Natural Awakenings North Central Florida February 2016

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ANTI-AGING SECRETS February 2016 | North Central, FL Edition | GoNaturalAwakenings.com natural awakenings

February 2016

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Our providers: The first combined Anti-Aging, Holistic, and Family Practice Clinic in The Villages, Central Florida “We are committed to aid and promote the body’s innate mechanisms to heal and achieve homeostasis for optimum health by introducing and using natural approaches with innovative and cutting-edge technology.”

Services Offered: F Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy F Sequenced Amino Acid for treatment of autoimmune diseases F Lymphatic Drainage F Magnetic Wave Therapy for Incontinence F Massage Therapy F Laser therapy for pain F Chelation and IV Nutrient Therapy F Acupuncture F NAET (Allergy Elimination) F Colon Hydrotherapy F Nutritional Counseling F Bio Energy Balancing F Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hours and Location: Monday-Thursday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Friday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM 1501 HWY 441, Suite 1700 The Villages, FL, 32159 Call to Schedule Your Appointment: 352-750-4333

Nelson Kraucak, MD

FAAFP-ABFP-ABCMT-IBALM-ABHM-MOCI Family Practice Alternative Medicine Dr. Nelson Kraucak has been practicing holistic medicine since 1995. Dr. Kraucak is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Family Practice. Dr. Kraucak has advanced certificates by the American Board of Holistic Medicine, International Board of Anti-Aging and Longevity Medicine, Heavy Metal Detoxification and Immuno Modulation. He is Associate Professor at FSU and UCF College of Medicine.

Aaron Perry, DOM

Acupuncture Physician, AP1813 Licensed Massage Therapist, MA25126, MM31501 Since 2003 Dr. Perry has been a practicing Acupuncture Physician, a Licensed Massage Therapist and a Certified Colon Hydrotherapist. He has a M.S. Degree in Oriental Medicine from the Florida College of Integrative Medicine. He also has an Associate of Science Degree in Natural Health from the Florida College of Natural Health.

Natalie Vincent, LMT

Licensed Massage Therapist, MA56651, MM31501 Ms. Vincent joined the practice in November 2012.

She is a Licensed Massage Therapist. She received her training at Community Tech Adult Education in Ocala, FL in 2008. She is a Certified Manual Lymph Drainage Therapist. She received her LDT training at the Upledger Institute in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

www.HealthcarePartnersFL.com 2

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February 2016

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contents 10 7 newsbriefs balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal 8 kudos growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

9 coverartist 10 healthbriefs 14 THE VARIED CAUSES 16 1 2 globalbriefs OF MEMORY LOSS 12 13 ecotip 18 consciouseating 16 YOUR MOUTH TELLS A STORY Functional Dentistry Connects 25 inspiration Oral Health to Sleep Apnea 30 healthykids and Heart Disease 32 fitbody 13 34 naturalpet 22 THE POWER 22 OF FRIENDSHIP 39 calendar

It Sustains, Nourishes and Supports Us 42 classifieds 42 resourceguide 26 ECO-FRIENDLY DATING advertising & submissions Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more

by Dr. James E. Lemire

by Linda Sechrist

by Judith Fertig

Going Online Makes it Easier

by Avery Mack

HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 352-629-4000 or email GoNaturalAwakenings@gmail.com.

Deadline for ads: the 10th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: GoNaturalAwakenings@gmail.com.

Deadline for editorial: the 10th of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: GoNaturalAwakenings@gmail.com.

Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

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

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27 FRIENDSHIP AND

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CONSCIOUSNESS As Synergistic Forces

by Dr. Paula Koger

29 ASSESSING THE

TRUE VALUE OF ACUPUNCTURE

by Dr. Aaron Perry

37 WINNING THE BATTLE

30

Against Pain, Depression and Anxiety

by Dr. Michael Badanek

38 ALYSSA MILANO’S

ANTI-AGING SECRETS Her Natural Lifestyle Choices Keep Her Young

by Gerry Strauss

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February 2016

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letterfrompublisher February is the month when we think about

contact us Publishers Cathy Culp Shannon Knight National Editors Sharon Bruckman S. Alison Chabonais Editor Martin Miron Calendar Editor Amy Hass Design & Production Stephen Blancett Steven Hagewood Chelsea Rose Martin Friedman Distribution Del Culp, Director Dean Schmitt Natural Awakenings North Central Florida P.O. Box 831038, Ocala, FL 34472 Phone: 352-629-4000 GoNaturalAwakenings.com GoNaturalAwakenings@gmail.com Follow us on: Facebook.com by searching: Natural Awakenings North Central Florida

©2016 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

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

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

We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

SUBSCRIPTIONS To sign up for a copy of our monthly digital magazine, visit

love, and there is so much about this issue that my Co-publisher, Cathy, and I love and hope you do too, starting with Judith Fertig’s fun feature article, “The Power of Friendship.”

Cathy and I became best friends in 1975, Shannon Knight, Cathy Culp, beginning with a shared love of the Bee Gees, co-publisher co-publisher Charlie’s Angels and Grease. We played and sang and reenacted scenes for hours on end on our humble street in small town USA. Gradually, our world expanded to cheerleading every Friday night, riding up and down the town’s strip and just hanging around being teenagers. After high school graduation, she moved to Florida and I was off to Chicago, but time, distance and diverging paths never got in the way of our friendship.

Even when life’s big and little twists and turns interrupt the flow, we can always pick up right where we left off. Recalling stories from our lives, Cathy says she sometimes can’t remember if something happened to herself or me! We’ve shared so much of our lives that we can’t imagine working in partnership with anyone else.

Days of our youth included watching Alyssa Milano on TV in the 80s. In our Wise Words department this month, Alyssa talks about how family, organic gardening, healthful food, exercise and outdoor play fulfill vital roles in her life. To us, she’s a happy celebrity role model for principles of sustainable living.

My husband, Dean, and I are avid birdwatchers. Before moving to Florida, when we lived in Alton, Illinois, noted in Sandra Murphy’s “Birdwatching for Beginners” for its prime position along the Mississippi Flyway, we loved looking for eagles. December was the best time to see them perched on limestone bluffs along the Great River Road or on ice chunks hunting river fish. One winter day we were thrilled to count 22 in a single group! In summer there, great blue herons dropped by our pond and hummingbirds and songbirds visited our feeders. I also adored caring for my own small flock of domesticated ducks and geese. Living in Florida, we’ve had fun discovering places to spot egrets, ibis, sandhill cranes, wood storks and anhinga.

Cathy and I are excited to be growing this Natural Awakenings magazine into your go-to resource for all things local and healthy. As part of our local editorial, this month you’ll find a list of local places to buy gluten-free products, nearby kayaking locations and information about a special birdwatching spot in Lake County. Each month our Community Calendar offers a convenient run-down of special and ongoing events and classes suited to natural, healthy and joyful living. Plus, we’ve just launched our new Reader Snapshot where you’ll meet fascinating kindred spirits in our community.

Be well in love and peace,

GoNaturalAwakenings.com Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

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Shannon Knight, Co-publisher GoNaturalAwakenings.com

newsbriefs Every Child is a Cupcake

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upcakes for Autism is a store in Lady Lake that makes cupcakes, but not the ordinary, mass-produced kind.

Each one is unique and specially crafted with love to be totally beautiful and unique; just like an autistic child or adult.

They are a nonprofit, full-service bakery that conducts a workforce training program for adult children with disabilities, teaching them how to integrate themselves into the workforce and acquire skills they will need in everyday life in a place of employment.

The second part of the program is working with them on a daily basis with social skills, self-confidence and developing new friendships with like-minded peers. A planned third phase of the program, Fun Night Out, will involve taking the adult children on outings such as movie night, dinner night and bowling to the encourage development of new friendships and social skills as well as respite care for the parents who may enjoy a small break for a few hours.

Location: 13769 N. U.S. Hwy. 441, in the County Crossings Plaza, Lady Lake, FL. For more information, call 352-321-6185, email Chantelle@CupcakesForAutism. com or visit CupcakesForAutism.com.

Motown Legend Spreads the Good News at Unity of Ocala

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ddie Watkins Jr., one of Motown’s great bass players, singer and songwriter, will perform at the 10 a.m. worship service and in concert at 1 p.m. February 21, at Unity of Ocala.

After achieving early success in show business playing with The Temptations, Marvin Gaye and many more, he moved to Los Angeles, only to experience addiction and recovery. He then discovered religious science and served for six years as the music director at the Center for Spiritual Living in Las Vegas and Seattle.

Suggested donation $20. Location: 101 Cedar Rd., Ocala. For more information, call 352-816-3900, email JeanneJoiner@aol.com or visit UnityOcala.org.

Women’s History Month Fundraiser

T

he nonprofit Blissful Life Corporation yoga and wellness center is holding a fundraiser at 6 p.m. on February 5 in the Ocala Downtown Square to raise awareness with a Sun Salutation Yogathon.

Money raised will support women’s health and provide free yoga classes for women veterans and domestic violence survivors via their Sponsor1 program. T-shirts and boutique items will be available to purchase, and all proceeds will benefit trauma survivors.

The organizers believe that yoga provides the emotional release that allows trauma survivors to conquer their trauma and be productive, committed, contributing members of the community.

For more information, call 352-694-9642, email Info@BlissYogacfl.com or visit BlissOcala.com.

Santa Fe RiverFest Needs Songwriters

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he sixth annual Santa Fe RiverFest, to be held April 17 at Rum 138, west of High Springs, is taking applications from songwriters that want to share their musical skills and help raise money for a good cause: our drinking water. Songwriters should submit a mp3 about the Santa Re River no later than March 1 to Info@OurSantaFeRiver.org.

Judges will look for originality, quality of lyrics, melody and performance. Finalists will take the stage during the afternoon and have an opportunity to win a $300 first place prize. Each finalist will also receive a professional video of their performance, which also will be placed on YouTube.

Our Santa Fe River, Inc. (OSFR), a nonprofit organization working to protect the aquifer, springs and waters in this area, is sponsoring the songwriting contest and music festival, hosted

by WKTK broadcast personality Storm Roberts, with a band, family activities, food and drinks and first-rate silent auction gifts.

Location: corner of CR 138 and Rum Island Terrace. For more information, call Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson at 386-2430322 or visit OurSantaFeRiver.org.

News to share?

Submit information online at GoNaturalAwakenings.com Submittal deadline is the 10th of the month.

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newsbriefs

kudos

Cinema Verde International Film Fest

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he seventh annual Cinema Verde International Environmental Film and Arts Festival will take place from February 11 to 14 at the Hippodrome State Theater, in downtown Gainesville. The goal of this four-day festival is to raise awareness about environmental issues that affect our community and each one of us. We can all make a difference in some way.

Films from a variety of countries include This Changes Everything (USA); My Hottest Year (Denmark); Kaziranga (USA); Wings of Hope (Belize); Z Nail Gang (New Zealand); Banking Nature (France); Normal is Over (South Africa); and more. On February 14, there will a day of short subjects from around the world, an eco-fair and live music.

For tickets and a season schedule, visit CinemaVerde.org.

National Ballet to Perform in Gainesville

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he Dance Alive National Ballet will present A Midsummer Night’s Dream at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., February 6, at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, in Gainesville.

There will be a romantically themed Puck’s Place Valentine party at 9:30 p.m. at the Center with dancing and sweet treats.

This charming full ballet crafted by choreographer/director Kim Tuttle includes the 13 National Ballet principal dancers, five soloists or guest artists, eight members of the corps de ballet and 10 students from the school as tiny fairies.

Tickets are $15 to $40 for the performance and $35 for the party; to purchase, call 352-371-2986 or visit the Phillips box office at 3201 Hull Rd. For more information, visit DanceAlive.org.

Florida Organic Growers (FOG) has been working with the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group and Rural Advancement Foundation International with the support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture AMS local food promotion program to help support the formation of agricultural cooperatives in North Central Florida.

Their work, including the successful Moving Monday campaign, a weekly email sent Mondays throughout the month of December to spotlight how they are changing the food landscape throughout Florida, has impacted more than 60 farmers, consumers and the community.

A farmer-owned, farmer-controlled organization would aid in the distribution, sales and marketing, and by working together, local communities would receive greater access to sustainably raised local goods, as well as increasing the income and resources of Florida farmers.

For more information, visit FOGinfo.org.

Herbal Conference in Lake Wales

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he fifth annual Florida Herbal Conference, presented by the Florida School of Holistic Living and Leaves and Roots, will be held from February 26 to 28 on 50 secluded acres of beautiful forest and lies on the shores of Tiger Lake, in Lake Wales, Florida.

Participants will enjoy three days of classes and hands-on workshops taught by some of the most knowledgeable and inspiring teachers in Florida, including keynote speakers Paul Stamets and Kathleen Maier.

More than 40 workshops for all levels of interest and experience will be conducted, along with inspiring music, nutritious food and herbal artisans in a beautiful, lakeside setting. The weekend also includes a marketplace of herbal vendors and musical activities each evening, fun herbal activities during free time, guided movement activities throughout the weekend, a powerful fire circle and regional mixers.

Location: 2819 Tiger Lake Rd., Lake Wales, FL. For more information, visit FloridaHerbalConference.org.

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A smile is a

curve that sets everything straight. ~Phyllis Diller

coverartist

Sea of Love Kim Bradshaw “My art is all about love. It is tattooed on my body, and a part of every painting that I’ve done,” says cover artist Kim Bradshaw, a wedding officiant who loves to marry couples on local beaches.

“I like acrylics because of their intense colors, and they are fast and flexible to work with.”

The cover work, Sea of Love, is part of a collection by the same name that includes seahorses, turtles, kissing fish, manatees and mermaids. A Certified Florida Master Naturalist, Bradshaw is passionate about teaching others about nature and our role in protecting it. She and her husband volunteer with the nonprofit Turtle Time, helping patrol Southwest Florida beaches during nesting season to ensure that homeowners turn off beachfront lights, because sea turtle hatchlings are attracted to the artificial light rather than the moonlit sea they must reach to survive.

Bradshaw studied art at Florida Southwestern State College. Her work has been exhibited at the Center for the Arts of Bonita Springs and also appeared on a Natural Awakenings cover 20 years ago. The artist and her photographer husband run a homeopathic company and live in Bonita Springs, Florida.

H ow wonderful it is that nobody needs to wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. ~Anne Frank

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February 2016

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healthbriefs

Bifidobacteria Probiotic Fends Off Colds and Flu

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n a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that supplementing with bifidobacteria probiotics will reduce colds and flu. The study followed 581 college students for six weeks as they prepared for their final exams. During the study period, the students consumed a placebo or a daily supplement with one of three probiotics, including Bifidobacterium bifidum.

The students given the bifidum supplement experienced significantly fewer cold or flu infections, and when they did succumb, the infection was generally less severe. The other probiotic supplements did not reduce colds or flu compared to the placebo for the six weeks.

Olive Oil Compound Kills Cancer Cells

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esearchers from Rutgers University have found that an ingredient in olive oil will kill cancer cells in under an hour. The researchers tested a compound called oleocanthal, a central component of extra virgin olive oil, and found that it caused the premature death of cancer cells in the laboratory by puncturing cancer cell vesicles, called lysosomes.

“We needed to determine if oleocanthal was targeting that protein and causing the cells to die,” says Paul Breslin, Ph.D., a professor of nutritional sciences in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers and co-author of the study, published in Molecular and Cellular Oncology.

The research also found that the olive oil compound didn’t damage healthy cells. Breslin states that the compound merely “put them to sleep” for a day, after which they resumed their normal, healthy functioning.

Senior author David Foster, Ph.D., of Hunter College, points out that additional studies are necessary to determine if the compound halts tumor growth.

“We also need to understand why it is that cancerous cells are more sensitive to oleocanthal than non-cancerous cells,” he says.

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month 10

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Kids Learn Social Skills Through Pretending and Joking

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esearch published in the journal Cognitive Science has found that toddlers with parents that played with them using humor and fantasy gained increased skills for learning, imagining and bonding, along with thinking in abstract ways.

The researchers tested children between 16 and 24 months old in two phases. The first utilized action play among 25 kids and the second utilized verbal play among 40 children. The parents and children pretended to do activities such as washing their hands with no soap or creating situations using a toy.

During the second phase, the children and parents played around jokingly by using words, identifying things in funny ways and making believe they were doing things.

The researchers found that joking and pretend play allowed the kids to distinguish cues that helped them communicate and develop skills to understand intentions. The study also found that older toddlers relied more on verbal cues to understand pretending and joking communications.

healthbriefs

Mediterranean Diet Sustains More Youthful Brain Sizes

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s we age, our brains shrink, a condition linked to cognitive impairment. According to a study from Columbia University, a healthy diet can help reduce such occurrences.

The researchers studied 674 adults with an average age of 80. They were divided into two groups, depending upon their diets, and given magnetic resonance imaging scans to measure total brain volume and thickness.

It was found that those following diets that most closely resembled the Mediterranean diet—less meat and more vegetables and fish—had larger brain sizes with less shrinking.

The researchers equated the average size difference between the groups to about five years of aging.

Dr. Yian Gu, a neuropsychology professor at Columbia University, says, “This is another study consistent with previous studies that indicate the Mediterranean diet is an overall healthy diet.”

High-Fructose Sweetener Aggravates Asthma and Bronchitis

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large study from the New York Medical College and the University of Massachusetts found that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is linked to a greater risk of asthma and chronic bronchitis. The research included 2,801 people between the ages of 20 and 55 years old. The scientists utilized health data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2003 to 2006 to compare people with a history of chronic bronchitis.

The study measured the types of soft drinks consumed, eliminating risks related to known asthma relationships such as smoking. The researchers found those that drank five or more HFCS-containing sodas per week had an 80 percent increased incidence of chronic bronchitis. Greater intake of HFCS has also been linked with higher risk of other health conditions, including diabetes and obesity. natural awakenings

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

Ocean Wear

Adidas Using Plastic Ocean Debris to Make Shoes

Green Goalposts

Super Bowl Eco-Stadium Gains National Spotlight The 50th Super Bowl will take place February 7 at the brandnew Levi’s Stadium, in Santa Clara, outside San Francisco, and the anniversary isn’t the only thing that’s historic. As part of a trend toward sustainability in athletic facilities, it’s the greenest and most technologically advanced professional football stadium in the U.S. The structure is designed to support sustainability, located on a site with accessible public transportation plus a bike path to encourage fans to pedal to and from games.

Its predominantly open and airy, environmentally friendly building plan also takes advantage of the Silicon Valley climate. One outstanding feature is the green roof atop the suite tower on the west side of the stadium. Another is the three solar bridges connecting the main parking area to the stadium that generate energy from hundreds of solar panels.

All of the wood used was repurposed from a local airplane hangar at Moffett Field, in Mountain View, California, and other reclaimed building products were used where possible. Reclaimed water sources serve potable and non-potable uses, including playing field irrigation. The local suppliers providing farm-to-table food menus also are required to practice composting and recycling to the greatest extent possible.

For more information, visit LevisStadium.com.

Nice Spice

McCormick Going Non-GMO McCormick, the world’s largest spice company, plans to eliminate almost all genetically modified (GMO) ingredients from their product line by 2016. In response to increased consumer demand for healthier options, 80 percent of its overall gourmet herb and spice business in the U.S. will be both organic and non-GMO by 2016, as well as all McCormick-branded herbs, spices and extracts sold in the U.S.

They will voluntarily label the updated products to inform consumers as part of a commitment to transparency and consumer education. The first product introduced, a non-GMO vanilla extract, is already available.

McCormick also uses steam treatments in its processing to preserve the health benefits of spices instead of the ionizing irradiation used by competitors. Although food radiation is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, some studies link it to significant health problems.

“Our consumers are increasingly interested in quality flavors with pure ingredients in their food,” says McCormick President and Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Kurzius. “Our efforts prove that we are listening to consumers and are committed to continuing to evolve.”

Source: NaturalNews.com 12

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Athletic shoemaker Adidas has teamed up with New York-based Parley for the Oceans, a multidisciplinary organization with a passion for protecting the oceans, to make footwear out of garbage.

Available soon, the soft upper part of the shoe is knitted entirely from waste and debris pulled from the ocean, including yarn and fibers—just some of the estimated 5.25 trillion pieces of trash in the sea. With no extra material left over, nothing goes to waste; the shoes also incorporate illegal fishing nets taken from poachers.

Adidas executive Eric Liedtke suggests the technology could move beyond shoes and find its way to T-shirts, shorts and other apparel. A full line of similar consumer-ready products will be integrated into the Adidas line this year.

The larger issue goes beyond recycling and repurposing to avoid waste altogether. Plastic takes more than 450 years to decompose, so conservationists and researchers at Parley for the Oceans hope to re-imagine plastics by designing a renewable solution. In cleaning up our oceans, we protect ecosystems, food sources, jobs and local economies.

Source: Upworthy

breathe

ecotip

readersnapshot

Eco-Cappuccino

Who’s a Natural Awakenings Reader?

Reducing Coffee Shop Waste For many, getting a coffee to go at a favorite spot on the way to work or while dropping the kids off at school and running errands is a weekday ritual. It also warms up the body on cold mornings in northern regions this time of year. The java might taste even better if we reduce the amount of waste traditionally involved.

Here are a few ways to better cherish Earth’s resources.

Avoid the paper cup; carry a reusable thermos or insulated bottle instead as a matter of routine. Author and activist Beth Terry, in her book Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Habit and How You Can Too suggests both stainless steel beverage containers and mugs. She also recommends glass mason jars and points out that EcoJarz recently began making stainless steel caps and lids instead of plastic. Learn more at MyPlasticFreeLife.com.

Terry further cites the unhealthy aspects of continual use of paper cups because, “Many are lined with plastic, and the plastic lids are often the equivalent of Styrofoam.”

If caught without a favorite reusable container, Treehugger. com’s Katherine Martinko recommends at least giving an old paper cup one more turn. “It’s not a zero waste solution, but if you’ve already got a paper cup in your car or kitchen, you might as well extend its life. Wash and hand it over the next time you get a coffee,” she suggests. “It will still do the job.”

For those that add cream, milk or sugar to coffee, consider the waste involved just in the plastic and wood stirrers provided by the shop that are tossed in the trash after serving their one-time function. “Avoid all of them,” advises Terry.

“Carry a clean utensil in the car,” such as a bamboo tableware or a spork (combination spoon and fork). Cutting down or weaning off of dairy, sugar and especially sugar substitutes is another healthful move.

W

e’re shining the light on Natural Awakenings readers with our new mini-snapshots of local individuals that are cultivating a healthy lifestyle and making a difference in our community.

Each month, we will ask a reader to tell us about: n Life’s mission n Work n Proudest Achievement n Expectation for the Future n Favorite apps n Favorite websites n Local causes supported n Favorite thing about Natural Awakenings n Most frequented healthy food restaurant n How you invest in your community n Favorite quote n What you are doing to be the change you want to see in the world To be featured in one of our Reader Snapshots, submit a Word document to Shannon@GoNaturalAwakenings. com. We reserve the right to edit submissions if necessary.

Please include a digital photo of yourself in the attachment (JPG,PDF, or TIFF.)

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February 2016

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Caitlin

The Varied Causes of Memory Loss

Her second chance at life

made possible by an organ donor

First grader, liver recipient

Every year, over 1,700 children are saved by organ donors.

Caitlin received a liver transplant at 5 months—because someone said yes to donation. Help save more children.

Sign up online as an organ, eye, and tissue donor.

Imagine what you could make possible.

Go to organdonor.gov. organdonor.gov donaciondeorganos.gov

CLICK! Point Your Life in a Healthy Direction Visit Our New Website Browse the local news, events calendar, resource guide, community spotlights, plus all the wonderful articles that support and inspire a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.

Now just a click away!

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by Dr. James E. Lemire

T

rouble remembering why we walked into a room or misplaced the car key may be nothing to worry about—perhaps a sign of advancing age—or it could signal the onset of Alzheimer’s or other dementia. New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that there is a good possibility that many prescription and over-the-counter drugs are the cause.

A study conducted by the Indiana School of Medicine and published in the July 13, 2010 issue of The journal Neurology reports that more than 100 drugs, including antidepressants, sleeping pills, antihistamines, statins and allergy medications, may cause memory loss or confusion. Some people are more susceptible than others, but the reasons are unknown at present. Other sources for memory loss are alcohol, environmental toxins and stress. Low hormone levels, including DHEA, can cause also memory problems.

Duane Graveline, M.D., a physician and astronaut, has related online his experience with transient global amnesia that occurred six weeks after taking Lipitor. His cholesterol had been trending upwards for several years, and Graveline recalls that all was well until six weeks later, when his wife found him walking aimlessly around the yard after returning from his usual walk in the woods. He did not recognize her and refused to go into their home.

He regained his memory six hours later in the neurologists office.

He stopped taking the Lipitor, against medical advice, and there were no other events until a year later during his next astronaut physical, where NASA doctors convinced him that statin drugs just did not do this sort of thing. Reluctantly, Graveline restarted Lipitor at half the previous dose and six weeks later again descended into the abyss of amnesia, this time for 12 hours, and with a retrograde loss of memory back to his high school days.

He reported no awareness of his marriage or his four children, his medical school days or his 10 years as an Air Force flight surgeon, selection as a NASA scientist/astronaut or a decade as a writer of medical fiction. He is convinced of the direct drug connection as a result of these experiences.

Dr. James Lemire, M.D., ABFP, IFMCP, ACAM, AAFP of Lemire Clinic, located at 11115 SW 93rd Ct. Rd., Ste. 600, in Ocala, offers alternatives that include an intense program to reverse and prevent damage to the brain. For more information on their Save Your Mind program, call 352-2919459 or visit LemireClinic.com. Also inquire about free seminars at 6 p.m. on the first Monday of the month.

A DV E RTO RI A L

Start the Year Right with Detoxified Iodine Give Your Body the Natural Boost it Needs

The Hidden Deficiency Having the proper amount of iodine in our system at all times is critical to overall health, yet the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that iodine deficiency is increasing drastically in light of an increasingly anemic national diet of unpronounceable additives and secret, unlabeled ingredients. This deficit now affects nearly three-quarters of the population.

Causes of Iodine Deficiency

Radiation

Almost everyone is routinely exposed to iodine-depleting radiation

Low-Sodium Diets

Overuse of zero-nutrient salt substitutes in foods leads to iodine depletion

Iodized Table Salt

Iodized salt may slowly lose its iodine content by exposure to air

Bromine

A toxic chemical found in baked goods overrides iodine's ability to aid thyroid

Iodine-Depleted Soil Poor farming techniques have led to declined levels of iodine in soil

A Growing Epidemic Symptoms range from extreme fatigue and weight gain to depression, carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure, fibrocystic breasts and skin and hair problems. This lack of essential iodine can also cause infertility, joint pain, heart disease and stroke. Low iodine levels also have been associated with breast and thyroid cancers; and in children, intellectual disability, deafness, attention deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and impaired growth, according to studies by Boston University and the French National Academy of Medicine.

What to Do The easy solution is taking the right kind of iodine in the right dosage to rebalance thyroid function and restore health to the whole body.

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Satisfied Customers

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February 2016

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healingways

YOUR MOUTH TELLS A STORY

Functional Dentistry Connects Oral Health to Sleep Apnea and Heart Disease

by Linda Sechrist

T

he focus of functional medicine—whole person health care—easily expands to include dentists trained in oral systemic health.

Currently embraced by a small percentage of today’s farsighted dentists and doctors, this relatively new field of prevention and wellness views the mouth as a key portal when considering the status of the whole body. Similar to the way doctors of Oriental medicine assess the heart’s pulse to help diagnose health issues throughout the body, these systemic health dentists consider the gums, tongue, teeth and throat to be key signals of overall health.

American Academy for Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH) Executive Director Bobbie Delsasso was a periodontal hygienist for more than 30 years before becoming a consultant and public speaker on the larger perspective. “I taught patients about the importance of good nutrition and alerted them to consult their physician regarding what their mouth health might indicate about their body’s health,” she says. While the academy educates dental professionals to understand the internal workings of nutrition and what the mouth reveals about overall well-being, “Less than 6 percent of physicians even learn adequate basics of nutrition in medical schools,” she notes.

Cardiovascular Health Links

Beyond nutrition, academy curricula for dentists now include such titles as Arteriology and Vascular Inflammation – The Oral/Systemic Connection, based on a course designed for medical professionals by physician Bradley Bale and Amy Do16

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neen, an advanced registered nurse practitioner, co-founders of the Bale/Doneen Method for the prevention of heart attack, stroke and diabetes. Mike Milligan, a doctor of dental medicine, founder of Eastland Dental Center, in Bloomington, Illinois, and AAOSH president, explains that heart attack and stroke are triggered by an inflammatory process which can be initiated or exacerbated by periodontal disease and abscessed teeth.

Thomas Nabors, a doctor of dental surgery and an authority in molecular analysis and genetic risk assessment for periodontal diseases, provides clinical proof that supports the growing association between medicine and dentistry.

“Since our inaugural AAOSH conference [in 2010], Bradley, Amy and Tom

have continued to provide the current science and clinical backdrop to the oral/systemic connection to cardiovascular wellness,” says Milligan.

Respiratory Health Links

Other vital advances in oral systemic health involve treating airway concerns such as snoring and sleep apnea. “Snoring is typically caused by muscles and tissues relaxing in the throat and mouth, resulting in decreased space in the airway passage and vibration of tissues. Eventually, individuals can develop sleep apnea, which can also result in hypertension and other problems,” advises Milligan.

In sleep apnea, the sleeper’s breathing pauses often or produces hypopnea, slowed or shallow breathing for 10 or more seconds at a time. Fewer than five episodes per hour is normal, with five to 15 considered mild apnea, 15 to 30 moderate and more than 30 severe.

Although 20 percent of Americans may have sleep apnea—typically associated with insomnia, tiredness and less oxygen in the body—95 percent of affected individuals go undiagnosed.

To help, Milligan suggests that before going to bed we lower the thermostat in the bedroom and avoid drinking alcohol, smoking, watching television or working on a computer.

Improved breathing helps assuage snoring, sleep apnea, asthma, hay fever and nasal congestion. Milligan cites Patrick McKeown’s work, explained in his book The Oxygen Advantage.

An authority on the Buteyko Breathing Method, McKeown explains how improved breathing dramatically improves oxygenation, releases more energy and supports lifelong health and well-being.

Muscle retraining using orofacial myofunctional therapy can help prevent sleep apnea and also abate temporomandibular joint disorders. This new field is concerned with orofacial functional patterns and postures when teeth are apart, their status 95 percent of each day and night. It also retrains muscles to keep the tongue at the roof of the mouth and the lips together to prevent breathing through the mouth, correct swallowing function and eliminate poor oral habits such as thumb sucking.

Three mechanical treatments for sleep apnea include mandibular ad-

vancement oral devices used to move the lower jaw forward, a continuous positive airway pressure machine to aid airway functioning, or surgery, which is the last resort. “The real opportunity for catching and preventing this is with children 5 to 10 years old, when their jaws are developing,” says Milligan.

He further cites links discovered between the mouth and brain. “Oral spirochetes, which normally live in the mouth, have been found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Dr. Judith Miklossy, from the International Association for

Alzheimer’s, spoke at an AAOSH conference about the link between oral bacteria and dementia, and Garth Ehrlich, Ph.D., professor of microbiology, immunology and otolaryngology at Drexel University College of Medicine, addressed rheumatoid arthritis and certain types of cancers.

All of these links are more than enough reasons why good oral hygiene is essential to good health,” says Milligan.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.

natural awakenings

February 2016

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consciouseating

Ancient Grains for Modern Palates Gluten-Free and Eco-Friendly Grains Gain Favor

by Judith Fertig

A

ncient grains are making a comeback. Grown since Neolithic times about 10,000 years ago, varieties of barley, corn, millet and rice have helped assuage the hunger of many communities.

Today, yellow millet, dark red wholegrain sorghum, brown quinoa and exotic black rice can help alleviate food shortages.

According to Harry Balzer, an expert surveyor of food and diet trends with The NPD Group, concerns about grains and gluten have prompted about a third of Americans to try to cut back on both since 2012. About 1 percent of the population has celiac disease, estimates the Celiac Disease Foundation, but many more prefer not to eat gluten.

Many ancient grains are naturally gluten-free, including amaranth, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, rice and teff.

“Some think that a grain-free way

of eating is healthier and also better for the planet,” says food writer Maria Speck, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, author of Ancient Grains for Modern Meals and Simply Ancient Grains.

“But that may be too simplistic, a characteristic of many diet trends.”

Better for Our Health

Whole grains fill us up and provide fiber, both necessary for maintaining optimum digestion and weight, says Kathleen Barnes, a widely published natural health expert in Brevard, North Carolina.

Eating more whole grains has been previously associated with a lower risk of major diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, based on studies by the University of Minnesota and Lund University, in Sweden. Qi Sun, assistant professor in the Harvard School of Public Health department of nutrition,

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

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agrees that whole grains are one of the major healthful foods for prevention of major chronic diseases. He’s the lead author of a new Harvard study of data associating consumption of whole grains with a 9 percent reduction in overall mortality and up to 15 percent fewer cardiovascular fatalities during two 25-year-long research initiatives that followed 74,000 woman and 43,000 men.

The researchers cited substituting whole grains for refined grains and red meat as likely contributors to longer life.

“Whole grains are nutritional powerhouses, packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, beneficial fiber and even some protein,” observes Speck. With a German father and a Greek mother, she grew up in two cultures where grains are a part of everyday meals. “We eat them because they taste good.”

Better for Local Farmers

Sourcing and eating more organic and GMO-free whole grains (absent modified genetics) can help support local farmers, Speck maintains. Choose barley from Four Star Farms, in Massachusetts; heirloom grits from Anson Mills, in South Carolina; quinoa from White Mountain Farm, in Colorado; or heirloom Japanese rice from Koda Farms, in California.

Better for the Planet

Ancient grains require fewer natural resources to plant, grow and harvest.

According to the Water Footprint Network, a pound of beef, millet and rice require 1,851, 568 and 300 gallons of water, respectively, to produce.

Substituting grains in diets is a sustainable alternative to meat, and they grow on grasslands that now inefficiently support livestock. According to University of Cambridge Professor of Engineering David MacKay, it takes about 25 times more energy to produce one calorie of beef than one calorie of natural grain.

Ancient grains can add variety and flavor to meals and a wealth of them are as close as the gluten-free aisle of a neighborhood grocery or health food store.

Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFood AndLifestyle.blogspot.com from Overland Park, KS.

Cooking with Ancient Grains

Favorite Ancient Grains I

t’s best to cook up a batch of ancient grains ahead on the weekend for use during a busy week. To inject more color and flavor, add a pinch of saffron to turn the cooking water golden, or cook the grains in pomegranate juice.

Cooked grain keeps in the refrigerator for up to seven days, ready to enhance salads, soups, yogurt or desserts.

Amaranth. The seed head of pigweed, amaranth can be baked into a custard or added to a soup. Grown by the Aztecs, iron- and protein-rich amaranth can be popped raw in a skillet like popcorn, and then added as garnish to soups and salads.

Buckwheat. The seeds of a plant related to rhubarb and grown in northern climates, buckwheat can be ground into flour for savory French crepes or simmered whole in soup.

Quinoa. Grown at high altitudes, quinoa has become a popular addition to salads or yogurt, as well as its own side dish.

Millet. A tiny, drought-tolerant grain, millet can be added to bread dough for texture or cooked as a healthy breakfast with toasted almonds and cardamom.

Buckwheat and Beet Soup Yields: 4 servings 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1½ cups chopped red onion (1 medium) ¾ tsp fine sea salt 2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves) ¼ tsp dried thyme ¾ tsp dried savory or ½ tsp more dried thyme ¾ cup raw buckwheat groats (not kasha) 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper 2 cups raw shredded beets, preferably red (1 large or 2 small) 1 to 2 tsp honey 1 cup purified water (approximately) 2 tsp sherry vinegar, or more as needed Horseradish Yogurt ¾ cup whole milk or 2% Greek yogurt 3 Tbsp retail horseradish, with liquid ¼ tsp fine sea salt ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper To make the soup, heat a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Swirl in the oil and wait until it shimmers.

Teff. From Ethiopia, the flour of this tiny grain is fermented and used to make the flatbread known as injera. Try a teff waffle with caramelized pineapple.

Add the onion and ¼ tsp of the salt. Stir occasionally, until the onion just starts to brown at the edges, about 5 minutes.

Source: Adapted from Simply Ancient Grains by Maria Speck.

Stir in the garlic and the herbs thyme and savory, and then cook, stirring,

Photo by Erin Kunkel © 2015

by Maria Speck

until fragrant, about 1 minute. Watch closely, so as not to burn the pieces.

Stir in the buckwheat groats and cook, stirring occasionally and monitoring, until the grains take on some color, about 2 minutes.

Add the broth (beware of splatter), the remaining ½ tsp salt and the pepper and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan.

Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the buckwheat is tender, about 15 minutes.

While it simmers, prepare the horseradish yogurt topping: Combine the horseradish, salt and pepper in a small bowl

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Start the rice the night before: Add the rice and cardamom pods to a large, heavy saucepan. Pour over the boiling water, cover and let sit at room temperature or overnight (or chill, covered, for up to 2 days).

and beat until smooth using a fork. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

To finish, stir in the beets and 1 tsp of the honey and then add about 1 cup of water to reach a preferred consistency.

Remove the pot from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes until the vegetables soften.

Ladle the soup into four bowls, garnish with a dollop of the yogurt topping and serve at once.

Cardamom-Infused Black Rice Porridge with Blueberries and Pistachios Yields: 4 to 6 servings Black Rice ¾ cup black rice

Photo by Erin Kunkel © 2015

Add the vinegar and taste for seasoning. Depending on the beets’ sweetness, maybe add another teaspoon of honey and a bit more vinegar to balance it, and perhaps a tad more salt and pepper. The seasoning is forgiving because the topping will bring the flavors together.

2 whole green cardamom pods 1½ cups boiling purified water Porridge 1 cup half-and-half, plus more as needed 3 Tbsp maple syrup, or more as needed ¾ tsp ground cardamom 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 4 to 6 Tbsp pomegranate seeds, for garnish 3 Tbsp lightly toasted chopped plain pistachios, for garnish

Love is in the Earth!

The next morning, make the porridge: Add 1 cup of half-and-half, the maple syrup and ground cardamom to the saucepan with the rice, cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Uncover, decrease the heat to retain a lively simmer, and cook, stirring once occasionally, until the rice is tender with a slight chew, 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove the cardamom pods, if preferred. Add the blueberries and simmer gently until they are warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes more.

To finish, add ¼ to ½ cup more halfand-half to reach a desired consistency.

Taste for sweetness and adjust with more maple syrup if needed.

Divide between 4 to 6 breakfast bowls.

Top each bowl with 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds and 1 teaspoon of chopped pistachios. Serve warm.

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Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Photo by Erin Kunkel © 2015

Remove from the heat and let sit covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Uncover, remove the bay leaf and set aside to cool.

Greek Millet Saganaki with Shrimp and Ouzo Millet 1¼ cups purified water ¾ cup millet 1 bay leaf Pinch of fine sea salt Saganaki 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (1 small) 1 clove garlic, peeled and slightly crushed 1 small hot green chili, minced (optional) ¼ tsp fine sea salt 2 Tbsp tomato paste 1 (28-oz) BPA-free can whole tomatoes, crushed in a bowl ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper ½ cup green pimiento-stuffed olives, halved if large 4 oz coarsely crumbled Greek feta cheese (about 1 cup), preferably made from sheep’s milk Shrimp 1 lb jumbo shell-on shrimp from a reputable fishmonger, deveined and patted dry (or substitute firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces) Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 /3 cup ouzo or other aniseflavored liqueur ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley To prepare the millet, bring the water, millet, bay leaf, and salt to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan.

Meanwhile, make the saganaki. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion, garlic, chili and salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the onion softens and turns light golden, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it darkens, about 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes with their juices and the pepper; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Decrease the heat to maintain a light boil and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes.

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Stir in the millet and green olives.

Taste for salt and pepper and adjust (keeping in mind that olives and feta cheese are typically salty).

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Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until it shimmers. Add the shrimp. Cook, undisturbed, until the shrimp or tofu pieces turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes, and then flip them with a spatula and cook until the shrimp are just opaque throughout or the tofu has warmed through, 1 to 2 more minutes, depending on the size.

Add the ouzo and cook until it’s syrupy, about 30 seconds. Using a spatula, briskly remove the shrimp from the pan and arrange on top of the millet.

Sprinkle with the parsley and serve at once.

All recipes adapted from Simply Ancient Grains or Ancient Grains for Modern Meals, by Maria Speck, courtesy of Ten Speed Press.

natural awakenings

February 2016

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THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP It Sustains, Nourishes and Supports Us

by Judith Fertig

For a reason, a season or a lifetime, friends help us cope with challenges, motivate our best work and celebrate life. Friendships take many forms, crossing generations and self-imposed boundaries, and even spring up between unlikely confidants.

C

hildhood friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck collaborated on the Oscar-winning screenplay for Good Will Hunting. Fierce tennis competitors Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki like to get together for a gal-pal getaway after a major match.

Country music artists Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood married following an 18-year friendship; “We had a lot more in common than I ever dreamed we did,” says Brooks.

Rafts of research confirm how friendship enriches us. Carlin Flora, of New York City, spent years as a Psychology Today writer and editor before penning Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are. She notes that among the varied and perhaps unforeseen benefits, friendships can help us “shed pounds, sleep better, stop smoking and even survive a major illness.”

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An ongoing, two-decade-plus study of nearly 1,500 seniors by the Flinders University Centre for Ageing Studies, in Australia, found those with a large network of friends outliving others with the fewest friends by 22 percent. The University of Chicago National Opinion Research Center also reports people with five or more close friends as 50 percent more likely to describe themselves as “very happy” than those maintaining fewer confidants.

“Friends past and present play powerful and often unappreciated roles in determining our sense of self and the direction of our lives,” says Flora. “Even in a supposedly meritocratic society, friends give jobs and assignments to each other, so having friends that share your career interests and aspirations can get you much farther than you could ever get on your own.”

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Make New Friends, Keep the Old Today, making and keeping friends can be challenging, due to distance, frequent life changes, overprotective parenting and substituting social media for more intimate face time. It all makes friendship more fluid than we might realize, says Shasta Nelson, the San Francisco founder of GirlFriendCircles. com, a women’s friendship matching site and author of Friendships Don’t Just Happen: The Guide to Creating a Meaningful Circle of Girlfriends, plus the upcoming book, Frientimacy, about deepening such relationships.

“Most of us replace half of our close friends every seven years,” says Nelson. Although this might seem alarming, she considers it a natural ebb and flow. “We all need a couple of very close friends, while others that come and go might just be what we currently need—at work or school, among first-time parents, in a new neighborhood, starting a job, in retirement or during some other life change,” she says.

Canadian Greg Tjosvold, a married middle school teacher in Vancouver, Canada, has enjoyed great friendships with women, including his wife, partly because he doesn’t relate to men’s generally competitive nature and interest in sports. But when a close female friend moved away, he wanted to expand his circle to include men. He joined a group called The Barley Brethren that sample craft beers and talk about life. Although not into suds, he values “having a safe and enjoyable place to discuss deep issues, victories and temporary setbacks.” He admits, “That’s oversimplification, though.” Finding a group of men he can feel a part of has validated him, making this unique man still feel like one of the guys.

Nelson categorizes the concentric circles of developing friendship as starting with a mutually agreeable acquaintance or contact, and then moving emotionally closer with someone that we find similarities with. Then the original bond can enter the confirmed friend category. A group of friends, like a longtime book club, can constitute a community. The highest level is the

committed friend that has evolved into a trusted and valuable life companion.

Sarah Huntsman Reed, a medical counselor in Kansas City, Missouri, has such a lifelong friend. She met Doug Reed, now a pharmacist, when both were in their high school musical, Once Upon a Mattress. Reed had a great sense of humor, Sarah remembers. “He’s still the most honest yet kindest person I’ve met,” she says. Soon, their mothers became friends, too, and the two teens would pair up for family weddings. Then she went to college and married and he moved away; yet they stayed in touch through mutual friends and their moms, catching up in person when he returned to his hometown.

Seventeen years after they first met, by which time Sarah was divorced, the two discussed taking their friendship to the next level and soon married. “It was a big decision to commit, because we knew so much about each other,” she says. “But we prefer each other’s company, and it was the best thing we ever did.”

In trying times, friends can surround us with positive energy, says Madisyn Taylor, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the spiritual blog DailyOm, in Ashland,

Oregon. “The people we love form a protective barrier that buffers and shields us from many of the world’s more crippling blows,” including receiving hurtful slights from others.

How we make friends has been altered by today’s social landscape, which includes working parents and Amber Alerts. The days of children freely roaming their neighborhood discovering friends to play with are, unfortunately, over, says Jennifer S. White, a Toledo, Ohio, blogger and author of The Art of Parenting: Love Letters from a Mother.

“My long-term friendships from childhood were all built around being neighbors and playing together just because we wanted to,” recalls White.

With today’s safety concerns and work-life challenges, parents now set up playdates, a more structured, less organic way of fostering childhood friendships, and they must be proactive to ensure success.

White has some misgivings about this modern-day approach. “When I think about that one little gleaming seed of truth at the heart of why, it’s often because I don’t think it’s fair that I have to be a popular ‘playdate mom’ for my kid to have some friends.”

Hallmarks of good friendship include staying in touch and being consistently positive and vulnerable, so as we reveal ourselves over time, we can be authentic with each other.

Automatic playdates—with siblings— often enhance family ties through lifelong friendships. Sally Ekus is a culinary talent representative in Florence, Massachusetts. Her younger sister, Amelia, is the general manager of Twitter Cafe, in New York City, and lives in Brooklyn. Both foodies have knife-and-fork tattoos. Sally is more into meal ingredients and preparation, while Amelia loves pouring wine and making sure everyone is comfortable.

“Together,” says Sally, “we create total hospitality, from lavish Passover seders to Friday nights with friends.”

She notes that her sister is the only other person who understands what the world looks like through the Ekus girls’ perspective.

Some adults might never meet face-to-face, but become friends via social media. American Jamie Schler, co-owner of the Hotel Diderot, in

Safety Net

Besties and Buddies

How to Make Good Friends

by Shasta Nelson

Three Necessary Ingredients

Both friendship and romantic bonds are developed when three things occur: We feel satisfied, which happens when an interaction has more positivity than negativity. We feel safe, which comes when we commit to consistent time with each other.

We feel seen, which we experience when we practice revealing ourselves and expressing vulnerability.

Here’s a formula for creating meaningful connections: Positivity + Consistency + Vulnerability = Frientimacy.

Two Steps

It usually takes most people six to eight interactions with someone new before they start feeling like friends.

The sooner they schedule such occasions, the sooner the rewards. c Be open to making new friends. c Make the first move; repeat.

One Ratio

To keep a friendship going, remember that it has to have a positivity-to-negativity ratio of at least five-to-one. That means sharing five times more fun and feel-good moments than stressors that can range from disappointments and frustrations to jealousies. By definition, to be and keep a good friend requires that both parties bring satisfying positivity to the relationship.

Source: Adapted from Frientimacy: How to Deepen Friendships for Lifelong Intimacy by Shasta Nelson; scheduled for release in March.

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Chinon, France, with her nativeborn husband, says, “Social media [especially Facebook posts] is how I meet and make personal friends and keep in touch on a daily basis. As an expat, this is important because I often feel far from family and friends that understand me, share common interests and ideas and speak the same language—and I don’t necessarily mean English.” Her high-tech circle ranges from hometown pals to new friends in the food community and political forums. She raves, “It’s a place where I find them all at the same time!”

Nelson remarks, “No one is saying Facebook should replace visits, nights out and phone calls, but in a world where most of us wish we felt closer to a few more people, it doesn’t hurt to use every tool at our disposal for creating connections.”

Differences in age needn’t be a hurdle in forging friendships. Candelaria Silva-Collins, an arts marketing professional in Boston, attended area social gatherings where she regularly

ship with the older woman, despite their being from different generations.

“My friend teaches me a lot about being vital and vibrant,” she says.

Expanding Circles

Everyone from contemporary scientists to ancient philosophers agrees that having strong social bonds is probably the most meaningful contributor to happiness. ~Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project encountered a museum director and his wife. “They seemed like a fantastic couple,” she says, and began a friend-

Becoming friends with people of different ages, languages and social standing gives us a spiritual workout, advises Nelson. With a master’s degree in divinity, Nelson views friendship as a type of health club in which we develop our empathy, forgiveness and compassion muscles through practice.

“Friendships are the way we become better people,” she says.

Furthermore, the process, especially with people unlike us, leads to a better world. “Being able to inherently care for people we know makes it easier to do the same for people we’ve not met yet,” says Nelson. World peace happens one friend at a time.

Freelance writer Judith Fertig also blogs at AlfrescoFoodAndLifestyle.blogspot. com from Overland Park, KS.

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inspiration

Effective Listening Practices

DEEP LISTENING

by Kay Lindahl

Our Wholehearted Attention Is Our Greatest Gift

Pay attention to the environment. Stop other activities to listen. Clear your desk. Turn off background noise or move to a quiet corner.

by Kay Lindahl

P

erhaps one of the most precious and powerful gifts we give another person is to really listen to them with quiet, fascinated attention and our whole being; fully present. Deep listening occurs at the heart level, and we must ask ourselves how often we listen to each other so completely. Such listening is a creative force. We expand, ideas come to life and grow and we remember who we are. It brings forth our inner spirit, intelligence, or true self, and opens up the space for us to thrive.

Sometimes we have to do a lot of listening before another’s inner being feels replenished. Some people just need to talk and go on and on, usually in a superficial, nervous manner. This often happens because they have not been truly listened to. Patience is required to be a listening presence for such a person long enough that they get to their center point of tranquility and peace. The results of such listening are extraordinary.

Some would call them miracles.

Listening well takes time, skill and a readiness to slow down to afford time

for reflection and to let go of expectations, judgments, boredom, self-assertiveness and defensiveness.

When two people listen deeply to one another, we sense that we are present not only to each other, but also to something beyond our individual selves; something spiritual, holy or sacred.

Once we experience the depth of being listened to like this, we naturally begin to listen to be present with another. We notice what occurs when we interrupt someone and when we don’t.

We watch what unfolds when another stops speaking and we ask, “Is there anything else?”

Listening is an art that calls for practice. Imagine if we all spent just a few minutes each day choosing to practice the art of listening; of being fully present with the person we are with.

Being truly listened to and understood yields a sigh of contentment and joy.

Kay Lindahl, of Long Beach, CA, is the author of The Sacred Art of Listening, from which this was adapted with permission from SkyLight Paths Publishing.

Be present. Listen with an open, appreciative and curious mind rather than evaluating what’s being said. Put your own agenda aside.

Stop talking. One person speaks at a time without interruption.

Listen for understanding. No one is required to agree with or believe what they hear. Let empathy and compassion take the lead; put yourself in their shoes.

Ask for clarification. It can help a listener understand what’s being expressed.

Pause before speaking. Allow the speaker to complete their thought, and then wait a few seconds before responding. Also ask, “Is there anything else?” There almost always is.

Listen to yourself. Inquire of your inner voice, “What wants to be expressed next?”

Signal that they’ve been heard. Encouraging body language includes empathetic facial expressions, nodding and sympathetic postures.

Adapted from The Top Ten Powerful Listening Practices on the author’s website SacredListening.com.

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ECO-FRIENDLY DATING Going Online Makes it Easier

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mericans are staying single longer these days. Instead of marrying in our early 20s like in the 1960s, today we’re more likely to be upwards of 27 before committing. Careers and family obligations are among the factors causing delays, allowing couples to learn what really matters before they walk down the aisle.

“A good partner is someone that encourages you to be your authentic self,” says Jill Crosby, host of the online dating website NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com from Mount Shasta, California. “There are always some compromises, but similar core values and respect for each other make a good relationship even better.”

Online dating isn’t just for the unmarried, post-college crowd. Widowed and divorced singles also find it a good way to ease into a renewed social life. According to a Northwestern University study, typical benefits include access to professional matching, a wider range of singles and better communications with potential partners.

Identifying Candidates

Dates can still spring from chance meetings, fix-ups by friends and family or workplace encounters, but these generally have the same success rate as finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. Adding must-have characteristics such as an ecofriendly lifestyle might land an aspirant in the shallow end of the dating pool unless it

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is pre-screened by a conscious dating site.

Discovering a potential partner via a dedicated online site enables members to refine their list of desired attributes versus deal-breakers, modifying their own profile accordingly. Elements of success stories usually include both prospects keeping an open mind while exploring a mutually compatible dating site. Honest communication is the most vital link in this get-to-know-you venue, but the goal is to meet, not become pen pals.

When interest proceeds beyond onsite messaging, texting may follow, which tends to diminish fears of saying the wrong thing that could delay or prevent a more in-depth reply. Textpert, a free app that crowdsources text messages, comes to the rescue with suggested responses by other members to help anyone encountering writer’s block.

Distance Hurdles

Long distance isn’t often a deterrent when love is right. A California vegan that spent four years on multiple vegan dating sites found her match thousands of miles away in New York through NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com. When an eventual first meeting is more than a quick coffee date, prior Skype or FaceTime chats can confirm that the photo is current and messages were more than pickup lines.

“Technology has made a tremendous difference in price, accessibility and reach,” says Crosby. “Members

now post selfies as headshots, shoot their own videos and can access potential matches anywhere in the world.”

Discerning Kindred Spirits

Not all online relationships are love matches. Sometimes it’s enough to find like-minded people. “Natural AwakeningsSingles.com is a safe place to talk about spiritual awakening without someone looking at you like you have three heads. I’ve met a number of people who speak my language,” says Sharmaine Monteith, a sales manager in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. “When people care about the environment, it changes who they are and how they live. My profile maps my beliefs and my heart.”

A University of Chicago study asked 20,000 people that married between 2005 and 2012 how they met. One third said online; half used another kind of dating service. Another telling statistic showed that those that met at work, in a bar or by blind date were 25 percent more likely to divorce. Researchers think this is because online daters know each other better before meeting. When folks fudge a bit in their profile, it’s mostly about weight and height.

Green Hot Spots

“It’s easier to find a vegan date in the produce aisle of the grocery store than at the beach,” advises April Masini, a New York City author of four relationship books and the AskApril.com advice column. “Whether you’re looking in person or online for dates, focus on the areas where you’d naturally find others who are green like you.” Community gardens, river cleanups and Earth Day celebrations spring to mind.

Make a green impression by wearing clothing made of sustainable fabrics and offering a small gift of a fair trade item, organic chocolates or native wildflower bouquet. The choice of going to a locally sourced restaurant will include an eco-friendly ride to get there.

A 2014 study by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 50 percent of Americans over the age of 16 are unmarried—yet most believe marriage is extremely important. With all the people still looking for love, online meet-ups can dramatically improve success.

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

Friendship & Consciousness are Synergistic Forces

by Dr. Paula Koger

T

here is a tendency to think of friendships only as our regular, long-term connections that listen to our wows, give us gifts and suffer along with us. But friendship is also being about maintaining and communicating joy, love and laughter. Many times, our connections are with people we have never seen before and may never see again. We may ask ourselves why just seeing that person attracted us to their vibe and why it felt right. The answer is they are reflecting our own vibe. That is the way of it. So if our friends are needy, dependent or anxious, it is a reflection of something about us that needs to be addressed. These issues usually robs our energy and keep us down to make us aware that there is something in us to handle.

Everything happens for a reason, and that is a good gift for us to learn from. When things don’t go well, we can take that as an act of friendship too, because we get to learn something. The thing that allows us to learn from each situation that does not feel kind and loving is taking it as an opportunity to learn something about ourselves. We have to be the friend we want to attract.

Author Dr. Bruce Lipton believes we are in a field of energy that holds the accumulated experiences of our past generations and lifetimes. Whatever is there other than love, acceptance, peace and joy is what does show up in our relationships, and those things that hit us the hardest may

be our best opportunities to identify and clear what is in us holding us at that lower vibe place. Usually, if it is showing up, it will show up again and again until it is cleared or released.

We know it is cleared when we don’t get hit there again and we are stronger, but our usual strategy is to bury it deeper with comfort food and other such addictions, avoidances and diseases. We get used to them, and they become our personal property. Yes, we become addicted to the pains and miseries; they pay well in most cases.

Spiritual teacher David Hawkins uses a scale of consciousness to explain that most of the world is functioning at the low end of the scale, which includes anger, revenge, hatred, jealousy, rage, insecurity, guilt, unworthiness, fear, grief, depression, despair and powerlessness. The current acts of terror worldwide are thus coming from unreleased accumulated issues, traumas and patterns. Loving kindness comes from doing the work of finding love in us by letting go of what is in the way. Different methods work for different people, as we are each unique.

There are several advanced technologies to help identify and teach the connection to our inner heart and wisdom, which will help guide us to discover our blissful potential. We can resolve anything with the restoration of our inner balance, harmony and love.

Contact Dr. Paula Koger, BSN, MA, DOM, AP, at 941-539-4232 or WealthOfHealthCenter.com.

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Assessing the True Value of Acupuncture

by Dr. Aaron Perry

A

cupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago. In the West, France was the first to adopt acupuncture in the 16th century, and the practice was widely embraced by a number of clinicians. In the first half of the 19th century, interest in the practice grew in both America and Britain, but by mid-century, it lay dormant. Interest awakened in 1971 when a member of the U.S. press corps was given acupuncture during recovery from an emergency appendectomy in China, while visiting in preparation for President Nixon’s visit and the experience was described in the New York Times.

While the medical community is not in conclusive agreement about how acupuncture works scientifically, we do know that it does have therapeutic benefits. In a review of acupuncture, the World Health Organization (WHO) says that 80 percent of 129 countries surveyed now recognize the use of acupuncture. Worldwide, acupuncture is regarded as generally safe, and in the U.S., relatively few complications have been reported by patients treated by licensed practitioners.

WHO indicates acupuncture as an effective treatment for more than 50 medical problems and conditions, including allergies, asthma, sinusitis, migraines, headaches, tmj, arthritis, back pain, sciatica, musculoskeletal problems, insomnia, anxiety, dizziness, depression, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, addictions, indigestion, constipation, sexual dysfunction, dysentery, pneumonia, stress, pain, tooth pain, vomiting, postoperative recovery and palliative care.

Acupuncture deals with homeostasis, which is the body’s ability to maintain balance. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, health is the result of a harmonious balance of the complementary extremes of yin and yang of the life force known as qi, gi ki or chi. Qi is said to flow through meridians (pathways) in the human body, and illness is said to be the consequence of an imbalance of the forces. If needles are inserted into these points in the appropriate combina-

tion, it is said that the energy flow can be brought back into proper balance. There is no anatomical or scientific proof that these meridians or acupuncture points exist, thus acupuncture remains controversial among Western medical doctors and scientists.

Acupuncture generally involves a course of up to 12 weekly or biweekly treatments. A visit to an acupuncturist or practitioner of Chinese medicine involves an examination and assessment of the patient’s condition, the insertion of needles and advice on self-care. Most sessions last about 30 minutes.

The use of acupuncture to alleviate pain and nausea after surgery is becoming increasingly widespread. As more and more physicians accept acupuncture, a wider range of illnesses and conditions are being considered for acupuncture treatment.

For example, a study published in the journal Acupuncture Medicine in 2009 found that acupuncture may help alleviate indigestion symptoms commonly experienced by pregnant women. Similarly, it has been shown that acupuncture may offer effective relief from hot flashes in women being treated with the anti-estrogen tamoxifen following surgery for breast cancer.

While China accommodates acupuncture in addition to conventional medicine at every level of its healthcare services, with public and private insurance covering both, this is not the case in the U.S. Many American patients might want to try or routinely use acupuncture, but it is generally considered a complementary medicine, and is not covered under every insurance plan. Some policies, however, are beginning to include acupuncture because of its cost-effectiveness as a treatment and because consumers have shown a willingness to pay for it out of pocket.

Aaron Perry, a doctor of Oriental medicine at HealthCare Partners Family Medicine, in The Villages, may be contacted at 352-7504333 for appointments.

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February 2016

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and violent solutions are modeled, yoga empowers children to pause and take a breath so they can own what’s happened, move through it and move on.”

“I like yoga because it makes me feel like there is calm all around me,” says 8-year-old Biko Cooper.

Dee Marie, the Boulder, Colorado, founder and executive director of Calming Kids, a nonprofit program that integrates yoga into the classroom to foster a nonviolent atmosphere, says, “When a child learns through yoga how to feel a sense of themselves and begins to understand their self-worth and stand tall in their power, they can begin to regulate their breath and their emotions.”

These invaluable skills stay with children through adulthood.

healthykids

Mindful Minutes for Little Ones Yoga Helps Kids Focus and Relax

by Julianne Hale

A

merican kids’ school, after-school and weekend schedules now rival the hectic pace of their multitasking parents. Like their adult counterparts, youngsters need time to decompress from the pressures of life and be present in their own skin, and yoga provides the tools to accomplish this.

Most adults take to their yoga mat to create harmony in their body and mind, increase flexibility and balance, build muscle tone and strength, and because it makes them feel great. These same benefits apply to children as their developing bodies and minds respond to yoga on a deep level, both on and off the mat.

Start with Watching Breath “Breathing and mindfulness practices are important for children,” explains Mariam Gates, the Santa Cruz, California, creator of the Kid Power Yoga Program and author of Good Morning Yoga and the upcoming Good Night Yoga. “There is so much that children are not in control of in their everyday lives; to give them a way to physically 30

North Central, FL

process their experience, to self-soothe and find their own internal source of strength, is crucial.”

“Having kids experience simply paying attention to their breath as it comes all the way in and moves all the way out can serve them well in every area of their lives going forward,” says Gates. In the classroom, it transfers to learning skills benefited by the ability to focus.

From toddlers to teens, children can have a difficult time processing and controlling their emotions, which are vital life skills. Carla Tantillo, founder of Mindful Practices, a Chicago-area wellness organization, has found that yoga and the practice of mindfulness help children express themselves in constructive ways.

She observes, “In any situation, especially in communities where reactivity, impulsiveness

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Step into Yoga Together

Educators are starting to take notice of yoga’s benefits for children, including those with attention deficit disorders or autism, but yoga practice is still rare among school-age children. As encouragement, “Make it fun,” advises Gates.

“It’s essential to create experiences that feel accessible and enjoyable for kids.

They must feel empowered to do it themselves and take over the experience.”

Six-year-old Carmen Wheeler likes doing yoga with her dad. “Yoga gets me feeling strong and it really calms me down,” she says. Music can help children relax and focus during their practice. Soothing basic instrumentals are good to start; an Internet search for yoga music for kids reveals many options.

Parents can assist by incorporating yoga into a child’s daily bedtime ritual. “Do whatever they are willing to do with them,” counsels Marie. “Start by lying on the bedroom floor, doing stretches and focusing on breathing.

Then move to the bed and teach some relaxation and visualization techniques.”

Marie cautions parents against insisting that their child’s yoga practice mirror their own. “We have to meet children where they are.”

Adults think that yoga has to look a certain way, but sometimes children don’t

necessarily want to do the postures we’re familiar with. The best teaching reaches each individual child in a way that resonates with them because yoga is a lifestyle, not an exercise regimen,” she says. Yoga novices and parents that prefer specific guidance can take advantage of local studio classes for children and families or use DVDs, online streaming services and instruction books.

Kevin Day, age 5, regularly starts his days with a Boat pose. “I like it because you can do it with a friend,” he says.

Lisa Flynn, the Dover, New Hampshire, founder and chief executive officer of ChildLight Yoga and Yoga 4 Classrooms, is optimistic about the future. “In 10 years, I envision social and emotional learning, yoga, and mindfulness integrated at every school and mandated by educational policy,” she says. In addition to improved physical, social, emotional and cognitive health and wellness of the students, teachers and parents, she foresees “a positive shift in the overall school climate.”

Julianne Hale is a freelance writer and Natural Awakenings franchise magazine editor in Cleveland, TN.

Cultivating Mindfulness in the Classroom

by Julianne Hale

W

hen Scott Frauenheim, director of the Chicago International Charter School (CICS) West Belden, noticed that some students in his kindergarten through eighth grade urban classrooms were not fully engaged, he decided to focus the 2014-2015 school year on mindfulness for both students and faculty. He enlisted the help of Mindful Practices, a Chicagobased school wellness organization founded by Carla Tantillo.

Using the strategies Tantillo recommends in her book Cooling Down Your Classroom, teachers were taught to involve students in mindful minutes—short bursts of simple yoga poses, breathing exercises and other techniques—to

cultivate mindfulness. The initiative proved to be powerful and helpful, explains Frauenheim. “Soon students were able to identify areas of personal need throughout the day and cultivate mindfulness within themselves using what they learned.”

The program concluded last year, but CICS West Belden teachers and students continue to use designated time to practice mindfulness in the morning and as a classroom mental reset when they notice that students are distracted or unfocused during the day. Mindful Practices’ innovative programs have achieved similar success in other elementary, middle and high schools in the Chicago area.

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Kayaking for Health

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by Christine Showler

F

or years, much media coverage of kayaking has characterized it as a young person’s adrenaline sport.

Lately, the focus has changed to encompass a wider audience by spreading the word on sea kayaking, day-touring and recreational paddling. Now, enthusiasts of all ages and from all walks of life are on the water, communing with nature, exploring lake systems and even kayaking among whales. Thus, more people are becoming aware of kayaking’s multifaceted health benefits, which typically include a harmonizing effect on mind, body and spirit.

Tone and Strengthen Core Muscles Contrary to what many believe, kayaking does not demand aggressive arm action or upper body strength. The biomechanics of stroke efficiency are readily achieved through coordination between the paddler, paddle, boat and water. Power for propelling the kayak comes from the paddler’s core muscles and is primarily achieved through torso rotation; this engages the larger, more powerful, back and abdominal muscles.

It makes sense that toning the core muscles helps to alleviate lower back

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pain often associated with middle age.

The forward stroke also draws power from the lower body, which is why it’s important to have a firm foot brace system in the kayak; as the paddler uses his right arm to draw the right paddle blade through the water, he pushes with the corresponding foot, which transfers that energy from the lower body through the upper portion of the stroke.

At the same time, his left arm bends and pushes out from the shoulder towards the bow of the kayak, providing each stroke an added kick of thrust.

Thus, kayaking becomes an all-encompassing workout.

Whether to help maintain a high level of fitness or indulge in more relaxed “lily dipping” on nature’s ponds, using proper techniques makes kayaking both enjoyable and physically beneficial.

Improve Bone Density and Stimulate Joints Experience shows that the rhythmic movements of paddling help keep the joints fluid while increasing overall flexibility and balance. Water provides a natural resistance and paddlers make use of this basic workout principle to main-

tain bone density and boost metabolism.

Of course, burning extra calories functions as an aid to weight loss, which in turn relieves stress on joints, as well.

Advances in equipment, such as lighter paddles with narrower blades and ergonomic shafts, help to maximize efficiency and offset the effects of the repetitive motions of paddling.

Mental Benefits Most people in today’s fast-paced, high-tech world are looking for ways to relieve stress associated with their busy lives. For those seeking greater adventure, kayaking can be elevated to offer the challenges of expedition travel.

Those seeking the solace of softer adventure revel in gliding through secluded lakes and hearing unforgettable bird calls. Always, kayaking can serve as a meditative, environmentally friendly

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Social Benefits Kayaking clubs and paddling centers provide opportunities to meet and mingle with kindred spirits who share a healthy respect for nature. It’s often considered to be a leisurely social activity and a preferred, environmentally conscious way to feel at one with nature.

Paddling, a necessary means of transportation for native peoples and explorers in the Americas, is today a pleasant and healthy way to integrate with history, heritage, nature and geography.

Christine Showler, owner of Frontenac Outfitters Canoe & Kayak Centre, in Ontario, Canada, is happy to answer questions about the benefits of kayaking. Call 613-376-6220 and visit http:// Frontenac-Outfitters.com.

Kayak Paddling Tips

by Christine Showler n Avoid higher seat backs; they may look comfortable, but can actually impede smooth torso rotation and contribute to lower back pain. n Maintain good posture in the kayak to allow for greater rotation of the torso and minimize lower back strain. Try to paddle leaning slightly forward, about five degrees. n Keep a low profile to each paddle stroke to minimize wind deflection and help keep arms and shoulders aligned. Try to have the top paddling hand reach its highest point at eye level. n It’s common for kayakers to develop some numbness in their feet over the course of an outing. Here are a few tricks to help eliminate the problem: l Use an inflatable or foam cushion to hold thighs in a braced position to

help alleviate pressure points. l Ensure foot braces are correctly positioned on the balls of the feet. l Install heel pads to relieve stress and keep feet warm in cold water

conditions. l Stretch the legs and wiggle toes often while paddling.

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naturalpet

Bird-Watching for Beginners Start with a Bird Feeder and Binoculars

by Sandra Murphy

F

or those that love animals but can’t provide a home to a domestic pet, wild birds are just outside the window. Between 50 and 60 million Americans list bird-watching as a hobby. To start, all we need is a bird feeder.

For safety and comfort, position feeders near a tree or bush at least 15 feet from windows. Scott Logan, an Audubon Society board member in Sherman Oaks, California, cautions, “Birds stay alert for predators. An unmarked window looks like an escape route. They won’t see the glass.” Products like Window Alert, a decal that reflects ultraviolet rays birds see but humans don’t, can prevent a crash.

A book on local birds will describe the best food to attract them, whether residents or just passing through. Bluebirds love mealworms.

Hummingbirds like floral nectars and orioles prefer citrus flavors. Cardinals and jays dine on sunflower seeds.

Always provide unseasoned, unsalted seeds. In cold weather, also remember to hang homemade suet combining one part organic regular fat peanut butter with five parts organic, nonGMO (genetically modified) corn meal. Pour fresh water in the birdbath daily, change hummingbird nectar every three days and discard moldy seeds and old suet.

Feeding year-round doesn’t interfere with migration, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, in Ithaca, 34

North Central, FL

New York. Migration, nest building, feeding a new family and staying warm in colder weather require substantial calories. “American goldfinches are social and will stay to eat,” adds Logan.

“Blue jays and titmouses are ‘grab-andgo’ birds.”

Join in the Fun

In Arlington, Texas, Cathy Stein, owner of EclecticDesignChoices.com, will participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count this year from February 12 to 15 (Audubon.org/content/aboutgreat-backyard-bird-count). “One easy resource for identifying birds is Merlin, the free app from Cornell Lab,” says Stein. “Take the bird’s picture, which is helpful in identifying details that can be overlooked or forgotten otherwise.”

Merlin works like facial recognition for birds, comparing eyes, beaks and tails to species in its database by location (Merlin.AllAboutBirds.org). Audubon’s free app includes birdcalls (Tinyurl. com/AudubonFreeBirdApp).

Jon Weber-Hahnsberg, a 12-yearold volunteer at the Dallas Zoo, and his seven-member team won last year’s statewide birding competition hosted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department by identifying 72 species in 12 hours.

“Now I’m hooked,” he says. “Outside the city, there are snowy egrets, waterfowl, hawks and owls to see.”

National wildlife refuges managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are suitable birding sites for both

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novices and pros. Here are some tips for beginners.

Focus on big, easy-to-see birds.

Sandhill crane tours are a hit in Mississippi and other Gulf Coast states (fws.gov/refuge/Mississippi_ Sandhill_Crane).

Concentrate on birds that travel in flocks. Common redhead ducks migrate in great numbers to the Texas coast each winter (Tinyurl.com/ LagunaAtascosaBirdlife).

Look for standouts, birds with characteristics that capture the imagination, like the speed of a peregrine falcon, large wingspan of a California condor or unusual color of Florida’s roseate spoonbills. (Visit fws.gov/refuge/ Cape_Meares and fws.gov/refuge/ JN_Ding_Darling.)

In Maine, see puffins at the only colony that allows visitors to go ashore for a close-up look (MaineBirdingTrail. com/MachiasSealIsland.htm). Not a

I think the most important quality in a birdwatcher is a willingness to stand quietly and see what comes. Some people are very competitive in their birding. Maybe they’ll die happy, having seen a thousand species… but I’ll die happy knowing I’ve spent all that quiet time being present. ~Lynn Thomson, Birding with Yeats: A Memoir

Going to the Birds

refuge, ownership of the island has been disputed for two centuries.

Incredible Hobby

“Keeping a life list of birds you’ve seen, when and where, is not only fun,” says Nate Swick, author of the recent Birding for the Curious, in Greensboro, North Carolina. “It brings back memories of a time and place. Birding takes you places you wouldn’t think of. I’ve bird-watched in local landfills, as well as in India and Central America.” A particularly impressive sight was a shearwater, found 30 to 40 miles into the Atlantic Ocean off the North Carolina coast, a species that only comes to land during breeding season.

“Each bird has an incredible story,” he says. “Migrating birds that arrive exhausted and hungry after flying hundreds of miles will often look for local birds like chickadees that act as the welcome wagon, showing where food, water and a safe rest area can be found.”

Erika Zar, a catalog copywriter in Madison, Wisconsin, happened upon the nearby Horicon Marsh Bird Festival (HoriconMarshBirdClub.com/for-visitors). “Everyone seemed so meditative, hiking in quiet groups. It was peaceful,” she says. “Listing the birds they saw on checklists was like a scavenger hunt for adults.”

Zar immediately bought binoculars, but soon traded them for a better pair. “Bird-watching opened my eyes to a new world right in front of me,” she says joyfully. “I’d just never looked or listened closely enough before.”

Connect with Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@mindspring.com.

by Sandra Murphy

C

hris Santella, author of Fifty Places to Go Birding Before You Die, offers these top sighting spots. n Pointe Reyes National Seashore, California, is on a migration route between Alaska and Mexico and renowned as a resting spot for upwards of 500 species. n Tucson, Arizona, welcomes hummingbirds and exotics like the brilliantly plumed elegant trogon from the tropics. n High Island and Galveston, Texas, are the first stop for birds crossing the Gulf of Mexico. n Cape May, New Jersey, hosts shorebirds year round plus it’s en route to Canada. n Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, in Chatham, Massachusetts, yields sightings of shorebirds such as plover, sandpipers and terns. n Prairie Pothole Region stretching from Iowa to Minnesota, Montana and the Dakotas is especially good for watching waterfowl. n Cleveland, Ohio, near Lake Erie, celebrates hundreds of species flying to Canada in May. “It’s great for anybody with a life list,” says Santella.

“You can add scores of species to your list in one day.”

In the fall, raptors migrate and Birds AndBlooms.com lists some of the best spots to watch hawks.

Local Resource:

Fine Feathered Facts What to do with a stranded baby bird: Tinyurl.com/OrphanedBabyBirds Comparing bird and human vision: WindowAlert.com/bird-vision Find wildlife refuges by state: fws.gov/refuges Live bird cams: Cams.AllAboutBirds.org

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n Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, in Kempton, Pennsylvania n Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, in Sausalito, California n Hazel Bazemore County Park, in Corpus Christi, Texas n Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, in Duluth, Minnesota n Florida Keys Hawkwatch, Curry Hammock State Park, in Marathon, Florida n Cape May Hawk Watch, Cape May Point State Park, in New Jersey.

As rivers freeze over, eagles migrate south to follow the food supply, often near dams where fish gather. During the spring thaw, they return north to nest. Prime Wisconsin eagle watching sites include Lake Pepin, Necedah Wildlife Refuge, La Crosse, Prairie du Sac refuge, Sauk City and Wyalusing State Park. Alton, Illinois, is also along the Mississippi Flyway for eagles.

Florida eagles tend to stay year-round.

Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area

he crown jewel of bird watching in Lake County is also one of the most prized conservation areas in all of Central Florida.

Although the 7,089-acre preserve known as the Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area is almost a secret outside of the Sunshine State, local bird watchers and environmentalists rave about its large and diverse wildlife population.

Ask just about any local birder or wildlife enthusiast where the top spot for viewing is and Emeralda Marsh reigns as a near unanimous choice. One reason the marsh is a favorite is because of its diverse and immense habitats that are favorites of migrating birds.

Source: LakeCountyFL.gov. For more information, call St. John’s Water Management District at 386-329-4404 or visit sjrwmd.org. natural awakenings

February 2016

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Winning the Battle

Against Pain, Depression and Anxiety

by Dr. Michael Badanek

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here is a growing public health problem of iatrogenic, or medically induced, diseases and conditions caused by long-term prescription drug use, especially antidepressants and analgesics (pain pills). Antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed class of medications other than antibiotics, taken by more than one in 10 Americans, including one in four among women aged 50 to 64. Many assume that such pills are the best available treatment for symptoms of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders and mania, but studies show that the difference between antidepressants and placebo (sugar) pills is very small, and which both are ineffective for most depressed patients.

In a meta-analysis published in the journal PLOS Medicine, only 1 or 2 percent of the most severely depressed patients showed any response to antidepressants at all, and it was quite minimal. This lack of effectiveness must be taken into consideration along with the drugs’ side effects, which are many.

Most people that use antidepressants want to feel better or have a clearer mind. However, antidepressants like Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa and Lexapro, called serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) may leave them with a new set of mental challenges, specifically symptoms of mania, bipolar disorder and nightmares. They have also been linked to ADHD and Birth Defects if taken during pregnancy. Researchers at the King’s College London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience reviewed more than 21,000 medical records in a recently published study and found that there was an increased risk of more than 30 percent for those prescribed SSRI or another antidepressant called Effexor.

Our allopathic medical healthcare providers are unwittingly creating a new group/generation of drug-controlled patients that are being prescribed these mind-altering drugs that may result in long-term conditions of headaches, insomnia, fatigue, anger, irritation or even uncontrollable rage and other symptoms.

In 2013, more than 46,000 Americans died from overdoses, with prescription drugs and heroin topping the list. Half were due to prescription drugs, with painkillers accounting for about 16,000 deaths. About 8,000 deaths were due to heroin. As discussed in the featured 60 Min-

utes segment “Heroin in the Heartland,” heroin addiction is fueled by legal drug addiction to opioid painkillers that from a chemical standpoint, are nearly identical to heroin in the brain’s chemical reaction.

Between 2013 and 2014, heroin use in the U.S. rose by 51 percent, and the reason for this resurgence is in large part due to it being less expensive than its prescription counterparts and the tightening of regulations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on physicians prescribing these powerful drugs. So, if a patient is initially prescribed Oxycontin, which is highly addictive, and the patient is unable to afford it OorR cannot have a prescription refilled, the logical remedy is to turn to the illegal alternative.

Forbes magazine wrote, “The drug industry has a lot to answer for, as drug makers have repeatedly downplayed the addictive nature of their own wares, while aggressively promoting their use”. Purdue Pharma is just one example.

In 2007, the company pled guilty to charges of misbranding and was fined $600 million for misleading the public about Oxycontin’s addictive qualities.

American consumers must become educated and aware of these indiscriminate prescriptive measures being placed upon them. Americans put their faith and trust in their healthcare providers to be able to properly diagnosis and treat their health challenges they present with.

We know that with the proper evaluation and diagnosis, all health challenges respond with good to excellent results with alternative medicine to find the root causes of the conditions and not just treat the symptoms, as do traditional healthcare facilities. We can’t expect to just take a pill and experience a reduction or elimination of symptoms. There is much more than that involved, but our traditional health care system does not seem to have the time nor the means to evaluate and treat causes of disease or conditions.

Contact Dr. Michael Badanek DC, BS, CNS, DACBN, DCBCN, CTTP, MSGR./ CHEV located at 3391 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ste. B, in Ocala, at 352-6221151 or AlternativeWholisticHealth.com. natural awakenings

February 2016

37

wisewords

Alyssa Milano’s Anti-Aging Secrets Her Natural Lifestyle Choices Keep Her Young

by Gerry Strauss

A

lyssa Milano has grown up, and most of us have grown up with her. From her days as preteen tomboy Samantha Miceli on Who’s the Boss? to witchy woman Phoebe Halliwell on Charmed, the actress has been a vibrant, relatable and beautiful persona we’ve come to know via television. She was even named a UNICEF ambassador in 2004. Today, with a young family, her Touch licensed sports apparel line, and the wisdom that accompanies adulthood, her commitment to a natural, ecofriendly lifestyle has become another hallmark of her life.

What connection do you see between eating organic foods and maintaining the energy level that your busy life requires?

I think everything that you put into your body has a connection to how well we function in daily life. As a mom of two, eating organic is a priority; when organic is not an option, it’s about finding the healthiest accessible choices.

I eat tomatoes like other people eat fruit and love papaya. I would put avocado on anything. I also like to cook with healthful herbs and spices like garlic and onions, which is natural for an Italian like me. We keep genetically modified foods out of our house.

Which fitness habits embodied by others have you made your own?

In my Who’s the Boss? days, Tony Danza and Judith Light were always active 38

North Central, FL

and athletic. Tony would bring in a tap dance teacher and Judith a private trainer during lunch breaks. Being tutored on the set, I had no physical education classes or sports activities, so it was super-important for me to see how self-motivated they were to stay fit and in shape. Their example instilled a desire to take care of myself as an adult.

What role does nature play in your daily life?

I love being outside in my organic garden three or more times a week.

Also, the kids and I regularly head outside, which is an easy place to keep them happily and healthfully occupied without my having to jump through hoops.

As an advocate of breastfeeding, which benefits do you think are especially good for mother and child?

In the beginning, a primary benefit is giving your child quality nourishment, including healthy antibodies and other goodies to support health. As they start eating solids, it’s still about maintaining that intimate connection until they’re ready to be weaned and you’re ready to surrender this last physical bond.

moment, doing the best I can every day. I’ve also learned to be kind to myself when I’m failing to do so or something is annoying me due to some unfortunate imbalance.

How do you and your husband keep both your friendship and love vibrant?

We work hard at maintaining a good and healthy marriage, which can be tested in tough times. I believe that it’s vital to have the ability to laugh; you have to find humor in things, reminding yourself and each other that there is something funny in every daily activity, no matter how mundane or hard. When there’s no time to eat together or be intimate, shared laughter is an easy thing to achieve together. Done daily, it can only make the marriage stronger.

We enjoy date nights once or twice a week when my parents take care of the kids. I’ll put on mascara and change out of yoga pants, even if we’re just hanging out together.

Then we do little things like asking how each other’s day went and caring about the answer. We also look for ways we can help each other throughout the week.

What actions does your family emphasize in being stewards of the Earth?

We try to be as eco-friendly as possible, including having lights on timers, conserving water and being kind to animals. I cannot stress how important it is to visit a farm and organic gardens and orchards with children so that they see where their food comes from. We can’t take good food for granted.

In addition to a naturally healthy lifestyle, what else do you credit for your enduring youthfulness?

How do you balance family life with your acting career?

My secret is happiness. I’ve always said that as long as my laugh lines are deeper than my frown lines, I’m living a good life.

It’s a hard balance for anyone, especially one who’s detail-oriented and a bit of a perfectionist, like me. The most important thing is to be in the

Gerry Strauss is a freelance writer in Hamilton, NJ. Connect at GerryStrauss@aol.com.

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calendarofevents NOTE: All calendar events must be submitted via our website by the 10th of the month and must adhere to our guidelines. Visit GoNaturalAwakenings.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1 Patient Education – 6pm. Learn what we do & time to ask questions. Seating is limited, call to reserve your seat. Free. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Ste 600, Ocala. 352-291-9459. LemireClinic.com.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3 An Evening of Music, Message and Mirth – 6:30pm.

With Armand and Angelina. Value-based love offering.

Unity of Ocala, 101 Cedar Rd, Ocala. 352-687-2113.

Mail@UnityOcala.org. UnityOcala.org.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Save Your Mind Lecture – 6pm. Intro to Save Your Mind Program. Free. Seating is limited, call to reserve your seat. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Ste 600, Ocala. 352-291-9459. LemireClinic.com.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5 Women’s History Month Fundraiser – 6pm.

The non-profit Blissful Life Corporation yoga and wellness center is holding a fundraiser in the Ocala Downtown Square to raise awareness with a Sun Salutation Yogathon. 352-694-9642. Grace@BlissOcala.com. BlissOcala.com.

Hoggetowne Medieval Faire – 9:30am-3pm.

Cheer battling knights, birds of prey and a human

chess game. Shop in the marketplace, performances by magicians, musicians and jesters. Food court available. Discounted admission $8/adults, $3.50/ children ages 5-17, free/under 5 yrs. Alachua County Fairgrounds, 2900 NE 39th Ave, Gainesville. 352334-2787. GvlCulturalAffairs.org.

Healing Circle – 1pm. For healers and those in need of healing. Nancy Lopez leads this circle and people have experienced healings with this powerful energy. Love offering. Unity of the Villages, 10935 SE 177 Pl, Ste 504, Summerfield. 352-454-3120.

UnityOfTheVillages.org.

Transformation, Detox/Healing Group – 3pm.

Lower blood glucose level and cholesterol. Seating is limited. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Ste 600, Ocala. RSVP: 352-291-9459. LemireClinc.com.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6 Second Annual Integrative/Holistic Health Summit – 9am-4pm. Learn from local doctors and experts. Lectures from Health and Wellness experts, vendors with healthy products and services, blood donation center, drawing and door prizes. Classes and Lunch included. $40/person, $75/couple. No ticket sales at the door. Hilton Ocala, 3600 SW 36th Ave, Ocala. RSVP by 1/29: Himalayan Salt Room Ocala, 352-291-9459 or Absolute Health, 352-854-5330 ext 6.

Hoggetowne Medieval Faire – Saturday and Sunday, February 7, 10am-6pm. Cheer battling knights, birds of prey and a human chess game. Shop in the marketplace, performances by magicians, musicians and jesters. Food court available. $17/adults, $7/ children ages 5-17, free/under 5 yrs. Alachua County Fairgrounds, 2900 NE 39th Ave, Gainesville. 352334-2787. GvlCulturalAffairs.org.

5th Annual Taste of Wellness – 10am-1pm. Hosted by World Wellness Education. More than 70 wellness and healthy food vendors. Guest speakers: Brian Clement and Dr Thomas Lewis. $12/advance, $15/door, free/ kids 12 and under. La Hacienda Recreation Center, 1200 Avenida Central, The Villages. 352-459-1655. Jean@ WorldWellnessEducation.org. TasteOfWellness.org.

Chakra Balancing Sessions on the BioMat – 11am-5:30pm. $10 or free with purchase of $20 or more. Walk in. High Springs Emporium, 660 NW Santa Fe Blvd, High Springs. 386 454-8657.

HighSpringsEmporium.net.

Food Healing Class – 1-4pm. Learn how sugar, carbohydrates and other foods can create disease.

Program backed by scientific studies and Ivy League doctors gives a cutting-edge view about nutrition.

Discussion on what foods are beneficial for certain ailments, a smoothie demonstration and tasting. $45/advanced registration purchase, $49/door.

Highlander Building, Clermont Waterfront, 100 3rd St, Clermont. 321-298-1885. MtFacial@gmail.com.

HealthyBodyBlueLotus.com.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – 2pm & 7:30pm.

Presented by The Dance Alive National Ballet at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

Romantically themed Puck’s Place Valentine party at 9:30pm with dancing and sweet treats. Tickets: $15 to

natural awakenings

February 2016

39

$40 for the performance / $35 for the party. To purchase call 352-371-2986 or visit the Phillips Box Office at 3201 Hull Rd, Gainesville. DanceAlive.org.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18 Save Your Mind Intensive Program – Call for time.

Must pre-register. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Suite 600, Ocala. 352-291-9459. LemireClinic.com.

Psychic / Medium Spiritual Development Class – 2-4:30pm. Includes meditation, lesson and practice. $25. Held at Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Ave. Int’l Foundation for Spiritual Knowledge. 407247-7823. IFSK.org.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 Free Consultation – 8am-8pm.With Mary Miller, LMT #MA68465. Learn how the benefits of massage and how massage can be customized to each individual. Free. A Pure Massage. 352-299-8283.

MassageAPureMassage.com.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7 Womens’ First Sunday Brunch – Theme is Fundraising. Crones’ Cradle Conserve, 6411 NE 217th Pl, Citra. 352-595-3377.

Food and Our Culture – 10am. Dr. Will Tuttle, author of The World Peace Diet, will conduct our service offering a compelling and liberating new understanding of our food and our culture. At 11:45am Piano Passion concert. Love offering. Unity of the Villages, 10935 SE 177 Pl, Ste 504, Summerfield.

352-454-3120. UnityOfTheVillages.org.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9 Yoga Nidra Meditation – 1:30pm. In the Himalayan Salt Room. $25. Seating is limited, call to reserve your seat. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Suite 600, Ocala. 352-291-9459.

LemireClinic.com.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11 Cinema Verde International Film Fest – Feb 11-14.

7th annual Environmental Film and Arts Festival held at The Hippodrome. The goal of this four-day festival is to raise awareness about environmental issues that affect our community and each one of us. 352-327-3560. The Hippodrome State Theater, 25 SE 2nd Pl, Gainesville.

Visit CinemaVerde.org for a schedule of events.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12 Cinema Verde International Film Fest – Feb 11-14.

7th annual Environmental Film and Arts Festival held at The Hippodrome. The goal of this four-day festival is to raise awareness about environmental issues that affect our community and each one of us. 352-327-3560. The Hippodrome State Theater, 25 SE 2nd Pl, Gainesville.

Visit CinemaVerde.org for a schedule of events.

Free Consultation – 8am-8pm.With Mary Miller, LMT #MA68465. Learn how the benefits of massage and how massage can be customized to each individual. Free. A Pure Massage. 352-299-8283.

MassageAPureMassage.com.

Connecting to the Divine Beloved through Crystals and Creativity – 6-9pm. Workshop with Melissa Harris and Sharron Britton. Create your own collage. $55. Call to sign up. High Springs Emporium, 660 NW Santa Fe Blvd, High Springs. 386 454-8657.

HighSpringsEmporium.net.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13 Cinema Verde International Film Fest – Feb 11-14.

7th annual Environmental Film and Arts Festival held at The Hippodrome. The goal of this four-day festival is to raise awareness about environmental issues that affect our community and each one of us. 352-327-3560. The Hippodrome State Theater, 25 SE 2nd Pl, Gainesville.

Visit CinemaVerde.org for a schedule of events.

Spirit Essence Portraits and Psychic Readings – With Melissa Harris. Portraits and reading $225. Reading is $55. Call for an appointment. High Springs Emporium, 660 NW Santa Fe Blvd, High

40

North Central, FL

Springs. 386 454-8657. HighSpringsEmporium.net.

Love Is in the Earth Valentine’s Celebration – 11am-6pm. Mimosas, chocolate, crystal gift for everyone. Free. High Springs Emporium, 660 NW Santa Fe Blvd, High Springs. 386 454-8657. HighSpringsEmporium.net.

Ayurveda, Chakras, and Auras – Noon-4pm.

Discover how energy flows in and around the body; learn how to boost and balance energy the Ayurvedic way; explore auras and how to read them; $50.

Blissful Life Corporation, 1738 SE 58th Ave, Ocala.

352-694-YOGA. BlissOcala.com.

Save Your Mind Intensive Program – Call for time.

Must pre-register. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Suite 600, Ocala. 352-291-9459. LemireClinic.com.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20 How Food Choices Affect Us – 2pm. Dr. Will Tuttle will present a lecture on his book The World Peace Diet. How our food choices affect us; how to make positive changes for wellness, wisdom & abundance, & minimize eco-footprints. Marion Cnty Library, 2720 E Silver Springs Blvd, Ocala. Meetup.com/ VegetariansAndVegansOfOcalaAndMarionCounty.

Valentine’s Day Couples Tours – 1-3pm. Tours include complimentary drinks, warthog races, feeding demonstrations and a special gift. $65/per couple.

Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation Foundation, 8528 E County Rd 225, Gainesville. 352-468-2827.

CarsonSpringsWildlife.org.

The Earth Gives Us What We Need – 2-4pm. The Stones of Tucson workshop with Sharron Britton. $20. Call to sign up. High Springs Emporium, 660 NW Santa Fe Blvd, High Springs. 386 454-8657.

HighSpringsEmporium.net.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14

Motown Legend Spreads the Good News – Eddie Watkins Jr., one of Motown’s great bass players, singer and songwriter, will perform at the 10am worship service and in concert at 1pm at Unity of Ocala. Suggested donation $20. 101 Cedar Rd, Ocala. 352-816-3900. JeanneJoiner@aol.com.

UnityOcala.org

Cinema Verde International Film Fest – Feb 11-14.

7th annual Environmental Film and Arts Festival held at The Hippodrome. The goal of this four-day festival is to raise awareness about environmental issues that affect our community and each one of us. 352-327-3560. The Hippodrome State Theater, 25 SE 2nd Pl, Gainesville.

Visit CinemaVerde.org for a schedule of events.

Spirit Essence Portraits and Psychic Readings – With Melissa Harris. Portrait and reading $225. Reading $55. Call for an appointment. High Springs Emporium, 660 NW Santa Fe Blvd, High Springs. 386 454-8657. HighSpringsEmporium.net.

Cinema Verde Eco-Fair and Live Music – Noon6pm. 352-327-3560. Sun Center Plaza, 101 SE 2nd Pl, Gainesville. CinemaVerde.org.

Valentine’s Day Couples Tours – 1-3pm. Tours include complimentary drinks, warthog races, feeding demonstrations and a special gift. $65/per couple.

Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation Foundation, 8528 E County Rd 225, Gainesville. 352-468-2827.

CarsonSpringsWildlife.org.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15 Natural Health Presentation – 6pm. Dr. Garemore to present on the topic of Natural Health through Chiropractic Care. Free. Seating is limited, call to reserve your seat. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Ste 600, Ocala. 352-291-9459. LemireClinic.com.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 Soul to Soul Interview – 7pm. With Dr. Lemire.

Seating is limited, call to reserve your seat. OakBrook Center for Spiritual Living, 1009 NE 28th Ave, Ocala. 352-629-3897 Save Your Mind Intensive Program – Call for time.

Must pre-register. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Suite 600, Ocala. 352-291-9459. LemireClinic.com.

GoNaturalAwakenings.com

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23 Lemire Natural Eye Program – Call for time. See what you can do about Wet/Dry Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Cataracts without injections.

Seating is limited, call to reserve your seat. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Ste 600, Ocala. 352291-9459. LemireClinic.com.

Yoga Nidra Meditation Session – 1:30pm. In the Himalayan Salt Room. $25. Seating is limited, call to reserve your seat. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Suite 600, Ocala. 352-291-9459. LemireClinic.com.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24 Soul to Soul Interview – 7pm. With Nuris Lemire.

Seating is limited, call to reserve your seat. OakBrook Center for Spiritual Living, 1009 NE 28th Ave, Ocala. 352-629-3897.

Lemire Natural Eye Program – Call for time. See what you can do about Wet/Dry Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Cataracts without injections.

Seating is limited, call to reserve your seat. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Ste 600, Ocala. 352291-9459. LemireClinic.com.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25 Lemire Natural Eye Program – Call for time. See what you can do about Wet/Dry Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, Cataracts without injections.

Seating is limited, call to reserve your seat. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Ste 600, Ocala. 352291-9459. LemireClinic.com.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26 Free Consultation – 8am-8pm. With Mary Miller, LMT #MA68465. Learn how the benefits of massage and how massage can be customized to each individual. Free. A Pure Massage. 352-299-8283.

MassageAPureMassage.com.

5th Annual Florida Herbal Conference – Feb 26-28. Classes and hands-on workshops, inspiring music, nutritious food, marketplace of herbal vendors, herbal activities, guided movement activities and a fire circle and regional mixers.

2819 Tiger Lake Rd, Lake Wales. 407-595-3731.

FloridaHerbalConference.org.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Open Your Heart to the Divine Beloved – 12-5pm.

Psychic Readings with Murshida VA. Flash readings $25. Call to sign up. High Springs Emporium, 660 NW Santa Fe Blvd, High Springs. 386-454-8657.

HighSpringsEmporium.net.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28 A Beautiful Day of Aromatherapy Workshop – 12-2:30pm. $20. Private sessions with Doreen DeSerres 3:30-5:30, $33. Call to sign up. High Springs Emporium, 660 NW Santa Fe Blvd, High Springs. 386 454-8657.

HighSpringsEmporium.net.

plan ahead SUNDAY, MARCH 6 Womens’ First Sunday Brunch – Crones’ Cradle Conserve, 6411 NE 217th Pl, Citra. 352-595-3377.

MONDAY, MARCH 7 Patient Education Class – 6pm. Learn what we do & time to ask questions. Free. Seating is limited, call to reserve your seat. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Ste 600, Ocala. 352-291-9459.

LemireClinic.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 12 Master Gardeners Spring Festival – Mar 12: 8am-5pm, Mar 13: 9am-4pm. Marion County’s largest all-in-one plant sale and gardening expo.

2232 NE Jacksonville Rd, Ocala. For more info call 352-671-8400.

MONDAY, MARCH 21 Natural Health Presentation – 6pm. Dr. Garemore to present on the topic of Natural Health through Chiropractic Care. Free. Seating is limited, call to reserve your seat. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Ste 600, Ocala. 352-291-9459.

LemireClinic.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 16

ongoingevents sunday Men’s Only Yoga – 8am. Supporting the needs of men in their journey toward mind, body, spirit and balance.

Donation-based. Blissful Life Corporation. 1738 SE 58th Ave, Ocala. 352-694-9642. BlissOcala.com.

A Course in Miracles – 9:30am. Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville. 352-­373-­ 1030. UnityGainesville.org.

Sunday Spiritual Service – 10am. Unity of Ocala, 101 Cedar Rd, Ocala. 352-­687-­2113. Mail@ UnityOcala.org. UnityOcala.org.

Unity of the Villages Sunday Service – 10am. Transformational message focuses on oneness, sustainability, the use of prayer, the power of your imagination and remembering who you are and why you are here.

Unity of the Villages, 10935 SE 177 Pl, Ste 504, Summerfield. 352­-454-­3120. UnityOfTheVillages.org.

Master Mind Healing Prayer Circle – 10:15am.

Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville. 352­-373­-1030. UnityGainesville.org.

Unity of Gainesville Worship Service and Sunday School – 11am. Nursery care provided during service. Potluck lunch the first Sunday. Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville. 352­373­-1030. UnityGainesville.org.

monday A Course in Miracles – 9am. ACIM is channeled material through two Jewish agnostics and substantiates the spirituality of all the seers and sages. Love offering. Unity of the Villages, 10935 SE 177 Pl, Ste 504, Summerfield. 352-­454-­3120. UnityOfTheVillages.org.

Keeping a True Lent Book Study – 1-3pm or 6-8pm. Held 8 Mondays, Feb 1 through March 21.

Lent traditionally is a season for spiritual growth, a time for progressive unfoldment. Keep a True Lent is the text for the class. Minimum of 10 students to hold each class. Love offering. Unity of the Villages, 10935 SE 177 Place, Ste 504, Summerfield.

352-454-3120. UnityOfTheVillages.org A Course in Miracles – 7pm. Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville. 352-­373-­1030.

UnityGainesville.org.

tuesday Acupuncture – By appointment. With physician Susan Snelling. Chinese Pulse, Herbs, Twina, Cupping and more. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Ocala. 352­-291-­9459. LemireClinic.com.

A Course in Miracles – 9:30am. ACIM is channeled material through two Jewish agnostics and substantiates the spirituality of all the seers and sages. Love offering. UnityOfTheVillages.org.

Crystal Bowl Meditation – 7pm. 2nd & 4th Tuesdays. Marcia McAllister delivers messages she receives for you. Suggested Love offering, $10.

UnityOfTheVillages.org.

wednesday Hearing Screenings – By Appt. Free. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Ste 600, Ocala. 352291-9459. LemireClinic.com.

Master Mind Healing Circle – 11:30am. Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville. 352­373­-1030. UnityGainesville.org.

YogaPlus! – Noon. With ChandraMa. Yoga for the full-figured body. Blissful Life Corporation, 1738 SE 58th Ave, Ocala. 352-694-9642. BlissOcala.com.

Pilates – 5:30pm. Stretch/tone with Anabelle, certified Pilates instructor. $15. Lemire Clinic, 11115 SW 93rd Ct. Rd, Ocala. 352-­291-­9459. LemireClinic.com.

Quest Book Study Group – 7pm. Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville. 352-­373-­ 1030. UnityGainesville.com.

thursday A Course in Miracles – 10:30am. Unity of Gainesville, 8801 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville. 352­-373­1030. UnityGainesville. org.

A Course in Miracles – 4pm. Discussion Group.

Unity of Ocala, 101 Cedar Rd, Ocala. 352-687-2113.

Mail@UnityOfOcala.org. UnityOcala.org.

friday Open Energy Healing Circle – 7pm. 1st & 3rd Fri. With Dee Mitchell, Reiki Master. 8801 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville. 352­-373­-1030. UnityGainesville.org.

saturday Weekly Wellness Walks – 8-10am. Thru Feb 27.

Aerobic & stretching warmup, heath/fitness tips and bottled water and fruit. Free. Sante Fe College, 3000 NW 83rd St, Gainesville.

Farmstead Saturdays – 9am­3pm. Free. Crones’ Cradle Conserve, 6411 NE 217 Pl, Citra. 352­-595­3377. CronesCradleConserve.com.

Spring Natural Foods Gala – Crones’ Cradle Conserve, 6411 NE 217th Pl, Citra. 352-595-3377.

SUNDAY, APRIL 17 6th Annual Santa Fe Riverfest – Annual fundraising event, working to protect the aquifer, springs and waters in this area. Includes: songwriting contest, music, silent auction, kids corner and lots of food and drink options. Rum 138, 2070 SW CR 138, Fort White. OurSantaFeRiver.org.

B eing listened to is so close to being loved that most people cannot tell the difference. ~David Augsberg natural awakenings

February 2016

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classifieds Fee for classifieds is a minimum charge of $20 for the first 20 words and $1 for each additional word. To place an ad, email GoNaturalAwakenings@gmail.com.

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

PAULA KOGER, BSN, MA, OMD

ACUPUNCTURE

ADVERTISING ADVERTISE HERE – Are you: hiring, renting property/office space, selling products, offering services, or in need of volunteers? Advertise your personal/business needs in Natural Awakenings classified ads section. To place an ad, email GoNaturalAwakenings@gmail.com.

HELP WANTED DISTRIBUTION/DRIVERS–Wanted to distribute Natural Awakenings in multiple areas in Marion, Alachua, Lake, Sumter and Bradford counties.

Two to three days at the end of each month. Per stop pay. Reliable transportation required. Inquiries: GoNaturalAwakenings@gmail.com.

SUSAN SNELLING, ACUPUNCTURE PHYSICIAN

The Lemire Clinic 11115 SW 93rd Ct Rd, Ste 600, Ocala 352-291-9459 LemireClinic.com Lemire Clinic welcomes Susan Snelling, Acupuncture Physician, to the Lemire team. Susan has been practicing for many years and combines the traditional needles with cupping, twina technology, pulse diagnosing and Chinese herbs, along with emotional release to bring back into balance mind, body and spirit.

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The therapists at Gentle Waters Healing Center assist each individual with detoxing using colon hydrotherapy, far infrared sauna, and/or aqua chi lymphatic drainage. Call Dawn Brower for more information or visit G e n t l e Wa t e r s H e a l i n g . c o m .

MA41024, MM15426.

MICHAEL J. BADANEK, BS, DC, CNS, DACBN, DCBCN, CTTP, MSGR/CHEV 3391 E. Silver Springs Blvd, Ste B, Ocala 352-622-1151 AlternativeWholisticHealth.com

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Dr Koger combines skills from 25 years of Western medicine and counseling with 21 years as an acupuncturist and Oriental medicine doctor. She focuses on finding and healing the cause of all conditions using the world’s most effective tools and remedies which are often not covered by insurance. Insurance is not accepted, credit cards accepted. See ad, page 20.

HANOCH TALMOR, M.D. Gainesville Holistic Center 352-377-0015 DrTalmor.com

We support all health challenges and the unlimited healing potential of God’s miracle: your body. Chelation, nutrition, cleansing, homeopathy, natural energy healing, detoxification, wellness education and more.

See ad, page 26.

352-374-0600 Gainesville Info@GentleWatersHealing.com

HOLISTIC MEDICINE

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Wealth of Health Center Dunnellon, Sarasota 941-539-4232 WealthOfHealthCenter.com

Thirty-three years in clinical practice with alternative holistic complementary health services.

Treating the body to support all health challenges with Wholistic Integrative Medicine. Treatments include autoimmune disorders, Lyme disease, autism, ADD/ADHD, musculoskeletal conditions, heavy metal toxicity, cardiovascular and endocrine conditions, nutritional deficiencies/ testing. See ad, page 2.

VETERINARY CARE MEDICINE WHEEL VETERINARY SERVICES Shauna Cantwell, DVM Ocala • 352-538-3021 ShaunaCantwell.com

Holistic veterinary medicine for small animals and horses.

Arthritis, neurologic and hormonal dysfunction, skin, a l l e rg i e s , c a n c e r, p a i n , immune and chronic disease.

Certified veterinary acupuncture, certified-AVCA animal chiropractic, herbal therapy, tui na medical massage, functional neurology, postural rehabilitation, ozone therapy, homotoxicology and nutrition. Available for workshops. See ad, page 25.

N othing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible!’

~Audrey Hepburn 42

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