SPRING VALLEY, Wis. — The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) hosts its 23rd Annual Organic Farming Conference Feb. 23-25 at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, Wis.

The annual Organic Farming Conference (OFC) is the nation’s largest and foremost educational and networking event for the organic farming community.

The farmer-centered OFC will feature more than 65 informative workshops, 160-plus exhibitors, nationally-known keynote speakers, and locally-sourced food and live entertainment. MOSES expects attendance to be about 3,000 farmers and agricultural professionals.

Held Thursday, Feb. 22, prior to the OFC, the Organic University will offer 10 full-day courses about various organic agriculture topics for novices and experts alike.

“We’re really focused on farmer-to-farmer education and networking at our conference,” said Conference Co-Director Chris Blanchard.

Keynote speakers

Two nationally-recognized authorities are featured presenters at the OFC.

Friday, Feb. 23, Margaret Krome, policy program director of the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, will present “Growing Food, Health and Democracy: How Farmers, Activists and Consumers are Finding Our Power and Transforming the Food System.”

Saturday, Feb. 24, Heinz Award-winning filmmaker Curt Ellis will present a rich multi-media presentation titled “Growing Forward: The New Faces of Food and Farming.” King Corn filmmaker Ellis is co-founder of FoodCorps.

Organic Farmer of the Year

MOSES also will announce and feature the 2012 Organic Farmer of the Year Award recipient. The award is granted annually to an outstanding organic farmer or farm family who are innovators; who excel in managing farm resources; and who serve as educators and examples in their communities and to the next generation of organic farmers.

Young Organic Stewards

Young people have always been at the heart of the OFC. The Young Organic Stewards program recognizes, honors and supports the next generation of organic farmers through targeted workshops and social activities.

Attendance details

Cost to attend the conference is $195, which includes breakfast, lunch, snacks, workshops, general sessions, admission to the exhibit hall and evening entertainment. Supper is available at the conference for $15 for adults.

The fee for the in-depth Organic University sessions Thursday, Feb. 22, is $170.

The deadline for OFC and Organic University advance registration is Monday, Feb. 13. Walk-ins will be accepted after that for an added fee.

Numerous events will be offered for children and teens throughout the conference, including childcare as well as discounted meals and attendance fees.

For more information, call MOSES at (715) 778-5775 or visit http://mosesorganic.org/conference.html.

From the Feb. 1-7, 2012, issue

Earlier this month, The New York Times published a dramatic and misinformed article sensationalizing the disconnect between the claims of yoga as a healing practice and the occurrence of injury among yoga practitioners. Distorted and incorrect information aside, the article made a point that elicited a lot of discussion and reaction within the greater yoga community. What is the “yoga” we are practicing? And, before we blame yoga as a whole, can we first consider that in many ways we aren’t practicing yoga at all?

For many in the West, asanas (poses) are considered “yoga,” though they are merely one aspect of an eight-limbed practice. When exercising our physical body for any reason, including in asana, we pose a risk of injury. Injury in asana can happen for many reasons, including lack of knowledge and guidance, distraction, and/or the pressure to do more from our own ego or overeager teacher. It is only when asana is practiced within the full eight limbs of yoga (Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi), with discipline and awareness, that a practice can truly be called yoga and offer the possibility of the healing we may seek. A focus only on asana, whether positive or negative, can create a distorted view of this very vast subject.

Yoga teaches us to study ourselves, so we must look at our practice and the environment we have created for the study of this profound discipline. The boom in yoga popularity has brought about an immense increase in practitioners and a demand for more instructors, many of whom end up not having much more experience than the students they teach. Yoga is offered widely in gyms with music pumping, heat turned up, and movements as fast as aerobic steps, becoming just another workout where the purpose is to sweat more, go longer and push harder.

Advertising bombards us with each “new and improved” yoga style — tweaked for someone’s personal preference — so we forget that yoga has a long tradition and philosophy with more than physical improvement or ego-gratification at its core. By definition, yoga’s fundamental purpose is to “still the fluctuations of the consciousness” (Yoga Sutra I.2). While popular media sell yoga as an easy cure-all characterized by sweating away in fashionable yoga-wear and committing to the latest food fad, the texts of yoga describe a disciplined life-practice that brings about mental focus and personal transformation.

After spending time in India and encountering personally the more than 70-year dedicated life-practice of BKS Iyengar, I am humbled by how little we understand the subject of yoga. The Iyengar method taught in the West, as with all Hatha Yoga traditions, begins with asana and the body as a tool to focus the mind. Detailed instruction of alignment in asana, a hallmark of the Iyengar tradition, is an exercise in discernment on the physical level, but is not only for physical benefit. This focus and discipline in asana sharpens mental acuity and aligns the body energetically. With diligent practice, it creates a pathway of increased awareness that moves to deeper levels of our being.

The Iyengars remind us that practice limited to poses assumed in the classroom cannot be called yoga. BKS Iyengar himself does not claim to teach “Iyengar Yoga” (a term coined by his students), but stresses Patanjali Yoga, the full eight-limbed path of yoga as laid out in the Yoga Sutras. He challenges us, like Patanjali’s writings have done for thousands of years, to study ourselves and practice the full breadth of yoga without distraction to be successful in a quest for inner peace.

Being conscious of and honest with ourselves about what we have done to yoga will guard us from false expectations and over-reactions. If we only don the clothes, eat the veggies and contort ourselves into countless poses, we can’t blame yoga for our injuries. Asana is a great choice for developing physical strength, balance and flexibility, and a well-trained teacher may help to minimize our risk of injury. But only yoga practiced in its entirety with uninterrupted devotion, discipline and awareness (Yoga Sutra I.14) offers the opportunity for transformation and healing on every level.

For more information about Pranayama Yoga Studio, visit www.yogarockford.com or call (815) 968-9642.

From the Jan. 25-31, 2012, issue

Brenda Richter

By Brenda Richter

Everyone knows it’s healthy to eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day. That isn’t a new concept. The raw food diet simply suggests these foods should be most of what we eat.

When you prepare fruits, vegetables and other natural ingredients without cooking, you preserve the maximum nutrition in these foods. You don’t have to eat 100 percent raw or even be a vegetarian to get started. Anyone can enjoy improved health and vitality by eating at least 50 percent raw foods.

“Raw” does mean uncooked, or unheated, but it also means food in its natural, or “raw,” state. Raw food is food that is unprocessed, unrefined and untreated with heat. The three main raw food groups are fresh fruits, vegetables (particularly green leafy vegetables) and natural fats.

Where do you get your protein and calcium? It’s all right here in raw foods.

Many people are too acidic, which causes many of our illnesses, ailments and diseases. People on the Standard American Diet (SAD) consume too many acidic foods, which many times is the cause of society’s health issues.

Come to a free “Why Raw?” talk and learn about the following:

• The effects of heat and cooking on proteins, fats, micro-nutrients and enzymes;

• The raw food groups;

• Where you get your protein;

• Food combining for better digestion;

• How to maintain your ideal weight;

• How to adapt to a raw food diet;

• How to make raw food prep easy;

• Increase your stamina and energy;

• The lack of nutrients in the SAD; and

• How to prevent and/or reverse degenerative diseases, illnesses and ailments.

Brenda Richter is a graduate of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, where she received her certification as a Raw Culinary Arts associate chef and instructor. She’s passionate about sharing the living foods lifestyle with others, and teaches raw culinary arts classes in the Rockford area.

From the Jan. 18-24, 2012, issue

The OSF Saint Anthony Center for Health Fitness, 5510 E. State St., is offering group fitness classes at the following times and dates in January 2012. The fee for any of the classes is $5 for an all-day pass to attend any or all of the classes offered that day. The monthly fee is $30 per month with automatic withdrawal with a credit card; $35 cash or check per month; or $25 Corporate rates to attend an unlimited number of classes and to use the fitness center facility.

Edge, a class designed to enhance athletic performance, is offered from 4 to 5 p.m., on Mondays and Wednesdays. The program helps athletes improve their speed, agility, power and strength.

Body Combat, an empowering cardio workout, is held from 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This highly energetic program is inspired by the martial arts and draws from a range of disciplines, including karate, boxing, Tae Kwon Do, Tai Chi and Muay Thai.

A Mini Body Combat is offered from 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Zumba, which fuses easy-to-follow moves with Latin rhythms to create a dynamic fitness program, is offered from 6 to 7 p.m. and from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays; from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; and from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays. The classes teach routines that include interval training with fast and slow rhythms. Resistance training and Latin zest are combined to tone and sculpt while burning fat.

Yoga, an all-level gentle yoga class, is offered from 6 to 7 p.m. on Mondays; 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays; and from 7:20 to 8:05 p.m. on Thursdays. The class helps participants increase flexibility and balance while relieving stress and promoting relaxation.

Tai Chi is held from 4 to 4:45 p.m. on Fridays. The class consists of a series of slow, graceful, circular movements that enhance strength, endurance and balance. People of all ages and abilities can improve their flexibility, decrease their stress and help make daily activities easier.

Qigong, which teaches slow, graceful movements to serve as an introduction to Tai Chi, is offered from 1:15 to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Balance, a group class that requires pre-registration, is held from 1 to 2 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. It is also offered from 9 to 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The class focuses on helping participants increase their stability and balance.

Advanced Balance, which helps participants who have completed the initial Balance class advance to a higher level, is held from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Pre-registration is required. Call (815) 395-4591 for registration.

“Loosen Up,” a full-body session designed to release muscle tension through stretching and flexibility movements, is offered from 10:30 to 11:10 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Body Pump, a class that combines cardio and strength training for a total body workout, is offered from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.

A Mini-Body Pump session is offered from 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Boot Camp is held from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. on Saturdays. Combining cardio and strength training for a total body workout, the class rotates between stations to provide maximum effort and calorie burning.

Golden Motion classes, which are geared toward those age 50 or older, are held from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The first part of the class offers cardio workouts through individual gym time on the treadmill, bike or Nu-step, and the second part is an instructor-led class for upper and lower body weight training, core work, balance and flexibility.

Senior Aerobics classes are held from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The low-impact aerobics class offers easy-to-follow moves, beginning with chair aerobics and ending with standing low-impact moves.

For information or for registration for the “Balance” and “Edge” classes, call the OSF Saint Anthony Center for Health Fitness at (815) 395-4591. The OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center website is www.osfsaintanthony.org.

From the Jan. 11-17, 2012, issue

University of Illinois Extension has launched a newly-revised website version of Recipes for Diabetes.

Today, 25.8 million children and adults in the U.S. — or 8.3 percent of the population — have diabetes. Because of the high incidence of this disease, U of I Extension offers this website with a variety of recipes with nutritional analysis for people with diabetes. More than 80 photographs have been added that show what each dish looks like.

These recipes have been either part of Illinois Extension’s Dining with Diabetes or Living Well with Diabetes programs, or have been featured in the Illinois Extension newsletter Diabetes Lifelines.

Each recipe also contains an approximate nutritional analysis for calories, protein, carbohydrate, fat, saturated fat, fiber, sodium and cholesterol. Exchanges have been calculated based on the exchange list of the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association. For those using the carbohydrate counting method of meal planning, carbohydrate units are also provided.

The site was developed by Karen Chapman-Novakofski, Extension specialist, Foods and Nutrition.

Visit the site at urbanext.illinois.edu/diabetesrecipes/.

From the Jan. 4-10, 2012, issue

A new year is upon us, and once again, we are faced with the resolutions and the excitement of the blank slate that lies ahead. For some reason, we feel that this time, this once-a-year time, is the only time (or maybe just the best time) to “start again.” However, it is actually in every moment and in every breath that we have the opportunity to start anew, to make a different decision, to react differently, to learn, to be aware, to change.

Yoga and many forms of meditation teach us to be “present” in each moment. And though that sounds nice, how do we actually achieve this? How do we create a situation where our awareness in each moment allows for the space and the “time” we need to act differently, to change our behavior, and maybe ultimately even change our mind? How can we look at each moment as a blank slate where anything is possible?

With yoga, we start at the most obvious and knowable level, the body. Any form of Hatha Yoga (Iyengar, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Anusara, etc…) uses the body as the first means of increasing awareness of movement and reaction in given and fixed situations (asanas). The asanas (poses) teach the mind to stay present, no matter what may be going on around us. We use Trikonasana (triangle pose) or Bhujangasana (cobra pose) to better align the pieces of the body into a more unified whole.

In stretching within the pose or struggling with limited strength, we experience physical difficulty or, perhaps, other obstacles. But ultimately, the work of yoga removes those obstacles, and unifies body, mind and breath.

Aligning body, mind and breath brings awareness to each movement in each moment. The mind draws away from outside distraction and becomes more present on the inside. “Advancement” in yoga is not moving toward more complicated positions, but developing the ability to be still in the simple positions over longer periods of time. (The more complex poses merely present more obstacles for us to encounter and overcome.) Historically, all asanas — no matter how complex — have one goal: to enable us to sit longer and more comfortably in meditation.

Yoga is often referred to as “mediation in action,” since it involves developing awareness and being present while still in motion. It offers the opportunity to experience our self within numerous small and controlled situations that then transfer, off the mat, to larger, more uncontrolled situations. This may not get us to the root of the mind, like sitting in meditation would. With yoga, there is still a connection to the outer body. However, yoga does prepare us to face our everyday lives with more confidence and presence of mind.

Once the outer and the inner body become firmly connected, and the mind becomes present with every breath, then the new opportunity that each moment holds becomes much more apparent. The same promise and potential we feel facing every new year becomes our reality within every breath. So, start again with the new year, but continue starting again with yoga.

For more information about Pranayama Yoga Studio, visit www.yogarockford.com or call (815) 968-9642.

From the Dec. 28, 2011-Jan. 3, 2012, issue

URBANA, Ill. — Where can you find chocolate goat cheese truffles, organic okra and Ginger Gold apples in the same place? The answer is www.foodmarketmaker.com, an online marketing resource that was created by a team from University of Illinois Extension and has grown to include almost 20 states.

MarketMaker was initially developed in 2004 to assist and educate livestock farmers on marketing strategies for value-added meat products. The current site has developed into a tool that can benefit everyone in the food supply chain, from farmers, to processors, distributors, retailers and the consumer looking for unique food products.

Since its inception, MarketMaker has grown to include profiles for more than 500,000 producers and other food-related businesses. Each state has its own unique site, but all sites access a common database. This allows users to conduct multi-state searches. MarketMaker’s interactive mapping capabilities provide the user with easy location of all businesses.

Large corporations such as Wal-Mart are utilizing this web-based instrument to find produce. Darlene Knipe, MarketMaker principal investigator and University of Illinois marketing specialist, said MarketMaker was able to provide training to buyers that were interested in local produce on how to use MarketMaker for fulfillment in their stores. Because of Wal-Mart, some farms in Illinois, such as Frey Farms Produce in Wayne County, are maximizing their business.

This past year, MarketMaker joined forces with the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC) to provide a region-wide tool to connect fisheries to markets as part of the economic recovery plan after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill of 2010. This accessible seafood section caught the attention of Louisiana when Louisiana State University launched MarketMaker as a means to assist a struggling shrimp and fishing industry after the oil spill.

Michigan is using MarketMaker to help connect producers with food banks to provide fruits and vegetables for those in need. Toril Fisher, director of Programs and Member Services for the Food Bank Council of Michigan, began using MarketMaker to identify farms within 50 miles of its member food banks’ warehouses, and proactively contracted with several of them to provide more than 600,000 pounds of produce through the Michigan Farm To Food Bank pilot program. More than 1 million people utilize these food banks and were able to have fresh produce with the help of MarketMaker and Fisher’s efforts.

Recently, Farm to School and MarketMaker united to link producers and educational institutions, giving farmers access to new markets through schools. The benefits are twofold — supplying local schools helps diversify the producers’ markets while students reap the benefits of healthy, flavorful, local foods.

“MarketMaker continues to grow and is a work in progress,” said Knipe. “We are adding new states every year, and are looking to diversify into more sectors such as horticulture, the timber industry and agritourism.”

Knipe said they are hoping to start work with the international market as well.

In 2010, National MarketMaker program was awarded the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Partnership Award for their work in providing consumers with better access to fresh, local foods and for helping farmers profit through a successful, multistate partnership.

The vision of MarketMaker is to be a national information technology platform that enables all food producers, processors, wholesalers and retailers electronic access to geographically referenced data. The platform will enhance the opportunity for food and agricultural entrepreneurs to identify and develop new and profitable markets, and improve the efficiency and profitability of food systems in the United States and, eventually, globally.

From the Dec. 21-27, 2011, issue

I am blessed to have celebrated another year cancer free. In 2000, I was told that I had breast cancer, and because of my belief system and my education, I personally could not do the chemical therapy and radiation. My oncologist told me that I would never see my son, Scott, graduate from high school if I did not do their treatments. I have been blessed to see Scott graduate not only from high school, but with his BFA and currently receiving his MFA.

My cancer was estrogen driven, as with many of my patients. Scientific studies have shown that many of the following symptoms and conditions may be caused by hormonal imbalance caused by high levels of estrogen. If you have ever come to see me, you will know that I preach and have information about why we should not eat soy. Soy is a phyto-estrogen, and high levels of soy will lead to breast and prostate cancer. To counteract high levels of estrogen, I suggest using a natural progesterone cream. Here are issues of an imbalance of estrogen/progesterone.

1. Breast tenderness

2. Cervical dysplasia

3. Decreased sex drive

4. Depression

5. Endometriosis

6. Fat gain around abdomen, hip and thighs

7. Fibrocystic breast 8. Fibroids

9. Hot flashes

10. Infertility

11. Insomnia

12. Irregular periods

13. Miscarriages

And on and on and on the list goes.

All estrogen without the balance of progesterone will increase cell proliferation, and to me, this is the precursor of cancer. If you have ever had a thermogram, you will see high levels of estrogen. Because of my breast cancer story, I only do thermography. In my case, for three years I felt a lump in my right breast, and my medical doctor told me that there was nothing there. The mammogram never picked up my breast tumor until it was 3 cm big. Because of this, I had to do my own research, and I then educated myself on thermograms. I found a medical doctor in Madison, Wis., who did thermograms, and I have been doing them ever since.

I truly believe if I would have done thermograms before I felt my lump, I could have balanced my estrogen/progesterone. Why am I so confident? After my breast cancer surgery, my medical doctor here in Rockford told me my left breast was fine. After doing a thermogram, I was so high in estrogen, I was an accident waiting to happen. I did think it was funny that my medical doctor told me that my left breast was fine when they never did an estrogen test. I also wondered why my medical doctor would only think my right breast could have high levels of estrogen. Another thing that I found interesting was that my surgeon suggested because I have a history of cancer in my family, I should remove both breasts. I then had to educate him on the fact that my ovaries are making the estrogen, not my breast, so I will keep an eye on my estrogen levels, and if there is an issue, I will remove my ovaries.

Let us look at why so many women need progesterone. When there is not a balance of estrogen/progesterone, this will cause EOS (estrogen overload syndrome). Every day we are living in a world where we are bombarded with estrogen — from birth control to hormone replacement therapy to synthetic chemicals, soy and so much more. Natural estrogen is produced by our body, xeno-estrogen is in our pesticides, plastics solvents, industrial waste and car exhaust. Estrogen is pumped into our livestock to make them grow faster and fatten them up, and phyto-estrogens are in our foods such as soy.

Doctors realized that there were problems with hormone imbalance, and to solve this issue, they started adding synthetic progesterone to birth control. But as we all know, the body cannot break this down, and it cannot be absorbed, which then causes serious side effects. These altered synthetic chemicals have been documented in the PDR (Physician’s Desk Reference), which includes blood pressure, blood clots, headaches, changes in libido, just to name a few. Natural progesterone works without any side effects. If you have a history of cancer in your family, you need to know what your estrogen levels are. You need to be proactive with your health. If you have concerns, and your doctor will not order this test, then, by all means, pay for it yourself. I carry hormonal kits in my office (both female and male), for we should all know what our hormonal panel is telling us. If I can help you with your hormonal issues, please feel free to call my office and talk to my Physician Assistant, Kay. She will be able to help you with any questions and concerns.

Dr. Julia Whipkey-Michniewicz is a Naturopathic Doctor who has an office in Rockford, Ill. You may reach her at (815) 962-3326.

From the Dec. 21-27, 2011, issue

Vernon Hershberger in July 2010. (Photo by Richard S. Gubbe)

By Richard S. Gubbe

Small farmers across the country, beware, your local authorities and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are out to put you out of business.

Raids have taken place against small farmers in Maine, Pennsylvania, Nevada, California and Wisconsin against farmers for a variety of reasons, including selling organic and raw foods, as well as the sale and distribution of raw milk.

While it is legal in Illinois to buy raw milk at a farm, protests have sprung up, including the raw milk protest held in Chicago last week without incident. A half-dozen mothers reportedly transported raw milk from Wisconsin to Chicago, where they accepted payment for some of the milk and passed out the rest to demonstrators protesting FDA regulations. A previous rally in Maryland was held without incident last month.

But while the peaceful rally was held in Independence Park in Chicago last week, Wisconsin farmer Vernon Hershberger was charged by the state’s Department of Justice with four counts, all misdemeanors, for laws he allegedly broke dating prior to July 2010. Also, Amish farmer Daniel Allgyer was arrested recently in Pennsylvania for selling raw milk in Maryland to a food club.

Why indiscriminately torment Mennonite and Amish farmers who run farm co-ops for organic foods and raw milk, you ask?

Simply put, this is a show of power by government agencies to thrust their mighty will upon the people. While the call for less government is heard over and over again at state and federal levels and promised in debates, state and federal governing bodies have found the time to impale small, organic farmers.

There is one member of Congress who is questioning the role of the FDA after a spate of raids from coast to coast.

Small farm and raw milk advocates have support from U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, who wrote in November to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg questioning the agency’s recent enforcement actions against small farmers while lauding their inaction against some raw milk advocates who have distributed their dairy products across state lines.

Pingree said she believed the FDA’s lack of action on individuals who purchase and transport raw milk is a “step in the right direction,” but she also “continues to have concerns about some of the practices of the FDA.”

In Pingree’s Nov. 18 letter, she wrote: “During tight budget times, it appears that the Agency has chosen to commit scarce resources to activities like farm raids and what many believe to be overly zealous enforcement of the ban on the interstate sale of raw milk. When consumers increasingly want to know where their food comes from and that it’s safe, why does the FDA choose to put so much energy into these enforcement activities aimed at small farmers? It also doesn’t make sense to me that, given the numerous food safety scares involving large-scale producers, resources are being diverted to prevent consumers from choosing the type of milk that they want to drink.”

How about more inspections of large processing plants to avert E-Coli outbreaks?

Hershberger has been fighting this fight for a while now, as reported in TRRT last week. Readers can find a YouTube video of the serving of the summons on his Sauk County farm by a county sheriff, even though the local law enforcement agency didn’t take the action.

“This shows why we, the common people, will have to stand up on our own instead of relying on the people who are supposed to have the power to give us justice,” Hershberger said.

The state charged him with a retail food violation between Aug. 6, 2009, and June 3, 2010, a raw milk producer violation between Feb. 15, 2010, and June 3, 2010, a dairy plant violation between Feb. 15, 2010, and June 3, 2010, and a “holding order” violation between June 2, 2010, and July 8, 2010. Hershberger ignored the raid and went back to business as usual of supplying small amounts of organic products to members, or in his view, fellow owners.

Hershberger has a Jan. 4 court date. The summons was signed by Wisconsin State Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen.

Pete Kennedy, an attorney for the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, told the Baraboo News Republic last week: “My question is: Where’s the injury here? It looks like the only injury that is going to occur is if he’s prevented from distributing … and people don’t get access to this food.”

Hershberger’s Grazin’ Acres farm in Loganville was raided soon after then-Gov. Jim Doyle (D) vetoed a bill that would have allowed for limited sales of raw milk in Wisconsin. State officials have said the case had nothing to do with the debate over raw milk, but rather a licensing spat.

Hershberger continues to distribute products and says consumers are leasing animals and consume the products derived from them, exempting him from state licensing requirements. The complaint makes no mention of his current arrangement, only the past, despite the fact current state law provides an exception for “incidental sales” of raw milk from farmer to consumer.

Hershberger has never laid claim to being a retailer.

Many state regulatory agencies and public health officials say raw milk exposes people to disease-causing pathogens. Advocates say pasteurized milk destroys enzymes, hormones and bacteria that have health benefits.

Why wasn’t he charged locally? Sauk County District Attorney Pat Barrett told the News Republic her decision to request a special prosecutor in the case, which she said has “statewide implications,” was because of caseload pressures, not politics.

“There is no reason for us to tackle a case that would be so time consuming when the AG’s office has such expertise and is ready and willing to assist,” she said.

Why the fuss by state and federal agencies over little farms, raw milk and organic foods?

Michael Taylor, deputy commissioner for foods at the FDA, was called out by Pingree for his past association as a lobbyist and a former executive of the Monsanto Corporation, which backs only large-scale farming.

Pingree said in her letter to the FDA: “There is a perception on the part of many people that it may be difficult for him to remain neutral on issues like local food issues, food sovereignty and food safety issues that reflect the scale of the producer. Would it not better serve all types and sizes in the United States to have someone in this position with less of a perceived bias toward large-scale, genetically-modified agriculture?”

There has been a movement recently to oust Taylor.

Meanwhile, the money spent on raids and court cases by states and the FDA certainly could be used in a more productive manner. Quit picking on the little guy.

Richard Gubbe is an award-winning journalist of 38 years, public relations specialist and Reiki Master Teacher. He is a long-time Rockford resident who has taught preventive health, visualization and Reiki at Rock Valley College since 2003.

From the Dec. 14-20, 2011, issue

Dr. Julia Whipkey-Michniewicz

By Dr. Julia Whipkey-Michniewicz, N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine

The day after Thanksgiving, I celebrated 12 years free of breast cancer. My oncologist told me I would never see my son graduate, and I have been blessed to see him graduate three times. I personally did not do the chemical therapy and the radiation. I saw my mother given so much radiation to the breast they burned her lungs, and to see her gasping for air as a result of the devastating effects of radiation treatment will always be with me.

Cancer is a much-feared disease because of the treatments. Do you know that cancer is now the second-leading cause of death in America with heart and cardiovascular disease at No. 3, and mistakes made by medical doctors and hospitals at No. 1? (See: Death by Medicine by G. Null)

I believe modern medicine will never find a cure for cancer as long as the focus remains on the development of toxic chemical therapy drugs. With medical mentality of slash, burn and poison, no one is being educated about environmental causes such as parasites, fungus, yeast/candida, virus, heavy metals, chemicals, solvents, pesticides, hormonal disruption and, of course, DIET.

I treated my cancer naturally, and I see many patients who have had cancer. I always educate them about detoxing, supplementation for healthy organs and diet. When it comes to diet, everyone needs to eliminate dead toxic foods. These include all sources of simple, refined and artificial sugars and sweeteners, all sources of trans/hydrogenated fats and oils, all sources of refined carbohydrates, non-organic commercial wheat, soy, corn and other genetically-modified food products and all sources of cow’s milk. Then, I suggest you go one step further. Let us find out what your blood type is, and we give you a booklet about how to eat according to your blood type.

I.V. therapy, I.M. therapy (inter-muscular), nutritional supplementation is a must for people who have gone through chemical therapy treatments. Chemical therapy destroys your immune system. Your immune system needs to be strong for you to be healthy. If a foreign matter overcomes the body, the immune system jumps into action. This system is composed of lymph nodes, blood protein and specialized white blood cells. The lymph nodes cleanse and filter the blood. This filtration process prevents bacteria, cancer cells and other infectious agents from entering the blood and circulating through the system.

When your immune system is so suppressed because of chemical therapy, it is very hard for you to be able to take all of your needed nutritional supplements. You are so depleted in all nutrients that I.V. therapy or I.M. therapy is recommended. As I tell my patients, you would have to take a boat full of supplements, and even then you would still not be able to take enough. This is because you would not be able to absorb and assimilate them. I always wondered, when someone finds out they have cancer or any autoimmune disease, instead of putting chemical therapy into people’s veins, why aren’t they putting vitamins and minerals into their system? I think we all know the answer to that one. Follow the money.

Dr. Julia has an office in Rockford, Ill. You may reach her at (815) 962-3326.

From the Dec. 14-20, 2011, issue

Whether you were “green” before the color was fashionable or whether you’re just ready to find the “shade” that works best for you, here’s information about doing just “one green thing.”

Get your car ready for winter:

• Wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights. The water repellent in it will prevent the messy mixtures of winter from sticking to your lights (and who doesn’t have at least one container of car wax lying around?).

• You can help prevent your car doors from freezing shut by rubbing some cooking oil on the rubber seals around car doors — the water doesn’t go into the rubber.

• When locks are frozen, use hand sanitizer on the key and the lock.

• Replace a missing gas cap to avoid gas vaporizing into the air.

Won’t be long before we file income tax reports. Have you checked your home for the possibility of improvement projects that qualify for tax credits? Visit the website that follows, or talk to your tax person: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index. These could help you do something you were going to do anyway and give you some tax relief. We can all use some of that.

Following are some ideas on using beer:

• Fertilize your indoor plants. Use flat beer, just a small amount, at the base of the plant.

• Loosen rusty bolts. The acids in beer may dissolve enough rust to help you get them loose.

• You can polish brass pots with a soft cloth and gentle rubbing of the beer onto the pot. Let it sit for a while, then rinse and dry with another cloth. Beer works wonders on many metals.

Get ready for the cold and sniffles season: find Grandma or Grandpa’s handkerchiefs and save a tree (and the cost of tissues).

For more information, e-mail Jan Herbert at JanHerbert@RockfordParkdistrict.org.

From the Dec. 7-13, 2011, issue

For most of us, yoga practice is the hour-and-a-half (or sometimes less) we spend in our favorite gym or studio class. But this has to be just the beginning. Yoga is not the usual workout you do listening to your iPod, watching TV, or reading a book perched on the treadmill handlebars. Yoga is about developing awareness and learning about yourself through movement and breath. It is the practice of stilling the fluctuations of the mind by aligning and uniting the body, mind and breath. The teaching of yoga in a class is the guidance you need to begin, but to extend your practice, you have to take yoga home.

Starting yoga in a classroom setting is, for most of us, necessary. Books are great, but with only a book, you do not have another pair of eyes to check your progress or alignment. Numerous videos are available, but you risk distorting your practice as you crane your neck to see the TV — or just continue to be distracted by the person on the screen. In a classroom, you are introduced to the whole practice, guided by a teacher and given personalized instruction to help you progress. But, even the voice and the presence of the teacher draws your consciousness outward, when the true practice of yoga involves traveling deeper in.

A once-a-week class is a good start, two-times-a-week even better, but we miss the beauty of yoga that appears with a daily practice. The problem is, it is hard to get started. We make excuses about too little time or not enough space. We fear ignorance or injury without a teacher watching over us. When the teacher isn’t there, we have to learn to rely on our own inner guidance.

So, how do you get started? First, remember that you do not need to carve out an hour-and-a-half of your day. Start small, with 10 to 20 minutes and one or two poses. After a class, remember something you really liked and something you really hated. The thing you hated is the thing you need, and the thing you liked will keep you coming back. Those two things can be the foundation to beginning your home practice. Then, arm yourself with a good instructional book. Different books are available for the various traditions of yoga, so ask your teacher. A good book will supplement the guidance of your teacher while at home and also help you dig deeper into the poses (not to mention, help you to learn the actual Sanskrit names).

Once you begin yoga at home, you will quickly see the benefits. Yoga will no longer be that temporary “escape” once or twice per week that is somehow separate from “real life.” The positive effects on body and mind will transfer off the mat and begin to seep into every aspect of your life. The way you move, the way you breathe, the way you carry yourself, and the way you react to different situations will all be touched by yoga. Spending the time in practice alone, away from a full class, will bring awareness of your deeper being in each pose and give you insight into a quieter and deeper consciousness. At home is where the experience of a pose becomes the microcosm corresponding to the macrocosm of experience in the outer world — offering all the tools you need to live a more fully conscious life.

Definitely do yoga in class. Find a teacher that speaks to you and gives you what you need to learn, but be aware that the classroom can be just another distraction from the reality of yoga. As we are guided, we must learn, and as we are corrected, we must remember so the information we are given in a class transfers to a deeper level when we carry it home. Each day we change, and each day we bring something new to the practice, so it is really at home where the depth of yoga is understood.

For more information about Pranayama Yoga Studio, visit www.yogarockford.com or call (815) 968-9642.

From the Nov. 30-Dec. 6, 2011, issue

Dr. Julia Whipkey-Michniewicz

By Dr. Julia Whipkey-Michniewicz

Mondays and Fridays are my In-Home days. I have been doing In-Homes for 24 years. This is how I started my first business called “That Special Fit.” I went to patients’ homes and did lymphatic massage, and I would then fit them with the appropriate prosthesis that they needed.

I started In-Homes because of my Mom. When my Mom found out that she had cancer, at the time I was working at Ruth D. Clark as a surgical fitter. I told my Mom that I would take her to Ruth D. Clark for a fitting, and she said to me, “Julia, if I go into that store, everyone will know that I have cancer.” I was shocked, for Ruth D. Clark did not just sell prostheses, they sold many other garments for women, but that was how my Mom viewed the store. I told her not to worry, and I would bring everything to her. I did my first In-Home on my Mom. I then realized if my Mom thought that way, many other women may think that way. After Mom died May 1, 1987, “That Special Fit” was born.

As I am driving around on Mondays and Fridays, I see that the dreaded “fear” signs have already started. “Flu Shots Available Here” is all over Walgreens, CVS and even Walmart. Walk-ins welcomed. No wait. Even loudspeakers’ announcements trying to make everyone aware to get their flu shot. What I find so interesting is that if the flu shot really worked, wouldn’t we have less flu each year? Instead, each year, more and more people get the flu. And what type of flu are we going to get — swine, Asian or even the new one that I just heard about yesterday from one of my patients? Her daughter went to the doctor’s office and was told she had an intestinal flu called the gas flu. We laughed so hard in our office, we all had side aches. But getting back to the subject, here are my concerns that I have with the flu shot.

1. Each year, the “experts” guess what type of flu we will get. I certainly hope they do their homework, for there are hundreds of strains of flu out there.

2. It is toxic. Please come to my office and see what is in a vaccination. But just to name a few, there are thimerosal, ethylene glycol, phenol, formaldehyde and aluminum.

3. It is not effective. In fact, because of all these viruses and toxins in the vaccination, many people experience side effects.

Let us look at the toxic issue that I have just shared with you. Thimerosal is mercury, and it is the toxic issue that I have just shared with you. Thimerosal is mercury, and it is the second most toxic substance known to man. Ethylene glycol is antifreeze, which affects the central nervous system, and is a heart and kidney irritant. Phenol is carbolic acid. Formaldehyde is used to embalm bodies and is a known carcinogen, and aluminum is a toxic metal.¹

The serious side effects that some people have experienced are paralysis, brain inflammation, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and debilitating neurologic condition. ²

Whoa, people, it is just the flu. You really should ask yourself if the above symptoms and side effects are worse than the flu itself. I, personally, do not think it is.

Feel free to call my office and order your winter cold and flu kit. It will build your immune system and is certainly less toxic than formaldehyde.

* 1 and 2 are from an article from Lifesource

Dr. Julia Whipkey-Michniewicz is celebrating her 30th year in business and 12 years cancer free. You may reach her at her Rockford office at (815) 962-3326.

From the Nov. 23-29, 2011, issue

Whether you were “green” before the color was fashionable or whether you’re just ready to find the “shade” that works best for you, here’s information about doing just “one green thing.”

You can figure out winter is not my favorite season … I’ve been thinking about creams for dry skin and sweaters to keep warm.

To feel warmer this winter, humidify the air in your home. Of course, greenies don’t want to plug in a humidifier, so here are some “no-plug” ways to do it.

When I was growing up, there was often a clothes rack sitting in the dining room because we didn’t have a clothes dryer. Today, that’s a great way to bring moisture into the air of your home. You don’t have to go back to a wringer washer, but you may have to look hard to find the rack! Don’t use your furniture for this purpose, however; damp clothing is not good for wood or upholstery.

Grow some plants! They do more than purify your air. Avoid purchasing plants that thrive in the tropics … your northern Illinois home is not the best environment for them.

Open your bathroom door after you shower, and if you take a bath, leave the water in the tub and open the door. How simple is that?

We accidentally discovered one way to humidify … the cascading water in the cat-watering device entices the kitty to drink more water and helps keep us more comfortable at a lower temperature!

The old-fashioned way many of us know best is small dishes of water placed around the home. Stop at a thrift store and grab a few mismatched pieces of pottery and keep them full of water.

Then, haul out a big pot and make some soup. Any cooking done on stovetop instead of oven or microwave makes more moisture in your home. Want a recipe? Ask me for Beefy Black Bean Stew, yumm.

For more information, e-mail Jan Herbert at JanHerbert@RockfordParkdistrict.org.

From the Nov. 23-29, 2011, issue

Brenda Richter

By Brenda Richter

Let’s face it, eating healthy and staying on track is easier in the warm summer months, as many of us tend to eat lighter and enjoy the fresh vegetables from our gardens and the plentiful fruits of season.

Many find it challenging to eat right in the colder months, as many seek the hot comfort foods. The colder months also introduce a number of holidays, and between the extra treats at work and the gatherings with family and friends, our energy levels may be left drained as a result of sugar spikes and overindulgence. Why is this and why is this a repeat pattern?

Consider that many of these foods are low in nutrient value. They may simply be high in sugar and fat without nutrient value, and/or cooked to a point where the nutrients are greatly diminished.

Overeating is a signal of lack of nutrients. By eating raw, fresh foods (fruits and vegetables), not only are you not compromising the vitamins and nutrients in the food, but you also absorb more of the nutrition from your foods when they are in their raw state. Fresh, raw foods are also rich in fiber, which aids in digestion, assimilation and elimination, which are key factors to overall good health.

You don’t have to deprive yourself of foods you love to look great and feel great this holiday season. Discover how to make nutrient-dense meals that taste great and save time. Satisfy your palette with everyone’s favorites with a raw feast, from stuffing to pumpkin pie.

Raw treats and desserts are ideal for anyone who loves sweets but is trying to avoid refined carbohydrates and sugars, dairy products and unhealthful fats. Any dessert you can make cooked — pies, tarts, crisps, ice creams, cookies, cakes and candies — you can make raw. But your family and friends will never know these desserts are raw and healthy, since they taste as rich and sweet as their traditional counterparts.

Brenda Richter is a graduate of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, where she received her certification as a Raw Culinary Arts associate chef and instructor.

From the Nov. 16-22, 2011, issue

The University of Illinois Extension will be hosting “Horticulture for the Holidays” — a celebration of gardening, nature and the holiday season from 8:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3. This program offers participants a special keynote presentation, Creating a Year-Round Garden for Birds, and their choice of four hands-on, make-it-take-it workshops.

Kick off your holiday decorating and gift giving with this seasonal program and workshop. Make ‘n take two projects while enjoying spiced cider and morning treats. Participants have their choice of either paint a cement leaf casting birdbath or seasonal candle wreath in session I; and pine cone and ribbon swag or globe ornament and botanical card set in session II.

For more information or to register for Horticulture for the Holidays, go online at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/sw or call (815) 987-4357. Space is limited. The cost to attend is $20 per person. Horticulture for the Holidays will be held at the Winnebago County Farm Bureau, 1925 S. Meridian Road, Rockford.

From the Nov. 16-22, 2011, issue

Holistic Moms Network of Rockford is hosting a forum from 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 16, to discuss how to bring the meaning back to the holidays and spend less money. The meeting will be at JustGoods, 201 Seventh St., Rockford.

The Rockford Chapter of Holistic Moms Network is a support, education and social network for parents interested in green living, alternative health care, and gentle, responsive parenting. Visit www.holisticmoms.org for more details.

No matter what holiday you celebrate in December, you may puzzle about how the holidays have grown so commercial that they have become more of a burden than a joy.

Betsy Taylor, president of the nonprofit Center for the New American Dream, said post-holidays, Americans should be able to feel “refreshed and reconnected, instead of depressed and overspent.”

Yet, as the credit card bills roll in, depressed and overspent is exactly how many of us feel. According to the American Consumer Credit Council, the average American spends $935 on Christmas each year and carries an average credit card debt of $8,562.

The Center for the New American Dream aims to uphold the traditional values of America: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, not the pursuit of materialism. They have provided the public with ideas to de-commercialize the holidays on their website, www.newdream.org.

As with the center, authors like environmentalist Bill McKibben, are calling for a more meaningful, less wasteful holiday season. In his book, Hundred Dollar Holiday, McKibben traces the history of the commercialization of the holidays and gives useful ideas of how to celebrate with more meaning and less money and waste.

From the Nov. 9-15, 2011, issue

Whether you were “green” before the color was fashionable or whether you’re just ready to find the “shade” that works best for you, here’s information about doing just “one green thing.”

Every generation points out to the next that times were harder for them. I guess it is my turn.

As I rolled past the nearby grade school yesterday morning, I noticed the driveway was full of cars with moms and kids waiting to be dropped off. As if an assembly line, the next car in line would pull up, one kid would get out, and the car would pull away.

Now, I was thinking it was a pretty nice morning yesterday, and these kids are pretty well taken care of. But the price of their “comfort” is at the expense of our environment and the air the rest of us breathe every day.

Those cars are idling the entire time going through the line (and maybe even in the driveway at home). So, here it comes … in my day, I walked to the end of our driveway and waited for the bus to arrive. No matter the weather … cold and snow meant boots, hats, gloves, and rain meant we took an umbrella. My mother would have laughed at a request to take us to school.

Then, as a part of my reading yesterday, I ran across something that talked about our houses making us fatter. When the temperature is lower, we have a tendency to move around more. And when we are warm, our bodies are not experiencing the mild thermal stress needed to ignite calorie-burn activity. (The Time article also points out the average temperature in British living rooms went from 64.9 to 70.3 degrees between 1978 and 2008.)

I wonder where public buildings and schools set thermostats? With the rising costs of heating in an uncertain economy, at our house we’re going to remember what my mother said and go put on a sweater.

For more information, e-mail Jan Herbert at JanHerbert@RockfordParkdistrict.org.

From the Nov. 2-8, 2011, issue

I will soon be traveling for my third time to India to study yoga. In the Iyengar tradition, students with at least eight years of study may go to Pune, India, for a month or two at a time, to learn directly from the Iyengar family: BKS Iyengar, now 94 years old; his daughter, Geeta; his son, Prashant; and now his granddaughter, Abijata. During this time, we do a two-hour class and three-hour practice daily, plus a weekly pranayama class and a class specifically for women.

The Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI), named after Mr. Iyengar’s late wife, is an institute of study, self-reflection and practice. It is neither a retreat center nor ashram. The Iyengars teach yoga as the self-practice that it is. They are not there to do the work for you or enlighten you. They are there to teach. You are there to learn, to work, to grow.

In most traditional Indian lineages, there is a guru (teacher) and a sisya (student). Guru in Sanskrit means “bringer of light,” meaning a guru sheds light on a certain practice or, in the case of yoga, removes the clouds that cover the light of your own true self. There’s a mistaken idea that this relationship is one where the sisya surrenders completely to the teacher, with the expectation that this guru would be the one to enlighten them.

Many travel to India to find just that: a guru who will give them enlightenment, miraculously remove all obstacles, and grant peace without much individual effort. But this, I would claim, is merely a surrender of one ego in favor of another.

BKS Iyengar is a guru in the true sense of the word. Throughout the world, he has shed light on the practice of yoga, guiding his students with the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali to empower self-awareness. Those who have studied with him know there is no room for ego in his class. He teaches you, ultimately, to get out of your own way, to remove the clouds that cover your own self. The surrender you give is not to him, but to the practice. He has devoted his entire life to yoga, and he expects nothing less of his students. To surrender to him and not to practice would be pointless.

As a student of yoga — and particularly Iyengar Yoga — you must learn detachment. You must be devoted to a teacher, but not attached to him/her. Class is a time to learn, not to blindly follow. You must take home what you learn and practice, practice, practice. The Iyengars stress that we must not just “do” yoga, but “be” yoga. In fact, it is the blind devotion to yoga without practice that seems to aggravate them the most. Students bowing and scraping before them, but then not showing progress is insulting. Their love is shown through their great effort to teach. Our devotion is shown through our great effort to learn.

Study at the institute is a great experience on every level. Along with immersion in the practice of asana (posture), there is immersion in the life and culture of India, giving opportunity to practice the other aspects of yoga as well. You are challenged to find contentment (santosha) out of your norm in a foreign experience where sensation and awareness is heightened, where obstacles of confusion and ignorance are ever present. Without being cloistered away, you must increase your tapas (energy of practice), distracted by the city with all its foreign smells, noise and activity. Most of all, surrender to every moment (Isvarapranidhanani) is key to inner peace among the outer chaos.

And through it all, the teacher watches, awaiting opportunity to cast light on your path.

I love India, and I love to study there. I choose to be immersed in the culture to experience something new and foreign and to be challenged on all levels. I look forward to each opportunity, and I look forward to sharing all I learn with my students when I return.

For more information about Pranayama Yoga Studio, visit www.yogarockford.com or call (815) 968-9642.

From the Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 2011, issue

Whether you are a competitive athlete, moderate exerciser or simply perform everyday tasks like concentrating, it is essential to supply your body with foods that provide energy and quality nutrients.

Eating the proper foods enables the body to look and feel younger, and provides the ability to repair and re-grow the cells that make up your muscle tissues, which means faster recovery from workouts.

It is essential your body is properly fueled. The benefits are experienced in basic everyday tasks, such as concentrating, playing with your kids, having energy after work to be productive and completing intense workouts.

A younger body is essentially a body that has regenerated its cells regularly and enables you to perform, act or bounce back faster than a poorly nourished body of equal biological age.

Calorie intake and calories burned does not guarantee you will be fit or able to achieve your fitness or weight control goals. Foods that are easy to digest deliver optimum energy and/or performance.

Dates provide instant energy, and your body does not have to break it down or convert it to a different form to use the energy.

Coconut oil (or coconut meat in a smoothie), is a good source of fat, but is also a medium-chain triglyceride that goes directly to your liver to deliver energy without having to be processed first. Coconut water is a natural source of electrolytes to help keep you hydrated.

Dulse is also a great source of electrolytes, and is great on salads or raw soups.

Chlorella is alkaline-forming, stimulates cellular regeneration, and detoxifies. Chlorella is also helpful in clearing the lactic acid that builds up in muscles after exertion.

Maca is an energy-booster and also helps to cope with stress, balance hormones and prepare your body for the stresses of intense activity.

See the new fall Raw Food class schedule: www.myrawenergy.com.

Brenda Richter is a graduate of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, where she received her certification as a Raw Culinary Arts associate chef and instructor. She’s passionate about sharing the living foods lifestyle with others, and teaches raw culinary arts classes in the Rockford area.

From the Oct. 19-25, 2011, issue

Dr. Julia Whipkey-Michniewicz

By Dr. Julia Whipkey-Michniewicz, N.D.

After puberty, your body virtually ceases to produce elastin (this is the elasticity of your skin) and the production of collagen (this is the hydration to prevent wrinkles). This reduction happens at a rate of 1 percent to 2 percent per year. Ongoing loss of these critical elements and the impact of gravity on muscles and skin contribute to the aging process.

For the past two years, I have been taking classes and educating myself on anti-aging. I started these classes to help women with mastectomy scars. I cannot believe how many of my clients have had to undergo mastectomies and how they were left butchered after surgery. I know, for if you have followed my cancer story, I had breast cancer. For three years, I felt a lump in my breast, and the mammogram never picked it up. I did all the self-examinations and felt a lump for three years. My doctor never believed me because the mammogram never saw anything. I asked for an ultrasound but was told it was not necessary. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I chose to have my breast removed but could not do the chemical therapy and radiation.

I did this therapy for my mastectomy scar, and through this therapy, it was able to soften and release my scar tissue. Micro-current therapy is painless and affordable. Not only does it work with scar tissue, but it works on your whole body. There are no dangerous, unnatural or artificial results. I wanted to take my health to a higher level internally and externally, and I feel that I have completed my circle with diet, antioxidants, lymphatic massage, oxygen therapy, colon hydrotherapy and now the micro-current therapy.

Let’s look at what micro-current does. In Chicago, this 30-minute treatment is called “lunch hour facials.” Here is what a 30-minute micro-current will do:

Reduction of fine lines, reduction of creases, reduction of wrinkles, hydrates skin, smooths skin, softens skin, tightens sagging jowls, tightens fatty cheeks, visible firming and contouring, reduction of pores, reduction of dark circles, reduction of puffiness under eyes, reduction of scars and pitting, restoration of youthful tones.

Stomach and arms (30- to 45-minute session): Body shaping and toning, tightening of loose skin, reduces stretch marks, improves muscle strength as much as 1.5-inch loss first treatment, smaller waists.

Legs and buttocks (75- to 90-minute session): Overall fat and cellulite reduction, lifting and toning buttocks, increases lymphatic drainage, no bruising, spider vein reduction.

The treatment is appropriate for any age, and results are seen with the first treatment. I invested in this wonderful micro-current machine for my scars, and I cannot believe how it has been able to help so many issues.

If I can ever help you with ugly, unwanted scars, body sculpting, stubborn cellulite that will not disappear even after working hours at the gym, or a rejuvenating facial, please call my office for your first appointment. You will love the way you will look

Dr. Julia Whipkey-Michniewicz is celebrating her 12th year cancer-free. Her office is in Rockford, and you may reach her at (815) 962-3326.

From the Oct. 19-25, 2011, issue

Cancertutor.com is a must-read for everyone! This educational website lists CURES for all types of cancer, in all stages. It also lists a variety of options to choose from that are not harmful to the body. The alternative cancer treatments listed are for everyone. Even for those who may have had radiation and chemotherapy treatments. The website is especially hopeful for those where traditional methods no longer work. (As skin is part of the immune system, this website lists products that can be applied directly on the skin that will start affecting cancer.)

This website gives step-by-step specific, detailed, up-to-date instructions to follow. Cancer Tutor “rates” the strength of alternative cancer treatments. Listed are options to either kill cancer cells, or revert cancer cells back to healthy cells. Also listed are inexpensive, yet potent cancer treatments. Anything and everything you ever wanted to know about cancer, and healing naturally, is in this website.

Although the cancertutor.com website reads “Natural Cancer Treatments for Advanced Cancer Patients,” it is so much more. Cancertutor.com also includes non-toxic treatments for diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s, and autism, to name a few. Whether a victim of cancer, a cancer survivor, or health caregiver, you will be well educated on cancer, and alternative cancer treatments when finished reading.

As a breast cancer survivor researching cancer by studying the works of “natural healing” physicians, I have declined a mastectomy, and have chosen to let my body heal itself and shrink my tumor — naturally! Please know that sugar feeds cancer! And each cancer cell has 84 receptors to sugar. Plus, it takes 15 days for a cancer cell to divide. Cancer is the result of a compromised immune system, and that means your body is acidic instead of alkaline.

Cancer cannot spread in an alkaline system. Please take the time to read this most informative website, and know all your options before choosing your treatment. Once armed with the knowledge, stay strong, stay determined, and be confident that your body can fix itself. And even more important, keep up the fight because you can win, despite what you may have been told. Whatever you do, DO NOT GIVE UP! We have been gifted with a body that has the incredible ability to heal itself, and when we give it what it needs, it can do its magic.

Therese Rose is a Natural Healing advocate whose mentor is St. Therese of the Child Jesus, and in honor of the Poor Clares, wrote this column.

From the Oct. 19-25, 2011, issue

The Holistic Moms Network, Rockford Chapter, welcomes renowned acupuncturist and herbalist Karen Dodson, who will speak from 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 19, at JustGoods, 201 Seventh St., Rockford. She will introduce the topic of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine as an effective method of treating a range of ailments specific to women.

Along with restoring calm and reducing stress, acupuncture can help with female imbalances such as PMS, menstrual irregularities and obstetric concerns. It is useful for anxiety, tense muscles, pain, sinus and digestive problems and even for beauty.

Women who have families are one of the primary role models for their children. It is common for women and mothers to get so absorbed in their work, they often forget to care for themselves. Yet, as women get older, they are reminded through specific symptoms that they need to take time to maintain their own sense of balance and wellness. This discussion will emphasize what women can do to improve their lives physically, emotionally and mentally.

An acupuncture demonstration, handouts, and time for questions and answers following the program will be included.

Dodson received her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago and master’s in acupuncture from the Midwest College of Oriental Medicine. She continued post-graduate diagnostic training with Dr. Leon Hammer, M.D., completing the Master Class in Contemporary Pulse Diagnosis. She also has a two-year advanced herbal training certification from the Institute of Chinese Herbology and is a Certified Herbalist and Diplomat of Oriental Medicine with the NCCAOM. Dodson has extensive experience with herbs, working since 1979 as a horticulturist, compounder and medical herbalist. She teaches a number of courses and seminars on acupuncture, herbs and women’s health. She has her own practice at the Midwest Acupuncture and Pain Treatment Center in Beloit, Wis. Phone number is (608) 365-6771, or go online at paintreatmentcenter.net.

The Rockford, Chapter of Holistic Moms Network is a support, education and social network for parents interested in green living, alternative health care, and gentle, responsive parenting. They welcome moms and dads with children of any age, and future parents as well. The Network has events and activities for both working and stay-at-home parents. Children are welcome at all HMN events. For more information, e-mail rockfordholisticmoms@yahoo.com.

From the Oct. 12-18, 2011, issue

Mission work — right here in Rockford.

How many people do you know who would plant a vegetable garden in their own back yard with the intent of giving most of it away? Not too many, is my guess. But that is exactly what Jude and John Wrzesinski, of Cherry Valley, have been doing over the past 18 years.

They have converted approximately one-quarter of their 5 acres of land to grow organic fruits and vegetables to help feed the hungry within the greater Rockford community.

In their garden, they grow herbs, tomatoes, corn, peppers, okra, carrots, red beets, turnips, radishes, rutabaga, kohlrabi, broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, onions, ground cherries, Swiss chard, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, asparagus, yellow and green beans, peas, egg plants, lettuce, cabbage, zucchini, strawberries, apples, pears, blueberries, kiwi, blackberries, raspberries, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkin and many varieties of squash.

Jude believes healthy eating should be a way of life — thereby making it easier to keep your weight under control. Additional benefits include fewer illnesses, doctor visits and less of a need to take medications.

The distribution of food is done through Gentle Shepherd Fellowship Church, affiliated with the Fellowship of Church Assemblies, 2905 N. Bildahl, Rockford. Their website is gentleshepherdfellowship.com. Through organized efforts of the church and Joan Zimmerman, the food pantry coordinator, approximately 400 families are being helped each month. The pantry opens each Wednesday at 8:30 a.m.

Zimmerman believes as many as 300 of these families have their own home gardens and receive seeds and more than 900 vegetable seedlings from the pantry that Jude, John and their helpers have planted.

Yes, it would be a daunting task to do all this work alone, so Jude has asked for help from church families and other friends to help plant the seeds and seedlings, weed and harvest. For their hard work and devotion to the program, every volunteer takes home produce from the harvest.

In addition to giving the children and their families a wonderful outdoor playground in which to run and have fun, for some of them, it’s the only opportunity they have to escape the confines of city life. It’s safe, and with bordering forest preserve property, the kids have lots of room to explore. They are also receiving training in how to grow and maintain a garden, and these skills, even for the very young, are tools that can be used throughout their lifetime.

Jude encourages everyone to plant an “extra” row in their gardens. With the larger harvest, they might share the food with friends, neighbors, or their church or local food pantry. Check out rockfordpantrycoalition.org to find your local food pantry.

Jude and John know they have been blessed throughout their lives. They feel the strong desire to bless others with the gifts and abilities they have been given.

Although John admits gardening is not his first choice for leisure activities, he is a diligent worker in the gardens, often watering the seedlings several times throughout the day to prevent them from drying up and dying before reaching a healthy stage. John is much happier operating the lawn mower and tractor-tiller.

In addition to growing the produce, Jude has planted hundreds of varieties of flowers and native plants, so the gardens also become a feast for the eyes, nourishing all who come to be blessed by the experience.

Jude is converting most of her lawn into “No-Mow” grass, which only needs to be mowed twice a year, once it is established. This is just one more example of their commitment to being good stewards of our beautiful planet.

This past year, Jude applied for and received a grant from Neighborhood Networks, allowing her to purchase more seeds, gardening tools and supplies.

Contributions to further these efforts are always welcome. They may be sent directly to the church, designated for the “Garden Ministries.”

If you would like additional information about volunteering in the Wrzesinski gardens, contact Jude at (815) 874-0633. Volunteers are always welcome!

From the Oct. 5-11, 2011, issue

What is yoga, and why do we practice? “Yoga” is translated from Sanskrit as “union.” The eight aspects of the yoga practice are set up to unite and align our outer nature (Prakrti) with our internal self (purusa). Through this union, we come to a better understanding and awareness of who we really are, allowing us to live a more truthful and realized life, from the heart.

The heart space at the center of the chest is where, in yoga terms, our true self (purusa) lies. It corresponds to the Anahata chakra, the energy center of emotion and the bridge of connection between the lower material chakras to the higher spiritual ones. Awareness and connection to this space is key to the union toward which yoga guides us.

But, so much talk about the chakras and the spirituality of yoga gets to be esoteric and ungrounded when the reality of yoga is practical and stabilizing. The actual practice of yoga gives tangible and reachable results.

Take, for instance, simply the way we hold our body. As life takes over and we are weighted down by stresses and aggravations, we begin to slouch, to close off the heart space, to shut our own self down to protect ourselves from feeling what is going on around us. We become who we think people want us to be, and we continue to disconnect from that eternal truth within.

The first Iyengar Yoga class you take will draw you immediately back into the space of the heart. You learn to stand up straight and to engage the shoulderblades, so the heart is supported from the back body. You strengthen your base through standing poses, and, as your base strengthens, your heart is lifted. You don’t have to think about the heart or the chakras — you just experience them.

So, stand up a moment and see how your chest feels from all sides: maybe a little weighted down by the heaviness of your shoulders, maybe completely dull and unaware, maybe sunken in from years of sitting at a computer or desk. Then, take your arms overhead, really reach them up, extend them as far as you can. Take some very deep breaths trying to bring your breath a little higher toward the top chest. Most of the time, we try to do this by pulling up on our shoulders, still putting stress on the heart. Take some time to see where your feet are: are they equally balanced and underneath your hips, can you feel the muscles firm, supporting the bones — or do the legs dump all your weight and energy into the floor instead of pulling energy up toward the heart?

The simple act of standing with alignment in this pose — called Tadasana (mountain) — will bring strength and stability back to the center of your self. And this is just the beginning of the practice to bring more awareness and connection to the heart of yoga.

Physically, all poses (asana) develop the strength and flexibility needed for stable, seated meditation, allowing us to focus the mind inward. We work on the breath (pranayama), increasing energy and lung capacity, and bringing more space and support from the inside out. These practices are directly connected to our emotional well-being and have broad effects on our life.

With increased internal awareness from the practice of yoga, we also build awareness of our surroundings and their effect. We are able to begin the alignment of our internal self with our external environment, ultimately sustaining a place of balance and stability through all the changes of life.

The heart of yoga is inside every one of us. We just have to step onto the mat, do our work, and discover the truth within.

For more information about Pranayama Yoga Studio, visit www.yogarockford.com or call (815) 968-9642.

From the Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2011, issue

CALEDONIA, Ill. — Angelic Organics Learning Center (AOLC) invites northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin residents to experience life on the farm and learn new skills this fall.

AOLC offers on-farm programs nearly every weekend from September through November that celebrate local food sustainable agriculture and green living. More information about these programs can be found at learngrowconnect.org.

“AOLC has something to offer everyone, from cooking programs for aspiring foodies to small-scale farming workshops geared toward urban farming practitioners. We welcome all who have a heart for local food, an interest in green activities, and those who simply want to experience a beautiful fall day on a fully-functioning farm before winter sweeps into the Midwest.”

Some of the more unique workshops are the “From Fields to Kitchen” programs. More than just simple cooking classes, these courses offer participants the opportunity to gather items directly from the farm and create their own food and beverages. Upcoming courses include the following:

• Apples from Cider to Sauce — Sept. 24

• Cheesemaking — Sept. 25

• Cheesemaking — Oct. 8 (morning and afternoons)

• Soap Making Workshop — Nov. 5 (morning and afternoons)

AOLC also provides unique hands-on family activities that many children rarely experience in this modern era. Events planned for the fall include:

• Cornbread from the Ground Up: A Family Workshop — Oct. 22

• Food Day Celebration for Homeschoolers — Oct. 24

• Preschoolers! Fun with Farm Animals — Nov. 4

• Thanksgiving Food from the Farm: A Program for Kids! — Nov. 23

Other unique events offered this fall cater to those with very particular interests in sustainable agriculture and livestock. Events include:

• Walking Tour of Angelic Organics — Sept. 24

• Biodynamics for the Backyard — Oct. 1

• Farm Dreams: Assessing Risks & Resources to Start a Small Farm or Market Garden — Oct. 16

• Build a Top-Bar Hive — Nov. 12

Angelic Organics Learning Center in Caledonia, Ill., helps urban and rural people build local food systems. The Learning Center offers opportunities to grow healthy food and a better quality of life, connect with farmers and the land, and learn agricultural and leadership skills. A nonprofit organization, AOLC reaches more than 7,000 people each year through its programs at partner farms and urban growing sites in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.learngrowconnect.org.

From the Sept. 21-27, 2011, issue

The National Alliance for Mental Illness Fair, formerly the Janet Wattles Mental Health Fair, will be Oct. 1 at CherryVale Mall.

The fair is a “kick-off” for Mental Illness Awareness Week, and will be from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The fair is a combination of Western and Eastern modalities, and is held throughout the mall. Last year’s fair was a big success.

To be included in the event and have a 6-foot skirted table with two chairs, the fee will be: $50 for not-for-profits; $70 for for-profit early-birds received by Sept. 24; and $100 for for-profits received after Sept. 24.

For more information, contact the Rosecrance Ware Center at (815) 720-5097, or e-mail mlee@rosecrance.org.

Give us the right

Government interference in how we eat food and drink milk has gotten out of hand. If people are clamoring for less intrusion as to how we live our lives, why are there new laws trying to be introduced in Wisconsin to ban raw milk sales and on the federal level to abolish organic farming?

Talk about taking away your civil rights! Telling me I can’t grow vegetables or buy raw milk at a Wisconsin farm so big business can sell me tainted genetically-modified foods and hormone-filled milk is a call for rebellion. But before we take up arms, one group is suggesting the following amendment to the U.S. Constitution:

Food Freedom Amendment

The people shall have unrestricted access to food resources, directly from the farm or its agent, all commodities and products, simple, mixed or compound, or complements to such commodities or products, that are capable of being eaten or drunk, by either human beings or animals, irrespective of other uses to which such commodities or products may be put, at all stages of processing from the raw commodity to the products thereof in vendible form for human or animal consumption. The term “food resources” shall also include all starches, sugars, vegetables and animal fats and oils, cotton, tobacco, wool, mohair, hemp, flax fiber, and naval stores, but shall not include any such material after it loses its identity as an agricultural commodity or agricultural product. The people also secure the right to process, store and grow food. Farmers shall not be denied the right to water, seed, fertilizer or pasture. Farmers have the right to produce, process and distribute their products, themselves or by direct agent, without any government regulation or fees.

To support the grassroots movement, see www.foodfreedomusa.org.

Save ocean life

Greenpeace is taking on Chicken of the Sea. Casson Trenor, Greenpeace senior markets campaigner, has amassed more than 30,000 signatures to get the attention of the tuna company to halt the slaughter of non-targeted ocean life.

According to an Australian government study, the canned tuna industry is responsible for killing thousands of sharks, rays, sea turtles, sea birds and other marine life as a result of the methods they use to catch tuna.

Trenor says Chicken of the Sea has a particularly bad track record when it comes to ocean destruction. He said after he personally traveled to their headquarters to deliver a letter protesting their practices, “They promptly showed me the door and have refused to acknowledge the damage they are doing to the oceans.”

Trenor said he will be taking the 30,000 signatures back to their headquarters and delivering the message again. “As one of the largest tuna companies in the U.S., Chicken of the Sea has a major role to play in saving our oceans,” Trenor said. “They have a chance to be a real leader in the industry, but it is pretty clear that they aren’t going to do it on their own.”

Right now, the company is using something called fish-aggregating devices (FAD) to catch their tuna. The problem is that FADs, which are floating objects, don’t just attract tuna — they attract sharks, marlin and baby bigeye tuna, the latter becoming a rare species.

“When the ship returns, it takes everything that has gathered around the FAD with a net. Very few animals caught in these nets survive the process,” he says. “The simple truth is that if Chicken of the Sea doesn’t change how it catches tuna, our oceans don’t stand a chance.”

See the Greenpeace website for more details and to sign the petition. While the word “boycott” hasn’t been used, perhaps it should be part of the campaign.

Richard Gubbe is an award-winning journalist, public relations specialist and Reiki Master Teacher. He is a longtime Rockford resident who has taught preventive health, visualization and Reiki at Rock Valley College.

From the Sept. 14-20, 2011, issue

Whether you were “green” before the color was fashionable or whether you’re just ready to find the “shade” that works best for you, here’s information about doing just “one green thing.”

If you put something on your compost pile, is it composting or recycling (or reusing)? You are probably “splitting hairs” with the definition when you put the hair from your hairbrush onto the compost pile.

According to www.earth911.com, human hair is compostable (and, therefore, recyclable) because it is full of useful nitrogen. Ask your stylist for a “go bag”? Or, send hair to the San Francisco organization “Matter of Trust.” They collect human and pet hair to use when soaking up oil spills.

Every bottle of wine is zero-waste

Why? The bottle can be recycled, “ReCORK America” has drop-off locations and leftover wine can be added to your compost pile to help encourage the composting process. (Who has this kind of leftovers?)

Cotton for composting

Cotton balls, cotton swabs (with wooden sticks), clothes dryer lint, and shredded cotton rags (or clothing) can be tossed onto the pile.

Absolutely nothing to do with it

It’s not about the composting, but did you read about the new study that says lemon eucalyptus oil is as effective as DEET in keeping mosquitoes away? With some investigating and an Internet purchase, I have my own spray bottle filled with a mixture of lemon eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil and vodka.

An old wives’ tale mentions your personal aroma and how to make it unattractive to flying/biting critters. One friend suggested trying a tablespoon of vinegar every morning. Another said lemon, and so, with every glass of tea, a slice of lemon is now added.

Regarding the lemon eucalyptus oil: The first two trials worked great (although reapplication was necessary after about an hour). The third wasn’t as good when the bottle was left in the car while taking a walk along the new boardwalk over the wetlands in Beckman Mill County Park outside of Beloit, Wis. Hummm.

For more information, e-mail Jan Herbert at JanHerbert@RockfordParkdistrict.org.

From the Sept. 14-20, 2011, issue

Chef James with a brick-oven pizza. (Photo provided)

• Newest additions — fresh-grown herbs, brick-oven pizza — to be featured at Sept. 17-18 Vintage Wine Festival

By Kathy Casstevens-Jasiek
Director of Marketing, Starved Rock Lodge

Nestled into a previously under-utilized corner of the Veranda at Starved Rock Lodge is a garden, growing quietly under the summer sun. The raised-bed herb garden idea was brought to General Manager Mitch Wagner by Starved Rock Lodge CEO/President Terry Cross.

“I saw the success of an herb garden when I was food and beverage manager early on in my career,” said Wagner. “I knew the idea of putting one into the small space where it now resides would be a natural fit.”

The staff and managers agree it enhances the customer experience when they see the herb garden and ask whether menu items really feature fresh ingredients. The answer is proven when their food arrives, and they taste the pico de gallo or bruschetta. Fresh mint is a must in a Mojito and vegetable wraps. Cilantro enhances the dressing on the Mango Shrimp Salad and several other items on the menu. Both locals and guests appreciate not only the quality of garden-fresh herbs, but the story behind them.

The lodge project supports the farm-to-restaurant concept by going green.

The herb garden at Starved Rock. (Photo provided)

“It’s a great model for others to build on because going back to the basics, buying local products, whenever possible, along with providing our own garden-fresh herbs is the key because farm-to-table dishes just taste better than others,” Wagner said. “The convenience of having our own herb garden on the property has dramatically improved the flavor of every dish.”

The lodge now has more control over the ingredients they use in cooking, and the chefs agree hand-picked herbs provide the best-tasting result.

What’s next? The answer is brick-oven pizza.

The 1,200-pound unit recently arrived looking like a UFO, but stone mason Dennis Nielsen worked his magic to create a stone-and-brick masterpiece that is one-of-a-kind. But that’s not the only thing that makes this brick oven unique. The “Rockstar” pizza oven is on wheels!

Cross had seen the pizza-on-wheels concept while vacationing in California.

“Our pizza oven can move from the Veranda to the front of the lodge or over to the Wine Festival very quickly and easily,” Cross said. “Without the wheels, it wouldn’t have a great story or mobility!”

Lodge pizzas are anything but ho-hum, featuring toppings such as strawberries, heirloom tomatoes, artichokes or grapes with mascarpone cheese and an olive-oil-topped crust.

Lodge employees were the willing guinea pigs to get a taste of something new: pizza with fruit.

“The buttery-tasting crust actually is the perfect complement to the combination of the fruit and cheese,” said Chef James “Coach” O’Hare.

The lodge is planning to feature pizza with fresh herbs (plus traditional and unexpected toppings) at this year’s Vintage Illinois Wine Festival Sept. 17-18 at nearby Matthiessen State Park. This festival is the largest in the state, featuring all-Illinois wine.

Chef Bear concluded: “We know that this is comfort food with a twist that’s sure to surprise and delight anyone who tries it!”

All of these new additions aren’t just food for thought. The lodge plans to talk about the improvements on Facebook, the website and on new menus. A YouTube video will be created, too, once the pizza-on-wheels brick oven is in action.

To learn more or see the complete lodge menus, go to www.starvedrocklodge.com.

From the Sept. 7-13, 2011, issue

“What would you like to gain from this class?” is what I ask new students on a registration card as they enter the studio. Answers vary: flexibility, stronger core, peace of mind, relaxation, balance and so on.

“What should I be doing outside of class?” is a question asked by students. Some might want to practice at home, but many ask about other workouts and physical activities. There is a question of what yoga actually does and how it fits with our other life practices.

No single answer to this question exists, either. Each person who practices yoga finds, with time and attention, a perfect balance for their own lifestyle. Yoga ultimately pays out what you put in. You can take it in pieces, or in its totality.

I, personally, began yoga as a form of stretching after running and other physical activities. I struggled with weight issues, and I love eating, so physical activity was always a must. I wouldn’t say I liked running — I suffered bad knees and two sprained ankles. But at the time, I had a good running partner, and it fit my schedule. So, when “the girls” started a yoga class at the nearby university, I thought I would join them.

For two years after beginning yoga classes, I continued to run. I thought the two activities were a “good balance” to one another. I still looked at yoga a little like a stretching routine. I knew there was some philosophy behind the practice; I knew that I was becoming strong in other ways besides the “usual workout”; I felt that my mind was a little more balanced from its usual state of anxiety. But, it wasn’t until a new teacher introduced me to the depth of yoga — and I experienced my third sprained ankle — that my awareness about my activities changed.

As a result of the inundation of yoga media, most people start yoga with a preconceived notion. They already know what they want from the practice, and with so many styles of yoga in the West, they can usually find it. This is the beauty and the bane of yoga here in the United States. We can find every type of practice under the sun, with every type of teacher, but we have made yoga what we want it to be, instead of looking at what it is.

Yoga is a total-life practice, consisting of eight parts, and it has more to do with the mind than it does with the body. The eight “limbs,” as they are called, run the gamut, from moral precepts to total enlightenment — all leading toward “quieting the fluctuations of the mind” (the actual definition of yoga). Most people start with only two of these aspects — asana (physical posture) and pranayama (breathing techniques) — but the six other aspects are what can take yoga out of the classroom and into your life. The classroom practice of asana and pranayama is the process more than the goal, the beginning instead of the end.

I stopped running because of nonviolence, one of the Yamas (moral precepts of yoga). I realized that my insecurity about weight manifested in the physical violence of sprained ankles and degenerating knees. But that does not mean I don’t do other activities. I walk, hike and backpack, and I love to swim when I can. These are things that bring balance to me mentally, and though they might challenge my physical practice of asana, they are not obstacles.

The totality of yoga is not about the physical goal of this pose or that. It is the journey through all the eight limbs that pays off in the end. And in my experience, putting the time and effort into the whole practice has reaped benefits beyond anything I could have imagined.

So, what do you want from your yoga? That is for you to decide. Find your own balance of activities outside of class that feed your life and feed your practice without being obstacles to the peace you look for within. With mindfulness of motivation, movement and effect, all of life’s actions can become yoga in its totality.

For more information about Pranayama Yoga Studio, visit www.yogarockford.com or call (815) 968-9642.

From the Aug. 31-Sept. 6, 2011, issue

Dr. Julia Whipkey-Michniewicz

By Dr. Julia Whipkey-Michniewicz, N.D.

I love the month of August, for I get to see all of my young patients going back to school. I am blessed to have moms and grandmoms bring in their children for school checkups.

I remind them to be mindful of their diet. For their immune system to be healthy, they have to eat a diet that is high in raw vegetables, raw fruit and good-quality proteins. For them to concentrate and be the best of the best, they have to eat again a diet that is full of raw fruits, raw vegetables and good-quality proteins. A diet that is full of dead, processed foods, fats and refined sugars will cause you not only to be obese, but you are not able to concentrate. This, I tell them, is called the yo-yo syndrome. Every time you eat something that is dead and processed, full of fats and sugars, your blood sugar rises, and within a couple of hours, your blood sugar will crash. Every time you crash, you reach for something that is dead and processed, full of fats and sugars, for you are trying to get energy. This is a vicious circle and does not work. Eventually, this can cause obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

So, again, how can you stop this? Diet, be mindful of your diet. We need to be responsible about the foods that we are putting in our bodies. Our bodies are our temple and cannot be replaced. What you do today will represent your health in 10 years. Making wise food choices will make wise stress reductions.

As I walked my young patients out the door and gave them all hugs, I reminded them to do their brain exercises to make sure that the right hemisphere of the brain is talking to the left hemisphere. I reminded all of them to make sure that they take their DHA supplements, their silver, their digestive enzymes and their probiotics.

Dr. Julia is a Naturopathic Doctor who is celebrating her 12th year of being breast cancer-free by NOT doing the chemical therapy and radiation. You may reach her in her Rockford office at (815) 962-3326.

From the Aug. 31-Sept. 6, 2011, issue

As news continues to pour in regarding the depth and scope of the pollution on Rockford’s west side, all citizens in the Rock River Valley need to take note of their own drinking supply and consumption.

Water is our common thread, our key to staying alive and staying healthy. Yet, not much thought is put into where we get it and what its contents include.

Before you think you need to learn more about chemistry, know this: water contains elements we may want and some we know our bodies will suffer from ingesting.

Water tests aren’t cheap — around $300 for a full panel — for tap or well water. Instead of testing, there are safeguards that can be implemented to make sure you and your children aren’t slowly being poisoned. Whether it’s city water, well water or bottled water, there are safety concern about each of them.

The news about well water has been distressing. What well water is safe to drink?

None.

Well water can contain radon and radium, along with other highly volatile chemicals and VOCs (volatile organic compounds). These can come from a variety of sources. The nasty ones often come from toxic waste pollution.

Aquifers are like storage tanks of water underground and can have unwanted seepage, depending on where you live. Uranium has seeped into the water supply in the western states from all the uranium mining done there. Nuclear deposits crept into the water supply in Nevada and New Mexico. The first lesson to learn when moving to Las Vegas is don’t drink tap water because of the nuclear test site located nearby.

In the Midwest, fabrication plants, car plants, coal operations, steel plants, tool-making plants and a host of other factories that sprung up during the industrial age have dotted the landscape.

City water is tainted. Even if that water is filtered in city water delivery systems, there is no such thing as pure water coming from the tap. Drinking mineral deposits, toxins and bleach will take its toll on the human structure and the pipes in your home.

Bottled water is the biggest scam ever conceived. First, it was called spring water. Yeah, right, like some guy sat around a spring with a bucket and then carried this pure water into a processing plant for bottling. Spring water is actually taken from such fine “springs” as the Brooklyn, N.Y., city water system and refined slightly.

Then, came purified water, a better product, but the delivery system is severely flawed. The bottles the water comes in can give you cancer. Bottled water left in a car contain carcinogens, which is what gave Cheryl Crow breast cancer, tests showed. She drank from bottled water left in her hot car in southern California. Dangerous BPAs are found in most plastics we use today, and are spawned from petroleum.

BPA, or Bisphenol A, is an organic compound used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, along with other applications. In 2008, several governments issued reports regarding its safety, prompting some retailers to remove products containing it. A 2010 report from the Food and Drug Administration raised further concerns about exposure of fetuses, infants and young children. In September 2010, Canada became the first country to declare BPA as a toxic substance.

There are alternatives, some expensive, some not.

A reverse osmosis system can be installed in a kitchen sink or bathroom for about the same cost as bottled water. Then, you can drink it and cook with it. Get an aluminum or BPA-free bottle to carry it in and don’t leave it in your car.

That doesn’t eliminate the problem for bathing, washing hands and food or for use in gardens. Two remedies exist for that: a home reverse osmosis system that filters all water coming into the home and a charcoal filter that can filter most of the water coming into the home, depending on where the installation takes place.

Reverse osmosis systems, which require backwashing, can cost upwards of $3,000 to $7,000. Charcoal filters, which also require backwashing and can be installed in a variety of locations, can lead to healthier bathing water and can cost $300 to $500 to install.

Water softeners can also eliminate many impurities in water, but not two lethal ones — chlorine and benzene. Only reverse osmosis and charcoal filters do that. Chlorine is used to eliminated bacteria in water. When they say water will make you sick when you go to Mexico, the illness is only temporary once you get used to drinking the types of bacteria in that water supply. That’s why people who live there get used to it. But the tradeoff to eliminating bacteria is bleach and ammonia, plain and simple.

Many gimmick products are available in stores that claim to filter water, namely Brita, but those filters do not eliminate chemicals such and chlorine and benzene, radon or radium. They’re a waste of time and money.

Another option that is now trendy is ionized water, such as the Kangen system developed in Japan. This water adds to our ability to fight free radicals, which can promote good health. For a local contact, call Mike Krejci at (815) 494-6207. He’s not only a Kangen rep, he’s also a plumber who can install charcoal and other water systems.

The time is now for better decisions about what we let our children drink.

More information about preventing disease and promoting good health in our world can be found during seminars at the Beth Ann Weis Salon and Spa in Rockford Sept. 7 and at Rock Valley College Oct. 22.

Knowledge is power. Drink it up.

Richard Gubbe is an award-winning journalist, public relations specialist and Reiki Master Teacher. He is a long-time Rockford resident who has taught preventive health, visualization and Reiki at Rock Valley College since 2003.

From the Aug. 24-30, 2011, issue

University of Illinois Extension is continuing its efforts to connect local food producers, restaurants and diners through the third season of the Openfields Local Foods Dinner series, which showcases the creativity, taste and heritage of our region.

The first two dinners were held several weeks ago at Abreo and Social Urban Bar and Restaurant in downtown Rockford, and were great successes. Thursday, Aug. 25, the third dinner in the series will be catered by Toni’s of Winnebago at Severson Dells Nature Center, 8502 Montague Road, Rockford.

The host will be Toni’s of Winnebago chef/owner Michelle Princer, who is well known for her incredible creativity and commitment to quality, local, seasonal ingredients. The dinner will feature a buffet-style service with an assortment of dishes, including vegetarian options, and based on the availability of the local ingredients. To learn more about Toni’s of Winnebago, visit http://www.tonisofwinnebago.com. Appetizers begin at 6 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 p.m.

The fourth and last dinner of the 2011 Summer series is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 31, at Café Belwah, 500 Pleasant St., Beloit, Wis. Owner Christopher Hildreth and his chef will present a four-course dinner featuring Wisconsin beer, cheese soup, summer cherry salad, seared pheasant breast with summer squash and vegetable du jour, and lemon meringue pie. The event begins at 6 p.m. with seating for dinner at 6:45 p.m. To learn more about Café Belwah, visit http://www.cafebelwah.com.

The cost is $45 per person, per dinner. Reservations prior to the dinner are required. Call U of I Extension at (815) 986-4357 or visit http://web.extension.illinois.edu/jsw to reserve seats or for more details.

From the Aug. 24-30, 2011, issue

Rockford has been a big supporter of the Angelic Organics Learning Center over the years. The Center has a number of interesting activities planned for the end of the summer and beginning of fall. Highlighted are some of the events planned for August, September and October.

From Fields to Kitchen programs take participants on a journey from the farm to the kitchen as they prepare some of their favorite dishes.

• Cheesemaking: Sept. 25

• Cheesemaking 2 — Hard Cheeses: Sept. 11

• Cheese AND Bread!: Sept. 17

• Handmade Pasta: Sept. 18

• Apples from Cider to Sauce: Sept. 24

Family Events gives parents and children the opportunity to learn where food comes from in a fun and interactive way.

• Home-milked Ice Cream: Aug. 27

• Animal Day for Families: Aug. 28

• Family Farm Overnight: Sept. 3-4

• Preschoolers! Fresh Food from the Farm: Sept. 9

• Cornbread from the Ground Up: Oct. 22

• Food Day Celebration for Homeschoolers: Oct. 24

Other events

• Walking Tour of Angelic Organics: Sept. 24

People can visit http://bit.ly/AOLCCal for a complete schedule and registration information, or call Deb Crockett, program director, at (815) 389-8455 or e-mail deb@learngrowconnect.org.

From the Aug. 24-30, 2011, issue

As the summer comes to a close, people may be looking for last-minute seasonal activities or are planning weekend forays in the fall. Angelic Organics Learning Center (AOLC), just half-an-hour away from Rockford, offers a variety of workshops for kids, families and adults. Here are a few of the programs available:

Family Programs:

• Home-Milked Ice Cream offers children and parents the opportunity to milk goats, visit the beehive, and look for wild fruit before making a batch of homemade ice cream. Also available is a similar program called Cornbread From the Ground Up in the fall.

• Animal Day for Families is a truly interactive farm experience that takes families through the daily routine on a fully-functioning farm. There’s also a Family Farm Overnight Camp in September for those who want the 24-hour farm experience.

Adult Programs:

• For the culinary enthusiasts, AOLC offers a range of “From Field to Kitchen” programs that teach wine making, bread making and other skills. Their favorite is the Cheese Making Workshop, which offers a start-to-finish experience including milking goats and learning how to make cheeses like ricotta and feta. There are also similar courses that teach additional culinary skills such as winemaking and bread making.

• Aspiring farmers and others curious about the ins and outs of maintaining farm animals can enroll in the Count Your Chickens and Get Your Goat programs offered at AOLC. These workshops cover the care of these creatures throughout their entire life cycle. There is also a Farmer Training Program that might interest future farmers.

For more information, contact the Angelic Organics Learning Center at (815) 389-8455 or online at www.learngrowconnect.org.

From the Aug. 17-23, 2011, issue

Some distressing, yet not-so-surprising, news came up from the well water in a northwest Rockford neighborhood. More bad well water found.

Will this be another Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) disaster reminiscent of the sledge hammer that struck the southeast side in the 1980s? Property values have never recovered, and the health repercussions are still being felt. Add together the well problems north of town, and a pattern has developed: bad and/or incompetent people put bad things in the soil and water.

Stories like the one that arose on Soper north of Auburn Street and west of Central are becoming commonplace in Fabrication Valley. Winnebago County Health Department officials are looking into how the latest groundwater contaminants seeped into the area. Plenty of possibilities exist as to who could be responsible for this one in particular. The biggest question of all may not be who, but when.

Carcinogenic substances were found in two private wells on Soper. Whether they are volatile compounds that release devastating toxins into the water and air from paints, cleaning supplies or formaldehyde, or whether they contain benzene and gasoline will help steer officials as to which company is to blame. That’s little consolation to homeowners who are facing future economic hardship.

Winnebago County Health Department officials have joined with the Illinois Department of Public Health to determine the extent of the contamination. Larry Swacina, director of Environmental Health Services for the Winnebago County Health Department, was quoted in a news release: “At this point in time, we do not know for sure how extensive this groundwater contamination problem is. We are in the process of evaluating the extent and direction of flow of the VOC contaminate plume in the groundwater.”

The Winnebago County Health Department circulated informational fliers in the neighborhood bounded by Cottonwood Airport to the west; Alliance Avenue to the east; Auburn Street to the south; and to the end of the roads between Alliance Avenue and the Cottonwood Airport.

Gas stations were located nearby and the Amerock plant operated only a few hundred yards away. Benzene is common to both. Because it is a known carcinogen, the use of benzene as a gasoline additive is limited, but it is an important industrial solvent and precursor to basic industrial chemicals including drugs, plastics, synthetic rubber and dyes.

Was the contamination caused from leaks at the plant or from gasoline storage tanks, or was there deliberate dumping? Deliberate disposal into the ground or into the nearby creek water is unconscionable.

Having a leak and covering it up is the equivalent of murder. Cancer and leukemia kill people. When a child spills something, they’re taught to clean it up, not cover it up.

Having radioactive isotopes and other carcinogens in our water supply is directly related to cancer outbreaks, and few seem to care. After all, fabrication is the mainstay of Rockford.

Commercial electroplating of nickel, brass, tin and zinc were developed by the 1850s. Fabrication pollution is the by-product. The EPA dump site tags put on locations on the southeast side were devastating to the people who lived there. Face it, companies all around you dumped things into the ground, which, in turn, seeped into the aquifers below. How extensive is the damage?

Swacina said there is no concern that the contaminants are in public drinking supplies because Rockford city water is drawn from deep wells.

The city’s supply isn’t the cleanliest solution. City water has a laundry list of unwanted particles, all deemed within the necessary limits by law.

The solution is to take matters into your own hands. Step one is to not drink from a well or move away. Step two is to substitute cleaner water for city water by filtering it more.

Having worked at Amerock and taken part in the chemical onslaught that went on for decades of shift after shift, this latest discovery does not come as a shock.

It’s too soon to know where the pollution is coming from or even how big the problem is, but as of now, about 100 residents are affected. The county will be testing more wells. If your well water smells or tastes unusual, call the health department.

And pray you don’t become part of the next EPA site.

Richard Gubbe is an award-winning journalist, public relations specialist and Reiki Master Teacher. He is a long-time Rockford resident who has taught preventive health, visualization and Reiki at Rock Valley College since 2003.

From the Aug. 10-16, 2011, issue

Whether you were “green” before the color was fashionable or whether you’re just ready to find the “shade” that works best for you, here’s information about doing just “one green thing.”

This morning, I learned how much commonality there is between being a jewelry enthusiast as well as a person who recycles. My Beading Gem’s Journal shares information about how a charity helps displaced Saharawis (Sahrawis) living in refugee camps in Algeria by making jewelry from trash.

A French-born artist has helped develop a unique technique to convert plastic bottles into what is described as “astonishingly good faux gold jewelry.” Of special note, this jewelry is created with just a few primitive tools and the heat from the sand. The project allows the Saharawis to “tell their own story, promote their own culture and earn a living through the arts.” You can find out more about the project by visiting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44Opdzeq4oc.

There are other bead projects here in the United States and around the world, where the creation of them helps women to learn new skills and make money at the same time. But that’s hardly the point.

The point is these refugees are using plastic bottles they are LUCKY enough to find, often making beads while working on a floor out of a material many of us designate as garbage.

It’s just my 2 cents, of course, but it is definitely time for a reappraisal of terminology (trash versus resource) and a time for a new level of education (learning about how a plastic bottle is a resource, not something to just throw away), and also perhaps time to think about advice received from my mother.

“We’ll just have to make do,” she would say. That’s what the women in Algeria are doing while they are making jewelry from trash. Maybe I need to give more thought to how that applies to my jewelry.

For more information, e-mail Jan Herbert at JanHerbert@RockfordParkdistrict.org.

From the Aug. 10-16, 2011, issue

The University of Illinois Extension has planned two Small Farm Field Days in August. Friday, Aug. 12, a Roller Crimper Field Day will be held, which will provide information about the use of the roller crimper in both row crop farming and specialty crop farming. Uses of this unique implement will be explored. The Field Day will be from 2-6 p.m., Aug. 12, at Irish Grove Farms, 9027 Best Road, Pecatonica.

The Roller Crimper research project, being conducted by Andy Hazzard of Hazzard Free Farm and Jackie de Batista of Irish Grove Farms, is being funded through a SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) Farmer Rancher Grant through the USDA. Both will be on hand to provide information about their experiences and information about the grant program. In addition, Maurice Ogutu, U of I Extension Small Farms/Local Food Systems Educator, will provide information about cover crops and an overview of the uses of the roller crimper.

There is no cost for the Aug. 12 Field Day, but pre-registration is requested.

Also planned is a Field Day at Harrison Market Gardens, from 3-5 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 24. Jill and Bill Beyer and Ben Beyer, owners and operators of Harrison Market Gardens in rural Winnebago, were recently selected from a competitive pool of applicants to receive a grant from the Frontera Farmer Foundation.

Harrison Market Gardens is a Subscription U-Pick CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) that grows produce for subscribers to receive either weekly or bi-weekly during the growing season.

Cost for the Aug. 24 Field Day is $10 per person.

To register or for more information, call U of I Extension-Winnebago County at (815) 986-4357 or visit http://web.extension.illinois.edu/jsw.

From the Aug. 3-9, 2011, issue

Farmer John Nadig has broken away from the herd. He’s free, and a danger to conventional thinking. He’s a steward of his land, someone who can raise cows, chickens, hogs, sheep and turkeys harmoniously with the earth.

While as little as 1 percent of Illinois corn goes to feed people, Nadig has a system that provides the use of grass and healthy diets, not corn. His care of each animal assures their well-being while on the planet. He is a steward of his land, not a ravager.

A vegetarian he is not. But green stuff is part of the diet he feeds his animals, not the corn that grows across the street from his current DeKalb location.

Nadig, in his mid-30s with a house full of kids and wife Charlotte, raises his animals on a small plot of land, has egg-producing hens and owns one milk-producing cow for raw milk, all providing goods for purchase and for family consumption.

On merely 6-1/2 acres, he houses all but the cattle raised for beef. They stay on grass-only fields nearby that are full of herbs, lush grasses and fresh water, their diets supplemented with probiotics, kelp and salt. He alternates their fields of travel constantly to ensure replenishment of the grasses throughout the leased field northeast of DeKalb. Weeds are few and far between as the strength of the grasses and herbs limits weed growth without the use of herbicides.

“The more my dad sprayed for thistle, the harder they came back,” Nadig says about letting grass dominate the weeds. His methods of farming resemble nothing of his father’s blueprint.

Back on his other property, Nadig rotates his chickens around the farm in housing on wheels. Chickens eat the grass and bugs, lay chicken poop that is used to grow grass for the other animals, and life goes on and on in a cycle. No inoculations, no antibiotics, only healthy supplements, fresh hay, sunshine and clean water. Chicken manure is often found in organic fertilizer. But Nadig doesn’t have to buy any.

“The chickens don’t compete with the hogs for resources,” Nadig says. “Movement is the key, the key to keeping them away from their own pathogens. We’re following God’s pattern for nature.”

Nadig’s chickens grow to be 5 pounds of carcass weight. His sides of beef and whole hogs are above average for organics, and his turkeys grow to 20 pounds.

“I have no desire to be certified organic,” he says in full support of government staying off the farm. But he does go out of his way, out of the state, to find the proper blood lines for beef and pork.

Nadig has been on this slab of land since 2007. The land his house sits on is just a stone’s throw from suburbia — a neighborhood of affluent homes borders his property. He’s going to have to move because of ordinances against growing livestock. Yet, finding quality land for livestock in an organic setting is growing more difficult.

“We’ll be doing this somewhere,” he promised.

Even though Nadig knows supply could never keep up with demand if organics really took off, he blames complacency for its lack of popularity.

“People are addicted to comfort and convenience,” he says. “They can find it all at Wal-Mart. But when you go to Wal-Mart, you’re going to Mons-anto. We’re the people who have laid down our rights.”

Nadig has picked up the organic torch and left his father’s way of feed-lot farming behind.

“We farm in such a way that is healthy for the land, healthy for the animals, healthy for our family,” he said.

“Our farming venture is intimately connected to our desire to provide healthy, chemical-free food to our children and practice what we consider to be godly stewardship over the land and animals under our care,” Nadig added. “Our farm is about promoting health, building the soil, reducing stress, fostering biodiversity, working with the seasons and the environment where we live, providing locally raised, healthy real food, and providing our animals with a humane natural living environment and natural whole foods.

“When you add in the bonus of getting to know our customers and building community,” Nadig said, “farming becomes a beautiful lifestyle, just as it is supposed to be.”

Richard Gubbe is an award-winning journalist, public relations specialist and Reiki Master Teacher. He is a long-time Rockford resident who has taught preventive health, visualization and Reiki at Rock Valley College since 2003.

There is a misconception about yoga and/or meditation as practices of “blissing out.” Though it is true these practices may alter our consciousness and bring a deep sense of peace, it is not through an escape from the normal or mundane world that they occur.

The eight-limbed practice of yoga (which includes meditation) is a process of involution of going into our deepest self and finding our own personal truth. It is in that truth that we find our inner bliss. Yoga does not entail disconnecting from reality or finding an alternate state of being. It is “being,” very truly, in the present moment, no matter what that brings.

Practice (abhyasa) and detachment (vairagyam) are the two pillars of yoga. We must balance the actions of practice with detachment from the fruits of those actions. But detachment does not mean disconnection or “blissing out” in some alternate universe. Detachment is a state of seeing more objectively, enabling us to work through issues and situations without ego attachment.

Awareness is the key to this two-sided yogic foundation. Developing awareness in any situation can change mental and physical habits that might be destructive or agitating. Ultimately, awareness can help to break unhealthy behavior patterns, replacing them with new and better ones. Practice and detachment supported by awareness comprise the process that leads toward a more permanent inner bliss.

So, how do we develop awareness? The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali spell out a straightforward eight-limbed practice, but though practical in many ways, it is, of course, not exactly “easy.” Patanjali does list some easier “instant gratification” methods toward some amount of bliss, but in the end reminds us it is the long, determined practice of yoga that is the most permanent. Relapse subsequent to easier methods can be quick and painful, but with diligent practice of yogic awareness, we can avoid failures altogether.

The eight limbs of yoga begin with moral and personal observances (yama and niyama). We become aware that all we do affects us personally and affects the world around us. By cleaning up our act, so to speak, we create an environment conducive to our inner work. Asanas (physical postures) come more easily if we observe moral and personal cleanliness, but they are also a tool to increase awareness of our own mental and physical health in relation to our environment.

Once the body becomes more open and free of obstruction through asana practice, the breath is also able to move more freely. Through the more subtle awareness of breath (pranayama), the mind is drawn inward to a quieter and more peaceful place, clearing the way for the experience of our own inner truth.

It is here that Patanjali warns us not to disconnect. We must stay alert and aware in practice. Especially in the experience of some obstacle, the mind and ego may prefer to “bliss out,” distracting us and taking us to places disconnected from reality. It is the breath that keeps us in the present experience, and it is the present where concentration (dharana) and ultimately meditation (dhyana) occur. Meditation in yoga is not imagination or escape. To meditate is to experience reality as it is at any moment, ultimately developing the ability to be calm and focused within any experience. It is this present-moment awareness that brings us to our ultimate bliss.

“Blissing in” instead of “blissing out” allows us the full experience of our self and the world around us. And with that more full and connected experience, we find our inner bliss, the ultimate promise of yoga (samadhi).

For more information about Pranayama Yoga Studio, visit www.yogarockford.com or call (815) 968-9642.

By Dr. Julia Whipkey-Michniewicz, N.D.
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine

It is the summer, and summers always remind me of camp, so I thought it was very appropriate for a colon hydrotherapy boot camp.

I am always doing cleanses because of my cancer story. It is nothing for my staff and I to alternate between liver cleanses, yeast cleanses, blood cleanses and parasite cleanses. Why do we think that we are so special that we do not have to take control of our health as we do our vehicles? If we treated our vehicles as we treat our bodies, we would have to buy a new vehicle every year. But why do we not? I personally remember buying my first car, and I was told that every 3,000 miles you have to change the oil. To this day, I will not allow myself to go over 3,000 miles. It is too bad that we are not educated on our health. We are not educated on cleanses, we are not educated on the importance of fasting, we are not educated even on nutrition and the quality of good food.

We are only as healthy as our internal terrain. I just recently went to Chicago for some continuing educational classes. This class was on cleanses and the importance of good bacteria. We all know the importance of having enough good bacteria in our small and large intestines, but do you know that when you walk into a hospital, you should make sure that you take as many as 12 probiotics before you even step foot through the front door? I have always shared with my patients that the secret to good intestinal health is probiotics, but the secret to weight loss is a good probiotic.

When you do a three- to five- or seven-day boot camp, you not only clean your large intestine, but you clean the hepatic reflex, which is the liver/gallbladder/bile duct area, and you clean the splenic reflex, which is the spleen/pancreas/adrenal area. Colon hydrotherapy is a process of cleaning the large intestine with warm water. This warm water relaxes the large intestine and removes what we have consumed if it becomes compacted and stored. If what we consume is not removed, it becomes toxic and will create constipation, bloating and gas. Eating a diet of raw foods and drinking plenty of water is just one way to assist in proper elimination. Undigested foods tend to get trapped on the walls of the colon, and this is what I believe causes disease.

What are the benefits of doing a three- to five- or seven-day boot camp? The boot camps consist of a daily cleanse that cleanses the blood, liver, lymph, kidney and parasites. There is a specific diet that you will follow for three to five or seven days, along with a series of colonics, infrared sauna and hyper-thermic chamber. Here are the benefits of each:

Colon Hydrotherapy

1. Weight loss. Do you realize that if you are eating three to five meals a day and you are not removing your fecal matter daily, this is causing your weight gain?

2. If you are having lower back pain, draw an invisible line from your lower back pain to the front of your body and see what is on the opposite side. Your belly.

3. Stored fecal matter causes headaches, fatigue and depression.

4. Improves your peristalsis motion of the large intestine

5. Your skin will become radiant!

6. Decreases gas and bloat

7. Relieves constipation and diarrhea

8. Increases energy and supports the immune system (do you know that 70 percent of your immune system is in your large intestine?)

9. Eliminates the use of that godawful drink that you have to drink before the colonoscopy

Infrared Sauna Therapy

What are the benefits while doing the boot camp?

1. It provides all of the benefits of a 30-minute jog.

2. Promotes relaxation

3. Burns body fat

4. Detoxifies the skin

5. Nourishes the skin

6. Increases heart rate

7. Increases blood flow

8. Flushes out the toxins

Hyper-Thermic Chamber

1. This chamber opens up the pores of your skin and allows oxidized steam to be absorbed.

2. Slows down the aging of our cells

3. Helps with aches and pains

4. Boosts energy levels

5. Boosts immune system

6. Supports your lungs for better breathing

7. Floods the body with oxygen, which relieves depression

8. Improves physical endurance

9. Burns more than 500 calories per session

10. Detoxifies

11. Rejuvenates

After doing the boot camp, you can then take your health to another level and incorporate the HCG protocol. This protocol will pull stored fat out of the body and high levels of estrogen. I of all people know abut high level of estrogen, for this is a direct link to breast cancer. This protocol will take your health to a whole other level. Let the new you shine while you take control of your destiny. Your health is in your hands, and if you do not take care of your health through education and cleanses, you will end up with devastating disease that may not be able to be reversed.

Dr. Julia is a Naturopathic Doctor and the owner and operator of Dr. Julia’s Inn located in Rockford. Eleven years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she could not do the devastating effects of  chemical therapy and radiation. Her specialty is colon hydrotherapy and educating people on eating good quality foods and detoxing. Call her office at (815) 962-3326 to make your appointment for this summer boot camp.

From the July 20-26, 2011 issue

Whether you were “green” before the color was fashionable or whether you’re just ready to find the “shade” that works best for you, here’s information about doing just “one green thing.”

We have been driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Dumbstruck by the 300-plus miles of incredible (and thankfully protected) beauty, it was easy to forget about how the trash might be handled. When finally noticed, you have to be amazed by the simplicity. The plain brown cans are marked “waste,” “plastic” and “aluminum.” At every overlook, picnic area and swingout in the road across those hundreds of miles, we found the same thing.

And in other locations, too — historical sites, state parks, historical homes and others already forgotten — it seems North Carolina has the hang of it.

Visiting with friends in Asheville, we discovered their “residential commitment.” Bottles and cans go into the recycling barrel, but a stack of broken-down cardboard boxes were delivered to a specific facility.

We were on our way again and stopped in Blowing Rock to enjoy the little city named the prettiest in the state where we discovered our motel was “going green.” The bathroom had a sign asking if we would consider reusing the towels (of course, we did) and it was easy to figure out how the little blue wastebasket with the word “recycling” was to be used.

What a delightful vacation experience. Until today, that is. At the restaurant just a couple blocks from the “green” motel, the experience changed for a moment when the server asked us if we would like go cups. We said yes, and then reluctantly carried our iced teas away with us in Styrofoam.

You cannot win them all. We learned it again tonight. We are in South Carolina … in a “not green” motel. I think there ought to be a “code” on the signage.

For more information, e-mail Jan Herbert at JanHerbert@RockfordParkdistrict.org.

From the July 20-26, 2011 issue

Finding answers to your health problems can be elusive. Last Saturday, July 9, between 450 and 500 area residents found answers from more than 55 vendors at the REI Health Fair & Expo.

The annual event drew slightly more than the year prior, perhaps proving that fairs such as this are providing necessary information to assist in problems as well as supplying a platform for preventive medicine. Healthy people only need care in trauma situations. Healthy people lead healthy lifestyles and take the steps they need to build a balanced life by using both Eastern and Western tools.

Reiki Energy International, the host of the event, provided 98 Reiki treatments to people, most of whom had never experienced energy healing. A dozen other body workers were there providing cranial sacro, reflexology, acupressure and massage treatments to scores of others who experienced immediate relief.

With the economy in an unhealthy state, the majority of businesses formed now are small businesses, many with a web-based focus. Reaching people face-to-face is still the best way to connect. Providing the opportunity to see, feel, smell and taste the product remains the best way to sell.

Let’s not forget the positive impact a health fair can have by increasing tourism dollars from vendors and attendees who traveled to the Clock Tower from within the region. The event was free, and the nonprofit group REI seeks only a break-even result to keep vendor fees low.

The success of this event took the efforts of a group of dedicated people on many levels. One of the goals in the REI mission statement is to provide community awareness of Reiki energy healing. Many more people are now aware of Reiki, and more are aware of alternative and complementary methods of therapies and products located nearby. Supplements, healthy energy drinks, foods, Chinese herbs, organic gardening tips, skin products, weight-loss products, exercise regimens, counseling services, community service agencies and other vital initiatives were all presented at the fair.

A decade ago, much of this info was unavailable, hard to find, secret or unattainable. Now, research supports complementary offerings, and there are plenty of testimonials.

Chicago firefighter Matt Drew spoke to a gathering about how Reiki, hard work and determination overcame being a paraplegic after being injured in a fire. He’s back at work downtown as a hazmat specialist guiding against terrorism.

Dr. Arthur Shattuck, an herb expert, also spoke at another of the health fair’s free seminars. Dr. Shattuck, from Roots and Legends in Racine, Wis., will speak again Saturday, July 16, at Rock Valley College in a seminar of “Japanese Foods That Heal” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Then, there were sponsors who see the value in this type of community event, gallantly led by The Rock River Times with a big assist from WNTA Radio and Maverick Media. Businesses such as Nutrition Works and Beth Ann Weis Salon see the need to reach out to new customers while helping to build a healthier community.

The next and only other fair locally of this magnitude is the Janet Wattles Mental Health Fair at CherryVale Mall the first Saturday in October.

Answers are out there, just keep looking.

Richard Gubbe is an award-winning journalist, public relations specialist and Reiki Master Teacher. He is a long-time Rockford resident who has taught preventive health, visualization and Reiki at Rock Valley College since 2003.

From the July 13-19, 2011 issue

Whether you were “green” before the color was fashionable or whether you’re just ready to find the “shade” that works best for you, here’s information about doing just “one green thing.”

Don’t want your children to have a lifestyle lower than the one you live? Then learn how to say YES.

When they ask if they can give you a container so you can take home leftover food served in a restaurant … say YES, but not to the Styrofoam container they offer. Ask instead for a piece of aluminum foil. (Then, when you get home and eat the tasty morsels, rinse the aluminum foil and place in the recycling container.)

What else?

Say YES to toothbrushes, and buy a wooden toothbrush with real bristles (they are available, according to an article in the New York Times).

Say YES to tap water. Did you know it takes 26 bottles of water to produce the plastic container for a 1-liter bottle of water and that doing so pollutes 25 liters of groundwater (according to thedailygreen.com). I know it is difficult to eliminate the use of bottled water … but consider not buying it … and when offered it, just say YES, you’d love a glass of tap water. Also, invest in a stainless steel water bottle for every member of your family, and take your own tap water with you. Do not use the excuse there is something wrong with water … get it checked and prove it to yourself. Buy a filter for the faucet, or one of those filtered jug things.

“According to the Go Green Initiative, the world population is expanding too quickly for the world’s resources to keep up — If we do not choose to go green and use green products to help conserve those natural resources, our children, and grandchildren will have a lower quality of life.”

Now THAT is just plain scary.

From the July 13-19, 2011 issue

Hard to believe Illinois is more progressive than Wisconsin when it comes to the availability of raw milk. Before pasteurization plants were born, milk from a cow came right from the cow. Farms sold milk. People could buy raw milk.

Along came the dairy lobby in the Dairy State, and raw milk sales were eliminated on any Wisconsin farm.

Ludicrous.

A bill to legalize sales was introduced in 2010, but then-Gov. Jim Doyle (D) vetoed it when it came to his desk, succumbing to a powerful dairy lobby that usually wins in Dairy Land.

Who loses? Small farms and people who like and benefit from raw milk. Farmers with children who drink raw milk report fewer illnesses. Others swear by its benefits, even to risk contamination.

They’re right to do so.

Organic milk, although processed, contains valuable CLAs that corn-fed cows lack. But drinking raw milk now is regarded as an alternative lifestyle.

In Illinois, raw milk sales are legal on the farm if the farmer complies with the following conditions:

1. No advertising the sale of raw milk.

2. Customers must bring their own individual containers. If the farmer uses his own container to bottle the milk, he is operating a “milk plant,” according to the Department of Health Regulations, and the milk must be pasteurized. The farmer can only collect the milk in the customer’s container. The farmer cannot process the milk in any way. Sales of raw cream and raw butter are illegal.

3. The farmer must produce the milk “in accordance with the Department (of Public Health) rules and regulations.” The Department does not apply these rules and regulations, including the permit requirement, to farmers with just a few cows who sell raw milk only on the farm.

What constitutes a family farm is under dispute in Wisconsin. Vernon Hershberger, who owns and operates Grazin’ Acres in Loganville, operates a totally organic farm 30 miles west of Baraboo. Vernon is a Mennonite farmer whose only variation from Amish traditions are his tractor and his freezer. Vernon supplies many people in the state with raw milk, but he does so circumventing the law by creating a co-op. If you pay a yearly “lease” fee to be part of the co-op, your money goes toward ownership of a cow. Therefore, you are part-owner of the farm, and entitled to raw milk.

A year ago, the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection took issue with that and raided Vernon’s farm. They taped his refrigerators shut and acted as if his organic grocery were a crime scene. The incident, in which Vernon was held at gunpoint in his living room in front of his young family, was captured on video and has been used in two different YouTube presentations for all the world to see.

After the raid, Vernon went back to selling raw milk and everything else good for you. The state took a lot of heat from the public. Vernon’s wife miscarried last fall, about the same time the state submitted a report for possible prosecution. No agency, state or county has followed up with charges. Hershberger doesn’t expect any and hasn’t heard from the state since the raid.

“We are not out of hot water yet,” Hershberger warns. “But for every day they let go by without doing something, it means one day closer to saying, ‘Go ahead, it’s all right what you are doing.’”

What should be a simple task, selling raw milk to his neighbors, has made Vernon famous, fame he did not seek.

At least in Illinois you can buy what you think is best for your family.

REI Health Fair Saturday, July 9

Reiki Energy International (REI) will hold its second annual REI Health Fair & Expo in Clock Tower Resort’s Wallingford Center from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Saturday, July 9.

The REI Health Fair and Expo will feature more than 65 heath-conscious exhibitors showcasing healthy services and products as well as offering symposiums about current health issues. The free fair will include local and national businesses and is designed to build awareness of healthy living opportunities in our community.

The symposiums will be in Suite 1711 throughout the day and will include the topics of “Herbs and Cooking,” “Organic Gardening,” “Reiki” and “New Supplements.”

In-kind sponsors already secured for the REI Health Fair & Expo include The Rock River Times, the four Nutrition Works health care stores in the Rock River Valley, Maverick Media and WNTA Radio, Beth Ann Weis Salon & Spa and the Clock Tower Resort. For vendor info, visit: www.reikienergyinternational.org or call (815) 398-6326.

Richard Gubbe is an award-winning journalist, public relations specialist and Reiki Master Teacher. He is a long-time Rockford resident who has taught preventive health, visualization and Reiki at Rock Valley College since 2003.

From the July 6-12, 2011, issue

Whether you were “green” before the color was fashionable or whether you’re just ready to find the “shade” that works best for you, here’s information about doing just “one green thing.”

Did you know it is estimated each person creates about a ton of trash per year? That adds up to 230 million tons…and that is somewhere around 1 billion 4-yard trash bins (the size of the ones behind many businesses).

Did you also know LESS THAN a quarter of this is recycled? Everything else goes to landfills or is incinerated.

The nice young man who helped me with my recyclables last week thinks we should add an educational component to every student’s education. He thinks a field trip visit to a landfill for them would help set the tone for their future treatment of their trash.

Just imagine how having more people recycling would change the future…think about the reduced demand on virgin materials…well, you understand where this is going.

It is easy, really; with a little forethought, we could reuse or recycle more than 70 percent of the landfill waste, including valuable materials such as glass, metal and paper. This would reduce the demand on virgin sources of these materials and many others. The varieties of items that can be recycled today are amazing. Just talk to Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful about how many cubic yards of metal, clothing and electronics they handled last year.

So, I just have to ask…remember that amount of trash that each of us creates in the United States every year? Have you recycled everything you can from your ton?

For more information, e-mail Jan Herbert at JanHerbert@RockfordParkdistrict.org.

From the July 6-12, 2011, issue

She’s a pioneer of a higher order in medicine, someone who brought legitimacy to the holistic health field in the region. Cathy Keith, director of EAM grant administration and Holistic Health Services for SwedishAmerican Hospital (SAH), cleared a path for better health care practices by integrating complementary modalities into standard medical practice in the same fashion as other prominent hospitals in the country.

Keith has a nutrition background as a registered dietitian and licensed dietitian nutritionist. She also holds a Reiki certificate and has studied numerous complementary medicine techniques.

“My personal training has been of a self-directed nature, although I have taken part in fellowship programs in complementary medicine,” Keith says. “I practice a lot of what we preach—essential oils, meditation, aromatherapy, yoga, guided imagery, breath work and acupressure.”

Beginning with the cardiovascular-focused Ornish and CHIP programs, Swedes introduced lifestyle medicine and complementary therapies to Rockford in 1998. Given each program’s medical focus, SAH staff participated in multiple research projects to demonstrate the clinical value of making healthy choices. Outcomes from these studies have been published in multiple professional peer-reviewed journals, and have helped pave the way for insurance and Medicare reimbursement for specific programs and services.

“We are very proud that our investment of time and money helped to improve the health of our community and beyond,” Keith says.

In 2006, SwedishAmerican refocused its efforts and opened a new hospital-based department—Holistic Health Services. Nationally-certified and state-licensed practitioners work directly with patients, physicians, employees and the public with the intent to support the healing process by reducing pain and anxiety with proven low-cost complementary therapies.

More than 100 hospitals, including the impressive Cleveland Clinic, offer CAM practices (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) at their facility in the United States. While most holistic venues such as wellness centers and chiropractic offices were quick to implement the use of “unproven” modalities, hospitals were not. SwedishAmerican requires documentation of the success of a modality before incorporating it into their standard of care.

“In an effort to comply with standards set by the medical staff, part of my job is to investigate the efficacy of various CAM modalities,” Keith says. “If you are going to do any kind of patient service, we have to make sure that it does no harm to patients.

“We make sure they (CAM modalities) hold up to clinical rigor,” Keith adds.

England, for example, uses Reiki as a modality available to anyone as a method of treatment throughout the country.

SAH offers acupressure, guided imagery, holistic nursing consults, massage therapy, music therapy, relaxation techniques and energy healing with healing touch and Reiki. Relaxation techniques are rooted in breath work to reduce anxiety and pain. Keith says there is plenty of documentation that supports the use of breath work as part of the overall plan for someone’s wellness, whereas body detoxification with ionizing footbaths, for instance, have yet to show through studies and through application that they belong in the standard of care.

Some services can be requested, such as a Reiki treatment before or after surgery. CAM modalities also can be included in a plan of care that is individualized.

“And that’s what complementary medicine is striving for,” she says.

And how are these services paid for at SAH? A state grant. SAH has been a continual recipient of the Excellence in Academic Medicine grant.

“It’s a unique grant, with very specific parameters, that we’ve received since 1999,” she says. “It’s not always used for holistic health; it supports numerous endeavors. As long as the State of Illinois General Assembly approves the EAM grant, the SwedishAmerican Hospital leadership team will be able to make a business judgment on how to best spend that money.

“I feel comfortable to say the SAH leadership has been very supportive of the services we provide,” she adds.

The official language used in the Swedes brochure reads: “If you have difficulty with sleep, discomfort, nausea, fatigue, anxiety or stress during your hospital stay, you may benefit from our free holistic health services. Patients frequently experience increased relaxation, symptom reduction and an overall sense of well-being with each or a combination of therapies. … If you wish to take advantage of one or more of these free therapies while you are hospitalized at SwedishAmerican, ask your nurse or physician to request our services. Holistic health practitioners are available during the day Monday through Friday, as well as weekends and holidays. Services are also available at select outpatient departments.”

SAH also knows the benefits of canines. The Caring Canines Program utilizes trained therapy dogs and their handlers in direct contact with patients in individual and group settings.

And there’s research to back up their use—reduced stress and pain levels, lower blood pressure and shorter hospital stays.

All possible because of the foresight of SwedishAmerican’s leadership team and the efforts of Cathy Keith.

Don’t Forget: Reiki Energy International will hold its second annual REI Health Fair & Expo at the Clock Tower Resort Saturday, July 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in the Wallingford Center.

The REI Health Fair and Expo will feature more than 65 heath-conscious exhibitors showcasing healthy services and products as well as offering symposiums about current health issues. The free fair will include local and national businesses and is designed to build awareness of healthy living opportunities in our community.

The symposiums will be held in a separate meeting room throughout the day and will include the topics of “Herbs and Healthy Cooking,” “Organic Gardening,” “Reiki” and “Preventive Health.”

In-kind sponsors already secured for the REI Health Fair & Expo include The Rock River Times, the four Nutrition Works health care stores in the Rock River Valley, Maverick Media and WNTA Radio, Beth Ann Weis Salon & Spa and The Clock Tower Resort. Last year’s vendor space was sold out. Vendor fees for businesses start at $55. For vendor applications, visit: www.reikienergyinternational.org or call (815) 398-6326.

Richard Gubbe is an award-winning journalist, public relations specialist and Reiki Master Teacher. He is a long-time Rockford resident who has taught preventive health, visualization and Reiki at Rock Valley College since 2003.

From the June 29-July 5, 2011 issue

I continue to get phone calls and questions about “Hot Yoga.” Do I offer it? Do I teach it? Where to find it? Why do it? My usual response is that I do not heat the room for yoga practice, but the practice of yoga builds tapas (internal heat), so any yoga can be “hot yoga” whether you turn up the external heat or not.

Many Westerners like the heat because it places yoga into the category of a “workout,” accompanied by the usual sweat and muscle fatigue. But, a well-rounded yoga practice has much more to offer than a regular workout. Yoga is given to bring balance to our inner and outer life, something only the “hot” of yoga can’t provide.

Where the initial idea for heating a yoga room came from, I have no idea. India, the birthplace of yoga, is hot sometimes, but not everywhere and not all the time. Fire, represented by heat, is only one of five elements that can be affected and manipulated by practicing yoga, so why neglect the other four (earth, air, water and ether)? I have been in a hot yoga class, and I have tried Bikram yoga, where the room is heated to 105 degrees. I like to sweat (especially since I do not perspire easily), but for me, “hot yoga” lacks the full experience a well-rounded yoga practice has to offer.

Yoga asana (posture) is an experience in microcosm of our macro-world, affecting us not just on the physical level, but organically, mentally and spiritually as well. In yoga practice, we may find obstacles and bumps in the road just as in life. We are challenged out of our norm, drawn away from the distractions of the outer world, and introduced to our own self. Going through each pose with awareness of breath, movement, and sensation within our more controlled inner environment prepares us to find a little more peace and equanimity in the turbulence of the outer world.

An artificially heated room immediately sets up a false experience. I am sure past yogis practiced in every temperature possible, but heat is only one of many to experience. Manipulating our outer environment in yoga prevents us from dealing as readily with our inner experience. Heat melts away many of the obstacles we might face in regular practice. Feeling and moving through resistance within the body can prepare us to deal with resistance in our daily life. Patiently, and with the breath, a yoga practice can teach us to move with awareness and balance through any obstacle.

A heated room gives us an instant sweaty fix, a little detox, and physical looseness without a lot of effort. But, if there is inflammation anywhere in the body, adding heat may be detrimental. Plus, we don’t just build physical heat, we build emotional and mental heat—faster metabolism, creative energy, power, aggressiveness, agitation, literal “hot-headedness.” It is important to first be aware of our own nature and our own temperament before adding on external elements in our practice for balance or imbalance. Added external factors risk destroying the experience of balance yoga is meant to bring to our lives.

Ultimately, a heating practice done well builds an internal heat that lasts over time—a heat that lights the fire of change from within. Try standing in a warrior pose for more than a couple of seconds. Stay in a backbend for a few minutes. Do 108 sun salutations for good luck. Internal heat can be good for long-term well-being, but a heating practice is just as important as a cooling practice, depending on the person and the day.

Adding external heat to internal heat can also be over-stimulating and distracting. The challenge and benefit of yoga asana comes from building awareness of and being attentive to the inner effects of any pose. The beauty of a balanced yoga practice is its many opportunities to experience yourself in diverse actions and environments. It is summer, so hot yoga is naturally here. But to find the balance yoga truly has to offer, do it hot, but sometimes not.

For more information about Pranayama Yoga Studio, visit www.yogarockford.com or call (815) 968-9642.on a small ranch in rural Shirland, Ill. Kathleen can be contacted by e-mail at kdt-insights@hotmail.com.

From the June 29-July 5, 2011 issue

Whether you were “green” before the color was fashionable or whether you’re just ready to find the “shade” that works best for you, here’s information about doing just “one green thing.”

Four years ago, a small group of volunteers persuaded the Village of Rockton to compete in the America in Bloom contest. What ensued was nothing short of miraculous. Hundreds of volunteers from pre-school children to retirees got busy.

Weeds were pulled, purple and gold flowers planted, trees trimmed, sidewalks washed, and one member of the group saw the need and arranged to have a recycling bin placed to entice more residents to recycle.

That bin (actually, now a larger one) is still in place. This morning when I arrived to offload my recyclables, it was on a truck about to leave for dumping at the sorting location. The young man driving the Waste Management truck was kind enough to see my dilemma, get out, and take my materials, saying he would put them in the cab of the truck because the bin was full.

A huge smile appeared on my face. You know me; I love to talk about recycling. Following my explanation about what began as a little bitty effort, I just had to indicate how thrilled I was to know it was full every week. Much to my surprise, he told me our little effort to start a recycling program now means the bin is picked up three times per week. And this is no small bin!

So, next time you think a little bitty effort doesn’t matter, just think of that great big bin being filled three times per week.

A few members of that same volunteer group are still concentrating on trash and recycling at the Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful Annual Clean-up Day. Best of all, workers at that event say it is getting more and more difficult to find trash in Rockton. Well, now isn’t THAT something!

For more information, e-mail Jan Herbert at JanHerbert@RockfordParkdistrict.org.

From the June 22-28 issue



CARBONDALE, Ill.—An advocate for rural communities, Illinois Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon urges local food producers to apply for a federal grant that promotes farmers’ markets.

The United States Department of Agriculture recently announced the availability of $10 million in competitive grants for FY 2011 through the Farmers Market Promotion Program. Deadline to apply is July 1.

The grants are targeted at projects that help improve and expand farmers’ markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agri-tourism activities, and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities.

Priority status will be granted to those projects that expand healthy food choices in food desserts. Entities eligible to apply for grant funding include agricultural cooperatives, local governments and nonprofit corporations.

“I encourage local food producers across the state to take advantage of this opportunity to grow their farmers’ markets,” Simon said. “Expanding access to local foods promotes healthy eating and strengthens our economy.”

Simon serves as chairman of the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council, which is focused on developing markets for locally-grown foods by removing barriers to farmers’ markets, as well as encouraging compliance with the Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act.

For additional information about grant eligibility and how to apply, visit http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FMPP.

From the June 22-28 issue