Natural Awakenings of Virginia's Blue Ridge August 2014

SummerMini-Getaways

Green Travelers Recharge at Spas,

Parks and Vineyards

HAPPY HEALTHY COOKS

Helping Kids Eat Better

Standout Schools

Hands-On Approaches Keep Kids Excited

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H E A L T H Y L I V I N G H E A L T H Y P L A N E T

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August 2014 | Virginia’s Blue Ridge Edition | NABlueRidge.com

PublisherTracy Garland

[email protected]

EditorKaren Adams

Marketing & AdvertisingBonnie Cranmer

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Design & ProductionCourtney Ayers

Karen Garland, Graphic Design

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Virginia’s Blue Ridge Edition:

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letterfromthepublisher

Tracy Garland, Publisher

We’re pleased to present the August Transformative Education + Children’s Health edition of Natural

Awakenings magazine! In this month’s issue, you’ll fi nd information about innovative learning approaches for adults and for kids, as well as holistic ways to keep kids healthier. In our Feature article “Learning that

Transforms Hearts and Minds,” you can explore several innovative and effective ways of learning that are being practiced by businesses, students and individuals all over the world. In “Schools that Rock: Innovators Blaze Creative Paths,” we uncover several of the most creative educational institutions and techniques. This is supplemented by a tour of alternative educational opportunities in Roanoke by Growing Up in the Valley magazine’s Amanda Powers. “Super-Immunity for Kids” features simple ways to help keep kids strong, and the “Day Care Goes Green” article takes a peek at some green and healthy child care innovations. Local kids are learning about healthy eating habits through a popular program called “Healthy Happy Cooks.” This month, our Community Spotlight features this innovative program, which has helped thousands of city schoolchildren—and their families—eat better, and feel better as a result. As founder Heather Quintana says, “I believe that people don’t need fancy diets to be healthy, but just a diet of lean protein, and lots of fruits and vegetables—and encouragement.” Looking for last minute expedition to fi ll these waning weeks before school starts? Check out “Summer Mini-Getaways: Green Travelers Recharge at Spas, Parks and Vineyards” for ideas. Or maybe you need a respite from the kids after a long lively summer at home. If so, fi nd a few relaxing retreats in “Natural Spas in Central Virginia.” This month marks a full year of our Blue Ridge Green Travel article series by contributor Anne Piedmont. We hope you’ve enjoyed the past year’s installments and look forward to bringing you more in the coming months. Check out our news briefs and calendar listings for green and healthy living, learning and fun opportunities happening in the coming months, and mark your calendar so you don’t miss out! September is Yoga Month, so we’re busily preparing our September Conscious Caretaking + Yoga issue. As always, we welcome your ideas and input.

Sincerely,

4 newsbriefs

8 healthbriefs

9 ecotip

10 community spotlight

12 blueridge greentravel

14 healingways

19 greenliving

22 healthykids

24 calendar

28 resource directory

contents4

8 10 HAPPY HEALTHY COOKS Helping Kids Eat Better, One Bite at a Time by Karen Adams

12 BLUE RIDGE GREEN TRAVEL Natural Spas in Central Virginia by Anne Piedmont

14 SUMMER MINI- GETAWAYS Green Travelers Recharge at Spas, Parks and Vineyards by April Thompson

16 LEARNING THAT TRANSFORMS HEARTS AND MINDS

Rethinking How We See Our World Changes Everything by Linda Sechrist

19 DAY CARE GOES GREEN What’s Good for Kids is Good for the World by Avery Mack

20 SCHOOLS THAT ROCK Innovators Blaze Creative Paths by Sandra Murphy

22 SUPER-IMMUNITY FOR KIDS Simple Ways to Boost a Child’s Long-Term Health by Lisa Turner

16

20

19

Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers fi nd cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fi tness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a mediakit, please contact us at 540-384-1815or email [email protected] for ads: the 5th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONSEmail articles, news items and ideas to: [email protected]. Deadline for editorial: the 1st of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONSEmail Calendar Events to: [email protected]. or fax to 540-444-5668. Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month.

REGIONAL MARKETSAdvertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 540-384-1815. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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3natural awakenings August 2014

newsbriefsLocal Volunteer Wins Big for Greenways

Natural Awakenings would like to thank all of its readers who voted for Roanoke volunteer

Brian Batteiger for the Virginia’s 2014 Cox Con-serves Hero award. Batteiger ultimately won the top prize of $10,000, which has been donated to his nonprofi t of choice: Pathfi nders for Greenways. Batteiger builds new trails and prevents erosion on older trails for Pathfi nders. His volunteer work with Pathfi nders for Greenways extends beyond trail building to include website development, equipment maintenance and volunteer recruitment. Pathfi nders for Greenways provides a forum for involvement of volunteers, co-ordination of work days, greenway promotional events and fund-raising. The Path-fi nders have worked at building and maintaining natural surface trails. They donate 3,000 to 5,000 hours of volunteer service each year and have purchased more than $40,000 worth of trail building equipment. For more information, visit Greenways.org.

Save Green Expo:Waste Not, Want Not

Grayson Land-Care is host-

ing the 5th annual Save Green Expo at Crossroads Institute, in Galax, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Septem-ber 13. This event is free and open to the public. This year’s Save Green Expo theme is “Farm and Garden: Waste Not, Want Not.” Vendors will be on hand to show-case methods of planting, growing, harvesting, preparing and preserving food. Attendees may also register for door prizes and enjoy live music. Expert demonstrations and displays will include pocket farming, pastured meats, raised bed and con-tainer gardening, edible landscapes, orchards, composting, non-timber forest products, beekeeping, non-toxic pest control, backyard chick-ens, renewable natural resources and solar greenhouses Grayson LandCare is a non-profi t, grassroots organization. It is a democratic approach to community development seeking the triple bottom line: increased incomes, improved community services and protection of our natural resources Cost: Free. Location: Crossroads Institute, 1117 East Stuart Dr., Galax. For more information, visit Grayson-LandCare.org. See ad, page 15.

Holistic Nutrition Source Offers Food Sensitivity Testing

Certifi ed health coach Taunya Bruton, of Holistic Nutri-tion Source, in Blacksburg, now offers clinical food sensitivity testing, which

may help those with those with chronic illness and unexplained symptoms. “With the ever-increasing amount of chemicals in our food supply and genetic alterations to our crops, we are seeing more food sensitivities than ever before,” says Bruton. “Most people with chronic illness, such as fi bromyalgia, autoimmune disease, joint pain, irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue, and even unex-plained symptoms, have undiagnosed food sensitivities.” A simple, reliable blood test called ALCAT can identify these sensitivities and provide results within seven business days. The test measures a patient’s response for up to 400 different food substances, then classifi es the response as reactive, border-line or non-reactive. Several versions of the ALCAT testing panel are available; Bru-ton provides free consultations to help clients choose the best panel for their specifi c needs. Bruton also offers a free health coaching session with every test. For more information, call 540-454-8191, email [email protected] or visit HolisticNutritionSource.com. See ad, page 13, and Community Re-source Directory, page 29.

Grandin Village & Downtown Roanokewww.roanokenaturalfoods.coop

Liz Belcher and Brian Batteiger accept Cox Conserves Hero Award

from Cox VP Vonya Alleyne

4 Virginia’s Blue Ridge NABlueRidge.com

A new natural burial section for those wishing to leave a smaller and

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Get Outside Expo and Radical Reels Tour

Roanoke Outside’s annual Get Outside Expo and Radical Reels Tour will be held on September

10 at the Jefferso n Center, in Roanoke. The expo will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and the Radical Reels Tour will be held from 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. The event is free with a donation of canned goods for Feeding America Southwest Virginia. Beer, wine and food will be available for purchase. The expo, located in the center’s Fitzpatrick Hall, will feature more than 30 ex-hibitors, including local outdoor and environmental groups, causes, organizations, outfi tters, nonprofi ts, volunteer groups and businesses. “It’s a great opportunity for anyone who enjoys the outdoors to get together, socialize, and meet all the people that are making our growing outdoor scene so cool,” says Pete Eshelman, orga-nizer and director of outdoor branding for the Roanoke Regional Partnership. “It’s your chance to discover a new outfi tter, meet the guy who tunes your bike, and get involved with a local club. And when you’re done with that, you get to watch incredible adventure fi lms from around the world.” After the social hour, a series of action sport fi lms will be shown in Shaftman Hall. National Geograhic’s Radical Reels Tour is a traveling fi lm festival sponsored by The Banff Centre. Each year, fi lmmakers from around the world visit Banff, Canada, for the “Sundance” of outdoor fi lms. The winning fi lms then travel the world as the Radical Reels Tour. Visitors can expect to see 10 to 12 fi lms of varying length throughout the two-hour viewing period. Cost: Free with canned food donation. Location: Jefferson Center, 541 Luck Ave., Roanoke. For more information, call 540-343-1550, ext. 104, email [email protected] or visit RoanokeOutside.com/RadicalReels.

Appalachian Trail Geological Study

In 2015, a U.S. Geological Survey re-searcher will lead a team from Virginia

Tech and North Carolina State University to create the most comprehensive data set about trail and campsite conditions in the Appalachian National Scenic Trail’s more than 90-year history. Jeff Marion, adjunct professor of natural resource recreation in Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment and a recreation ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, has received a $300,000 grant from the National Park Service. The team will characterize visitor impacts on vegetation and soils and apply a comprehensive set of measurements to assess the conditions and sustainability of the trail tread, shelters and campsites. From these measure-ments, they will then create a comprehensive, spatially referenced database to conduct statistical modeling and geographic information system analyses. Marion and his team will then develop sustainability guidance to minimize im-pact, provide workshops on trail design for maintenance staff and volunteers and provide education materials about “Leave No Trace” practices and outdoor ethics for schools, youth groups and trail users. “The research results will be able to be applied immediately to improve the sustainability of trails and overnight camping,” Marion says. “The National Park Service wants to ensure that the clubs have the information they need for science-based trail and campsite design and management.” For more information, visit http://bit.ly/1n6Zoq4.

VT’s Jeff Marion (right)


newsbriefsBluSkye Hoops Offers Hoop Dance Fitness Classes

BluSkye Hoops is now offering hoop dance fi tness classes at Es-

sentials Yoga in downtown Roanoke and at the YMCA in Blacksburg. Hoop dance is a blend of “hula hooping” and dancing that com-bines exercise with creative expres-sion. Owner Kristin Marlowe ex-plains that hoop dance expands on conventional waist rotation by incorporating “off the body” moves, linear transitions and jumps. The hoop travels up, down and off the body to create an athletic and expressive modern dance form while providing a fat-burning, low- to medium-impact cardio workout. Regular practice can help tone the whole body, especially the core, and can help develop balance and coordination, increase energy and improve posture and fl exibility. “The art of hoop dance isn’t exactly what you might imag-ine when you think of hula hooping,” says Marlowe. “It’s a fun, healthy way to get moving and provides a creative means for self-expression.” BluSkye currently offers Level 1 Hoop Dance Basics and Level 2 Guided Flow Hoop Dance. Each class is a six-week series; new classes are forming now. For more information, call 252-489-7451, email [email protected] or visit BluSkyeHoops.com. See Community Resource Directory, page 29.Go Solar

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LEAP Receives United Way Grant for Mobile Market

LEAP, a local nonprofi t that supports community sustain-

able agriculture, recently was awarded a grant from the United Way of Roanoke Valley. The three-year grant will support

LEAP’s Mobile Market, a vehicle retrofi tted with shelves to stock local foods. As part of the Healthy Start program, LEAP will work with community organizations to increase consumption of healthy, lo-cal food. The organizations served will be TAP Head Start Centers, Happy Healthy Cooks, Virginia Cooperative Extension Family Nutrition Program and Roanoke Community Garden Association. LEAP’s 2014 community market vendors include Barefoot Farms and Permaculture, Catawba Meadow Farm, Farm Friendly Gourmet, Ferg uson Farm, Glories of the Sun Bouquets, Good Food Good People, Green Acres Farm, Lick Run Farm and Pub-lic Market, Local Seafood Delivery, Otterdale, Patchwork Farm, The Professor’s Garden, Red Rooster Coffee, SamNana Farm, Sedulous Seed, Sleepy Goat Farm, Thistle Dew Farm and Under the Green Umbrella Bakery. For more information, visit LeapForLocalFood.org.


The Well, in Bedford, Announces New Ownership

Ken and Linda Burger, owners of The Well, a natural food store in Bedford, have announced the store’s sale

to Linda’s son, Adam Markham, and his wife and business partner, Kendall Hurt. The Well carries herbal tinctures, supplements, essential oils for aromatherapy, personal care items, bulk teas and spices as well as bulk grains, beans and groceries. The store has built relationships with local farms to offer chemical-free foods, including free-range eggs, pork, chicken, beef and honey. Currently the store carries products from many producers around the region, including IdleWild Farm, Bramble Hollow Farm, Dahlia Farms, Falling Creek Farm, Bold Branch Beef, Ostrom Apiary, Buffalo Mountain Kom-bucha and Red Rooster Coffee Roaster. Markham, a native and resident of Bedford with a background in retail operations and marketing, will continue developing the store as a center for health and wellness resources for Bedford and surrounding communities. “I have been passionate about The Well and its mission since it fi rst opened its doors to the public,” he says. “I appreciate the work Linda, Ken and all of the stupen-dous employees have put into the store over the years and aspire to do the same.” Linda Burger adds, “Our customers can be assured that the new owner and the store’s familiar staff will continue providing the same high level of customer service they’ve always enjoyed.” The Well is located at 1764 Patriot Ln., Bedford. For more information, call 540-587-9000 or 877-843-9355, email [email protected] or visit WellOf-Course.net. See ad, page 6, and Community Resource Directory, page 29.

VT Researchers Help Architects Make Case for ‘Green Roofs’

Architectural researchers at Virginia Tech’s School of Archi-

tecture and Design have generated equations that predict the effective-ness of vegetative roof installations to control stormwater runoff relative to temperature, humidity and frequency of sunlight and rainfall. A vegetative or “green” roof is covered in living, growing plants to soften the effects of heat, fl ooding, noise and stormwater runoff. Green roofs use the sun to transform water into water vapor, which provides cooling as a byproduct. In the same way, these vegetated roofs reduce stormwater runoff and fl ow rates, which in turn helps prevent sewers from overfl owing and stream banks from eroding. “These systems are on the rise not just because they represent a link to the natural world that is scarce in the city, but because they work,” says assistant professor Elizabeth J. Grant. “Extremes of temperature and rainfall are becoming unpredictable as climates change, and vegetated roofs help us build resilience in a rapidly changing world.” The researchers’ fi ndings were presented at the 2014 International Conference on Building Envelope Systems and Technologies. “Our research should give architects and designers justifi cation that they are helping the environment by incorporating green roofs in their plans,” says Grant. “We are bridging the gap between science and design.” For more information, visit VTNews.vt.edu/Articles/2014/06/061114-rResearch-GreenRoof.html.

Five platforms at the the Research and Demonstration Facility managed by the College of Architecture and Urban Studies were used to test various depths of “green” roofi ng.

Previous owner Linda Burger with new owner Adam Markham at The Well.

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healthbriefs

HEELLESS SHOES MAY HELP PREVENT RUNNERS’ INJURIES

A British study published in Footwear Science analyzed the effects of run-

ning in experimental heelless footwear compared with conventional running shoes with reinforced heels. The objec-tive was to see if the heelless footwear would reduce the risk of chronic injury related to the habitual rear-foot strike pattern associated with conventional heeled shoes. Using eight cameras with opto-elec-tric running motion capture technolo-gy,12 male runners were tracked at four meters per second. The heelless running shoe resulted in less impact, greater plantar fl exion and greater ankle eversion (rolling outward). The researchers concluded that the heel-less shoes decreased the risk of chronic running foot injuries linked to excessive impact forces, but concede they may increase injury potential associated with excessive ankle eversion.

Pine Bark Extract Reduces Perimenopausal Symptoms

Research published in the Journal of Reproduc-tive Medicine confi rms that pine bark extract can

signifi cantly reduce symptoms of menopause and perimenopause, including restless legs syndrome and hot fl ashes. For three months, 170 perimenopausal women were given 30 milligrams of Pycnogenol patented pine bark extract or a placebo twice a day.

Although a placebo effect was noted, the supplement signifi cantly improved all but two symptoms and was especially effective in improving vasomotor and insomnia/sleep patterns. The severity of symptoms among the Pycnogenol group, as measured by the Kupperman Index, decreased 56 percent more than for the placebo group. In another study, scientists from Italy’s Pescara University gave 70 perimeno-pausal women a placebo or 100 milligrams of Pycnogenol daily for two months. The supplement group experienced fewer menopausal symptoms and showed im-provements with symptoms that include fatigue, insomnia, reduced concentration, memory problems, dizziness, depression and irritability.

Medicinal Mushrooms Boost Athletic Performance

Research from Italy’s Pavia University found two medicinal mushroom species—cordyceps

(Cordyceps sinensis) and reishi (Ganoderma lu-cidum)—signifi cantly improve race performances and recovery times among competitive cyclists. The researchers studied seven male cyclists that had competitively raced for more than 10 years. For

one month, they were given placebo supplements, after which the researchers tested their performance and recovery during races and workouts. Then, for the next three months, the cyclists daily used medicinal mushroom supplementation. The research-ers found the mushrooms signifi cantly increased performance and recovery in both workouts and races compared with the placebo period. The two types of mushrooms both boosted testosterone levels and reduced post-workout cortisol levels. The mushroom supplementation also increased their antioxidant status, reducing their risk of exhaustion.


True GritWhy Persistence CountsSome educators believe that improve-ments in instruction, curriculum and school environments are not enough to raise the achievement levels of all stu-dents, especially disadvantaged children. Also necessary is a quality called “grit”, loosely defi ned as persistence over time to overcome challenges and accomplish big goals. Grit comprises a suite of traits and behaviors that include goal-direct-edness (knowing where to go and how to get there); motivation (having a strong will to achieve identifi ed goals); self-con-trol (avoiding distractions and focusing on the task at hand); and a positive mind-set (embracing challenges and viewing failure as a learning opportunity). A meta-study of 25 years of research by John Hattie and Helen Timperley, professors at the University of Aukland, New Zealand, has shown that giving students challenging goals encourages greater effort and persistence than pro-viding vague or no direction. Students aren’t hardwired for these qualities, but grit can be developed through an emerging battery of evidence-based techniques that give educators a power-ful new set of tools to support student success. A famous example of the power of self-regulation was observed when pre-schoolers that were able to withstand the temptation of eating a marshmallow for 15 minutes to receive a second one were more successful in high school and scored about 210 points higher on their SATs later in life than those with less willpower (Tinyurl.com/StanfordMarshallowStudy).

Source: ascd.org.

New School Rules Eco Strategies for Back-to-School PrepFamilies preparing for the coming school year will welcome easy ways to stretch the budget while protecting the environment our kids are growing up in. Buying new clothes can be expensive, and most of today’s synthetic fi bers are petroleum-based, while toxic pesticides are commonly used to grow cotton. For healthier alternatives, check labels for clothes made from organic, low-impact or recycled materials such as organic cotton, hemp, bamboo or re-cycled fi bers. Inexpensive options are found in Salvation Army and other thrift store locations, as well as repurposing hand-me-downs among siblings. Avoid buying all new school supplies. Gently used binders and book bags can last years. Sturdy, simple backpacks skip the cost of faddish brand-name and ce-lebrity products. For supplies that must be replenished, like paper, seek out post-consumer-recycled options. For lunch boxes, food containers and utensils, look for retro metal, a cloth bag and other alternatives to plastic (which can contain harmful chemicals) and glass (which can break). Beth Terry, in her book, Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too (MyPlasticFreeLife.com), suggests searching MightyNest.com and LifeWithoutPlastic.com, makers of stainless steel, naturally lacquered wood and other non-plastic, durable children’s bowls, cups, plates and utensils. Healthy afterschool extracurricular activities today typically require driving commutes. Look into carpooling with nearby families to save time and gas, cut vehicle emissions and expand friendships. Check the school’s eco-practices. Encourage local administrators to conduct re-cycling programs and to email documents to parents instead of using regular mail.

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communityspotlight

Heather Quintana noticed something startling when her son started attending Roanoke public schools fi ve years ago: many of the kids were eating so poorly that they couldn’t function. “I became more aware of what and how kids were eating, and more aware of the issues they were having because of their diets,” Quintana says. The result was Happy Healthy Cooks, Quintana’s non-profi t organization that uses volunteers to teach kids how impor-tant—and fun and delicious—it is to eat healthy food. The program has changed many kids’ lives, as well as their families’ lives, for the better. “Lots of kids had just a biscuit and jelly for breakfast, and then at school

they were expected to pay attention and focus,” Quintana says. “And they couldn’t. You get a sugar spike and then a drop in energy, and you can’t learn in that condition.” She also learned that 70 percent of students in Roanoke city qualify for reduced-fee lunches. She talked with administra-tors, and heard about the challenges of offering healthy food at school—the main challenge being that most kids simply won’t eat it. “But I knew that kids would eat healthy food, and I wanted to help,” says Quintana, who had observed the eating habits of her own three children. She also is a certifi ed health coach and has worked in restaurants, as well

as her own kitchen, for many years. “Many of those kids in school are hun-gry, and they will eat the good stuff, if it’s given to them.” So she and her friend Mary Harsh-fi eld found a curriculum program called Food Is Elementary, and in September 2009 they began visiting Roanoke elementary classrooms to teach students about healthy eating. “We fi nd the more kids are involved with healthy foods and their prepara-tion, the more likely they are to try them,” Quintana says. Happy Healthy Cooks’ school curriculum has now developed into a 20-week program, divided into 10 weeks each in the fall and spring, and it has touched the lives of thousands of students. The program is delivered by scores of trained volunteers who work with the children in the classroom. Quintana also recently completed a summer school program, which taught students how to make a meal that includes an entrée of whole-grain pasta shells with white beans, kale and garlic, a salad and a dessert. The salad, a small biology lesson, included all parts of a plant: a bulb (onion), root (carrot), stem (celery), leaf (lettuce) and fl ower (broccoli). Students made their own salad dressing, too. The dessert was watermelon stars, which the kids cut out with cookie cutters. “It’s all very hands-on and active,” Quintana says. “They learn to peel carrots and wash lettuce and pare broccoli and how to do that safely.” Teachers participate, too. “We are teaching the teachers as well, which is why we ask them to help in the class-

Happy Healthy CooksHelping Kids Eat Better,

One Bite at a Timeby Karen Adams

Heather Quintana and some of her Happy Healthy Cooks

“The more kids are involved with healthy

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room,” Quintana says. “We talk a lot about nutrition, for everyone, and how it helps your brain and body to func-tion properly.” She also teaches them to read labels, and, for children who can’t read yet, how to count ingredients. “If there are a lot of ingredients, that usu-ally means there are a lot of chemicals, sugars, dyes and preservatives,” she says. “But an apple is just an apple. We explain that it is made up of vitamins and fi ber and because it is simple and nutritious, it helps your mood and your capacity to think.” Quintana’s most important guide-line is the “No Yuck Rule”: Kids and volunteers are not allowed to say “yuck.” “Even adult volunteers in our program sometimes say, ‘I don’t like vegetables,’” Quintana says. “But once they start working with us they change their minds. Usually they had icky-tasting vegetables during childhood, because they weren’t prepared in a good way.” Because many parents simply can’t get to grocery stores and farmers’ markets easily, Happy Healthy Cooks includes dry goods and canned veg-etables that can stay on the pantry shelf

for a while. Even though fresh food is ideal, Quintana realizes that it’s not al-ways available to some families. So she explains how to pair fresh food, such as kale, with longer-lasting staples that can be bought in bulk, such as beans and brown rice. For the next school year, the pro-gram will be in fi ve elementary schools and fi ve Head Start centers in Roanoke. The busy schedule is great news to Quintana. “It’s good because we’re get-ting to turn more kids on to good food and reach more families,” she says. Her only concern is whether she will have enough help, as each program needs 70 volunteers every week. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact

her, and no experience is required. “We train our volunteers, and all you need to do is show up with a smile on your face,” she says. Some people who can’t commit to the whole program have split the volunteer slots with a friend or co-worker, which Quintana recommends. Happy Healthy Cooks is also part of a new collaboration called Healthy Start, which includes the Roanoke Community Garden Association, LEAP for Local Food, TAP Head Start Centers and the Virginia Cooperative Extension Family Nutrition Program. Working together enables the groups to offer nu-tritious food choices to more families. Quintana says she hears back from families whose lives have been changed by Happy Healthy Cooks. “They write letters that say, ‘We’ve changed our eat-ing habits at home,’ and ‘My son never would eat a vegetable but now asks for a salad every night,’” she says. “I believe that people don’t need fancy diets to be healthy, but just a diet of lean protein, and lots of fruits and vegetables—and encouragement.”

For more information, visit HappyHealthyCooks.org.

“Many of those kids in school are hungry, and they will eat the good stuff if it’s given

to them.”


blueridgegreentravel

Many of us dream of a luxuri-ous spa getaway. Thanks to the vision of three women, we

need not look any farther than Central Virginia for a green, natural or unique spa experience. For London’s Salt Spa, in Forest, it all started with allergies. Owner Deb-bie Naff says that when her allergy-suf-fering husband and son found relief at a salt spa, she embarked on a plan that resulted in Central Virginia’s only salt spa, and the second on the East Coast. After spending a year researching salt caves, she found an ideal building off U.S. Highway 460, bought 21 tons of pink Himalayan salt and opened her spa in November 2012. It is modeled after Poland’s Wieliczka Salt Mine, the world’s largest underground rehabilita-tion and treatment center. Salt therapy was discovered in 1843, when physi-cian Dr. Felix Boczkowski noticed that people with pulmonary and respiratory problems experienced healing effects after breathing the air in the Wieliczka salt mines. Naff explains that pink Himalayan salt is fi lled with more than 80 miner-als, including calcium, magnesium,

ages people to meditate, listen to music or just “take your glasses off, breathe deeply and take a nap.” It’s a chance to “go someplace else for a while,” she adds. Massages and facials also are available, and Naff has created her own, all-natural products, including a salt scrub made with coconut oil. At The Labyrinth Spa, in Bedford, owner Chastaneyka Willcox says her goal is to “provide a space of healing.” She began her massage career in Bed-ford more than 20 years ago. She moved away briefl y, but was drawn back by her love of the area and founded the spa, lo-cated in a pre-Civil War home on Main Street, in January 2010. Willcox says she offers “a little bit of serenity in the middle of everything,” with spa treatments in a “simple, home-grown atmosphere.” Her expansion plans include a café that will feature local food and produce. Willcox’s green philosophy em-braces recycling and reusing, and she buys new materials only when neces-sary. She uses locally sourced, fair trade and organic products and works hard to reduce waste and eliminate products with a high waste impact, replacing them with reusable, recyclable, repur-posable and/or compostable products. The labyrinth, from which the spa gets its name, is located in the back yard and is made from used bricks donated

NATURAL SPASin Central Virginia

by Anne Piedmont

potassium, copper and iron, which saturate the air inside the cave so that it is 10 times purer than outside air. The oxygen and negative ions improve lung function, which speeds healing and boosts organ function, leaving guests both relaxed and energized. Visitors relax in anti-gravity chairs, under blankets (they can bring their own or use one provided). Naff encour-

Visitors to the Salt Cave at London’s Salt Spa, in Forest, can relax in anti-gravity chairs.

The Labyrinth behind its namesake spa, in Bedford, is made from reused bricks.


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by a local man. Willcox’s goal is to be-come a zero-waste facility. Lynchburg’s Isis Spa and Salon is the dream of Samantha Harvey, who moved to Virginia from the Napa Valley of California. She offers a full-service day spa with an extensive menu of op-tions, including massages, body care, relaxation facials, exfoliation peels and hair removal. She also offers spa pack-ages. Harvey blends organic and natural products and approaches with cosme-ceutical-grade skin care.

Harvey opened Isis in 2004, bringing with her 20 years of spa experience. She also has an extensive background in pho-tography, makeup artistry, health care and beauty. “Isis is a friendly and artistically relaxed atmosphere, with customized service and where the very best products are used generously,” Harvey says. Isis also offers its own line of organic body oils and polishes. All staff members are licensed estheticians, massage therapists and cosmetologists. “Our goal is to make you feel beautiful inside and astonishingly striking esthetically,” Harvey says. For more information, visit London-SaltSpa.com, TheLabyrinthSpa.com and IsisSpaAndSalon.com. Anne Piedmont is a writer and research associate based in Roanoke. For more information, visit PiedmontResearchAssociates.com.

The Salt Massage Room at London’s Salt Spa.


Carving out time from crammed calendars for a week or more away from home can pose such a

hurdle that more than half of all Ameri-can workers forfeit hard-earned vaca-tion days every year. Sometimes a long weekend in an inspiring locale is all we need to recharge our batteries. Short vacations invite welcome rest and relaxation and are often more sus-tainable, according to Gary Diedrichs, publisher of the online Green Traveler Guides (GreenTravelerGuides.com). “Airplanes pollute more than any other form of travel. When you take shorter trips by other means, whether bicycle or a hybrid rental car, you’re way ahead environmentally,” says Diedrichs, whose family enjoys road-tripping in an old Mercedes converted to run on recycled vegetable oil. For families, short, sweet trips are also easier to do with the kids in tow. “It’s also an opportunity for par-ents to reinforce that living sustainably isn’t just something you do at home,” notes Diedrichs.

healingways

We can prescribe—and reward—ourselves with one of the following mini-vacations, whether it’s a trip to a green spa if we’re stressed or a hike in a park or the woods if we’ve been sedentary.

Travel on tracks to trails. Leave be-hind stressful traffi c and uninspiring highway views by hopping a train to a nearby state or national park. Riders can venture through a variety of terrains without leaving their seats. Amtrak reaches more than 237 national parks and monuments (AmtrakToParks.com), many of which offer stunning back-drops for outdoor music festivals. A rail-to-park adventure can rekindle old friendships with faraway, but not forgotten friends. Draw a circle encom-passing everyone’s location and pick a park within the perimeter as the meet-up spot, distributing the travel burden equally. Agree beforehand which friends bring which essential camping equip-ment, food and other provisions so that everyone travels light. Traversing trails is a fun, bonding experience.

Summer Mini-GetawaysGreen Travelers Recharge

at Spas, Parks and Vineyardsby April Thompson

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Go farm to fork. Escape city crowds, live bucolic fantasies and learn about sustainable agriculture during a farm stay. Organic family farms across the country offer overnight accommoda-tions to supplement farming incomes and connect with local consumers. Farm life is about simple pleasures, like waking to a rooster’s call and then digging into a farm-fresh breakfast of free-range eggs, accompanied by home-made bread, cheese, jam and honey. Afterwards, stroll an apple orchard or fragrant fi eld of lavender. Most farms allow guests to pitch in with the chores, maybe feeding chickens, milking cows, picking cherries or making yogurt. Find a place nearby at FarmStayUS.com.

Renew your spirit. Reconnect with your faith or explore a new spiri-tual calling with a short stay at a retreat center. Some

furnish structured guided sessions, such as vipassanã Buddhism’s silent retreats, at which participants sit in meditation eight hours a day without access to me-

dia or other distractions. Other centers assist guests in creating self-directed retreats tailored to personal goals. Grounds often feature sacred spaces like labyrinths or meditation gardens, providing an inspiring environment to contemplate one’s spiritual journey.

RetreatFinder.com supplies a comprehensive listing of possibilities conducive to every spiritual persua-sion, from Anglican to Zen, across the country and worldwide.

Taste the terroir. A long weekend amidst vineyards can be a refreshing way to simultaneously explore the countryside and refi ne our wine pal-ate. Along with tastings, some vintners provide tours of their vineyards and cellars, including insights into the characteristics of local terroirs that give each vintage its distinctive taste. Some also have bed and breakfast inns onsite, eliminating the need for a designated driver. The site WineriesByState.com lists domestic wineries in all 50 states; KennUncorked.com provides informa-tion about biodynamic and organic winemakers.

Pamper your body. Visiting a green destination spa is a soothing way to detox from stress while indulging in corporeal treats

like a hot stone massage, aromatherapy treatment or rose petal bath. Green spas use natural products such as un-bleached organic linens and botanically derived oils, which are gentler on skin. Most practice sustainability in other areas as well, such as water manage-ment, energy use and waste reduction. Search for the perfect getaway treat at GreenSpaNetwork.org. Numerous farms, spas, parks and vineyards are waiting to be explored; many nearby that we may overlook draw visitors from around the world. “Local travel gives us a chance to dig more deeply into the places that surround us,” says Diedrichs. “We can have fun play-ing tourists in our own backyards and support sustainable, local businesses we discover along the way.”

Connect with freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com.

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In the 30 years since Harrison Owen introduced

Open Space Technology (OST), it has been used hundreds of thousands of times by three-quarters of the world’s countries. Whether a few people gather in a circle to share ideas and brainstorm personal issues or thou-sands discuss a bulletin board of topics around tables, OST is a safe, informal venue for transformative learning. Guided by purpose-based, shared leadership, it allows individuals focused on a specifi c task to freely speak their thoughts and be heard. It also encour-ages breakout groups to mine for more information—learning individually, as well as collectively, and self-organizing in order to concentrate on more com-plex topics. “Boeing engineers used OST to learn how to redesign airplane doors and young Egyptians used it to strategize for their Arab Spring,” as examples, comments Owen.

Circle PrincipleFor Owen, like Jack Mezirow, author of the paper, “Core Principles of Transfor-mative Learning Theory,” 20th-century Brazilian educator Paulo Freire and

Juanita Brown, co-founder of The World

Café, learning is trans-formation, the keystone

of life, and the essence of meaningful education. “The circle principle con-tains the predictability of fresh, emerg-ing thoughts and learning that never occurred previously,” explains Owen. He points to an experiment regard-ing children’s capacity for self-learning initiated by Sugata Mitra, Ph.D., the for-mer science director of an educational technology fi rm in India. On the outside wall of the building where he worked, Mitra installed a computer facing a New Delhi slum where most children were unschooled and illiterate and had never seen a computer. He turned it on and told children they could play with it. Via a noninvasive video camera, he watched 7-to-13-year-olds discover how to use the computer and teach each other how to play music and games and draw using Microsoft’s Paint program. Repetition of the experiment in other impoverished sections of India yielded similar results. Wherever he established an Internet connection, children that could not read English, the Internet’s default language, taught themselves

how to use the Web to obtain informa-tion through their interactions with each other and the computer. “I agree with what Mitra surmised from his experiment—learning is emergent, which is another word for self-organizing,” remarks Owen. Like Freire, Owen likens traditional edu-cation to the “banking” method of learning, whereby the teacher passes information to students that become dependent on someone else rather than learning how to think on their own. Suzanne Daigle, a Sarasota, Flori-da-based consultant with a Canadian multidisciplinary consulting fi rm, ex-plains how the OST learning environ-ment changed her life: “My personal transformation began in 2009, when I volunteered to assist another OST facil-itator. I was a perfectionist who judged myself harshly and struggled with the question, ‘Who am I to think I can help hold space for leaders to transform themselves through their learning when I have so little experience?’” She notes, “Before such experienc-es, even though I was a leader in my corporate career, I doubted myself and often believed that what others had to say was more signifi cant and interesting than what I could express.” Now she says she has shed her people-pleasing tendencies and former attempts to control other people’s agendas and discovered the freedom and courage of her own voice. “As an OST facilitator, my life work now occurs in the mo-ments I am collaboratively learning and listening for opportunities to enter into meaningful conversations that can lead to actions,” says Daigle. “I invite others to do the same.”

Co-LearningIn a compulsory two-year Theory of Learning class for an International Bac-calaureate degree at California’s Grana-das Hill Charter High School, math and science educator Anais Arteaga helps students apply two major elements of transformative learning: self-refl ection to critique one’s own assumptions and discourse through which they question or validate their judgments. She focuses on the roles that perception, language, reason and emotion play in a student’s learning and decision-making abilities.

Learning that Transforms Hearts and Minds

Rethinking How We See Our World Changes Everything

by Linda Sechrist


“Questions and lively discussions are the basis of the class,” Arteaga says. “We begin with a question and explore what we know, how we know it and any conclusions drawn from the process.” Using a democratic model in which the teacher welcomes critical discus-sion, Arteaga and her students have mutually discovered that knowledge is not static, but has a history and changes over time. “When we fi rst started the class, it was challenging to accept that in many situations there is no right or wrong, just relativity and a matter of per-ception. We don’t really know anything for certain,” she remarks.

Worldview ExplorationsKatia Petersen, Ph.D., is the executive director of education at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), headquartered in Petaluma, California. She co-de-veloped the tools, practices and 22 lessons in the pioneering organiza-tion’s Worldview Explorations (WE) project. Founded on 40 years of IONS research, WE engages everyone in age-appropriate ways in refl ecting upon long-held assumptions and how beliefs create the lens they see through, ultimately improving how they understand and respond to the world. “When individuals understand the power of offering their story and are open to the worldview stories of others, they no longer focus attention on dif-ferences and limitations,” says Petersen. “They realize that everyone has their own truth.” Through small groups and con-versations, participants unpack how the program has infl uenced them by answering questions that explore what inspired, surprised and changed the way they perceive the world. “WE’s transformative learning experiences draw from the heart and soul of indi-viduals, rather than stuffi ng heads with ideas and perspectives, which serves them well as they embody and apply these tools and practices in their daily lives,” notes Petersen. She cites a particularly powerful moment for a group of young people she worked with. “A student was killed in a drive-by shooting two weeks be-fore their certifi cation. The transforma-tive moment came when they said that

their new aware-ness and capacity for

compassion and under-standing would not allow

them to seek revenge. Instead, they chose to save lives in their communities using their new skills.”

Mycelium SchoolAshley Cooper and Matt Abrams, co-founders of the Mycelium School, in Asheville, North Carolina, re-imagined a learning environment for aspiring entrepreneurs and social change agents committed to activating their potential and realizing solutions to today’s chal-lenges. A 12-week learning journey allows individuals to become increas-ingly adept at learning from and help-ing each other learn. The curriculum offers minimum structure, signifi cant support and col-laboration with others. “In the learning community, individuals are dedicated to a project or life question of their choice,” explains Cooper. Participants’ goals include changing careers, deter-mining the next steps after retirement or how to pursue true passions to make a difference in the world.

“There is no such thing as a neutral education process. Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate the integration of genera-tions into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity to it, or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically with reality and discover how to partic-ipate in the transformation of their world.”

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Cheri Torres, Ph.D., founder of the Asheville-based

Innovation Partners International SE,

was one of the earliest participants in the Myce-

lium Learning experience. She says that she obtained an expanded understanding of the approach that she uses in her work. “The whole systems approach I use with organizational and community leaders enables them to shift from a top-down management model to one that engages everyone and uses the collective intelligence and collaborative efforts of all for the collective good. My own learning journey transformed the level of awareness I bring to my work and the understanding of who I am,” advises Torres. “My original guiding question was, ‘How can I get so clear about my work that I can explain it in plain language?’ Ultimately, my question shifted to what would it be like for me to live and work from a place of wholeness. Through conversations with Ashley and self-re-fl ection, I realized I was not walking my talk within my own mind-body-spirit system. My journey helped me under-

stand that my most effective role in my own life, as well as with clients, is to create the conditions for collective in-telligence and collaboration to emerge in service to the whole,” says Torres.

World Café Like OST, the World Café, co-created by Brown and David Isaacs, of Burnsville, North Carolina, creates a transformative learning environment for individuals of all ages. Its primary principles are: set the context, create hospitable space, explore questions that matter, encourage every-one’s contributions, connect diverse per-spectives, listen together for patterns and insights and share collective discoveries. Webs of conversation created around actual or occasionally virtual tables re-semble those found in coffeehouses. “Conversation is a core meaning-making process, and people get to ex-perience how the collective intelligence of a small or large group can become apparent,” says Brown. After several rounds of conversation on one or more topics, participants offer their harvest of key insights, learning and opportunities for action with the full group gathered to refl ect together on their discoveries.

“World Café provides an environ-ment in which you are comfortably drawn forward by the questions you are asking together. When enough diversity is present, varied perspectives are offered and people feel listened to and free to make their contribution,” observes Brown. What participants learn in this set-ting creates the climate of conditions that support the kinds of transformations that can changes lives. Brown remarks, “When it happens to me, I feel like my brain cells have been rearranged. I know something in the collective, as well as the individual, has been evoked, so that something never before imagined becomes present and available.” Transformative learning has been compared to a sea journey without landmarks. Adventurous individuals that are open to traversing its highly engaging processes can emerge as autonomous thinkers, capable of contributing fresh, new ideas that just might transform the world we live in.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Visit ItsAllAboutWe.com for the recorded interviews.

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greenliving

With children especially susceptible to germs, chemical sensitivities and allergens, it makes sense to ensure that the child-friendliness of day

care facilities extends to their ecological integrity. When Denise Adusei, of New York City, was unable to fi nd a preschool that included all the criteria she sought, she decided to create and direct Peartree Preschool, a year-round day care facility for 2-to-5-year-olds. “An eco-friendly day care environment is more than nontoxic paint, organic food and unscented soaps. It’s what you don’t see, as well,” says Adusei. “We fi rst looked for a building with lots of natural light near Central Park. Manhattan has a high rate of allergens, so we went ahead with a thorough environmental inspec-tion on what looked like an ideal building,” recalls Adusei. Inspectors pulled tiles from the fl oor, opened walls to check for mold and collected samples. “When they discovered signs of an old oil spill in the basement, we knew it was an unsafe place for children. We kept looking until we found the right building with large windows, near the park and environmentally safe,” she says, noting that her own kids now attend Peartree. Workplace coach Paul E. McGinniss, who also blogs at NewYorkGreenAdvocate.com, says, “Creating a garden on-site and connecting with local farmers or CSAs [community supported agriculture] to provide healthy, fresh foods is a great way to educate kids via a learning activity. New York’s Hudson Valley, where I live, has a farm to school move-

Day Care Goes GreenWhat’s Good for Kids is Good for the World

by Avery Mack

ment. Everyone should know where their food comes from,” he says, echoing another day care cornerstone. In Madison, Connecticut, Tina Pascoe, a registered nurse, attorney and health consultant, co-founded Nurses for Day Care, a nationwide program. The staff fi nds that many chil-dren are sensitive to dye additives in mustard or ketchup, cer-tain oils in soap, paint or cleaning fumes and fi re-retardant chemicals embedded in new rugs and carpeting. “We push for the whole school to go green, not just the classroom, with the sensitive or allergic child in mind,” she says. “We’re willing to do whatever it takes, like providing special menus, banning perfumes and smoking, and only us-ing disinfectant wipes or bleach during nighttime cleaning.” Pascoe personally works with about 80 facilities throughout the state. The Cottages at Michaels Learning Center, in Sarasota, is Florida’s fi rst school to earn a Level Three Green School and green infant care certifi cation from the National Green School Coalition and operates the city’s only certifi ed green infant care program. Children from 6 weeks through kindergarten benefi t. The school even conducts regular radon testing. Owner and Director Michelle Ireland assesses, “It’s cause and effect. One of the things we teach the children is how our actions have an impact on the world.” Mark Stedelbauer, vice president of marketing at eWater Advantage, in Raleigh, North Carolina, strives to inform day care administrators about the value of using electrolyzed water instead of cleansers. An electrical current that runs through a blend of ordinary tap water and minerals changes the basic nature of water. A lower pH creates a disinfecting solution; a higher pH results in a degreaser. Both solutions clean and kill germs without fumes, residue or allergy triggers. “Often, the combined cost of the electricity, water and mineral supplements used is less than what would be spent on multiple cleaning products,” Stedelbauer points out. It can be created by the half-gallon in a toaster-sized unit onsite and has been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture (for use on meat) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (for use on produce). Also, electrolyzed water won’t harm skin or clothing. Creative Minds Learning Centers’ six locations are recog-nized by the Oregon Program of Quality as among the top 25 schools in the state. They buy renewable energy from wind, solar and biomass sources. At the school, they compost, plant sustainable gardens, collect rainwater and recycle. Nature preschools in the U.S., nearly 30 sites and grow-ing, use a community nature center as a regular part of their learning program (Tinyurl.com/NaturePreschools). Gener-ally, the children are outdoors for 45 to 90 minutes per day, weather permitting, and fl exible activities allow them to investigate their own interests safely. Daily explorations build valuable skills like observation, sorting and experimentation. Children experiencing green day care see fi rsthand how healthy, environmentally sound choices can help make their present and future safe. Telling their parents about their school experiences is a natural bonus.

Avery Mack is a freelance writer in St. Louis, MO. Connect via [email protected].


Montessori At age 3, kids at the Baltimore Montes-sori Public Charter School, in Maryland, are gaining early math and motor skills, plus an appreciation for healthy foods, in unique and innovative ways. “The chil-dren roll out a long mat containing 1,000 beads that they use to learn to count by twos, fours and 10s,” says Jenny Smolen, development coordinator and grant writer for the school. “When it’s time for multi-plication and division, they’re prepared.” The school is located in a food des-ert—fresh, unprocessed food isn’t readily available—so the kids plant seeds to grow in pots until it’s time to transplant them to the garden. “Before the seed-to-table

Schools that RockInnovators Blaze Creative Paths

by Sandra Murphy

program, the kids didn’t know what fresh tasted like. Now they go home and ask for vegetables for dinner,” says Smolen. The school also has six chickens that supply fresh eggs, and two bee-hives produced 100 pounds of honey last year that was sold to raise funds. The school is free of charge to Baltimore city students chosen by lottery. Currently, 330 students from diverse backgrounds ages 3 through 13 attend, with 1,000 names on the waiting list.

WaldorfWaldorf School alumna Jocelyn Miller, an account manager at Matter Com-munications, drives 45 minutes from

Newburyport, Massachusetts, to take her three children to the The Waldorf School at Moraine Farms, in Beverly. “On bad weather days, I wonder why I make the drive, but the smiles when we arrive are worth it,” she says. There, her children spend time outdoors regardless of the weather. Indoors, they draw illustrations to bolster lessons on history and geography. Second-graders work in three-hour blocks of time, rather than the traditional 45 minutes. Fifth-grade students re-cently spent three weeks studying Greek mythology. Older students play in an or-chestra and learn German and Spanish. They also knit; the craft builds manual dexterity and helps children learn to plan, correct mistakes, be creative, visu-alize the fi nished product and mindfully create something useful or decorative. Middle school and high school stu-dents at the Waldorf School of Garden City, in New York, universally par-ticipate in seasonal sports—baseball, softball, basketball and soccer. The emphasis on the values of teamwork and sportsmanship complement devel-opment of skills. The school’s policy is, “You don’t have to be a superstar to get playing time,” noting that the quality of athletic teams is consistently strong. The school also brings some green into the city with a horticultural program that fully cultivates a quarter-acre fi eld. Its steady harvest of fruits, vegetables, herbs and grains includes lettuce, beans, spinach, broccoli, kale, corn, oregano, thyme, rosemary, strawberries, blueberries and raspber-

Children at Wisconsin’s Montessori School of Waukesha learn to baste; spoon beans or rice from bowls; cut paper, draw, paint or paste cutouts; and sew or embroider using a three-fi nger grip. It strengthens the muscles they will need later to practice writing skills.

Creative educational initiatives offer more fl exible programs of study than traditional institutions. First introduced into the United States in the latter part of the 20th century, today there are thousands of such facilities oper-ating according to their own lights. Yet many share certain distinguishing characteristics including emphasis on close student-teacher relationships, diverse experiential learning and development of student decision-making skills aided by peer and parental support. All aim to prepare and equip students for future success both inside and outside the classroom.


ries. A new greenhouse keeps produce growing through winter months. Students at Conservatory Prep High School, in Davie, Florida, were tasked with fi nding a way to walk on water in order to explore principles of fl otation and buoyancy. After researching and experimenting with each of a series of materials, they analyzed what went wrong, worked to fi x it and then tried again. “We did the testing at our onsite pool,” says Wendy Weiner, Ed.D., the school’s founder and principal and a Waldorf alumna. “We saw some pretty funny results, but they eventually in-vented a pair of shoes that worked. Of course, they were pretty big shoes.”

HomeschoolingHomeschooling provides another op-tion. Parents don’t need to know all about a subject with organizations like Bridgeway Academy’s homeschool curricula at hand. This Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, institution provides easy access to tools and support for families nationwide. “We’re a kindergarten-to-12th-grade provider,” says Jessica Parnell, academy president. “Teach-ers in a school setting have to teach standardized subjects, in certain ways, to the whole class. We use customized learning to inspire and excite children individually. We help parents discover their child’s learning style, personality and ideal learning environment.” Materials provided include instruc-tor guides, user-friendly websites and interactive games and other activities. “It gives kids the freedom to explore, learn and discover,” Parnell adds. “This is how you grow a lifelong learner.”

Un-SchoolingUn-schooling, another pioneering ap-proach, is a method of homeschooling in which children pursue areas that interest them, eat foods they enjoy, rest when needed, choose friends of all ages or none at all and engage their world in unique, powerful and self-directed ways. Suzanne Strisower, a life and career coach in Oroville, California, has written a common-core, standards-based curriculum for un-schoolers. “It’s a yearlong program for ages 15 and up designed to enable a student to realize his career path and life’s purpose,” she says.

Online Tutorials“There’s an explosion in online learn-ing, too,” observes Bob Bowdon, executive director of nonprofi t Choice Media, an education news service at ChoiceMedia.tv, produced in New York City. School kids in some states are able to opt out of a class at school if they feel the teaching style is holding them back, instead tapping online teachers available in a virtual school setting. Louisiana’s Department of Educa-tion’s Jump Start program partners high schools and local companies to offer

students one-day-a-week internships apprenticing in trades. “It’s real-world, on-the-job training,” says Bowdon. Thanks to such innovative approaches to school curricula and technology, parents and children have more options than ever before for learning. Instead of memorizing information until the next test and then forgetting it, more learning is customized and hands-on, because children that learn by doing, remember.

Connect with Sandra Murphy at [email protected].

Alternative Education in the Roanoke Valley

by Amanda Powers

For parents who are considering a non-tra-ditional education for their child, the Roanoke Valley has a wealth of opportunity. From the numerous selections of private schools to top-notch homeschooling organizations, there is an education that fi ts each child’s style. Three unique options available to families in our area include homeschool-ing, Montessori education and Community School. The Roanoke Valley has one of the largest homeschooling communities on the East Coast, due to the abundant level of high-quality resources. Home-schooling can take many different forms and allows parents the most control over their child’s education. Parents are the primary educators in homeschool-ing, although many families join educational co-ops in order to widen horizons and provide knowledge that is outside their experience. Educational resources for homeschooling families can be found through online education, hands-on and experiential learning and traditional book learning. Many families choose to mix and match these methods to create a custom fi t. For a more child-led education, Montessori schools are another option. Cre-ated by Dr. Maria Montessori, this teaching method is based on observation of how people learn, from the stages of childhood through adulthood. Montessori classrooms are designed to be educationally enriching. They allow the child to explore and learn with multi-age peers and teacher guidance. Montessori teach-ers believe in “freedom with limits” when it comes to education. Montessori education encourages critical thinking and cooperation, and teachers are actively involved by using every moment as a “teachable moment.” Community School is another unique option available to local parents. Community School also believes in experiential and cooperative education, and allows for learning through play while also providing lessons that encourage stu-dents to get involved with their own education. Community School specializes in education through science, technology and music and other arts. It also provides the extra benefi t of teaching a foreign language to its students. Overall, Commu-nity School purposefully blends child- and teacher-led education to provide the best for its students. For more information, visit Homeschooling.About.com, amshq.org and Com-munitySchool.net. Amanda Powers is a writer and blogger with Growing Up in the Valley, based in Blue Ridge. For more information, visit GrowingUpIntheValley.com.


“During childhood, when the immune system is still devel-oping, there’s a great opportu-

nity to set the stage for improved health and resilience,” says Dr. Joel Fuhrman, a family physician and nutritional re-searcher in Flemington, New Jersey, and author of Disease-Proof Your Child. “A healthy diet and lifestyle can help kids avoid common childhood illnesses like colds, ear infections and allergies, as well as ensure greater resilience against disease later in life.”

Focus on High-Quality FoodsFruits and veggies have a wealth of protective phy-tochemicals that enhance immune cell function and protect against disease. In a study published in the Journal of Epidemi-ology & Community Health, kids that ate

Super-Immunity for KIDSSimple Ways to Boost a Child’sLong-Term Health

by Lisa Turner

the most fruit had a 38 percent lower risk of cancer later in life. Berries, cherries, plums and pomegranates are among the most powerful immune-boosting fruits. For veggies, eat more dark leafy greens, tomatoes, carrots and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauli-fl ower. Also emphasize whole grains and healthy fats such as those found in nuts, seeds and avocado, advises Fuhrman. Sugar-laden calories depress the infection-fi ghting activity of white blood cells, says Dr. Alan R. Gaby, of Concord, New Hampshire, author of the textbook, Nutritional Medicine. Even natural sweeteners such as honey and juice have similar effects when consumed in excess, he says. Try healthy options like pomegranate and kiwi fruit salad; trail mix with raw almonds; dried cranberries

and air-popped popcorn; and hummus with red pepper strips and baby car-rots for dipping.

Pinpoint AllergiesFood allergies and sensitivities

can suppress the immune system by increasing infl am-mation in the body and call for

healthykids consultation with a health specialist. “Whenever there is extra infl amma-tion, the body has less available energy to keep the immune system function-ing as well as it should,” says Dr. Fred Pescatore, a New York author of The Allergy & Asthma Cure. “It’s like putting the wrong type of gasoline in the car; it hinders your performance.”

Shore Up with SupplementsProbiotics can enhance immune func-tion in children by stimulating white blood cells and reducing infl ammation, says Gary B. Huffnagle, Ph.D., a Univer-sity of Michigan Medical School im-munology research professor and author of The Probiotics Revolution. They are especially protective against allergies, diarrhea and respiratory tract infection. Start with yogurt: Serve with cereal; mix with mashed bananas and freeze in ice cube trays for a cool treat; or make smoothies with unsweetened, non-dairy yogurt and frozen berries. Or consider a Lactobacillus acidophilus supplement; aim for 5 billion CFUs per day of Lacto-bacillus or bifi dobacterium. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), an ayurvedic herb, boosts immunity by supporting and balancing adrenal func-tion, says Dr. John Douillard, Ph.D., a Boulder, Colorado, chiropractor, ayurvedic physician and author of Per-fect Health for Kids. The adrenal glands produce cortisol, and overproduction of this “fi ght-or-fl ight” hormone can dampen immunity. Ashwagandha is particularly helpful for preventing colds and can also be used when kids are stressed or tired. For children ages 6 to 12, give 500 milligrams per day with breakfast; children over 12 can take 1,000 mg a day.

Stabilize Hormonal Changes“Puberty and adolescence are marked by dramatic shifts in and surges of hor-mones,” says Dr. Richard Shames, of Se-bastopol, California, co-author of Feeling Fat, Fuzzy, or Frazzled? “This is monu-mental, as far as the developing immune system is concerned. As the immune system is directly linked to hormonal in-fl uences, any hormonal imbalance will affect overall immunity.” Shames recom-mends selenium—a potent antioxidant and general immune booster—to help

We’d love it if our kids had fewer sick days away from school, but what

if by bolstering their immune systems now, we could also protect them

from serious diseases going forward?


balance hormones. For children ages 8 to 18, aim for 100 mg per day.

Let ’em Get Dirty“Once a child has been exposed to dirt and germs, the immune system responds by trying to expel those bac-teria from the body, which strengthens immunity,” counsels Jane Sheppard, owner of HealthyChild.com and found-ing executive director of the Holistic Pediatric Association. Avoid antibacterial soaps, cleans-ers and gels; most contain the chemical triclosan, which some researchers sus-pect of contributing to development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Instead, use a natural antibacterial gel or make one, by combining witch hazel or alcohol, tea tree oil and lavender essential oil.

Stay in the Sun“The sun is our primary source of vitamin D, which has broad effects on the immune system,” Fuhrman says. “Depending on your skin tone and the local climate, about 15 minutes of full sun exposure a day will lead to natural production of suffi cient amounts of vita-min D.” If kids have dark skin or live in a cloudy region, they may need vitamin D supplements—at least 200 IU per day.

Laugh Out Loud“You can give your kids the best food and nutrition, but if they have underlying sadness, their immune system will suffer,” remarks Sheppard. “When you’re happy and when you laugh, your brain releases chemicals that increase immunity.”

Lisa Turner is a Colorado-based health writer.

Strengthening the Immune System Naturallyby Linda Burger

A sharp increase has been seen in immune-system defi ciencies and/or disor-ders in the past three decades. Many complementary health practitioners

maintain that poor nutrition is a primary factor. A 2012 study published in Nature by University of Chicago researchers points the blame at the Western diet as a driver of this increase in infl ammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other immune disorders. As nutrition is key to a strong immune system, choosing high-antioxidant foods to reduce immune-system damage caused by elevated free radicals is crucial. The guidelines that follow can make shopping for the right foods easier. Avoiding harmful pesticide residue in produce is also important for the immune system and for health in general. If possible, buy from local farmers. They wel-come visitors to their farms and are willing to show how they grow clean foods. Some high-antioxidant foods include: citrus fruits and their juices; dark-colored berries; dark orange, red, yellow and dark leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, kale and spinach; sweet potatoes, carrots, apricots, red and yellow peppers, tomatoes and tomato juice, pineapple, cantaloupe, mangos, papaya and guava; vegetable oils such as olive, soybean, corn, cottonseed and saffl ow-er; nuts and nut butters, seeds, whole grains, wheat, wheat germ, brown rice, oatmeal, soybeans, sweet potatoes and legumes (beans, lentils and split peas). One of the most powerful immune-boosting foods of all is bone marrow broth, which, ideally, should be consumed daily. For the person who fi nds it diffi cult to follow a clean eating program consis-tently, antioxidant supplements and a natural food multivitamin can help meet nutritional needs. Probiotics are another supplement that directly contributes to a strong im-mune system, particularly if benefi cial gut bacteria have been diminished or destroyed by antibiotic drugs. Ask a reliable source for information on good, high-quality products. Many people choose natural herb tinctures (the most effective and afford-able form of medicinal herbs) to strengthen their immune health. Some that are often recommended include astragalus, ashwagandha and elderberry. Again, it’s important to ask a reliable source for valid information and talk with a physician before using, especially if the patient is taking prescription medications. Keeping the immune system strong is a top priority for good health. The good news is that it is, primarily, a personal choice. Linda Burger has studied and worked with medicinal herbs for three decades, and is the founder and former owner of The Well, an independent natural foods and supplements store in Bedford. For more information, visit WellOfCourse.net. See ad, page 6, and Community Resource Directory, page 29.

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To have your event included in the Calendar of Events, please [email protected] or visit NABlueRidge.com for guidelines and to submit entries. Calendar entries are due by the 5th of the month prior to publication.

calendarofevents

FRIDAY, AUGUST 1Community HU Song and Introductory Book Dis-cussion in Lynchburg – 7pm. Community HU Song followed at 7:30pm with an introductory Eckankar book discussion on Eckankar: Key to Secret Worlds by Paul Twitchell. Sponsored by Roanoke Eckankar Center. Harmony Wave Wellness Center, 3201 Hill St, Lynchburg. 540-353-5365. [email protected]. Eck-Virginia.org. Eckankar.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 2Sedalia Center Annual Fundraiser – 5-11pm. Cel-ebrate the Sedalia Center’s 25th Anniversary with a seated dinner under a tent on Sedalia’s lawn. There will also be a silent auction, a juried art exhibit in the Gal-lery and a jazz concert under the Pavilion. $40/person. Sedalia Center, 1108 Sedalia School Road, Big Island, 434-299-5080. SedaliaCenter.org.

MONDAY, AUGUST 4American Lung Association Freedom From Smok-ing Group – 6pm. Continues for eight weeks. $99. Pre-registration required. Life in Balance Counseling and Wellness Center, 125-D Akers Farm Rd, Christiansburg. 540-381-6215. LifeInBalanceCenter.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6Exploring Essential Oils: A Tool for Deeper Per-ception in Nature – 9am-5pm. Through Saturday, August 9. Four-day workshop presented by Yesha Karmeli. Experience the world in a different way than our daily life consciousness. $395/person; $345 each for couples. Special discounts available. Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary, 445 Floyd Highway N, Floyd. 540-745-2153. [email protected]. SpikenardFarm.org.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7“Boogie in Your Bed; Boogie in Your Cot; You’re Gonna Boogie with Some Bugs, Like It or Not” – 7:30pm. Stink bugs, bed bugs and kudzu bugs have invaded our homes, beds and gardens. Can we be rid of them or do we have to live with them? Part of the Summer Nature Lecture Series, sponsored by Radford University. Free. Outdoor Classroom, Wildwood Park, East Main St, Radford. 540-831-5000. Radford.edu.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9Health Focus of Southwest Virginia’s 40th Annual Salem Distance Run – 8am. 5K and 10K race and 3 mile walk. The walk is in recognition of the Oral Health Cancer Foundation. Longwood Park, Salem. Sponsored by Health Focus of Southwest Virginia. Longwood Park, Salem. 540-444-2925. HealthFocusSWVA.org.

Festival of Healing – 9am-3pm. Come and experience the variety of healing modalities available. Unity of the Seven Hills is a friendly, welcoming congregation that embraces many forms of healing. $5/person over 12. Unity of the Seven Hills, 3522 Campbell Ave, Lynch-burg. 434-845-5832. UnityInTheSevenHills.org.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event – 9am-2pm. Residents of Montgomery County can bring house-hold hazardous waste for disposal, as well as electronic waste for recycling. Document shredding also will be available. Hosted by the New River Resource Author-ity. Pulaski County High School (rear parking lot), 5414 Cougar Trail Rd, Dublin. 540-674-1677.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10Family Constellation Training – 9am-6pm. Learn unique techniques for revealing the hidden dynamics in a family so they can be worked with and healed. Instructor: Yesha Karmeli. $125/person; $200 for 2 family members each for couples. Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary, 445 Floyd Highway North, Floyd. 540-745-2153. [email protected]. SpikenardFarm.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 12Spiritual Experiences Discussion in Forest/Lynch-burg – 7-8pm. Open discussion of past-life memory, insightful dreams, deja vu, inner guidance, soul travel and more. Free spiritual experiences guidebook with audio CD provided. Sponsored by Roanoke Eckankar Center. Forest Public Library, 15583 Forest Rd, For-est. 540-353-5365. [email protected]. Eck-Virginia.org. Eckankar.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16Bedford County Family Farm Tour – 10am-3pm. This year’s tour at Russell Farms, in Forest, will highlight agriculture practices. Lunch and locally produced foods will be available for purchase. Free. Bedford Family Farm Tour, 122 East Main St, Ste 102, Bedford. 540-586-7675. [email protected]. BedfordFarmTour.org.

Eckankar Book Discussion in Floyd – 11:30am-12:30pm. Book discussion on Stranger by the River by Paul Twitchell. Floyd Library, 321 W Main St, Floyd. 540-353-5365. [email protected]. Eck-Virginia.org. Eckankar.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19Back to School with Essential Oils – 7-8:30pm. This hands-on presentation will discuss how to create mental clarity, memory retention, focus and continual wellness with the use of essential oils. Hosted by Kimball Egge, of Mountain Star Massage Therapy, and Alexandria Pederson, of Centers of Light and Love. Free. Please call or email to pre-register. 2231 Westover Ave, Roa-noke. 540-588-0788. [email protected]. AlexandriaPederson.com.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21“Falcon Teeth and Hawk Talons” – 7:30pm. Part of the Summer Nature Lecture Series sponsored by Rad-ford University. Presented by Lee Chichester, master falconer. Free. Outdoor Classroom, Wildwood Park, East Main St, Radford. 540-831-5000. Radford.edu.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22Distant Drums Music Fest – 12-9pm. Continues through Saturday, August 23, 12-9pm. Music and more: country, blues, jazz, gospel and oldies, plus artisan craft vendors. All proceeds benefi t the Red Cloud Indian School at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for Oglala Lakota Sioux. $10/person in advance; $12/person at the door. Sedalia Center, 1108 Sedalia School Rd, Big Island, 434-299-5080. SedaliaCenter.org.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23Law of Attraction Workshop – 9:30am-5:45pm. Cre-ate the abundance, health and relationships you desire by learning and applying the key concepts of the Law of Attraction. Pre-registration is required. $85/person. KeyQuest, 536 Wild Cherry Rd NE, Pilot. 540-651-2727. KeyQuest.US.com.

Dancing Under the Stars – 6-10pm. Dancing, food, beverages. Emcees: Bob Grebe (Fox 21/27) and Robynn James (94.9 Star Country). Proceeds benefi t Bethany Hall. Rockledge on Mill Mountain. $75/person; $125/couple. Purchase tickets online at BethanyHall.org. 540-343-4261 x 305. [email protected]. BethanyHall.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 26Spiritual Experiences Discussion in Roanoke – 7-8pm. Open discussion of past-life memory, insightful dreams, déjà vu, inner guidance, soul travel and more. Free spiritual experiences guidebook with audio CD provided. Eckankar Center, 1420 Third St, Roanoke (fi rst fl oor, back far right offi ce). 540-353-5365. Eck-Virginia.org. [email protected]. Eckankar.org.

EXPERIENCE THE LIGHT AND SOUND OF GOD

The purpose of Eckankar is to make God an everyday reality in your life and help

lifetime. As Soul, you have the God-knowledge within you. The teachings of ECK will awaken the knowledge and love for the divine things that are already in your heart.

Worship services, workshops, classes, book

discussions, & more

(recorded message)[email protected]

www.eck-virginia.orgwww.eckankar.org

540-353-5365

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10Get Outside Expo and Radical Reels Tour – 5-8:45pm. More than 30 exhibitors from local outdoor and environ-mental groups, causes, organizations, outfi tters, nonprof-its, volunteer groups and businesses at the expo, held in the Jefferson Center’s Fitzpatrick Hall. Afterward, a series of sports action fi lms from the National Geographic Radical Reels Tour will be shown in Shaftman Hall. Free. Jef-ferson Center, Roanoke. 540-454-8191, ext 104. [email protected]. Roanokeoutside.com/RadicalReels.

Eating for Energy – 6:30-7:30pm. Learn about often overlooked reasons for fatigue and how to reclaim your energy with functional nutrition. Handouts included. RSVP only. $5/person until August 15; $10/person after August 15. Sponsored by: Holistic Nutrition Source. 540-454-8191. [email protected]. Lucie Mon-roe’s conference room, 1600 Roanoke St, Christiansburg.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13Save Green Expo – 9am-3pm. Join us for live en-tertainment, healthy free lunch and demos on raised bed and container gardening, edible landscaping, preserving food for winter, organic methods and resources, and kitchen, yard and farm composting. Also meet local producers of organics and pastured meats. Sponsored by Grayson LandCare. Crossroads Institute, 1117 E Stuart Dr, Galax. 276-238-7073. GraysonLandCare.org.

Fall ECO (Electronics Clean Out) Day – 8am-2pm. Dispose of your electronics responsibly at Roanoke Natu-ral Foods Co-op. Acceptable items include computers, computer equipment and small electronics. Sponsored by Goodwill of the Valleys, Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, Clean Valley Council and Natural Awakenings magazine.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14Sustainability Week. Continues through Saturday, September 20. Various events highlighting sustainability in Blacksburg, VA Tech and the surrounding community include demonstrations, tours and presentations. Vari-ous locations. SustainableBlacksburgVA.org. Facilities.VT.Edu/Sustainability.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18Designer White Elephant Silent Auction – 5-9pm. Bid on new designer items for the home as well as gift certifi cates to local merchants. Proceeds benefi t Habitat for Humanity and the Virginia Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers. $30/person. Sheraton Roa-noke Hotel and Conference Center, 2801 Hershberger Rd, Roanoke. Purchase tickets at Eventbrite.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27Monroe Institute Excursion Workshop – 9am-6pm. Continues on Sunday, September 28, 9am-5:30pm. Easily access expanded states of consciousness us-ing Hemi-Sync technology to realize more of your untapped potential. Pre-registration is required. $190/person. KeyQuest, 536 Wild Cherry Rd NE, Pilot. 540-651-2727. KeyQuest.US.com..

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 29Floyd Yoga Jam. Through Sunday, August 31. Three days of movement, music and magic. Sponsored by Danc-ing Dakinis. Purchase tickets at FloydYogaJam.net. Indian Valley Rd, Floyd. 540-745-5483. [email protected]. FloydYogaJam.net.

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sundayUnity of Roanoke – 9 and 11am services. All welcome. 3300 Green Ridge Rd NW, Roanoke. 540-562-2200. Offi [email protected]. UnityOfRoanokeValley.org.

Unity in the Seven Hills – 10-11am. Sunday service. Free. 3522 Campbell Ave, Lynchburg. 434-845-5832. [email protected]. UnityInTheSevenHills.org.

Community HU Song – 10:00-10:30am. Second Sunday of each month. Singing HU has helped people of many different faiths open their hearts more fully to the uplifting presence of God. Eckankar Center, 1420 Third St, Roanoke (fi rst fl oor, back far right offi ce). 540-353-5365. [email protected]. Eck-Virginia.org. Eckankar.org.

Valley Community Church – 10:30am. Practical solutions based on the teachings of Jesus. Services include varied musical programs; refreshments served afterward. Also streaming live on the Internet. All wel-come. Nursery available. 5000 Carriage Dr, Roanoke. 1 block off Rt 419, behind the McDonald’s at Oak Grove Plaza. 540-774-5512. VCCDS.com.

Eckankar Worship Service – 11am-noon. Second Sunday of each month. During each worship service we explore a spiritual topic and practice simple spiri-tual exercises to help gain personal experience with the light and sound of God. All welcome. Eckankar Center, 1420 Third St, Roanoke (fi rst fl oor, back far right offi ce). 540-353-5365. [email protected]. Eck-Virginia.org. Eckankar.org.

Peace Readers Book Group – 2pm. Last Sunday of every month. Book group focusing on titles that help to create a culture of peace. For more information, check the calendar on our website. All are welcome! Free.

The Peace Practice, 3200 Memorial Ave, Lynchburg. 434-609-3437. ThePeacePractice.com.

Flow Yoga – 4:30-5:30pm. Practice yoga in a fun, safe, intelligent, well-stocked studio. No registration required; drop in any time. Bedford Yoga Center, 715 Liberty St, Bedford. 434-944-1150. YogaBedford.com.

mondayFlow Yoga – 5:30-6:30pm. Practice yoga in a fun, safe, intelligent, well-stocked studio. No registration required; drop in any time. Bedford Yoga Center, 715 Liberty St, Bedford. 434-944-1150. YogaBedford.com.

Creating Your Joy: Yoga to Manage Your Mood – 7-8:15pm. Join us for a gentle yoga class that emphasizes balancing the nervous system and mood regulation. $12 drop-in or purchase a class card. All are welcome. Inner Wisdom Yoga and Psychotherapy, 1420 Third St, Roanoke. 540-798-8478. [email protected].

A Course in Miracles – 7-9pm. All welcome. Love offer-ing. Unity of Roanoke Valley, 3300 Green Ridge Rd NW, Roanoke. 540-562-2200 x10. UnityOfRoanokeValley.org.

tuesdayKid’s Yoga – 4:30-5:15pm. Beginner’s class aimed at being light and engaging for children. Call to pre-register. Ages 4-11. First session is free; $8/one session; $36/six sessions. Life in Balance Counseling and Well-ness Center, 125-D Akers Farm Rd, Christiansburg. 540-381-6215. LifeInBalanceCenter.com.Beginner’s Yoga – 5:30-6:45pm. Also Thursdays 4:15-5:30pm and Fridays 9:30-10:45am. Increase your

ongoingevents strength and fl exibility. No experience necessary. Call to pre-register. First session is free; $12/one session; $48/6 sessions. Life in Balance Counseling and Well-ness Center, 125-D Akers Farm Rd, Christiansburg. 540-381-6215. LifeInBalanceCenter.com.

Zen Meditation Group – 6-7pm. Meditation in-struction is available. Stone Mountain Zendo, Christ Episcopal Church, 1101 Franklin Rd. SW, Roanoke. 540-345-5932. [email protected].

Kripalu Yoga – 6-7pm. What distinguishes a Kripalu Yoga class is an emphasis on bringing awareness to the physical sensations, emotions and thoughts that arise throughout the practice. Accessible to all levels. Bedford Yoga Center, 715 Liberty St, Bedford. 434-944-1150. YogaBedford.com.

Vinyasa Flow Class – 6:15-7:30pm. Class is open to all levels. Facilitated by Christina Adams, RYT. $10/public; $5/students. Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga, 2001 S Main St, Ste 106, Blacksburg. 540-392-3723 or 540-544-6820. BlueRidgeMassage.org.

Edgar Cayce Search for God group – 7:30-9:30pm. New members welcome. 413 Dunton Dr, Blacksburg. 540-552-2873. [email protected].

My Co-op 101. Learn more about a cooperative busi-ness and how to make the most of your ownership. Last Tuesday of every month. Free to owners; walk-ins welcome. Please call to reserve a space. Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, 1319 Grandin Rd, Roanoke. 540-343-5652. RoanokeNaturalFoods.coop.

wednesdayMindfulness Self-Care for Practitioners – 9-10am. Second and fourth Wednesday of each month. Hosted by Alan Forrest, LPC, LMFT. Practice mindfulness for 30 minutes and then enjoy an open discussion for 30 minutes. Free-will offering. Pre-registration is required.


Life in Balance Counseling and Wellness Center, 125-D Akers Farm Rd, Christiansburg. 540-381-6215. LifeInBalanceCenter.com.

Prayer and Meditation – Noon-12:20pm. Add your energy to the peaceful environment of our chapel and be lifted up through the use of positive affi rmations during this sacred time of prayer and focused atten-tion. Unity of Roanoke Valley, 3300 Green Ridge Rd, Roanoke (at the Woodhaven intersection). 540-562-2200. UnityOfRoanokevalley.org.

Music on the Lawn – Noon. Bring your lunch and a lawn chair at noon on the fi rst Wednesday of the month and enjoy original music (as well as old favorites). Val-ley Community Church, 5000 Carriage Dr, Roanoke. 1 block off Rt 419, behind the McDonald’s at Oak Grove Plaza. 540-774-5512. VCCDS.com.

Zen Meditation Group – 6-7pm. Meditation in-struction is available. Stone Mountain Zendo, Christ Episcopal Church, 1101 Franklin Rd. SW, Roanoke. 540-345-5932. [email protected].

Meditation, Reading and Book Discussion – 6:30pm meditation; 7-8:30pm reading and book discussion. Visit website for current book. Valley Community Church, Divine Science, 5000 Carriage Dr, Roanoke. One block off Rt 419, behind McDonald’s at Oak Grove Plaza. 540-774-5512. VCCDS.com.

New River Valley Unity Study Group – 7:30-9pm. Meditation, introspection and discussion. Free. Loca-tion varies. Call for details: Bev 540-763-2410 or Betty 540-639-5739.

thursdayBeginner’s Yoga – 5:30-6:45pm. Increase your strength and fl exibility. No experience necessary. First session is free; call to preregister. $12/one session; $48/6 sessions. Life in Balance Counseling and Well-

ness Center, 125-D Akers Farm Rd, Christiansburg. 540-381-6215. LifeInBalanceCenter.com.

Hot Yoga – 6-7pm. Best suited to the student with some prior yoga experience, this class incorporates a faster pace, high temperatures and fun music. No registration required; drop-in any time. Bedford Yoga Center, 715 Liberty St, Bedford. 434-944-1150. YogaBedford.com.

Laughter Yoga – 6-6:30pm. Laughter yoga is held every fi rst and third Thursday of the month. No expe-rience required. Free. Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga, 2001 S Main St, Ste 106, Blacksburg. 540-392-3723 or 540-544-6820. Laugh4u.org.

Mysore Yoga – 6-7:30pm. Deepen your experi-ence of yoga. $10/public; $5/students. Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga, 2001 S Main St, Ste 106, Blacksburg. 540-392-3723 or 540-544-6820. BlueRidgeMassage.org.

Roanoke Community Drum Circle – 7pm. Ex-press yourself through rhythm. Free. Grandin Vil-lage, Courtyard of Raleigh Court Baptist Church, corner of Memorial Ave and Grandin Rd, Roanoke. Sponsored by Plowshares of Roanoke. 989-0393. PlowshareVA.org.

fridayVinyasa Flow Class – 9:30-10:45am. Class is open to all levels. $10/public; $5/students. Blue Ridge Blue School of Massage and Yoga, 2001 S Main St, Ste 106, Blacksburg. 540-392-3723 or 540-544-6820. BlueRidgeMassage.org.

Beginner’s Yoga – 9:30-10:45am. Increase your strength and fl exibility. No experience necessary. First session is free; call to pre-register. $12/one session; $48/6 sessions. Life in Balance Counseling and Well-ness Center, 125-D Akers Farm Rd, Christiansburg. 540-381-6215. LifeInBalanceCenter.com.

Alzheimer’s Support Group – 3-4pm. Meets every third Friday of the month in the Woodland Studio at the Village Center at Warm Hearth Village. Members will discuss issues that arise from caring for a loved one with dementia. Light refreshments available. Free. Warm Hearth Village, 2603 Warm Hearth Dr, Blacksburg. 540-552-9176. Retire.org.

saturdayZen Meditation Group – 9-10pm. Meditation in-struction is available. Stone Mountain Zendo, Christ Episcopal Church, 1101 Franklin Rd SW, Roanoke. 540-345-5932. [email protected].

Free Science-Based Natural Health Information – 10am-5pm. Second Saturday of each month. Drawings for gift certifi cates, proven wellness information and great savings opportunities. The Well, 1764 Patriot Ln, Bedford. 540-587-9000; 877-843-9355. [email protected].

Monthly Silent Peace Vigil – Noon. Third Saturday of each month. All welcome. Downtown Roanoke City Market Building, 32 Market St, Roanoke. Sponsored by Plowshares of Roanoke. 989-0393. PlowshareVA.org.

HELP WANTEDSales Associate Needed for Natural Awakenings Mag-azine. The leading publication for green and healthy living in Virginia’s Blue Ridge is currently seeking an advertising sales representative for the greater Lynch-burg market. If you are a self-starter who enjoys build-ing relationships and can thrive in a commission-based sales position, please email your resumé to [email protected]. No calls, please.

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email: [email protected]

Dorothy HarrellPharmacist

540-674-09144620 Lee Highway

(Between Dublin & Pulaski)Dublin, Virginia 24084

Vitamins Herbs NutritionalsHair Analysis Natural Therapies

[email protected]: Monday thru Friday - 8 - 6 pm

Saturday: 8 - 1 pm

TRAVEL VIRGINIA’SJoin us for:

Learn how to make your next getaway:

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Connect, subscribe, rate & review at:TravelVirginiaPodcast.com

Explore exciting people, places & events in Virginia!

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AUGUST 1, 2014


VALLEY COMMUNITY CHURCH, DIVINE SCIENCE5000 Carriage Dr., Roanoke, VA 24018540-774-5512VCCDS.com

Teaching practical, spiritual laws based on and found in the example and teach-ings of Jesus, as

well as the Bible and other great wisdom literature. Through Divine Science teachings you can lead a life of joyful inner and outer satisfaction and serenity.

EDUCATION AND CAREERS - MASSAGE SCHOOLS

BLUE RIDGE SCHOOL OF MASSAGE AND YOGAColony Park, Ste. 106, 2001 S. Main St., Blacksburg, VA 24060540-552-2177BlueRidgeMassage.org

Prepare for a meaningful, well-paid, flexible career in the growing profession of massage therapy. Gain excellent, varied bodywork skills and knowl-

edge from experienced, caring instructors. Visit our website to learn more about programs, open house events and workshops or to complete an online ap-plication. (CTO SHEV)

ENERGY – CONSERVATION AND HVAC

J & J WEATHERIZATION434-847-5487JoLangford@juno.comJJWeatherization.com

With 30 years of experience in home energy performance, J&J Weather-ization is a full-service company specializing in insulation, home energy conservation and effi ciency. See ad, page 18.

FITNESS – HOOPINGBLUSKYE [email protected]

At BluSkye Hoops we are passionate about making life fun through the art of hoop dance. Invoking a fun, creative way fo r se l f - express ion , combined with classes and

custom hoops, we aim to ignite the passion and light that we each hold inside.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

GRANDIN COLAB540-397-4377GrandinCoLab.com

The Grandin CoLab is a hub for ideation, or generation of new ideas. It is designed

to connect innovators and entrepreneurs to re-sources, education and networking opportunities throughout the Roanoke and Blacksburg regions. The space is available for memberships, business meetings and events.

H2O AT HOMEJean Cox, Founding Director360-271-9525MyH2OatHome.com/Jean

Ground-floor business opportu-nity. Earn “green” while helping others go green with your own home-based business. Be among the fi rst advisors in Virginia and help launch

the East Coast. Incentive packages available to experienced leaders. Call for more information. See ad, page 7.

CHURCHESECKANKAR, RELIGION OF THE LIGHT AND SOUND OF GOD1420 3rd Street SW, Roanoke, VA 24016 [email protected]

Are you looking for the personal experience of God, every day? Each of us is connected to God through Divine Spirit (the ECK), which can

be heard as Sound and seen as Light. Connect with a spiritual community of people who share your desire for truth See ad, page 24.

UNITY OF ROANOKE VALLEY Rev. Linda Taylor3300 Green Ridge Rd., Roanoke, VA 24019540-562-2200UnityOfRoanokeValley.org

We are a vi-brant, loving, spiritual com-

munity, demonstrating Christ consciousness, em-bracing diversity and inspiring personal transforma-tion. Join us in co-creating a world that works for all! See ad, page 18.

To be included in the Community Resource Directory, please email [email protected] or visit NABlueRidge.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

communityresourcedirectory

ANIMALS AND PETS – SUPPLIES

NATURE’S EMPORIUM3912 Brambleton Ave., Roanoke, VA 24018540-989-8020MyNaturesEmporium.com

The largest selection of pet gifts, toys, beds and healthy foods and treats for all the special mem-

bers of the family. Natural and holistic pet food, wild bird and garden supplies. See ad, page 11.

ANIMALS AND PETS - VETERINARIANS

CONCORD VETERINARY SERVICESLori Leonard, BS, DVM, LFHOM8908 Village Hwy., Concord, VA 24538434-993-2403ConcordVetServices.com

Discover methods of support and comfort for your beloved animals. For 20 years we have offered homeopathy and other holistic modalities as well as

conventional veterinary care. New patients welcome!

HOLISTIC VETERINARY CONSULTANTSMarjorie M. Lewter, DVM2401 S. Main St., Blacksburg, VA 24060540-616-9247HolisticVeterinaryConsultants.com

Professional guidance for clients with many issues including vaccines, nu-trition and special health problems. Geriatric care, cancer support and hospice care. Routine medical care for small animals, farm animals and horses.

Integrative medicine including acupuncture, botanical medicines, chiropractic and homeopathy. Discover the power of holistic medicine. See ad, page 18.

BODYWORK – REIKI

LUELLA CROCKETTUsui Reiki Practitioner229 Union St., Salem, VA 24153540-397-1355LuellaCrockett.WordPress.comLuellaCrockett@gmail.com

Reiki sessions available at Grandin Gardens every Wednesday and in Salem by appointment. Amethyst BioMat, Bach Flower Remedies and Young Living Essential Oils are

combined to create a relaxing healing session as unique as you. Buy 2 Get 1 Free. See ad, page 17.


HEALTH AND WELLNESS - COACHING

REV. KANTA BOSNIAK, CHTLife Coach and Wedding Offi [email protected]

Coaching and guided imagery for weight loss, life purpose, creativity, new directions, business and career growth, confi dent interviews, dating. Take positive thinking to a deeper level. Personalized and meaningful

wedding ceremonies.

HOLISTIC NUTRITION SOURCEInfo@HolisticNutritionSource.comHolisticNutritionSource.com540-454-8191

Health coach Taunya Bruton offers custom, bio-individual, whole-health solutions for people and companies. Services include individualized health coaching programs, ALCAT food sensitivity testing, functional blood

chemistry analysis, pharmaceutical-grade supple-ments and wellness workshops. See website for upcoming events. Schedule your free consultation today. See ad, page 13.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS - DENTIST

DR. KAREN PERKINS, DDS46 Shelor Dr., Lynchburg, VA 24502434-237-6328MercuryFreeDDS.com

Providing the highest quality of dental care in a mercury-free environment, us-ing safe and biocompatible dental ma-terials. We practice safe removal of old mercury/silver (amalgam) fi llings with the safe mercury/silver fi lling removal

protocol outlined by the International Academy of Oral Medicine, IAOMT. See ad, page 13.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS – PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

NATURE’S SPECIALISTDorothy Harrell, Pharmacist4620 Lee Hwy., Dublin, VA [email protected]

Specializing in naturopathic consultation, natural therapies and hair analysis. Nature’s Specialist also keeps a stock of high-quality vitamins, herbs and nutritionals. Call for an

appointment, or stop by to shop for supplements. See ad, page 27.

FOOD – NATURAL, ORGANIC AND VEGAN

ROANOKE NATURAL FOODS CO-OP1319 Grandin Rd., Roanoke, VA 240151 Market Square, Roanoke, VA 24011540-343-5652RoanokeNaturalFoods.coop

Virginia’s largest, coopera-tively owned natural-foods grocery store. Nutritious food choices and earth-friendly products. We sup-

port sustainable environmental practices, local organic farmers, local businesses and our com-munity. See ad, page 4.

THE WELL1764 Patriot Ln., Bedford, VA [email protected]

The destination for natural health when looking for science-

based information, superior products, herbal tinc-tures, supplements, natural foods, bulk foods, spices and teas. The Well has all of this and more. Your benefi t is our business. See ad, page 6.

FOOD - RESTAURANTS

LOCAL ROOTS FARM-TO-TABLE RESTAURANT1314 Grandin Rd., Roanoke, VA 24015540-206-2610LocalRootsRestaurant.com

Roanoke’s first true farm-to-table restaurant.

Open Tuesday through Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner, Sunday for brunch and family-style supper. Full bar and wood-fi re oven. Available for private parties, corporate events, celebrations and catering. See ad, page 17.

FUNERAL AND BURIAL SERVICES - GREEN

FOREST REST AT MOUNTAIN VIEW5970 Grassy Hill Rd., Boones Mill, VA 24065540-334-5398Sensor@EvergreenMemorialTrust.comEvergreenMemorialTrust.com

Forest Rest is a natural cemetery where interments are made without burial vaults or common embalm-ing chemicals. Wood tablets or native stones mark the graves. See

ad, page 5.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS - SPAS AND SALONS

ALL ABOUT YOU SALON1630 Braeburn Dr., Salem, VA 24153540-312-6141

Full-service hair salon. Organic hair coloring and perms that are made with certifi ed organic extracts and natural ingredients that are 100-per-cent ammonia-free. Spa services

include manicures, pedicure, facials and massage. Flexible appointments for busy schedules. See ad, page 13.

REVIVE ORGANIC SALON2305-A Colonial Ave., Roanoke, VA 24015540-816-0986

Organic salon of-fering ladies and men’s haircuts,

demineralizing treatments, organic base coloring, highlights, color correction and hair loss solutions. Revive’s mission is to treat others with respect and dignity while nurturing them in an organic environment. See ad, page 25.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS – WELLNESS CENTERS

LIFE IN BALANCE COUNSELING AND WELLNESS CENTER125 Akers Farm Rd., Ste. D, Christiansburg, VA 24073540-381-6215 LifeInBalanceCenter.com

The Life in Balance team of therapists offers psychotherapy, equine-assisted psychotherapy, massage therapy, Reiki, yoga classes, creative movement and relaxation classes, meditation,

workshops, classes and group therapy. See ad, page 9.

HOME – CLEANING SUPPLIES

H2O AT HOMEJean Cox, Founding Director360-271-9525MyH2OatHome.com/Jean

Now you can care for your home with our innovative smart tools and just water or certifi ed natural and organic products. Your home will be sparkling with no harsh chemical residues or fumes! See

ad, page 7.


LIFE COACHINGALEXANDRIA PEDERSON, SPIRITUAL LIFE COACH & HOLISTIC PRACTITIONER331 King George Ave., Roanoke, VA 24016540-588-0788CelebrationOfLight@gmail.comAlexandriaPederson.com

Ready to live your life fully now? Enroll in a group class or come to a private session to awaken to the light within you, live from this place of light, thrive and accomplish your

goals, while loving your life.

MUSICEARTH MAMA®/ ROUSE HOUSE MUSICP.O. Box 450Independence, VA 24348276-773-8529EarthMama.org

Joyce “Earth Mama®” Rouse presents high-content, high entertainment musical motiva-tional programs for a sustain-able future to diverse audiences,

inspiring actions for healthy living and a healthy planet. Concerts, workshops, keynotes, classes, and FUN. Helping Heal the Planet One Song at a Time!®

OUTDOOR RECREATION AND ECOTOURISM

IT’S ALL NEARBY540-999-8133ItsAllNearby.com

It’s All Nearby is a resource guide to entertain-ment, sales and specials at Smith Mountain Lake

and surround-ing areas. The comprehensive calendar, both in print and online,

provides information on events at SML.

VIRGINIA GREEN804-986-9119VirginiaGreenTravel.org

Virginia Green is Virginia’s program to encourage green practices throughout the state’s tourism industry. Member des-tinations and events include recycling, waste reduction,

energy and water conservation and consumer education. The program is a partnership between Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality and Virginia Tourism. See ad, page 25.

PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION

KEYQUEST, LLC.Ellen Jones-Walker540-651-2727KeyQuest.us.com

Highly experiential small-group workshops using powerful Hemi-Sync® audio guidance technology for self-discovery and personal transformation: Monroe Institute consciousness exploration workshops, calming

mind and body, awakening to inner states, slow-ing the aging process, healing yourself, improv-ing sleep, and more.

RECYCLINGBOOKBAG [email protected]

Roanoke-based 501c3 char-ity keeps two TONS of used school supplies out of the landfill every year. Since 1990 the group has traveled each summer to Belize to

deliver supplies to three schools. Email, call or visit the website for more information about mak-ing donations.

CLEAN VALLEY COUNCILJefferson Center, 541 Luck Ave., Ste. 319, Roanoke, VA 24016 540-345-5523CleanValley.org

A nonprofi t organization serv-ing the Roanoke Valley for more than 30 years. Providing educational programming and citizen participation events

to spread the word about litter prevention, recycling, waste-stream reduction, storm-water pollution preven-tion and protecting our natural resources. The go-to resource for local recycling information.

RETAIL - NONPROFIT

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF THE VALLEYS2502 Melrose Ave., Ste. A, Roanoke, VA 24017540-581-0620GoodwillValleys.com

We put your donations to work by dedicating 90 percent of our resources to providing services to the community. Dona-

tions entrusted to us are used to help people with disabilities and disadvantages overcome barriers to employment and achieve a level of independence in life. See ad, page 23.

TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES

RIDE [email protected] RideSolutions.org

Ride Solutions connects you to your transportation options with free regional carpool matching, bike com-mute support, transit assis-

tance and employer services, all for free.

WATER CONSERVATTION AND FILTRATION - ALKALINE WATER

HEALTHY WATER FOR ME540-230-7459 or [email protected] HealthyWaterForMe.com

Kangen Water® is a great way to increase hydration, balance body pH, obtain optimal health, neutralize free radicals, reduce pain and more. Change Your Water…Change Your Life ™. Call to begin a free three-

week alkaline, antioxidant water challenge today. See ad, page 23.

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.~Matsuo Basho


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Share Your Vision and Make a Difference

Buy Fresh - Buy LocalFARMERS’ MARKETS

SALEM FARMERS’ MARKET3 E. Main St., [email protected] through Saturday7am-2pmApril through December

Local produce, meat, eggs, honey, artisan

bread, baked goods, goat cheese

Organic produce, kombucha, pastured eggs, pasture-

baked goods, beverages, freshly baked bread, local fruit in season, herbal products

FLOYD

Saturdays, 8:30am-1:00pm

FLOYD FARMERS’ MARKET203 S. Locust St., FloydSustainFloyd.org/farmers-market/[email protected]

BEDFORD FARMERS’ MARKETWashington & Center St.BedfordCenterTownBedford.comBedfordMainStreet@gmail.com540-586-2148Friday, 8am-1pmMay through October

Fresh fruits & vegetables, plants, baked goods, fresh farm-raised

preserves, pickles, meats,

local honey, crafts

BOTETOURT FARMERS’MARKET

Daleville Facebook.com/BotetourtFarmersMarket [email protected] through OctoberSaturday, 8am-Noon

All local produce, fruit, natural beef, plants, fresh-cut

goods, crafts

THE MARKETPLACE20 W. Washington Ave.PulaskiPulaskiChamber.infoInfo@PulaskiChamber.info540-674-1991Tuesday, 4-8pmMay 20 through September 16

Celebrity chefs, local restaurant

food vendors, highlighted

lots & lots of vendors

VINTON FARMERS’ MARKET204 W. Lee Ave., [email protected] and Saturday8am-3pm

Local produce,

baked goods, plants, crafts, original art, local music, childrens’ events, canopy shade, SNAP-EBT

Documents

Natural Awakenings of Virginia's Blue Ridge August 2014