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Representing Your Life:A New Approachto Personal ChangeHarrison Snow, director of Team Building Associates,will lead a Family Constellation Workshop at theBridge Between Worlds Retreat Center, in Charlottesville,Virginia, January 25 and 26, and a weeklong workshop atthe same location, April 20 to 25. Snow has been facilitating personal and professional growth workshops and trainings since 1974. He has facilitated workshops and trainingsfor international organizations in 24 countries worldwide.Family Constellations (also known as Systemic Constellations) was developedby the German therapist, Bert Hellinger, who demonstrated how current life issuescan be traced back to dynamics hidden in each person’s family background. Remarkably, events that took place long before birth can profoundly affect the qualityof personal and professional relationships.The Constellation process, better known in Europe than in the United States,uses a phenomological approach to personal change, meaning that it notices “whatis” in a person’s life, based on the consequences of different actions and then solutions are sought. A family, like an organization, is a system. Different parts of thesystem can be identified and represented by individuals or representatives. When therepresentatives are set-up as a “constellation”, new insights emerge.In this work, the representatives do not role play or adopt some type of posture.In fact, the less they know or assume about their roles the better. Each representative simply stands where placed and notices any feelings, thoughts or sensations thatmight arise. The interaction between the representatives provides insights and understanding for the constellation client. Healing phrases are spoken by the representatives (given by the facilitator) so that what needs to be acknowledged or take place,actually does. Energetically, a shift can occur that may lead to new possibilities.For more information or to register, visit TeamBuildingAssociates.com.Vitality CleansingOpen House at NewBethesda LocationCaroline Alexander, founder of VitalityCleansing, is opening a second location in Bethesda and will be holding an open house, from 3 to 6 p.m., on January12, at her new location 4711 Montgomery Ln., Bethesda, at Lux Studios.Alexander is renowned for helping so many in this area find rejuvenation andvitality through colon hydrotherapy. Treatments are offered in a comfortable, beautiful and hygienic environment; highlighted by soothing gentle music. The leisurelypace of purified water gently washing debris from the colon, provides the connection between water and cleanliness,—-that forms the basis for renewed health.“Opening the Bethesda location has been a dream for me for so long,” statesAlexander. “I am passionate about the work that I do to bring cleansing andgood health to all my clients. I am so pleased to be able to share this wisdom atthe new location.”Working in partnership with Puree Juice of Bethesda, Vitality Cleansing willoffer cleaning packages and special pricing to those who attend the open houseon January 12.For more information, call 301-907-6810 or visit VitalityCleansing.com.natural awakeningsJanuary 20149

newsbriefsCommunity Forklift Named2013 Green Business of the YearThe Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce hasnamed Community Forklift as its 2013 Green Businessof the Year.Community Forklift is a nonprofit reuse center for homeimprovement supplies. Homeowners and builders donatemodern and vintage building materials, hardware, lumber,tools, architectural salvage and other renovation leftovers. Then, at a large warehouse just outside of Northeast Washington, D.C., the materials are offered to thepublic at a very low cost and distributed free to charities and families in need.Community Forklift received the award because of its rags-to-riches success storyand its commitment to “lifting up communities” in the District. By converting theregion’s waste stream into a valuable resource stream, the operation has grown to40 employees, in just eight years, with annual proceeds over 1.5 million. Community Forklift has combined business success, community improvement and ecofriendly practices to create a unique and much-loved local institution.In addition to the Chamber’s award, Community Forklift was presented witha Certificate of Congressional Recognition by U.S. Congressman Steny H. Hoyer(MD). Nancy J. Meyer, Community Forklift CEO, says, “Community Forklift is honored to be recognized. Our commitment to the local community is goal one. Weeducate, we advocate, and we support change in policies and practices, to valueecological and human sustainability.”Community Forklift is the District’s largest thrift store for modern and vintagehouse parts and is located near the Hyattsville Arts District at 4671 TanglewoodDr., Edmonston, MD—just five minutes outside NE D.C. For more information, visitCommunityForklift.org.Introduction to MindfulnessBased Stress ReductionThe Center for Mindful Living in Tenleytown is offering aspecial three-hour introductory class, led by Bill Mies, foranyone interested in learning more about Mindfulness BasedStress Reduction (MBSR) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on January 11.MBSR assists people who want to learn to use their own internalresources to respond more skillfully to stress, medical and psychological conditions andpromote healthy living. It offers spiritual insight and practices along with a practical application to health and well being.The classes in the MBSR series are modeled after the ones offered at the StressReduction Clinic, developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of MassachusettsMedical Center. The clinic has been featured on PBS in Bill Moyers’ documentary,Healing and the Mind, the Oprah Winfrey Show, NBC’s Dateline, ABC’s Evening Newsand hundreds of newspapers and magazine articles. Attendees have the opportunity tosign-up for this more comprehensive course, consisting of eight, two-and-a-half hourweekly classes and one six-hour day-long workshop, starting on January 16.During this introductory class, attendees will learn about the goals/objectives andcontent of the eight-week MBSR series. They will be introduced to and experience someof the major elements of the course, to include guided body awareness meditation,guided formal mindfulness meditation practices, gentle stretching and mindful movement, group dialogue and discussions aimed at enhancing awareness in everyday life.Dialogue with the instructor will also take place to answer any questions about MBSR.For more information or to register, visit imcw.org.10Washington, D.C.NaturalAwakeningsDC.comCome Feast onthe JOY DietrEVOLutionAre youlooking toembracemore joyinto yourdaily lifeand notquite surehow togo aboutit? Treatand honoryourself to a great start in 2014 andlet the JOY Diet rEVOLution be yourgift to yourself. Set aside some timeeach week to come play, discoverand tap into the magic of life, bycalling in and embracing a deepercapacity for joy in your life.The vital importance of joy inlife is often neglected. The JOY DietrEVOLution will offer 10 weeks to10 people and 10 opportunitiesto invite more spark into your lifeevery day. Come delve into 10 dailypractices for a happier life that willpropel you into a more joy-filledmindfulness and will offer youabundance. Come connect in-person and in community with otherjoy seekers, beginning February 6,and make Thursday evenings yourjoy focus night.Michelle Dubreuil Macek, aMartha Beck-trained life coach andBiodanza Movement Facilitator, offers heart centered coaching, teaching, mind-body connection andlots of fun and activities that willexpand your perspective on life, andopen the doors for a more magical,expansive and grateful existence.Although not a weight lossprogram, the JOY Diet rEVOLutionmay put you and your body into thejoy/love zone where stress is allowedto dissipate and weight loss can thenbecome a real possibility.For more information, visit the eventspage at LifeDance.me.

The Sister Circle:A Unique Service for WomenThe cost is only 20. For more information, contactDr. Theresa Ford at TFord@CreativeCounselingAndCoaching.com or 240-354-3854. See ad, page 45.You must notlose faith in humanity.Humanity is an ocean; if a fewdrops of the ocean are dirty, theocean does not become dirty. Mahatma GandhistEfree-flowing group discussionled by Dr. Theresa Ford is heldmonthly, so that any woman desiring to connect with other womenand share experiences can participate. The Sister Circle meets for 90minutes on the third Thursday ofeach month, at Seekers Church inNorthwest, Washington, D.C., nearthe Takoma Metro. The group isdiverse with regards to age and ethnicity. Some women later decide they would like more regularcontact and elect to participate in a weekly support group.Women have unique experiences and need a safespace for emotional healing that is staffed with competentand compassionate professionals dedicated to them. In sucha space, women can raise concerns, air grievances and fearlessly examine the experiences, attitudes and behaviors thathave led to their present unsatisfying condition. With thenecessary support, women can also meet goals and createa more desirable future. The growth and development of awoman often positively impacts those around her, including family, friends and community members. Since womenare naturally relational, being in the company of others,who are similarly striving for personal growth, is particularlyhelpful.Ford is the director of Creative Counseling and Coaching Services (CCCS) and is a licensed psychotherapist, aswell as an educator, researcher, life coach, award-winningworkshop leader and internationally published writer. Withmore than thirty years of experience as a clinician andadministrator, Ford’s expertise includes addictions, mentalhealth issues such as depression and anxiety, co-occurringdisorders, eating problems, recovering from trauma, selfesteem issues and life ife coachConnect with yourbody/mind/spirit!Dissolve limiting beliefsand create!Access more joy in your life!Let love be your guide!hMichelle Dubreuil Macek offersindividual and weekly groupsessions in DC, MD & Skype.www.lifedance.me 410-736-9311Fine Grooming with Love, Style . & a little MagicAll breed premium quality doggrooming:- Natural products- Daycare style- Tub-to-table fluff drying- Aromatherapy - RaindropTechnique- Reiki & chiropractic clinics- Non-anesthesia teethcleaning for dogs & catsConsistently voted “best pet groomers”by Washingtonian Magazine3415 Perry Street Mount Rainier301-209-0411 PawsofEnchantment.comnatural awakeningsJanuary 201411

healthbriefsProduce Banishes the BluesNew research from New Zealand’s University ofOtago shows that consuming more whole fruitsand vegetables increases peacefulness, happiness andenergy in one’s daily life. Scientists discovered thestrong relationship to be particularly apparent in countering winter blues.A total of 281 college-age students filled out anonline food diary and mood survey for 21 consecutivedays. Results showed that eating fruits and vegetablesone day led to improvements in positive mood the nextday, regardless of other key factors, such as body massindex. Other types of food did not produce the sameuplifting effect.“After further analysis, we demonstrated that young people would need toconsume approximately seven to eight total servings of fruits and vegetables perday to notice a meaningful positive change,” says Tamlin Conner, Ph.D., withthe university’s department of psychology. “One serving of fruit or vegetables isapproximately the size that could fit in our palm, or half a cup.” Study co-authorBonnie White suggests that this can be accomplished by having vegetables comprise half of the plate at each meal and snacking on whole fruit like apples.The American Psychiatric Association acknowledges that seasonal affectivedisorder (SAD) affects, at least mildly, as many as 20 percent of Americans.Sweets Sour Brain PowerBinging on sweets and soda in an effort to bone up forexams or presentations probably has the opposite effect,according to a new animal study from the University of California, Los Angeles. Researchers found that eating or quaffingtoo much fructose, like that found in cane sugar and the highfructose corn syrups permeating many processed foods, cancause unclear thinking, poor learning and impaired memory.Scientists have long known that high-fructose dietsincrease the risk for diabetes, obesity and fatty liver. Now theUCLA team has discovered that only six weeks of a high-fructose diet slowed theanimals’ brains. The good news is that eating omega-3 fatty acids like those foundin cold water fish appear to counteract the negative effects of fructose, enablingthe animals to think more clearly.It is health that is realwealth and not piecesof gold and silver. Mahatma Gandhi12Washington, D.C.NaturalAwakeningsDC.comTHE TOXIC SIDEOF TYLENOLAs the evidence of the harmfuleffects of Tylenol increases, thereis a growing call for it to be removedfrom the market. Its active ingredient,acetaminophen, once thought to bean effective and safe pain reliever foradults and children, turns out to havedangerous effects.A related study by University ofTexas Southwestern Medical Centerresearchers leads with the fact thateach year, acetaminophen causesmore than 100,000 calls to poisoncontrol centers, 50,000 emergencyroom visits, 26,000 hospitalizationsand more than 450 deaths from liverfailure. The U.S. Acute Liver FailureStudy implicates acetaminophenpoisoning in nearly half of all casesof acute liver failure in this country.When taken with alcohol or without food, the effects on the liver aremultiplied.Doctor of Naturopathy MichaelMurray, of Phoenix, Arizona, reportsin GreenMedInfo.com that regularuse of acetaminophen is linked to ahigher likelihood of asthma, infertility and hearing loss, especially inmen under 50. Last summer, the U.S.Food and Drug Administration issueda warning linking acetaminophenuse to three rare and sometimes fatalskin conditions.“Can you imagine if the sideeffects and risks associated with acetaminophen were associated with adietary supplement?” opines Murray.“It would be yanked from the marketimmediately.”

Mammograms Carry Cancer RiskThere is growing evidence that mammograms, which arethe primary screening tool for breast cancer, may cause it.Scientists have long known that radiation causes cancer, andnow research published in the British Journal of Radiobiologyreports that the so-called “low-energy X-rays” used in mammography are four to six times more likely to cause breastcancer than conventional high-energy X-rays because thelow-energy variety causes more mutational damage to cells.Mammograms led to a 30 percent rate of over-diagnosisand overtreatment, according to a study published in the Cochrane Review. Researchers wrote in the study, “This means that for every 2,000 women invited forscreening throughout 10 years, one will have her life prolonged and 10 healthywomen, who would not have been diagnosed if there had not been screening, willbe treated unnecessarily. Furthermore, more than 200 women will experience important psychological distress for many months because of false positive findings.”Many women and functional medicine doctors are now choosing non-invasive and radiation-free annual thermograms as a safer alternative. Those at highrisk for breast cancer may choose to do periodic MRI screenings, a recommendation supported by research at Britain’s University Hospitals Birmingham.Crash and Burnby Dr. Isabel Sharkarhere are two triangle-shaped glands sitting on top ofyour kidneys, responsible for regulating your body’sresponse to stress by releasing cortisol. Cortisol is themain adrenal hormone used to manage stress. Theseglands receive a lot of abuse, due to the prevalent chronicstress we encounter every day. If you are reaching for yourmorning cup of coffee in order to function, hardly wakeup feeling refreshed regardless of how many hours yousleep and feel wired later during the day when it is timeto sleep, you are likely experiencing adrenal fatigue.Adrenal fatigue results when the adrenal glands undergo prolonged or intense stress, such as that experienced with running your ownbusiness, loss of a job, financial stress, divorce, loss of a loved one or an acute orchronic infection. The adrenal glands cannot adequately meet these high demandsof stress, and cortisol becomes deregulated.Normally, cortisol is highest in the morning and decreases throughout the day.During the initial period of stress, cortisol levels increase. However, with chronicstress, the adrenal glands can no longer produce adequate amounts of cortisol,resulting in adrenal burnout and extreme fatigue.Other symptoms of adrenal fatigue include feeling rundown, overwhelmedand tired for no reason, increased susceptibility to infections, difficulty bouncingback from stress or illness, craving carbohydrates or sweet and salty foods, weightgain, midday fatigue and inability to fall asleep.The goal in treating adrenal fatigue is to get your adrenals back in sync withyour body’s normal rhythm. This requires a whole body approach that addressesthe underlying cause of excess stress and unhealthy lifestyle habits. Start by balancing your blood sugar with your diet, avoid stimulants like caffeine, practiceyoga and explore herbal adrenal adaptogens.TBRIEF BOUTS OFYOGA BOLSTERTHE BRAINJust 20 minutes of yoga postures,breathing and meditation are valuabletools for bolstering mental functioning.A study from the University of Illinoisat Urbana-Champaign reports that asingle, 20-minute hatha yoga sessionsignificantly improved participants’speed and accuracy on tests of workingmemory, focus, retention and ability toabsorb and use new information.Study participants didn’t get thesame positive brain buzz from 20 minutes of aerobics. The study appeared inthe Journal of Physical Activity & Health.VITAMIN CHALVES COLDSIN ATHLETESTaking vitamin C before engaging inphysically demandingactivities helps keep colds away for people that are heavy exercisers, say Finnishresearchers at the University of Helsinki.While their meta-study showed thatnon-exercisers that took vitamin C dailygained little or no protection from colds,the story for marathoners, competitiveskiers and soldiers on subarctic assignments was much different.The study, published inthe Cochrane Review,found that the 598 heavyexercisers cuttheir r

Dahn Yoga is a dynamic mind-body practice originating in Korea that combines stretching, flowing movement, deep breathing exercises and meditation in a simple and easy to learn format that focuses on the development of the body’s core strength as the basis of physical, mental, and spi