But acupuncture is no longer the dark horse in alternative medicine, and acupuncture can alleviate all sorts of pain for animals or humans.

The World Health Organization published a list of 28 conditions or symptoms for which acupuncture is an “effective treatment.” Based on controlled clinical trials through 1998, the list includes everything from low back pain to morning sickness.

Recent studies show acupuncture also increases infertility treatment IVF (in vitro fertilization) and pregnancy success rates. The acupuncture allows for higher levels of specific protein molecules known as Th2 cytokines, which increases fertility (while helping prevent miscarriages) and enhances IVF.

It even helps with menstrual cycle cramps.

Acupuncture is very safe when performed by an experienced practitioner. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates the manufacturing of acupuncture needles. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, “few complications from the use of acupuncture have been reported to the FDA, in light of the millions of people treated each year.”

Many insurance companies now offer policies that cover acupuncture.

To find a qualified practitioner, look for “L.Ac.” (the standard abbreviation for licensed acupuncturist) after their name. The licensing exam tests a practitioner’s ability to assess the patient, form a diagnosis and provide acupuncture treatment. The process starts with an exam with questions about a patient’s pain and overall function followed by an evaluation of possible points to place the needles.

Acupuncture treatments last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour – and may require multiple visits over several hours.

Like any medicine, acupuncture is not one size fits all. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine says “people experience acupuncture differently.”

However, acupuncture is an effective internal medicine. Whether it improves sleep or aids those fighting drug addiction, it could be seen as “complimentary” rather than “alternative” health care with its widespread and wide-ranged use.

By Anthony Cave for Hill Park Medical Center

Hill Park Medicine Center has an Acupuncture Clinic in Petaluma and recently opened Hill Park West, a Sebastopol Acupuncture Clinic.

by Sara Thyr, N.D.

It’s not an easy question. Most of us know that there is a relationship between sun exposure and skin cancer. But how many know about the problems inherent in many of the lotions that are on the market – there to supposedly limit damage to our skin?

What if the products you were buying and lathering on your face and the skin of your family contained chemicals that when exposed to sunlight actually broke down into compounds that can cause cancer? What if they contained chemicals that could disrupt normal hormonal function? But the government is there to help keep us safe, isn’t it? Unfortunately, the FDA has not made a final ruling on standards for sunscreens for the past 32 years. Proposed standards would require manufacturers to provide proof of their safety, UVA and UVB protection, and waterproof stability if those claims were made.

Research found on the website of the Environmental Working Group shows that 60% of sunscreens in the US contain oxybenzone as the active ingredient, to prevent burning and sun damage to skin. What the purveyors of these products do not tell you is that oxybenzone, which may be easier to apply to the skin than mineral sunscreens – like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide – is absorbed into the skin in large amounts, potentially causing allergic reactions and hormone disruption. Researchers now recommend that oxybenzone not be used on children.

Vitamin A is a wonderful antioxidant and has been shown to beneficially reduce free radical damage when taken internally or applied to the skin in night creams. But using Vitamin A in sunscreen has potentially carcinogenic effects. So rather than preventing skin cancer, it actually may be contributing to it. Look for “retinol palmitate” as it is sometimes called on labels.

Much safer products are on the market now. But you have to be willing to do some research and read some labels. The biggest issue with the labels is that most of them have many ingredients. And most of the ingredients are unknown and unpronounceable by the general public.

But here is a good point. We know that our skin is a great delivery vehicle for medications, right? Why else would there be patches for quitting smoking, birth control and other medications? We do absorb substances readily through our skin. And yet we assume that the skin care industry, which is largely unregulated, has our best health at heart. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it’s not true. We live in a great capitalistic society, and they want to make money. Many of the chemicals and fragrances that are added to make them appealing are very unhealthy.

I don’t expect you to go out and get a degree in chemistry to understand all of this. Here are a few hints to help:

• More is not better. Aim for labels with fewer ingredients – not so many that you are weary to read all of them.
• Familiar is good! If it sounds like a strange chemical that you can’t even pronounce, you might want to think twice about it.
• “Baby” in the name does NOT mean it is safe for kids! (or anyone else for that matter!)
• Don’t assume that there is someone knowledgeable at your health food store who prevents the dangerous ones from being put on the shelves.
• Mineral sunscreens – zinc oxide or titanium dioxide – provide physical barriers to the sun yet are not absorbed into the skin.
• Check www.ewg.org to see if your sunscreen is safe, or to find one that is (as well as read more in-depth research on sunscreen ingredients).
• Use other protective barriers against the sun, such as clothing, hats, and umbrellas. And avoid being in the noonday sun when the UV rays are potentially most damaging.

We all love this surge in warm weather and ability to spend some time outside. Spring and summer are a wonderful time for enjoying nature. Soak up your summer rays safely.

Sara Thyr, ND

Willowbend Natural Medicine

405 D Street, Suite 1,

Petaluma, CA 94952

707-780-6033

www.DrThyr.com

It is common wisdom in our culture that we think with our heads and feel with our bodies — very often in the abdomen, especially that “kick in the gut” feeling. This “emotional” area, however, is also the crossroads between mind and body, making it half mind and half body.

For instance, serotonin — a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) necessary for emotional equilibrium — is almost entirely manufactured in the intestinal tract. In fact, every neurotransmitter found in the brain can also be found in the intestinal tract. This makes it, in essence, a second or “inner” brain and, thus, a bridge between the logical, practical, deductive mind and the expressive world of our emotional lives.

A brief review of other healing traditions shows us that the belief in a “Second Brain” or “Inner Mind,” is not new. In Asia, several healing methods call this the “Dan Tien,” an energy center located near the belly button. Various schools of acupuncture and martial arts focus their work from this region.

Author Christopher Markert, in his book “Dan Tien, Your Secret Energy Center,” explains that that the “Outer Mind” is the thinking or conscious mind that “deals with the environment and solves external problems,” while the “Inner Mind” is largely unconscious and maintains “metabolism, digestion, growth, healing and reproduction.” The “Inner Mind” lives in the “Dan Tien” and has an influence on the rest of the body.

The “Inner Mind” can serve as a biofeedback mechanism for us. If we harbor negative emotions or poor attitudes, tension will manifest in the abdomen as an unpleasant sensation.

That tension could also result in numerous digestive upsets such as diarrhea, constipation, ulcers, colitis or hiatal hernias. Conversely, the strength of our “digestive fire” can reveal much about our emotions. Any tension in the abdomen may be a signal from within that something is awry in our emotional or spiritual lives. And poor dietary choices and the resultant toxicity can produce pain and discomfort in the “Dan Tien,” eventually disturbing our mental equilibirum.

Referring to the same area, Thuron Dumont in his book, “The Solar Plexus,” says that this nerve center is “the great central storehouse of nervous energy or life force for the total person.” Anatomists have long referred to this locale as “Solar Plexus” or “Abdominal Brain” because of the vast number of nerve connections there. It instinctively repairs and renews all health conditions as well as it can without any awareness on our part and is not reachable with our intellect or reasoning. The “Outer Mind” can perceive the state of this “Inner Mind” only by the gut feelings we all get continuously – if we pay attention.

However you like refer to it: “Second Brain,” “Inner Mind,” “Dan Tien,” “Solar Plexus” or “Abdominal Brain,” this region is the repository of nature’s healing energies as well as the home of our emotional lives. Since it innately guides us to what is true and right for each of us — if we do not block its messages — the potential for self-healing and for maintaining health is enormous.

Self-Help for Stress Reduction

1. Soft Belly Meditation*

2. Relaxation Response Exercises*

3. Slant Board Exercises*

4. Castor Oil Packs*

5. Neuro-Vascular Dynamics*

For additional information concerning these and other body cleansing methods, please contact our office.

Dr. Friedman graduated from the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic in 1975. He uses gentle neurological and muscle relaxation methods to promote self-healing.

For more information visit  www.FriedmanChiro.Com.

This article could better be named, “What I learned from Aesculapius, the God of Medicine and Healing”. It was reading about the history of medicine that brought me to a new level of healing. I believe anyone who follows the steps prescribed by Aesculapius in the first Grecian Healing Temples could help you in your own healing.

I had broken four of the bones in my neck and was the first to survive the injury and the subsequent surgery without paralysis. The doctors said that my mere survival was a healing. However, I felt far from healed. I went from being an active 18 year old to a disabled teen on pain pills. I looked long and hard for something or someone to heal me. Each practitioner or method contributed in some way but I knew something was missing.

When I read of the first healing temples and the methods they employed to create wellness, I applied them to myself. In every situation, whether it is a minor emotional issue that needs healing or a major physical ailment, these methods proved to be effective. I hope you can use them in your own life.

The first step for beginning the healing journey established by Aesculapius of ancient Greece, required one to set the Intention and take action. The healing temple was on a mountain. The trip to the temple had to be made on one’s own two feet. One could not be carried up the mountain, not even on a stretcher. This requirement is about making a commitment. Once a true commitment is made, the doors open to make the way clear.

I realized that the healing I was wanting from my chronic pain and restricted movement had to come from me. I made a commitment to begin the healing by getting clean and healthy. No more pain pills, meat, or any other substance. It was my walk up the mountain. I did not know where it would take me, just like we never know where our intentions can take us. They usually far exceed what we imagine if we allow ourselves to stay the course.

Back at the healing temple of the God of Medicine and Healing, once a person arrives at the top of the mountain, they are required to go to the pools. They go to bathe and to submerge themselves in the waters. The act of bathing has a two-fold symbol. Water represents the emotions or the subconscious thoughts. We must be willing to look at our beliefs in order to heal. Bathing is symbolic of cleansing oneself of that which is no longer serving.

For my healing I had to go to look at the belief that I was a victim. Just because I was hit by a drunk driver didn’t mean I was a victim. I had to take responsibility for my part and take control of my life. That meant I had to see the Good that was a result of the accident that broke my neck. This was one of the hardest things to do. It meant that I not only had to forgive the person who had hit me, but I had to get to a place of being sincerely grateful for all that had come about as a result of it. Changing beliefs, especially when we know we are “right” can be difficult to say the least.

The willingness to explore the underlying emotions blends into the next step required at the Temple. One had to bring a worthy offering. Aesculapius did not charge for his services. Nor did his daughters, Hygiea and Panacea, charge for theirs. One had to bring a gift comparable to the healing desired. For example, if one desired a healing of huge proportion they would bring a cow and not a chicken. What would you bring for giving? Would you invest fully in the healing you desired or would you hold back? Without judging, just notice.

There is one thing that we hold onto dearly. We value it more than money, time, or even our first born. The thing we hold on to most are our opinions. If the gift you were willing to bring was a belief that was holding you back, that would get you a HUGE healing.

The next steps required at the Healing Temple were seemingly social but very important. It was required to read the testimonials of people who had healed and talk to others about their healing. This demonstrates the power of community and allowing others to support you. Even back then, the healing power of support was recognized.

After reading the testimonials and talking to fellow patients, they would go off to Comedy Night. Theater was a very important part of the healing process. Laughter stimulates endorphin production, the body’s most powerful pain killer and immune system enhancer.

It is said that angels fly because they take themselves lightly. Laughing at oneself or the circumstance can be freeing. Whenever I am feeling pain, or even just stiff, all I have to do is laugh and I feel so much better. You can either find something to laugh at, such as a pet, or force a laugh and within seconds the laugh will be hardy and spontaneous.

After the evening of theater and laughter, the patients would go to a sleeping chamber where snakes would be awaiting their arrival. The snakes were believed to have the answers and they would be whispered to you in the night. This last step in healing required that one truly face their fears. With this interpretation, the biggest fear could be listening to the “inner voice” that the snake represented. I know that for my own healing, it took courage to listen to my inner wisdom. I was so used to listening to authority figures that I had no idea what I believed.

The snakes at the Healing Temple of Aesculapius gave rise to the medical symbol with the caduceus. The snakes on the caduceus are the snakes that would whisper the answer to create the healing.

Before leaving the Healing Temple, patients were guided to see Hygiea and Panacea for recommendations on diet and life style.
The fact that medicine is given out last is because the healing has to happen within first. If you desire to have a true healing it must be recognized as a journey. The journey can be taken many times in a life time for many different conditions. When we look at the healing methods employed by the God of Medicine and Healing, we can see that they apply to us today in our own quest for experiencing wholeness.

1. We must make a commitment or set the intention (walk the path up the mountain)
2. We must be willing to explore our emotions and let them go (bathe in the waters)
3. We must be willing to give up something of value and usually it is a judgment or opinion. What we give is really about what we are willing to “for-give”. (Placing the offering)
4. We must be willing to let in support and laugh at ourselves (read testimonials and talk to others. Go to comedy night or theater).
5. We must be willing to move beyond our fears and listen to our wisdom within (go to the sleeping chambers where snakes whisper the answer to healing).
6. Take the steps necessary to have our life support our healing (take the medicine of Hygeia and Panacea).

This six-part plan has been a guideline for me in healing many issues. I hope it can guide you. There is a mystical quality about following a healing plan that was founded by the God of Medicine and Healing. We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before, making the healing we receive from the practice of the methods even more powerful. Many Blessings on your Journey.

Rev. Dr. Josephine Smith

Josephine is the founder of the Community for Spiritual Living, Petaluma. She is a chiropractic neurologist and practices at the well being center at the Community for Spiritual Living along with many other healthcare providers. She is also the minister of the Spiritual Community with celebratory services at 10:30 on Sunday.

S-L-O-W…. slow food, slow money, slow parenting, slow travel, slow art and slow body movements are just a few examples of a new trend which Wikipedia defines as a cultural shift toward slowing down life’s pace. Our current life style is hurried, busy, with lots to do.  Our advances in technology continue to speed us down the fast lane.  This isn’t necessarily all bad but we do need balance and the slow movement may have much to offer.

Moving our bodies slowly with awareness through such modalities as tai chi, qi gong, yoga and the Feldenkrais Method® have been shown to be beneficial for dealing with stress.  There are also a growing number of pain clinics and Integrative Health centers that offer slow movement, awareness-based modalities for pain including pain caused by cancer and cancer treatments, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions. “Some experts suggest that these slow methods…increase the parasympathetic relaxation response which in turn reduces the stress response, promotes immune function that inhibits inflammation and stimulates healing…Slow movement is like Slow Food in which all acts related to eating – shopping, preparing, ingesting, and digesting – are done with awareness and presence.” (Slow Movement with Awareness: Better than Exercise? by Alan Fogel)

The Feldenkrais Method® group classes called Awareness Through Movement® is slow movement. In these classes you are encouraged to move slowly, to take time to feel how you are moving and assimilate it. The movement sequences that are taught are unusual or novel.  This encourages you to break free from the habitual ways that you move.  It also encourages you to feel how you are moving in order to become aware of yourself.

Moving slowly also allows you to notice if you are using unnecessary effort, what I refer to as parasitic action.  A simple example of this might be holding your breath while you are learning a new movement or activity, or even tightening your jaw, or clenching your fist.

Research and evidence suggest that it is not only moving slowly that is beneficial—but it is moving slowly with awareness. Awareness of how we act is essential if we are to change.  The Awareness Through Movement® aspect of the Feldenkrais Method® helps us to actually use movement to become aware of our thinking, sensations, feelings and how we move (It’s not Awareness OF Movement, but Awareness THROUGH Movement).  The way we act/move can change once we are aware of what we are doing.  That was one of the brilliant realizations of Moshe Feldenkrais over 50 years ago that led to the development of the Feldenkrais Method®. With ample research now supporting this understanding, perhaps the Slow Movement Movement is ready to gather momentum.

Kathy James is a Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner, in private practice in Petaluma.

Email:  kathytjames@att.net or  www.kjamesfeldenkrais.com

Yoga can change your life! It helps you feel better if you are depressed, anxious, tired, bothered by low back pain, addicted to drugs, etc. It can help you live better with problems like arthritis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or HIV/AIDS. It can bring relief if you suffer temporary symptoms such as tension headaches, hot flashes, or sinus pressure. As Dr. Timothy McCall states in his book, Yoga as Medicine, “Yoga is quite simply the most powerful system of overall health and well-being I have ever seen.”

This comprehensive system of health care can reduce stress, increase flexibility, improve balance, promote strength, heighten cardiovascular conditioning, lower blood pressure, reduce overweight, strengthen bones, prevent injuries, lift mood, improve immune function, increase the oxygen supply to the tissues, heighten sexual functioning, foster psychological equanimity, and promote spiritual well-being. Want to hear more?

Yoga is all about balance. Using the techniques of various stretching, breathing, movement, balance, meditative, and strength practices, the practice of Hatha Yoga provides a challenge wherever you need it. Break down the word Hatha and you see the innate method for creating balance in your life. ‘Ha’ means Sun, ‘Tha’ means moon and it is indicative of the bringing together of opposites into balance or wholeness. (Specifically, the balance between strength and flexibility, between effort and ease, between the understanding of form and formlessness.)

Use this systematic technology regularly and you will experience improvement to the physical body, deeper understanding of the mind and a freedom to the spirit. The purpose of yoga is to deepen self awareness. Through a greater understanding of yourself and how you respond and operate in the world you can make great strides in choices you make that not only impact your own health, but affect your relationships with others. The regular practice of yoga works with habit patterns that have previously developed that may be undermining your heath and well-being (samskaras), and you efficiently forge new neural pathways and strengthen new patterns that support the change you desire for yourself.

Yoga is generally quite safe if you find the right style and teacher for your needs. Sometimes it takes experimenting a few times, trying a few classes to find what really fits for you , but when you do, you will understand this response from Deb when asked to comment on how she feels about her yoga practice.  “Yoga feels good. I always feel better after my yoga class than I did when I started, it never fails. I feel lighter, freer, recharged and ready to face my daily life. I have experienced a profound change to my sense of well-being since starting yoga.”

Jean Grant Sutton is the owner of Bodyworks Integrative Yoga and Stress Management Center. www.Bodyworksyoga.com or 707-769-9933.

Have you heard that spring and fall are ideal times to do a cleanse? In the spring, new buds signal a time of growth, and people are inspired to do spring-cleaning. In the fall, as the growth season winds to a close, a cleanse is an ideal way to prepare for winter, the holidays and hibernation.

A bi-annual detox is a welcome addition to one’s healthcare regimen.

If you are living on this planet, even under the best of circumstances, you are exposed to toxins. They are present in many situations, and we easily absorb them into our bodies. Toxins are prevalent in pollution, and in average automobile exhaust. Just driving your car or walking down the street can add to your toxic burden. Everything from our food and medications, to our homes and personal care products, such as lotions and aftershave, can add toxins to our bodies.

People come to do a detox for a variety of reasons: hormonal symptoms – such as PMS or perimenopause, skin issues, fatigue, headaches, infertility, autoimmune disorders, elevated cholesterol, and a variety of inflammatory disorders. Once people are aware of the many toxins in our environment, even those who eat organic and keep their cleaning products as clean as possible, often want to detoxify a couple of times/year as a good preventative strategy.

Organs in our bodies that assist us in detoxification on a daily basis include the liver, lungs, kidneys, digestive tract, and skin.

Many of the over-the-counter detoxification kits include intestinal cathartics – even natural ones – like senna and cascara – which can induce explosive bowel action, cramping and discomfort in many people. Having optimal digestive function is critical for proper elimination and detoxification, but this type of abrasive action is not recommended. (If someone is continually constipated, then they likely need a detox more than most people, since their detoxification action in the digestive tract is limited. They may benefit from cathartics, but should use them only in the short term. Constipation can be resolved by treating underlying causes, not just depending on laxatives.)

While all of the organs of detoxification are important for optimal health, focusing on the liver and assuring excellent elimination makes the most sense. The liver is really the powerhouse of detoxification in the body. Most medications have to pass through the liver in order to be eliminated. Our liver function affects our hormones and our ability to clear other toxins to which we are exposed.

An ideal plan for detoxification includes diet changes, such as eliminating alcohol and caffeine, sugar, refined carbohydrates and any known food allergens.

Supplements that may be helpful will provide nutrients and herbs for liver support and a fiber source to improve elimination.

Saunas, steams and massage will also aid in the body’s detoxification process.

The type of cleanse that is best for an individual will depend on their symptoms and their goals.

Dr. Thyr is the founder of Willowbend Natural Medicine in Petaluma. She has been practicing naturopathic medicine for over 10 years. More information can be found at http://www.DrThyr.com.

NAET treatment can be particularly effective for treating children. Many parents are reluctant to use allopathic medicines to treat their children, and want an alternative that is not only effective but also safe.

NAET is a system of treatment designed to treat all types of allergies. It combines applied kinesiology or muscle testing, with concepts taken from acupuncture (see previous blogs February 12^th and 20^th 2010). Diagnosis and treatment are simple, yet highly effective for treating many different forms of allergies. The system was developed by Dr. Devi Nambudripad  who is an M.D. an acupuncturist and a chiropractor. She named the treatment Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Therapy or NAET.

Treating Very Young children

Infants and very young children are unable to muscle test, so in these cases another person, usually a parent, acts as a surrogate do the testing. So long as the child is touching the adult, the muscle testing will show how the child is responding to the item being held.

Responses To Treatment

Most children respond very well to treatment. I believe this is due to the fact that the length of time they have been unwell is short and the pattern of disharmony has not had a long time to get established. The NAET system works equally well for children and adults and can help resolve a wide range of illnesses. This includes seasonal allergies or hayfever, food allergies, environmental allergies to chemicals etc. Today there are so many more chemicals in our food and our environment that simply did not exist 40 or 50 years ago. Research has shown that these substances are present in womb while the fetus is developing and may be one of the reasons why illnesses such as asthma, diabetes and ADD are reaching such alarmingly high levels.

Autism

A lot of media attention has been directed to the startling rise of autism. There is a good deal of controversy about the causes, but clearly some aspect of modern life is affecting hundreds of thousands of young children and altering their health in tragic ways. Many practitioners of both allopathic and alternative health believe that the onset of autism could be connected to immunization. My clinical experience supports that in some cases this may very well be the cause, or at least a major contributing factor.

Treatment with NAET can help reverse the negative effects of immunization.  When this is combined with the treatment of other allergens, particularly food allergens, children can be helped to regain their health and vitality.

Ian Rawlinson L.Ac. has practiced Chinese medicine in Petaluma for 25 years.

www.rawlinsonacupuncture.com

The asanas (poses or body movements) that are done here in the West at gyms, yoga studios, hospitals, and other settings are just one part out of eight of an ancient system designed to increase awareness of our interconnectedness with all things, support high-quality relationships, and bestow us with optimal health and well-being.  Asana is the part that deals directly with body movements, the other parts work with our mind, breath, perception and intention.

The other components of the eight parts include 5 yama (restraints), 5 niyama (observances), pranayama (breathing exercises), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), dharana (focused concentration), dhyana (meditation), Samadhi (blissful feelings).

The yama describe ways of behavior that we can cultivate within ourselves that will help us attain the fullness of what a yoga practice has to offer.

These include 1) ahimsa- do no harm to self or others, 2) satya- be truthful and honest with self and others, 3) asteya- do not steal or take things that are not yours, 4) bramacharya- moderation in all things, 5) aparigraha- don’t take or use more than you need – don’t be greedy.

The niyama describe ways to treat ourselves that supports the journey of yoga practice.

1) saucha-cleanliness , simplicity within and without,  2) santosha – encouraging contentment with the way things are, 3) tapas- discipline and commitment, 4) svadhyaya- self study, introspection and study of spiritual wisdom,  and 5) Ishvarapranidhana- reverence and honoring of that which is the source of being.

These other components can be highlighted and brought into awareness while a yoga student is doing an asana practice to develop and enrich the yoga experience so that it has the projected result that is described in the “Yoga Sutras of Patanjali”

These are codified thoughts and knowledge of yoga compiled as 195 sutras (aphorisms) that are a blueprint for incorporating the science of yoga into your life. It is estimated that these sutras were put into written word somewhere between 200 B.C. and 200 A.D.

At times the presentation of yoga in the West  is as physical fitness only, even though the outcome of a regular yoga practice is tremendous health and well being at the physical level. What seems to be missing is the acknowledgement in the main stream that yoga is a path of awakening to our interconnectedness with all things. Union, joining together, is the definition of the word Yoga, and it refers to an open inquiry that is done through the body/mind of what it means to be a human being on this planet Earth.

As the awareness of how our own body (all the separate systems, parts, molecules, cells, bones, muscles, work together as a whole for optimal functioning and well being) grows through the asana and breathing practices it has the capacity to deepen an understanding and caring about how our cultures and civilization can work together for the whole to create optimal functioning and well being on our planet.

I am glad that yoga has migrated to the West and become a main stream popular past time for so many because I do believe that even doing yoga in the gym or just for fitness is the beginning to opening up and evolving peoples perception, sensitivity and consideration of self and planet in the long run.

The essence of yoga is consciousness, not a pretzel pose or a headstand or an arm balance.

Jean Grant-Sutton is director of BodyWorks Integrative Yoga and Stress Management.

Jean Grant-Sutton

Director-BodyWorks-Integrative Yoga and Stress Management Center

490 2nd St

Petaluma Ca 94952

707-769-9933

www.bodyworksyoga.com

If you ask most green building consultants about their top priority, energy efficiency typically rolls off their tongue like oil over a wetland. Sadly, many people buy simple energy efficiency measures at the expense of their own health, and as their energy bills decrease their medical bills skyrocket because of exposure to mold and other harmful indoor pollutants. The green building movement must learn to reach their energy efficiency goals without compromising occupant health.

American buildings gobble up approximately 70% of our total electricity pie, and spit out roughly 39% of our CO2 emissions – so energy efficiency is a no joke priority. Our buildings need a serious diet and lifestyle change.

When people need to make such an extreme change they are encouraged to see a physician. But when buildings are expected to change dramatically more people are comfortable hiring Bubba (sorry, I’m from Austin) and expecting lower utility bills without any negative side effects. It’s like asking America’s Biggest Loser to go on a Gandhi-style hunger strike… and then being surprised when he dies of starvation. Energy efficiency is critically important, but it must be done responsibly and with proper supervision.

Space heating and cooling take up the biggest chunks of our energy pie, so here are two examples that painfully illustrate my point. Ask Bubba, “what can I do to green my house?” “Air sealing!” he exclaims without pause. Bubba is part of the “cash-for-caulkers” program and he knows that it’s crazy to condition (heat or cool) air and then let it escape the building through small holes and cracks. He proceeds to seal every nook and cranny in sight, and soon enough the home is sealed like a zip-lock bag.

The owner notices energy bills begin to drop… but wait… over  winter a strange musty odor develops and green (for literary sake) spots appear on some windowsills and walls. This never happened before. Little Suzy starts wheezing at night and is eventually diagnosed with asthma, and Junior gets a strange ear infection that just won’t quit. It’s not a coincidence. Bubba’s air sealing regimen unintentionally created a perfect habitat for mold growth. How’s that for green building?

A second family wanting lower energy bills decides to go with a fancier company that performs building diagnostics. The contractor shows up with a “blower door” that quantifies the amount of air leakage in the home. He closes all windows and covers the vents and puts a powerful fan in the door. The fan sucks an enormous amount of air from cracks and holes in the building, pulling air through crawlspaces, attics, and wall cavities, and ultimately into the home. The building becomes a big vacuum, and microscopic mold spores, asbestos fibers, or other nasty particulates that were once behind walls are pulled into the occupied portion of the home. Little Suzy or Junior may wind up in the hospital with an asthma attack.

We routinely recommend air sealing and blower door testing as tools in retrofitting existing buildings for energy efficiency and improved Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). But they must be used responsibly. Buildings, like people, are complex organisms that require whole-systems solutions and not simple one-stop-solutions.

Don’t grow a green building without good IAQ. Energy efficiency is one of many priorities for our built environment, but occupant health must remain priority numero uno. As a reminder to contractors pushing e-efficiency over all else, I like to quote the anti-smoking motto, “when you can’t breathe, nothing else matters.” (period)

Alex Stadtner is a Healthy Homes Specialist <http://www.neha.org/credential/HHS/>  and certified Building Biology Environmental Consultant <http://buildingbiology.net/certs.php?cat_id=18>  headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area. Stadtner founded Healthy Building Inspections LLC <http://www.HealthyBuildingInspections.com>  which offers green building consulting and environmental testing services to help families create healthier habitats.”