Natural Awakenings Houston September 2020

F

E E R

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

Natural Anti-virals Happiness

HELPERS Five Ways to Be More Positive WRITING TO HEAL

Emotional

Well-Being

September 2020 | Houston Metro Edition | NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

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Natural Awakenings is a family of more than 60 healthy living magazines celebrating 25 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

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Contents 9 Removing the Darkness

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11 Emotional Wellbeing 15 Spice Up Your Health 18 What Can I Drink Besides Water

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19 Happiness Helpers ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS

22 Massage Therapy for Emotional Wellbeing

HOW TO ADVERTISE

To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 713-927-6540 or email: mike@naturalawakenings-houston.com.

Deadline for ads: the 5th of the month.

23 Healing Power of Writing Our Stories

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EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS

Email articles, news items and ideas to: mike@naturalawakenings-houston.com.

Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month.

24 Natural AntiVirals

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS

Email Calendar Events to: Calendar@NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com.

Deadline for calendar: the 5th of the month.

If you have missed the deadline ask about our “Red-Eye Special� and our digital placements.

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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NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

4 letter from the publisher

27 calendar of events

5 affirming naturally

28 healthy living guide

8 health briefs

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

letter from publishers Greetings, Our monthly Letter from the Publishers is where we check in with you each month. We are still here, still safe and healthy, and still publishing the magazine.

We are looking forward to cooler weather and planting a fall garden. Cindy has picked out some fall flowers and herbs that she wants to plant.

This month’s issue focuses on Emotional Wellbeing and is this ever something that is needed in times like these. There are articles that range from the spiritual to the physical and relationships.

We also have a healthy eating article and lots of new recipes.

If you like the articles, please go online and rate us on Google and Yelp!

This issue also features a wide variety of practitioners and businesses who are ready to help with your physical and emotional wellbeing. Some are open

HOUSTON EDITION PUBLISHERS

Cindy & Mike Hart

EDITOR & DESIGN Mike Hart CREATIVE

Cindy Hart

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Doyle Ward

Linda Sechrist J. Garnet

with safety precautions in place while others are open to serve you virtually. Please check them out and when you call or visit them please mention that you saw them in Natural Awakenings. If you own a local healthy living business, please contact us about our ad specials. Next month is Chiropractic Month and November is Spas and Skin Care.

That’s about all we have to share this month. Remember always to be kind.

Cindy & Mike Hart

SALES & MARKETING Carmen Jules WEBSITE

Mike Hart

CONTACT US 446 West 19th Street, Suite 419 Houston, TX 77008 713-927-6540 NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

NATIONAL TEAM CEO/FOUNDER Sharon Bruckman COO/FRANCHISE SALES Joe Dunne NATIONAL EDITOR Jan Hollingsworth MANAGING EDITOR Linda Sechrist NATIONAL ART DIRECTOR Stephen Blancett ART DIRECTOR Josh Pope FINANCIAL MANAGER Yolanda Shebert FRANCHISE SUPPORT MGR. Heather Gibbs WEBSITE COORDINATOR Rachael Oppy NATIONAL ADVERTISING Lisa Doyle-Mitchell © 2020 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. 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 weresponsible for the products and services advertised.

Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment. © 2020 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. 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. Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment.

Natural Awakenings Magazine is ranked 5th Nationally in CISION’S® 2016 Top 10 Health & Fitness Magazines

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affirming naturally

I move forward every day

by Doyle Ward You have more than 55,000 thoughts each day. Many are the same thoughts over and over again. Every single one is an affirmation; this also includes everything that you say. By reducing your negative thoughts and words and increasing the positive ones, you can reshape your life. Expecting a better day helps to create a better life. The only place we have to take action or make changes is the present moment.

To truly live life to the fullest it’s important to continually move forward. For some this can be difficult for many reasons. Sometimes we get caught up living in the past. Self-doubt and outside influences can also hinder us. Life is about change and that’s accomplished by allowing ourselves to grow and move forward.

I move forward every day The only thing that you are guaranteed in life is this moment.

Working with positive affirmations can radically change your mindset. Say them and write them repeatedly with the feeling that they are your truth. You have the power to make great changes in yourself and the world. I know this is true because I have made huge changes in my life by changing my thoughts.

Doors Are Open for Dining & Shopping

Doyle Ward is a successful life coach, workshop leader and lecturer in the field of personal development. Listen to his podcasts on InFlowRadio.com, Apple Podcasts or GooglePlay Doyle Ward,

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Introducing

Huemn - Optimization + Cryo Recovery We are living through unprecedented times where health has never been more important. Huemn (formerly Cryo Recovery) is a new category of health and wellness, seeking to empower others to take control of their own health. Located in Houston, this full-service health optimization center focuses on science-backed modalities and lab testing services that reduce inflammation, combat chronic and acute pain, and provide key health insights.

The founders Bill and Anna Hanks don’t believe in waiting around hoping and praying they don’t get sick. They believe that people have options when it comes to their health and building a strong immune system. Playing offense when it comes to a global pandemic or any serious, life threatening illness is what Huemn’s tools and services are all about.

Bill Hanks says, “People no longer have a choice to ignore their wellness. Huemn is paving the way to help individuals take control of their health in a profound way. Huemn Optimization is for anyone looking to be a better human being and achieve more through optimal health and longevity.”

Besides offering cryotherapy which they’re known for, Huemn offers comprehensive baseline testing such as, Vitamin D, food allergen, and metabolic testing. They also offer the COVID-19 Antibody Test and lymphatic drainage reduce inflammation in the body and aid in faster recovery. They are currently offering a safe, complimentary consultation and one free service for a limited time.

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All Natural - Homeopathic Locally Made

it’s like getting a reboot for a clean start

Aunt Alberta’s Remedy C. E. Smith, a Houston entrepreneur, has introduced Aunt Alberta’s Remedy to the market. Her Aunt Alberta mixed natural herbs to develop remedies that “cured everything that ailed you.” Her Remedy is a homeopathic pain relief cream that penetrates deep into the skin and muscle tissues. Several time-tested ingredients, oil of wintergreen, iodine, and castor oil are combined to bring effective pain relief results.

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Oil of wintergreen is extracted from leaves of a small evergreen herb. The plant has been used for rheumatoid arthritis, but is mainly employed for joint and muscular pain relief from conditions such as lumbago, sciatica, neuralgia, gout, and fibroblast.Wintergreen is often added to liniments and ointments to help ease muscle and joint pains. Wintergreen should not be used by people who are allergic to aspirin and should never be ingested only used topically. lt is a fine addition for supporting joint and muscular aches and pains.

The Remedy combines oil of wintergreen with Atomidine iodine, a natural product that influences physical and mental growth and nerve and muscle tissue function. lt is easy to absorb into the skin and is an essential nutrient. The active ingredients are combined with castor oil to penetrate deep into tissues, to soften and enrich the skin cells for renewed pliable skin.

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NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

New Decision Therapy Practitioners Training Oct. 24-26 Learn to help yourself & learn to help others

Have you ever wanted to help someone and not known how? Have you ever known something was missing in your life but you did not know what to do to changed? Nettie Ramsay first learned of New Decision Therapy (NDT) 26 years ago from a friend. At that time, she was a struggling single mother, 200 pound over weight and thought that unresolved family of origin problems would always be in her way. She found through New Decision Therapy that she was in her own way. She was able to move forward in my life, finish college, become a naturopath, and a NDT Practitioner and Trainer. If you think that you would like to know more about helping yourself and others, consider attending the New Decisions Therapy Practitioners Training, October 24-26, 2020 For more information or to register call or email Dr. Nettie Ramsey at 281-7945255, drnettieramsay@yahoo.com The techniques used in New Decision Therapy TM facilitate the release of previously unexpressed emotions tied to loss of a loved one, the loss of the cherished phase of life, the loss of a personal hope or dream, or the loss of self-worth do to abuse experienced in the past. This exquisite therapy then goes one step further. It helps you to reconstruct your life based on a healthy and happy choice to be fully alive.

Learn to help yourself and then learn to help others!

Consider Mindfulness for Multiple Sclerosis

health briefs

Mindfulness training may help the estimated 1 million Americans with multiple sclerosis (MS) manage their emotions and process information quicker, according to a new study from Ohio State University. Researchers split 62 people with MS into three groups. The mindfulness group learned such practices as focusing on the breath and doing mental “body scans”. A second group underwent adaptive cognitive therapy training with computerized games that focused on skills like paying attention, switching focus and planning. The third group was a control. After four weeks, those in the mindfulness group were more likely to report being better able to handle their emotions than those in the other groups. The mindfulness group also had higher levels of cognitive processing speed, a reduction in the time it takes to complete mental tasks, along with increased understanding and response times.

Reduce PFAS Exposure to Help Delay Menopause Exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS)—“forever chemicals” often found in non-stick cookware, food packaging and contaminated water—may cause menopause to occur two years earlier in women, according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. University of Michigan scientists tracked more than 1,100 women for an average of 17 years and found that those with higher levels of the chemical in their blood experienced menopause an average of two years earlier than those with lower levels. “Even menopause a few years earlier than usual could have a significant impact on cardiovascular and bone health, quality of life and overall health in general among women,” says co-author Sung

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Removing Darkness and Its Grasp on You

by Julie Hollingsworth, PhD & Kathleen Markham, ND

Energy is a wonderful thing and can be used for so many beautiful

ideas, goals, and feelings. Frequencies and vibrations go along with energy, and those things can sometimes get into areas that are not so beautiful, such as the arena of darkness. Darkness is composed of negative and low frequencies (i.e. anger, fear, deceit and obsessions) and vibrations that can make an individual feel the feelings that do not belong to them, be in places where it cannot or does not want to be removed, or even be on an object that you picked up that it is attached to.

Have you ever experienced someone walking up to you and noticing that you automatically feel something different or that you feel an aversion to that person? You are feeling negative energy whether it is theirs or something that has gotten on them.

Have you ever walked into a room and noticed the feeling is just not right or into a house and you cannot quite get comfortable in it? You may be feeling darkness. Darkness changes everything it touches by taking what it can of the positive or light energy out of someone or something and using that energy to become larger and take control.

The wonderful thing about energy is that it can always change, and many times be changed. Understand that there is a battle above you between Darkness and Light and the majority of people do not know this is even going on. For example, people with addictions are taught in recovery to have a concept of a Higher Power, whatever that may be to them. They do this to learn that Higher Power is of Light and addiction is of darkness. Addiction is nothing less than a breeding ground for darkness and literally takes the person hostage.

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Very few people do this type of work, removing darkness, in any of its forms from individuals, homes, properties, land, etc. Some people depend on the Light, the Holy Trinity, Archangels, Ascended Masters, and other levels of help. Individuals who do this type of work have their own special gifts that make them able to work with the Higher Realms. An example is Intuitive Empaths. This work requires daily attention in every thought, word and deed and the daily removing of all types of darkness that ranges from simple Triggers to unimaginable Dark Entities. When removed, you will feel lighter and a sense of freedom that is real, something you might not have experienced before. Everyone needs to put attention to this so that their daily lives can be on a more conscious level. You have got to experience it to believe it!

Darkness is unseen by the naked eye. People who do this kind of work surrender themselves to the Light and are gifted by it. The Angels are waiting to assist you in removing any kind of darkness and please know that they are truly there for you.

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feature article

Emotional Well-Being in the Pandemic Age Self-Care Strategies for Tough Times

by Sandra Yeyati

As the pandemic ravages our country, we

are engulfed by a sea of challenging emotions, including fear, loss, anger, disappointment and grief. Compounding the suffering, past emotional traumas and pent-up desires are surfacing and crying for attention. One way to navigate these treacherous waters is by first enveloping ourselves in self-compassion. Next, we can gather the courage to face our fears and experience unpleasant feelings in order to heal them and let them go. Then, we search for and internalize positive emotional states to rewire our brains for positivity. This noble voyage promises immense rewards along the way.

The Cocoon of Self-Compassion 11

Some of us chase self-esteem like the Holy Grail, yet it eludes us when we need it most.

Faced with a failing grade or cruel insult, our self-worth withers. We can’t understand why we lost it or how to get it back. When we attach our self-worth to achievements or comparisons with other people, self-esteem becomes unstable and unreliable.

Enter self-compassion, the life-changing perspective of showing kindness to ourselves in any and all situations—a supportive best friend that lives within us and can be accessed any time, every day. A pioneer and expert in this topic, Kristin Neff believes that self-compassion has three components: a decision to be kind to ourselves, a mindful awareness when we are in pain so that we can seek some relief and a sense of common humanity or connectedness.

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

We already know how to be compassionate, says Neff, an associate professor of educational psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and co-author of The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook. “It’s linked to the parasympathetic nervous system, which is a natural part of our organism. We’re tapping into this way of feeling safe, which is through care, bonding and connectedness.”

Encouraging our friends when they’re feeling down or hugging our moms in the morning is hardwired into us. When we decide to be kind to ourselves, it’s easy to think of what we would say: “I’m sorry you failed that test.

You’ll do better next time. How can I help you?” To lend perspective, add a statement about our common humanity, counsels Neff. “This is hard for everybody. You’re not alone.”

We must be aware of our pain before we can comfort it, and many of us try to suppress or resist pain, choosing to numb it with distractions like alcohol addiction or compulsive shopping. Others may get lost in the storyline of what’s happening and succumb to suffering with no apparent way to obtain relief. Self-pity or self-criticism may creep in.

Mindful awareness is the antidote to these emotional extremes, because it helps us become aware that we are experiencing pain and to stay with that pain long enough to make a conscious decision to take care of ourselves. “One easy thing is physical touch,” says Neff. “The first few years of life you have no words, so the body is programmed to respond to touch as a signal of care. Put your hand on your heart or your stomach, or hold your hand. This changes your physiology, activates your parasympathetic nervous system, helps you calm down and helps you feel physically supported.

Sometimes, that’s an entryway for people.”

Finding Confidence Through Unpleasant Feelings

Nobody likes to feel sad or embarrassed.

We’d rather have an ice cream cone or turn on the TV. But for Dr. Joan Rosenberg, a prominent psychologist and speaker, uncomfortable feelings present an invaluable opportunity for people to transform into confident individuals that relate to the world around them with authenticity and resilience.

In her book 90 Seconds to a Life You Love, Rosenberg offers a formula—one choice, eight feelings, 90 seconds—to experience and move through eight of the most common unpleasant feelings: sadness, shame, helplessness, anger, embarrassment, disappointment, frustration and vulnerability.

“The choice is to stay aware of and in touch with as much of your moment-to-moment experience as possible and not get lost in avoidance,” she explains, adding that there are more than 30 behaviors, thoughts and emotions that we employ as distractions, including substance abuse, social media, pornography, exercise, obsessive thoughts about body image, humor and denial.

“Be aware of what you’re aware of,” she advises. “If we know that we don’t like feelings, and we know we’ve been engaged in using ways to distract ourselves, then our challenge is to be more awake and aware of those times we do it, and as soon as we start to do the thing and become aware, that’s when we make the decision to stop and ask, ‘What’s really going on?’”

Discoveries in neuroscience suggest that most of us come to know what we’re feeling emotionally through bodily sen- sations. We might feel heat in the neck and face when embarrassed or a sinking feeling in the

yourself and your work to garner opportunities and desired experiences—it cuts across every aspect of our lives and is absolutely crucial to our sense of well-being.”

Rewiring the Brain for Positivity

chest when disappointed. As feelings get triggered in the body, a rush of biochemicals in the bloodstream activate these sensations and are flushed out of the bloodstream in roughly 90 seconds.

“Most people have the impression that feelings linger a whole lot longer and that they’re going to be overwhelmed by it and never come out of it if they start. But when they understand that what they’re trying to avoid are uncomfortable bodily sensations that help you know what you’re feeling emotionally, and that these are short-lived, most people will start to lean into them, and once they do, their life changes,”

Rosenberg says.

To move through bodily sensations, which may come in multiple waves, take deep, slow breaths. Try not to tighten up or clench the jaw and swallow. Notice the location and nature of the bodily sensations to help identify which of the eight unpleasant feelings it might be, and be curious as to what might have triggered it. All of this will take a few moments. With practice, identification will become faster, easier and more accurate.

“If I have more time, then I can think about whether this is connected to anything else.

Is it just one thing that triggered it, or is it like something else that’s happened before?”

Rosenberg says. This level of awareness leads to a calming effect, clearer perhaps most importantly, an ability to speak authentically.

“If we don’t handle the eight feelings, we don’t feel capable in the world,” she says.

The ability to speak adds to that empowerment. “From asking someone to stop a behavior so that you feel safer to telling someone you love them, asking your boss for a raise or letting people know about

Discoveries in neuroplasticity have revealed that the brain changes throughout life well into adulthood. It’s designed to learn not just ideas and information, but skills, attitudes, feelings and moods. Rick Hanson, a clinical psychologist and author of several books, including Hardwiring Happiness and Resilient, contends that we can develop greater happiness, just like we can develop greater depression.

“There’s a lot of research that shows that through deliberate little practices spread out through the day or sometimes more formal practices like psychotherapy or meditation, we can actually produce physical changes in

Making Courage a Habit

In her book The Courage Habit, life coach Kate Swoboda presents a fourpart method for people to face their fears, release the past and live their most courageous life.

Access the body. Practice any body-centric activity like mindful meditation, exercise or dancing every single day to release stress and anxiety, become centered and more present, and clear the mind.

Listen without attachment. When your self-critic offers a warning or criticism, hear the words, understanding that this is fear trying to protect you and deciding that it’s misguided and not true.

Reframe limiting stories or beliefs.

Amend your internalized self-critic’s messages to be more respectful and supportive. If it says, “You’re stupid to try that,” revise it to, “I’m smart because I’m willing to try.”

Create community. Reach out to like-minded individuals that are supportive of the changes you are trying to make.

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Building Up Our Happiness Quotient These exercises are recommended by psychologist Rick Hanson: Slow down, breathe and see the big picture. This simple practice brings us into the present moment, reduces the stress activation in the body, disengages us from verbal chatter and negative reactivity, and buys us time to see more clearly. Take three breaths, making the exhalation longer than the inhalation.

Five-Minute Challenge

Take in the good. It could be a flower blooming, birds singing or a nice exchange with another person. Slow down, take a few breaths and let it sink in for a minute or two.

Focus on something to cultivate.

Perhaps it’s patience or gratitude. Look for opportunities to have an experience of this quality and internalize it for another minute.

Marinate in pleasant feelings. Cultivate a sense of calm, contentment or warm-heartedness for a couple of minutes.

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the brain that are now measurable with things like MRIs,” he remarks.

Hardwiring happiness is easy, pleasurable and doesn’t take a lot of time. “If you take care of the minutes, the years will take care of themselves,” says Hanson. “Little steps gradually move us forward a breath at a time, a minute at a time, a synapse at a time. Bit by bit, we grow the good inside while gradually releasing the bad.”

“Our power to positively influence who we are in small, genuine ways every day is really important to compensate for the brain’s negativity bias, which makes it like Velcro for bad experiences, but Teflon for good ones,” he says. “We evolved a negativity bias over the 600-million-year evolution of the nervous system. Learning from negative experiences and mistakes was a critical survival skill, so we have a brain that is designed to scan for bad news, overreact to it and fast-track it into memory. It’s not our fault, but it is our responsibility to deal with it by first, feeling the negative without reinforcing it and second, focusing on the positive and taking it in. Gradually, you can give yourself a brain that’s like Velcro for the good and Teflon for the bad.”

Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer.

Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

A happy family is but an earlier heaven. ~ George Bernard Shaw

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conscious eating

nutrient- and vitamin-rich herb. If you garnish with parsley, you won’t get a significant amount of vitamin C, as you would if you make a pesto from it.”

Salads can also pack a healthy dose of herbs into a meal, says Martha’s Vineyard resident Holly Bellebuono, an herbalist and author of The Healing Kitchen: Cooking with Nourishing Herbs for Health, Wellness, and Vitality. “So many herbs, including violets, mints and red clover, can just be tossed fresh into a salad, offering both fiber and minerals.”

Vinegars are one of Bellebuono’s go-to methods to incorporate herbs into a diet, infusing fresh or dried herbs into red wine or apple cider vinegar for salad dressings and other uses. “Vinegar is great at extracting minerals from herbs and making them more bioavailable,” she says.

Drying herbs does not diminish their medicinal properties, but rather concentrates their essence, as it removes excess water, according to Bellebuono. “Dried and powdered herbs are a great way to preserve the garden harvest and add herbs into everyday dishes. You can throw a teaspoon of turmeric, a wonderful anti-inflammatory herb, in spaghetti sauce or oatmeal, and you won’t even notice it,” she says.

Best Herbal Buddies

SPICE UP HEALTH

Using Herbs for Flavor and Medicine

by April Thompson

Herbs add lush flavor to all kinds of dishes, and they are culinary friends that bring the

benefits of helping to restore and maintain health. “Food is medicine, and herbs bring out the medicinal properties of food,” says Kami McBride, of Sebastopol, California, author of The Herbal Kitchen: Bring Lasting Health to You and Your Family with 50 Easy-to-Find Common Herbs and Over 250 Recipes. “The spice rack is a relic from another time when we knew how to use herbs and spices to optimize health and to digest our food.”

To get a medicinal dose of an herb, consider making teas, vinegar extracts or pestos, says Brittany Wood Nickerson, the Conway, Massachusetts, author of The Herbalist’s Kitchen: Delicious, Nourishing Food for Lifelong Health and Well-Being. “Parsley, for example, is a

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NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

While Mediterranean herbs like oregano and basil are often at the front of the spice rack, Nickerson also suggests lesser-used herbs such as sour sumac, anise-accented tarragon and versatile, yet often discarded orange peels, which can be added to soups along with fennel seed and bay leaves for a complex flavor. Thyme is another of Nickerson’s favorites, a hearty herb for fall dishes that’s also a powerful antifungal and aids with digestion, lung health and detoxification.

While some may think of parsley as a garnish, “It offers incredible freshness and livens up almost anything,” says Nickerson.

“I use it as a vegetable and make a salad of its leaves or add handfuls of it into a quiche. Parsley is loaded with vitamins and minerals, and has detoxification properties.”

Adding it near the end of cooking maintains its vibrant flavor and color, she notes.

McBride loves versatile herbs like mint and coriander that can be used in sweet and savory dishes with antimicrobial properties that help fight colds and flu. She also keeps salt shakers on the table filled with spices like cardamom, an antibacterial, anti-spasmotic and expectorant, to sprinkle onto beverages and dishes. Bellebuono also recommends infusing honey with herbs such as sage or oregano that support the immune system.

Herbal-Aided Digestion

All herbs, whether leafy, green culinary herbs or spices like coriander and clove, are carminative, meaning they help digest food, McBride says. “Digestion can use up to 40 percent of your day’s energy, which is why you often get a nap attack after a big meal. Every meal needs a carminative, even if it’s just black pepper, which is one of the problems with most fast food.”

Pungent and bitter herbs, in particular, support digestion and absorption of nutrients and make them more bioavailable, says Nickerson: “Activating the taste buds dedicated to sensing bitter stimulates the digestive system.” A salad of bitter greens, for example, can help prepare digestion of a heavier meal to come, whereas a postmeal aperitif can help with digesting the food afterward.

“It absolutely adds up when you add small doses of herbs to your meals every day,” McBride advises. “Many Americans suffer from gastrointestinal inflammation from modern diets and lifestyles, and herbs can help reverse that. Your gut gets a little healing every day.”

April Thompson is a Washington, D.C., freelance writer. Connect at AprilWrites.com.

Some Herbal-Aided Delights from the outside toward the center of the fruit, just inside the membranes. Leave the sections whole or cut them into bite-size pieces.

Toast the pumpkin seeds in a skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until they are lightly browned, have puffed up and begin to pop—4 to 7 minutes.

Combine the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, shallot, tarragon and salt in a bowl and whisk together. Stir in any grapefruit juice that may have puddled on the cutting board while sectioning the fruit.

Pour the dressing over the spinach. If any dressing is left over, it will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Toss the spinach well, then add the grapefruit and pumpkin seeds and toss gently again to combine.

Recipe and photo from Recipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen by Brittany Wood Nickerson.

Spinach & Grapefruit Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds The floral notes of tarragon in the dressing and the juicy, sour grapefruit invigorate the senses and wake up the digestive processes.

Yields: 4 to 6 servings 8 oz spinach (about 4 packed cups) 1 large or 2 medium-size grapefruits ½ cup pumpkin seeds Dressing ½ cup olive oil 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp finely minced shallot 1 tsp finely chopped tarragon Pinch of salt Tear the spinach into bite-size pieces, if necessary, and place in a large bowl.

Cut the top and bottom off the grapefruit so that the flesh of the fruit is exposed so it sits flat on a cutting board. Cut the peel and pith from the fruit using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler.

Set the grapefruit on one of its flat ends on a cutting board. The sections of the fruit will face up. Cut out the sections, slicing

Mint and Feta Bruschetta with Chive Blossoms Yields: 4 servings as an appetizer ½ cup fresh chive blossoms (can be substituted with other edible flowers or left out) 1 French baguette ½ lb feta cheese, crumbled, or a vegan alternative 1 cup chopped fresh mint ½ cup minced chives (can be substituted with scallions) 2-4 Tbsp olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Preheat the oven to 325° F. While the oven is heating, pull apart the chive blossoms, removing the central stem and plucking the tiny purple florets.

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

Set the baguette in the hot oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the edges are crispy, but not browned.

Meanwhile, combine the feta in a bowl with the mint, minced chives and chive florets.

Add enough of the oil to moisten then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cilantro Pesto Yields: about ½ cup

Mix well.

2 Tbsp (heaping) walnuts 2 cups packed cilantro leaves and stems (one large bunch) 2 garlic cloves 2 Tbsp olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper Soak the walnuts overnight in enough water to cover them. (This makes them easier to digest and helps remove some of the bitterness in the skin.)

Drain and rinse the walnuts. Combine them with the cilantro, garlic, oil and salt to taste, and a few grinds of pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth.

Remove the baguette from the oven and slice along the diagonal. Arrange on a platter with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the bruschetta mixture on each slice. Drizzle with a little more oil and serve.

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Note: For the bread to be crisp throughout rather than soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, slice it on the diagonal to start with, brush each piece with olive oil and bake on a baking sheet at 325° F for 5 to 7 minutes until crispy.

Recipe and photos from Recipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen by Brittany Wood Nickerson.

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary. The pesto will keep for 5 to 7 days in the fridge or for 6 months or more in the freezer.

Recipe and photo from Recipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen by Brittany Wood Nickerson.

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

Matcha Matcha is a Japanese powdered green tea. It has a really high ORAC value, actually one of the highest in the super-food realm, at about 1348 units per gram. The ORAC value is a way to measure the antioxidant values of foods. Matcha tea is higher than berries!

It does contain caffeine BUT it also contains amino acids, so the caffeine effect is not as severe on the systems of the body, like the adrenal glands, that typically get beat up by caffeine. Due to the amino acids you won’t have a caffeine crash in the afternoon either. Win win!

What Can I Drink Besides Water?

by Erin Thole, CNHP

I get asked this question a lot: “What can I drink besides water?”

Although pure clean water should be the majority of your fluid intake (you should drink half your body weight in ounces a day) sometimes it can get a little boring and you want a little flavor,a little treat, something FUN! So here it is. My top non-water beverage favorites. Including my adult beverage of choice for those times when you just want to have a drink.

I stay clear of artificial flavors and sweeteners. I also avoid erythritol which is a sugar alcohol which causes a lot of GI issues for many people.

Zevia Drinks Stevia sweetened goodness. They make everything from soda to energy drinks to organic chilled teas. I love this brand. They do use natural flavors, which does spur some controversy to those of us who are purists. BUT in the name of sanity, I’m going to give us all a pass on this one. We all need a treat from time to time and there are far worse things in the world. So give yourself a break already….

UNLESS you know you have a negative reaction to natural flavors.

Herbal Teas When choosing herbal teas make sure that they are organic and if they come in bags that they are not bleached, chemical filled bags.

Loose tea is always if you can’t find a quality bagged tea and it often cheaper. You can then put it in a French press and steep it that way or in a stainless steal tea steeper.

Frontier is a great brand where you can get bulk, organic loose tea and Traditional Medicinals is a great brand from organic bagged tea.

My favorite herbal teas: Peppermint = wakes you up and also gives happy digestion and gall bladder. This is great for bloat and gas.

Ginger tea = nausea and digestion.

Ginger Tea + dandelion tea + lemon wedge = a happy liver and happy guts Ginger and Turmeric Tea = anti inflammatory aid.

Like with herbal tea, I would choose loose and organic. It’s a powder, so it’s not like other teas. It will dissolve in the water. You just have to stir a little.

Go for the unsweetened varieties or sweetened with stevia.

Deep Eddy’s Ruby Red Vodka + La Croix Sometimes you just want an adult beverage and there is nothing wrong with that. I am not a wine fan. Too much sugar and yeast = unhappy guts and you would have to drink way too much of it to actually gain any benefit from the resveratrol it contains… and then your efforts would be thwarted by the larger amount of alcohol you just consumed and your new liver damage.

I like Deep Eddy’s Vodka because it is all gluten free. The Ruby Red is my favorite. I mix 1 shot of Deep Eddy’s Ruby Red Vodka with ice and some lemon La Croix water in a low ball glass. If I am out at a restaurant and they don’t have La Croix I will go for Topo Chico. It’s light, it’s refreshing, it’s delicious.

Cheers to your health!

Erin Thole, CNHP has been working in Functional Medicine for over 12 year. To learn more and request a free consultation: www. erinthole.com - thole.erin@gmail.com See ad below.

Get to the Root Cause of Your Health Conditions Specializing in: • Digestive Issues • Fatigue • Food Cravings • Mood Swings • Hormonal Imbalances • Fertility • Weight Issues • Auto Immune Conditions • Aches & Pains • and More Erin Thole,CNHP Reach Your TRUE Health Potential With: Food Sensitivity, Hormonal, Toxicity, and Nutritional Deficiency Panels Nutritional Programs & More Set up your FREE consultation by emailing: thole.erin@gmail.com To learn how Erin has helped others just like you visit: www.ErinThole.com

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Be mindful of who and what we expose ourselves to. The

inspiration

people we spend time with and what we watch, listen to and read all send messages to our brain that influence how we see the world.

Train the brain for positivity. Here is a simple 10-minute exercise that can train the mind to think differently:

HAPPINESS HELPERS Five Ways to Be More Positive

• Get a pen and paper. Take

only three seconds to look around the room and remember everything that’s red. Then take only a few seconds to write a list of everything you remember that’s red. Finish this step before continuing.

by Brad Aronson

Studies show that when we see the posi-

tive more often, we’re happier and kinder to ourselves and to those around us. Luckily, we’re not locked into one way of viewing the world. We can choose to see things in a more positive fashion. Here are some steps we can take to teach ourselves to look for the positive more often. Eventually, the brain can get into the habit of doing this without any prodding.

Compliment at least one person every day. Maybe we can begin the day by sending a short email or text telling someone why we appreciate them. Besides reshaping how we see the world, we might make someone’s day.

Keep a gratitude journal. Every • Now write down everything that is blue. Chances are that like night, write down three things to be grateful for. Researchers have found that people that regularly keep track of what they’re grateful for are happier. We can also have a nightly family discussion about what happened that day that we’re thankful for.

Perform a daily act of kindness. When we perform a kind act

every day, we start noticing other opportunities to be kind, creating a cycle of positivity in our minds. Think small—a thank-you note or letting someone cut in front of us in traffic.

most people, we won’t remember the blue things nearly as well because we weren’t looking for them. We see what we look for, and that’s as much an asset as a shortcoming.

Training the brain to be more positive takes time, but it’s a priceless opportunity to change our perspective and become happier.

Brad Aronson, a tech entrepreneur and investor, is the author of HumanKind: Changing the World One Small Act At

Meditation for Transformation Online self-paced meditation courses

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NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

Treat yourself to an hour of relaxation. Clinic now open.

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fit body

Massage Therapy for Emotional Wellbeing

by Erika Rubalcava

During this pandemic, it has become more important for us to take

care of ourselves not only physically but emotionally as well. With so much happening around us, stress and uncertainty is inevitable.

The drastic changes to our lifestyles have caused our emotions to run high, and with such strict social distancing requirements enforced, the ways in which we relieved our stress pre-corona times have become limited and even non-existent in some cases. Due to these sudden changes, our emotions have undoubtedly become overwhelming at some point since the outbreak. Being emotionally stressed has been shown to lead to other issues such as tension in the body or depression, and if you have experienced either of these, you are not alone. So, the question is, “How do we take care of our emotions?”

There are many ways to improve your emotional wellbeing, Massage Therapy being one of them. Although it is often thought of first as a way to treat physical ailments, Massage Therapy can also be extremely beneficial in helping balance emotions. Swedish massage, for example, is a very relaxing type of massage that uses long strokes at varied pressure to relax the muscles in the body. This type of massage is always offered at spas and clinics and is popular for good reason. The techniques used during a Swedish massage are specifically designed to alleviate stress by applying calming and fluid strokes that put the body in a relaxed state. When the body enters a relaxed state, cortisol decreases, resulting in lowered stress, anxiety and depression. (Correct and insert more info)

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NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

We know what you are thinking, “A massage during a pandemic that requires social distancing? That is insane.” However, massage therapists are actually trained in health and hygiene and have always followed strict sanitation procedures before the pandemic enforced mandatory cleaning and disinfection of rooms and common areas, equipment, etc. During this time, massage therapists have just added the extra precautions such as wearing facemasks and limiting face-to-face interactions with clients. These new practices can include requiring clients to remain face-down during an entire massage session. Being face-down does not diminish the value or overall effects of massage therapy because the massage therapist is still able to target areas of stress in the body.

Your emotional wellbeing is just as important as your physical wellness and can even be thought of as being one in the same. Next time you are searching for a way to improve your overall wellness (and that bad posture from watching so much TV on the couch these days), try getting a massage.

Avalon School of Massage is currently open from 10am - 6pm Monday through Saturday. We are conveniently located in the Montrose area on Richmond Avenue between Buffalo Speedway and Kirby just North of Hwy 59. To book a massage appointment, please call 713-333-2520. To see our COVID-19 safety measures, please visit our website at www.avalonmassageschool.com

OCTOBER

eco tip

Mask Eco-Disposal How to Dispose of Antiviral Wear

Discarded face masks and gloves littering streets, beaches, parks and parking lots are a sad sight of the times, creating eyesores and more importantly, major contamination risks to pick up and discard. With 88 percent of the world’s population living in countries that have required or advised use of face coverings, disposable face masks number in the billions, especially the commonplace, single-use polypropylene variety. Along with disposable gloves and sanitary wipes, they are clogging sewers and waterways worldwide and showing up in fish bellies and on ocean floors.

What Not to Recycle

Recycling, the go-to strategy for environmentally conscious citizens, is unfortunately not a good option. Even in ordinary times, local recyclers won’t accept surgical masks and latex gloves because they jam machinery. Some dedicated providers box up used face masks and gloves and send them to TerraCycle. com, where they are sorted manually and sustainably recycled. The cost for a small box is a hefty $148; MindBodyGreen.com suggests asking grocery stores or retailers to stock some for the community to use.

Instead of recycling, the World Health Organization recommends throwing single-use masks, gloves and wipes into a covered trash can or bin immediately after

Coming Next Month

Joint Health

use so they are handled as regular trash.

Ideally, they should be put in a resealable plastic bag first in consideration of frontline sanitation workers that can become ill from handling virus-infected materials. No mask, glove or wipe should be flushed down a toilet.

Plus: Stress Management

Homemade Solutions

For masks, the eco-solution that harbors the lowest carbon dioxide footprint is one made of cloth that is machine-washed and dried after each use at a high temperature or washed by hand in a bleach solution (five tablespoons per gallon of water). University of Chicago researchers found certain fabrics filter out viral aerosol particles almost as effectively as the medical N-95 mask: a layer of a tightly woven cotton sheet combined with two layers of polyester-spandex chiffon, natural silk or flannel, or simply a cotton quilt with cotton-polyester batting . See cdc. gov for instructions for using sew and nosew masks, and many DIY videos can be found on YouTube using T-shirts, socks and napkins.

Another good eco-strategy is to buy sustainable face masks made from recycled or organic materials (GoodOnYou.eco).

In lieu of recycling to help the planet, a donation can be made to an ecoorganization that deals with plastic waste, such as PlasticPollutionCoalition.org or OceanConservancy.org.

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wise words

Sandra Marinella on the Healing Power of Writing Our Stories

by Sandra Yeyati

An award-winning

teacher and author of The Story You Need to Tell: Writing to Heal from Trauma, Illness, or Loss, Sandra Marinella has empowered thousands of people to use stories, poems and journal writing to find greater well-being and resilience in their lives.

Prompted by a breast cancer diagnosis and her own journal, she helps people connect with their truth and move beyond entrenched negative emotions and thoughts.

What is the power of story and personal writing?

We all have stories in our minds that play over and over again. They define who we are. In recent years, neuroscience has led us to this powerful understanding that we are quite flexible as human beings. After we become conscious of our stories and how we’re using them in our lives, we can rework and reframe them, and choose to see them in a positive or better light. We can change and grow our stories to become better people with greater well-being.

How do we get unstuck from playing out stories in our minds?

A story that keeps looping, one that you are obsessed with, is generally being replayed in the emotional centers, or right side, of your brain, and you don’t have much control over it. To get unstuck, you need to voice this story and complete it.

Writing it down and sifting through it later

23

can help. Once you do this, you can be logical and choose how you’re going to interpret, frame and live with it.

In the book, I talk about Chris, whose sister was homeless and died. He was struggling with that story. It was going around in his mind, over and over, all the time. He was in pain and grieving from the loss of his sister. It took him a while before he decided to rewrite the story as fiction, telling it in the way he wished it had come out. In the process, he was able to better understand his loss, make peace with it and set it free.

How do we edit our stories while remaining grounded in reality?

We do not want to lie to ourselves. We want to know our truth, but there is so much wisdom in what we call “positive illusions”. If we can choose to take a hard story and see it in a very positive way, we can find threads of it that we can weave through our truth, and let that help us grow and make our vision of our story better.

If we don’t tell others or write our stories, can they harm us?

Yes. I think they can, but I don’t want to underestimate the value of silence. When we are facing trauma, we need space and time and silence to be able to wrap

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

our heads around the hard things that are happening to us. But then, breaking the silence is cathartic. It releases the pain. It helps us establish not only that we have the pain, but how we can bear it. Later, we can come back to those words and reflect on them—that’s when we come to understand more about where we are, what we think, what we feel and how we can move forward and rewrite and regrow our stories in positive ways.

Do you have any recommendations for those suffering in these trying times?

I’ve interviewed many war veterans, and they said that when they were out in the midst of warfare, they had to put their thoughts and emotions on hold so that they could move forward and be strong.

That’s why many of them were falling apart with PTSD afterwards. I also interviewed a few soldiers who carried journals into war and found it extremely helpful to be able to scream, yell and release their words into them. We should be giving all healthcare workers journals and online support on how to write and how to take care of themselves. Counseling and therapy are wonderful, and I wish we could provide it to everybody all the time, but we can’t; and journal writing, or any kind of therapeutic writing, is such a wonderful backup for a human being to have when they are struggling. Keeping a pandemic journal might prove to be not only a healthy choice for our times, but a treasure historically for our grandchildren.

Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a freelance writer.

Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

plant-based wellness

Natural Antivirals

Help in Staying Strong and Healthy

by Ronica O’Hara

In these sobering times, we must use every

weapon in our arsenal against invasive viruses, including often-overlooked natural remedies with antiviral properties. As is also the case with pharmaceutical agents, natural approaches have not been shown to stop an aggressive virus in its tracks, but they may ameliorate symptoms. “Nutrition and supplementation are unlikely to prevent an infection, but they may help prevent the infection from becoming symptomatic or severe,” explains Leo Galland, M.D., a global leader in functional medicine and author of Power Healing: Use the New Integrated Medicine to Heal Yourself.

Eating healthy foods, sleeping seven to nine hours a night and exercising at least 150 minutes a week are also key in fortifying our natural defenses against viruses. Steps still necessary for COVID-19 protection include hand-washing, mask-wearing, social distancing and sterilizing objects and surfaces.

Baseline Protectors

Scientists report that some vitamin and mineral deficiencies appear to be linked to poor COVID-19 outcomes, while adequate levels help combat other viruses. Consum-

erLab.com, which provides comprehensive research overviews and information on nutritional products, lists these natural supplements as potential aids against COVID-19, although at this early stage, none have been proven to work: Vitamin D: According to Galland, vitamin D “stimulates your immune system to produce factors called defensins and cathelicidins that kill viruses.” People with levels below 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) were 45 percent more likely to test positive for the coronavirus and 95 percent more likely to be hospitalized, Israeli researchers found.

Getting three 30-minute sessions of sun exposure a week and eating D-fortified foods raise levels, and supplementing with up to 2,000 international units daily is generally considered safe.

Zinc: “Zinc throws a wrench in the viral replication machine and helps fight infections by boosting the production of antibodies,” says Nicole DeMasi, an integrative dietitian nutritionist in Los Angeles. Zinc lozenges may ward off the coronavirus in the upper respiratory tract. The recommended dosage is 15 to 30 milligrams (mg) a day for up to two weeks.

Vitamin C: A cup of orange juice, tomato juice or a kiwi supplies most of the minimum recommended intake of vitamin C, a vital supplement for white blood cells that fight viral infections. Supplementing with 1,000 mg daily is also safe. Intravenous megadoses are being studied for critically ill COVID-19 patients, but no evidence exists so far that higher levels prevent infections, reports ConsumerLab.com.

Potassium: A critical antiviral mineral and electrolyte, low levels of potassium were found in 61 percent of 175 Chinese patients hospitalized with COVID-19, making them more prone to heart damage, reports the Journal of the American Medical Association. Foods that boost levels include potatoes, squash, lentils, spinach, avocados, bananas and raisins.

Supplemental Supporters

When choosing supplements proven to be effective, “Much of what we know and can apply is based on our previous research on viruses of the past,” says Monisha Bhanote, M.D., an integrative physician in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Here are some good choices.

Melatonin: Known best as the hormone

24

that regulates sleep, melatonin also supports antiviral immunity and helps control inflammation in viral infections. A study of 11,672 people tested for COVID-19 found that those taking supplemental melatonin were less likely to test positive, and a clinical study is underway to see if 2 mg a day helps protect healthcare workers.

Typical dosages range from 0.3 to 3 mg.

Licorice Root Extract: This herb contains a substance called glycyrrhizin that makes it hard for a virus to attach to and invade a cell and hinders its ability to replicate, slowing the spread from one cell to another. Chinese doctors used it with other traditional herbs to combat COVID-19, and studies have shown it effective against an earlier coronavirus, as well as against HIV, herpes, viral hepatitis and respiratory infections. For dosage, follow package directions. People with high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, kidney disease or low potassium levels are advised against its use.

Astragalus: Known as huang qi, astragalus “is one of the most powerful herbs used in Chinese medicine for people with weakened immune systems,” says Tsao-Lin Moy, a New York City acupuncturist and herbalist. It’s best taken as a hot or cold tea using tea bags or the root itself.

Andrographis: This herb has long been used for colds and throat infections in China and India, and may prevent flu viruses from binding to cells. In a Swedish study, flu patients that took an andrographis extract along with Siberian ginseng recovered more quickly with fewer complications than those given a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved flu medication. Because of its potency, it’s best to consult a health practitioner to avoid interactions. The recommended dosage is 400 mg twice a day.

Fightin’ Foods

To lower the inflammation linked to poor viral outcomes, integrative physician Monisha Bhanote, M.D., recommends a predominantly whole foods diet with at least five to seven servings of vegetables and two to three servings of fruit a day.

Quercetin-rich foods, such as apples, onions, broccoli, raspberries, parsley and celery are especially important, she says, because the bioflavonoid enhances zinc’s antiviral actions: “It functions as a zinc ionophore, chelating zinc and transporting it into the cell cytoplasm.”

Quercetin can also be taken as a supplement in doses ranging between 500 and 1,000 mg daily.

Garlic has potent antiviral and antibacterial properties, and can be cooked into food, eaten raw in salads and dressings or obtained from capsules of allicin, the active component.

Green tea has epigallocatechin gallate, a compound with “a wide range of antiviral activity, especially in the early stages of infection, by preventing viral attachment and entry into the cell,” says Bhanote.

Aim for three to five cups a day.

Ronica O’Hara is a Denver-based health writer. Connect at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

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NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

Oak Wood Extract Can Lessen Post-Surgical Effects

Hysterectomy surgery is sometimes necessary and may result in postoperative fatigue, headache, nausea, depression or pain. In a study reported in the journal Nutrients, researchers from Slovakia’s Comenius University gave 66 women recovering from a hysterectomy either a placebo or 300 milligrams of oak wood extract.

Eight weeks later, those given the oak wood extract had lower oxidative stress, better energy and mood, and a greater ability to perform physical tasks and participate in social activities compared to the placebo group, which mostly saw declines in those areas.

Boost Fun Nutrition with Microgreens Halfway in size between sprouts and full-grown plants, microgreens are bursting with nutrients, but have been mostly relegated to garnishes at upscale restaurants. Researchers at Colorado State University, exploring their acceptability, fed 99 people six separate types of microgreens: arugula, broccoli, bull’s blood beet, red cabbage, red garnet amaranth and tendril pea.

The red-colored varieties—beet, cabbage and amaranth—received top marks for appearance, but broccoli, red cabbage and tendril pea scored the highest overall grades. The subjects found the greens were fun (“funfetti”), colorful and attractive. Microgreens, which can be grown quickly indoors year-round with minimal water, offer a possible solution to sustainably feeding the planet, the researchers pointed out.

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Joint Health plus: Stress Management

To advertise or participate in our next issue, call 713-927-6540 26

calendar of events September 2020 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 5

Group Chai’n’Chat with Krishna Das 1-3 pm.

Brew your cup of chai and bring it to our online group ‘Chai ‘n’ Chat with Krishna Das’. This is a chance for us to hang out together while KD shares some chanting and stories and you have the opportunity to ask a question or two. krishnadas.com/events

TO BE ANNOUNCED

Dahm the Bard Facebook Live “House Concerts” Damh the Bard – is a modern-day Bard whose spirituality and love of folk tradition is expressed through his music, storytelling and poetry.

Drawing on the Bardic tradition, his performances are both entertaining and educational, speaking directly to the heart, and never without a good splash of humour. paganmusic.co.uk/concerts

plan ahead SATURDAY OCTOBER 24 MONDAY OCTOBER 26

New Decision Therapy Practitioner’s Training. Reawaken lost desires, expand your vision, release old trauma that is keeping you stuck.

Contact Dr. Nettie Ramsey, NDT Practitioner & Trainer. 281-794-5255 drnettieramsay@yahoo.com

wednesday YIN With Lin 9:30 am Yin yoga targets the deep connective tissues: fascia, ligaments, joints, and bones. It’s slow and meditative, facilitating the space to turn inward and tune into both your mind and the physical sensations of your body. RSVP Required. 713.858.8595 Lin Weiss - Certified Yoga Therapist linweiss@conscioushealingnow. com Blissful Quests® with Doyle Ward-The Pocast.

1:00pm.Are you looking for answers? Have you ever had a “hunch” or a “gut feeling” that came true? Are you wondering if you are intuitive? Maybe the real question to explore is not IF you are intuitive, but HOW you are intuitive. Doyle Ward is an experienced intuitive medium, teacher, grief recovery specialist, and life coach. Call in during the show at: 1-760-456-7277, access on-demand episodes or listen live! blissfulquests.com/podcast/ Healing Meditation at First Spiritualist Church of Houston.

7:30 pm Livestream on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FirstSpiritualistChurchofHouston/ People of Earth. 7:00 pm. Hosted by Jacquelyn Battise. A program created to provide Native American and non-Native people with timely news and information about culture, news and realities.

KPFC: Community Radio 90.1 FM. kpft.org

Vegan World Radio. 7:00 pm. Hosted by VWR Collective. Telling the story of the vegan revolution that’s saving the animals, the planet and our health. KPFC: Community Radio 90.1 FM. kpft. org

Naturopathic Reiki Self-Treatment Online Circle 7pm, 2nd Tuesday. Naturopathic Reiki is a subtle vibration healing therapy that gently promotes balance in body, mind, and spirit. FREE alifeofpeace.org/reiki-certification

saturday Integrative Hatha Yoga 9:30amTherapeutic and flowing asana practice focusing on heart and hip openers, twists, postural alignment, the energetic subtlebodies and meditation.Lin offers the wisdom of many traditions to address each student’s goals, whether beginner or advanced. RSVP Required. 713.858.8595 Lin Weiss - Certified Yoga Therapist linweiss@conscioushealingnow.com

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g•

ef Rec over y

Hypnosis is a normal and natural state of relaxation that can help with:

First Unitarian Universalist Church 10:30 am Sunday Morning Worship Livestream. https:// firstuu.org/ First Spiritualist Church of Houston 10:30 am Sunday Service Livestream. https://www.facebook.com/FirstSpiritualistChurchofHouston/ First Presbyterian Church of Houston 10:45 am. Sunday Worship Livestream. https://fpchouston.org/live/ Christ the King Lutheran Church 10:50 am Sunday Worship Livestream. https://facebook. com/ctkelc Fairbanks United Methodist Church 10:50 am Sunday Worship Livestream. https://www.facebook.com/believebelongbecomebelove/ Unity of Houston. 11 am Sunday Morning Service Livestreaming. https://unityhouston.org/

Ongo Workshop 1pm June 7-Aug. 15. Join Susan Wildin MD, CPC, for an opportunity to practice Nonviolent Communication at home in community with others by Catherine Cadden and Jesse Wiens. http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/ event?oeidk=a07egz9k78qd19a8143&llr=hrs9hgeab ISKCON 5 pm Sunday Feast Class Livestream https://www.mayapur.tv/ Whole Mother. 7:30 pm. Hosted by Pat Jones.

A show that discusses the political and practical aspects of being a mother today. KPFC: Community Radio 90.1 FM. kpft.org

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hin oac Life C

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Unity Spiritual Center of Greater Houston 10:15 am Sunday Service. Facebook Live https://unityspiritualcenterhouston.org

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10 am. Sunday Worship Livestream. https://www.facebook.com/GraceinHouston/

Dawn Mountain Center for Tibetan Buddhism 12 noon. Sunday Meditation & Dharma Talk. https://www.youtube.com/user/dawnmountain

Brith Shalom 6:15 pm Shabbat Online https:// www.brithshalom.org

tuesday

St Luke’s United Methodist Church 8:30, 9:45 & 11 am Online Worship. https://www.stlukesmethodist.org/special-livestream/

Creative Life Spiritual Center 11 am Sunday Celebration. Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/creativelife.org/

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Whether you are looking to optimize your health or take care of an injury, pain or a chronic medical problem, let Lance Westendarp ND, LAc, BCB, CKTP, E-RYT200, help. Lance is a graduate of Bastyr University with a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine. He has also been teaching yoga and movement since 2003, is board certified in biofeedback and mind-body medicine. Follow him on Facebook and call him today for a FREE phone consultation. See ad on page 5

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Healing Solutions & Wellness Lin Weiss MH MHT CYT 713.858.8595 linweiss@earthlink.net conscioushealingnow.com

Healing is the restoration of balance in the Body with the integration of Mind & Spirit.

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FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE ERIN THOLE, CNHP ErinThole.com Thole.erin@gmail.com

HOLISTIC HEALTH PRIMARY CARE

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Get to the Root Cause of your Health Conditions.

Erin has been working in the health and nutrition field for over 11 years specializing and working extensively with those suffering from: autoimmune, digestive, hormonal and inflammatory disorders.

She works with each client’s unique biochemistry to determine what dietary, supplementation and lifestyle changes will work best for them as an individual. There is NO one-size-fits-all program. All appointments are conducted via phone! This makes it very easy and convenient to receive care from any location. If you want to reach your true health potential, Email Erin today to schedule your FREE 45 minute initial phone consultation. Hours until 5 pm Fridays.

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“Better Health Naturally” Dr. Gracie G. Chukwu, ND, CTN 6401 Southwest Freeway, Suite 250 Houston, TX 77074 713-781-9991 HoustonHolisticHealthClinic.com

Have you spent years in hope for finding answers to your symptoms or illnesses? We offer people an alternative solution to conventional medicine by determining the specific nutritional needs of your body so that it can to heal itself.

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CLAUDIA AUTRY, HYPNOTIST

VENUS HAIR DESIGN

361 West 19th Street Houston, TX 77008 713-868-4725 venushairhouston.com Venus and her staff can do any age with any style, from a trim to a Mohawk.

She is a wizard at color! If you are in The Heights, drop by, check out her art car, The Hairse, and say Hi! Now OPEN by appointment me only!

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Looking for ways to relax or increase the joy in your life? Hypnosis can help you. Call TODAY to book your appointment. Let’s form a partnership for your growth!

INDIVIDUAL NUTRITIONAL PROTOCOLS LINDA ISAACS, MD 2500 W. William Cannon Dr., Suite 603 Austin, TX 78745 737-208-0831 DrLindaI.com

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For more than 20 years, Dr. Linda Isaacs and the late Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez offered individualized protocols involving diet, nutritional supplementation, and detoxification for cancer and other degenerative diseases. They published multiple articles in peer-reviewed medical journals about their results. The work is based on that of the Texas orthodontist Dr. William Donald Kelley. Dr. Isaacs is currently seeing new patients.

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MEDICAL CLINIC EmBee Lifestyle Docs

Houston’s first Holistic Lifestyle Medicine Clinic Bandana Chawla, MD & Munish Chawla, MD 4500 Bissonnet, Suite 355 Bellaire, TX 77401 We are board certified Internal Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine physicians committed to providing holistic care and addressing the root cause of disease. Personalized plan to empower you to treat and reverse many chronic medical conditions including diabetes, obesity and auto-immune diseases.

Medicare and most Insurance plans accepted.

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Reversing Medical Disease Clinic Dr. Mary A. Washington, MD 2525 N. Loop West, Suite 600 Houston, TX 77008 832-306-3941 marywashingtonmd.com

Are you overweight or obese? Do you suffer from diabetes or have high blood pressure?

Are you ready to take back control of your health? Dr. Mary A. Washington, MD has over two decades of experience as a kidney specialist. Let her design a custom diet and exercise plan just for you. Dr. Washington doesn’t just tell you, she shows you and motivates you to make the changes you need to make. Visit her website TODAY for more information about her programs and events or to schedule your first appointment.

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OCTOBER

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Joint Health

plus: Stress Management

OCTOBER

Coming Next Month

Stress Management Plus: Joint Health

MEDITATION CHUNG TAI ZEN CENTER OF HOUSTON

12129 Bellaire Blvd., Houston 77072 281-568-1568 • zen@cthouston.org cthouston.org Chan/Zen Meditation Classes, guided by Ordained Zen Masters of Chung Tai Chan Monastery Currently, due to corona virus outbreak. there are no events or classes scheduled. Check the web site (event calendar) for the most current information.

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Claire Villarreal: Meditation Instruction for Transformation clairevillarreal.com

Online meditation classes to help you bring your practice into your daily life.

Whether you are an experienced meditator or just beginning to meditate, Claire Villarreal, PhD offers online classes to help you make a lifesytyle of Coming Home to Your Mind. The free mini-course is available on her website and the full course During this time of added stress when in-person meditation communities are closed, take advantage of this opportunity to receive timeless teaching and practice in the comfort of your home.

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NATURAL HORMONES DR. FISHER ROAD 2 WELLNESS

Dr. LaTronica Fisher, DNP, ANP, GNP, RN 4544 Post Oak Place Dr. STE #254 Houston, Texas 77027 DrFisherRoad2Wellness.com 713 520-8188 Services: nHormone Rejuvenation nVaginal Dryness nUrinary Incontinence nLow Libido nErectile Dysfution nLow Stamina nWeight-Loss nSexual Dysfunction(men & women) nHair Restoration nNatural Face Lift Call today to schedule a consultation

NATUROPATH A Life Of Peace Wellness Education Institute Akua Gray - Naturopath 11201 Richmond Avenue, Suite A Houston, Texas 77082 832-303-3277 alifeofpeace.org drakuagray.com A Life Of Peace is a promise of nature, let’s work together to learn, live and teach the ways of wellness. Dr. Akua Gray, ND, a certified traditional Doctor of Naturopathy offering classes in wellness education.

Check out our events in this month’s Natural Awakenings calendar.

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SELF-HEALING Ching Chi Institute

Life energy education and research Kun Wu, Ph. D. Integral chi healer Chi H Wu, L. Acupuncturist 832-654-2885 .chingchiinstitute.com

CHING Do you want to learn CHI how to use your body’s own chi energy to decrease your chance of becoming ill, increase INSTITUTE your chance of recovering more quickly from illness, prevent a minor illness from becoming a major one, and improve your overall health? The Chi Ching Institute is now online with both live and prerecorded classes to teach you the principles and techniques of self-healing. Visit our website and look for our latest FREE class and the day and time of our next live class.

Stand up for what you know is right. ~Ronald Isley

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THERMOGRAPHY

SHAMANISM Shaman Spirits

Galveston, TX 4 0 9-7 6 2 - 6 0 2 7 anthony@shamanspirits.net ShamanSpirits.net “Shamanism provides personal and spiritual healing with ancient, elegant and time tested methods. Shamanic healing opens new pathways for personal growth and spiritual awareness. If you’re looking for a way to connect with spirit without dogma, shamanism offers methods to access your healing spirits for transformation, guidance and teachings for a better way of living filled with love and compassion.

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Offering Full Body, Health with abdominal and Breast Study at our Katy location as well as limited dates in our satellite offices. Visit us online at thermalimagingtexas.com or phone us at 713-621-4406 See ad on page 8

YOGA

SPIRITUALITY GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH 4040 West Bellfort Street Houston, TX 77025 713-666-1408 GraceInHouston.org

We are a welcoming, inclusive and affirming Christian community, committed to abundant, holistic living in the way of Jesus of Nazareth. Guided in our life together by the Episcopal Church tradition, we are committed a way of love.

Come walk on our Tree of Life Labyrinth by appointment anytime. Grace: you are welcome here.

FIRST SPIRITUALIST CHURCH OF HOUSTON 2115 Turner Dr. Houston, Texas 77093 713-695-2550 firstspiritualistchurchofhouston.org

Spiritualism is a common sense religion, one of knowing and living. We accept all truths and endeavor to prove their validity. Truths are found in nature, in other religions, in writings, in science, in philosophy, in Natural Law and are received through spirit communication. We are a growing family and would love for you to visit us LIVESTREAMING ON FACEBOOK Sunday Healing & Spirit Greetings 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday Open Healing Service 7:30 p.m.

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

YIN With Lin 9:30am Wednesdays

Yin yoga targets the deep connective tissues: fascia, ligaments, joints, and bones.

It’s slow and meditative, facilitating the space to turn inward and tune into both your mind and the physical sensations of your body. Because poses are held for a longer period of time, Yin practice helps you stretch and lengthen those rarely-used tissues while teaching you how to breathe through discomfort and sit with your thoughts. Healing results are remarkable with a consistent practice!

RSVP Required. 713.858.8595 Lin Weiss - Certified Yoga Therapist linweiss@conscioushealingnow.com

Integrative Hatha Yoga 9:30am Saturdays

Therapeutic and flowing asana practice focusing on heart and hip openers, twists, postural alignment, the energetic subtle bodies and meditation.

Lin’s passion for Yoga is evidenced by her warm and personable teaching style. She is a long-time practitioner/instructor of classical Hatha Yoga; Pranayama breathing technique; The Chakra System; and Meditation. Lin offers the wisdom of many traditions to address each student’s goals, whether beginner or advanced.

RSVP Required. 713.858.8595 Lin Weiss - Certified Yoga Therapist linweiss@conscioushealingnow.com

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in these times

Bodywork During COVID: Just My Experience

by Jessica Davis, LMT I don’t usually publish first-person articles but I feel that what Jessica has to say is both timely and useful. The photo is a stock photo and not Jessica herself and does not show all the precautions that she has in place. Mike Hart, publisher.

Off the top, I want to be clear that I do not promise my clients that I can provide a safe experience. I am clear that I have put every effort that I can to provide a safer experience. The virus is still very new to us and the data changes regularly. I encourage anyone contemplating massaging again to do your own research before deciding how to proceed from there. Personally, I am aiming for PT massage and PT supplemental to minimize my risk. Financially, I have to figure something out and I am working through my apprehension. The new procedures that I implemented include attempts to make everything as contactless as possible in an industry that is built on contact.

Direct contact and shared breathing space for extended periods of time is currently one of the best way to contract the virus.

My situation is that I work from home so on one hand it unnerved me, the thought of inviting people into my space again. On the other hand, I have some kind of control over the set up and changes that I felt the need to make to feel like I was creating a safer space to receive clients in. There were the little things, such as moving majority of payments online prior to the appointment so that the client can leave immediately after the appointment, eliminating the need to come into any other areas of my home to check out. As a matter of fact, I do not even go into the rest of my home until I am done cleaning in between sessions and have removed my PPE. I have an envelope ready for those that prefer to pay by check or cash. I removed all of the porous items such as curtains and the mat flooring since I could not disinfect those items in between sessions. I may still try tennis shoes and shoe protectors eventually for my socks

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NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

slide a bit on the hardwood flooring when doing deep tissue. I am still discovering what works and what does not as I go along.

All clients wear a mask for the duration of the session. For myself, I wear knee high socks to cover my feet and the lower parts of my legs that my robe does not quite cover. I wear a face shield and goggles combination with two masks and a nurses cap that are all changed out in between clients. I keep a window open with a window fan facing out to create some kind of ventilation and air flow. I clean the room, including mopping the floors in between each session before running a couple small UV tools. I leave a couple hours in between sessions for all of this and to allow time for the UV to clear out some too.

For the time being, all appointments are scheduled directly with me and I have not opened the online calendar yet. I have started out with a lighter work load than usual, max two appointments a day.

Current clients and referrals only. Mostly scheduling sixty minute sessions only with a handful of ninety minute sessions. It comes down to considering all of the variables of risk in any situation to protect myself and clients. Then it is about the layers of protections put in place to minimize the risk of infection. It will still remain to be seen if trying to massage as my only source of income will be sustainable. I am also seeking alternative streams of income. Doing the best I can to create the best balance that I can to both stay safe and take care of myself in the middle of a world pandemic as a Massage Therapist.

Full Circle Healing Massage & Bodywork 281-460-8243 fullcirclehealing.massagetherapy.com

fit body

unable to do a pose and embrace the modification. I go deeper in my poses now than when I was younger.”

Freedom Through Support

Yoga for Every Body Adaptive Ways Ease Pain and Immobility

by Marlaina Donato

Taming chronic pain, restoring energy re-

serves, improving heart health and relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety are only a few of the science-backed perks of spending time on a yoga mat. However, misconceptions about this ancient practice can make yoga seem intimidating for individuals that could benefit the most from it.

Adaptive yoga, designed for people challenged by injury, chronic pain, autoimmune disease or debilitating conditions like multiple sclerosis, can foster perhaps unexpected gains through the use of props, chairs, wall space and even countertops. From wheelchair-bound veterans to seniors with compromised balance, adaptive yoga offers new horizons for achieving well-being.

Yoga’s gentle influence goes beyond physical benefits. A 2017 British study published in the Journal of Pain Research found people with spinal cord injuries that took sitting yoga classes twice a week for six weeks were less depressed, more self-compassionate and more mindfully in the moment than those in a control group.

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Empowerment, Not Perfection

“Yoga is for any body, no matter the size, shape or color. It’s not about designer clothing, athletic ability, talents or perfection in the pose. Adaptive yoga is a movement to change this misconception and mitigate the anxiety to try yoga,” says Mindy Eisenberg, a Detroit-area certified yoga therapist and author of Adaptive Yoga Moves Any Body: Created for Individuals with MS and Neuromuscular Condition and the accompanying Adaptive Yoga Cards. For Eisenberg, the focus is about the internal experience, healing and most of all, “the sense of joy that comes from a regular practice.”

Ora Ramat, owner of the Wagging Tail Yoga Studio, in Bethel, New York, witnesses remarkable, everyday mastery in her students through adapted poses. “Many of my students are 40 to 95 years young, and the range of modification I do with them is endless,” says Ramat, who underscores the importance of listening to the body. “I learned the hard way 17 years ago when I first became a teacher. I am gentle with myself if I am

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

“Our students have a wide range of health conditions including spina bifida, arthritis, MS, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, fibromyalgia, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, paraplegia, epiphyseal dysplasia, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, chronic back pain and more,” says Miranda McCarthy, CEO of Wavelength VR (WavelengthVR.com), a healthcare company that produces a library of science-supported content for pain management without medication. The London-based creator of Adaptive Yoga LIVE, which offers seated online classes, knows firsthand how yoga can change lives.

“Until I found adaptive yoga, I felt like I was constantly at war with my body,” she says.

Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 2 and the youngest recipient of bilateral hip replacement surgery in the U.S., McCarthy thought she knew her body inside and out. After 40 surgeries and decades of rehabilitation and medication, she went through a radical shift in perspective. “When I discovered adaptive yoga, I soon realized my relationship with my body had only just begun.”

Eisenberg highlights the internal process that adaptive yoga can catalyze: “The energy and sensation that yoga students feel on the inside is much more important than what the pose looks like on the outside.” Items such as chairs, blocks, straps, blankets and bolsters are used to make traditional postures more accessible to those with physical challenges and to ensure safety. “Using props is not a sign of weakness or inferiority.

We even use ambulatory devices such as a cane as a prop. Those who require assistive devices cease to see them as a hindrance.

In fact, they become an accessory,” says Eisenberg.

For McCarthy, the biggest takeaway is simple, yet profound self-acceptance. “I no longer judge myself or compare myself to able-bodied people. I gained a newfound love for my body and a love for myself.”

Eisenberg affirms, “It’s exciting to realize that our bodies are so much more capable than we thought, and we learn that we are not defined by our individual disease or limitations. As my teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn says, ‘As long as you are breathing, there is more right with you than wrong.’”

Marlaina Donato is an author and composer.

Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

green living

Cars Go Vegan Leather Interiors are on the Way Out

by Yvette C. Hammett

Consumers are becoming more conscious

about their purchases in light of the ongoing climate crisis exacerbated by animal-based agriculture. As they begin to make better choices in what they consume, wear and drive, vegan car interiors are becoming more popular. The environmental impact of producing leather, foam and other materials is being replaced in some instances by alternatives that are becoming more readily available to environmentally conscious consumers.

The Toyota Prius line uses Sof-Tex synthetic leather or other synthetic cloth upholstery which bolsters its reputation as a sustainable automaker. Mercedes Benz and BMW are offering customers plant-based alternatives and Tesla has been dropping leather from its upholstery choices for a while now, with the Model 3 and Model Y already sporting vegan-only interiors. The Volvo Polestar 2 also comes standard with vegan upholstery, along with recycled wood.

And the 2020 Range Rover Evoque, Velar

35

and Jaguar I-Pace SUVs all offer consumers vegan interiors.

Research and development is ongoing in this realm to create faux leather that not only looks good, but is actually more durable and easier to maintain than leather. Vegan “leather” is being produced from cork, glazed cotton and even bark cloth, so it’s not just a matter of replacing animal-based products with unsustainable plastic.

With funding from Honda and Ford, Bharat Bhushan, Ph.D., director of the Nanoprobe Laboratory for Bio- & Nanotechnology and Biomimetics in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs of Ohio State University, Columbus, developed a faux leather that has the potential to be used on both seats and dashboards.

“I work in technology to repel water and oil from a variety of surfaces,” Bhushan says.

“Leather gets very sticky when it is hot, so we thought it would be great to repel water or any other contaminant to avoid that stickiness and help it remain clean.” The side benefit, he further notes, is that it’s an

NaturalAwakenings-Houston.com

alternative to animal hide.

Audi Head of Design Marc Lichte, whose twin daughters are both vegan, says vegan leather is a huge selling point for customers and that both the Audi e-tron GT and Q4 will be animal-free. Faux leather will replace the traditional leather, and all cushions, window trim, armrests, headliners and center consoles will be manufactured with recycled materials.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has made a major push in the past few years to increase production of vegan-based car interiors. In 2016, they conducted an investigation into JBS, the world’s largest leather supplier, which sells to car companies from GM to VW and more. “What it found was that the supplier severely mistreats the cattle being raised for the leather with hot irons on the face, electrocution, beatings and cutting their throats while they are still conscious,” says Jennifer Behr, corporate responsibility officer for PETA. “When consumers are shopping, they should take that into consideration. Those interiors came from a cow that lived a miserable life and died a painful one.”

Beyond that, cattle represent a climate risk.

The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health published a study showing that knowledge of the environmental ramifications from cattle is not well known by the average consumer. “The livestock industry is the source of a broad spectrum of environmental impacts,” the study states. “The first and most important is climate change.” It’s estimated that 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the livestock industry. Enlightened consumers are using that information to determine what they purchase, from food to cars.

BMW spokesperson Oleg Satanovsky says vegan options are not new for his company; they’ve been around for decades, but options have been updated. BMW uses a material called SensaTec, a new brand name for its non-animal-sourced upholstery “to reflect the more upscale design and feel of the materials,” he contends.

“We look to nature for clues” to develop alternatives, Bhushan says. His research was based on the lotus leaf and its resiliency—it’s both water and oil repellant. “A single species like that can be used for many things,” with little or no environmental impact.

Yvette C. Hammett is an environmental writer based in Valrico, FL. Connect with her at YvetteHammettHull49@gmail.com.

racism, the inherent disadvantages in education and household income they are born into and hostile, crime-infested neighborhoods where they live,” says Damon Nailer, a Monroe, Louisiana, motivational speaker and author of Living, Loving, Leading. For children in all circumstances, he says, it’s important to “teach them that setbacks, failures, losses and adversity help you to learn, grow and become stronger.”

healthy kids

2 Raising Resilient Kids How to Help Them Bounce Back

by Ronica O’Hara

I

n these turbulent times, children need to know how to confidently weather and deal with changes no matter what life hands them, say many psychologists.

Studies show that when kids are resilient—having the ability to recover quickly from difficulties—they are less fearful and anxious, more confident and empathetic, and better able to handle cataclysmic events like 9/11.

Resilience can help them deal creatively with everything from cyberbullying to societal change. A Florida Atlantic University study of 1,204 children found that those that agreed with such statements as, “I can deal with whatever comes my way,” “I am not easily discouraged by failure,” and, “Having to cope with stress makes me stronger,” were less likely to be bullied in person or online and better able to cope when it occurred.

Resilience can be taught and learned at any stage in a child’s life, studies suggest. Some useful strategies include:

1

Let them know they’re loved and supported. One stable, committed relationship with a supportive adult such as a parent, grandparent, aunt, teacher or coach is what a child needs to be resilient, according to research from Harvard’s Center for the Developing Child. This can be particularly important for children raised in less-than-ideal circumstances. “It is absolutely critical for African-American children to learn resilience due to the current climate of hostility and

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Make resilience a household word. When San Diego child psychologist Bruce Thiessen’s daughter Kassidy was 4, he’d pretend to be the wolf in The Three Little Pigs, howling, “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down!”

She would reply, “Go ahead! I’ll rebuild it tougher and stronger!”

It was his way of embedding resilience in her, which he and his wife Roxie have reinforced with books, movies and songs. “Making the theme of resilience dominant in multiple activities will make an enduring, indelible impression on your child,” he says.

3

Be a good example. “The most important thing to cultivate resilience, mindfulness and any other emotions really, is for parents to practice and model these things themselves,” says Christopher Willard, Ph.D., a Harvard lecturer and author of Raising Resilience: The Wisdom and Science of Happy Families and Thriving Children. Adults need to bounce back from setbacks, whether it’s a social media mistake or a lost job, and find ways to reframe what happened in a positive light. To convey that attitude to a child, ask at dinner or bedtime, “What was the rose in your day? The thorn? What did you learn? What would you do differently next time?” The parent can model responses to these questions by sharing their own rose and thorn.

4

Let them figure things out. “As tempting as it may be to step in every time you see your children struggling, allowing them to figure things out on their own builds resilience,” says Katie Lear, a Davidson, North Carolina, therapist specializing in childhood anxiety. “On the flip side, when a parent hovers or immediately steps in to solve a child’s problem, the child may interpret that behavior as, ‘I don’t trust you to be able to do this without help.’” Asking a child how they plan to solve a problem rather than questioning why the problem happened in the first place is a way to teach them creative problem-solving, advises Lynn Lyons, a Concord, New Hampshire, psychotherapist and co-author of Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents.

5

Teach thankfulness. Feelings of gratitude bolster resilience, studies show. For example, college students that performed gratitude-inducing exercises reported feeling better able to handle academic challenges. “Teach your child to look for the gift within every problem,” advises C.J. Scarlet, author of Heroic Parenting: An Essential Guide to Raising Safe, Savvy, Confident Kids. “That’s often hard to do in the midst of challenges, but just knowing there will be a gift found at some point can help your child to ride out the storm with greater patience and confidence.”

Ronica O’Hara is a Denver-based health writer. Connect at OHaraRonica@ gmail.com.

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ometimes it takes a little dog to

bring about a big truth, as Cheryl Christine, a professional musician and composer in Ridgeland, South Carolina, learned. “I was playing the piano at a party and the owners had a hyper little dog.

After a while, I started playing some of the music from my CD and the dog stopped, turned around and came up to me, and just sat there and listened. The owners were shocked.”

The mood of dogs and cats can be improved by hearing the right kind of tunes, but it’s important to choose their music wisely, because they are more highly attuned to sensory cues than humans.

Resounding Research The nicest notes for animals have been well studied, especially dogs. Colorado State University researchers found that auditory stimulation with music can be helpful or detrimental. Results of a study in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior suggest that dogs sleep more and bark less when they listen to classical music; and they

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shake more and rise to their feet when exposed to heavy metal music, possibly from nervousness.

Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., a zoologist and certified applied animal behaviorist in Wisconsin, wrote her dissertation on the effect of different types of sounds upon working domestic animals. “What is important is not whether the music is ‘classical’ or ‘heavy metal’, but whether it includes a set of acoustic features that appear to be universally associated with soothing or stimulating internal states,” states McConnell in her blog, TheOtherEndOfTheLeash.com.

McConnell explains that, “Pure tones and regular rhythms are associated with positive states.” On the other hand, harsh, noisy tones and irregular rhythms are linked with negative ones. She adds, “A tempo matching an animal’s resting heart rate (or respiration) tends to be calming.”

Composers and musicians are currently writing music specifically for animals with the aim of reducing stress from noise or separation, assisting with healing, controlling overeating and soothing irritability.

Compositions for Cats Christine was volunteering at a local animal shelter that played country music for the cats. “I wondered what their reaction would be if I wrote some meditative music with different tones—beta/ alpha waves—to present to them alternative sounds,” she says.

She composed some music and experimented with it in the cat room, noticing that the animals reacted positively to certain tones.

That eventually led to a CD for cats, and then one for dogs, with the proceeds donated to the ASPCA and the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, in New York City.

Harmonies for Hounds The Rescue Animal MP3 Project, an organization that has donated free MP3 players filled with music to more than 1,420 animal shelters and sanctuaries, was founded by Pamela Fisher, a holistic veterinarian in North Canton, Ohio. Calmer animals are more likely to be adopted, and the music is designed to provide a relaxed environment for animals so they can better cope with stressful housing conditions. The MP3s contain a variety of music

and artists, including selections like Canine Lullabies, by Terry Woodford, therapeutic music expert; Pet Calm, Pet Healing, by hypnotherapist Rick Collingwood; and Harp Music to Soothe the Savage Beast, by Alianna Boone, who states, “The structure of the harp is considered to be the most healing instrument next to the human voice.”

Pet owners may need to listen more closely. “We so often focus on other aspects of their environment—Is their dog bed comfy? Does it look pretty to us?—and fail to attend to the impact of sound on our dog’s environment (not to mention our own),” writes McConnell about new animal-music studies.

There are many melodic medleys for pet parents, but buyer beware. “If you’re to spend your money on this, make sure you are looking at music backed by research,” advises Christine.

For more information, visit Cheryl Christine.com.

Julie Peterson writes about wellness for people, animals and the environment. Reach her at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.

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