natural healing natural wellness spring 2014

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

2014

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C O N T E N T S S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

NATURAL Healing

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DailyOm: The Mirroring World: We Are Like Nature Pg. 3

NEW COLUMNIST MODERN SAGE: A Big Bang Theory Pg. 4

DREAMWORKS: Would You Like to Meet the Archetypes... Pg. 11

Pg.

23

DETOX DIVA: 3 DIY Nontoxic Garden Pest Sprays Pg. 26

PHYSICAL ADVANTAGE: “You’re Having a Baby!”Pg. 27

NUTRITIONAL BITES: Solutions to a Weighty Problem Pg. 29 IN THE NEWS:

WHAT IS TOPRICIN UP TO THESE DAYS? Pg. 46

ALEXANDRA’S INSIGHTS: What Happens When You Indulge Your Cravings? Wonderfullness... Pg. 9

THE NATURAL MEDICINE WOMAN: 11 Detox Tips for a Super Spring Cleanse Pg. 6

FEATUREPLANETWAVES: Why We Need to be Concerned About Fukushima Radiation Pg. 18

HEALING SCENTS: Using Therapeutic Essential Oils with Our Animals Pg. 35

GROW A GREAT

GARDEN-WITH LESS

PAIN

OPTIONS FOR LIFE: How Does Your Garden Grow? Pg. 14

QUICKIE CHICK: How to Pack the Perfect Carry-On Bag Pg. 40

REFLEXOLOGY: The European Way, or The American Way? Pg. 43

GUEST COLUMNIST: FOOD BABE - Vani Hari: Common Juicing Mistakes Pg. 44

HEALING INNOVATIONS/HEALING CIRCLE: ‘Tis The Season.../HAPPY PAWS! Pg. 45

A Word From The Publisher

Aurora Paradise is Chief OperationsOfficer of Topical BioMedics. Besidespublishing the newsletter,Aurora oversees the day-to-dayoperations of the company.

Wishing you good health and joy,

AuroraAurora Paradise,Chief Operations Officer and Publisher

S P R I N G 2 0 1 4 NATURAL Healing

WellnessNATURAL

President & Chief of Research:Lou ParadisePublisher: Aurora ParadiseManaging Editor: Patricia MartinArt Director: Elizabeth ChenGraphic Artist: Elizabeth Paradise

Joan Apter

Annie B. Bond

Debbie Burklund

Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook

Eric Francis

Doug Grunther

Leah Guy

Vani Hari

Laurel House

Elyn Jacobs

Alexandra Jamieson

Patricia Martin

Rofia Payman

Madisyn Taylor

Laurie Towers

It’s time to think sunny thoughts! After the blustery cold winter, spring has finally settled in. This issue of Natural Healing, Natural Wellness will help

you make the most of this lovely time of year.

The earth beckons us to get our gardens going, and our feature offers tips for avoiding injury and relieving the pains of planting while the Detox Diva gives you recipes for nontoxic sprays that discourage garden pests. Meanwhile, in “Options for Life,” Elyn inspires us to nurture our “inner garden” and take charge of our health.

Does it seem like there’s a “bumper crop” of babies on the way? Laurie offers fitness advice for the mother-to-be. Planning a warm-weather vacation? The “Quickie Chick” gives advice on packing the perfect carry-on bag.

In keeping with the season, our Natural Medicine Woman offers detox tips for a super spring cleanse so you can look and feel your best. In “Solutions to a Weighty Problem” Roufia provides lifestyle advice to combat the obesity epidemic. Alexandra muses on what happens when we indulge our cravings (her insights may surprise you!). And because our four-legged friends deserve TLC, Joan Apter discusses using therapeutic essential oils on animals.

Reflexologist Debbie ponders “The European way, or the American way?” In Dreamworks, Doug invites us to meet the archetypes affecting our behavior. And investigative reporter and international astrologer Eric Francis shares a letter he wrote regarding why we all need to know—and be concerned about—Fukushima Radiation.

‘Tis the season to start enjoying “green drinks.” We’re very pleased that the popular and influential “FoodBabe” Vani Hari is our guest columnist, and enlightens us about common juicing mistakes. And let’s welcome our new columnist, Leah Guy “The Modern Sage.” A TV personality, health educator, author, and media producer, Leah is a fantastic addition to our team!

Happy spring!

Page

-By Madisyn Taylor

3

DailyOm

Nature is a mirror, inspiring and teaching us, deepening our sense of belonging in the world. Wherever you look, you can see that our patterns and the patterns of the natural world are the same. You can find this resonance in every

form, from molecules to plants and animals and to planets. We live our lives according to the same principles as the trees, the mountains, the clouds, and the birds.

We begin our lives in the womb, folded in on ourselves like the bud of a flower. We can see our whole lives in the mirror of this natural form. When we emerge from the womb, we slowly begin our unfolding, just as the flower begins to open its petals. At its prime, the flower draws many insects to it and also the eyes of appreciative humans. When the flower petals begin to fade and its life cycle comes to an end, it ceases to hold itself upright and returns to the earth. Traditionally, we return to the earth, just as all plants and animals do. Like flowers, we leave behind seeds in the forms of children and other gifts only we could have given. They continue to unfold even after we are gone. Rebirth is encoded into our lives, and death is just one part of the cycle.

Look around you, and you will find connection and insight. Notice how your moods shift from one to another like the sky shifts from bright blue to turbulent grays. Your thoughts are like clouds, appearing, changing shape, passing through, and then disappearing without a trace. The rain cleanses the sky, just as an emotional release cleanses your mind. The sky itself is your eternal awareness, unchanging underneath all these permutations. Let it reflect back to you your own abiding perfection.

As you walk through the world, find your own metaphors for connectedness in nature. Flesh them out fully and follow them as they lead you through the mystery and intelligence of life.

As humans our lives are completely intertwined with the cycles and rhythms of nature.

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

MODERN SAGE

A BIG BANG THEORY Spring is one of the most precious times of the year. Not only does it bring blossoms of nature, outdoor activities

and happier energy overall, it stirs a renewal in our spirits. It calls us to cleanse, to change and to grow. However, there are times that we resist this natural cycle of cleanse and renewal and we get stuck, or at least come out dragging our heels with the weight of winter still holding down our energy. My suggestion is simple: do something. Do anything to shake it up. Sometimes we need a little spark to our life force to jumpstart our vitality. And that’s why I’d like to write about bangs. Yes, hair bangs. Bangs and how they have transformed my life.

Who knew that bangs could provide hope, inspiration and even spiritual awakening? One might believe that such a seemingly superficial accessory could only illicit a vain response from the ego. But is there more? With a creative awareness of who we are and how we are, yes, there is more. Follow me here...

Over the years I’ve had more hairstyles than shoes and more hair colors than a 24 pack of Crayolas. I am into hair and, luckily, I have a lot of it. But for the past several years, I’ve been a bit lazy, just letting my locks be long - going for the very occasional trim to clip those dead-ends. Last week, however, the sun began to shine a bit stronger and the days a little longer and that familiar feeling of “spring fever” took over. I wanted something different, something new. Not in the shopping mood, nor do I have time for travel to a tropical island, so, I decided to get bangs.

All of a sudden, I am a new person. I look different. I feel younger. I can see much clearer, as if someone lifted the curtains from the stage of my life. My head feels lighter and my outlook is brighter. I’m even inspired to shower more frequently to make sure that my bangs look their best. And, as if I got a secret bargain on a designer dress, I have a new confidence in my walk. People look at me inquisitively and say, “You look great!!…Did you get bangs?” Yes. Yes I did.

continued on next page

-By Leah Guy

You may be questioning the power of the bangs, and that’s a good thing or else I’d worry about your mental stability. We all know that bangs have no true meaning or influence over our state of mind or our spirit. But the power is in the influence of change. Doing something just a little bit out of the ordinary, no matter how big or small, can create a fresh spark to your life. And you can use that jump start to build momentum that can restore positive feelings in your being. Acts such as getting bangs or polishing an old piece of jewelry back to its brilliance can be just enough to awaken something inside of you. For some, the satisfaction of waxing your car with your own hands or planting seeds to watch your favorite flowers bloom next season are powerful initiators to great joy.

These pro-active choices create a sense of empowerment. There is hope, inspiration and confidence that take place when we not only anticipate change, but help create it with our own creativity. Seeing the world from a different perspective can change your outlook on a whole day, a week or a lifetime!

Whatever it is, I encourage you to take action, open your eyes to the new beginnings of this most exciting time of year. Do something new and fresh for yourself or your community and allow the effects of whatever it is you do absorb into the deeper part your spirit. Change things up and walk confidently in hope. The most Divine has created a large and infinite canvas for your pleasure! Enjoy!

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

Leah Guy

11 DETOX TIPS

SPRING CLEANSE-By Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook

THE NATURAL MEDICINE WOMAN


Spring is here. It’s the perfect time

to do a detox, particularly after

we’ve been breathing in poor indoor

air quality, had less sunlight, and

perhaps gotten less activity than usual.

Detoxifying is the perfect antidote

and can spell increased energy,

fewer allergy symptoms, reduced

hormonal imbalances, improved

digestion, clearer sinuses, normalized

blood pressure, fewer moods swings,

sharper mental ability, improved sleep,

healthier skin, and much more.


1. Cut back or eliminate meat and dairy products. At least for a while to give your body a break. Meat is highly acid-forming in your body, can be a strain on the kidneys and intestines (low water, no fiber, and requiring plenty of energy to digest) and dairy is mucus-forming and many people lack sufficient enzymes to properly digest it.

2. Don’t eat it if you can’t read it. Read labels on the healthy food selections you choose. Most of the harmful preservatives, synthetic flavors, and other artificial ingredients have long, complex names. If you find ingredients that you can’t read or pronounce don’t buy it and definitely don’t eat it. Choose fresh foods that come in Nature’s packaging: fruit and veggies.

3. Take out the trash...from your diet, that is. I probably don't have to tell you what constitutes "trash:" fried and sugary foods, and the 3 Ps: processed, prepared, and packaged food since they tend to be full of trans fats, sugar, and food additives.

4. Veg it up. Make at least 70% of every meal vegetables. That's easier to do than you think: enjoy a fresh vegetable juice, a large green salad, or a plate of steamed, roasted, or stir-fried veggies.

5. Simplify your meals. Smaller, simpler meals eaten more frequently throughout the day not only help ease the burden on your digestive system, they also balance blood sugar levels. Unstable blood sugar levels are linked to weight gain and mood and energy fluctuations.

6. Use herbs to give your body a boost. Milk thistle is a proven liver-regenerator and detoxifier, dandelion and uva ursi are well-established kidney-restoring herbs, sea buckthorn helps heal the lungs, and flaxseeds help eliminate toxic material from the intestines. Follow package instructions for the herbs you choose.

7. Enjoy a hot bath. On its own it is relaxing but to boost the cleansing effects, just add a cup of Epsom salts or baking soda. Both alkalize the water to help neutralize acidic toxins. Epsom salts help your body to absorb magnesium—a mineral some experts estimate is deficient in 80 percent of people. Magnesium neutralizes acidic toxins, relaxes muscles, and is required by hundreds of functions. Relax for 20 minutes or more.

8. Drink plenty of pure water daily to flush out toxins. For a really great detoxifying drink, add the fresh juice of one lemon to a large glass of water first thing in the morning and drink it either warm or room temperature. Lemons help alkalize your body chemistry, contain more than 20 anti-cancer compounds, and help cleanse your liver, kidneys, and colon.

9. Add 1/2 cup of cooked legumes (beans) to your diet daily to boost your fiber and nutrient intake and balance your blood sugar levels—one of the keys to balanced energy and weight.

10. Have a snack attack. Snacking throughout the day helps with weight loss, energy, and balancing moods. Just make healthy choices. Here are some quick and simple ideas: a handful of raw, unsalted almonds, almond butter on celery sticks, nori rolls with avocado (vegetarian sushi), a veggie and sprout wrap, a berry smoothie with rice or almond milk.

11. Get your blood pumping. Exercise improves circulation, which brings fresh, oxygenated blood to your organs and tissues, thereby revitalizing them...and you.

Simple daily changes to your diet and lifestyle can add up to major health improvements, more energy, balanced moods, and an overall feeling of wellbeing.

Adapted from Weekend Wonder Detox: Quick Cleanses to Strengthen Your Body and Enhance Your Beauty by Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, ROHP. Discover spa–like weekend detoxes that include: Love Your Liver, Lymphomania, Kidney Flush, Colon Cleanse, Skin Rejuvenation, and Fat Blast. www.DrMichelleCook.com.

By Alexandra Jamieson

ALEXANDRA'S INSIGHTS


I gave myself everything I wanted this morning.

I accepted an offer of help…

I ate what my body craved…

I cared for and clothed my body to feel good & ready…

I listened to the sounds my ears yearned for…

And now I feel ready, and strong, creative, and grateful.

I haven’t always treated myself so nicely.

I used to rush through almost every moment of my day, ignoring my desires and even basic needs.

I rushed because I thought I needed to get somewhere else, that how I was in the moment wasn’t important.

And my body started to get tired, my brain unfocused, and my heart a tad bitter.

Working harder and harder wasn’t making me happier, and I got to the point where I realized I wasn’t living my life. I was waiting and working for something else instead of enjoying what I had.

So I made some small changes.

Inspired by other people I admire, people I liked a lot and look up to – you know those people who seem to have it all figured out and float through life successfully?

Those men you adore and women you have girl-crushes on?

I started looking and listening for clues when in their presence. I looked for how they lived that brought them so much joy, peace, fun, success, and realness.

I looked and realized that they took things slow.

They are single-taskers, not multi-taskers.

They wear clothes that make them feel good and good-looking.

They spend their time doing things that light them up.

When they have “chores” or “duties” they look for the fun in every task.

They make their beds as a juicy ritual.

They hire out tasks that are best done by someone else.

They laugh a lot.

They eat well, and healthfully.

They dance.

So I started small, and have been building up.

And today, I’ve acted the way I want to feel.

…Instead of “doing my duty as a mom” I let my partner

take my son to school, freeing up my morning.

…Instead of throwing on the comfy yoga pants and sitting right down to work, I showered, put up my hair and chose a pretty outfit.

…Rather than get cranked up on caffeine, I boosted my energy with a few yoga stretches, hot herbal tea, and a green smoothie

…As opposed to leaving the dishes in the sink, I cleaned up the kitchen which helps my energy and life feel managed.

It’s the small things that make me feel capable.

It’s the little gifts that create a healthy life.

What can you give yourself right now to help you feel in control, talented, and loved?

YOU CAN SET YOURSELF

By Doug Grunther

DREAMWORKS

Our ancient ancestors were aware that dark, mysterious forces were in control of much of our lives. These unseen forces were represented as gods such as Isis, Zeus, Hades, Aphrodite, Eros, Krishna, and Kali. It was

the publication in 1900 of The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud which first identified and explained in scientific terms the human unconscious and provided a map of how most of our behavior is generated by dark, archetypal impulses.

Freud's book had a powerful effect not only on the psychological and scientific communities, but on art, literature, and music. It is no coincidence that soon after the publication of The Interpretation of Dreams Picasso started his Blue period, Dali started creating surreal images of melting clocks, and Stravinsky composed The Rite of Spring, a musical composition so filled with previously unheard stresses and dissonance that it caused riots in the concert hall.

As brilliant and insightful as Freud was, we now know he was also dictatorial and stuck in very restrictive Victorian viewpoints which led to the famous rift with his most brilliant protégé Carl Jung. It was Jung who expanded our understanding of the importance of dreams and in particular the strong influence of archetypes on our behavior.

If you look up the word, archetype, you'll find many definitions. The definition I want to focus on here is the one provided by Jung: A collectively-inherited unconscious idea, pattern of thought, image, etc., that is universally present in individual psyches.

The key phrase here is universally present. Every human being around the world is born with similar archetypal patterns. Examples of these universal images/thought patterns/archetypes are: The Good Mother, The Evil Mother, The Lover, The Devil, The Enchanted Child, and The Trickster. They may take on slightly different forms and interpretations around the world, but they exist everywhere.


Both Freud and Jung knew well, from direct experience with thousands of patients over the years, and modern scholars such as Joseph Campbell have demonstrated clearly that the ancient myths, legends, and sacred stories throughout human history were reflections of the unconscious archetypes present in all of us and greatly influence our emotions and behavior patterns. These archetypal energies not only influence us individually, but collectively as cultures and nations (just check out the news headlines any day and archetypal energies become apparent).

The reason a powerful story (myth, tale, legend, novel, and particularly our dreams) often provides more insights into the meaning of life than so called “real” events is the presence of these powerful archetypes.

To give a clear example, let's look at what many of us consider the most influential spiritual tale of the 20th century, one which has had a great emotional impact on millions of children and adults: The Wizard of Oz.

Originally a book, but known more popularly as the classic 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz presents us with powerful archetypes present in all of us. The two primary archetypes are The Good Mother (Glinda, the Good Witch of the North) and The Evil Mother (The Wicked Witch of the West). Other archetypes include The Loyal Companion (Toto, the Scarecrow, Tin Man,

and Lion), and The Trickster (the Wizard himself who is, in fact, a charlatan).

When we look at Dorothy's journey from the perspective of Depth Psychology (the name given to study of the unconscious, dreams, and the archetypes) we notice that Dorothy's eventual enlightenment—what she needs to discover about herself—requires the presence of both The Good Mother AND The Evil Mother. Dorothy's decision, seemingly irrational at the time, to try to bring back the broomstick of the Wicked Witch, in psychological terms reflects the need in all of us to confront what is most dark, frightening, and dangerous. These dark, frightening, and dangerous sensations can only be retrieved by going inside, down to the depths of our psyches. How to do it? It's not a coincidence that the author of The Wizard of Oz chooses to have Dorothy's journey of insight take place within a dream. For it is in our dreams that we find one of the most direct portals to meeting up with the archetypes influencing our outward behavior.

As we all know, the major insight Dorothy achieves comes from the The Good Witch. Dorothy, quite irritated and confused when Glinda informs her she always had the ability to return home, demands “Why didn’t you tell me this before?” Glinda’s response, “Because you had to find it out for yourself.”


Dorothy's spiritual journey and insight could not have happened without the interplay of the light and dark forces represented archetypally by Glinda and the Wicked Witch. And yet in our current culture, what do most of us do when irritated, stressed, and frightened by waking life experiences? We run for prescription drugs to get rid of the uncomfortable feelings. I understand that sometimes prescription drugs are necessary. But when we use them to numb ourselves from the deep, dark archetypal patterns and images we miss the opportunity Dorothy took to discover a larger picture of who we are and what our potential is.

My dream teacher, Dr. Jeremy Taylor, often repeats that “all of our dreams come in the service of health and wholeness.” In my ten years as a certified Dream Work Practitioner, I have found this to be true. As I've shown in previous columns, even the darkest nightmare has important, potentially healing insights to teach us.

And to repeat another important statement from a previous column, we don't need a professional dream expert to start understanding our dreams. Begin by buying a dream notebook and writing down your dreams. If you're not remembering any dreams, start by making a silent pledge to yourself as you are falling asleep that you would like to remember more dreams and will write down any you remember. Even if you remember only a fragment of a dream, write it down.

Once you have a dream or dream fragment on paper, review it over the next few days. Note any associations which pop up as you are thinking about the dream during the day. Share your dream with a loved one or friend. Ask them what the dream means to them. The very act of remembering a dream, writing it down, and sharing it with others, will start to open up deeper layers and meanings.

It's also helpful to remember that not all dreams are meant to be “interpreted.” Sometimes just the act of recognizing certain archetypes and archetypal energies that show up in our dreams helps us become more “whole.”

By Elyn Jacobs

OPTIONS FOR LIFE

A garden needs pure water, sunlight, healthy soil, and lots of love in order to thrive. If we deprive our garden of the essentials of life, it will wither and die. If we remedy our sick garden with synthetic

chemicals, it will not flourish for long. Like a garden, a healthy body requires this very same support and attention.



Yet, it seems healthcare these days has strayed from health care to sick care. For every ill there is a pill. Instead of focusing on nourishing or healing the body, doctors prescribe drugs to mask symptoms; it’s easier and faster than working with a patient to change the quality of their soil-- the valuable environment within the body.

Long before modern medical science came into being, mankind was dealing with illness via natural means. Many of these herbal remedies have borne the test of time, and are still being used today. But often when we tell our doctors we are taking supplements for our ills, we are warned of the dangers or told that supplementation only provides “expensive pee.” They often don’t say this out of arrogance, but ignorance. I don’t blame doctors, for they are taught to prescribe drugs and are not educated in the innate power of nature. Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for pharms in critical care, but drugs for the long-term management of symptoms is not healthcare, it is sick care. Prescription drugs are the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer-- Americans are over drugged and underserved.

Our seniors are clearly drug addicts at the hands of their doctors. On average, individuals 65 to 69 years old take nearly 14 prescriptions per year; individuals aged 80 to 84 take an average of 18 prescriptions per year. Why? Because it is easy for doctors and seniors are notoriously compliant. According to the American

Society of Consultant Pharmacists, “ While medications are probably the single most important factor in improving the quality of life for older Americans [I completely disagree on this point—this is only because we give the pill for the ill instead of concentrating on health], the nation’s seniors are especially at risk for medication-related problems due to physiological changes of aging, higher incidence of multiple chronic diseases and conditions, and greater consumption of prescription and over-the-counter medications.” They go on to say that “any symptom in an elderly patient should be considered a drug side effect until proven otherwise."

After my father was rushed to the ER with a severe headache, various other symptoms and no resolution, I questioned his doctor as to why he had prescribed a diuretic for high blood pressure when my dad clearly suffers from chronic dehydration-- the look on his face was priceless. There are many natural remedies for high blood pressure that nourish the garden instead of harming the patient.

Pain and other symptoms are Mother Nature’s way of telling us that there is something wrong. And while there is no reason anyone should have to suffer unaided, just treating the symptoms may mean ignoring a problem that could have significant impact on your general health.

We eat for life and engage in stress-reducing activities such as exercise, yoga, meditation and other mind-body therapies. Medical experts have long recognized the relationship between diet and the incidence of disease, and that realistic modifications of diet and lifestyle can significantly improve mortality. Research suggests that 85% of all medical problems are caused by stress. Stress-related symptoms range from tension headaches and migraines to lower-back pain, frequent colds, insomnia and hypertension, and stress contributes to cancer as well--chronic stress changes immune cell genes, leading to inflammation.

We look within to see what is causing the ill, and we fix it. If I were dehydrated and suffering from the symptom of a headache, I could take an aspirin and likely feel better. However, will that aspirin cure my dehydration—a problem that could impact my health and very survival? No.

Thirty years ago I was suffering from debilitating knee pain, so severe I could not stand up. The doctor told me to stop all forms of exercise and take 600mg of ibuprofen twice daily to manage the pain, and hope that I didn’t end up in a wheelchair (or worse, die of the remedy.) With the assistance of a far-wiser doctor I solved the problem with nothing other than—you guessed it—targeted and consistent exercise to support my knees—something I do to this day and my knees are pain-free.

Keep in mind that pain’s partner is inflammation, and we now know that most, or perhaps even all chronic diseases are the result of inflammation. So while you may think you are just managing pain, by reducing inflammation you are also taking a major step in extending your life—just don’ forget to address the root of the problem.

We must also consider the repercussions of our remedy if we are to nourish the garden. If we take a toxic drug such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen (active ingredients in Tylenol and Advil, respectively), we may get relief from a symptom, but we could be causing more ills. Several studies have shown that Tylenol damages the liver and

kidneys. Each year over 78,000 Americans go to the emergency room for treatment for an acetaminophen overdose, and death by overdose or accidental ingestion causes about 450 deaths a year (Tylenol is often hidden in other pharms such as cough medicine and prescription drugs). Yet, most patients are told to take the drug daily and even several times daily.

Tylenol is often recommended for the pain relief of osteoarthritis, but NICE (National Institute of Health and Care Excellence) is now warning against the use of Tylenol (acetaminophen in the US and paracetamol in the UK). It warns of the potential side effects of Tylenol and says it has “limited benefit”. When used, it should be the “lowest effective dose” for the “shortest possible time.” In this exhaustive 600+ page report they offer holistic and other non-pharmaceutical recommendations.

Research links ibuprofen (NSAIDS) use to things like heart disease, circulatory problems, gastrointestinal conditions, bleeding and/or perforation of the gut and the intestinal tract. Again, we need to turn to nature. Numerous studies have shown that curcumin (turmeric) is at least as effective as ibuprofen and offers numerous health benefits (over 600). In a 2010 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, researchers found that 2000mg of turmeric extract was as effective as 800mg of Ibuprofen in reducing the pain and inflammation associated with knee osteoarthritis.


SO HOW DO WE GROW OUR GARDEN?

NATURAL PAIN RELIEF/INFLAMMATIONCurcumin (Tumeric)White Willow Bark (precursor to aspirin)Cats ClawOmegasExerciseTopical remedies (such as Topricin)

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (HYPERTENSION)CoQ1oVitamin D (alongside vitamin K2 and A)Foods such as garlic, celery and watermelon Hawthorn Folate OmegasAyurvedic MedicineTraditional Chinese MedicinePlant-based CalciumMagnesium Potassium Mind-Body interventions such as yoga and breathing techniques and biofeedbackExercise

EATING FOR LIFE• Eliminate processed, refined foods which contain refined sugars and carbohydrates as much as possible

• Eliminate hydrogenated fats that contain trans fatty acids; consume healthy fats such as avocado, nuts, olive and coconut oils and omega 3 rich foods

• Eat whole foods that are not genetically modified and use organic foods as much as possible

• Avoid foods containing artificial sweeteners, preservatives, pesticides and other chemicals

• Drink water free of chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals

• Consume a wide variety of vegetables of different colors and textures

• Employ the judicial use of targeted supplements

• Drink plenty of pure water devoid of fluoride, chlorine and other toxins

DON'T

SACRIFICE

TOMORROW

FOR

TODAY!

Don’t sacrifice tomorrow for today: while it might seem easier just to pop that pill, make every attempt to heal and to manage symptoms with non-toxic alternatives--or you just might add another ill to your list. Nurture your garden and reap the benefits.

Not sure where to start? Seek out a Naturopathic Doctor, holistic practitioner, health coach, or cancer coach to help you devise a plan for your specific needs and goals. If you are an internet-surfer, know that quality, dosage and synergy matter when it comes to supplementation, so always seek out the advice of a professional before you add supplements and before you discontinue any medications. And by all means, get out and get some sunshine!

By Eric Francis

PLANET WAVES

Hi Rob,

In your newsletter, you said, "The scaremongering about Fukushima is grossly overblown," and provide a line to this site, http://deepseanews.com/2013/11/true-facts-about-ocean-radiation-and-the-fukushima-disaster/, in which the author assures us that it's OK to eat fish from the Pacific Ocean as long as they're not from Japan, and declares that radiation reaching the West Coast "will not be dangerous."

The author states almost gleefully, "I certainly feel safe eating sustainable seafood from the Pacific and so should you."

My problem with your statement is that as far as the public is concerned, you’re saying don’t worry, and you’re not asking any questions at all. “Grossly overblown” does not even suggest you believe there might be a potential question.

continued on next page*Rob Brezsny, freewillastrology.com


Radiation map of the continental United States from December 2013, showing increased levels toward the western U.S., closer to Japan. The data is from the Nuclear Emergency Tracking Center, a private organization that aggregates government data.

Why are you eager to spread the word that Fukushima is safe, or safe until proven dangerous? The problem does not have to be imminent disaster and the threat of relocation. Fukushima will proceed as a slow-motion crisis as the radiation gradually diffuses from the wreckage to the rest of the environment, concentrating in living creatures and working its way up the food chain. We have been covering this since the beginning -- it's a very serious situation, and it’s not getting any better http://planetwaves.net/astrologynews/letter-to-brezsny.html

There is no safe level of radiation exposure. Additionally, not everyone similarly situated gets the same exposure from an incident. Someone who eats one contaminated fish is going to have a problem, whereas someone who does not eat that fish won't have that particular problem. But there is no way to predict who will and who will not eat that one fish. Every fish is not being tested.

"Don't eat fish from Japan" is ridiculous advice. Everyone who eats sushi eats fish from Japan, and it's obvious that some fish from Japan will be improperly classified and sold as non-Japanese product.

Vegetarians are not immune. Many edible plants collect and concentrate radiation. This creates direct exposure and it moves up the food chain, ending up in dairy products and elsewhere.

Not everyone’s body responds to exposure the same way. Some people, such as immune-compromised people, and cancer patients on chemotherapy, are much more vulnerable. Children and small animals are more vulnerable.

Further, we all have a body burden of artificial radiation, from X-rays, radiotherapy, nuclear bomb testing that exposed the entire U.S. population, contaminated food from those tests that was distributed to the population, leaks from nuclear reactors, microwave ovens, irradiated foods, cellular telephones and cell towers.

The entire West Coast is receiving radiation from the Manhattan Project dumps at Hanford, WA (via water table contamination), which then goes into the Columbia River and is transported to the Pacific and carried up and down the coast by currents.

So we already have a lot of radiation we’re dealing with; let’s not forget increases in UV radiation exposure from ozone depletion. Therefore, whatever we get from Fukushima is adding to an already serious problem. Since when does adding any more make it OK?

Since when, with the cancer rate hovering at around 50%?

I do not need to present any evidence of any specific danger to be ‘right’. I don’t have to find a thousand contaminated fish or even one of them. My role is to educate people about the precautionary principle: what do you believe, and what do you do, in the face of missing or incomplete information, especially when there is a known point source, a known contamination crisis?

Image from Russian Television International report on concerns about contaminated fish getting into the food supply

Ordinary X-rays add to our total body burden of radiation. Each dose adds to what is already there.

I am pointing out that the blanket conclusions or assurances of safety cannot be right. And this is what the nuclear industry and its proponents always do. The exposure is always the equivalent of a dental X-ray.

Blanket assurances don't stand up when there is a known deadly substance present, combined with insufficient data, a data blackout, a propaganda stream, conflicting data or facts plainly indicating a problem -- such as the established fact of all Pacific tuna being contaminated.

In any environmental incidents I've ever covered or heard of, from Love Canal to 9/11 to Three Mile Island to SUNY New Paltz, the goal of officialdom is to minimize the perception of danger.

The official position is always that something is safe until proven dangerous, and that anyone talking about the dangers is an alarmist. The official position is that a little is OK and it's fine if you only kill a few people (that's known as risk assessment).

The popular position is usually "please, tell me it's safe." The precautionary principle says, you must do a worst-case analysis. However, if that were applied to nuclear power, it could not exist, because the worst case, which keeps happening, is so bad that society cannot actually deal with it.

Fukushima cannot be cleaned up; this mess will torment hundreds of generations into the future, who will never

know a moment of benefit from the electric power that was generated by the plant.

You said: Further evidence of sloppy research fed by emotion, not objective reporting: You say that Woods Hole is "chopping wood for the nuclear industry." Do you have even a shred of evidence for that claim?

In my experience, anyone who repeats knowing lies about a nuclear incident is doing the work of the nuclear industry, particularly if they bear scientific credentials. It does not matter if somewhere else they say they have their concerns; that merely creates the appearance of balance. Direct evidence of collusion is unnecessary. The fingerprints are in the point of view that supposedly objective scientists share with profit-driven, verging-on-psychotic proponents of nuclear power -- that all is well.Don't worry. I would feed that to my kid.


In 1980, then-Gov. Dick Thornburgh and Harold Denton of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission talk to the press about the Three Mile Island partial meltdown

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=83397&tid=3622&cid=94989 )knows better than to declare the fish and the oceans safe without even saying there are real questions. By definition that is deceptive.

On their FAQ page, they leave out issues like biomagnification, as well as migratory fish and the known extent of the plume. They are taking a position used by polluters in the '60s and '70s that all you need to do is water down the toxins. Then through bioconcentration, various biota gather it right back up the food chain, where we humans reside at the very top.

Any responsible scientist who wants to minimize the danger would say, "based on the data, we don't know," but the problem with that is there is a lot of data indicating a widespread, uncontained problem.

The ethical position when there is missing or insufficient data is to tell people that they must take the time to inform themselves, and make their own decision once admitting that there are certain variables. But we do know enough to know there is a serious problem.

The ethical position is not to declare the story overblown. Declaring a rumor overblown is one thing -- but you would have to specifically debunk THAT specific rumor to do so.

Just because there were a series of Internet memes suggesting much worse dangers, some of which may have been exaggerated, does not make them wrong. They are based on something real -- Unit 3 is releasing steam, as confirmed by TEPCO; Unit 3 melted down; it has MOX plutonium fuel, and a lot of old assemblies in the spent fuel pool.

You wrote: "I wonder if you think that Scientific American, National Geographic, and the National Academy of Sciences have joined Woods Hole in chopping wood and carrying water for the nuclear industry. They all have downplayed the dire doomsday prophecies circulating on Facebook, the Internet, and the Alex Jones radio show."

This is not a case of either NAS or Alex Jones is right. That is a false dichotomy. As regards Scientific American, they have lied about dioxin before, along with many other 'reputable' journals repeating a series of fraudulent studies (http://www.planetwaves.net/dioxin_critic.html) paid for by Monsanto. None of the secondary sources

ever retracted their articles once the studies were proven fraudulent in later litigation.

National Academy of Sciences is all over the map. What they say is not true just because they say it; they are an entity very close to the government and must respond to political forces, like most other large institutions. One recent case I know about is their declaring the anti-HPV Gardasil vaccine safe, when there are numerous reports of severe reactions and some deaths in young girls who got the injection. On the other hand they are realistic about climate change.

Supposedly credible sources may downplay Alex Jones but that does not make him wrong. They may downplay the increased radiation levels that citizen monitors are reporting, and the leaking steam from the MOX wreckage at Unit 3.

The thousands of tons of spent fuel on the Fukushima site present a real and ongoing threat, and if there is an expanded incident, it will be too late to prepare after the fact.


Robots working on the first floor of the Fukushima Unit 3 reactor building, a place too contaminated for humans to go.

Three hundred tons of radioactive water each and every day leaking into the Pacific Ocean is not a joke. It is nothing to minimize. All that radiation goes somewhere, and it's showing no signs of stopping.

Fukushima is in the path of typhoons, earthquakes and tsunamis. There are thousands of tons of uranium and plutonium fuel on site. All of the buildings are in bad shape and most could not withstand another serious quake. There is nothing stable or safe about this situation, and it's so toxic that reporters cannot even get near it for more than an hour.

Meanwhile, Japan has passed a law making it a crime to reveal or report on 'state secrets', including Fukushima. And to give one example how that works in the United States, MSNBC, the closest thing to real TV news, is co-owned by GE, the company that manufactured the reactors. So we cannot trust what is in the media.

That is what we need to be talking about.

With love,

G R O W-By Patricia Martin

FEATURE ARTICLE

Ah, sweet spring—the time of year when people are tidying up their yards, digging in the dirt, and

planting a garden in anticipation of enjoying fresh, homegrown produce and glorious flowers.

Some of the benefits of gardening include being outside in the fresh air and sunshine as well as getting the blood moving. It’s also great form of exercise because it combines three types of physical activity: strength, endurance, and flexibility. Perhaps surprisingly, it’s possible to burn the same number of calories gardening for 45 minutes as doing 30 minutes of aerobics.

Here’s another benefit: In a study of more than 3,010 women, researchers from the University of Arkansas found that those involved in yard work and gardening had lower rates of osteoporosis than women who jogged, swam, and did aerobics. In addition, spending time communing with Mother Nature can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and relieve muscle tension while it also allows us to express our creativity.

There’s no doubt that gardeners place demands on their bodies when creating their outdoor masterpieces.

If done improperly, gardening and yard work can lead to muscle and joint pain, repetitive strain injuries, tendonitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, as well as other injuries and accidents. In fact, according to statistics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 41,200 people were injured while gardening in 2012 alone.

“Planting, raking, weeding, digging, pruning, stooping, reaching, bending, kneeling, lifting, crouching, carrying heavy debris, and operating machinery put stress on different parts of the body,” says Lou Paradise, our resident pain management expert (and president and inventor of Topricin). “Gardeners spend hours performing these activities and without warming up and using proper form, they can lead to a variety of problems such as sprains, strains, twisted ankles, hand and wrist pain, lower back and shoulder pain, foot, and knee pain.”

Don't break your back bending over your begonias! Here are some tips to help you stay injury free throughout this gardening season.


-Be sure to warm up and stretch as you would before any physical activity, then stretch and cool down after.

--Work at a steady, constant speed, take breaks often, and be sure to change positions every 10 or 15 minutes to avoid overusing any one muscle group.

--Wear gardening gloves to lower the risk of skin irritations/cuts and reduce blister formation, and use kneepads or a foam cushion to make the work less stressful on knees.

--Dress to protect yourself from lawn/garden pests and the hot sun. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long, light-colored pants made from breathable cotton, tuck pants into socks or boots, and check yourself and family members for ticks every time you spend time outdoors. Wear a hat and sunglasses, and if you use a sunscreen make sure it is safe and natural (for recommendations, visit the Environmental Working Group at www.ewg.org).

--Wear goggles when doing things like weed-whacking or chipping and ear protection when using loud equipment.

--Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water throughout the day. Remember that you’re outside in the heat, working up a sweat and perspiring.

--Use ergonomically-designed tools, or ones with padded handles that are kinder to hands. Keep your “tools of the trade” in tip-top shape by making sure your power equipment is working properly and your tools are sharpened and properly stored.

--Do not mow grass when it’s wet and slippery. Before mowing, walk around the yard, checking for sticks, stones, toys, and other foreign objects that could shoot out from under the mower.

Aches and pains don’t have to interfere with springtime gardening when you practice prevention and follow your activities (and any injuries) with appropriate treatment protocol.

Topricin Pain Relief and Healing Cream is a favorite treatment for gardeners around the country. Fueled by nature—not by chemicals—Topricin is a blend of eleven natural medicines that naturally help the joints detoxify by stimulating the body’s desire to drain toxins and excess fluids from the muscle tissue, which restores blood flow back to normal and helps heal the damage that is causing the pain.


-As a preventative, Topricin can be applied prior to outdoor activity. For example, if you are planting flowers or vegetables, apply Topricin to lower back, hands and wrists, which are points of stress. Topricin can also be applied to exposed areas of skin, acting as a barrier to the urushiol oil in poison ivy.

--Topricin helps relieve symptoms of pain from other gardening aliments such as blisters, tick bites, Lyme disease, poison ivy, and minor sunburn.

Hot and cold therapy, along with Topricin, can shorten the duration of the recovery so the body heals faster and you feel better sooner.

--ICE is the first course of action, for the first 24 – 48 hours to help with inflammation. Ice therapy has an effect when the ice is REMOVED. Ice stops the blood flow, when removed it releases fluids and toxins, stimulates lymphatic and toxin draining and promotes blood flow. Basic procedures for ice therapy: 10 minutes on; 5 off; 10 on, 5 off.

--MOIST HEAT and ICE/HEAT:--HEAT: 48 – 72 hours after injury try using heat on the injured area. You’ll know it’s OK to continue if you don’t feel worse afterwards. Heat draws more blood to the area and removes toxins.

-ALTERNATING HOT AND COLD: Cold and heat can be very powerful when used together at this point. Protocol – takes about 45 minutes:

--Start with HEAT for 10 minutes; followed by 5 minute break. Then COLD for 10 minutes, followed by 5-minute break, then HEAT again for 10 minutes. Follow with application of Topricin.

Topricin Application Instructions:--Generously apply Topricin as needed three inches on and around the affected area/injury. Rub in well until absorbed. For best results, apply evenings, morning/after bathing and three or four more times during the day, as needed.

NOTE: For severe pain and swelling, seek medical attention (Topricin may be applied as a first line first aid treatment while enroute to a medical facility).

Enjoy this fabulous season, and all the fruits of your labor!

3 -By Annie B. Bond

DETOX DIVAD I Y N O N T O X I C

A few bugs won’t hurt most plants. Sometimes simple solutions for less toxic living are there if you just think long enough. Hosing bugs off a plant is often all that is needed. There are many ways to use garlic, onions, strong-smelling roots, and spices for killing and repelling garden pests. These ingredients have been used as repellents successfully for years.

GARLIC SPRAYThe smell of garlic is very repellent for garden pests.1 head garlic2 cups boiling waterPeel and mash the garlic. Place it in a pint mason jar and cover with boiling water. Screw on the lid and let set overnight. Strain. Place 1 cup in a spray bottle with 1 additional cup of water. Spray on infested areas. Freeze the rest for another time.Makes 4 cups spray

SOAP SPRAYSoap is used here as an insecticide. It kills pests by dehydrating them.1 to 2 tablespoons liquid soap (real soap, not detergent)1 gallon waterBe sure not to use more than 2 tablespoons soap; too much can kill the leaves. Combine the ingredients in a pail. Transfer 2 cups to a spray bottle. Spray infested areas.Makes 1 gallon

Peppermint Soapy Spray Variation: Use liquid castile soap with peppermint. Peppermint is a pest repellent in its own right.

NEEM OILNeem oil, a gum extracted from an evergreen tree, is an excellent all-purpose pesticide.2 teaspoons essential oil of neem2 cups waterCombine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray on infested areas.Makes 2 cups

By Laurie Towers

PHYSICAL ADVANTAGE

Since the formation of light and sound, mankind has relied on its female of the species to incubate new life

within the confines of her body, and bring it forth into the world. Miraculously harvested and nourished for months after conception, mother and child sculpted their lifelong bond by sharing all the systems of one body to another, for this precious and cell-building period.

But is pregnancy just a time to give the reins of your body over to an ideology of not caring, and happily subscribe to the overeating and "eating for two" myth we have been force fed by antiquated societal thinking? Let’s consider this question, as it’s not only about denying your body the many benefits of exercising, but it’s also denying your child of them as well...

We all laughed in unison as Lucille Ball had Desi Arnaz running around for ice cream and sardines to quell her "cravings". I often found it interesting that an entire season of that show was devoted to the premise of her "expecting" in an era where the word pregnancy was road blocked by the censors. Funnier still were the twin beds that presented at the same time we were sold the very idea of it .None the less, we watched in anticipation and devotion as Lucy grew bigger and as we were led to believe, would become more helpless. I’d think to myself and debate the question of whether or not a body that was clearly capable of housing a human life could be readily reduced to something that would need constant assistance just getting out of a chair.


Here are a few considerations: -ALWAYS consult with your physician, period, and specifically if working out is new to your life, or you haven't really been that active before. Be sure to let your OB/GYN know about your activities.

-Take in extra GOOD calories. Remember it’s not just that you are eating for two, but you should be eating better for one.

-Drink plenty of water, as during this period of water retention the extra water coming in will actually serve to flush the rest out.

-Wear clothes that are comfortable and footwear with good arch support.

If you were physically active before you were pregnant you should be more than able to continue with moderation. Be careful not to compete with your former self, but to develop a program that is comfortably challenging during this time. Your body is going through some dramatic changes and to throw caution to the wind would be a foolhardy move.

You should not be exercises during this period if: -you have a history of miscarriage

-you have been bleeding or spotting

-you have a history of early labor or premature birth

Outside of certain obvious circumstances, most exercises are safe to perform during pregnancy. The safest and frankly the most productive are swimming, stationary bike, and elliptical as they are all joint friendly and run a far less risk of injury.

Red flags during this period should not be hard to recognize:-Any exercise that consists of you holding your breath

-Any exercise that would increase the odds of falling or any impact to your body.

-Waist movements with any dramatic velocity.

-Any heavy exercise, with spurts of force and long periods of no activity

-Any exercise in a hot or humid environment.

- Activities that include jumping, hopping, bouncing or running.

-Bouncing while stretching.

Another wonderful exercise to perform during this period is a more reflective and mental one.

THIS is where it all begins for your child and it may also be the first time in your life that another human being depended so dearly on the body that you may (or may not) have been treating well for years. This is where there are consequences. This is where it really counts.

Your child in the earliest points of his or her existence will depend on your body for survival. Life will move things along quickly as it usually does, and your child will be able to sustain nourishment in his/her own way. This is when your child will look at you for EXAMPLE.

Studies have shown that a woman who is fit during pregnancy is more likely to have children that carrying the same traits. Good health starts in the kitchen and can be reinforced at every occasion that permits it, and believe me there are many. The body you build during this period will be the one that your child can emulate. Not only that, it will become the body that has enough energy to run after your grandchildren, carry them up to bed when they are worn out, and have your "little ones" look on with pride in their eyes and love in their hearts.

By Roufia Payman

NUTRITIONAL BITES

The sad truth is that two-thirds of adults and almost one-third of children in the United States are overweight or obese—a growing epidemic associated with major causes of chronic disease, disability, and even death.

Some of the significant health consequences of obesity include diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, as well as, potentially, cancer, arthritis, depression, kidney stones, and fatty liver disease. And this weighty problem comes at quite a hefty price tag, too, as obesity-related illness is estimated to cost us well over $200 billion annually.

A complex problem, obesity may be caused by a combination of genetics, hormonal, or metabolic factors—which are pretty much out of our control. However in many cases behavior and lifestyle choices are significant contributing factors, and these we can certainly address.

Working with patients who want to take care of themselves and change their lives for the better gives me great satisfaction. I have seen these men and women alter their relationship with food to achieve lasting weight loss goals, develop strong, healthy bodies through an exercise regimen, and not only feel better about themselves but become empowered to make their life the best it can be. I have also been honored to work with people who have significant health issues, and witnessed the magnificently positive difference proper nutrition, hydration, and fitness make on their healing process as well as their quality of life. It is always humbling to see how dynamic and spirited my patients are, and I am gratified to be able to support them on their journey...And here, in this column, I hope to inspire you to make some positive changes, too!

It’s never too late—or too early—to take inventory of your habits and decide to make positive lifestyle changes that will help you look and feel your best. Not surprisingly, the steps to prevent weight gain are the same as the steps to lose weight and get fit: regular exercise, a balanced, healthy diet, and a long-term commitment to these good habits. As I like to emphasize, this approach is not a “diet,” but rather a way of life.


Don’t Take Things Sitting DownFrom morning ‘til night, at work and at play, the average American spends 55 percent of his/her waking hours sitting down, which recent studies document is hazardous to your health. In fact, sitting for extended periods of time has been associated with increase in heart disease, colon cancer, muscle weakness, back and neck pain, and other dangers. Don’t just sit there—take breaks to walk and stretch during the day. Also get moving with regular exercise, which not only burns calories but can also improve your resting metabolism.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, you need to get 150 to 250 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to prevent weight gain. Choose activities that you actually like doing--walking, swimming, biking, tennis, dancing, hoola hooping, whatever it is that you enjoy--and make them part of your day-to-day rhythm.

Feeling pressed for time? You can still fit some fitness into your day as research shows that three 10-minute spurts of exercise per day are just as good as one 30-minute workout.

Food FocusFocus on low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins (legumes, organic meats). Make half your plate colorful veggies, ¼ grains, and ¼ protein (portion: think chicken breast the size of a deck of cards). Say goodbye to high calorie, nutritiously empty foods, such as refined

grains, white potatoes, deli meats, and pre-fab/processed food--if it’s in a box or frozen, it’s probably not good for you; ditto if it has a list of ingredients as long as your arm that you’d can’t pronounce. Greasy, salty snacks, fried foods, and sugary drinks and desserts are also out. It’s not about deprivation, and once you alter your diet to encompass healthy, wholesome foods, your taste buds will change and foods that sabotage your health will no longer appeal to you.

Don’t nosh mindlessly while watching TV or fiddling at the computer. Take the time to make eating pleasurable and relaxing, sit at the table, and use nice dishes and flatware. You’ll consume less calories by savoring the experience since our bodies register fullness approximately 20 minutes after we start eating.

Start The Day Right Don’t skip breakfast—it truly is the most important meal. Not only does it give us energy to launch into our day, it is linked to many other health benefits, including weight control and improved performance and concentration. In fact, if you don’t eat breakfast, it means you’ve been fasting for 15 to 20 hours, so you’re not producing the enzymes necessary to metabolize fat and lose weight. Eating earlier in the day also jump starts our metabolism and keeps us from “starvation binging” later on. Just make healthy choices and don’t reach for that bagel, oversized muffin, pastry, or fatty, carb-dense bacon, fried egg, and cheese sandwich! Instead think whole grains (whole wheat toast with peanut butter and banana or apple and cheddar cheese, and oatmeal), high protein (like eggs or yogurt with fruit or a protein shake) or a green drink/smoothie.

Junk The Junk Food Food manufacturers hire experts to engineer “the perfect food” that gets consumers hooked and reaching for the bag or box over and over again. Foods with the nearly irresistible combination of fat, sugar, and salt can become addictive—and the more we eat, the more we want. The solution? Junk the junk food. Once you cut it out of your diet, you won’t crave it.


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Get Label Savvy The federal government first started requiring food companies to list nutritional information on labels in the early 1990s. These labels give us key information about the serving size and calories, as well as the ingredients. Make it a practice to read them so you’ll know exactly what you’re consuming. It may surprise you to learn how small a recommended portion is or how many calories the dish contains! You’ll also discover the amount of added sugar, fats, and chemicals that are lurking in such foods such as bread, canned soups, frozen or prepared dinners, condiments, and salad dressings.

Labels are now back in the limelight once more—which is a good thing in my book. For the first time in two decades, the Food and Drug Administration is proposing major changes to nutrition labels on food packages, hoping to align the label with recent research reflecting the connection between diet and disease.

1. Require information about the amount of added sugars in a food product. Sugar consumption in the U.S. is high and has been linked to dozens of diseases, both chronic and acute. In the words of Dr. David A. Kessler, commissioner of the FDA during the original push for labelling, “America has the sweetest diet in the world. You can’t get to be as big as we’ve gotten without added sweeteners.”

2. Update serving size requirements to accurately reflect how much people actually eat and drink (which is a lot more than it was a few decades ago).

3. Remove “Calories from Fat” as the type of fat matters more.

4. Include the amount of potassium and vitamin D, two nutrients many Americans have deficiencies in.

According to Michael R. Taylor, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, “By

revamping the Nutrition Facts label, the FDA wants to make it easier than ever for consumers to make better informed food choices that will support a healthy diet and help address obesity, one of the most important public health problems facing our country.”

Drink Up...Water That Is Drinking an ample amount of water each day is not only important to our health and wellbeing, it also helps us lose weight (or maintain a healthy one). You may be surprised to know that oftentimes when you feel hungry, you’re really just thirsty because our mind tends to confuse hunger and thirst. So if you get a case of “the munchies,” reach for a glass of water first—that may do the trick and satisfy you. Get in the habit of drinking a glass of water before meals as it will fill you up and keep you from overeating.

Water offers other benefits. It literally flushes toxins from the body's system, carries nutrients to our cells, and provides a moist environment for ear, nose, and throat tissues. Plus it keeps us properly hydrated and aids in keeping our joints lubricated--very important for both daily functions and in protecting the body from injury during exercise.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

Individual needs for water vary from person to person, depending on how healthy they are, how much they exercise and how hot/dry their climate is. The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) and for women 2.2 liters (about 9 cups). But you may have heard the common recommendation is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day—which is easy to remember when you think of it as “eight by eight,” and actually the total amount is not too far off from Institute of Medicine’s advice.


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The easiest way to know if you're drinking enough fluid is to look at the color of your urine. If you're drinking enough water, your urine will be clear or pale yellow. A darker yellow means you aren't drinking enough water.

Enjoy More Zzzzzs On average, we need a good 7-1/2 hours of good quality sleep each night. This is important for achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight. First off, when we’re sleep deprived, our metabolism does not function properly. Also, when we’re feeling tired or low on energy, we’re more inclined to give in to a “weak” moment and grab a soda, pastry, chips, or other “comfort foods” to keep us going. So get to bed earlier and enjoy the fantastic feeling of being well rested and ready to take on the world!

Keep Stress In CheckIt’s not unusual for people to respond to stress with “emotional eating.” If you’re stressed and find yourself going for a big helping of seconds or reaching for a pint of ice cream, stop a moment and ask yourself if you’re really hungry or just mindlessly trying to console yourself by munching away unpleasant feelings. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, massage, and relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation help take the edge off our anxiety and get us through those difficult times, as does nourishing ourselves by eating well.

Sadly, obesity is causing a wide range of health problems in children that previously weren’t seen until adulthood. These include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and elevated blood cholesterol levels. There are also psychological effects: obese children are more prone to low self-esteem, negative body image, and depression.

It’s really no wonder that an increasing number of children are overweight. Television commercials aimed at kids lures them into desiring fast food, junky cereal, sweets, soda, and other unhealthy, overly processed foods. Plus our kids are far less active than previous generations. In fact, the average child spends about

four hours each day watching TV, on the computer, or playing video games. Compounding the problem is the fact that many schools have eliminated or cut back their physical education programs. The equation: the consumption of high-calorie, fatty, salty, sugary food + lack of exercise = weight gain. This cycle must stop!

As adults, it’s up to us to lead by example and protect our children from excess weight gain/obesity and nurture healthy habits that will last a lifetime. We can do this by creating the healthiest home food environment possible: stocking the fridge and pantry with fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and other nutritious foods; eating dinner together as a family; and stimulating kids’ interest in food shopping, cooking, and perhaps gardening.

We can also create a home where being active is the norm—for example, walking or biking with kids to school; planning fun outings with family and friends; limiting TV/computer screen time; and simply encouraging them to go outside and play.


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These days, the majority of parents with children under 18 work outside the home. Home cooked meals are healthier than eating out, but coming home from a day on the job and facing a hungry family to feed can be overwhelming! What’s a busy parent to do? Here are some time- and energy-saving tips for making it easier to prepare delicious and nutritious meals.

--Bring the family together and get the kids involved. Based on their age/abilities, they can do things like setting the table, washing vegetables, and measuring ingredients; older kids can make salads, mix meatloaf, etc.

--Make simple meals. Steam, sauté, or roast some veggies, bake a sweet potato, and grill some fish or chicken. Let the family add spices, condiments and dressing when they eat, so they can flavor the dishes to their liking.

--Prepare food ahead of time (over the weekend or on a night when you aren’t pressed for time). Chop vegetables and store them in containers in the refrigerator, hard boil some eggs, cook double the amount of brown rice so there will be leftovers to use another night, etc. It’s also great to make a big batch of soup, stew, or chili to enjoy throughout the week for lunch or dinner.

--Invest in time-saving cooking tools, such as a rice cooker, immersion blender, food processor, and crockpot (just assemble ingredients, place inside, plug it in, and look forward to having dinner ready when you get home).

Here are other strategies for keeping things healthy:

--Limit portion sizes. Our parents may have insisted we clean our plates before leaving the table, but that’s not a good strategy for maintaining a child’s healthy weight.

--Do not use any food—but most especially sweets or junk food—as a reward or bribe.

--Keep snacks under 150 calories...but keep them healthy. Many snack foods and cookies now come prepackaged in low-calorie portions but are still bad choices. Make healthy snacks available by stocking up on fresh fruit, low-fat string cheese, humus and baby carrots and celery, low fat yogurt, etc. If you stock up on nutrition bars, be sure to read the label and only choose those with natural ingredients since many so-called “natural” commercial bars contain high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, artificial ingredients, preservatives, and other chemicals.

Remember, children learn by example! Set a good one to start them off on the right foot so they’ll be healthy for life!

“The way you eat can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes, help manage insulin levels, keep you well if you already have diabetes, and, in some cases, reverse prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Think of food as fuel and medicine. Eating the right combination of healthy foods allows you to feel better and reduces your risk for diabetes complications such as heart disease.”--Roufia Payman

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HERBED RICOTTA SOUFFLE

R O F I A ' S R E C I P E C O R N E RServes 4

When presented, this dish looks fancy but is easy to make and so delicious your family is sure to love it!

Ingredients:Unsalted butter for coating

All-purpose flour for dusting

1-1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese

4 large eggs, separated

½ tsp. course sea salt

2 Tablespoons freshly chopped basil

2 Tablespoons freshly minced chives

Course ground pepper, to taste

Instructions:--Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Position rack to lower 1/3

--Butter and dust 1-quart casserole dish

--Whisk ricotta with yolks, salt, herbs. Season with pepper.

--In separate bowl, beat eggs until soft peaks form

--Gently fold whites into ricotta mixture, 1/3 at a time, until just combined

--Pour into prepared casserole dish

--Bake until puffed, golden brown, and firm to the touch (30 – 35 minutes)

Nutritional information:220 calories/ 14 g fat/ 6 g carb/ 17 g protein

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US ING T H E R A P E U T I C -By Joan Apter

HEALING SCENTS


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Therapeutic grade essential oils are a powerful natural healing modality

for physical, mental/emotional and spiritual balance. I reach for my essential oils first to address all of my first aid needs. They work swiftly and have no negative side effects.

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But did you know that you could learn essential oil approaches for your animal companions, including your farm animals? Essential oils can be used for pain, general first aid, boosting the immune system, behavioral and emotional balance, trauma, abuse issues, arthritis, nerve degeneration, pest control, parasites, respiratory problems, tumors or cancer, wounds or abrasions, and so much more! There are also non-toxic techniques for keeping a germ-free kennel or home.

Essential oils are the life force and regenerating and oxygenating immune defense properties of plants, flowers, trees, shrubs, root, bark, and resin. They contain vitamins, minerals, enzymes and hormones. Often referred to as the heart and soul of aromatic plants, they are extremely concentrated. (One drop of peppermint essential oil is equal in therapeutic value to 26 cups of peppermint tea!)

Essential oils have been used as medicine since pre-Egyptian days. In France, medical doctors regularly prescribe essential oil formulas. In the U.S., we have only recently begun to rediscover the therapeutic benefits of these oils, which are used with success to treat animals from kittens to 2,000-pound draft horses. Using essential oils with your animal can assist with prevention and help combat disease the natural way, strengthen the immune system, and prevent infections, as well as improve agility and obedience performance, address behavior

issues and relieve stress and anxiety. For instance, just a drop of Young Living Oil’s famous “Peace and Calming” blend on the ear tips can result in a focused and relaxed performance in your pet’s obedience or agility

Essential oils are a totally natural, very effective form of healing for animals. They affect animals down deep, at the cellular level, positively impacting neurochemistry and biochemistry. This, of course, makes for more balanced, happier veterinary patients who are also regaining physical health.

One thing that adds to the amazing power of essential oils is they work at the emotional and cognitive levels as well as at the physiologic level. Many pets have dramatic improvement in their response to stress and anxiety with the use of oils.

General Methods of Application:

FOR SMALL ANIMALS (cats and small dogs): Apply 1-2 drops DILUTED with an organic vegetable oil (80-90%) oil mixture per application.

FOR LARGE AMIMALS: (large dogs): Apply 3-5 drops NEAT (not diluted) per application.

Essential oils can be applied to tips of ears of dogs or cats when they have need of calming down.

A veterinarian I know says, ”If I have a really stressed wild animal coming in, I just put a few drops of very pure pharmaceutical grade lavender oil on a cotton ball and tape it outside of their cage for an overall calming effect.”


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When your pet is contending with fleas, here is a do-it-yourself anti-flea spray recipe that will help keep those pests far from your animal.

DIY Anti-Flea Spray --16-oz. glass spray bottle (preferably a dark amber glass spray bottle)--1 drop of Cedarwood essential oil --1 drop of Thyme essential oil --½ cup of fatty vegetable oil

Directions:Add ingredients into the glass spray bottle. Shake to combine. Lightly spray on your pet when needed.

Tips for Massaging Your Pets with Essential OilsTo enhance your grooming regimen and deepen your relationship with your pet, why not add a relaxing massage to your routine?

Follow these steps for the massage (you may add essential oils appropriate for your animal’s concerns to this protocol).

• Invite your pet to lie down.• Start by stroking the areas you already know your pet enjoys.• As your pet relaxes, start using long strokes. This will relax him/her even more.• Once your pet stretches out, you know he/she is ready for the massage.

• If you would like to use a fatty oil, put a couple of drops on your fingertips.• Begin with the head and with circular motions, gently work your fingertips over the entire body.• Use small, soft movements with cats and small dogs and larger movements with bigger animals.• The time invested is very insignificant to the pay off. With a cat or small dog, it will only take a couple of minutes. With larger breeds, it may take 10 minutes to finish the massage.

Once your pet is completely relaxed, it is a great time to brush or comb from head to tail. Just a few minutes a couple of times a week will not only keep your pet well-groomed and happy, but you will also recognize if any mood or physical changes need to be addressed with your vet.

When working with pure essential oils (I use and recommend Young Living products) remember that the size and physiology of an animal make it more sensitive to the effects of essential oils. Here is why:

• Most pets have a greater sense of smell• Cats and small dogs have a low body weight• Cats have thinner skin that allows essential oils to be easily and quickly absorbed in their bloodstream• Cats’ livers do not function like humans or dogs. Bottom-line: less is better for a cat.

As with infants and toddlers, I advise you take care when administrating essential oils on your pets.


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Nancy Weber, RN, CCA, Animal Communicator, Medical Intuitive, Psychic Detective:

In my experience, I have found that animals respond to essential oils much the same as humans. One needs only to determine which oils are applicable to the situation and then apply a few drops 3-4 times daily.

The amount for small animals like cats and dogs I apply 3-4 drops; for larger animals like large dogs 6-7 drops; for horses, apply 15-20 drops.

For various problems I have experimented with the following oils:

1.Strangle in horses, I used a combination of the oil blends Exodus 11 and Melrose together. (4 parts Exodus II to 1 part Melrose)

2.Ear mites in cats and dogs - Purification and peppermint.

3.Ticks, fleas and flies - Tansy and Tansy floral water.

4.Tumors (all animals) - Frankincense and Lavender mixed together, Frankincense and Clove mixed together.

5.Worms/ parasites (all animals) - Panaway, and Di-Tone.

6.Open wound (all animals) - Melrose, Helichrysum and Gentle Care Rose Ointment.

7.Trauma (all animals) - Trauma Life, Valor, Peace & Calming, Melissa, Rosewood, Lavender, Valerian, and Chamomile.

8.Bones (all animals) - PanAway, Wintergreen, Lemongrass, and Spruce.

9.Nervous anxiety with horses - Valor, TraumaLife, Geranium, Lavender, and Valerian.

10.Saddle sores - Melrose and Rose Ointment.

11.Tissue repair and healing directly on wound - Melrose.

12. May help with pain and stop bleeding - Helichrysum.

13. Inflammation: copaiba and peppermint. Use copaiba first, then apply other oil.

Wendy Rodrigues, DVM, CVA, Livingston Animal Hospital, Livingston, NY

I’ve been using Young Living oils for several years now.

In the exam room to calm anxious pets I use Lavender or Peace and Calming and sometimes Trauma Life. Clients use these oils for travel and thunderstorms.

Panaway is great on animal’s pain prior to acupuncture. I have also used it on arthritis and back pain.

I used diluted Melrose on my old cats when my new kittens gave them ringworm. The kittens were treated with Melrose and Program flea treatment.


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I use Purification/Lavender in a spray bottle with water for flea and tick prevention and for odors in the house.

Diluted Valor has been great for wobbly or arthritic cats. It kept my old cat, Kali, walking.

I've used Thieves for resistant skin infections and yeast infections.

Di-gize is helpful for vomiting, diarrhea, and poor appetite.

Dr. Kim Bloomer, co- author of the book Whole Health for Happy Dogs and author of Animals Taught Me That.

With species appropriate nutrition as the foundation, additionally I love using the Young Living Essential Oils as my "modality" of choice.

One of my favorite oils to suggest to clients for dogs experiencing anxiety and stress is to use Grounding blend. Another of my favorites for immediate pain relief is Trauma Life. I suppose there isn't an oil or blend by Young Living I can't find some incredible use in assisting animals and their humans towards wellness. These oils ARE my natural medicine chest for both humans and the canines I love!

Warnings:• Caution - NEVER put essential oils inside the ears or near the eyes of animals (or human for that matter). If you do get any in the eyes, quickly administer vegetable oil to the site. If in the ear, try a cotton ball to soak up. • A few essential oils applied to the skin may cause sensitization, appearing as redness or irritation. These oils are Bergamot, Cassia, Cinnamon, Citronella, Clove, Fennel, Laurus Nobilis and Ylang Ylang. Always mix essential oils in a base carrier oil of your choice.

Use Special Caution with Cats • Consulting with a veterinarian is a good policy before applying oils to cats for the first time.• Cats metabolize things differently from dogs and other animals. Cats generally have an adverse reaction to citrus products.

Enjoy maintaining the vibrant health and longevity of your beloved animals the natural way with essential oils!

NOTE: The information in this article is educational in nature and not intended as a substitute for professional health care.

In the world of essential oils, the subject of purity is very important. Processing the oils with low pressure and low temperature in the distiller are keys to maintaining the ultimate fragrance and therapeutic value. High pressure, high temperatures, rapid processing and the use of solvents or any other chemical will fracture the oil molecule, destroying the therapeutic value and altering the fragrance.

Before you purchase an oil, be sure that the company knows the origins of its oils and has had them chemically analyzed to check for adulteration of the constituents of the oil. Often a supplier will extract a particular chemical component of an oil and sell it to the perfume industry. It then replaces it with a synthetic chemical component and sells it to the more gullible American essential oil buyers, who then pass it on in the marketplace as a “pure” essential oil, which it is not. Synthetic, adulterated oils can cause allergies, rashes and burns.

In this article, I have used the names of particular essential oil blends developed by D. Gary Young. The company is Young Living Essential oils. These are the therapeutic grade oils I use in my practice and on my pets and myself every day!

Remember always that you must know for a fact that the essential oil you are using is unadulterated medicinal quality oil. One of the only ways to be sure is to ask the company you purchase oils from to provide you with gas chromatograms of their oils from an independent lab. I cannot vouch for the essential oils easily available on our health food store shelves. Some companies extract the essential oils with solvents like propylene glycol, but it is still called a pure!

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-By Laurel House

QUICKIE CHICK

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If there is one thing I have learned from being a travel writer, it’s NEVER CHECK YOUR LUGGAGE (except for extreme circumstances

where lots of luggage is a must). Why?

1st Of all, many airlines now charge you to check.

2nd I don’t like to have to stand with the masses waiting for my luggage to finally come slowly creeping around the luggage carousel…

3rd If it ever does come. Yeah, lost luggage isn’t just a thing you “hear” about. It has happened to me and it’s not fun.

4th Because it’s quick! Not checking means that you don’t have to wait in line to check your baggage. Just check-in online, print your boarding pass, get your fab behind to the airport and deliver yourself directly to the security check-in line. Ok, yes, now you have to unload insane amounts of contents onto the belt- your computer in its own bin, your liquids in another, and of course heave ho that huge roller bag up so it can be thoroughly scanned. But really, all of that doesn’t take much time… if you’re prepared for it (which is why having a designated place for each item in your bag is ideal). Then on the plane, just place your roller in the overhead compartment and your shoulder bag w/ purse under your seat and you’re golden!

Get a seat as close to the front as possible so you can be one of the first off the plane and on with your life!

What does never-checking translate to? Technically:1 carry-on bag1 personal bag


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Here’s the QuickieChick way:-1 carry-on (this is a rolling carry-on)-1 shoulder bag-1 purse (I make sure to leave room in my shoulder bag to stuff my purse in it when going through security and getting on the plane. They are sticklers about this)

And now for my contents and perfect packing:

-Sneakers plus enough exercise socks for every day

-Havaianas flip-flops (to walk around in- obviously, but also in case the hotel room floor is nasty)

-Exercise shorts or pants (enough for half the trip- you can always double wear them)

-Panties (enough for everyday, plus 1 red power panty, 2 for exercise and 1 sexy Hanky Panky panty… because you never know)

-Bras (both exercise and daily wear, plus 1 sexy… you never know)

-James Perse cozy t-shirt and boxer shorts to sleep in (plus for a Quickie Workout in Bed)

-Go-with-anything chunky necklace

-Lavender and flax-filled eye pillow

-Bathroom Bag filled with non-liquid essentials, as well as a solid deodorant (doesn’t count as a liquid). This bag also includes a mini stain-remover, an array of just-in-case medications, pain reliever, Benadryl, tampons, band-aids, tweezers, razor, and urinary tract infection pills (just in case).

-Oh… and wear your wedges on the plane. They aren’t the most ever comfortable, but they are bulky and take up unnecessary space in your bag, plus you can take them off on the plane anyway.

Those are my musts. Beyond the basics are up to you based on where you are traveling to. Be strategic with you packing. Plan your outfits, then have 1 alternative in case you feel puffy or have a change of plan. DO NOT over pack- you don’t have the space.

*Tip- Roll your clothes (even your underwear). Somehow this folding alternatives saves a ton of space. Then stuff your socks into your shoes.

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-I always pack my computer because I have the inability to travel and not work. Up to you.

-Baggie of in-flight and arrival essentials including: Green Tea bags, Emergen-C, Airborne, lavender antibacterial hand wipes, Nimble by Balance Bar protein bars (enough for every day away).

-Kindle (or another ebook reader)

-Whatever actual book I am currently reading

-At least 2 magazines- generally a fitness magazine, plus a “trashy” magazine- can’t help but love the gossip.

-Baggie of carry-on liquids (for easy access to pull out during security). I love Naturopathica and Burt’s Bees travel packs (I also have the full size versions)

-Chargers and electronics cords

-Business cards (you never know when you will meet someone)

-Flip cam (in case I need to shoot a Quickie)

Keep in mind that you want the purse you bring to match most of the outfits you have planned. Bring whatever you would normally bring in a purse, but slimmed down a bit. Just make sure to include:

-Makeup (for touchups in case you need to look decent upon arrival)

-Handwipes

-Tissues

-Gum (I always carry at least 2 flavors)

-Tic Tacs (I love orange flavor)

-Ginger chews…. I love the sweet, savory, spiciness

-ipod and headset (to shut everyone else out)

-Wallet- obviously

-$60- at least! You never know…

-Business cards (you can never have enough. I keep them in every purse)

-A pen

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THE WAY

ORTHE WAY? (IT'S ALL GOOD) -By Debbie Burklund

R E F L E X O L O G Y

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A client recently started coming in for treatments and it turned out she is also studying reflexology--in London. She asked me to "narrate" her session so she could follow along and learn. A new reflexology student is usually

in a necessary state of confusion, which is a part of absorbing information and making it one's own. But what compounded her feelings was the fact that an English reflexology treatment varies in some significant ways from an American one. And reflex locations do as well. A huge difference, at least to me, is that there is no reflex to the heart on an English reflexology guide. (Hmmmmm....). In addition to which, European reflexologists will begin your session with the toes and work back and forth between the feet, working their way down. Also standard in a British session is the use of corn starch instead of lotion during treatment. I tried using corn starch for traction and deep pressure, followed by Topricin, and quite liked the result. Apparently my clients did as well, as they always book another appointment as they are leaving. And they never leave without sample packets of Topricin.

An obvious question, then, is "So which reflexology points are correct?" I was asked this, and my response is, "Both." When in doubt, use both and do a thorough treatment. The pancreas reflex placement is quite different between the American and English maps. If your client us diabetic, simply work both areas. (Your client will be delighted.)

Luckily utérus reflex placement is the same between the American and European maps, so if a pregnant client, who is PAST her first trimester and is not having a high-risk pregnancy is receiving your treatment, you won't unknowingly detail her uterus reflex.

Questions? Kindly visit me at www.realreflexology.com. (You may also book your appointment on my site. I will immediately confirm.)

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FOOD BABE-By Vani HariCommon Juicing Mistakes?

Vani Hari started FoodBabe.com in April 2011 to spread information about what is really in the American food supply. She teaches people how to make the right purchasing decisions at the grocery store, how to live an organic lifestyle, and how to travel healthfully around the world. The success in her writing and investigative work can be seen in the way food companies react to her uncanny ability to find and expose the truth.

Impassioned by knowing how food affects health, Vani loves sharing her message on the blogosphere to 3 million unique readers across the globe. Vani convinced the biggest fast food chain in the world, Subway, to remove a controversial ingredient after receiving 50,000 signatures in 24 hours on her petition to the chain. After receiving tremendous attention on her posts about Chick-Fil-A, she was invited by the company’s leadership to meet at its headquarters to consult on specific improvements to ingredients used by the national chain, which they later implemented. 7 months after Vani petitioned Kraft to remove harmful petroleum-based artificial food dyes from Mac & Cheese, Kraft responded by removing the dye from all products aimed at children.

Other major food companies that have responded to her writings include Whole Foods, Lean Cuisine, McDonalds, General Mills, Coca-Cola, Chipotle, Yoforia, and Moe’s South West Grill.

Vani’s activism brought national attention at the Democratic National Convention when she used her status as an elected delegate to protest in front of the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture on the issue of GMO labeling. Vani has been profiled in the New York Times, USA Today, Washington Times, Chicago Tribune, appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Good Morning America, Doctors Show, NBC News, Fox News and is a regular cooking contributor on NBC’s Charlotte Today and food expert on CNN.

I love green juice so much that I would marry it

if I wasn’t already married. When I see families,

especially children, drinking green juice, my

heart melts on the floor, but when I see people

drinking juice in a less than stellar way and

making common mistakes, I get crazy concerned

and want to help. That’s why I want to go over

common juicing mistakes... Read more: http://

foodbabe.com/category/juicing/

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WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO,

FOOD BABE!

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HEALING INNOVATIONS

HEALING CIRCLE

With the days growing warmer, we’re baring more skin....which means it’s time

to “wax off!” Stripping away hair on legs, lips, eyebrows, and bikini lines isn’t the most pleasant process, but thanks to Topricin it can be far less painful! Topricin and Topricin for Children instantly relieve and soothe post-wax redness, burning, and pain while encouraging quick healing. Plus it nourishes your skin to keep it soft, supple, and lovely!

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I wanted you to know that Topricin worked like a miracle on my little Rat Terrier ''Mama.'' We live in deep snow

country and she thinks she’s a Malamute! Anyway she sprained her hip pretty good jumping through deep snow and it had been bothering her for over a week with on and off limping. I applied some Topricin all over her hip and leg and from then on it has not bothered her at all, she's back bounding through the snow...I also have an older cat ''Bob.'' He is 18 and suffers from arthritis in his front feet, and Topricin much improved his walking ability. I also tried it on one of my older dogs—his front feet bother him from time to time. He liked the feeling of the cream on his paw tops and went right to sleep.

--Carrie Kinison

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IN THE NEWS

Have you heard about Certified B Corporations? They are leading a global movement to

redefine success in business, with emphasis on people, the planet, and profits—in essence, “B-ing the Change that’s good for the world.” And we are proud to announce that Topical BioMedics has become a Certified B-Corp by meeting the rigorous standards necessary for certification. We’re in mighty good company, too, as the vibrant B Corp community includes such respected companies as Ben & Jerry’s, Better World Books, Cabot Creamery, Care2, Dansco, Etsy, King Arthur Flour, Patagonia, Seventh Generation, The Honest Company, and Uncommon Goods...

“For the past twenty years, our mission has been to restore hope and quality of life to the millions of people who suffer in pain with our safe, effective Topricin healing technology,” says our Lou Paradise. “We are gratified that our formulas have been shown to reduce the need and/or dependency on all classifications of chemical pain pills. With Rx opiate addiction at epidemic proportions, we are honored to be providing doctors and their patients with a viable, vibrant protocol that is helping to reverse this tragic trend. We are grateful that B Lab has recognized our efforts in caring for society as well as running a robust, healthy, growing business.”

The global community of B Corps is working together to be the best in the world by doing what is best for the world. And our company is honored to be among this sterling group of “B” businesses!

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Topricin was featured at the 2014 Integrative Healthcare Symposium, held February 20 – 22

at The Hilton New York in Manhattan. The IHS hosts the most sought-after, multi-disciplinary healthcare professionals and health enthusiasts from around the world. Collaborating in a mission to define the future of integrative healthcare, attendees participated in presentations and interactive sessions on topics that tackle Nutrition; Musculoskeletal/Sports Medicine; Integrative Approaches; Integrative Nursing; and Mind/Body/Spirit. Topical BioMedics, Inc. was honored to host informational consultations and provide samples of all three Topricin® Natural Pain Relief & Healing Cream formulas.

TOPRICIN HELPS DEFINE THE FUTURE OF INTEGRATIVE HEALTHCARE

CELEBRITY TRAINERS VISIT TOPICAL BIOMEDICS

We were pleased to host celebrity fitness trainers and radio personalities Laurie Towers and Elite

Ziegelman, who made the trek to our offices from Manhattan on a very cold Monday in February.

Topricin Ambassadors from Physical Advantage and partners in The Bridal Body Shop, Elite and Laurie co-host popular Bridal Body Shop Blog Talk Radio show, which boasts over 40,000 listeners and regularly features “Topricin Talk.” Tune in Wednesdays from 1pm – 2pm, Saturdays 3pm-4pm, or access the archive of past shows any time...Including interviews with our Lou, Patricia, and Christina!

Find out more: www.physical-knead.com; www.thebridalbodyshop.com; http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-bridal-body-shop


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TOP DOC PICKSTOPRICIN IN BESTSELLER

We are thrilled that Dr. Woodson Merrell recommends Topricin in his bestseller,

The Detox Prescription—as seen on The Dr. Oz Show—and also recommends Topricin in What Doctors Eat by Tasneem Bhatia.

A long-time friend and user of Topricin, Dr. Merrell has designated our healing technology as “The 21st Century standard of care for pain management.” We congratulate him on his wonderful book and for the sterling contributions he continues to make promoting vital and robust health throughout the world.

DOING WHAT COMES NATURALLY...

We were excited to participate once again in Natural Products Expo West, and join the thriving community

of retailers, brands, media, industry members, and attendees at the Anaheim Convention Center March 6th through 9th. Considering how cold this winter has been, our management team happily enjoyed the 80+ degree weather in Anaheim, CA, for a change! .

The largest annual natural products marketplace, the event encompasses over 1.2 million gross square feet, in addition to the Anaheim Convention Center’s Arena and Arena lobby. This year was bigger and better than ever, with a record-breaking 2,500 exhibitors and 72,000 attendees.

Some of the top natural product trends of the year were revealed, and include:

-- Non-GMO Status. Businesses know that people are curious and want to know more about genetically modified ingredients, and those who do not use genetically modified organisms in their products are proudly letting people know.

-- Going Coconuts. It seems coconut was everywhere, and in everything--coconut water, coconut milk, coconut oil, dried coconut in snacks and even coconut bacon!

-- Juices, Juicing and Juice-Related Products. New gourmet juices, the equipment that may help you make juices at home, and additives (nutrient rich powders – flax seed, chia seed, protein etc.) are abundant.

--Social Responsibility. There were many companies that made their giving back to the environment, the community or the world’s population a part of their company mission statement...Case in point, B-Lab, a non-profit that certifies B-corporations, was in attendance, and there were a number of Certified B Corps exhibiting at Expo.

As usual, the Topricin booth was extremely popular, with exhibitors and attendees clamoring for samples to get relief for the aches and pains of walking around on their feet all day!

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

Lou is a Marine Corps helicopter combat and rescue veteran who served two rotations in Vietnam. He is very modest about his combat service but his many decorations are for bravery in combat and the rescue of wounded soldiers, sailors, and fellow Marines and the humanitarian rescue of Vietnamese civilians.

JOAN APTER A sought-after public speaker, Joan Apter, licensed massage therapist, offers aromatherapy massage, Young Living Essential Oil products, health consultations and classes. Contact Joan at [email protected]. Visit apteraromatherapy.com and facebook.com/joanapter

ANNIE B. BONDBest-selling author Annie B. Bond has been called “The foremost expert on green living” by Body & Soul magazine. Honed by her own experience with chemical poisoning, Annie now offers others information on pursing a healthy way of life that is in harmony with the earth. Her books include Clean and Green, Better Basics for the Home, Home Enlightenment, and the most recent release True Food, published by National Geographic. For more information, visit www.greenchicafe.com and www.anniebbond.com.

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


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Contributors

MICHELLE SCHOFFRO COOK PhD, ROHP, DNM, Is an international best-selling and fifteen-time book author whose works include: 60 Seconds to Slim, The Ultimate pH Solution, and the upcoming book Weekend Wonder Detox. She is a doctor of natural medicine, holistic nutritionist, and the publisher of the free ezine World’s Healthiest News. Learn more about her work at: www.DrMichelleCook.com, www.WorldsHealthiestDiet.com, and www.HealthySurvivalist.com

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DOUG GRUNTHER Doug is a certified dream work facilitator and regularly holds dream work study groups. He has been Woodstock, NY’s most noted radio talk show host for over 25 years. His popular program, “The Woodstock Roundtable,” can be heard over 100.1 WDST-FM and over the Internet at www.WDST.com. To contact Doug, email [email protected] or go to www.dreamworkwithdoug.com

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


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ELYN JACOBSis a breast cancer survivor, professional cancer coach, radio talk show host, speaker, and the Executive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation. She is also on the peer review board of the Natural Standard Database. Elyn empowers women to choose the path for treatment that best fits their own individual needs. She is passionate about helping others move forward into a life of health and wellbeing. Elyn lives in New York with her husband and two young boys. www.elynjacobs.wordpress.com; Twitter@survivelivewell; Facebook @Elyn Jacobs Consulting; LinkedIn @Elyn Jacobs; and her Radio Show: http://bit.ly/1gZJyF6

Contributors

ERIC FRANCISThe founder and editor of Planet Waves, Eric is an astrologer and investigative journalist. He was working in his first job as a municipal newspaper reporter when he discovered that his editor also owned an astrology bookstore. This began a long relationship between astrology and journalism, which has taken Eric through the pages of many newspapers as a horoscope writer, including the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror plus numerous other venues. Today, Eric covers global turning point events through the lens of astrology. He is a specialist in newly-discovered planets. For more information visit www.ericfrancis.com and www.planetwaves.net

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

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

ROUFIA PAYMAN Roufia is the Director of Outpatient Nutritional Services at Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck, NY, where she directs the Bariatric Support Group, “New Leaf,” and “Get Real Weight Results” programs. For more information call 845-871-3600 or visit www.health-quest.org/ndh.

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

Contributors

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

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