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YOGIC EATING by Nancy Allen

“Eat local” is a food lover’s mantra for good reason. The more time that passes after your produce is plucked from stem, stalk, or vine, the fewer nutrients it retains. Salad greens, for example, lose about half their vitamin C within 24 hours of being picked. By most estimates, each food item in a typical U.S. meal has traveled an average of 1,500 miles! We’re living in a global food economy – we can purchase potatoes from Peru, organic produce from California, fish from India... But the payoff is increased cost and use of fuel, environmental consequences from long haul shipping, a decline in freshness, and the possibility of contamination – as we’ve learned from recent incidents with Chinese imports.
As yoga practitioners, we seek to achieve harmony between body, mind and spirit. We know from our practice that the body and mind are in a constant state of interaction. Indeed, modern physics points more and more to the impossibility of drawing a distinction between one and the other. It makes sense that as members of a yoga community, we care about the food we eat and the people, animals, and minerals that make it possible for us to eat it. To read the full article "click" on the link below.

It is amazing how confusing recycling can be. by Jessica Jenen This article is used with permission from the author and Low Impact Living.

To find out more about this valuable information source as you pursue a lifestyle of health and sustainability, contact jessica@lowimpactliving.com

It is amazing how confusing recycling can be. It should be easy, right? Unfortunately it is not so clear-cut. We have received many emails from well-meaning folks like you pondering the what/when/how of recycling. We are going to try to sort it all out for you here. According to the EPA today, the US recycles 25% of its trash, when it could recycle 75%! So let's all pitch in and turn up the volume on our recycling.
The Basics: Glass, Metal, Paper and Plastics
Not all paper, plastics or metal are created equal. We will sift through the issues here. First, glass is completely recyclable and saves precious energy resources. Making products from recycled glass uses less energy than starting from scratch. Recycled glass is made into new beverage bottles, food jars, insulation and other construction materials. So put glass containers in your recycling bin—but be sure to dispose of the caps and lids separately. They are typically not recyclable.
No surprise: aluminum cans are like gold. Aluminum is the most valuable of household recyclables. Aluminum cans are recycled to produce new aluminum cans. By recycling aluminum cans, you are helping to conserve energy. Rinse the cans to prevent attracting insects and crush them if you need to save space. To view the full article "click" on the link below.

The Sinister Side of Soda
by Tracy Fernandez Rysavy

When it comes to the health effects of drinking soda, it’s hard to separate fact from scary urban legend. Do sodas cause esophageal cancer? Can you get brain tumors from drinking too many diet sodas? Are there really 19 teaspoons of teeth-rotting sugar in each can? And just how much extra weight could you lose by kicking the can-a-day habit?
Real Money dug deep to find the facts about soda consumption and how it affects your family’s health, the environment, and communities around the world. Once you discover the true facts about soda, you may want to curb your consumption and, with our help, look for healthier alternatives.

Soda: A Cancer Risk, or Not?
The bottom line is that there seems to be some increased risk of certain types of cancer from drinking sodas. Here’s what you need to know:
• THE BENZENE LINK: Tests conducted by private laboratories in November 2005—and paid for by a concerned soft-drink industry whistle-blower—showed that certain sodas and juices had benzene levels up to ten times higher than the US drinking water limit of five parts per billion (ppb), according to Beverage
Daily.com, which reports news on the
beverage industry. Benzene is classified as a known carcinogen by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is linked to leukemia.
Benzene can come from forest fires, burning coal and oil, and cigarette smoke. It can also form in beverages that contain sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate, combined with either ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or erythorbic acid (also known as d-ascorbic acid), according to the FDA. Heat and light exacerbate benzene formation in sodas with these ingredients.
“Product lists show more than 1,500 soft drinks containing sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid have been launched across Europe, North America, and Latin America since January 2002,” writes Chris Mercer, editor of BeverageDaily.com. Unfortunately for cautious consumers, the benzene limit for drinking water does not apply to soft drinks, which have much less stringent standards,
so sodas with high benzene content are
perfectly legal in the US. This article was reprinted with permission from C0-op America and was first published in their January/February Real Money newsletter. To read the full article and to find out more about Co-op America and how to become involved in this national nonprofit that works to harness the economic power of consumers, investors, and the marketplace to create a more socially just and environmentally sustainable society, click on the article link below.

A Short Introduction to Permaculture
by Vicky Peterson

This article will serve, hopefully, as an introduction to permaculture, give a short description of spring permaculture projects at my house and provide links for more information.

Not many people have heard of permaculture, even if they have been living it their whole lives. The term was coined back in the 70’s to describe a design system that provides for human needs by mimicking nature. Some of the ideas used in permaculture are as old as the earth and some are as new as today. A common misconception is that permaculture is just about gardening and plants. While it is based in the green and growing world, permaculture design principles can, and in my opinion, should be applied to most aspects of modern life. The basic idea is to learn from natural ecosystems and apply that wisdom to meet our human needs. The emphasis has been on food production with perennial plants and self-maintaining gardens but recently, permaculture principles have been applied to economic and social structures such as urban renewal and community development. To read the full article click on the link below.

COMING THIS SPRING TO LYNCHBURG: LOCAL, SPRAY-FREE PRODUCE, PASTURE RAISED MEAT, MILK AND EGGS.
by Nancy Allen

Horse and Buggy Produce is now offering Lynchburg area subscribers an opportunity to have the most delicious and freshest locally grown fruits and vegetables in central Virginia. The enormous variety includes melt-in-your-mouth green beans and cantaloupes, several varieties of heirloom tomatoes (including white ones!), seasonal berries, and fresh-from-the-garden corn on the cob. Complementing these delicious items will be other farm products such as fresh eggs, apple butter, and apple cider.
Beginning in the spring of 2007, Horse and Buggy will offer a separate subscription service for grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken and pork, and organic milk, butter, and possibly cheese.
This wealth of food comes from the nearly 100 small-plot, personal vegetable gardens, fruit orchards, and livestock of the members of a community of Mennonite farmers in the Shenandoah Valley, who rely on techniques passed from generation to generation. Their life-style still includes horse-drawn carriages for transportation, a choice that limits the distribution of this extraordinary abundance. Horse and Buggy links your table with their harvest. To find out more about Horse and Buggy Produce or to subcribe, log on to their website at www.horseandbuggyproduce.com.

"Achieving Holistic Health With Ayurveda"
by Carl Sheusi

Ayurveda is India's ancient science of natural, holistic health. It's history spans over 5,000 years. 'Ayu' means life, and 'Veda' means knowledge, or science. So, Ayurveda means 'the science of life', or 'the science of longevity.' Ayurveda is becoming more and more popular in the West due to the desire for more cost effective, natural healthcare options without the negative side effects. The number of Ayurvedic spas, centers, schools, institutes and workshops is rising steadily each year and making Ayurveda much more accessible.
In the months to come we'll explore natural, Ayurvedic remedies for a variety of health concerns, including weight management, headaches, allergies, colds and flu, skin diseases, hyperacidity, high blood pressure, and others. In the next few paragraphs we'll introduce the fundamentals of Ayurveda and list a variety of the natural approaches Ayurveda uses to restore balance to body and mind. To read more “click” the article link below.

"Ayurveda and Weight Management"
by Carl Sheusi

In this article we’ll consider how the natural science of Ayurveda can be used to address the issue of weight management. In last month’s issue we laid out some fundamental principles of Ayurveda. This month we’ll apply those basic, general principles to our current topic. To read more “click” the article link below.

“What is a Doula”
by Rachel Carton

The word “doula” comes from ancient Greek and is now used to refer to “a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during, and just after childbirth.” Research studies have found that when doulas attend births, labors are shorter by 25%, there are fewer complications, and there is a decrease in need of pitocin induction and augmentation by 40%, a decreased cesarean rate by 50%, reduced need for pain medications by 30%, decreased need for forceps by 40%, and decreased request of epidurals by 60%. Babies are also healthier and they breastfeed more easily.
A doula recognizes birth as a key life experience and understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs for the woman in labor. She will assist a pregnant woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth. The doula stays by the side of the woman throughout labor providing emotional support, practical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint, and information to aid decision-making. She acts as a liaison between the laboring woman, her partner, and clinical care providers. The doula perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman’s memory of her birth. The doula does not replace the woman’s partner or clinical care providers, she is an added member of the birthing team.
topic. To read more “click” the article link below.

"Insurance……Is It There Until You Need It?"
by Donna Barringer Neighbors

Have you or someone you know been in an automobile accident? Only to find out that “the coverage” did not cover the medical expenses expected? Or the Claims Rep quickly took care of the property damage, but avoided medical care for any personal bodily injuries by quickly getting a signature on the check for the auto repairs with a release clause on the back of the check? Or maybe, right after the accident in a numb state of shock you or someone you know didn’t immediately go to the hospital to get the injuries sustained in the accident checked out and documented? To read more “click” the article link below.

“Vibrational Healing”
by Donna Barringer Neighbors

The concept of Vibrational or “energetic” healing is not new, nor a “New Age” invention. We are just now coming to understand the simplicity and power of these God given gifts and techniques. Energetic forms of healing encompass many varied modalities. Some of the more popular are: Aromatherapy, Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Flower Essences, Light and Color Therapies, Magnetic Therapy, Yoga & Tai Chi, Reiki, Touch For Health, Chakra Balancing, Healing Touch, Therapeutic Touch, Laying On of Hands, as well as many more modalities. To read more “click” the article link below.

“Wholefoods Nutrition”
by Patric Sabin

Nutrition is the relationship of foods to the health of our bodies. Good nutrition means that all essential nutrients are supplied in necessary balance to maintain optimum health. We all want to have a full, active life; we want resistance to infection and disease and the ability to recover and repair quickly. Nourishing our bodies well is one of the most important ways we can do that. Consuming a balanced whole foods or natural foods diet is the easiest way to be sure we are well-nourished.
To read more “click” the article link below.

"What Constitutes a Healthy Lifestyle"
by Mike Cundiff

Public awareness of personal health and fitness has grown tremendously over the last few decades. In generations past the idea of eating right and being physically fit was a luxury reserved for a privileged few. This concept has matured to embrace the idea that we all need to regularly engage in pursuit of our own wellbeing. To read more "click” the article link below.

Green Scene Spotlight
Fresh Air Natural Foods

Since 1989, Fresh Air Natural Foods has been Lynchburg's source of natural foods, body care, quality supplements and more. Patric Sabin, the owner and operator of Fresh Air, states "My original vision of a natural foods business has expanded to include more products than I ever dreamed of. Wholesome food has always been the store's main focus, but growing demand for all manner of natural products has skyrocketed. Fresh Air has grown and evolved with the rest of the natural products industry. To read more "click” the article link below.

Ask the Experts
Sciatica Problem?

I have never had any limiting pain until recently developing what I guess you would call sciatica. The pain is in my right hip and often travels down my leg, calf, and even into my foot. Sitting is very uncomfortable and I always have a nagging ache in my hip. What can be done for this condition? I don’t want surgery or medications. John, Lynchburg

Based upon where your pain is, your condition is likely to be sciatica, or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. This large nerve has to pass through the group of six muscles we call the hip rotators. The piriformis muscle lies over top of the sciatic nerve and the other five rotators lie underneath it. If the piriformis gets too tight it will create sciatic nerve compression. The resulting pain can be felt anywhere along the path of this large nerve which runs from the hip down the back of the thigh into the calf and finally, underneath the foot. In addition, there are smaller branches of this nerve which travel around the outside of the leg to the front.

The piriformis muscle can easily be softened, and thus released, through the Soft Tissue Release protocol. This is an easy and mostly painless method of working the tissue at and around the piriformis to allow this muscle to lengthen to its more comfortable length. Once this occurs, usually 1 to 3 sessions, the sciatic nerve will not be firing pain messages which travel up the spinal cord to the brain. Contributors to your pain would be tight tissues in the thigh, calf, and foot on the same side. These are places where the long branching sciatic nerve can also get irritated due to tissue which has become hardened and less pliable. These areas can easily be released as well. To read more click on the article below.

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