Yoga Veterans

As a veteran of the United States Army, and member of American Legion Post 232 in Snellville, I gladly offer FREE or REDUCED rates to Veterans.

Good to see others doing the same ..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sadie-nardini/the-war-of-yoga-bringing_b_373979.html

Yoga and Levitation

So .. science has figured out how to levitate objects:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/20/acoustic-levitation-stere_n_429558.html

According to ancient Yoga texts - some are 3,000 years old - Yogis can levitate.

At Hamsa Yogashala .. we routinely work on our levitation. Wonder how? Well, come find out firsthand!

:D

Rice, Yoga and Ayurveda

http://healing.about.com/od/nutrition/a/riceday.htm

This is an excellent article on the nutritious and delicious nature of rice.

Not only is it very healing, but it fills one up without bloating or being tired, is great for overall health, and is quick and easy to make!

Yoga and Holiday Stress

Everyday the news contains articles on the health benefits of Yoga.
http://www.ksfy.com/news/local/78385807.html

So why haven't you taken a Yoga class yet?

Hamsa Yogashala has 27 classes, per week, to choose from. At $40 a month, unlimited access .. you can't afford not to join us!

Zachary Quinto does Yoga

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2009/11/28/zachary-quinto-is-yearning-for-yoga/

As do many Hollywood stars. Why? Because its a great way to loose weight, to get in shape, to stay in shape, to look good in front of the camera, to stay relaxed, and it just feels good!

Yoga for Breakfast

"Before taking their Sats this year, children at Riverside Primary in Rotherhithe were all offered a proper breakfast to give them a good start to the day. Then the yoga teacher arrived to relax them with breathing exercises before they started the exams."
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23777675-yoga-and-breakfast-help-pupils-to-top-of-the-table.do

Not only is breakfast the most important meal of the day, but the deep breathing and centering poses of Yoga clear the mind, calm the nerves, reduce stress, and allow one to focus with intent.

Before getting out of bed, try some gentle stretches .. like pulling your knees to your chest, then twist from side to side. This invigorates the body, gently getting the blood pumping, before you feet even hit the ground.

Then, try some Ginger and Carrot Juice. Into a juicer, put:
-2 crisp apples (quartered),
-3 carrots (scrubbed),
-1 stick of celery
-1/2 - 1" piece of ginger root (peeled), or a pinch of ground ginger powder
-3/4 cup, plus 2 Tbls pure water
-juice of 1/2 a lemon
Enjoy!

Mantra and Song

Mantra, or 'chant, song', is a regular part of traditional Hatha Yoga because the power of sound is important to our health.

Mantras are intentional, focused on a specific goal .. such as peace or healing or happiness. When one intones a mantra a larger sound is created, more than just the individual voice, for mantra's are very much a part of our breath, so our being.

Just as Yoga has specific poses to achieve specific results, so does mantra create intent within the entire body .. through vibration. And like Yoga, mantra too should be a weekly practice, for repetition creates health within the body, steadiness of mind, and peace within the spirit.

One uses their voice in so many ways .. while singing about a bonfire, or lulling a child to sleep, or reading aloud, or humming while walking in the woods. All of these are examples of how we intuitively connect with spirit.

Mantras are inspirational, helping us discover the deep well within ones self, longing to be release.

Have you found your voice? Are you able to clearly express your thoughts and dreams, not just to others, but to yourself? Being able to do this opens us to the great experience of purpose, vision and service.

Om Peace, Shanti, Pax!
Yogini Valarie Devi

Follow ..

One should follow the steadfast, the wise, the educated, the self-reliant, the dutiful and the noble. Even as the moon follows the path of the stars, so ought one follow the virtuous and highly intelligent.

Dhyana, Right Thinking, A Yoga Practice

Right or Positive Thinking will purify the intellect, allowing us to appreciate and respect the habits of peace and happiness, constructive thoughts and generosity, open mind and service. Dhyana is the true light of self-wisdom.

In Yoga we endeavour to fit and balance our mind to our own higher consciousness of wisdom, in fact, we consider this our sacred duty. For only through constant striving to eliminate bad or negative thoughts and habits can our mind feel proud to be a sacred part of Divine Consciousness. We make mistakes, but mistakes are not evil. They happen when we mis-judge or mis-evaluate, when we are over-anxiousness or overly concerned. If we make a mistake once, it was simply a mistake. I f we make the same mistake repeatedly, then it is a conscious act, one deliberately created by our higher mind to test us, to call our attention to the need of open mindedness, and so make us stronger.

Our mind is part of the universe. As you think, you are, because the nature of your thoughts indicates what you focus on, what you are attuned to and with. Therefore, in thinking, you are doing. This is a good reason to be rid of negative thoughts like "I cant" or "Im so stupid", which only detract from your ability. What others do, you can do .. simply think those thoughts.

Start small, taking baby steps, be patient, because you have seen that 'slow and steady' really does win the race. Do your best to not take into yourself angry thoughts, or thoughts of wrong doing, steer clear of thoughtlessness. Keep the mind calm and constructive, peaceful and sincere.

Yoga teaches you Dhyana .. the power of Right and Positive Thinking can be seen in every class. Experience it for yourself, first-hand. You can do this .. and you know you can, because you have long felt it in you.

AUM Peace!

International Day of Peace and Non-Violence

World March for Peace & Non-Violence (Ahimsa).

Tomorrow is Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, a day the UN has declared an International Day of Peace and Non-Violence.

Starting Friday, Oct 2 until Jan 2, there will be a Worldwide March.

Hamsa Yogashala is taking part by inviting *you* to join us, the 1st & 4th Saturdays, to walk Tribble Mill.

Join us at Hamsa Yogashala for All Levels Yoga at 9am on Saturday, October 3, then go to Tribble Mill (4 miles).

OR

Meet us at Tribble Mill at 11am, at the main parking area by the bathrooms and playground.

Its a 3k walk, so dress appropriately. Bring a water bottle, bring your kids, bring your dog on a leash!

Aum Peace!

Beginner's Yoga - New Class

Beginner's Yoga. New Series.

Sep 29-Oct 20 (Tuesday nights), or Oct 1-Oct 22 (Thursday nights).

Have you been considering taking a Yoga class but don't know what to expect? Are you curious but don't want to be the only new person in class? Maybe you tried a Yoga video but feel like you need something more? This four week intensive is just for you.

Pre-register today!
http://hamsa-yogashala.com/

International Day of Peace

Tomorrow .. Monday, September 21, is the International Day of peace.

The main website .. with a LIVESTREAM:
http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org/

The wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_of_Peace

Culture of Peace Initiative:
http://www.cultureofpeace.org/

Peace Vigil:
http://www.idpvigil.com/

Hamsa Yogashala:
http://hamsa-yogashala.com/home

Schedule Change

Having worked with the present schedule for the past year, I have decided that a change may better reflect the needs of the students (based on feedback I have received). Here is what I have been working on:

MEDITATION
MON-SAT: 6:30AM

SUNRISE YOGA
MON-SAT: 7:15-8:15AM

GENTLE YOGA
MON, WED, FRI: 9-10AM

ALL LEVELS YOGA
MON, WED, FRI: 5-6:30PM, and 7-8:30pm
SAT: 9-10:30AM, and 4-5:30PM

BEGINNER’S YOGA
TUES & THR: 7-8:30PM, Registration Required

Mostly, what I have done is pushed the times back to better accomadate work schedules, allowing ample time to get to class (for example).

The notable changes are:
-Therapy Yoga (Healing Yoga) being offered twice a week (and using its Sanskrit word, 'chikitsa').

-Beginner's Yoga. This is an entry level class designed for those who are new to Yoga or want to return to their basic skills. It is by registration only because it has an instructional format.

-There is one more open or All Level (Hatha) class . An additional class time has been added! (Instead of seven, there are now eight). Plus, the time and dates make this class more flexible.

-Saturday now has THREE classes.

I appreciate your thoughts on this new schedule, so please do not hesitate offering ideas.

Of late, I have been very busy with marketing the Shala, and part of that success has contributed towards adapting the schedule. As to marketing, please vote for the Shala in the Best of Gwinnett:
http://www.gwinnettmagazine.com/bestofgwinnett/content.cfm?action=vote

I am proud of Hamsa Yogashala .. and as students, you should be as well. Come to classes, and invite your family and friends .. spread the word of how great Yoga is!

Doing Yoga is like karma .. you have to get some to give some!

Aum Peace!
Yogini Valarie Devi

Amazing Grace

Infinite Wisdom, coming through me.

Amazing Grace, can you see the glory?

I feel the Grace within you .. within me.

These words should fill the book of our heart, so that in quite moments when we look back across the years of our life, we can say, "I am filled with grace for who I am now, in this moment. For who I have grown to be, now, in this moment. For who I am is a result of what I have done before."

With this loving thought, take a look in the mirror and honor your life and the lives of those you have touched. Remember too the dark moments and be kind to them as well. Find compassion for the dark moments and yourself while engulfed in that darkness. And think, "I am love, and I am worthy of loving myself, no matter what I have done."

This simple act brings forgiveness, because whatever you may think of yourself, applies to all others in the universe. So free yourself from guilt and remorse, and forgive yourself, and stop judging yourself, and remember to embrace yourself with compassion. For the darkest of deeds are those we commit upon ourselves.

Know this truth: You have always been loved, and you have always been honored, for how you have expressed yourself in all your lifetimes, has been an expression of Amazing Grace. Just as in the song, Amazing Grace.

Not the version that declares you to be a 'wretch', for we must free our soul from such judgment, but the version that reminds us that we are a divine soul residing in a physical body.

Feel free to send these words to someone you know. Do not delay .. send this message today .. do not put off tomorrow what you can easily do right now. Sending this message is an act of loving kindness - from yourself to another, even if you dont like the person you send it to .. send it anyway.

Do you want to push someones buttons? Then push their button of loving kindness!

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a soul like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now, I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to love,

And Grace, my love received.

How precious did that Grace appear, the hour I first received.

Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come.

T'was Grace that brought me safe so far, and Grace will lead me home.

Amazing Grace is good to me,

Grace my hope secures.

Grace will my shield and portion be, for Grace will ever endure.

When I've been here ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun.

I've that many days to sing the praise, of Grace when first received.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a soul like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now, I see!

Best of Gwinnett

VOTE! Hamsa Yoga Shala @ Best of Gwinnett.

Catagory: 'Health & Fitness', then 'Best Place to Workout'.

Hamsa Yoga Shala .. living, working and loving Gwinnett County since 2001!

http://www.gwinnettmagazine.com/bestofgwinnett/index.cfm?CFID=45332147&CFTOKEN=51729170

Health Care and Herbalists / Healers

Health Insurance: Disempowering for Patients, Harmful for Herbalists and Healers

By Jess Hardin

Yes, I am among the millions of unassured Americans. Unassured by industry claims, administration promises and congressional intentions when it comes to health legislation. No, I am not one of the privileged, able to slap down multiple plastic cards and receive the kind of A-1 care reserved for the well insured, looking down my nose at the less fortunate.

While our work and purpose includes healing others, my family and can’t get medical insurance even if we want it. We don’t qualify for existing state and federal health insurance because our land is considered an asset, and yet not anywhere near enough money comes in to pay the premiums on even the lousiest policy. It is a stretch for us to make small payments to a private subsidized clinic that serves our backwoods community, a wonderful doctor and staff who nonetheless lack the equipment to conduct many tests, and who have to refer their patients to the big-city hospital whenever the condition is serious or requiring surgery.

I have heard people talk about “catastrophic illness” involving medical bills that lead to bankruptcy and ruin, but in my case there will be no such ruinous bills … I simply will not be getting the treatment when needed.

As a technically impoverished healing school, you might think we would be among the first to champion a new system of universal care. Not!

The larger and more standardized a system is, the less personal, regional, flexible and adaptable it becomes. And as poorly managed as private enterprises of any kind can be, it is the official government run systems and programs that have the greatest potential for mismanagement and abuse. In the hands of bureaucrats, even something as seemingly benign as health care becomes a means for the observation, manipulation and control of a country’s citizens.

Of all the so-called solutions, insurance co-ops make the most sense to me, so that participation is strictly voluntary, and its members get to vote on who directs it. But frankly, even the very concept of insurance seems largely absurd to me, unnatural and objectionable.

To begin with, the majority of people with health insurance will pay far more in premiums during the course of their lifetimes, than they would have spent direct-paying doctors. If that weren’t the case, the insurance conglomerates would be losing money instead of making the billions and billions of dollars in profits that they do.

In addition, in an environment where there were no insurance companies, the costs of health care wouldn’t be nearly as high as they are now. Providers can charge the insurers more than they would individuals, leading to doctors ordering expensive and often unnecessary tests that they otherwise wouldn’t have.

A problem with the very concept of insurance itself, is that it tends to make people more dependent and less responsible. Kids sent out into the world with the insurance of a financial safety net tend to be more careless and cavalier than those teens and twenty-somethings who know they can’t count on their parents to pay for every mistake or bail them out of every jam. Similarly, people insured from childhood on have proven to increasingly focus on treatment after the fact, than they do on prevention.

Subconsciously if not consciously, folks may feel less need to concern themselves with the effects of the foods they eat or the exercise they miss, when the believe they can always turn to a doctor to treat the heart disease and adrenal burnout their lifestyle choices may have caused. For the same reason, the longtime insured are also less likely to ever learn how to treat themselves, even when dealing with simple conditions that are easy to both diagnose and affect. They’re less likely to pay attention to their own bodily signs, to experiment with changes in the way they eat, to become familiar with herbal and other natural remedies, to seek advice from an experienced relative or midwife, or to visit and support community herbalists and natural healers.

If that weren’t enough, I am at a gut level repulsed by the very way in which insurance works. All my life I have done what many thought was impossible, doing things differently than others, taking extreme risks, following a dream with little money and little common sense, but also little self doubt and even less restraint. In essence, I bet on myself again and again, bet my life and belongings, even my future. I was all the more careful and tried all the harder exactly because there was no backup, no fallback plan and no net, knowing that I had placed everything I am and own on “myself” in the “first”… “to win.”

It galls me even to be forced to pay car insurance we can’t afford every month, on a Jeep we drive less than ten miles to town and back, forced to bet our scarce funds on a game where I only get paid anything if I screw up and have an accident, or fail to notice some other driver screwing up in time to avoid the collision.

There is something seriously wrong about a government threatening us with jail unless we participate in some profit-producing game, especially one in which the only way for us to win is to lose! And now they want to force me to pay for a health care arrangement where I get fewer benefits the better that I take care of myself, where I have to get sick or do something unaware and hurt myself in order to get any payback, and where I only win the lottery big if I come down with something serious, chronic and largely incurable.

We might better place our bets on our selves, on our driving abilities and the human body’s natural inclination towards health. That way we’re more likely to pay attention to how aware we are being on the highway, and on how our bodies feel as well as how we are treating them.

It’s said that the worst thing that could happen this year is for the Congress to fail to pass on national health bill. It would indeed be tragic for some of us with no other way to get the high dollar, high-tech help. On the other hand, doing nothing in the halls of Congress is always better than doing the wrong thing. And it may prove that those without sanctioned insurance plans may be the most conscious, concerned and caring … the response-able, responsive ranks of the growing unassured.

-Jesse Wolf Hardin
codirector of the Animá Lifeways & Herbal School
-with Kiva Rose
www.animacenter.org
Feel free to share and post this piece.

Junk and Processed Food

Junk and processed food is not cheaper once you factor in crop subsidies, ecological damage and what we pay in health-care bills after our fatty, sugary diet makes us sick. Conventionally produced food is a lot pricier.

Better Health Through Fasting

Better Health Through Fasting
By Zafar Nomani
professor emeritus of human nutrition and foods
West Virginia University

With the sighting of the crescent moon, the holy month of Ramadan has begun this year, marking the start of a spiritual boot camp in which Muslims fast without any food or water from sunup to sundown. To many, the rigor may seem too tasking, but, as a veteran scientist of clinical nutrition and as a 76-year-old Muslim man who has fasted since I was a boy, growing up in India, I can say that fasting can be a healthy practice not just for God but for you.

Fasting can be healthy for people of all faiths from Christians to Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and others who fast as a part of their spiritual practice. But it's got to be done right.

(follow link to read full article)

Healthy Food = Eating Disorder ??

Healthy food obsession sparks rise in new eating disorder
Fixation with healthy eating can be sign of serious psychological disorder

Eating disorder charities are reporting a rise in the number of people suffering from a serious psychological condition characterised by an obsession with healthy eating. The condition, orthorexia nervosa, affects equal numbers of men and women, but sufferers tend to be aged over 30, middle-class and well-educated.

The condition was named by a Californian doctor, Steven Bratman, in 1997, and is described as a "fixation on righteous eating". Until a few years ago, there were so few sufferers that doctors usually included them under the catch-all label of "Ednos" – eating disorders not otherwise recognised. Now, experts say, orthorexics take up such a significant proportion of the Ednos group that they should be treated separately.

Click link to read article.

Whats in your water bottle?

Fiji Water: Spin the Bottle

Click link to read article.

Smart People and Health

Why Are Smart People So Ignorant When it Comes to Health, Vaccines and Vitamin D?

A heart disease patient of late
Had an IQ of 168
His brain was immense
But it lacked common sense
And it never engaged when he ate.
-by the Health Ranger

As an observer of human behavior, one of the most fascinating things I've ever witnessed is really smart people dying of diseases that are easily preventable through basic nutrition (vitamin D, plant juices, targeted supplements, superfoods, etc.). I know doctors dying of cancer who take chemotherapy over vitamin D supplements. I know members of MENSA who are killing themselves with junk foods and diabetes. I know extremely intelligent attorneys and physicists who are among the smartest people in their respective fields; but when it comes to basic health, they're completely ignorant. In fact, if you look around at all the "smart" people you know, you're likely to find the vast majority of them are incredibly ignorant when it comes to their own health. They know nothing about basic nutrition, the benefits of superfoods or the dangers of pharmaceuticals. They eat processed junk foods, dairy products and food products contaminated with pesticides and toxic chemicals. They may be the smartest people in the world in their labs or offices, but when it comes to their own bodies, they are among the most ignorant people on the planet. How can this be? How can such high-IQ people remain so utterly ignorant when it comes to their own health? There are two reasons, it turns out. And one of them will blow your mind...

Click link above to continue reading!

Whole Foods to Stop Selling Junk Food

The Yoga students have heard me bemoan the fact that Whole Foods is 'no more', and that they are 'nothing more than a regular grocery store'. You can imagine my expectations then when I came upon this article. Time will tell ...
______

Whole Foods (WMFI) is, much like Starbucks (SBUX), a reflection of the out-sized personality of its CEO. Both companies expanded madly in the early part of the 'oughts, at about the same time the CEOs' waistlines were expanding, and their health was declining. Working all the time, eating Top Pot doughnuts and 365 chocolate sandwich cookies, can't be great for you. This is 2009: time for a more sober outlook. We'll close stores. We'll stop haranguing competitors in online forums. We'll tighten our belts. We'll start helping our customers eat like us. So yesterday's revelation to the Wall Street Journal, that the company will refocus on healthy foods -- reflecting John Mackey's own recent diet that eliminates refined fats-- fits the pattern.

Sure, Whole Foods has always been about (well, duh) whole foods; those foods that don't really have ingredients, or if they do, it's obvious and clear that they come from nature. Apples. Broccoli. Shrimp. Milk. Nuts. And even today, the produce and meat aisles of Whole Foods are surely some of the stores' brightest attractions. But those make up only a small fraction of the typical Whole Foods store's square footage, and probably an even smaller percentage of the profit.

If you've been keeping up on the latest food media, you know this: the stuff that's bad for you is cheap. On one end of my local Whole Foods store is the beautifully-displayed organic onions, potatoes, cabbages, Tuscan kale and star fruits; on the other end is the deli/bakery, where the foods (while yummy) are decidedly un-whole. Fried chicken shares a display with oil-roasted rosemary potatoes. Pastries range in decadence from the extreme to the unbelievable. There are plenty of refined fats over here on this side... and refined sugars and flours and chemical additives of all sorts... and in every aisle in between.

There is a whole aisle, shelf after deep-stacked shelf, both sides, of cookies and sweets. Another aisle has a dizzying array of chips, each with a dubious claim on nature -- this one is cooked without trans fats, that one is organic, the other one is baked, not fried, still another is made of dried, pulverized, and re-formed vegetables. There's a lot of "value-added" (in other words, markup) here. There's also a lot of evidence that most of the food on Whole Foods' aisles contributes to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other diet-related conditions.

So Whole Foods will return, as Mackey says, to its roots. "We sell a bunch of junk. We've decided if Whole Foods doesn't take a leadership role in educating people about a healthy diet, who the heck is going to do it?" For a dedicated whole-foodie like me, this idea is thrilling. Many others don't share my excitement; Gabriella Stern spends a short post singing the praises of cheesecake and pizza, writing, "A genuine and dramatic inventory shift could send customers running back to old-fashioned supermarkets... let's not forget that good food is an affordable luxury of the sort Americans just might not want to forego as the economy recovers."

Gabriella may have a different definition of "good" than I do. But I'm drinking Mackey's kool-aid, I suppose, having just finished a "dessert" of a fresh nectarine and whole wheat honey shortbread I baked myself. In my book, "good" can taste delicious and be healthful. Isn't that the appeal of the whole foods of Whole Foods' brand?

I doubt Whole Foods will immediately jettison all of its junk food. In its third quarter 2009 results released yesterday -- in which the company exceeded analyst expectations, with earnings per share of $0.25, or $35.0 million, and sales up 2% over the year-ago quarter, to $1.9 billion -- Mackey made a point of the company's commitment to competitiveness in its 365 private label products (including plenty of cookies, crackers, chips, and other food making a small claim on the concept of "health").

"We have a policy that our 365 private label has to match Trader Joe's prices, unless there is a significant difference in quality, in which case it probably shouldn't be a 365 product," he said. As long as those products are on the shelves, junk will still be alive and well.

But Whole Foods was a leader in asking its suppliers to remove partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and high fructose corn syrup from its snack foods and prepared foods. Now it's harder to find those ingredients, and even mainstream packaged goods and beverage companies are foregoing the stuff. The next frontier for food purveyors (now that "local" has become an almost meaningless bandwagon on which to jump) is "refined" -- flour, sugar, fat. Clearly Whole Foods will be forging ahead and giving its customers less-refined products. Whole foods at Whole Foods. It's hardly a stunning and innovative concept, but in my opinion, it's a great place to hang one's hat.

And with pundits like Michael Pollan and Barbara Kingsolver yelling until their voices get screechy that Americans should stop defining "junk" as "food," owning up to the presence of junk -- and making strides to remove it -- could be the forward-thinking move we most need.

Hard Times Are Jamming the Ashrams

Shortly after Steven Odnoha lost his job at Intel, he drove three days from Rio Rancho, N.M., to the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, Pa. For months, Mr. Odnoha had been wondering how he could get the time off to join a yearlong meditation program at the nonprofit yoga retreat. His pink slip, in September 2007, provided the answer.

“I figured if I stayed for a year, the economy would be warming up by then, and I could head back and see what’s available for a semiconductor manufacturing technician,” said Mr. Odnoha, 40, as he picked wild thyme from a small garden outside the institute’s kitchen.

Obviously, the economy didn’t cooperate, but Mr. Odnoha doesn’t mind. Now he spends his days on the Himalayan Institute’s 400-acre wooded campus, practicing hatha yoga and meditation, studying spiritual texts, biking, walking and preparing meals in the institute’s kitchen. In exchange for his cooking duties and an annual fee of $3,000, he gets a private room, three vegetarian meals a day and unlimited access to the institute’s classes, seminars and other events.

The Himalayan Institute is one of many retreats where cash-strapped spiritual seekers can participate in work-study programs in which they pay typically $300 to $900 a month in exchange for a few hours a day of service, like washing dishes, cleaning rooms or weeding gardens.

As the unemployment rate has risen and people have sought refuge from the harsh economy, these work-exchanges have become a hot commodity. The Himalayan Institute received twice as many applications for its summer work-study programs this year as last — its August session is full, with 22 people, compared with 11 last year — and so did two similar retreats, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in Carmel Valley, Calif., and Satchidananda Ashram in Buckingham, Va. (which is better known as Yogaville).

The people who run these programs say there seems to be a link between the troubled job market and the rising popularity of yoga retreats. Todd Wolfenberg, director of marketing at the Himalayan Institute, said he has seen an increase in applications from recent college graduates and people with professional careers. “I suspect that is due to the fact that they haven’t been able to find a job after college or are leaving a job,” he said. The center has traditionally attracted people whose lives permit extended time off, like writers and entrepreneurs.

Yoga retreat programs can be as short as an overnight visit to Ananda Ashram in Monroe, N.Y., or can last for months or even years.

The long-term residencies usually begin with a monthlong foundational program in which participants commit to a full schedule of classes and meditation. At the Himalayan Institute’s 28-day self-transformation program, the day begins with a 6 a.m. meditation and continues with a full roster of hatha yoga classes, breathing and relaxation practicums and about four hours of light chores, like making beds and chopping vegetables. The program costs $825, and participants receive a private room and three vegetarian meals a day.

“It’s designed for individuals who are between jobs, on leave or sabbatical, or just burned out and have the ability to take time out,” Mr. Wolfenberg said.

On a recent Monday afternoon, 11 participants sat in the institute’s cafeteria chopping cucumbers, red peppers and Swiss chard for the next day’s lunch. Among those sitting side-by-side with bandanas worn headband- or kerchief-style, were a recent college graduate, a chef, the owner of a telecommunications company and the founder of a nongovernmental organization. While some were return visitors, several had never even taken a yoga class before.

“This is not my normal scene,” said Jeffrey Webb, 52, from Augusta, Ga., as he julienned a cucumber. Mr. Webb, who owns a wheel repair business, said he wanted to learn how to slow down. “I’m going all the time,” he said. “So this is an experiment in the alternative-lifestyle adventure.”

Across the table, Laurie Smith, a bartender and waitress from Naples, Fla., explained that she didn’t want to spend her vacation sitting in a beach chair. “I thought I might as well do something that isn’t just lying around and spending money,” said Ms. Smith, 36, who was taking a 10-day course.

“I might as well get something out of it.” Like her cohorts, Ms. Smith said she didn’t mind spending a substantial portion of her vacation chopping vegetables, washing dishes and making beds, pointing out that in a place dedicated to quiet contemplation, these simple tasks provide an easy outlet for conversation. “You’re not interrupting someone’s quiet time,” she said. “You don’t always want to be alone, so you can do the work and hang out at the same time.”

Yehnemsah Oneha, work-study coordinator at Ananda Ashram, says that while cost-cutting and ice-breaking are nice benefits, the true purpose of these work exchanges, sometimes known as karma yoga, is to foster selflessness and good will. “It helps circulate the energy,” she said. “You’re doing it for someone else’s comfort and welfare.”

Ananda plays host to everyone. Weekenders from New York City, who pay full price and come to the ashram for its rolling hills, small pond, deer and geese so unafraid of people they will brush right by guests, circulate among long-term residents, who take unpaid staff positions in exchange for room, board, and unlimited classes in hatha yoga, chanting and Sanskrit. There’s also a pool.

“This is my New York getaway,” said Erin Laubenheimer, a Brooklyn resident, while washing dishes in Ananda’s kitchen. Ms. Laubenheimer, 27, who was laid off from her job in the fashion industry, says the reduced rate she receives in exchange for three hours a day of service makes her short visits affordable. “It’s a great place to get a new start or to heal,” she said.

But Ananda is not a spa. Like the rooms at the Himalayan Institute, the rooms at Ananda are clean but spare — it’s a dormitory, not Canyon Ranch — and work-study guests usually share a room with several other people for a fee in a range of $40 for a weekend day to $425 for a month.
Ms. Oneha says that the ashram’s monthlong immersion program is intended for deep spiritual study and contemplation, not hiding out from the world. “If you’re applying because you can’t deal with life, that’s not a good motivation,” she said.

For this reason, Ms. Oneha doesn’t recommend it for those seeking a cheap refuge. She points out that even those who take full-time jobs at the ashram — and thus can stay there free — quickly realize that karma yoga won’t pay their car insurance or credit-card debt. Savings are essential.
Committing to an unpaid life baking bread and planting trees, however idyllic it might sound in the abstract, can also raise identity issues.

Alisa Phillips, 41, has worked as a yoga therapist, documentary filmmaker and belly dancer, among other things. She is now Ananda’s dining room coordinator. “When I came for the weekend and was doing a lot of dishes, I felt like I was making a righteous contribution,” she said. “When I’m living here and it’s my job, it’s like, ‘Who am I now that I’ve become a dishwasher?’ ”

This is a sentiment Mr. Odnoha understands, but for now he feels content. As he prepares a mixture of dates and buckwheat for the next morning’s breakfast, he says he feels satisfied that his work, however indirectly, is helping the Himalayan Institute’s mission of providing humanitarian aid to poor communities in Africa and India.

“At Intel, I was helping the owner get a new yacht,” he said. “Here. I’m part of something that actually makes a difference.”

FDA appoints Monsanto

FDA NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: July 7, 2009

Noted Food Safety Expert Michael R. Taylor Named Advisor to FDA Commissioner

Michael R. Taylor, J.D., a nationally recognized food safety expert and research professor at George Washington University’s School of Public Health and Health Services, will return to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to serve as senior advisor to the commissioner.

“I am pleased to welcome Mike Taylor back to the FDA,” Commissioner of Food and Drugs Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., said in announcing Taylor’s appointment. “His expertise and leadership on food safety issues will help the agency to develop and implement the prevention based strategy we need to ensure the safety of the food we eat.”

Commissioner Hamburg said that Taylor would work closely and collaboratively with her office and with the management of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Center for Veterinary Medicine, the Office of Regulatory Affairs, Congress, and with members of the Obama Administration.

Specifically, Taylor will work to:
Assess current food program challenges and opportunities
Identify capacity needs and regulatory priorities
Develop plans for allocating fiscal year 2010 resources
Develop the FDA’s budget request for fiscal year 2011
Plan implementation of new food safety legislation.

“I am honored and grateful that Commissioner Hamburg has asked me to return to the FDA in the position of Senior Advisor to the Commissioner,” Taylor said. “I am looking forward to working with her, Principal Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein, and all of the FDA’s dedicated and talented people.”

Taylor has had a long and distinguished career in public service. He began at the FDA in 1976 as a litigating attorney. He served as the FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Policy from 1991 to 1994, overseeing FDA's policy development and rulemaking, including the implementation of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act and issuance of new seafood safety rules.

From 1994 to 1996, he served at the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety. During that time, he spearheaded public health-oriented reform of the FSIS. Since 2000, Taylor has worked in academic and research settings on the challenges facing the nation’s food safety system and ways to address them.

Taylor’s recent research agenda has focused on policy, resource, and institutional issues that affect the success of public health agencies in carrying out their prevention-related missions. He served as chair of the steering committee of the Food Safety Research Consortium, collaboration among six universities and a nonprofit think tank to improve food safety decision making and priority setting.

More on Michael R. Taylor:
http://www.gwumc.edu/sphhs/faculty/taylor_michael.cfm

Yoga and Christianity

Recently, a friend and fellow Yoga teacher related that she was working on finding the middle ground between her Christianity and Yoga. She further related that she knows that Yoga is not religious, but being a Catholic, she felt there was some conflict. Below is the post I sent her. I share it here in the hopes that it helps others discover that Yoga is Integral Spirituality, not religion.
______

First, here are a few wonderful exampls of a Yogi Jesus:

Pic - Jesus with many arms:
http://claudia.weblog.com.pt/arquivo/Jesus%20In%20India.jpg

Pic - A lovely murti (stature) of Jesus:
http://sahajayogafotos.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/jesus-in-india1.jpg

Pic - This is the one on my Facebook page:
http://www.geocities.com/jundalisay/JesusMeditating.jpg

Then .. here is a documentary on the idea of Jesus in India.
http://www.jesus-in-india-the-movie.com/

And another by the BBC (part 1):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DXCZFRsyl8

Here is the 'Tomb of Jesus' in Kashmir, India:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aauXxuLHnQ

St. Issa, or Jesus, and a book by Notovitch entitled The Unknown Life of Christ:
http://reluctant-messenger.com/issa.htm

Someone who successfully merged Hinduism with Catholicism is the Venerable Monk Griffiths (Dom Bede Griffiths), also known as Swami Dayananda:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bede_Griffiths

Last year, I attended a "Yoga for Christians" retreat with a Yoga student, at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Georgia:
http://www.trappist.net/index2.htm
There, I was meant to meet Father Thomas Francis, who spoke at length regarding how the Church has resculpted the Contemplative Prayer tradition by learning Yoga techniques.

During the retreat, he spoke on a number of interesting subjects, such as:
-How the 16th century Spanish Carmelites had a rich tradition of mystical prayer;
-How Meister Eckhart’s theology of the Godhead relates to Gregory Palamas’ teaching regarding the energies and essence of God;
-How the Rule of St. Benedict could be seen as actually undermining the wisdom of the Desert Fathers;
-How postmodern theologies of the Holy Trinity might be the best hope for a widespread revival of mysticism in our day. (This was one of his favorite topic, where he spoke regarding his personal theory of God Triune, and the work of Father Thomas Merton.);
-How the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi influenced the Benedictine contemplative Henry Le Saux (or Swami Abhishiktananda), and why these ideas are important for students of Christian mysticism today. (This was his other favorite subject, and notably, he was one of the first Benedictine monks sent to train with the Maharishi.);
-About the importance of the book, The Cloud of Unknowing, and how it may represent Christian mysticism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cloud_of_Unknowing
(I highly recommend this book.)

In brief, Father Thomas spoke about the need for the Church to return to Comtemplative Prayer, because the Western Church has become enamored of the intellict and ego, and that only a return to Mystical Christianity would save the dwindling numbers within the Church today.

I bought his book, and one by Cynthia Bourgeault. This latter, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, reads like a Yoga text, except, its meant for Christians.
http://www.amazon.com/Centering-Prayer-Awakening-Cynthia-Bourgeault/dp/1561012629

While reading the book, I kept penning in the Yogic translation of terms used. For example:
-The "diamond radiance of God", and the "pure diamond blazing light of heaven" is Vajra;
-Being "grounded in our spiritual awareness" is Prarabdha Karma;
-The "energetic prayer well known to mystics" is Dhyana;
-The "prayerful repetition of God's name to keep the mind from wandering" is Japa;
-"A surrendering method .. to relase emerging thought during prayer" is Neti;
-The use of a "sacred word..to make Centering Prayer easier" is Mantra;
-To focus on the "gaps in the stream of consciousness" is Vyana;
-The "Mechanics of Sitting..to keep the body relaxed but alert" is Asana;
-She uses the Greek words "Cataphatic" and "Apophatic" to mean Saguna and Nirguna;
-"Listening to God" by "keeping silent" and "become an empty vessel into which God pours" is Kevala Kumbhak;
-"The Art of Letting Go" is Vairagya;
-Jesus in the desert and the Christian monastics who "performed ascetic feats" are Sadhus;
-The importance and need of "daily prayers" is Puja and Prarthana;
-The lectio divinia as a "gradual and steady movement from mind to heart" is Yoga;
And I could go on, but I will stop there.

In all, the practice of Yoga is the embrace of all religions, shifting through the dogma to reveal the spirituality of the practice. Therefore, Yoga is Integral Spirituality .. pulling pure water from many wells.

Om Peace!
Yogini Valarie Devi

Sahasrara Chakra

The seventh chakra is every chakra. It is the knowing of deepest consciousness.

Experience reality beyond the physical senses.

Wabi-sabi Yoga

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese concept that expresses the acceptance of transience. Because Yoga is a non-competitive and non-judgmental practice, wabi-sabi fits beautifully into our daily practice, because it is all that is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete.

When Yogini Valarie Devi sees a student struggle with an asana, she gently reminds them that, “Some days are diamonds and some days are stones.” What she means is that, one day a pose is easy, and on another day it is not. Which ever it is – easy or difficult – we should not glow over our ability or stress over our inability. This is wabi-sabi.

Hamsa Yogashala is open to students who wish to come and sit quietly, or nap, or work on their private practice. The shala – wooded on three sides – is a healing sanctuary with an atmosphere of comfort and acceptance. When we step through the door we should allow ourselves to experience simplicity and modesty, serenity and authenticity.

Our world is one where nothing lasts, nothing is finished and nothing is perfect. Our Yoga practice should reflect this. There is both simplicity and complexity in every Yoga asana, as students, our course is to find the meditative value in both.

Om Peace!

Pranic Healing - Yoga's Daily Self-Care

I first read about “pranic healing” in Swami Vishnu-devananda’s translation of the Hatha Yogapradipika. Swamiji was expounding on the ancient healing wisdom of Swami Swatmarama, who wrote this classic Yogic text in the early 15th century CE. Briefly, Pranic Healing is an ancient approach to modern illness, one that addresses physical, mental and spiritual dis-ease.

As a Yogini I use Pranic Healing often in very casual ways, like during Yoga class, when adjusting a student. When I gently align a student’s neck, or apply gentle pressure to one of the quads, or softly palpate the spinal erectors, I am allowing Prana – a universal life-force energy – to flow freely from my hands to the student.

Today, many have become familiar with acupressure and acupuncture, and so consider the energy work involved here to be strictly Oriental. This is not the case. For example, Thai Yoga Massage – considered the oldest healing massage in the world – was first developed by an Ayurvedic doctor from India. Unquestionably, Dr. Shivago Komarpaj would have employed Pranic Healing techniques.

According to the Yogic idea of healing, the body ever seeks to heal itself. More often than not, our lifestyle choices impede the bodies innate desire for wellness, creating Pranic/energy disruptions, which manifests as sickness and disease.

Similar to Reiki and other energy modalities, Pranic Healing is no substitute for medical treatment, but an energy technique used to locate, identify and adjust energy imbalances in the body. So what I do in Yoga class, for example, is a compliment to, or part of Hatha Yoga. Specifically to the healing condition being created in any given Yoga pose. (If ever I suspected a serious condition I would speak to the student privately, mentioning the intuitive impression I received from their bodies Pranic Energy Field.)

The beauty of Pranic Healing is in its simplicity - that it can be done by anyone. When we eat pure food and drink clean water, when we do Hatha Yoga and meditate daily, we work with the bodies Prana to maintain overall health and wellbeing.

Hamsa Yogashala will be introducing a Pranic Healing workshop in the coming weeks. It is a two-day basic course in Prana and Pranic Healing that includes practical demonstrations and self-healing techniques. After all, healing is a very personal practice, one that we should take into our own hands.

Om Peace!
Yogini Valarie Devi

Are you toxic?

More Americans are seeking Whole Health Healing because not all disease can be cured by drug therapy or modern medicine.

Medical research across the world is showing – in the laboratory, in real patients, with studies ranging over many years – that physical disease is, at its deepest level, an expression of environmental toxins, psycho-spiritual pain and lifestyle choices.

The overall approach of doctors today is to treat the symptoms, a practice that ignores prevention and addressing the cause of illness.

The United States spends, literally, billions of dollars on health care and health care reform, yet, we rank 37th in the world and our costs are twice as expensive.

The leading causes of death in the United States are: heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, flu and pheumonia, and they are on the rise. Again, regardless of how many billions of dollars are spent on research and development. Why is this?

One possible answer is the level of toxicity in our society, which is rising at a rate comparable to the rate of the diseases listed above.

We encounter an enormous amount of toxins everyday. According to the Human Toxome Project, the level of lead and mercury, fluoride and chlorinated doxins, pesticides and neuro-toxins (and many others) is on the rise daily.
http://www.ewg.org/sites/humantoxome/healtheffects/

Ask yourself: “Am I too toxic?” Or find out how to discover your level of toxicity. Ask yourself: “Are stressful emotions causing my body to become sick?”. Or, “Have my lifestyle choices lowered my immunity?” Two things you can do:
-Honestly evalutate your lifestyle choices, and
-Seek to discover how you can treat a condition naturally.

The philosophy and practice of Whole Health Healing is a good first-line of defense, one that requires self-responsibility and diligenant awareness.

Yoga – the physical, mental and spiritual practice – has been and remains to be my only means of genuine healing, because it allows me to honor myself while honoring the world around me.

Om Peace!
Yogini Valarie Devi

Won't find Yoga here!

Most dangerous sport among girls/women: Cheerleading. Cheerleading accounted for 65.2 percent of high school and 70.5 percent of college catastrophic injuries among all female sports. The next most dangerous sports: gymnastics (nine such injuries) and track (seven). http://www.livescience.com/health/080811-cheerleading-injuries.html

The Top 15 Sports Related Injuries in the US:
-Basketball: 512,213
-Bicycling: 485,669
-Football: 418,260
-Soccer: 174,686
-Baseball: 155,898
-Skateboards: 112,544
-Trampolines: 108,029
-Softball: 106,884
-Swimming/Diving: 82,354
-Horseback riding: 73,576
-Weightlifting: 65,716
-Volleyball: 52,091
-Golf: 47,360
-Roller skating: 35,003
-Wrestling: 33,734 http://www.livescience.com/health/060614_sport_injuries.html

And the Top 10 in the World:
-Lawn Bowls
-Base Jumping
-Horse Riding
-Golf-Rock Climbing
-Fishing
-Motorcycling
-Cheerleading
-Cave Diving
-Rugby
http://sasthamcotta.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/top-10-most-dangerous-sports-in-the-world/

And: In 2005, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimated the highest numbers of sport-related injures were reported for:
-basketball (409,799),
-football (376,115) and
-bicycling (317,041).
That's not counting minor injuries that didn't require medical attention. The deadliest:
-riding an all-terrain vehicle, according to the CPSC. The sport accounted for 740 deaths in 2003, one-third of which were children under 16.
http://www.forbes.com/2006/11/15/sports-injuries-fitness-forbeslife_cz_cs_1114dangersports.html

Nope .. won't find Yoga anywhere near a list like this. I even googled it, trying to see if Yoga ranked anywhere close. Nope.

Yet, in India - and increasing so here in the US - Yoga is very much a sport:
http://www.yogasport.yoganet.org/

Clearly, Yogi's are in excellent shape. Certainly comparable to athletes when it comes to strength, flexibility and endurance.

Om Peace!
Yogini Valarie Devi

Self-Health and Balance with Yoga

Yogini Valarie Devi taps lightly on the singing bowl and a graduate student’s shoulders relax, a mother of three finds a moment of calm, and a real estate agent releases the day’s stress.

Life is fast paced, which is why so many are seeking the calming effects of Yoga to handle the stress of daily living.

According to the Complementary and Alternative Medical Association, 15.2 million Americans utilize the healing benefits of Yoga. On any given new day, there are new medical reports citing how a regular Yoga practice can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, ease depression, promote a good nights sleep, and just make us feel better.

If you find yourself over-reacting or rushing and forgetting what the rush was, then you may need a Yoga class. Forget about Yoga being how to bend like a pretzel, its about quality of life and living. When we breath deep and slow, allowing our body to gently bend and flow with the breath, the we create relaxation and patience – qualities needed in our hectic world.

During Yoga class we are asked to ‘stay with the pose’. This means to focus on what your are doing – from breathing to subtle movement. When our mind wanders to ‘what’s for dinner tonight’, then we are only stretching.

Because Yoga is ‘meditation in motion’, it helps us take charge of our impulses, so that we act instead of re-act. When we sit quietly holding a pose, allowing the breath the fill our body in that pose, then our mind becomes still and we stop trying to control every aspect of our life.

And Yoga is so simple that anyone can do it, at any age, or at any level of physical ability. All you have to have is intent, or the desire to be happy, healthy and whole.

In a country were billions are spent on healthcare, why are so many still unhealthy? Because healing is about prevention, and that’s where Yoga comes in.

More than an gym routine, Yoga is a lifestyle. It opens us to the idea of eating better, to having positive thoughts, to personal confidence and betterment. Yoga is not meant to replace medical care, but to promote wellness. Yoga cannot cure cancer, but it can help us deal with whatever may come our way.

Om Peace!
Yogini Valarie Devi

quote : Every Child

"Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man."
-Rabindranath Tagore

Special Needs Yoga

I was asked if I would be interested in teaching Yoga to some Special Needs children in a summer camp program. Gifted with such an opportunity, I gladly accepted!

There were eight bright-eyed children with loving smiles. When I arrived, they were playing on the outside deck. One of them saw me through the glass and I heard her exclaim: " She's here! The Yoga teacher is here!" I asked the woman in charge what she had told them, and she said "nothing really", just that there would be a "Yoga class". She then added, "They don't even know what 'yoga' is."

I helped them arrange their towels into a circle, so we could sit close to each other, our 'yoga mats' extending out like the petals of a flower. Next to me I placed Yogi Bear - a stuffed bear who does Yoga with me when I teach Yoga to kid's.

The hardest part in classes with kids is getting them to settle down enough to begin. This was not the case with these lovely children. As soon as I asked them to sit, they sat. When I asked them to be still and fold their hands at their heart, they did. When I sang the 'Namaste Song', some hummed, some swayed back and forth, and some did both.

They loved the poses: roaring like a Lion, meowing like a Cat, flying like a Bird, standing strong like a Tree. We barely began when the woman in charge reminded me (as I asked her) that there were 10 minutes left. I started the cool down .. where we sit with folded palms at our heart, smelling the 'flower' in our hands on the inhale, then humming like a bee on the exhale. This is a great way to get kids to breath deeply for final relaxation.

Then came the quiet time. I asked them all to lay down and "be still .. be quiet", and they did. I didnt think this was very remarkable, but when one of the woman's eyes widened about the two minute mark, I started to think that maybe being still was something these beautiful and energetic children did not normally do very often. Five minutes total, I rang the bell with a little song to bring awareness back into the body. All of them seemed calmer, smiling at me softly, sitting quietly. (As a reminder, these are Autistic and Sensory Integration Dysfunctional kids.)

When we sat up, we 'hummed' again, then I said: "And that is the end of Yoga class", which was, seemingly, a cue for me to be mobbed, for they all jumped up at once and ran over to me, surrounding me, touching my jata ('locks'), holding their hands at their hearts, talking at once! I immediately felt supported, uplifted and nurtured having them around me .. their joyful energy was amazing!

In all, their energy was enthusiastic and inquisitive, playful and wise. One little boy (who sat next to me during class) came and stood next to me and asked: "Can I hug you?" When I said "Yes!", he wrapped his tiny arms about my neck, and for that moment, nothing else mattered but that simple gift of love.

Afterwards, the woman in charge told me how surprised she was that they were so still for so long. "How did you do that!?", she asked.

As I was leaving, one little girl told me: "I want to give you a gift from my Special Box. Only Special People get gifts from my Special Box." Then she ranoff. When she returned she handed me a plastic sandwich bag with stickers shaped like hearts and stars and circles.

As I drove home I could hear their laughter in my ears, their hugs around my neck, feel their deep gaze within my eyes, and the warmth of their beautiful energy - freely given - all about me.

Eight more weeks to go!

Om Peace!
Yogini Valarie Devi

15 Things to Avoid Where Possible

Fifteen Things to Avoid Where Possible (In Alphabetical Order)

1-AIDS and AZT
2-Aluminium
3-Artificial Sweeteners
4-Anti-Bacterial and Disinfectant Products
5-Breast Milk Substitute
6-Chemotherapy
7-Fluoride
8-GMO Crops
9-Manufactured Chemicals
10-Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
11-Perscription and Over the Counter (OTC) Drugs
12-Pesticides
13-Plastics 14-Sunscreens
15-Vaccines

All of these topics are ones I have commented on over the years, but I have never put all this information in one post. So I gathered all my old posts, added a few new links, and compiled a list of ‘Fifteen Things to Avoid Where Possible’.

As a Yogini and Ayurvedic practitioner I am keenly aware of health and wellbeing. However, it’s as a human being that I say, “Without good health, we have nothing.” With the Internet, there is a wealth of information at our fingertips; even so, just finding it can be overwhelming.

At all times, my first line of defense is personal health, which means my immediate family and I. Secondly, as a Yogini and Ayurvedic practitioner I am very interested in forwarding this information to my friends and clients. Both are why I have researched and compiled this information over the years; so that now, I am able to centralize it, making it easier to access for those who are sincerely interested yet limited in their time.

According to the philosophy and science of Yoga and Ayurveda, discomfort, pain, illness and disease, sickness, depression, stress and soreness are not supposed to interfere with our daily life and living, regardless of our age. What many consider to be ‘part of life’ or ‘aging’ is mostly unnecessary and should not dictate the way we live.

There are many choices in life, so when it comes to health we must choose to be informed or not, equally as to our level of involvement in that choice. In all I do, I choose education. I choose to educate myself, and to educate my family and friends. So with that said, I will state a list of possibilities if you choose to continue reading. If you decide to read this list and/or follow the links, you may experience the following:
-Improved health,
-Increased Memory,
-Attain a healthy weight,
-Reduce pain and discomfort,
-Reduce or lessen the chance of cancer,
-Reduce or lessen the chance of illness,
-Create a clear mind,
-Prolong your life-span,
-Feel good about yourself and your environment.

So, in alphabetical order.

1-AIDS and AZT
To begin, ‘HIV Does Not Cause AIDS’:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW-gp41Q_PM

“What we have been told about AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is that its caused by a tiny retrovirus named HIV, which interesting enough has been around for many, many decades prior to it ever having any link to causing the sudden AIDS epidemic. We are told that any one of us could be at risk with unsafe sex, and that once diagnosed with HIV, we will eventually die from any one of over thirty debilitating diseases as a result. Oddly enough, unlike every other retrovirus that attacks it's victim’s immune system within days, weeks or perhaps a month or two of infection, HIV/AIDS can take up to and even exceed 10 years. Over 100,000 studies have been conducted and yet there are still no solid links that HIV actually is the cause of AIDS to begin with. Perhaps the industry is barking up the wrong tree, and that's why it has still never delivered a cure almost 30 years later, and after utilizing more resources than it took man to make it to the moon. // How did it go so wrong? Well, if AIDS has not been caused by HIV then millions of people have been given a diagnosis of death. Additionally, hundreds of thousands have been given drugs that could potentially cause AIDS themselves.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzx6wMFlBZQ

AZT, ‘The Deadly Cure’
“Zidovudine (INN) or azidothymidine (AZT) (also called ZDV) is a nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), a type of antiretroviral drug. It was the first approved treatment for HIV. It is also sold under the names Retrovir and Retrovis, and as an ingredient in Combivir and Trizivir. It is an analog of thymidine.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zidovudine

“Can the antiviral drug AZT, given to HIV-positive mothers in pregnancy and to their newborn babies, protect against mother-to-baby transmission of AIDS? The claim that it does so is entirely speculative. Yet the harm done by the drug is extensively documented. AZT treatment strategy is based on a number of beliefs. One is that certain biological signals, such as elevated "viral load" and "HIV" antibodies, signify HIV infection. Another is that HIV infection is the cause of AIDS. If either or both of those suppositions are untrue, as some scientists argue [see adjoining article "Molecular Miscarriage: Is the HIV Theory a Tragic Mistake?"], then all mothers and babies treated in this way are being uselessly exposed to an unquestionably dangerous chemical.
AZT's proven toxicities include severe muscle pain, weakness, and atrophy; heart muscle changes and malfunctions; bone marrow suppression, with consequent anemia and loss of all types of blood cells; liver failure; and broad-ranging and sometimes irreversible loss and poisoning of mitochondria, the energy "factories" within our cells. The drug also leads to permanent DNA damage, and studies in mice and monkeys have raised concerns that babies exposed to AZT in the womb will face an increased risk of cancer when they grow up.”
http://www.whatisaids.com/mothering/aztpoisoningbabies.htm

2-Aluminum
Some ‘Health Concerns’:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium#Health_concerns

“Though not classified as a heavy metal such as lead, it can be dangerous in high levels. Especially since it can accumulate in ones body, the brain being the worst place it can find itself. Higher aluminum levels have also been linked to Alzheimer’s”.
http://alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/406
and
http://www.doulton.ca/alzheimers.html

How is aluminum introduced into the body?
“It's used in the manufacturing of cookware, flatware, foil, cans used for soda. It's also used commonly in the following health products [alpha-order by editor]:
Antacids,
Anti-Diarrhea Medications,
Astringents,
Baby Powder,
Buffered Aspirin,
Dentures,
Hemorrhoid Medications,
Lipsticks,
Nasal Sprays,
Talcum Powder,
Vaccines, and
Vaginal Douches.
It's used commonly in the following cooking ingredients:
Baking Powder,
Cake Mix,
Pickling Salt,
Processed Cheese,
Self-Rising Flour, and
Table Salt.
http://www.ghchealth.com/dangers-of-aluminum.html

Aluminum Toxicity:
”Many of the symptoms of aluminum toxicity mimic those of Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis. Colic, rickets, gastrointestinal problems, interference with the metabolism of calcium, extreme nervousness, anemia, headaches, decreased liver and kidney function, memory loss, speech problems, softening of the bones, and aching muscles can all be caused by aluminum toxicity.”
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art7739.asp

3-Artificial Sweeteners
Aspartame, Equal, Splenda, NutraSweet, Sugar Twin, are all artificial sweeteners.

“Look for the ingredient aspartame. This artificial sweetener was approved by the FDA in 1981. It is packaged under the brand names NutraSweet, Equal and Sugar Twin. It is used in over six thousand products and is usually listed as ‘aspartame’ in the ingredients list in products like diet soda.”
http://www.ehow.com/how_4483377_identify-artificial-sweeteners.html

“There are ‘92 Known Side Effects of Aspartame’. Again, this leads to falsely diagnosed “conditions” and leads to an over medicated society.”
http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html

“Ironically enough, many studies have actually found that those who consume diet soft drinks are over 30% more likely to gain weight. Which seems to defeat the purpose to begin with, and then of course you get 92 other potential reasons why it was a bad choice.”
http://www.healthcastle.com/diet_pop_health.shtml

A video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yezDGwmGqdM

4-Anti-Bacterial and Disinfectant Products
Personal use items, such as gels, wipes, liquids, or aerosols, sponges, toothbrushes, cutting boards, socks, facial tissues, and the like, are all toxic. Likewise, the measures used to ‘disinfect’ public water supplies.

Home products:
http://www.watoxics.org/homes-and-gardens/factsheets/antimicrobials
and
http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/index.htm

Drinking water:
http://www.scienceagogo.com/news/20090301025425data_trunc_sys.shtml

5-Breast Milk Substitute
tudies confirm that breast fed children have fewer links to childhood disorders and behavioral problems.”
Reference: J Hum Lact. 1997 Jun; 13 (2): 93-7. Published by School of Nursing, Wichita State University, Kansas, USA.

“Breastfeeding, a valuable natural resource, promotes health, helps prevent infant and childhood disease, and saves health care costs. Additional annual national health care costs, incurred for treatment of four medical conditions in infant who were not breastfed were estimated. Infant diarrhea in non-breastfed infants costs $291.3 million; respiratory syncytial virus, $225 million; insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, from $9.6 to $124.8 million; and otitis media, $660 million. Thus, these four medical diagnoses alone create just over $1 billion of extra health care costs each year. Breastfeeding may also enhance intellectual development of children according to at least one medical research study. The potential societal benefits of more intelligent children is incalculable even though it cannot be directly measured in terms of dollars.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9233193

“An additional $2,665,715 in federal funds is needed yearly in order for WIC to provide infant formula to non-breastfeeding mothers. For the average family, the cost of purchasing formula is twice the cost of supplemental food for the breastfeeding mother. Breastfeeding education and support should be an integral part of health care, especially under managed care which rewards the prevention of health problems and reduced use of health services. http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/116-10/focus.html

“The mother supports the host defense of the infant in two ways," says Lars Hanson, a clinical immunologist at Göteborg University in Sweden. "One is via antibodies from her blood that are actively transported over the placenta to the infant's circulation during fetal life, and are ready for use from birth on. The other is due to the numerous and complex defense factors provided via the mother's milk, available directly after delivery. Not only is it harming the child by setting them up for a myriad of possible problems in their future. But studies have also found that the lack of a close relationship between mother and child can lead to a whole host of it's own problems later on in life.”
http://www.apa.org/monitor/sep95/attach.html

Finally, there have been several news articles recently regarding breastfeeding woman. Each of these has centered on the ‘decency’ of showing a woman’s breast, even for educational purposes. One such article:
http://mashable.com/2009/05/31/facebook-breasts/

6-Chemotherapy
Remember this recent news story?
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,521732,00.html?test=latestnews

“Chemotherapy, in its most general sense, refers to treatment of disease by chemicals that kill cells, both good and bad, but specifically those of micro-organisms or cancer.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemotherapy

‘The Shocking Truth’:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Cancer:-The-Shocking-Truth-About-the-Effectiveness-of-Chemotherapy&id=347096

A Good Question: “Why – after trillions of dollars of funding and research – is the only effective means of treating cancer have to be a chemical poison that destroys the body along with its immunity system?”

This study debunks chemotherapy as an effective treatment:
“The Contribution of Cytotoxic Chemotherapy to 5-Year Survival in Adult Malignancies”:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15630849?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

This paper was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Volume 16, Issue 8, December 2004, pages 549-560. This peer-review medical journal has been studied, revised and published – and so scrutinized by other doctors, all of whom view such research for credibility and validity. To date, there has been no rebuttal of the findings.

The Findings:
“The overall contribution of curative and adjuvant cytotoxic chemotherapy to 5-year survival in adults was estimated to be 2.3% in Australia and 2.1% in the USA.”

This means that chemotherapy’s assistance in the treatment of cancer is no more than 3%. Or, as this article relates: “Wherever data were uncertain, the authors deliberately erred on the side of over-estimating the benefit of chemotherapy. Even so, the study concluded that overall, chemotherapy contributes just over 2 percent to improved survival in cancer patients.”
http://cancerfighter.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/how-effective-is-chemotherapy/

7-Fluoride
This is a poison that most of us encounter daily. To begin, we must find out: What is Fluoride?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flouride

“The 1984 issue of Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products lists fluoride as more poisonous than lead and just slightly less poisonous than arsenic. It has been used as a pesticide for mice, rats and other small pests. A 10lb infant could be killed by 1/100 of an ounce and a 100lb adult could be killed by 1/10 of an ounce of fluoride. So Fluoride is just slightly less lethal than lead, and not quite as poisonous as the infamous arsenic? If so, why is it put in products that we use daily? For those who feel that fluoride poses little to no threat, based on the amounts used, I have a question: “If it is so toxic, so poisonous, even in small doses – why ingest it at all?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yezDGwmGqdM

“The fluoride used in our water supplies is industrial grade fluoride called Hydrofluosilicic Acid which contains harmful contaminants such as arsenic, barium, cadmium, lead and mercury. It is a byproduct from the phosphate fertilizer industry. Water fluoridation is a cheap way for industry to get rid of their waste and consumers pay the price. // We then drink the water, cook with the water, and bathe in the water. The compounding effect ramps up the levels in our body quickly. Water is essential to a human’s survival, so it makes sense that ingesting clean water will improve overall health. If you haven't already, you should seriously invest in a water filtration system.”
http://www.cleanwateraction.org/feature/clean-water-campaign-why-water-fluoridation-bad-new-jersey

And for your teeth, there is a condition called ‘Dental fluorosis’. It is the result of fluoridation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_fluorosis

Does this look familiar?:
http://www.fluoridealert.org/dental-fluorosis.htm

“In a number of small villages in Sicily, Turkey and India there is naturally occurring fluoride in the water ranging from 0.7 to 5.4 ppm. Here the villagers and their livestock are chronically ill, while neighboring villages with no fluoride have no such illnesses. Premature aging is the overall effect. Children have brown decaying teeth; young adults often have none. Young men are bent over and crippled with pain in their joints and hips. Their skin is wrinkled and they look 60 at age 30 to 40. There is premature hardening of the arteries, loss of appetite and sex drive by age 30. The rate of stillborn miscarriages by 4 months is extremely high.”
http://www.wholywater.com/fluoride.html

8-GMO Foods (Genetically Modified Organism)
The ‘Controversy’:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMO#Controversy

The World According to Monsanto:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_OJcPKEYDE

The Genetic Conspiracy – Monsanto:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joweZ6uM5iY
”There are a variety of detrimental health effects directly related to the use of GMO crops. I could write an entire thread on this topic alone. Some problems of GMO Crops include the tens of thousands of deaths and debilitating disabilities as well as near deaths, Direct Cancer and Degenerative disease links, Super Viruses, Antibiotic threats via milk, Antibiotic and pesticide threats via plants, Birth defects and shorter life spans;.. // ..The experience of actual GM-fed experimental animals is scary. When GM soy was fed to female rats, most of their babies died within three weeks – compared to a 10% death rate among the control group fed natural soy. The GM-fed babies were also smaller, and later had problems getting pregnant. // Other problems include, soil toxicity, extinction of seed variety, super weeds, plant invasion, terminator trees, super pests, poisonous to mammals, destruction of self sufficient family farming, terminator technology, dependency issues etc.”

50 Harmful Effects of Genetically Modified (GM) Foods:
http://www.raw-wisdom.com/genetically-modified-food

Did you know that some GMOs contain NO DNA?

SAY NO TO GMO!

9-Manufactured Chemicals
Personal care and cleaning products, the ‘Top Ten to Avoid’:
-Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl Paraben,
-Diethanolamine (DEA), Triethanolamine (TEA),
-Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea,
-Sodium Lauryl / Laureth Sulfate (SLS / SLES),
-Petrolatum,
-Propylene Glycol,
-PVP / VA Copolymer
-Stearalkonium Chloride
-Synthetic Color(s),
-Synthetic Fragrance(s).

You will probably find these in all your DAILY products. They are used to ‘extend shelf life’, as foaming agents and emulsifiers, as preservatives, shampoos and conditioners, soaps, shaving cream, petroleum jelly (mineral oil), cosmetics, hairspray and other styling aids, fabric softener, mouthwash and toothpaste, bubble bath, hair dyes, sunscreen (another category altogether), and nail polish.Be sure to read the labels on even ‘eco-friendly’ products, because the FDA likes to change the meaning of words. For example, some products listed as ‘organic’ or ‘eco’ / ‘environmentally friendly’ contain Sodium Laureth Sulfate and other toxins.

All 10 of these products have been linked to cancer, allergic reactions and skin rashes, estrogen absorbed via the skin, eye irritants, dry skin and damage hair follicles, contact dermatitis, scalp scurf and dandruff, chapping, asthma when inhaled, headaches and dizziness, coughing, vomiting, and the like.

Many of these are also neurotoxins, which damage the central nervous system, or are Teratogens, which affect the growth of an embryo. This latter includes: ether, propylene glycol, lanolin, acetone and methylene chloride. Nor are all of these personal use products, for some are found in tire sealant, rubber cleaner, de-icer, stain removers, fabric softener, degreaser, paint, adhesive and wallpaper stripper.

For further information:
http://www.proactivehealth.net.au/index.php?mpid=17

10-Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
Monosodium Glutamate is added to what you eat and hidden as a “flavor enhancer”, “spice”, “food additive” or “natural flavoring”:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate

It is in virtually all processed food, fast food, condiments and prepackaged food; in short, it’s a staple of the ‘junk food’ industry. Safeway, Wal-Mart and Costco use it routinely in their products. It’s considered a ‘miracle food’ to these manufacturers because it can make old, stall, burnt, or simply bad food taste good.

“As already stated, the addictive quality is bad news for a society that has grown to contain epidemic levels of obesity. The relation of the introduction of MSG and the growing percentage of Obese Americans, is quite obvious. // MSG Sensitivity is a problem that some may not even be aware they are suffering from. Instead attributing the problems to different issues. Check out the list of Symptoms. It's estimated that potentially 30-40% of our society is suffering from MSG sensitivity without even knowing it; leading to more prescriptions, and poor health. It's also worth mentioning, that although it is listed as a safe additive, society as a whole actually ingests more daily than even they regard as safe.”
http://www.msgmyth.com/know.htm

11-Prescription and Over The Counter (OTC) Medication
“It is no mere coincidence that the drug industry is a billion dollar industry, and that the US just happens to be the most medicated population on earth. In the U.S. , prescriptions have increased over the past decade to 3.4 billion annually, a 61 percent increase. Retail sales of prescription drugs jumped 250 percent, from $72 billion to $250 billion, while the average price of prescriptions has more than doubled from $30 to $68.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical_companies

“Drug researchers not directly employed by pharmaceutical companies often look to companies for grants, and companies often look to researchers for studies that will make their products look favorable. Sponsored researchers are rewarded by drug companies,..”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical_companies#Controversy_about_drug_development_and_testing

“The top twenty pharmaceutical companies and their two trade groups, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and Biotechnology Industry Organization, lobbied on at least 1,600 pieces of legislation between 1998 and 2004. According to the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, pharmaceutical companies spent $900 million on lobbying between 1998 and 2005, more than any other industry. During the same period, they donated $89.9 million to federal candidates and political parties, giving approximately three times as much to Republicans as to Democrats. According to the Center for Public Integrity, from January 2005 through June 2006 alone, the pharmaceutical industry spent approximately $182 million on Federal lobbying. The industry has 1,274 registered lobbyists in Washington D.C.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical_lobby

If you watch television then you are bombarded with drug advertisements that dictate you “ask your doctor”. One side of these commercials is upbeat and flashy, while the other is solely committed to warning you. If you listen carefully, sometimes these side effects are what the drug is meant to actually ‘cure’.

“In 2004 it was stated that on average, each month 40 new side effects or adverse reactions were added to drug warning labels after they had already been approved and were being consumed by customers. In one of the longest delays in changes, widely used Demerol a common pain reliever got a new warning in 2003, 70 years after its introduction. The change? Demerol was passing straight into mothers milk, being passed on directly to suckling babies. A powerful pain reliever being consumed by a baby is terrifying, who knows the full extent of the health consequences of that problem.”
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/Safety-RelatedDrugLabelingChanges/default.htm

”Pletal, approved by the FDA in February of 2004, lists the following adverse effects, reported worldwide: pain, chest pain, hot flashes, cerebral hemorrhage, angina pectoris, hypo-tension, hepatic dysfunction/abnormal liver function, jaundice, vomiting, thromboctopenia, leukopenia, bleeding tendency, paresthesia, hyperglycemia, pulmonary hemorrhage, interstitial pneumonia, pruritus, skin eruptions including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, rash, increase BUN, and hematuria.

The following adverse events occurred OUTSIDE the US prior to marketing of Pletal in the US: Pulmonary Hemorrhage and Stevens-Johnsons syndrome. To be clear, this condition is described as, “Massive bleeding of the heart, and excruciating, disfiguring skin reaction that sometimes kills you”; showed up before the drug was offered in the US. But it was sold to American anyway.”
From the book: ’50 Things Your Not Supposed to Know’ (page 35)
http://books.google.com/books?id=M3VYMwvDKwAC&pg=PA35&lpg=PA35&ots=9P9VobC5TN&dq=pletal+%22Massive+bleeding+of+the+heart%22&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html

Adverse Reactions:
“Modern medicine kills 750,000 people each year, that's a 16,400% increase over terrorism. The equivalent to crashing 6 fully loaded jumbo jets daily.” // Adverse reactions alone claimed approx. 32,000 people in 2000.”
http://www.naturalnews.com/009278.html

War on Drugs:
“Non-Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Aspirin claimed 7,600 people in 2000. In contrast, all illicit drug use both directly and indirectly claimed only 17,000 people in 2000.”
http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/30

NOTE: I am NO doctor. However, after doing the research and reading the warnings, it sure seems to me that, unless it’s a matter of life or death, prescription drugs do more harm than good.

12-Pesticides
On Humans:
“More and more studies are defining the link between pesticides and the growing cancer rates that our society experiences. As if it weren't bad enough that companies like Monsanto were genetically engineering crops to create more of their own pesticides that leads to toxicity in humans, studies now find links between the amounts of pesticide pollution and the growing levels of PCB's in humans, to higher levels of Cancer.”
http://www.pmac.net/pesticide_pollution.html

On the Soil that Grows our Food:
“Pesticides decrease biodiversity in the soil because they do not just kill the intended pest; they often kill many of the other small organisms present. When life in the soil is killed off, the soil quality deteriorates and this has a knock-on effect upon the retention of water. This is a problem for farmers particularly in times of drought. At such times, organic farms have been found to have yields 20-40% higher than conventional farms. Soil fertility is affected in other ways, too. When pesticides kill off most of the active soil organisms, the complex interactions which result in good fertility break down. // Plants depend on millions of bacteria and fungi to bring nutrients to their rootlets. When these cycles are disrupted plants become more dependent upon exact doses of chemical fertilizers at regular intervals. Even so, the fantastically rich interactions in healthy soil cannot be fully replicated by the farmer with chemicals”

Pesticide Pollution:
“A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, discovered a 70% increase in the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease for people exposed to even low levels of pesticides. // Pesticides can also endanger workers during production, transportation, or during and after use. Bystanders may also be affected at times, for example walkers using public rights of way on adjacent land or families whose homes are close by crop spraying activities. One of the main hazards of pesticide use is to farm workers and gardeners.”

Pesticides and Children:
“Children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of pesticides. Studies have found higher rates of brain cancer, leukemia and birth defects in children who suffered early exposure to pesticides. (National Resources Defense Council study).”

Pesticides and the Human Diet:
“The main source of exposure to pesticides for most people is through diet. // A study in 2006 measured organophosphorus levels in 23 school children before and after changing their diet to organic food. The levels of organophosphorus exposure dropped immediately and dramatically when the children began the organic diet. Residues, set by governments, are limited to tolerance levels that are considered safe, based on average daily consumption of these foods by adults and children. But, as we all know, some people do not behave as average!”

All references:
http://www.greenfootsteps.com/pesticides-and-pollution.html
http://www.pesticide.org/hhg/OPSpyrethroids.html
http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/pesticides.htm
http://www.nrdc.org/documents.asp?topicid=6&tag=pesticides

What to do:
Read the label! Then follow the instructions exactly!

Aside from political action, wherever possible, eat organic!

13-Plastics
We are surrounded by plastic.

“..pure plastics generally have low toxicity in their finished state, and will pass through the digestive system with no ill effect (other than mechanical damage or obstruction). However, plastics often contain a variety of toxic additives. For example, plasticizers like adipates and phthalates are often added to brittle plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to make them pliable enough for use in food packaging, children's toys and teethers, tubing, shower curtains and other items. Traces of these chemicals can leach out of the plastic when it comes into contact with food. Out of these concerns, the European Union has banned the use of DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate), the most widely used plasticizer in PVC. Some compounds leaching from polystyrene food containers have been found to interfere with hormone functions and are suspected human carcinogens. // The primary building block of polycarbonates, bisphenol A (BPA), is an estrogen-like hormone disrupter that may leach into food. // A more recent animal study suggests that even low-level exposure to BPA results in insulin resistance, which can lead to inflammation and heart disease.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastics#Toxicity

“In addition to creating safety problems during production, many chemical additives that give plastic products desirable performance properties also have negative environmental and human health effects. These effects include:
-Direct toxicity, as in the cases of lead, cadmium, and mercury,
-Carcinogens, as in the case of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP),
-Endocrine disruption, which can lead to cancers, birth defects, immune system suppression and developmental problems in children.”
http://www.ecologycenter.org/factsheets/plastichealtheffects.html

Further Exposure:
“People are exposed to these chemicals not only during manufacturing, but also by using plastic packages, because some chemicals migrate from the plastic packaging to the foods they contain. Examples of plastics contaminating food have been reported with most plastic types, including Styrene from polystyrene, plasticizers from PVC, antioxidants from polyethylene, and Acetaldehyde from PET.”
http://www.ecologycenter.org/factsheets/plastichealtheffects.html

What To Do:
-Buy food in glass or metal containers.
-Keep glass jars for storage.
-Do not buy drinking bottles with Bisphenol A.
-Do not microwave plastic containers.
-Do not store fatty foods in plastic containers.
-Do not give children plastic teething rings or toys.
-Check for plastics in your clothing and bedding.
-Avoid PVC and Styrene.

14-Sunscreens
“Most sunscreens only block UVB rays, leaving UVA rays to do damage. Because people believe they are protected, it causes people to stay in the sun too long. And interestingly enough, it's UVB rays that make us burn. So our natural warning signal is slowed, and instead of us beginning to burn and realizing it's time to go inside, we stay in the sun far too long. Furthermore, UVB is how we get Vitamin D naturally. Vitamin D, interestingly enough, is known to help prevent some cancers, most notably, breast and colon. If all this weren't bad enough, keep in mind that when you are lathering yourself up with lotion, you're smearing chemicals all over your skin. Some of those chemicals are toxic, and your pours drink them up and shuttle them all over your body.”
Reference:
-Cedric F. Garland. “More on Preventing Skin Cancer”. British Medical Journal, 2003:327:128 (22, November).
-Thompson, Larry. “Sunscreen, Skin Cancer and UVA”. Healthlink (Medical College of Wisconson), 26 July, 2000. Mercola.com website of Dr. Joseph Mercola
Additional references:
http://dermatology.jwatch.org/cgi/content/full/2007/112/1

Most companies:
“Don’t screen UVA rays at all.”
“Do not pass health and environmental muster.”
“Contain potentially harmful chemicals.”
“Make questionable product claims.”
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=are-sunscreens-safe

15-Vaccines
“A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains a small amount of an agent that resembles a microorganism. The agent stimulates the body's immune system to recognize the agent as foreign, destroy it, and "remember" it, so that the immune system can more easily recognize and destroy any of these microorganisms that it later encounters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccines

Some recent headlines:
-1300 Girls Harmed by HPV Vaccines
http://www.naturalnews.com/026293.html

-Measles vs the Right to School
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/columnists/2009/06/09/measles-v-right-to-school-91466-23819703/

-Mandatory Vaccinations for Americans?
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=13925

-Mom Seeks Immunization Exemption
http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/44873567.html

What the National Vaccine Information Center has to say:
http://www.nvic.org//

And the Vaccine Truth.Org:
http://www.vaccinetruth.org/

Many studies suggest that vaccines are not safe, may contribute to childhood autism, contain high levels of mercury, and contain dead cancer cells:
http://www.mercuryautismlink.com/mercury/
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=49094
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0317-05.htm

Regarding the Mercury / Autism link:
‘Study "Disproving" Mercury-Autism Link Published in Journal with Financial Ties to Vaccine Manufacturers’
http://www.naturalnews.com/022479.html

In 1984, Dr. Mendelsohn wrote, “My suspicion, which is shared by others in my profession, is that the nearly 10,000 SIDS deaths that occur in the United States each year are related to one or more of the vaccines that are routinely given children. The pertussis vaccine is the most likely villain, but it could also be one or more of the others.”
http://www.whale.to/vaccines/mendelsohn.html
NOTE: SIDS / “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome”.

“The statistics alone are shady enough, but one also needs to realize that statistics collected by the manufacturers are often skewed and deaths are listed as coincidental, or under other terms such as cot death, MSbP & SBS. In all, Smallpox vaccine infant deaths (UK) were estimated at 25,000 in 1880, and 6,000 in 1921. 780,000 people die from Allopathic (vaccinator) iatrogenic disease in the USA every year, 106,000 from adverse drug reactions. The bottom line: Allopathy has always killed more children than the diseases with vaccination and the suppression of effective non-Allopathic medicine such as Vitamin C which would prevent all cot-deaths and most other child deaths, (known since 1949).”
http://www.whale.to/v/meningitis5.html
http://www.whale.to/a/vaers.html
http://www.whale.to/m/smallpox/deaths.html
http://www.whale.to/vaccine/mmr2.html

Are Vaccines Worth The Risk? Here is a list of ‘Severe Adverse Reactions’:
http://www.hrsa.gov/Vaccinecompensation/statistics_report.htm