Being Green: simple environmentally friendly habits from Scientific American

We all know the big ones: leave the car at home, don't waste electricity, and recycle. But, there are many more less obvious, equally simple ways to green your lifestyle. In their article "Being Green: 11 Environmentally Friendly Habits," Scientific American outlines some little-known tips that you can start using today. Here are some highlights:

1. Chemical Decoder
Read the label on your body care products. You're likely to find chemicals in the fine print: "Is polyquater­nium-10 safe for you and everything that lives downstream from your shower drain? And why do toothpastes and toilet bowl cleaners share some ingredients?"

For information about the chemicals in household products, cosmetics, and body care products, checkout the Green Media Toolshed’s Scorecard (www.scorecard.org/chemical-profiles/), the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep cosmetic safety database (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com) and the National Library of Medicine’s Toxicology Data Network (http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov).

2. Hand-held Energy Savers
Replace electric-powered with hand-powered tools. Some suggestions: the can opener, coffee grinder, juicer, stick blender, and the electric knife.

3. Go Outside
According to Scientific American, "Sending a kid outside to play can improve his or her concentration and fight climate change. A study published in 2008 by researchers at the University of Illinois found that children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder who took walks outdoors raised their attentiveness scores and that kids who walked in natural settings did better than those who walked city streets. A dose of nature was just as effective as a dose of Ritalin. Of course, the more time kids spend playing outdoors the less time they’ll spend at video-game consoles—which consume an estimated 16 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, about four times the output of Hoover Dam."

To read the full length article, click here.

Who are ACHS students?

Jennifer Exum is a student in the Diploma of Holistic Health Practice at ACHS. After completing her education, Jennifer wants to own and operate a wellness clinic. To help facilitate her goal, in addition to Jennifer's ACHS training, she is also working toward a Certificate of Proficiency in Business Management at a local community college, which will teach her how to plan, build, and maintain a successful small business.

Jennifer's primary area of interest is the prevention and management of disease through wellness protocols. During the course of her program with ACHS, she will study holistic nutrition, anatomy and physiology, and holistic pathology and protocols, to name a few.

To learn more about the accredited Diploma of Holistic Health Practice from ACHS, go to www.achs.edu and click on Holistic Medicine.

Jennifer is pictured above with ACHS President Dorene Petersen in the ACHS Botanical Teaching Garden.

U.S. military uses alternative medicine

The U.S. military is known for using super secret codes to identify sensitive projects. The key word here is sensitive. Who would have thought that the US military has a softer side? Project code name: iRest, short for Integrative Restoration, a code name for yoga nidra.

Yoga is one of the newest ‘secret weapons’ in the US Armed Forces. Major Nisha Money, who currently serves as the Chief of Air Force Fitness for the Surgeon General at USAF Headquarters in Washington DC, gave me the scoop. Soldiers suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. within a specialized care program that incorporates the iRest protocol. Major Money stated that she hopes that it will not be long before there is a movement to integrate body-mind-spirit healing modalities that not only serve as treatment interventions for emotional and physical trauma but also play a role in prevention by attenuating the impact of emotional trauma experienced in the battlefield.

As she put it, “Our soldiers are sent into combatant zones physically prepared to fight. It would also be helpful to add components within deployment readiness training programs that build mental strength as well.” Major Money MD, MPH, ABHM, trained in Preventive Medicine with an emphasis in clinical epidemiology and international health has an integrative medicine practice on the side. She’s also boarded by the American Board of Holistic Medicine, certified by UCLA’s Physician’s Medical Acupuncture Program, accomplished in “neurorobics”, and trained in mind-body medicine modalities and yoga nidra (Integrative Restoration - iRest) to help alleviate emotional distress secondary to trauma.

Nisha Money is a different kind of healer, working out of cement government offices, not in hushed, softly lit, treatment rooms more often associated with the movement of subtle energies. On Sunday, June 28th, Major Money will be presenting at the annual conference for International Society for the Studies of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine (ISSSEEM) to be held from June 26 - July 1, 2009 at the Westin hotel in Westminster, Colorado.

Additionally, side by side with Deepak Chopra and Rustum Roy, Nisha will co-host a dinner and town hall meeting examining the divergence and confluence of consciousness in the community.

For more information on the conference, please go to http://www.issseem.org

Article originally posted by Ode to Sustainlane on June 15, 2009

ACHS raises lavender awareness by sponsoring educational events

The American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) will host two educational events in July to raise awareness about the benefits of growing lavender and its applications.

Lavender Distillation on Sunday, July 12, 2009, will take place at Sherwood Lavender Farm, owned by ACHS Senior Vice President Erika Yigzaw. Participants will learn about the benefits of lavender for small agriculture and its many by-products. Master Distiller Robert Seidel from The Essential Oil Company and ACHS President Dorene Petersen will also lead a class about lavender distillation, including an introduction to essential oil and aromatherapy, the art and science of using volatile plant oils to promote health and relaxation. Lavender Distillation runs 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Call (503) 244-0726 for directions.

U-Pick Lavender on Friday, July 17, 2009, is an opportunity for the community to explore the ACHS Botanical Teaching Garden and to learn more about urban gardens. Visitors will also learn about the properties and holistic health applications of lavender while they harvest fresh lavender from the Garden ($6 per lavender bunch or 2 bunches for $10). U-Pick Lavender runs 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the ACHS campus in John’s Landing, 5940 SW Hood Ave., Portland.

The Lavender Distillation at Sherwood Lavender Farm on July 12 has a materials fee of $35. U-Pick Lavender on July 17 is free to attend. Both events require RSVP. Call (503) 244-0726 or email admissions@achs.edu to reserve your space.

For a complete list of community education events sponsored by ACHS, visit ww.achs.edu and click on Community Wellness Classes. The American College of Healthcare Sciences is the only DETC accredited, fully online college offering degrees, professional diplomas, and career-training certificates in Complementary Alternative Medicine.

ACHS raises lavender awareness by sponsoring educational events

The American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) will host two educational events in July to raise awareness about the benefits of growing lavender and its applications.

Lavender Distillation on Sunday, July 12, 2009, will take place at Sherwood Lavender Farm, owned by ACHS Senior Vice President Erika Yigzaw. Participants will learn about the benefits of lavender for small agriculture and its many by-products. Master Distiller Robert Seidel from The Essential Oil Company and ACHS President Dorene Petersen will also lead a class about lavender distillation, including an introduction to essential oil and aromatherapy, the art and science of using volatile plant oils to promote health and relaxation. Lavender Distillation runs 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Call (503) 244-0726 for directions.

U-Pick Lavender on Friday, July 17, 2009, is an opportunity for the community to explore the ACHS Botanical Teaching Garden and to learn more about urban gardens. Visitors will also learn about the properties and holistic health applications of lavender while they harvest fresh lavender from the Garden ($6 per lavender bunch or 2 bunches for $10). U-Pick Lavender runs 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the ACHS campus in John’s Landing, 5940 SW Hood Ave., Portland.

The Lavender Distillation at Sherwood Lavender Farm on July 12 has a materials fee of $35. U-Pick Lavender on July 17 is free to attend. Both events require RSVP. Call (503) 244-0726 or email admissions@achs.edu to reserve your space.

For a complete list of community education events sponsored by ACHS, visit ww.achs.edu and click on Community Wellness Classes. The American College of Healthcare Sciences is the only DETC accredited, fully online college offering degrees, professional diplomas, and career-training certificates in Complementary Alternative Medicine.

Pledge to source your July 4th meal locally

This invitation came to us directly from Kitchen Gardeners International. Their motto: Life's too short for mystery-meat hotdogs and water-flavored beer. We agree!

Please pledge to source your July 4th meal locally and petition your governor to do the same:
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/petitions/153?m=639e3179

Grab a widget for your Facebook profile:
http://seed.sproutbuilder.com/fACFBbu2FXe1uaFA

Add a marker to our interactive map with your local food plans for the July 4th meal:
http://foodindependenceday.org/

Receive a free gift from the Apothecary Shoppe

You've been selected to receive a free gift! Discover the soothing properties of therapeutic grade rosemary essential oil with this special Free Gift with Purchase offer.

Receive a free vial of ACHS distilled rosemary essential oil with any purchase made June 23-29, 2009*. Click here to add this promotion to your cart!

Hand-harvested from the ACHS Botanical Teaching Garden, this rosemary essential oil was distilled to maintain the highest quality of anti-inflammatory ester borneol acetate.

When used topically, rosemary essential oil also is attributed with antibacterial, antiseptic, and stimulant properties. When used as an aromatic--inhaled or diffused into the air--it is known for its nervine (sedative) properties.

You will receive this spray-free, undiluted, therapeutic grade essential oil with any purchase placed through the Apothecary Shoppe from June 23-29. Add this promotion to your cart.

*Offer good through Monday, June 29, 2009, or while supplies last. Additional student or graduate discounts do not apply. Cannot be combined with other offers. Available in-store, online, and orders by phone. Not available retroactively. No cash refunds.

To watch the rosemary harvest and distillation featuring ACHS President Dorene Petersen, check out ACHStv YouTube link here.

Slim down with scent?

Like almost every dieter in America, Wendy Bassett has used all sorts of weight-loss products. Nothing worked, she said, until she tried Sensa: granules she scatters on almost everything she eats, and which are supposed to make dieters less hungry by enhancing the smell and taste of food.

“Every time I touch a piece of food, I pour it on,” said Ms. Bassett, 34, an accountant in Tyler, Tex. She has been using Sensa since February. So far, she said, she has lost 30 pounds.

The maker of Sensa claims that its effectiveness is largely related to smell: the heightened scent and flavor of food that has been sprinkled with Sensa stimulate the olfactory bulb — the organ that transmits smell from the nose to the brain — to signal the “satiety center” of the hypothalamus. Hormones that suppress appetite are then released.

But can the manipulation of smell really lead to weight loss? A handful of niche products would have you believe just that.

In addition to Sensa, which has been available since last summer, there is SlimScents, aromatherapy diet pens filled with fruity or minty odors; a peppermint spray called Happy Scent; and the vanilla-doused Aroma Patch, which you wear on your hand, wrist or chest.

Last month, Compellis Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Mass., began human trials on a nasal spray designed to do the opposite of what Sensa does: to curb the appetite by blocking rather than enhancing smell.

“Eighty percent of what you perceive as taste is actually smell,” said Christopher Adams, a molecular biologist and the company’s founder. “The hypothesis is that if we can alter your sense of smell we can make food less palatable, because the hedonic effect — that is, the pleasurable effect you get from eating chocolate — won’t be there.”

Using smell to manipulate appetite may be an appealing premise, but only a few studies have been conducted, and some experts have doubts.

Click here to read the full length article.

© Abby Ellin, The New York Times, June 17, 2009: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/18/fashion/18skin.html

You really need to call yourself to action

Ever wonder why we have so many packaged lies on the grocery store shelves and vegetables and fruits have no one to march a campaign for them? Me too--here is my second article on my new campaign to allow our choices to be healthy choices!

FDA to Approve the Highest Bidder:

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires animal feed, like human foods, to:

• · Be pure and wholesome
• · Contain no harmful substances

This was sent to me in a recent newsletter update from the FDA in regards to the safety of pet food. I was immediately tickled by the idea of the FDA saying food sold for animals is required to be pure and wholesome, just as they dictate that food for humans also be pure and wholesome. Webster defines the word pure as- "being unmixed with any other matter—free from what pollutes". If that made you laugh, then you will love how Webster defines the word wholesome- "providing health of mind and body". So, the FDA states that they require food to be unmixed with any other matter and provide health to the mind and the body. Despite these regulations the FDA is said to require, we are becoming more and more aware of the dangers in our foods today. read more

Rosemary distillation at ACHS a great success

ACHS President Dorene Petersen led a rosemary distillation on the American College campus Wednesday, June 17. From the ACHS Botanical Teaching Garden, Dorene and ACHS student participants harvested about 10 lbs. of fresh rosemary.

The distillation was a terrific success and led to a great yield. From the 10 lbs. of rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis, which was stripped from its woody stems to ensure the highest quantity of anti-inflammatory ester borneol acetate, nearly 45 mls of essential oil was extracted, and nearly 1,000 mls of hydrosol.

As a thank you to the attendees who volunteered their time to help with the harvest and distillation, everyone took home a vial of rosemary essential oil and some hydrosol.

Hydrosols, also known as flower water, are steam distilled from plant material. Hydrosol is similar to essential oil, but less concentrated. They are often used externally in skin care, and work well as a simple mist.

For more information about harvesting rosemary for distillation, check out ACHS on YouTube. A video of President Dorene Petersen explaining the process of harvesting and distillation of essential oil will be available for download on ACHStv soon.

To participate in a future ACHS distillation, check out the College community wellness classes calendar. On July 17 ACHS is hosting a U-Pick Lavender Open House on the ACHS campus. Then, on July 18, ACHS Senior Vice President Erika Yigzaw will lead a lavender distillation at Sherwood Lavender Farms.

Rosemary Distillation at ACHS on June 17

You’re invited!

Ever wondered where essential oil comes from? Here’s your opportunity to learn more about the distillation process first-hand. Starting at 10 am on Wednesday, June 17, ACHS President Dorene Petersen will harvest rosemary fresh from the ACHS Botanical Teaching Garden, and will then lead a public distillation.

Come to participate or just come to watch… But be sure to bring a friend. This distillation workshop is open to the community. 10 am-1 pm. American College of Healthcare Sciences, 5940 SW Hood Ave., John’s Landing, Portland. For information, call ACHS at (503) 244-0726.

Did you know…

Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis is a needle-like evergreen native to the Mediterranean. It is well known for its camphor-like scent and fresh, somewhat bitter taste. As a culinary ingredient, rosemary imparts flavor and aroma, and helps to facilitate digestion. When used topically, though, rosemary has antibacterial, antiseptic, nervine (sedative), and stimulant properties, among others.

To RSVP for upcoming ACHS community wellness events, including a U-Pick Lavender at ACHS on July 17 and a lavender distillation at Sherwood Lavender Farms on July 18, go to www.achs.edu and click on Community Wellness Classes.

Write your local government to change what we feed them!

News Flash! Epidemic sweeps the nation -- 25% of people in New Hampshire have tested positive for this disease, 30% in Alaska, 27% in Ohio. In fact, almost every state in the nation has a quarter of its population testing positive for this deadly disease. Deaths attributed to this epidemic are staggering: heart attacks, strokes and even cancers are stemming from this epidemic, there is no realistic end in site. Why is this not reported to us on the news? Why are we not issued alerts on each news update on how to protect ourselves from this worldwide killer? READ MORE....

World Health Organization declares Swine Flu pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) raised the Swine Flu pandemic warning level from 5 to 6 on Thursday, June 11, according to the Associated Press. The global flu is reportedly the first global flu epidemic in 41 years. WHO Chief Dr. Margaret Chan is expected to make a statement about the pandemic on Thursday.

WHO said in a statement that, "At this early stage, the pandemic can be characterized globally as being moderate in severity." The organization also told member countries that it was talking with flu vaccine makers and believes the "firms could work '"to ensure the largest possible supply of pandemic vaccine in the months to come.'"

In the meantime, Swine flu in continuing to spread in the northern hemisphere. The last pandemic, the Hong Kong flu of 1968, killed about 1 million people. Some health experts feel the current pandemic warning should have been declared earlier; however, others fear that would have caused widespread panic. "Raising the epidemic alert to the highest level will almost certainly spark some panic about spread of swine flu," according to the Associated Press article "WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun, 1st in 41 years."

Though some countries are responding more aggressively, representatives from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, "the move would not change how the U.S. tackled swine flu." So far, in the U.S., there have been "13,000 cases and at least 27 deaths from swine flu."

>> Oregano essential oil, with 72% carvacrol, is great herb for immune support, and may be helpful with Swine Flu: http://tinyurl.com/dbgx2d

>> Read the original article from the Associated Press, "WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun, 1st in 41 years"

Children and Natural Medicine with Dr. Arianna Staruch, ND

Natural medicine works with the body's ability to heal itself, according to Dr. Arianna Staruch, ND, who spoke about using natural medicine with children at the American College of Healthcare Sciences on June 8. Natural medicine, Dr. Staruch further explained, helps removed obstacles to health, such as an unhealthy diet or stress, and then supports the body's ability to return to balance.

So, why use natural medicine with children? Teaching children to use natural medicine at a young age helps to establish healthy lifestyle choices through adulthood. In addition, natural medicine remedies are safe, natural supports for everyday problems like the common cold, ear infections, and bumps and bruises.

According to Dr. Staruch, a kid's job is to get sick. Infection is how the immune system learns what is good and bad, and how to respond. Natural medicine works with the body's natural processes to help build a strong immune system.

What does natural medicine include? When working with children, some of the primary natural medicine remedies include use of mild herbs, which can be made into teas, and homeopathic remedies.

Homeopathy is based on the principle of "like cures like." A homeopathic remedy is an "extremely dilute form; normally one part of the remedy to around 1,000,000,000,000 parts of water" (http://abchomeopathy.com/homeopathy.htm). For kids, homeopathics are easy to administer, safe, effective, and non-toxic, Dr. Staruch says. Here are some common homeopathics and their associated uses:

Arnica > for falls, bumps, and bruises
Aconite > First onset of cold
Arsenicum > Digestive upset and diarrhea; chilly; restless
Belladonna > Ear aches and fevers that come on suddenly

Recipe for Calming Tea for Kids
Cat Straw--4 tbs
Chamomile--2 tbs
Peppermint--1 tbs
Catnip--1 tbs

Cover the herbs with 2 cups of boiling water and steep for 15 minutes. Give one or more tablespoons as needed.

Click here to see a complete list of the American College's upcoming community workshops.

ACHS donates New Zealand getaway to An Evening with OCOM

The American College of Healthcare Sciences has donated a week-long stay at New Zealand’s Korora Beach House as part of OCOM's Bringing Healing to the Heart of the City raffle.

On June 11, 2009, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., Oregon College of Oriental Medicine will host a free community event, An Evening with OCOM: Bringing Healing to the Heart of the City, at the Portland Classical Chinese Gardens. This event celebrates OCOM's 2010 relocation to the Old Town/Chinatown neighborhood of Portland.

Participants will experience a variety of Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) modalities, including: acupuncture, massage, Chinese herbs, and medicinal cooking.

Meet representatives from OCOM and the American College of Healthcare Sciences, and learn more about the future of Complementary Alternative Medicine education.

The winner of the New Zealand getaway raffle will get a relaxing one-week stay for two at the beautiful Korora Beach House on New Zealand’s Waiheke Island, famous for outstanding wine, jazz, and boating. This recently renovated home is spacious, light and airy, and has stunning views of Oneroa Bay and its tranquil beaches. Raffle tickets can be purchased at the event or online.

RSVP for Bringing Healing to the Heart of the City by phone at (503) 253-3443 or email: rsvp@ocom.edu (include your name and the names of your guests).

Pine essential oil may be natural insect repellent

As the weather warms, we spend more and more time outside. Whether you have a family camping trip planned, or just plan to hang out in your backyard, mosquitoes can make outdoor living pretty uncomfortable. However, there is another reason to use insect repellent. "Human diseases caused by blood-feeding ticks and mosquitoes represent a serious threat to public health worldwide," according to the website ScienceDaily.com.

Agricultural Research Service scientists have discovered that a naturally-occurring compound made from pine oil seems to deter the biting of mosquitoes more effectively than the widely used synthetic chemical repellent DEET.

"Many natural-product chemicals isolated from plants and essential oils have proven to have repellent effects," reports the article "Tick and Mosquito Repellent Can Be Made Commercially From Pine Oil." "This newly-discovered repellent can be prepared inexpensively from pine oil feedstock in ton quantities for large-scale commercial applications, giving it a significant advantage over many of the other natural-product repellent chemicals."

In the meantime, however, pine Pinus sylvestris essential oil has been shown to have natural insecticide properties. The essential oil has a sweet, woody fragrance with a somewhat balsamic undertone, which sweetens as it evaporates. Used externally, the Recommended Daily Dose is 1-3 drops, or diffuse into the air.

*A skin patch test is recommended. Avoid use on sensitive or damaged skin.

Create your own antiaging program in 6 steps

The June edition of More magazine features a special section called "Age proof your health." The article emphasizes two interesting points: 1. that health is primarily do-it-yourself, and 2. using a holistic* approach to health, you can create your own anti-aging program.

Here are six steps for creating your own anti-aging program based on More:

1. Set a time frame.

Pick a set time (they suggest 30 days) to focus on making lifestyle changes. Being specific focuses on your intention and creates a benchmark against which to measure progress.

2. Partner with a doctor.

To find an integrative medicine specialist to work with, More suggests the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. However, you can also alternative healthcare workers through the American College of Healthcare Sciences Practitioner Directory and on industry-specific sites like the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy.

3. Get tested.

Standard tests will show areas of concern, including diabetes and heart disease.

4. Evaluate your diet.

You may want to work with a nutrition consultant, who can help you to develop healthy eating plans. *Incorporating organic herbs into your daily diet will impart additional vitamins and nutrients (and flavor!). For more information about cooking with herbs, download the free lecture Antioxidants and Herbs from the ACHS Apothecary Shoppe.

5. Develop and exercise routine.

Do something active every day. There is no single definition for what "active" means, which provides a great opportunity to make exercise work for you. That can mean taking a walk at lunch, joining a jogging group, or working with a personal training at the gym, to name a few.

6. Reduce stress.

Yoga and breathing exercises both help to reduce stress. For how-to techniques visit the American Institute of Stress website and download this free lecture about aromatherapy.

* What does holistic mean? Holistic is a whole person approach to health care, which emphasizes prevention, and optimal health through a balanced approach to mind, body, and spirit.