereby helping to address nation’s epidemic addiction to opioids as well as contributing toward building a sustainable healthcare system.”

We Owe it to Our Veterans to Help Them Veterans deserve the very best of care for the sacrifices they have made—and continue to make—for our country and the American way of life.

A tragic reality: studies indicate that, along with suffering with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are twice as likely to be prescribed opioid and other narcotic pain medications for dealing with their physical pain. These veterans may be susceptible to abusing drugs and becoming addicted, as well as abusing alcohol. This troubled behavior places veterans at risk of acting violently—harming themselves or others—as well as experiencing suicidal thoughts and actions.

Moreover, studies indicate that veterans who suffer from PTSD and who have a past diagnosis of drug and/or alcohol abuse are four times more likely to be prescribed opioid/other narcotic pain killers than veterans with no history of addiction. Another tragic fact: self-inflicted

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How Topricin Helps Relieve Symptoms of Pain “Pain is simply the body’s way of telling us there is a problem, and healing is the body’s way of fixing the problem,” explains Lou. “Sometimes it needs assistance in stimulating and supporting this natural healing process. Topricin’s natural biomedicines stimulate healing so the body can repair the damage in joints, nerves and muscle that is causing the pain.”

How it works: Topricin’s biomedicines match

the molecular size of the body’s natural healing chemistries. The medicines are readily absorbed through the skin and deep into the affected area.

The combination of medicines supports the healing process by stimulating lymphatic drainage of toxins and fluid build-up from the affected area, while at the same time relaxing the capillaries to restore oxygen-rich blood flow to the cells. The pain relief is the result of enhancing the healing process so the body can address and repair the cause of the pain.

“The key is to engineer things to work with the body, not against it,” says Lou. “This results in improved range of motion, function and mobility, and lasting, safe relief....So those who have suffered with pain can finally begin experiencing the joy of pain-free living.

“I am humbled by the benefits Topricin provides to the wounded troops suffering from severe trauma, post-surgical trauma, nerve pain and muscle and joint-related pain and damage. I want to get it into the hands of every man and woman who has so valiantly served our country and needs safe, effective pain relief.”

Waging War Against Pain Lou’s new mission is to help as many people live pain-free without any of the dangers that are commonly experienced by taking over-the-counter chemical pain pills and Rx drugs. “We are fighting a new war against an old enemy—pain, side effects, and addiction” he says. “We are dedicated to helping people get better and stay well. Only then will our mission be complete.”

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G O D D E S S E S

O F

n Greek and Roman times, there were 12 primary deities, an evenly divided committee of gods and goddesses who represented different attributes of the human psyche. We know that our mythological models are really pictures of how we think of ourselves, and how we play our cultural games. So is it any surprise that in the prevailing Western model of astrology, we have the six Olympian gods, but only two of the goddesses?

This presents problems for astrology, but it also reflects a problem in the world. Imagine if our only two images of man were Daddy and Sexmonger (or Lawyer). What would a guy put on his rĂŠsumĂŠ for college professor?

"Hot in bed and likes kids?"

This is the problem with our astrological picture of women, and our corresponding cultural one. We have Venus, the sex goddess, and "the moon," supposedly mommy. (The moon doesn't even get capitalized; I will call her Luna, one of her proper names.)

A S T R O L O G Y

-By Eric Francis

body and our feelings and sense of security, intuition, childhood, and the realm of our unconscious thought patterns.

If you don't look further, this is where astrology runs out of female expressions of both Spirit and Humanity.

But there is more to women than this. Starting in 1801, and heralding the early feminist movements, there's been a series of discoveries of small planets, many of which were named after women. The first four of these are known as the major asteroids, and (with one exception) bear the Roman equivalent names of the Olympian goddesses. What we get in these four character types (or archetypes) is a view of the thoughts, roles and ideas that are missing from, or are poorly defined in, our culture and in our astrology. Were I King of the World, no astrology chart would be cast without them.

Venus, who gets oversimplified like a lot of her sisters, is one of the most complex planets going: she works as an attractive force and as a creative one. She is about beauty and pleasure, two of the most idealized roles we attach to women. She "rules" two signs: Taurus, where we have a sense of our wealth, self-esteem and personal values; and Libra, a state of mind where we do most of our learning in the sphere of relationships. But Libra is also the sign representing the lower courts, where most issues of justice are litigated, so she has implications here as well.

Luna is not just mommy. She is the goddess of the hunt (Diana) and the guardian and patroness of unmarried women. We live by the hunt, or we did so in earlier (preagricultural) days. And we know that the world is not such a safe place for young women. She is an important goddess, but as "the moon" is reduced to a kind of housewife. Astrologically, her dominion is our habits, our continued on next page

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a bit as a result of many new planetary discoveries (does Chiron rule Virgo or Scorpio? Does it rule anything? Does Pluto "really" rule Pisces? And so on.)

But we could say that asteroids -- even the Olympian goddesses -- are more specific in their themes and planets more general. Asteroids add amazing detail to a chart, for sure. But what we are seeing with the four Olympian goddesses is that their themes really are spreading out into all facets of life (take Ceres, for instance) and the fact that they might seem so limited at first has to do with the fact that they were limited and taken out of general consciousness for so long.

Here's a brief introduction to the first four Goddesses of Astrology.

Two Little Points Before I get into the meanings of the first four asteroids, there are two points that need addressing. The first is the common objection by most traditional astrologers that asteroids are "too little" to "have an effect." (I think what they really mean are there are "too many asteroids" and they "have a confusing effect on my mind.") However, let's take a quick look at this because the argument falls on its butt. Many things in astrology have no mass whatsoever.

Nobody has ever seen the Part of Fortune with a telescope (it is calculated mathematically). Similarly, the North Node, the ascendant, the midheaven and the house cusps, exist only as abstractions (though the lunar nodes really make you wonder whether there's something there that can't be seen with the eye). So just because a planet is only a couple of kilomoeters across doesn't make it less important. What makes it less important is that it's diminished and not used, kind of like Pan in the Tom Robbins book who disappears because nobody believes in him.

Next point is, what is the difference between an asteroid and a planet? In general, asteroids are much more specific in their application. The asteroid Photographia, for example, is literally involved with the taking of photographs. A planet can have multiple signification.

Mars, for example, is about anger, sex, aggression, passion, war and specific things like falling down. And because it rules Aries and Scorpio it has heaped onto it a whole bunch more data in a chart.

Asteroids are generally not ascribed rulerships (there are lots of theories floating around, like sticking Juno with Scorpio and Vesta with Virgo, which make some sense).

But the issue of rulerships is in itself suspect, or worth mulling over. It is an old system and its use is starting to be outworn. We have had to deal with this question quite

Ceres, called Demeter in Greek, was discovered on

New Year's Day 1801, before Neptune and before Pluto, and was deemed an "asteroid," or little planet; this is called the diminutive. Had she been discovered today, she would most certainly have been classified as a fullfledged planet. She comprises 25% of the total mass of the asteroid belt, where about 50,000 small objects orbit the Sun. The current debate over whether Pluto is not a planet needs to be turned around to include Ceres AS a planet.

Ceres is the root of the word cereal; she is the goddess of food and agriculture. In astrological delineation, we can look to her for very specific information about matters relating to food and nurturing, and where the two meet.

She can represent the quality of nurturing we got as a child, and how we function (or don't) as nurturers in our relationships.

But Ceres has an added dimension, since her daughter, Persephone, was abducted by Pluto, which grieved her terribly. Ceres represents subject matter that surrounds the mother’s (or primary nurturing parent’s) grief and fears about children, particularly those who are taken to the underworld of crime, prison, drugs, or lost to dark parents. With millions of people unjustly in our prisons today, we have a very important planet and mythological reference to work with.

In terms of agriculture, we are in critical times as well.

We are seeing the seizure of the life force by companies which create chemically-sprayed and geneticallymodified foods; and at the same time, we’re seeing a significant interest in organic and Biodynamic foods, in a struggle that feels a lot like the daughter of nature struggling for her freedom from the corporate underworld. Ceres is Mother Earth. continued on next page

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Juno, also discovered in 1801, was called Hera in Greek

times. Her name means "queen of heaven." Mythologically, she is the wife of Jupiter, and endured his many trysts and sexual exploits with other goddesses.

Her dominion astrologically is partnership dynamics, fidelity, jealousy and the property of scorekeeping in relationships. But she is the attribute of the goddess who is the queen, the divine consort of the king of the gods.

We saw a major re-emergence of Juno during the Clinton administration, in the form of a (Scorpio) First Lady who insisted on being called by her full name (Hillary Rodham Clinton), who had a great deal of influence in the White House, and who went on to a political career in her own right.

Martha Wescott put it well when she said that Juno represents what "stands between the two [partners] and prevents the relationship from being utterly fulfilling. So Juno addresses the bone of contention. It's also part of the important dynamic that was learned from the relationship of the parents (and particularly the mother's role and attitude in that marriage)." Or, as one of my clients put it so succinctly tonight, "Marriage at any cost."

counterparts). In one of her most alluring roles in the past 25 years, she manifested as Princess Leah in the Star Wars series, the beautiful, intelligent and gutsy, not to mention politically shrewd, leader of the rebel forces.

But her sacrifice is that in order to have her political and warrior power, she seems to surrender an element of her femininity -- or so we think. She was, after all, born of a man and born in full armor. But underneath all that armor, she is quite naked. It just may take some negotiating to get there.

On these lines, I propose that sexual negotiation skills, which are a relatively new concept for our culture, are likely to be an attribute of Athene. These are essential skills for anyone who wants to have sexual experiences that are on mutually-acceptable terms.

Last, defenses... while we're getting personal with Pallas, I have seen that subject matter involving defenses and defensiveness can be involved with this asteroid. She is, after all, an armed defender. Righteous, just and true, but defensive about it. So we can look at the placement and aspects of Pallas for some clues about this attribute of who we are and how we react.

Vesta, discovered in 1807, is a complex goddess figure

and correspondingly complex asteroid who has some interesting implications for our times. Called Hestia in Greek, she’s the brightest asteroid, appropriate for her role as the goddess of the hearth, in whose temple the six Vestal Virgins tended the eternal flame. But this flame, kept in a temple, has sexual implications, and with Vesta we have the emergence of the Sacred Whore: the goddess of sex for healing, ritual and transformational purposes.

Pallas Athene, discovered 1802, is the goddess after

whom the city of Athens is named, for she is its protectress.

The view of her city from her temple on the Acropolis is stunning. She was born in full armor from the head of her father, Zeus. It is interesting that she is allowed to keep her Greek rather than her Roman name in modern usage, which is rare.

Athene is the warrior-goddess, who is making a re-emergence in a number of forms in our culture.

Astrologically, she represents political and negotiating skills, having been transformed into a kind of modern lawyer-like warrior (as have most of her male warrior

Astrologically, Vesta has been taken to represent issues like using work as a substitute for relationships, the transfer of sexual energy into art, and learning how not to take things so personally. All these themes hold, but they seem to cleverly disguise the attribute of the feminine which, making a personal sacrifice to do so, uses her sexual fire for the healing of others. She knows she is part of something larger than herself, and she gives herself up to do its work.

We met her in high school (if we were fortunate) as the one girl who was truly not afraid to have sex or be called a slut, and would not demand a relationship commitment in exchange. Sex with her was conscious, it gave us a new experiences, which changed us, and it taught us something about ourselves. We may still know such women, from whom sex is a conscious gift and a sharing that is no less powerful or intimate despite being outside a traditional relationship.

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Vesta has many manifestations in what we're currently seeing emerge as a kind of spiritual sex movement, which includes Tantric sex, various types of erotic workshops, and many prostitutes who are considering themselves sexworkers. Sexworkers are women who know they play a vital role as both healers and in making up for a shortage in sexual supply that leaves many men emotionally hungry and out-of-balance (and thus takes a toll on women).

Vesta takes us beyond the morality of sex and leaves us facing the reality of sex.

Personal Qualities in All People Remember that both men and women have these archetypes in their charts, which represent both our inner personal qualities and the women in our lives. Men have many of the attributes of women and vice versa, particularly if you consider the qualities depicted by the asteroids. The best way to find out what they mean (if you are an astrologer) is to cast them into your charts for a while, and see what happens; and if you're not an astrologer, to study their myths, or speak to an astrologer who is familiar with their energies. I think you'll see that a whole bunch of vital information becomes available when you do.

Also, these are just the first four asteroids. There is excellent information available about 70 of them (many more are named), which have been delineated by astrologers including Martha Lang Wescott and Demetra George. In the case of asteroids like "Jerry" and "Garcia" you just have to use your imagination, though they do show up in interesting ways, when you look for them.

Chiron, by the way, is not an asteroid, but rather a Centaur planet. He is the first in a new class that now includes about 25 relics of the early solar system that exist outside the known asteroid belts, and which orbit our Sun. About seven of these new bodies (discovered since 1977) have names; look to Planet Waves for an article called “The Centaurs in Astrology.” More information about Chiron is available at “When Astrology Listens” and “An Introduction to Chiron.”

For more information about asteroids, I recommend the books, tapes and newsletter of Martha Wescott, one of the great astrologers alive today. Her materials are at Treehouse Mountain. A free ephemeris to look up a bunch of asteroids is located at Centaur Research Project, where you can also look up your planet and Centaur positions as well (but not your rising sign). To get a printout of your chart cheap (and done right) contact the Astrology Center of America. They will include the major asteroids and Chiron if you ask.

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C O L D

C O M F O R T

F O O D

F I X E S -By Roufia Payman

t’s that time of year again: cold season! That’s because when the humidity drops, cold viruses survive better.

Traditionally, cold and flu season runs from September until May and accounts for more doctor visits, missed days of school, and work absenteeism than any other illness. The statistics speak for themselves: the National Institute of Health reports that there are over a billion colds in the U.S. every year.

If you want to keep colds at bay the natural way, follow these cold comfort food fixes.

NUTRITION IS THE BEST MEDICINE Cold viruses are contagious, and even the healthiest people can contract a cold. But food can offer some assistance in preventing a cold by helping you develop and maintain a healthy immune system, or heal faster if you do succumb.

Nourishment and hydration are key to staying well and getting better quicker. In fact, when we’re sick, the body actually needs extra calories in order to function normally and maintain higher energy levels to fight off infections and recover. Since having a nasty cold often ruins our appetite, the trick is to eat smaller portions of food more frequently to stay nourished and fueled.

TOP FOODIE REMEDIES HOT LIQUIDS

Number one on the cold-fighting list: chicken soup, which has been praised as a remedy since the days of ancient Greece. The chicken contains an amino acid called cysteine, which helps thin mucus in the lungs, while the hot broth helps to keep nasal passages moist, prevent dehydration, and ease congestion. As an added plus, chicken soup has a mild anti-inflammatory effect that can help ease cold symptoms.

Tea is another good choice. Besides soothing sore throats and breaking up congestion, all tea—black, green, or white—has a group of antioxidants called catechins, which may be beneficial for fighting colds and the flu. One piece of evidence: in a 2011 Japanese study, people who took catechin capsules for five months had 75% lower odds of catching the flu than people taking a placebo. Other research suggests catechins may help boost overall immunity.

Another cozy fix: hot water with lemon. Add a dollop of honey—

which has numerous medicinal properties—and a dash of cayenne pepper. Its active ingredient, capsaicin, battles congestion by thinning the mucus in nasal passages.

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Say “Yes” to Citrus

The effectiveness of preventing or treating colds with Vitamin C has not yet been proven...but it can’t hurt! Citrus fruits are a good source of vitamin C, and the soft white layer of skin found on oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and limes contains flavonoids, which can help boost the immune system and are great for speeding recovery. Go for the whole fruit and skip the juice, which is high in sugar.

Go Bananas

Easy to digest and rich in potassium, bananas also contain vitamin B6, which helps the body fight infection.

Anise Seeds & Fennel

Licorice-flavored anise seeds taste great, and have antibacterial properties that can help ease coughing and help clear congestion.

Tea is a great way to enjoy the cold-fighting flavor. Just add one cup of crushed anise seeds to one cup of hot water, steep, strain, and flavor with honey and cinnamon. Sip throughout the day.

Fennel has a flavor similar to anise seeds and is also a natural expectorant that helps clear chest congestion and soothe coughs.

Fennel can be eaten raw or roasted...but the best cold-fighting benefit comes from drinking fennel seed tea. Make your own with 1.5 teaspoons of fennel seeds and one cup boiling water, steep for 15 minutes, strain, and sweeten with honey to taste.

The Spice of Life

Many spices, such as thyme, rosemary, sage, and oregano—not only add flavor but contain immune-boosting properties as well.

And while wasabi and horseradish make noses run and eyes water, they also help relieve congestion.

Super Garlic

Freshly crushed garlic contains allicin, a sulfuric compound that produces potent antioxidants that can zap viruses by blocking the enzymes that lead to infection. It offers the most benefit when eaten raw. If the flavor is too strong, instead of chewing it try swallowing a whole clove as you would a capsule, or take a highpotency garlic supplement.

Get Your Green On

Pass up the iceberg lettuce! Instead, think arugula, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, mustard, and collard greens—the darker the greens, the higher the nutrient content. All the better to shore up your body’s defense mechanisms!

Lean Protein

Lean protein not only builds muscle—it also helps to build antibodies and fight infection. Good sources are chicken and turkey (select organic or free-range poultry raised without hormones, antibiotics, and other chemicals) or fish.

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Oily fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel—are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to reduce inflammation so your immune system can work properly. Limit your intake to once a week to avoid possible contaminants, such as mercury, and select fish that has been wild caught--not farm raised.

Yogurt, Keifer, and Sauerkraut

Yogurt, keifir, and sauerkraut are excellent sources of probiotics—microorganisms that are essential for good health because they replenish the beneficial bacteria that promotes digestive health and bolsters the immune system.

Yes, You Can!

Yes you can have dark chocolate! Ounce for ounce, pure cocoa contains more of the disease-fighting antioxidants known as polyphenols than most berries—and it's loaded with zinc, to boot.

Too often, however, the nutritional benefits of cocoa are overshadowed by the sugar and saturated fat found in chocolate bars and other treats. To reap the immunity-boosting benefits without the unhealthy extras, stick with bitesized portions—about one quarter-ounce per day—of dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% or higher.

But No, You Can’t!

Your body is more vulnerable when you’re sick, so keep it properly nourished. Say NO to sugar, as high sugar intake can suppress the immune system and cause inflammation. In fact, according to Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, an internal medicine specialist and author, “The sugar in a can of soda suppresses immune function by 30 percent for three hours.”

Eat delicious food, and stay healthy this season!

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ROUfia’s recipe corner H O M E M A D E S O U P

F R O M

C H I C K E N

-By Roufia Payman

S C R A T C H

ust in time for cold weather (and flu and cold season) is a great recipe for making delicious, nutritious chicken soup from scratch. It’s not difficult, and you’ll be able to enjoy it whether you’re feeling great or under the weather!

Ingredients-Broth --1 whole chicken (very important that it’s either organic or free-range, all-natural, since you’ll be drawing all the nutrients out of the meat and bones and don’t want to infuse the soup with antibiotics, hormones, and other chemicals) --2 – 3 carrots, cut into chunks --2 -3 three stalks of celery, with leafy tops, sliced into chunks --1 onion, peeled and quartered --1 handful of parsley --A few springs fresh thyme --Freshly ground pepper & salt --Water

Directions Place chicken in large soup pot and cover with water. Add carrots, celery, salt, & pepper. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce to simmer and cook about 2 hours (or longer), until the chicken infuses the broth with flavor and the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender.

Strain, let chicken cool, pull meat off the bones, store in a container, and refrigerate. Discard bones and vegetables.

If you wish, broth can be refrigerated overnight—the fat will rise to the surface and harden, so you can remove it from the liquid. Do not be concerned if the broth is a bit gelatinous when cooled. That’s because the bones in your stock cause it to contain a lot of collagen, which looks a bit like Jell-O when cooled. This is actually desirable and the collagen is good for hair, skin, and nails, and helps protect your joints.

Ingredients: Soup Broth Salt & Pepper Chop celery, carrots, onions, and any other vegetables you like (such as zucchini) Chicken meat Egg noodles, if desired Chopped fresh parsley (garnish) Add veggies and chicken meat and simmer until veggies are almost tender. If using, add egg noodles until cooked through al dente OR precook and add to soup bowls as desired. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish soup with chopped fresh parsley.

NOTE: I sometimes make the chicken broth, refrigerate, skim off the fat, and freeze for future use in soups and stews. You can also make homemade broth with a cooked roaster chicken from the grocery store—again, make sure it is a natural bird. Remove meat from carcass and set aside in refrigerator before boiling and simmering. It will not take as long to make broth with the precooked chicken, so taste periodically until the flavor suits your taste.

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New Columnist K E E P I N G

T H E

F E E L I N G

A L I V E -By Tricia

am right now taking a walk along the east river in New York City. Listening to music, taking in my environment and crying.

I’ve been doing a lot of that lately. Crying. Not the sad kind but the overwhelmed with joy and love kind. The overwhelming you can’t control it and you don’t even know what is happening kind. It’s beautiful.

This is the first time I have been in New York for a vacation.

I’ve been here dozens of time on tour. I fell in love with the city and moved here a few years ago. Then got swept up on tour again and transplanted back to California. I’ve never just been here with an open bank of time for me to play, to be a tourist and a local for more then just a day off on tour.

I landed after a whirlwind week in South Africa, somewhere that cracked my heart open in so many ways. A true trip of a lifetime. I have been blessed to have made a career out of trips of a lifetime, but this one really took the cake.

It was also the first time in I have idea how long that I was truly tuned into where I was, the people I was there with and not attached to anything outside that world for the entire week. I didn’t have phone service. I barely had internet (like 2 minutes a day). I wasn’t thinking about emails or social media. I didn’t wonder what my friends back home were up to. I didn’t think about my client’s new tour starting ( I did make it to the preview show, yay).

I wasn’t thinking about any clients. I purposely have not taken on one-on-one clients for the past month so that I wouldn’t t have them enter my mind. I wasn’t thinking about the very real launch of my own merchandise line. I wasn’t concerned with how many people were signing up for my “Be Your Own Joyologist Program” that had just started enrollment for the fall. Money never crossed my mind. How much I had, how much I needed to bring in this month.

I was completely removed from my life, but also sharing the experience with 25 other people all there to celebrate the union of two people. We were in our own world out in the wild and we were truly savoring and living in each moment.

We had the opportunity to really get to know each other and not just consist on small talk or catching up. continued on next page

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I met new people and truly created life altering connections with people that I have attended parties here and there with and loved, but never got that deep. I am tearing up again, right now as I write this thinking of the true friendships that bloomed.

I never want to forget how I felt on that trip. I have photographs filled with memories and moments that can take me back there, but I don’t want to forget that feeling. I felt like I could leave everything behind and stay there forever. Of course after being there for a few weeks or months I may have gotten sick of it and craved change, but I don’t need to go there. I want to keep the feeling inside of me that wasn’t concerned about income or career or the steps I need to take to be in the right place to start a family and how I will support that family.

When I was there I was so in awe of life, something that I see on levels everyday no matter where I am, but this was just so big. There was no hustle and bustle, just watching the cycles of life and how prey exists with their predators.

So, how do I keep that feeling alive. How do I make it so that I don’t forget how I felt? I will have to create conscious moments of keeping it alive.

Taking time to meditate on it (full disclosure, I have not yet been a big meditator—read I’ve only tried a handful of times, but to keep this feeling alive, it feels right).

I can also do something every day that takes me back. Perhaps taking time to connect with nature and pay attention to the noises birds make, or even read a little each day about wildlife. The curiosity I felt there about wildlife and how they survive was something I haven’t felt in a while.

Really, even my stopping, pausing today on my walk to sit and be with my surroundings did it. I was on a brisk exercise walk and just stopped and sat and took in my surroundings. A pause to stare in awe and wonder at the immensity of the bridge and that someone had actually engineered it. To notice everyone else out on their walks and runs. To take in the blue sky, the green grass, to be aware of it all and in awe that it all exists, as do I. Life moves fast. I invite you to make time every day to slow down and see the beauty that surrounds you. Whether it is outdoors or in your car, stuck in traffic. Take a few minutes to tune out of the chatter in your mind and tune into how amazing it is that we are all here and that trees grow and that someone built that building.

Be in awe of life, because it is pretty f’ing awesome!

BIOGRAPHY: TRICIA “YOUR JOYOLOGIST” Meet Tricia, who says, “My name is Tricia. I am 32 years old. I am 5’10”. I love green juice and yoga, and wine, and gluten-free pizza, and laughing a lot. I am a rock and roll roadie at heart, and by first career.

I speak wise words, deep thoughts, and cuss like a sailor. I believe food is medicine. I have lived/am living a freaking amazing life full of breakdowns and holy sh*ts of the good and bad kind (well really they are all good as breakdowns lead to breakthroughs).

I create my life moment to moment. I believe it is all possible. I savor life. I love being alive. I love you. I believe in you.”

Tricia believes we all need support. Even people selling out arenas, living their life’s dreams have bad days, have doubts, have fears, feel they are unworthy. Living a life that you love, day in and day out, takes work, takes tools, takes support. Tricia is dedicated to helping to show you the way.

Tricia is passionate about living a life she loves working with others to do the same. Her clients include stay-at-home moms, single working moms, musicians, corporate businessmen/woman, college students—everyone from every walk of life—via Skype and phone, internationally.

Tricia says “I am a student of life and a teacher of living.” As a Joyologist, she’ll work with you to find a better balance in your life. To rediscover and reimagine your dreams. To get to the heart of you. To see what you really want, what you are really feeling.

She’ll teach you to set boundaries. She asks hardhitting questions, knocks down excuses, and working as a team helps weed out what isn’t serving you. She empowers you by giving you the tools to truly love and truly live your life, day in and day out.

How did Tricia come to her calling as a Joyologist?

Read about her incredible journey here: http://www. yourjoyologist.com/about-me Tricia is a guest blogger for “The Daily Love,” and a regular contributor to Wild Sister Magazine as well as “Mind Body Green.” For more information or to sign up for her free inspiring daily Joyologist quotes, affirmations, and thoughts of the day, visit http:// www.yourjoyologist.com/.

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New Columnist TIPS & SOLUTIONS TO BECOME CLUTTER FREE -By “Dorothy the Organizer” (Dorothy Breininger)

Are You a Piler, a Stacker or Filer? t’s time to come clean, folks. When it comes to paper and filing, are you a piler and a stacker or a filer? In my seminars, nearly 98 percent of hands go up when I ask the question, “How many of you seem to just stack your paper rather than file it?”

Such an overwhelming response suggests that we need to create a system for the people rather than force the people into a system. Therefore, it is my recommendation to take a bookshelf and use it as a “pile system” rather than creating a file system in a drawer.

1:

Create broad, easy categories: Bills to Pay, Kids’ School Stuff, Food Program Paperwork, Newsletters, and Catalogs I Want to Read.

2:

Stack your neat paper categories on the shelves (you can use decorative bins and baskets too).

3:

Attach a sticky note on the shelves near each paper pile, noting the category.

4:

Just do the basics—get the papers off your desk, the kitchen counter, or dining room table and onto the proper pile on your bookshelves.

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Biography: Dorothy Breininger, “Dorothy The Organizer” Dorothy Breininger is America’s Most Innovative Professional Organizer.

She is a member and lecturer for the National Association of Professional Organizers and Institute for Challenging Disorganization.

Need Help on Deciding What to Purge - Try My TAPP System

Whether it’s paper or any other item that requires a decision, I suggest you use my “Decision Indicator Technique” called “TAPP.” Best of all there is not even a shipping charge to get started! I created TAPP (Toss, Act, Pile or file, Pass it on) to manage all of our paper decisions.

Let’s say I can’t make a decision about a graduation invitation that’s come in the mail. I simply visualize TAPP and run through my choices, as follows: T (Toss) I could toss the invitation. I don’t like the kid who’s graduating, I’ve never liked the kid, and I’m not going to go to the graduation.

A (Act on it) I’ll do something with the invitation. I actually like the kid and I want to go to the graduation. I RSVP. I buy a card, write a check, and keep it in a file marked “Graduation—June 20.”

P (Pile it) Yeah, I still don’t like the kid, but I love the graduation announcement. I think I’ll keep it in my idea pile (or file) and use something similar for my daughter’s graduation next year!

P (Pass it on) You know, pass it on to someone else. Get it out of my space! I don’t know the kid, but my husband and son know him through the basketball team. I’ll give it to them to handle.

Dorothy is an organizing expert on A&E Television’s Emmy-nominated weekly TV series, “Hoarders,” and also appears on the Today Show, the Dr. Phil Show, the VIEW, QVC and PBS, in addition to being featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and O Magazine.

Dorothy co-authored six organizing books, produced an award-winning documentary, “Saving Our Parents,” and is a high-energy, sought-after national speaker who inspires her audiences to produce results and take immediate action.

Dorothy is the past United States Small Business Association Award Winner and three-time recipient of NAPO-LA’s “Most Innovative Organizer Award.” Her new on-line course, Curb The Chaos, gives you the tips, tools and support to help eliminate the clutter in your life with a personalized action plan for the clutter zones in your life.

For more information, visit http:// www.dorothytheorganizer.com/

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Guest Columnist

W A N T T O S E E C L E A R LY, S TA R T YO U R E Y E YO G A T O D AY

-By Heather Vuchinich

ur eyes are working overtime these days, as we navigate a cyber world that is hugely dependent on what we see and read, all of which adds up to eye trouble.

Meir Schneider, a vision and self-healing expert, reversed his own legally blind status using eye yoga techniques that he developed as a teenager. Now a world renowned teacher and healer, Schneider shares his work in books, cd’s and workshops.

Start your eye yoga workout today with a few of Schneider’s tips for better vision and eye health.

These 3 eye yoga practices only involve time, your body and a little bit of sunshine. Practice daily for about a month and notice how your vision has changed!

1.) Sunning- Sit outside in the sun with your

eyes closed and turn your face in the direction of the sun. Move your head slowly from side to side (roughly 30 times) while you breath deeply and relax your shoulders. Intersperse with rounds of palming (see below) for best results.

2.) Computer strain relief- For every ten

minutes of computer use, take a break to gaze away from the computer while you wriggle your hands on either side of your head. This helps you develop and strengthen peripheral vision and relieves eye strain from gazing at a fixed direction for to long.

3.) Palming- Rub your hands together and

close your eyes. Place your warm palms over your eyes and relax. Continue to rub and palm for about 15-20 minutes (if you have glaucoma, don’t do for more than 5 minutes, instead do more often).

Biography: Heather Vuchinich Heather Vuchinich is a wellness writer and intuitive consultant. Her articles have been published by Organic Spa Magazine, Spafinder, Healing Lifestyles and Spas, the Mountain Astrologer and Llewellyn Books. She uses the tools of astrology, tarot and flower essences to help clients navigate the changing currents of their lives through her work with Wisestars Astrology www. wisestars.net

Page 42

anny Ramirez is a street skateboarder, founder Estilo Skateboards, and Topricin user because it helps him keep doing what he loves. “Topricin is great for when I’m feeling sore or my knees are getting a little swollen, I rub some on and I’m usually good to go. Always got Topricin in my car so it’s always with me just in case. It helps me get through the day.

I’m going to skate forever, I’m going to use Topricin forever.”

Watch promo here: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=n 8SijvnUJDg&list=UUemmz2Ejko LstIyW7K6hA2w

ccording to the National Eczema Association, there are 31.6 million people in the United States who suffer with eczema—many of them young children.

A child’s skin is more sensitive to pain than an adult’s skin, and they feel pain more intensely. They are little people—NOT little adults—and they need gentler, safer, effective treatments.

That’s why parents are happy to know that Topricin for Children can help. Created especially for a little one’s delicate skin, it’s formulated with a combination of gentle yet effective natural homeopathic biomedicines that historically are ideal in treating pain and skin issues.

Moms and dads are also pleased to know that it’s free of parabens, petroleum, and other harsh chemicals, is odorless and greaseless, and has no side effects. It’s the safe, natural way to help the body heal the skin as it relieves itching, redness, pain, and discomfort.

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TOPRICIN TURNS 20!

opical BioMedics launched Topricin in 1994, and this September celebrated 20 years of dedication to helping those in pain end their suffering, restoring hope and quality of life and contributing to a sustainable healthcare model.

The company started in a garage with four dedicated staff members—all of whom still work for Topical BioMedics. It now has far more employees at its Rhinebeck, New York headquarters, as well as team members on the West Coast and 75 brokers across the country. In addition, it has numerous “brand ambassadors,” from professional athletic strength and conditioning coaches to the Rockettes, and from PGA golfers to mommy bloggers. My how we’ve grown!

The ribbon cutting celebration party the company’s headquarters in Rhinebeck, NY, drew many well wishes from the business community, friends, fans, politicians, and the media. Here’s to the next 20 years!

MIXING MUSIC &

H AI L ,

S PARTAN

WAR R IOR S !

MEDICINE AT THE O+ FESTIVAL e were thrilled to join the ranks at Spartan Race’s Tri-State NJ Super Race event in Vernon, NJ this past September, with such like-minded and spirited organizations as Reebok, Core Power, Air National Guard, Clif Bar, GeigerRig, Eco Vessel, Navy Federal Credit Union, Bodybuilding.com, and Pursuit Rx. opricin was pleased to once again this year join forces with the O+ initiative—a three-day, community run celebration of music, arts and wellness. During the festival, participating musicians and artists exchange their contributions for health and wellness services from art-loving doctors, dentists, and other medical providers.

We were pleased to be a supporter, and passed out many Topricin samples at the festival’s on-site pop-up clinic while enjoying concerts and art exhibits! For more info visit: http://www. opositivefestival.org/

The Spartan race is known as the world’s Best Obstacle Race. With course lengths of 3+miles (Sprint), 8+miles, (Super) and 12+miles (Beast), each course is filled with mud, water, and signature obstacles designed to help participants discover their inner Spartan.

Athletes of all fitness levels enjoy participating in a Spartan Race and the feeling of accomplishment that comes at the finish line.

Spartan races attract people of all ages, backgrounds, and fitness levels—including individuals with special needs and children— making it one of the fastest growing sports in America. And Topricin pain relief and healing creams are ideal for the Spartan lifestyle because they work with the body’s natural healing chemistries to relieve pain quickly. This enables all the Spartans warriors to safely push harder and push stronger as it helps them live up to their inspiring motto: WE ARE STRONG. WE ARE UNBREAKABLE. WE ARE SPARTAN. Watch our video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =L116VsaGwi0&list=UUemmz2EjkoLstIyW7K6hA2w

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e are sad to let you know that Steve Duricko, our colleague, business partner, dear friend, brother and founding member of Topical BioMedics, suddenly passed away on Tuesday, October 21, 2014.

Anyone who met Steve could readily see the nature of his generous, warm, caring spirit. He embodied a high degree of loving kindness that gave him great delight to be of assistance whenever anyone asked for his help, regardless of whether he himself was having a good day or a bad day.

Steve's contribution to the initial stages and foundation of Topical BioMedics and Topricin and his consistent efforts for over 20 years contributed materially to the success we have come to know with the Topricin brand.

Steve was very proud of our staff, our work together, and what we all accomplished slugging it out every day, and how we so personally touch and change the lives of people for the better. Steve was equally humbled, along with all of us, how our efforts and Topricin mission bring hope and such great joy to so many people that now live without suffering.

We believe with everything in us, wholeheartedly, that our dear friend, brother and colleague is now in an amazing place, living his new life with abundant peace, joy, and love...And that someday we will all see each other again.

Please keep Steve's family and friends in your prayers through this difficult time, and please celebrate his life by doing the caring things he did for others to those you meet along your life's path.

With heavy hearts,

Lou & Aurora Paradise and the entire Topricin family

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DEBORAH BURKLUND LOU PARADISE Lou is the President and CEO of Topical BioMedics and the inventor of Topricin. He frequently serves as an expert speaker on the use of natural medicines, and has participated in addressing compliance issues related to the regulation of natural medicines as a member of the American Association of Homeopathic Pharmacists (AAHP). He is especially interested and active in issues regarding the care and treatment of the elderly, women and children, and his fellow veterans in VA medical centers around the country.

Lou is a Marine Corps helicopter combat and rescue veteran who served two rotations in Vietnam.

He is very modest about his combat service but his many decorations are for bravery in combat and the rescue of wounded soldiers, sailors, and fellow Marines and the humanitarian rescue of Vietnamese civilians.

JOAN APTER A sought-after public speaker, Joan Apter, licensed massage therapist, offers aromatherapy massage, Young Living Essential Oil products, health consultations and classes.

Contact Joan at joanapter@earthlink.net. Visit apteraromatherapy.com and facebook.com/ joanapter

Deborah Burklund, certified reflexologist, has had a lifelong love of complementary alternative health care. She treats people who have a range of health issues, and her favorite word is “wow,” because she hears it often while giving a treatment. One of her tag lines is, “Your feet don’t lie.” www.Realreflexology.com.

ANNIE B. BOND Best-selling author Annie B. Bond has been called “The foremost expert on green living” by Body & Soul magazine.

Honed by her own experience with chemical poisoning, Annie now offers others information on pursing a healthy way of life that is in harmony with the earth. Her books include Clean and Green, Better Basics for the Home, Home Enlightenment, and the most recent release True Food, published by National Geographic. She has also launched “A True Find” online market featuring high quality green, global products hand she hand selects…Offering the best in nontoxic, healthy, sustainable, artisan made, handmade, fair trade, and pure goods, including jewelry, skin care, baby products, cleaning products, home décor, and global crafts. www.atruefind.com

MICHELLE SCHOFFRO COOK PhD, ROHP, DNM, Is an international best-selling and

fifteen-time book author whose works include: 60 Seconds to Slim, The Ultimate pH Solution, and the upcoming book Weekend Wonder Detox. She is a doctor of natural medicine, holistic nutritionist, and the publisher of the free ezine World’s Healthiest News. Learn more about her work at: www.

DrMichelleCook.com, www.

WorldsHealthiestDiet.com, and www.HealthySurvivalist.com

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LAUREL HOUSE

ERIC FRANCIS The founder and editor of Planet Waves, Eric is an astrologer and investigative journalist.

He was working in his first job as a municipal newspaper reporter when he discovered that his editor also owned an astrology bookstore. This began a long relationship between astrology and journalism, which has taken Eric through the pages of many newspapers as a horoscope writer, including the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror plus numerous other venues. Today, Eric covers global turning point events through the lens of astrology. He is a specialist in newlydiscovered planets. Eric is also the host of Planet Waves FM, a podcast radio show http:// planetwaves.fm/. For more information visit www.ericfrancis.com and www.planetwaves. net Planet Waves (ISSN 1933-9135) is published each Tuesday and Friday morning in Kingston, New York by Planet Waves, Inc. Annual basic subscription rate: $99/year. Core community membership: $149/year.

DOUG GRUNTHER Doug is a certified dream work facilitator and regularly holds dream work study groups. He has been Woodstock, NY’s most noted radio talk show host for over 25 years.

His popular program, “The Woodstock Roundtable,” can be heard over 100.1 WDSTFM and over the Internet at www.WDST.com.

To contact Doug, email dgrunther1@gmail. com or go to www.dreamworkwithdoug.com

LEAH GUY Leah is a TV personality and media producer as well as the editor of ModernSage.com.

She is a passionate health educator with an extensive background in Holistic Health and inspired living. She has studied nutrition, spirituality and mind-body modalities for over 25 years. Leah has seen clients across the country as a massage therapist, energy healer and lifestyle xoach and also leads empowering workshops to groups large and small. Her vast knowledge of supplementation, body and beauty care, natural foods and diet as well as spirit-filled living make her a sought-after resource for education, endorsements and spokesperson. Leah has been published in several health magazines as a featured contributor and authored Life’s a Gift...Open It!, Sexy Secrets to Radiant Beauty, Naturally and has ghost-written health books and articles for notables in the US & abroad. As the CEO of her production company, A Girl Named Guy Productions LLC, Leah currently lives in the NYC metro area. www.leahguy.com; www.modernsage.com; www. whosondeck.TV

Laurel is a healthy living expert, author, personal trainer, and journalist covering travel, relationships, healthy food and fitness in national print and online publications. She has a weekly Fitness and Healthy Food channel on Yahoo!

Shine, a “Screwing the Rules” dating/relationships column on Giuliana Rancic’s FabFitFun.com, is a regular contributor to HealingLifestyles.com, a Dating Coach with DatingWithDignity.com, and a lifestyle contributor to E! News. Laurel has been featured on E! News, Weekend TODAY, The Daily Buzz, CBS, Fox, NBC, and ABC Morning News, and other TV shows. Her most recent book, QuickieChick’s Cheat Sheet to Life, Love, Food, Fitness, Fashion and Finance on a Less than Fabulous Budget, was published by St. Martin’s in May 2012. She also doles out dating/ relationship advice at www.ScrewingTheRules. com.

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ALEXANDRA JAMIESON ELYN JACOBS Elyn Jacobs is a breast cancer survivor, professional cancer strategist, speaker, and the Executive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation. Elyn empowers women to choose the path for treatment that best fits their own individual needs. She is passionate about helping others move forward into a life of health and well-being. Elyn has been featured on CNN Money, Talk About Health, and Breast Cancer Answers and has written for the Pink Paper, Breast Cancer Wellness, Integrative Oncology Essentials, Surviving Beautifully, Body Local and more, and writes the Options for Life column for the Natural Healing-Natural Wellness Newsletter. Elyn hosts the Survive and Live Well Radio Show on the Cancer Support Network.

Elyn lives in New York with her husband and two young boys. http://elynjacobs.wordpress.com/ about/ Tune in to the Survive and Live Well Show: http://elynjacobs. wordpress.com/elyns-blog/ Replay the Survive and Live Well Radio Show Archives: http:// elynjacobs.wordpress.com/ survive-and-live-well-schedule/ Read Elyn’s Blog: http:// elynjacobs.wordpress.com/2014/ Follow Elyn on Facebook: https:// www.facebook.com/pages/ElynJacobs-Consulting-Inc Follow Survive and Live Well on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ survivelivewell Follow Elyn on Linkedin

Author, chef, and certified health and nutritional counselor, Alexandra is an advocate of holistic nutrition and healthy living. She has been seen on Oprah, The Final Word, 30 Days and the National Health Test with Bryant Gumble, and was featured in the award-winning documentary Super Size Me. In her books, Living Vegan for Dummies (Wiley, 2009) and The Great American Detox Diet (Rodale, 2005), Alex offers sensible and tasty advice on how to detox, live healthfully, and feel fantastic. For more information, visit www. alexandrajamieson.com

PATRICIA MARTIN

ROUFIA PAYMAN

Patricia is the managing editor of Natural Healing, Natural Wellness and the director of marketing for Topical BioMedics, Inc. She is also an author, poet, copywriter, journalist, and lifestyle columnist who frequently cohosts Doug Grunther’s Woodstock RoundTable radio talk show on WDST 100.1 fm, Woodstock, NY.

Roufia is the Director of Outpatient Nutritional Services at Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck, NY, where she directs the Bariatric Support Group, “New Leaf,” and “Get Real Weight Results” programs. For more information call 845-8713600 or visit www.health-quest. org/ndh.

LAURIE TOWERS Founder and CEO of Physical Advantage, NY, NY, Laurie is a fitness expert, former professional bodybuilder, and now Manhattan’s main massage maven. Perennially listed in New York Magazine’s “Best Of” issue and featured on numerous television news shows and radio programs, Physical Advantage has established itself as the premier “serious” rehabilitative massage center in New York City, with a clientele that includes professional athletes, marathoners, dancers, actors, and singers. She is also the creator of the “Bridal Body Shop,” which helps brides-to-be get in shape with personal training sessions in their own home, and was recently named one of the top businesses primed for success in Business News Daily. For more information visit www. physical-knead.com.

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If you would like to contribute to Natural Healing Natural Wellness by Topricin™, feel free to contact Patricia Martin, Director of Marketing

pmartin@topicalbiomedics.com

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