Natural Awakenings Pittsburgh September 2020

EE R F

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

YOGA FOR

EVERY BODY Adaptive Ways Ease Pain and Mobility

NATURAL ANTIVIRALS

Strengthen Your Immune System

Emotional Well-Being

Self-Care for Tough Times

HOW TO RAISE RESILIENT KIDS September 2020 | Pittsburgh, PA Edition | naturalawakeningsswpa.com September 2020

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

PITTSBURGH, PA EDITION Publisher Michelle Dalnoky Editor Martin Miron Calendar Editor Sara Peterson Ad Designer Zina Cochran Design & Production C. Michele Rose Sales & Marketing Michelle Dalnoky Lisa Doyle

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letter from publisher

Grow…

It has been a challenging year for gardeners in the area due to the drought, but thankfully some rain has started to fall. I am lucky to have a well on my property and some basic drip irrigation. I am a lifelong organic gardener and permaculture enthusiast. Permaculture is a holistic and natural way of tending the Earth that uses indigenous wisdom and methods inspired by natural and organic gardening and farming. By using these principles, we attempt to mimic nature to support healthy ecosystems that can sustain us.

We should all be learning more about permaculture and sharing that knowledge freely.

It can be used on small lots of land, homesteads or farms. There are ethical principles that embrace caring for the planet and all of its living creatures and sharing the abundance that we reap.

It encourages us to think about the relationships we foster between plants, pollinators, animals and humans, and how we can support healthy and sustainable co-existence living in equality.

There is a lot of information online to learn how to tend the land so we become self-sustaining.

Some permaculture principles include designing the land to grow plants and trees in a way that they support and nourish each other, like food forests that provide shade for understory trees and then shrubs and on down to the forest floor. Some of the plants may provide food for humans or animals or even pollinators, but they do so by design. The design from Mother Nature or those that try to replicate her wisdom. With permaculture, we use plants that nourish other plants, such as bringing nitrogen as food. One such plant is comfrey, commonly used as a nitrogen-fixing plant to nourish trees or other plants.

Comfrey can also be used in the “chop-and-drop” method of adding nutrients to soil or as a liquid fertilizer by turning it into comfrey tea. It grows abundantly in most climates and is easily propagated. Another technique commonly used in permaculture is the building of swales, or small hills, to hold and direct water instead of just letting it run off. This also prevents erosion. Geoff Lawton, one of the most famous advocates of permaculture, transformed a desert climate into a fertile garden using swales. You can learn a lot from his YouTube videos.

Hugelkultur is another popular method where you basically bury wood in mounds and grow a variety of plants on those mounds. The breakdown of the wood provides nutrients and holds moisture so the mounds become very productive. These ideas that I’m sharing are just a few of the ways that permaculture uses natural methods to tend the Earth and grow food using the wisdom of nature that indigenous cultures around the globe have used. There are no toxic chemicals, but there is a synergy that is cultivated to encourage abundance and sustainability.

As our world becomes less stable, we need to learn to thrive using these self-sustaining principles—to be able to feed ourselves and make sure that everyone has healthy food.

Nutrition is the basis of our health and wellness as humans, as well as our ability to deal with pandemics. We need healthy food. We need a clean environment. We need to respect the life of all beings and of each other. Even here, it’s not too late to plant some food. There are fall and winter vegetables that we can plant right now. There are seeds to be saved, trees to be planted and swales to be built. It’s a journey and a process, but one that is very satisfying. The health of our planet is a direct indication of the health of our species in every way. If our planet is unhealthy, we are unhealthy. If our planet is out of balance, we are out of balance. Let’s keep working toward learning how to be healthy, be in balance and exist in balance with nature, and enjoy the beauty and abundance that surrounds us.

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

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soy-based ink.

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Michelle Dalnoky, RN, BA, Publisher

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Natural Awakenings is a family of 55-plus healthy living magazines celebrating 26 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 8

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NATURAL ANTIVIRALS

Help in Staying Strong and Healthy

10 CARS GO VEGAN

Leather Interiors are on the Way Out

12 SPICE UP HEALTH

Using Herbs for Flavor and Medicine

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14 RAISING RESILIENT KIDS How to Help Them Bounce Back

16 EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING IN THE PANDEMIC AGE

Self-Care Strategies for Tough Times

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24 YOGA FOR EVERY BODY

Adaptive Ways Ease Pain and Immobility

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DEPARTMENTS 4 health briefs 6 global briefs 8 healing ways 10 green living 12 conscious

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fit body calendar resource guide classifieds

eating 14 healthy kids

September 2020

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cover artist

health briefs

Carolee Clark

“I believe that everyone is creative in different ways,” says Oregon artist Carolee Clark. “It might manifest itself in cooking, gardening or other creative activities. I am a visual person, and my learning experience throughout my schooling was influenced by this proclivity. I view the world as spatial, noticing colors and patterns.”

A full-time artist since 1998, Clark began painting with watercolors, experimented with pastels and now works mainly with acrylics, favoring landscapes and figures as subject matter. “My friends tease me about how I continually try new directions and am never satisfied with the work I’m doing at the moment,” she confides, “but I like to push myself to explore bold, new ideas.”

One element of Clark’s everevolving passion has remained unchanged: her love of drawing, which enables her to quickly capture her ideas as realistically or abstractly as she desires, and then concentrate on color choices and the application of paints. She explains, “I like to exaggerate forms in a playful manner and use unusual colors and intriguing calligraphic brushwork and patterns.”

Boost Fun Nutrition with Microgreens

Clark’s artwork is held in private collections throughout North America, Europe and Australia. View her portfolio at CaroleeClark.com and her blog at CaroleeClark.WordPress.com.

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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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Dancer’s Pose

In exploring the mind-body link that is particularly relevant during the current pandemic, an analysis of 56 randomized clinical studies found that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and similar approaches reduced inflammation and enhanced immunity in subjects, reports JAMA Psychiatry.

University of California, Davis, researchers reviewed studies that included 4,060 participants undergoing behavior therapy (which seeks to help patients understand and change problematic behaviors), cognitive therapy (which teaches patients how to change negative thoughts or mindset), CBT (that combines elements of both), bereavement or supportive therapy, psychoeducation and other therapies such as stress management. Those that received these psychosocial interventions experienced a 14.7 percent increase in positive immune outcomes such as lower viral load and an 18 percent decrease in negative outcomes, including proinflammatory cytokines, compared with those not receiving therapy. The immunity improvements were strongest among patients that received CBT or multiple interventions.

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Consider Therapy to Reduce Inflammation

Oak Wood Extract Can Lessen Post-Surgical Effects

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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.

September 2020

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global briefs

Starchy Solution

A Plant-Based Alternative to Plastic

Japanese manufacturer Kuraray has introduced a renewable and sustainable starch-based barrier film called Plantic. The plant-based packaging material can be recycled or composted to achieve a circular product cycle. Conventional packaging made from multiple layers of plastic can cause recovery issues, and perishable food imposes unique demands on wrapping. Plantic packaging washes away or decomposes after use. It includes compostable coffee pouches, as well as a barrier layer to package meat, seafood and poultry products with continuous protection against oxygen and other gases that spoil food. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that one-third of all produced food is wasted in the supply chain.

Plastic Rain

Airborne Particulates Blanket Wilderness

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Researchers estimate more than 1,000 tons of microplastics, equal to more than 123 million plastic water bottles, are deposited from the air into national parks and wilderness areas each year. Utah State University assistant professor Janice Brahney and her team used high-resolution atmospheric deposition data to identify microplastics and other particulates collected over 14 months in 11 national parks and wilderness areas. In a report in Science, they identified the plastic and polymers composition to track its sources and movement, and found that most of the plastics deposited in both wet and dry samples were microfibers sourced from both clothing and industrial materials. Approximately 30 percent of the particles were brightly colored microbeads likely derived from industrial paints and coatings.

Brahney says, “We confirmed through 32 different particle scans that roughly 4 percent of the atmospheric particles analyzed from these remote locations were synthetic polymers.� The same high resilience and longevity that makes plastics useful lead to progressive fragmentation instead of degradation in the environment. Clear and white particles were not included because they did not meet the criteria for visual counting, so estimates of plastic deposition were conservative.

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September 2020

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healing ways

Natural Antivirals

Stress Management plus: Joint Health

Readers are Seeking These Providers & Services:

Help in Staying Strong and Healthy

by Ronica O’Hara

Energy Healing • Life Coaches Spiritual Practices • Advocacy/Peer Groups Relationship Counseling • Physical Therapy ... and this is just a partial list!

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OCTOBER

THE DIABETES CHALLENGE ISSUE

NOVEMBER

Personalized Diabetes Strategies plus: Skin Care

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Creating Community & Connection plus: Spending Locally

CONNECT WITH OUR READERS THREE-MONTH EDITORIAL CALENDAR & MARKETING PLANNER

Contact us to learn about marketing opportunities and become a member of the Natural Awakenings community at: 724-271-8877

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n 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.

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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. ConsumerLab.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.

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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 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.

Learn More Coronavirus Handbook by Leo Galland, M.D.: A comprehensive look from an integrative physician at coronavirus mechanisms, nutritional strategies and supplements. DrGalland.com/coronavirusprotection-protocol Coronavirus Information Center: Up-to-date information on natural remedies and nutritional supplements.

ConsumerLab.com/coronavirus September 2020

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inspiration

Cars Go Vegan Leather Interiors are on the Way Out

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by Yvette C. Hammett

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

Research and development is ongoing in this realm to create faux leather that 10

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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 animalbased 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 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,

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and all cushions, window trim, armrests, headliners and center consoles will be manufactured with recycled materials.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) made a major push in the past few years to increase production of vegan-based car interiors. In 2016, PETA 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.

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green living

NAPA110

September 2020

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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.

conscious eating

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Best Herbal Buddies

SPICE UP HEALTH Using Herbs for Flavor and Medicine

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by April Thompson

erbs 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 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.

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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

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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 post-meal 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.

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ana, 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

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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 Raising Resilient Kids How to Help Them Bounce Back

by Ronica O’Hara

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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:

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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 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, Louisi14

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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.

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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.

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Teach thankfulness. Feelings of gratitude bolster resilience, studies show. For example, college stu-

dents 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.”

OCTOBER

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

Mindful Means to Resilience BounceBack Breathing

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Resilience is Just a Deep Breath Away

Mindfulness—being in the moment without judgment—has been linked to youthful resilience, numerous studies show, perhaps because it allows a child to take a deep, calming breath in the midst of a trying event. “Mindfulness training really does create new brain connections that boost resilience to stress,” says Christopher Willard, a Harvard lecturer and author of Growing Up Mindful. When children learn mindfulness, he says, they “can better self-regulate their emotions, and stress is less likely to overwhelm them and lead to mental health issues like anxiety or depression.” Getting a child started on mindfulness can be as simple as teaching them a breathing exercise.

Chocolate breathing: Imagine you are holding up a mug of hot chocolate. Breathe in through your nose like you are smelling it, then exhale through your mouth like you are cooling it off. Repeat for a minute or two.

Bumblebee breathing: Sitting comfortably, breathe in through your nose for a

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Joint Health

Plus: Stress Management

count of four. Exhale, making a buzzing or humming sound. Repeat 10 or more times.

Mountain breathing: While inhaling through your nose, raise your arms high

above your head and bring your palms together, imagining you are as high as a mountain. Then ground your feet into the floor, imagining roots going deep into the earth. Exhale through your mouth while lowering your palms together in front of your chest. Repeat several times.

Count breathing: Closing your eyes and sitting quietly, count “one” to yourself as you exhale. With the next exhale, count “two” and so on up to “five,” start back at one again, and repeat for at least five minutes.

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

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by Sandra Yeyati

s 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.

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The Cocoon of Self-Compassion

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

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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.

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

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

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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.”

in touch with as much of your moment-tomoment 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 sensations. We might feel heat in the neck and face when embarrassed or a sinking feeling in the 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

Making Courage a Habit In her book The Courage Habit, life coach Kate Swoboda presents a four-part 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 likeminded 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 warmheartedness for a couple of minutes.

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thinking, improved decision making and, 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 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

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

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physical changes in 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.

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Toward a Stronger Foundation for Emotional Health

by Lesa Vivio

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motional health is at the core of our physical wellness, and we are living in a world that is an adrenal system’s nightmare—high demand, high stress and high drama. Our ancestors experienced the phenomena of “fight-or-flight” when they encountered a wild animal that might want to eat them. Now we experience it when we log into social media, go to work, drive a car or turn on the TV. Once the reflex is triggered, our teeth clench, our muscles contract, our heartrate skyrockets, our digestion and immune system shut down and our thinking brain shuts off. At this point, the only priority is to protect ourselves from the perceived danger and get out of our discomfort zone—but our brain is deceiving us. The alarm is no longer rooted in physical danger so much as the psychologi-

cal. However, our bodies respond as if the stress is comparable to a life or death threat.

It is thought that roughly 70 percent of our thoughts are redundant, automatic and negative. This reflects the interplay between our unconscious and conscious mind.

Strictly speaking, our unconscious mind is a data bank of observations and experiences that are believed to begin while we are in our mother’s womb and with the mass absorption of information throughout our early childhood. It isn’t until our brain develops more fully that we begin to challenge this data. That is why teenagers may seem insufferable; they are beginning to question the validity of their every belief. The reality is that their minds are not yet developed enough to see the grey areas of uncertainty necessary to find understanding.

A generational discord exists on the topic of emotional health because society has undergone a tremendous shift in how we view the role of emotions and mental health. The silence of, “Don’t ask, don’t tell”, has been broken by persistent identification of triggering thoughts, words and experiences. At one extreme there is an avoidance and denial of emotions, and on the other a strong desire for awareness and even indulgence of emotions. Simply put, our wound is probably not our fault, but healing is our responsibility.

The repression of feelings is certainly not healthy, but we cannot allow them to dictate our reality, either. It is our job to flip the script, so to speak. A combination of self-awareness, self-monitoring, and self-care is the is the key to assist us in updating our conscious thoughts, rewiring our brain and promoting lasting emotional change. As we become more aware of the old, outdated patterning of our thoughts and feelings, we can begin to redefine them to reflect our current values and beliefs. By letting go of what no longer serves us, we release the pressure of the psychological struggle and move toward strong emotional health and a foundation for overall wellness.

Lesa Vivio is a licensed professional counselor, certified mental health integrative medicine provider and owner of Sacred.

Centered. You. in California, PA. See ad, page 6.

GR W

Your Business Call for information:

724-271-8877

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September 2020

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Yoga and Emotional Well-Being

by Kate Mackin

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motions are a mysterious part of being human; often misunderstood and a little scary because they can be so powerful.

Many of us have been taught to control or suppress our emotions to maintain a grounded, stable appearance, but even as we control them, our emotions manifest in physical ways in our body. Yoga can help raise our awareness and show us how to process our emotions in a healthy way.

Emotions are physiological, as well as psychological. They are chemical reactions within the body in response to our sensory input or our thoughts. They are real—we aren’t making them up. These reactions make us “feel”. Sometimes we discount our emotions because they don’t seem as concrete as rational thought.

For example, our body gives us signals like hunger, feeling ill or recognizing the need to go to the bathroom. Emotions are also body signals. They let us know that things are either going well or maybe there is something that needs our attention.

To practice yoga is to become a master of our mind and our body. As we do yoga poses, we pay attention to the sensations of our body and the way our breath feels. We start to pay attention to the way we feel and our thoughts. This awareness reveals a connection between our thoughts, feelings and our physical being.

Emotions are a part of the human experience—some are more pleasant than others, but all of them give us clues about how we are processing our experiences or how we are thinking. As we become more familiar with these emotional cues, we can respond skillfully to situations that need our attention. If we are thinking thoughts that are not supportive or helpful, we can choose new thoughts that are more helpful. Thought patterns are another form of sensory input. Yoga can help us to quiet our mind, go inward and begin to sort through these patterns for a healthier lifestyle.

Kate Mackin serves as president on the board of directors at the Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh, located at 300 Beverly Rd., in Pittsburgh. For more information, call 412-344-7434 or visit hipyoga.org. See ads on pages 21, 25 and 31.

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September 2020

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

fit body

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Freedom Through Support

Yoga for Every Body Adaptive Ways Ease Pain and Immobility

by Marlaina Donato

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aming chronic pain, restoring energy reserves, 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, 24

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more self-compassionate and more mindfully in the moment than those in a control group.

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

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“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 sciencesupported 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.

Online Yoga Resources Free adaptive yoga classes online from Miranda McCarthy.

AdaptiveYogaLive.com YogaJP, YouTube chair yoga classes for people in wheelchairs.

Tinyurl.com/WheelchairYogaClasses

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Yoga and MS, book from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. omsyoga.org

Adaptive Yoga Benefits from Miranda McCarthy  Increased strength, balance and flexibility—both mental and physical  Discovery of a subtle level of mind-body sensation not impeded by disability  Improvements in the quality of breathing  A sense of lightness and freedom within the body  An increased ability to manage stress  A deepened sense of wholeness and connection with others September 2020

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calendar of events NOTE: Events were accurate at the time the magazine went to press – please call ahead to check for date or time changes. All calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month and adhere to our guidelines. Review submissions guidelines at NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com or email Publisher@NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com for more information.

Plant Based Meal Prep – 5-6:30pm. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner. Green smoothies, BBQ tofu bowl, and veggie lasagna rollups with tofu ricotta. Register for the virtual class at 3898p.blackbaudhosting.com. $20/members, $22/nonmembers. 412-622-6915.

PhippsConservatory.org.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

Enchanted Creature Ball: Into the Woods – Pittsburgh – 7pm. Hosted by 3rd Street Belly Dance. 21 and over. Channel your inner fairies, elves, goblins and more at this fun, extraordinary immersive event! Dress is formal – dress as an Enchanted Creature in Formal.

Cash bar. $58 or $78/VIP. 205 Mary St, Carnegie, PA. 412-708-8838. Ticket info: 3rdStreetBellyDance.com.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 A Soulful Taste of the Burgh – 1-10pm. Shaker Woods Festival and Live Nation Concerts Honoring Soul Food businesses in Western PA since 1776.

Annual fest. BBQ contest, live bands, speakers, vendors. Jazz Legend Roy Ayers. Market Square, 210 Forbes Ave. 412-566-4190.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 Gentle Flow with Amy Rhodes – 6-7pm. Another 60-minute pop-up class at OmBody. All skill levels. Social distancing. $12 cash drop in. OMBody, Uniontown, PA. 724-320-9386. OMBodyMassageAndWellness@gmail.com.

Our Hearts Desire: Mars Retrograde 2020 – 6:30-7:30pm. Hosted by Sacred Centered You. Online class with Stephen Jarvis. Mars in retrograde prompts us to re-evaluate our path. Learn to use Mars to re-align yourself. $5.55. Registration required. StephenJarvisAstrology.com/classes.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 She Matters: Black Girls and Gender-Based Violence – 3-5pm. Hosted by Gwen’s Girls. Online webinar by advocates on the front lines. Early warning signs of gender-based violence and resources to end the abuse-to-prison pipeline experienced by far too many black girls. 412-904-4239. Register for the zoom webinar at Gwensgirls-org.zoom.us. GwensGirls.org.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 Pranic Rhythm – 6-7pm. OMBody. Grounding, energetic vinyasa flow with rich percussion sounds.

Social distancing. $12. Uniontown, PA. 724-3209386. OMBodyMassageAndWellness@gmail.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 Fall Bird Walk – 7:30-9am. West Virginia Botanic

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 Salty Vibrations Sound Healing – 4-4:55pm.

Hosted by Sacred Centered You and Salt of the Earth. Join Lesa Vivio for a Salt Cave sound-healing session. $45/tickets: Clients.MindBodyOnline.com.

504 Valley Brook Rd, McMurray, PA. 724-2600472. Lisa@SaltOfTheEarthpgh.com.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

Chunky Knit Pumpkin Workshop – 2pm. With AR Workshop Robinson. All levels, no needles.

Make a set of 3, $45; set of 5, $69. Includes all materials. Social distancing measures. Mask required; gloves, aprons provided. 412-407-9002.

6511 Robinson Centre Dr, Pittsburg.

Intuitive Reading, Reiki Healing and Massage Therapy – 2-5pm. OmBody special event. Preregistration required as time and space are limited.

Three services and complimentary wine to help balance body, mind, and spirit. $155 non-refundable.

OMBody, Uniontown, PA. 724-320-9386. OMBodyMassageAndWellness@gmail.com.

Garden. Kate Fallon of Mountaineer Audubon leads an early morning bird walk. Bring binoculars. Free to Botanic Garden and Audubon members, $15/ nonmembers. Tickets at Forms.donorsnap.com.

1061 Tyrone Rd, Morgantown WV. 304-322-2093.

Online Retreat – What Will be Your New Normal – 10am-noon. Hosted by All Good Things Coaching. $20. Tickets at Eventbrite. Zoom link provided.

Spend time reflecting on your “new normal” and how to bring it into existence. 412-337-1416. AllGoodThingsCoaching.com.

Backyard Farm School – Pepper School – 1-4pm.

Hosted by Churchview Farm and Grow Pittsburgh.

Sweet, spicy, and everything nice, about peppers. $30. Grow PGH members get discount. Tickets by Eventbrite. Churchview Ave Ext, Pittsburgh. Tara@ ChurchViewFarmpgh.com.

Lawrenceville Art Crawl 2020 – 3-11:55pm. By Redfishbowl. Butler St, 38th to 52nd. Free. Visual artists, bands, performers, venues, food trucks, pop-ups. Afterparty at Redfishbowl Studios, 4327 Butler St, Pittsburg. 724-681-8965. Chris@redfishbowl.com.

GlobalPittsburgh Outdoor Painting Class – 4-6:30pm. GlobalPittsburgh event supporting immigrant businesses. No skills required. Oil painting class with Russian-born local artist Yelan Lamm.

Material provided. Space limited due to social distancing. Mask required. $40/members, $45/nonmembers. Tickets: Events.r20.constantcontact.com.

The Global Switchboard, 305 34th St, Pittsburg.

412-471-7852. Info@TheGlobalSwitchboard.org.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 Introduction to Autism – 6:30-8:30pm. By Autism Connection of Pennsylvania. Registration for this free workshop is required: Aboard.memberlodge.com/ event-8693570. Ask questions, voice concerns, get tips from people who understand. 35 Wilson St, Ste 100, Pittsburgh. 412-781-4116. Help@autismofpa.org.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 Flower Essence Class – 11am-4pm. Hosted by Rev. Mary Anne Gibbons and The Natural Way. Learn how flower essences work and get a personal essence mixture. Earn certification in Flower Essence Application. State guidelines limit class size to six.

Preregistration required at RonzioSchool.com. $125 includes materials. Dr. Lillian Ronzio School of Holistic Health, 275 Pleasant Valley Rd, Connellsville.

724-603-2444. RonzioSchool@gmail.com.

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Wurst Käse Szenario - 5th Anniversary Dinner – 5-9:30pm. Hosted by the German American Chamber of Commerce, Pittsburgh Chapter at Priory Hotel, despite COVID. Celebrate our anniversary with classic German cooking. Valet parking: $5. Tickets: gaccPittsburgh.wildapricot.org/event-3747300. 614 Pressley St, Pittsburg.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 Wilderness Survival 101 – 9am-4pm. Hosted by True North Wilderness Survival School. The perfect introduction to the fundamentals, as taught at U.S. military survival schools. $125. 412-913-6000.

Register/payment: ExploreTrueNorth.com. Info: Erik@ExploreTrueNorth.com.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 Listening to Communities Towards Activist Art – 1-3pm. Zoom webinar hosted by Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. Artist workshop with Maritza Mosquera, explore how to use listening as an art practice to further conversations. Her art focuses on justice, health, and community. $10. Tickets: PittsburghArtsCouncil.org. 412391-2060.

plan ahead FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2

savethedate FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2 Healing the Energetic Body Retreat – Oct. 2-4.

Hosted by Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh, in the Laurel Highlands. Pampered camping, hiking, kayaking, yoga, health consultation, seminars, chef-prepared meals. Register at hipyoga. org. 412-344-7434.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17

savethedate

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Certification – Begins Oct. 17. On-site or online. With the area’s longest standing, most reputable yoga teacher certification program – Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh. Inherit the wisdom of a living tradition. Philosophy, anatomy, techniques and much more. Register at hipyoga.org. 412-344-7434.

ongoing

Forest Hills Farmers' Market – 4-7pm. Every Fri thru Oct. Managed by the Late Bloomers Garden Club, the Forest Hills Farmers' Market features home-grown produce, baked goods and unique products for sale. New COVID-19 guidelines will be in effect for the 2020 season. Location: Forest Hills Presbyterian Church parking lot, 1840 Ardmore Blvd., Forest Hills, PA.

sunday Yoga in the Square – Thru Sept 30. 10-11am.

Hosted by Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. Free outdoor socially distanced yoga classes in Market Square. 50-person limit. Registration required at DowntownPittsburgh.com. Bring your own mat.

Heartfulness Meditation – 11am-noon. 1st Sun. Hosted by Heartfulness Pittsburgh. Age 15+. Guided relaxation and meditation for ages 15 and up. Learn the basics of heartfulness and how it can benefit you.

Be casual. Free. Winchester Thurston Lower School in Shadyside, Rm 202. Info: Heartfulness.org.

Sunday’s Restorative Rejuvenation – 5-6:30pm.

3rd Sun. Hosted by Morgantown Power Yoga. All levels welcome. Learn to use breath, props, and focused awareness to decrease stress and anxiety in the body and the mind. Compliment your power yoga practice with restorative rejuvenation. $25.

235 Spruce St, Morgantown. WV. Tickets: Clients.

MindBodyOnline.com.

monday

saturday wednesday Art of DIY Educational Series – 4-5:30pm. Learn basic tools, techniques, upcycling, color theory, design, hand-knitting. Eight-week series. Ages 8-14. 12 seats available. Two options: standard/$295; extended/$365 (extra ½ hour, extra project). Complete six projects.

AR Workshop Robinson, 6511 Robinson Centre Dr, PGH. 412-407-9001. Register: arWorkshop.com.

Yoga in the Square – Thru Sept 30. 5:30-6:30pm.

Hosted by Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. Free outdoor socially distanced yoga classes in Market Square. 50-person limit. Registration required at DowntownPittsburgh.com. Bring your own mat.

Mindful Mondays – Thru Sept. 9-9:10am. Join the Veteran’s Administration Pittsburgh’s Whole Health facilitators for a weekly moment of mindfulness.

Call in every day (except federal holidays) at 9am to transform your day. Start your week with an inner calm, serenity, and harmony. Cal 1-844-376-0278, access code: 685412322.

Introduction to Astrology – 6:30-8:30pm. Sept 23-Nov 24. Hosted by Sacred Centered You. Learn the basics of Astrology in this online six-week class taught by Stephen Jarvis. 14-hours. $300. Register at StephenJarvisAstrology.com. Includes workbook and 20-min. reading.

tuesday

thursday

Waynesburg Farmers’ Market – Thru Sept. 10am2pm. Hosted by Waynesburg Farmers’ Market and Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful at the Green County Courthouse, 10 East High St, Waynesburg.

724-852-5212. Follow COVID guidelines on social distancing, masks, and handwashing.

Yoga Classes – 9:30-10:30am. 1st & 2nd Thurs.

Hosted by Spruce Street United Methodist Church.

All ages and abilities with variations to accommodate health and movement issues, with students sitting or standing next to a chair. Emphasis on meditative practices. Wear comfortable clothing. 386 Spruce Street, Morgantown, West Virginia. 304-292-3359.

Lawrenceville Farmers’ Market – Thru Sept.

3-6pm. Join more than 20 local farmers and producers in Arsenal Park, 250 40th St. COVID safety protocols are in place. Sign up to attend the market at Lunited.org. Info at 412-802-7220.

Online Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Hosted by WVU Collegiate Recovery. All skill-levels welcome. A password is required, but anyone can join! Free.

Email olivia.pape@mail.wvu.edu to get the code.

Intermediate Astrology – 6:30-8:30pm. Sept 22- Oct 27. Hosted by Sacred Centered You. This online interactive six-week intermediate astrology series, taught

by Stephen Jarvis, includes a customized workbook.

14-hours. $300. Register at StephenJarvisAstrology.com.

Guided Meditation with Reiki – Thru Dec 22.

7-7:50pm. 3rd Tue. Hosted by Salt of the Earth. Guided meditation begins with gentle relaxation leading to deep inner awareness and peace. $18. Tickets: Clients.

MindBodyOnline.com. Once registered you will receive an email link. Click the link five minutes prior to start. 724-260-0472. LisaMascara@gmail.com.

The Salty Core – 7-8pm. 4th Tue. Hosted by Salt of the Earth and Valleybrook Pilates & Fitness. Pilates in the Cave to lengthen and expand muscles for a leaner, stronger you. Incorporate breath, stretch, and strengthening. Open to all levels. 504 Valley Brook Rd, McMurray, PA. Tickets: SaltOfTheEarthpgh.com.

Market Square Farmers' Market – Thru Oct 29. 10am-2pm. Hosted by Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. Local farms, organic produce, fresh food. 210 Forbes Ave. 412-566-4190.

Art of DIY Educational Series – 4-5:30pm. Learn basic tools, techniques, upcycling, color theory, design, hand-knitting. Eight-week series. Ages 8-14. 12 seats available. Two options: standard/$295; extended/$365 (extra ½ hour, extra project). Complete six projects.

AR Workshop Robinson, 6511 Robinson Centre Dr, PGH. 412-407-9001. Register: arWorkshop.com.

Morgantown Summer Farmer’s Market – Thru Oct. 8:30am-noon. Pick-up only until further notice. Pull in off of 231, enter the market, exit onto Hwy 70. Call Farmboy (270-526-4649) for a to-go breakfast order for hosting. Support local!

Place sign with your last name, visible through your windshield, follow our signs and directions for drive-through pick-up. Morgantown Farmers Market, 503 No High St, Morgantown, WV. Info: mfmgamanager@gmail.com. Order online: MorgantownFarmersMarket.org.

Volunteer Opportunity – Hilltop Urban Farm – Thru Oct. 9am-noon. 1st & 3rd Sat. Bring a mask and water bottle. Help with mowing, mulching, trimming, planting, weeding and more. 700 Cresswell St. Info: Ned@HilltopUrbanFarm.org.

Virtual Walk with a Doc – Thru Oct 17. 3rd Sat. Hosted by Gentile Family Direct Primary Care. Dr. G will post a health-related educational video on Facebook and Instagram, then look forward to your comments on the health talk, on Walk with a Doc Highland Park Facebook page, on your own social media use #VirtualWWAD, tag @GentileFamilyDirectPrimaryCare, @wwadhp, @walkwithadoc, and @wwadhp. GentileFamilydpc.com.

OCTOBER

Coming Next Month

Stress Management Plus: Joint Health

Restorative Yoga Nidra – Thru Dec. 7-8pm. 2nd Thur. Hosted by Salt of the Earth. Restorative yoga in the salt cave. Nidra, known as yogic sleep, is meant to induce total physical, mental and emotional relaxation. Bring a mat. 504 Valley Brook Rd, McMurray. 724-260-0472. Lisa@SaltOfTheEarthpgh. com. Tickets: Clients.MindBodyOnline.com.

friday Couples Night at Gaynor’s School of Cooking – Thru Sept. 6-10pm. Unique menu and opportunity to make a meal with your professional instructors. $165. 309 E Carson St. 412-325-2703. Register: App.getoccasion.com.

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We are looking for the next Natural Awakenings publishers—the connectors, the change makers, the motivated individuals that want to make a difference in their community. This is more than a job; it’s a life-changing opportunity to inspire others to make choices that benefit themselves and the world around them.

And you’ll have fun while you’re doing it!

Financing opportunities are available for as little as $15,000 down.

Call us for more information, we would love to talk!

Natural Awakenings is a franchise family of 55+ healthy living magazines, celebrating 26 years of publishing! This rewarding, homebased franchise opportunity includes training and ongoing support, following a wellestablished and proven business model.

Learn more today:

239-530-1377

NaturalAwakenings.com/Franchise

28

Pittsburgh, PA

NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com

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

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES

305 Jefferson Ave, Moundsville, WV 304-506-3585 Dr.Carol@Remedies.com AlternativeRemediesOnline.com Dr. Carol offers a personalized holistic approach to your health concerns through nutrition, supplements, exercise, cellular spa treatments, homeopathy and self-help classes. Twenty years of experience in naturally supporting the body, her specialties are digestive health, women and children, and gluten-free living. Health memberships and video conferencing available.

AROMATHERAPY WELL OILED

Melissa Robb, BSW, JD, CA, RPII Certified Aromatherapist, Reiki II Practitioner 1414 Potomac Ave, Dormont 412-531-6457 • GetWellOiled.com Be your own best wellness advocate. Melissa can help you learn about essential oils, answer questions about CBD or help you along your spiritual path. Holistic We l l n e s s S h o p p r o v i d i n g accessible, affordable, and safe products plus workshops for optimal health and wellness: mind-body-spirit. High-quality aromatherapy oils and accessories, CBD and spiritual workshops. See calendar for classes.

BIOLOGIC DENTISTRY JANET LAZARUS – BIOLOGIC DENTIST Dr Janet Lazarus, DMD, NMD Mail: 4313 Walnut St, Ste 178 Office: Olympia Shopping Ctr Arcade, McKeesport • 412-754-2020 Dr.Lazlo@hotmail.com

D r. L a z a r u s p r a c t i c e s compassionate biologic dentistry by looking at the whole body to offer preventative care and health maintenance. She offers compatibility testing on dental material, safe mercury removal, extraction and a host of other treatments including ozone therapy. She has been practicing for 28 years.

See ad, page 23.

CHIROPRACTIC APPALACHIA CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS, PC

Travis D Horne, DC • Gi Ming ‘‘Lili’’ Chan, ND 20120 Route 19, Ste 202, Cranberry Twp, PA 724-553-5312 AppalachiaChiropractic.com Best of natural medicine – combining both chiropractic and naturopathic care. We provide integrative and individualized care to the community where patients feel heard and truly cared for. We offer manipulation, sports medicine, nutrition, herbal, homeopathy and hydrotherapy.

PANTHER FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE AND CHIROPRACTIC

Dr Danielle Marra, DC Murrysville • Greensburg 724-387-1014 • PittsburghHealthPro.com Dr. Danielle Marra has nearly 20 years’ experience helping patients regain their health through conservative and holistic approaches utilizing functional medicine, chiropractic, diet modifications, and nutritional support. The practice provides advanced lab testing, allergy relief, spinal decompression, CDL physicals, massage therapy, thermography and more. Their philosophy is treating the root of your symptoms, naturally. See ad, page 22.

FAMILY AND LIFESTYLE MEDICINE GENTILE FAMILY DIRECT PRIMARY CARE Natalie Gentile, MD 5655 Bryant St, Pittsburgh GentileFamilyDPC@gmail.com GentileFamilyDPC.com

Affordable, high-quality, evidencebased direct primary care for patients of all ages, regardless of insurance status. Become a member for a low monthly fee and get unlimited office visits, quality healthcare, wholesale prices on prescription medication and at-cost labs. They support a plant-based lifestyle and specialize in intensive therapeutic lifestyle counseling.

We stand together to fight racism, injustice, brutality and backlash.

To the black members of our community: we see you, we support you and we stand by you.

Open your eyes, look within.

Are you satisfied with the life you’re living? ~Bob Marley

September 2020

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OCTOBER

Stress Management plus: Joint Health

Readers are Seeking These Providers & Services:

Energy Healing • Life Coaches Spiritual Practices • Advocacy/Peer Groups Relationship Counseling • Physical Therapy ... and this is just a partial list!

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE PANTHER FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE AND CHIROPRACTIC

Dr. Danielle Mara, DC Murrysville • Greensburg 724-387-1014 • PittsburghHealthPro.com Dr. Danielle Mara has nearly 20 years’ experience helping patients regain their health through conservative and holistic approaches utilizing functional medicine, chiropractic, diet modifications and nutritional support. Plus advanced lab testing, allergy relief, spinal decompression, CDL physicals, massage therapy, thermography and more. Their philosophy is treating the root of your symptoms, naturally. See ad, page 22.

YOUR HEALTH INVESTIGATOR

Dr William Howrilla, DC, CFMP Pittsburgh • SW Pennsylvania • Telehealth 412-445-3168 • YourHealthInvestigator.com Dr. William Howrilla, DC, CFMP is a unique chiropractor and functional medicine practitioner who utilizes Contact Reflex Analysis or CRA, which assesses the energy connections within the body for health analysis, detailed health history and other testing modalities to help you restore your health and regain your vitality and quality of life. See ad, page 7.

THE DIABETES CHALLENGE ISSUE

NOVEMBER

Personalized Diabetes Strategies plus: Skin Care

HEALTH COACH COTERIE

Calli Tony, CPT 201 E Fairview Ave, Rm 211, Connellsville, PA 724-562-0682 • CalliTonycpt.com Calli Tony is a mother, spiritual entrepreneur and a holistic health and transformational coach. She is the creator of HYPE and podcast host. Her mission is to serve, empower and educate through holistic healing. She works with women who want to create a massive shift in their life!

SHE’S MY HEALTH COACH

DECEMBER

Creating Community & Connection plus: Spending Locally

CONNECT WITH OUR READERS THREE-MONTH EDITORIAL CALENDAR & MARKETING PLANNER

D’Anna V. Kromer 1195 W Laurel Cir, Mount Pleasant, PA 724-331-3365 • ShesMyHealthCoach.com Certified health wellness coach and registered yoga teacher assisting individuals with habit change. Providing support, a c c o u n t a b i l i t y, a n d t o t a l t r a n sf o r m a t i o n a l p r o g r a m s addressing most pressing health issues like sugar cravings, energy and mood swings, stress, inflammation, emotional eating, chronic dieting, weight loss, diabetes, and sleep hygiene.

Plus, offering private yoga instruction.

Contact us to learn about marketing opportunities and become a member of the Natural Awakenings community at:

724-271-8877

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Pittsburgh, PA

NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com

HEALTH FOOD THE KEFIR CHICKS

Connellsville, PA TheKefirChicks.com TheKefirChicks@gmail.com Facebook.com/TheKefirChicks Kathy and Haley, The Kefir Chicks, are two chicks on a mission to bring awareness to everyone about whole foods and gut health through whole, probiotic-packed food medicine – water kefir. See ad, page 5.

HERBALISM BASIC EARTH ESSENTIALS

Michael Lausterer P.O. Box 6, Richeyville, PA 724-426-4579 • BasicEarthEssentials.com Getting back to our natural roots is the foundational philosophy that drives and inspires Basic Earth Essentials; using the purest botanicals of the earth to create handcrafted, superb blends of the finest quality. Products for pets, personal care, and inspirational settings. Custom products available.

See ad, page 13.

INTERIOR DESIGN DEBORAH BELLA INTERIOR DESIGN

Debbie S Bielawski, Allied ASID, Associate IIDA 412-216-5487 • DeborahBella.com Info@DeborahBella.com Redesigning your home or office beautifully by utilizing natural, eco-friendly, sustainable and biophilic solutions that are healthier for your mind, body and soul. See ad, page 6.

NATURAL BEAUTY PRODUCTS NAPTURAL BEAUTY SUPPLY 724-307-8487 NapturalBeautySupply.com

Naptural Beauty Supply was created to end the stigma around natural hair by empowering men and women to love themselves naturally. We do this by instilling confidence in our community and increasing convenience by having the tools and services in one place, such as hair and body butters, beard care and apparel. We are beauty supply with naturals in mind! See ad, page 22.

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE APPALACHIA CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS, PC

Travis D Horne, DC • Gi Ming ‘‘Lili’’ Chan, ND 20120 Route 19, Ste 202, Cranberry Twp, PA 724-553-5312 • AppalachiaChiropractic.com Best of natural medicine – combining both chiropractic and naturopathic care. We provide integrative and individualized care to the community where patients feel heard and truly cared for. We offer manipulation, sports medicine, nutrition, herbal, homeopathy and hydrotherapy.

SPIRITUAL THE PRAYER WARRIOR AND HEALER ThePrayerWarriorAndHealer.com ThePrayerWarriorAndHealer@gmail.com

Healing children, adults and pets through Divine Intervention practices. Specializing in: customized written prayer requests and crystal grids; assisting empathic and sensitive children; Akashic (past-life record) readings; energy clearing for self, home, property and workplace. See ad, page 6.

URBAN FARMING GROW PITTSBURGH

Raqueeb Bey, Garden Resource Coordinator 6587 Hamilton Ave, Ste 2W, Pittsburgh 412-362-4769 ext 215 Raqueeb@GrowPittsburgh.org GrowPittsburgh.org Grow Pittsburgh is an urban, agriculture nonprofit that teaches people how to grow food. They envision the day when everyone grows and eats fresh, local and healthy food. Get involved. Take a tour, become a member, learn, volunteer! Visit their website for workshops and events.

VIBRATIONAL MEDICINE SACRED, CENTERED, YOU, LLC 304 Third St, California, PA 412-258-0766 SacredCenteredYou.com

Offering individual and group experiences that promote healing through self-discovery and personal acceptance. Special focus on sound healing, life coaching, qigong, and vibrational medicine. See ad, page 6.

WELLNESS 360 CAFÉ LLC

Tyleda Worou Pittsburgh 724-374-8089 • 360CafeLLC.com 360 Café LLC is an alternative health and wellness business with the goal of helping others to heal from the inside out while taking a holistic approach to healing by offering distance reiki, and crystal healing sessions to help our consumers restore physical and emotional balance. See ad, page 20.

LEARN AND GROW WITH SARA JO Sara Remington, Consulting SaraRemington13@gmail.com 724-208-4977

Family wellness coaching through holistic nutrition, transformational life coaching, and mindfulness-based practices. Teacher, parent educator, and mind body and wellness practitioner. Schedule a one on one 10-week coaching program on intuitive eating. Available to hold workshops on mindfulness for kids, nutrition and intuitive eating.

SALT OF THE EARTH

Himalayan Salt Cave and Chakra Boutique 504 Valley Brook Rd, McMurray 724-260-0472 • SaltOfTheEarthpgh.com Salt of the Earth offers the ancient healing benefits of salt; serene, therapeutic, and exquisitely built with 16 tons of authentic Himalayan salt.

Sessions are 45 minutes. Group events: guided meditation, yoga, sound healing, and pilates. Personal services in the cave: reiki, massage, cellular healing, Akashic Records, mediumship and spirit guide channeling. Known to heal respiratory and skin issues, the organically dispersed salt is naturally detoxifying, reduces inflammation, cleanses the respiratory system and improves sleep. See ad, page 7.

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

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

ADVERTISING SALES – Natural Awakenings magazine is looking for experienced advertising salespeople covering the Greater Pittsburgh area, SW Pennsylvania and Morgantown WV to help others grow their natural health & wellness and sustainable living or green businesses. Commission-based. Full- or part-time. Paying 25% commission. Unlimited potential income. Be a part of something magical! Send resume to Michelle: Publisher@ NaturalAwakeningsSWPA.com.

START A CAREER YOU CAN BE PASSIONATE ABOUT – Publish your own Natural Awakenings magazine. Home-based business, complete with comprehensive training and support system.

New franchises are available or purchase a magazine that is currently publishing. Call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsmag.com/MyMagazine.

WINER WELLNESS CENTER 2419 Baldwick Rd, Pittsburgh 412-922-9355 • DrWiner.com

Holistic Wellness Center with practitioners for chiropractic, nutritional consultation, allergy elimination and muscle therapy. Workers’ compensation and accident insurance claims. Fully stocked all-natural supplement store.

YOGA AND MEDITATION THE HIMALAYAN INSTITUTE OF PITTSBURGH 300 Beverly Rd, Pittsburgh 412-344-7434 • HipYoga.org

The Himalayan Institute of Pittsburgh is committed to creating and supporting programs for wellness in body, mind and spirit.

Their purpose is to promote personal peace and global unity.

Offering a daily schedule of yoga and meditation classes and healing services including massage, reiki and Ayurvedic health consultations. They are a leader in education, providing authentic yoga and Ayurveda certification programs. See ads, pages 21 and 25.

Natural Awakenings Client Testimonial Advertising is a key part of modern business and it informs us about the personal choices we have when it comes to our health. Nowadays time is such a valuable asset and with Natural Awakenings you don't have to worry about it, it is so easy and so rewarding! ~Barbara Calcagni All About Thermography

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