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Holistic Beauty, Body & Bath

2008-04-28T08:36:00.014-04:00

It's summertime! Time for bug sprays and sunscreens, self tanners and hair highlighters, SPF lotions and lip balms. We use personal care products everyday, but have you wondered how safe they are — for you and the environment?

Many soaps, shampoos, conditioners, make-up products, sunscreens and bug repellents are filled with harsh chemicals and preservatives. Our skin soaks up at least 70% of what we put on it, so when we use products with harsh ingredients, it could have long lasting effects on our bodies. What we don't soak up is washed down the drain into our water systems, affecting all of us, including plants and animals.

Educate yourself on the common ingredients used in these products. Examples of ingredients that are a cause for concern are listed in the table below. After you check the labels on your current products, learn about alternatives for future purchases that are good for you and the environment.

Look for self-preserving organic products to avoid parabens, such as moisturizers made from organic cocoa butter, sunflower oils, peppermint oils, coconut oil and organic spearmint oil. These products can stay preserved naturally for up to 18 months. The best way to find a paraben-free product is to look through the ingredients, or research products on Skin Deepʼs website: www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep2

Many bug repellents contain 5-25% of the pesticide DEET, which can have many side effects such as rashes or convulsions, if used consistently over a long period of time. Natural alternatives are essential oils such as lavender, rosemary or cedarwood which trick insects into thinking you are a plant and repel bugs naturally.

The active ingredient in most antiperspirants and deodorants is aluminum, which has been linked to cancer and Alzheimerʼs disease. Natural deodorants neutralize smell and help protect against bacteria, the odor causing agent.

For hair cleaning products, look for almond, sunflower and safflower oils, or cocoa butter and lanolin. Soften your hair with glycerin, honey, chamomile or sorbitol.

You can make natural products in your own kitchen with herbs, fruits and other plants that you grow yourself or buy from an organic source, and ingredients that you keep in your pantry. The Ultimate Natural Beauty Book by Josephine Fairley has “recipes” for mixing together cleansers, moisturizers, shampoos, deodorants and more.

Companies dedicated to providing natural products in an environmentally safe way include Burtʼs Bees, Aveda, Blooming Lotus, Tomʼs of Maine and many others.

Natural personal care products are good for your health and the environment. Using these products for all your personal care needs, no matter what the season, is a worthwhile investment.

This article was provided by the Cincinnati Nature Center. Written by Sophia Turczynewycz, an education intern.

Our Excellent Adventure

2008-01-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

Day One
Paddle harder! We’re losing ground! Aching muscles exact their toll as we aim towards a distant point that will shelter us for a few minutes before we venture out to the next island, the next point, the next refuge against an unrelenting wind.

Last night, pouring over the map for our Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) expedition our future was ripe with possibilities. Nooks and crannies presenting an ever-changing vista, rocky shorelines, islands and bald eagles soaring overhead were to be ours. The names Kawishiwi River, Disappointment Mountain, Abinodji Lake and Adventure Lake rolled off our tongues and intrigued us. We would load our supplies and shelter and move into the wilderness. In the lowlands we would meet moose, in the dusk wolves would howl and an aurora borealis would dance in the heavens at night.

Much can be gleaned from a chart: topography, elevation, lowland areas, roads and trails. What it cannot illustrate is wind, an invisible force generally blowing from the direction into which one is headed.

Now there are small whitecaps. The water darkens as the leading edge of each gust approaches and catches yet again the bow of our canoe; we stroke faster despite rapidly tiring arms to maintain our heading. When we reach our intended destination we are relieved to find the campsite not only unoccupied but utterly perfect.

It is early evening and as a cool breeze sweeps around our island all effort is fully rewarded. Birch trees rustle overhead and pine needles whisper among themselves. I meet a gray jay for the first time, an inquisitive bird that darts around the campground. The sun will set in a while and casts a warm hue on the islands lying to the east. A short walk on the island’s thin trails threaded by previous visitors reveals carpets of bunchberry and large-leaf aster. Blue-bead lilies, their leaves yellowing, crowd around birch trees. A red squirrel chatters querulously while a pair of loons dives in tandem. Trees sending exploratory roots along the rocky surface cling precariously to this island. Life here is not to be taken for granted.

Many areas in this untamed country must have presented harsh survival conditions. This northern land of rock and water possessed many advantages: fish, wild rice and waterfowl; woodland berries and nuts; game birds and mammals; maple sap and sugar; and trees that could be used to build shelters and canoes and serve as fuel wood. Many peoples have made this area their home. The first, following the last glacier northward, lived among wooly mammoths. When Europeans first explored the waterways Cree, Ottawa, Ojibway and Assiniboin lived here. Today thousands come each year to experience the rugged beauty that has enticed man through the ages.

Despite the slight ache in our arms, tomorrow once again seems filled with promise and we will with glad hearts aim our canoe once more into the wind.

Day Two
The evocative music of loons reverberating through the surrounding watery landscape awakens us at dawn as pink hues streak across the eastern sky to announce the day. We are galvanized by this siren call whose promise has lured us miles into the wilderness – we are ready for a new day. As we eat a warm breakfast, a downy woodpecker picks a delicate tattoo on one of the two birches framing our view and I think of all those through the centuries who have looked on to just such a morning.

Among them, the Voyageurs who moved through these waters in the 1700s, stand out. Colorful characters of French Canadian origin theirs was a culture that still vibrates in this landscape. Details of their way of life defy modern day imagination. Often laboring 15 to 18 hours per day, they arose well before dawn and paddled several hours before breakfast and only consumed their second meal after nightfall. In between, they paddled 40 strokes per minute and moved through the portages at a trot. Each voyageur, leaning forward to balance the load, carried three or four 90lb bales at a time. The canoes themselves weighed between 300 and 500lbs and loads ranged from 3000 to 6000 lbs. They stopped long enough for smoke breaks, slept under their boats and dined on lyed corn pudding, rubbaboo stew, and galette. And throughout these long days their voices rose in song to fill the air and fuel their spirits.

Admittedly, we are neophytes. Definitely not voyageurs. Our day’s adventure to moose habitat involved several charted portages – the longest almost a quarter mile – to a thin channel of water meandering through lowlands. It was delightful to coast along, sheltered from the still strong south easterlies that had yet to let up. Green and golden grasses swayed in the breeze. Dragonflies motored by us. After undertaking two uncharted portages (?!) we ran out of water. Our beautiful stream was reduced to a band of water 12” wide. And so began an arduous portage marathon that would turn out to be almost a mile long: pushing; pulling; hauling; carrying; four-letter words and thoughts. We saw not one moose – too much cussing, grunting with effort, crashing through the landscape clumsy with the portage of our gear. Moose tracks, yes. So the idea was good but the execution poor. And yet it afforded us the briefest communion with the people that had traveled here for thousands of years through an unmapped landscape.

Day Three
We are comfortably ensconced under a tarp strung out between the trees. Fortunately, we were able to break camp before the rain struck and we are now awaiting a clearing in the weather so that we can head out. An impending wind shift from SE to NW has prompted the decision to paddle back to Lake No. 1 sooner rather than later. In the meantime we watch the rain drum the water’s surface as a cool autumnal breeze teases the golden birch leaves from their branches. They flutter earthward to become cheery splashes of color atop the fragrant carpet of pine needles. Eagles soar overhead and a white-throated sparrow forages beneath a nearby spruce. The rocks along the shoreline are lined with rainwater and subtle shades of green and ochre and yellow foliage come to life against the misty background. A sudden darkness swells the southeast sky and the rain comes down harder than ever. I think of how far we have come to be on this unnamed island in Lake No. 3.

From Duluth there are two ways to get to Ely. The one we chose hugs Lake Superior’s northern shoreline and the awesome power released by the intersection of unrelenting water and unmoving rock renders beautiful panoramas. Route 1 leads north to Ely through forests unmarked by habitation or commerce. The road winds and twists around ponds, rocks and lowlands, a narrow ribbon of asphalt that seems to have been gently laid upon the land to conform to its every whim and wrinkle. Red maple leaves pop against dark evergreen spruces and birch leaves flash the color of captured sunlight. A lake sparkles between the trees. It is a move into solitude.

Ely is the springboard to the BWCAW. A small town of roughly 4000 people, it has been remarkably resilient in the face of a difficult economic landscape. Located in an area that was the traditional homeland of the Ojibway, European trappers first came in the early 1700s. By the mid-1800s, gold was discovered which led to the much more significant find of an iron ore that was sixty percent pure. Rail lines were extended to Ely and logging operations became viable. During the first half of the 20th century almost all American steel contained some percentage of Ely iron. When the last mine closed in 1967, Ely had to reinvent itself and turned once again to its natural resources. Now, love for the BWCAW wilderness is part of the make up of many an outdoor enthusiast’s heart.

The sky lightens almost imperceptibly and the rain eases off. We pack the canoe and set off casting admiring glances at the beauty of our island. Paddling is much easier with the wind astern. Portages also seem less grueling. Lake No. 1, in proximity to a popular launch area, is much busier than we’d anticipated and the camp sites reveal extensive usage. Our outfitter at Canadian Waters had mentioned that the BWCAW with its one million acres welcomes 200,000 visitors a year. Quetico Provincial Park, just north, also has one million acres, but sees only half that, while the wilderness area even further north, with two million acres, receives only 800 visitors. Nevertheless, our only visible neighbor is a beaver across the water we have yet to meet.

Evening’s dark mantle gently cloaks the lakes and trees as the wind softens and blue sky bleeds through the clouds. A loud slap echoes across the water – we have been introduced to our neighbor.

Day Four
I love the “cluck” the raven makes. We hear them calling this morning, checking on one another after last night’s thunderstorms. Many before us have also listened to this trickster’s call.

Native Americans, traders, trappers, missionaries, explorers, voyageurs, prospectors, lumberjacks and miners have all left their marks. Many have fallen in love with this rugged geography. In recent times, Sigurd Olson, gifted writer and unflagging advocate for wilderness preservation fought tirelessly to save this northern paradise. Dorothy Molter came to the Isle of Pines Resort as a nurse in 1934 and stayed on to live more than 50 years alone in the wilderness to become the last resident of the BWCAW. Every year 6000-7000 visitors stopped in to visit the “root beer lady” and sample a bottle of root beer from the roughly 12000 bottles she put up yearly. Canoe builder Joe Seliga, a miner all his life, fell in love with the art of canvas canoes and through trial and error became a master craftsman elegantly weaving his love for the canoe country with his artistic enterprise.

Though the wind has clocked into the west in the wake of the storms, gray skies continue to blanket the lakes. Our beaver, swimming back and forth, is still patrolling the front of his lodge. Three gray jays flit around the campsite, masked bandits scavenging stray Ramen noodles from last night’s meal.

Another dawn in the BWCAW. Paddling in a gently falling rain that dimples the smooth water is wonderfully pleasing. Finally the wind has eased up and we are able to view the rocky coast with its elusive twin reflection. We portage (we have pared down to one canoe, one backpack, one trip) Lake No. 1 Dam and set into Confusion Lake which represents everything we imagined BWCAW to be. The water pushes its way through rock outcroppings on which trees have anchored themselves. The fragrance of spruce and cedar swirls around us, sharpened by last night’s rain. Gray jays chatter, alarmed or perhaps amused by our presence. At the north end of Confusion Lake there is another portage into a small unnamed lake that is simply enchanting. In one corner red maples blaze with their foliage afire against a dark sky. A small island with steep rocky faces offers itself up to the water and is reflected back perfectly. Clumps of royal fern tarnished to shades of ochre and burnt sienna peak out of sheltered nooks and crannies while the golden leaves and white trunks of birch trees glow against a dark background. A pileated woodpecker flies across our bow, lands, and scolds us. As we return the sun peeks out and briefly illuminates the red maples. A momentary gift.

Soon our last portage is complete. Skies have cleared with northwesterly winds sweeping over us. There is a chill in the air this evening as we sit in camp and admire the island panorama. Gray jays drop by and we treat them to crackers as they pose for our cameras.

This is our last evening. We have not heard any news from the world beyond BWCAW. We came to share in the world of loons and eagles, water and rocks. Leaving the world we know behind frees us to fully immerse ourselves in the wilderness we have inhabited forever, the wilderness we long to return to.

Day Five
It is almost 8 o’clock and we are all packed up for a final paddle to our pickup point. The day is overcast, the wind gentle and we glide easily through still waters enjoying the slight tension of the water’s surface just before the paddle is engaged, the power traveling from our bodies through to the blade, the release of that blade back to the air and the arc of water droplets returning to the lake. As Sigurd Olson so eloquently wrote, “the movement of a canoe is like a reed in the wind”. We stroke and glide attentive to the varied nuances of this elemental landscape. A pair of chickadees sing farewell. As we round one of the last bends a beautiful doe stands at the water’s edge. Her coat gleams as she eyes us curiously, unalarmed. We glide past and she carefully picks her way through the water to the other side.

In the weeks and months to come, as we return to our busy lives, these few days will sustain us. We have opened our hearts and returned to that which is most essential to our well being: the knowledge that we are of this world, a world made of rock and water and wind and fire.

An Arctic Visitor

2007-10-31T01:45:00.000-04:00

As one of North America’s largest, heaviest and most powerful owls, the snowy owl excites and delights all who encounter this far northern denizen. Part of the snowy owl’s mystique surely lies in its large size and nearly pure white plumage, but its relative scarcity and irregular occurrence in the U.S. also contribute to this owl’s “wow” factor.

Snowy owls live and breed on the far northern fringes of North America’s arctic tundra. Some winters, however, they migrate to the northern U.S. (and occasionally farther south). It has always been believed that the owls moved south during winter when prey is scarce in the north, but recent surveys show that some snowy owls migrate annually regardless of prey availability in the north. Weather and snow depth have also been looked at as possible reasons for the owls’ winter movement. But whatever the reason, most birders in the northern U.S. eagerly anticipate the arrival of these spectacular birds.

Snowy owls are easy to recognize. They are about the size of a great-horned owl, but are nearly entirely white with a variable amount of dusky brown barring over much of the body. This dark barring, which probably aids in camouflaging the owl, is both age- and sex-dependent. Young females show the most barring, while adult males show the least.

All snowy owls have rather small, narrow eyes with golden yellow irises. Like all owls, they have superior vision both during the day and at night; they also rely on their hearing to help them hunt. Flying silently enhances hearing.

Lemmings make up a large part of the snowy owl’s diet. In fact, one owl may eat more than 1,600 lemmings per year. However, if lemmings are scarce, snowy owls will also eat rabbits and birds such as ducks. Owls that migrate south of the breeding grounds where there are no lemmings subsist on a diet of whatever prey is locally abundant--other birds, rabbits, squirrels or mice.

Once you’ve located a snowy owl, you will probably be able to observe it all winter. Banding studies show that the owls demonstrate winter site fidelity and defend their feeding territories from other owls.

Snowy owls also aggressively defend their breeding territories from other owls and any other intruders as well. Perhaps this is why so little is known about the snowy owl’s courtship or nest selection. Nests are found on windswept hillocks or large boulders that allow a commanding view of the surrounding countryside. It is believed the female scrapes out a hollow using her claws and by turning her body around and around on the scrape. She adds no feathers or other material to the nest, so the eggs and young are totally dependent on her for warmth. She lays between three and eleven eggs at two- to four-day intervals—the number of eggs being dependent on the availability of prey. Incubation begins with laying the first egg and lasts approximately thirty-one days or until the last egg has hatched. During this time the male guards the nest and feeds the female, but does not participate in incubation.

Chicks are born helpless, although they are covered with down feathers—a condition known as semialtricial. But they grow quickly and are able to leave the nest after only fourteen days. The owl family may remain together, with the young being fed by both parents, for several months.

People have been observing snowy owls for eons. They are the oldest bird species recognizable in cave drawings by the Paleolithic people of Europe. Bones of snowy owls have been found in these caves as well, indicating that these people probably did more than merely observe these large owls.

Fortunately, today’s laws prohibit trophy hunting or adding owls to your menu. But observing them is always fun. Away from their breeding grounds, snowy owls may seem quite docile around humans, often sitting still and allowing fairly close observations.

Although snowy owls do the majority of their hunting just after dark, it’s not necessary to go out at night to observe them. Their daytime hours are often spent on conspicuous perches. Some of the best places to look for snowy owls are marshes, meadows, farm fields and coasts—anywhere they have a good view of the surrounding countryside. You may spot them perching on open ground, sitting on utility posts or perching on roofs.

So be on the lookout this winter. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to encounter an arctic visitor from the north.

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)

Length: 23 inches

Wingspan:52 inches

Weight:4 pounds

Adult male: Nearly entirely white with scarce, dark barring over back, belly and wings. Eyes yellow and elliptical.

Adult female: Similar to male with more dark barring on body.

Juvenile: Similar to adults, but very heavily barred with dusky brown over much of the body.

Voice:Song is a deep, repeated hoot or broo. Call is a high, drawn-out scream.

Behavior: Largely diurnal. Migrates to northern U.S. (sometimes farther south) in some winters. Flight is strong and steady, but not rapid. May appear quite docile away from the breeding ground.

Mating/Breeding: Mainly monogamous. Courtship includes an aerial display consisting of an undulating flight in front of the female followed by a ground display and presentation of food (usually lemming).

Nest: A bare scrape on a raised hummock of ground. No feathers or other lining material used.

Clutch: Usually 3 to 5 eggs when food is limited, 7 to ll eggs when food is plentiful. The white eggs are 2.2 inches long.

May forego nesting when prey is scarce.

Incubation: 32 to 34 days

Fledge: 32 to 34 days

Food:Lemmings and other rodents are primary food. Will also eat hares, birds and occasionally fish and other aquatic animals.

Habitat: Treeless arctic tundra.

Territory: Males establish territory on arctic breeding grounds. Usually widely spaced from other snowy owls.

Breeding Range: Alaska and the Canadian arctic.

Winter Range: Breeding range to southern Canada and northern U.S. (occasionally farther south).

Backcountry Health Articles

2007-10-31T01:24:00.000-04:00

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Allergies

2007-10-31T01:13:00.000-04:00

seasonal allergies can impede outdoor enjoyment

More than 35 million Americans are affected by seasonal allergies. In the spring, when molds are at their peak, trees are the primary pollen producers, followed by grass pollen season in early June. The most troublesome weeds in the Great Lakes region are ragweed and nettle when their pollen becomes airborne in late summer. Only the coming of frost will completely put an end to the pollen and outdoor mold season – until next spring.

So how do you know if you have seasonal allergies? A sore, itchy throat, frequent sneezing, a runny nose (allergic rhinitis), and red, itchy, watery eyes (allergic conjunctivitis) are the most common symptoms. Others include fatigue, headaches, facial pain or pressure and dark circles under the eyes. Allergy symptoms may range from mild to debilitating. Left untreated, allergies may develop into more severe conditions such as asthma and sinusitis, either of which may become chronic.

If over-the-counter antihistamines donʼt give adequate relief, see your doctor. He or she can prescribe the appropriate medications to alleviate your symptoms or suggest other treatment options.

Since pollens and mold spores are in the air we breathe, avoiding them is impossible. But to minimize your exposure, keep windows closed and use air conditioning during pollen season. Stay indoors on windy days, use a dehumidifier to keep indoor humidity below 50 percent, and leave the jobs of raking leaves and mowing
the lawn to someone else.

–Sharon Lee Maloney, R.N.

Frostbite

2007-10-30T22:46:00.000-04:00

Frostnip is the earliest stage of frostbite. The affected skin will be white, cold, numb and stiff, though the
underlying tissue will still be warm and soft. Frostnip usually causes only mild discomfort and can be treated
at home. As soon as frostnip is suspected, take the person inside and remove any wet clothing. Never rub the area, and never apply a direct heat source. DO place the affected body part in warm water (never hot) until all sensation and normal skin color returns. Be aware that the rewarming process can be painful.

Frostbite is the traumatic effect of extreme cold on the skin and subcutaneous tissues. It is, literally, frozen body tissue. Signs of frostbite include cold, numb areas with blotchy, white, grayish-yellow, blue or waxy patches of skin. Swelling and blisters may appear. Deeper tissues will feel cold and hard to the touch. If frostbite has advanced to this stage, re-warming at home should NOT be attempted, rather medical treatment should be sought rapidly before permanent tissue damage or loss occurs.

The face, nose, fingers, toes and ears are the most commonly affected areas. Wind chill, altitude, alcohol consumption, wet skin, and the length of cold exposure all are factors that impact how quickly frostbite can
happen and how severe it can be. At higher risk for frostbite are the elderly, children, anyone with circulatory problems or previous cold injuries, and people from tropical climates, but anyone can get frostbite to areas of their skin that are not adequately protected from the cold.

–Sharon Lee Maloney, R.N.

Natural Healing - Benefiting From the Wonders Around Us

2007-10-01T00:17:00.000-04:00

On a dark day in my life, when I heard of a daughter's pending divorce, her children's unhappiness, I took my tears down to the lake to sit where I am safest, beside water. I'd been hoping all summer to see a loon out on the lake, but so far none had seen fit to visit. Until that afternoon. A single loon landed a little way out from where I sat on the shore. He circled slowly for about fifteen minutes. He eyed me, made those haunting little sounds in his throat, and then swam toward me. He came around the dock. Slowly, he swam closer until he was just out from where I sat, watching me, focusing my wild thoughts, helping me with his gift of being. This elusive loon stayed with me for over an hour.

Nancy Solak, of Grosse Pointe Farms, found herself in Italy last year, walking an out-of-the-way farm road. She stepped into a rut and turned her ankle badly. The pain was immediate and severe, her foot pointing grotesquely at a right angle. With no help around, and going in and out of consciousness, she focused on the natural world around her: the rush of a nearby waterfall; tree branches overhead—green against a brilliant blue; songs of birds. She credits nature and the beauty around her for keeping her conscious enough to wait for the help that finally came, and for the strength to get through the complex operation that followed.

Iris Underwood of southern Michigan attributes her healing after a long time of grieving over a daughter's death to the lavender she now farms. She writes of the experience:

. . .it was the lavender,

The scent of heaven on my hands,

The song of the honeybees,

That went to my heart

And healed me.

The earth beneath our feet; the air we breathe; the sky above our head—we live in the midst of the natural world and yet have come, in this technological era, to deny its existence. Slowly, as unease at our arrogance settles in, people begin to seek cures, solace, and peace in the forgotten world around us.

Herbs, long attacked by the pharmaceutical companies, have come into their own. Herbologists say ancient remedies prove to heal where human-made pills don't work. Doctors, exploring new natural therapies, are seeing progress in diseases, especially auto-immune diseases, not helped by ordinary therapies. Frankincense and myrrh, words out of the mists of time, are now routinely used as healing oils. Myrrh, a tree resin said to have been burned in large quantities by Nero at his wife's funeral, is now used in liniments and salves. Frankincense oil heals wounds. Ricki Blanchard, owner of Higher Self Book Store in Traverse City, knew to use it after a bad foot injury. She had no bruising. Danielle Devoe of Traverse City fell over her cat and hit her face on a coffee table. After applying Frankincense oils to her cheek, there was no bruise the next morning.

Rock, the very essence of the Earth, is being used to bring solace and healing to the patients of Dr. Ruth Lerman, an Internist at Beaumont Hospital near Detroit, who has faced three battles with breast cancer herself. A vegetarian, expert in Yoga, and firm believer in nature as healing mother, Dr. Lerman now conducts a breast cancer survivors group, which relies heavily on natural processes to bring healing to the bodies of women ravaged by surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. For her healing classes with patients, Dr. Lerman has each patient find a rock, small enough to close in her hand. The following week each woman in the group explains why she chose that particular rock, that humble rock. Most of the stories have to do with being from a a beloved place they love, or being associated with a child or a loved one. The rocks are gathered into a single pile and each woman, in turn, lays her hands on that pile of combined rock and tells of a bad time, a harsh time in her cancer. The story becomes a blessing laid on the rocks, shared and eased. “By the end of the session each rock has accumulated a powerful set of blessings. Blessings everyone carries with her as she carries her rock,” Dr. Lerman says.

Water is a powerful force for many. Pasquale Buzzelli, the man who rode the north tower down on 9/11 and lived, has suffered five years of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, and he has endured a long healing process. He walks on the beach to bring himself back again to what holds importance in his life. “I sit in the sand and stare out at the water. I feel peace, and think of my family and that they, one day, will stare out at the same ocean. I wonder what their lives will be like, and if they will feel joy. I know now that the healing power of nature has to do with believing that nature is a powerful force. The solace we feel is similar to the feeling we have as children when we are sick and sometimes just being held in our parent's arms makes us feel better. It wasn't medicine that did that, but rather the feeling that someone was there for us.”

In the Jewish religion, the mikvah, or immersion in a water bath, is being used as therapy after illness. Dr. Lerman, who uses mikvah with cancer survivors, says the immersion in water “calms the mind, blurs the vision, and muffles the hearing.” “I am trained to focus on the physical body, but my experience has taught me that healing requires attention to the body, mind and spirit,” she adds. “Mikvah provides a woman a safe place to cry. The living waters flow down her face, masking her tears. They fall unabashed past her nakedness, past her imperfection. The mixture is perfect in its wholeness, its oneness.”

The psychological effects of earth, air, and water on humans are no longer being ignored. Teachers urge their students to walk beside water to enhance creativity as the almost hypnotic effects of running water clear the mind and allow ideas to flow.

The study of animals, and their kinship with humans, is only beginning to be investigated. While they have a different level of consciousness, it is still one somehow connected to ours—if we will only see it.

Slowly we learn to trust what we should have known all along. Dogs are brought into nursing homes to bring that indefinable thing animals possess. Hypnosis—an intense concentration of the mind—is brought into the operating room. Healing circles form around bedsides. We are reclaiming what our ancestors knew instinctively: we are a part of nature, and it is a part of us. Divided, we are less. United, so much more.

Bicycle RX: Healing Your Bike for a New Riding Season

2007-08-31T00:21:00.000-04:00

Mud splattered the bicycle's frame. A branch had broken several spokes, and the brakes squealed as if in pain. The cycling season had barely begun, yet my bicycle was already in desperate need of healing.

By adhering to a few basic maintenance tenets, however, even the most mechanically challenged person can avoid the above scenario. First, always wipe down your bicycle after a ride. This will keep the drivetrain from wearing out and prevent steel and aluminum frames from rusting or corroding. Run a cloth around the rims; this not only removes dirt, but prevents damage to the cantilever brakes. If you have disc brakes, be sure to wipe off the calipers.

Next, do a visual check. Are the tires bulging or cracking? Is the tube poking through a rip in the tire? You may need to replace the tire.

Look for objects embedded in the tire. Removing them might cause a flat, but it is easier to fix it while at home than on a remote road or trail. Also, make sure the tire has adequate air and consider rotating the front and back tires. Since the front tire steers the bike, it wears out faster than the rear one.

After the tires have been inspected, move on to the wheels. Are they wobbly or are there broken spokes? An out-of-true wheel can rub on the brakes or frame and can lead to a bent rim. Finally, check for loose nuts and bolts, particularly in the seat post and headset, and look for signs of wear in the brake pads.

Once a week, depending on how much you ride, you should also lube the chain. After cleaning the chain, apply bike lube to each link, let it penetrate for a few minutes, and then rub the outside of the chain with a rag until it is dry. Excessive lube on the chain can attract grime and spray onto the bike frame, creating a mess. Some bicycle experts also recommend changing the chain once a year.

In addition, cyclists can take care of their bikes by following two basic rules of pedaling. First, be sure to always ride under control, whether flying down a skinny trail or steep road. This not only saves you from accidents, but also prevents your bicycle from being damaged. And second, always be prepared by making sure your bicycle is in good condition and by carrying basic repair tools.

Finally, for those of you who are not handy with a wrench, treat your bicycle to a yearly tune-up. Under the care of a mechanic I once knew, my bike practically hummed with pleasure, operating better than when it was brand new.

- Erin Fanning

Field Trip Articles

2007-07-01T00:31:00.000-04:00

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Northern Outings Articles

2007-05-14T01:06:00.000-04:00

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Natural Gardener Articles

2007-05-01T00:40:00.000-04:00

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Stargazing Articles

2007-03-29T00:50:00.000-04:00

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Survival Skills Articles

2007-02-28T00:53:00.000-05:00

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Craft Articles

2007-02-16T00:55:00.000-05:00

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Geocaching Articles

2007-01-31T00:59:00.000-05:00

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Edible Forest Recipes

2007-01-31T00:57:00.000-05:00

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Kids' Treehouse

2007-01-27T01:01:00.000-05:00

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Learn to Draw Articles

2007-01-16T01:03:00.000-05:00

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