In This Issue: August 2021 Please enjoy the August issue of Natural Awakenings by flipping through the pages of our digital magazine or scrolling through the articles below. Alberto Villoldo on Shamanic Healing Alberto Villoldo, psychologist, medical anthropologist and best-selling author, discusses how shamans today combine ancient wisdom teachings with cutting-edge neuroscience to heal. Read More » Avoid Air Pollutants to Protect Children’s Mental Health Exposure to even moderate levels of traffic-related air pollutants during childhood results in a greater risk of mental illness by age 18, report researchers. Read More » Avoid Sugary Drinks to Reduce Colorectal Cancer Risk Drinking two sugary drinks per day from ages 13 to 18 increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 32 percent in women by age 50. Read More » Back-to-School Wellness: Tips to Keep Kids Healthy Parents can ensure children’s health and well-being as they go back to school with these tips for kid's healthy food, family communication, adequate sleep and more. Read More » Bug Battle: How to Keep Mosquitoes at Bay Mosquitoes aren’t just an annoyance; they can carry infectious diseases, so it’s important to know the best ways to keep them at bay, including natural bug repellents. Read More » Cactus Poachers Are Denuding Deserts More than 30 percent of the world’s 1,500 or so cactus species are threatened with extinction, and criminal scavengers are primarily to blame. Read More » ‘Clean the Garden’ Kimchi This easy kimchi recipe turns common garden veggies into a spicy probiotic ferment that’s loaded with good bacteria and health benefits. Read More » Eat Oily Fish to Live Longer A new large-scale analysis suggests that omega-3s from oily fish may extend lifespan. Read More » Eat Produce to Lower Stress and Heart Disease Research finds that eating one cup of nitrate-rich vegetables a day lowers blood pressure and risk of heart disease, while two cups of fruits and vegetables a day can decrease stress levels. Read More » Microbiome Linked to Risk of Death from Disease Researchers found that greater numbers of bacteria in the gut from the Enterobacteria family increase the risk of death from cancer, respiratory disorders and gastrointestinal disease. Read More » Pickled Watermelon Radishes Enjoy fresh radishes year-round with this flavorful recipe for pickled watermelon radishes. Read More » Pineapple Tepache Tepache is a wonderful, effervescent, lightly fermented pineapple beverage. It’s made from the skins and core of pineapple, making use of the parts typically discarded. Read More » Pollinator-Friendly Yards: Gardening for Wildlife with Native Plants Create a pollinator-friendly yard with these gardening and landscape tips for choosing native plants, mowing less often, and avoiding pesticide use. Read More » Power Up Fido: Five Ways to Strengthen Your Dog’s Immune System Five ways to build resilient immune systems in dogs to stave off disease, keep them healthy, promote optimal wellness, reduce trips to the vet and extend their lives. Read More » Preserving the Harvest: Classic Ways to Store Garden Bounty All Year Preservation techniques to help capture the bounty of the garden harvest or farmers' market hauls through canning, dehydrating, refrigerator pickling, fermentation or cold storage. Read More » Smiling Can Make Us Happier The benefits of smiling including increased happiness, reduced stress and anxiety, lowered blood pressure and heart rate and less pain. Read More » Soil Regulators Soft on Pesticide Use A new study recommends changes in how regulatory agencies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assess the risks posed by the nearly 850 approved pesticide ingredients. Read More » Superfund Mine-Polluted Stream Restorations See Success Large investments made to clean up acid drainage into streams and rivers polluted by toxic metals from abandoned mining sites are yielding success. Read More » Textile Manufacturers Fight Climate Change With a goal of 45 percent reduced CO2 emissions from textile fiber and material production by 2030, Textile Exchange is pushing for urgent climate action. Read More » Think Yourself Happy: Seven Ways to Change Your Mind and Be Happier Simple, research-based methods to change our thinking, rewire our brains and ultimately, increase our levels of happiness. Read More » Unleash Your True Potential: Working with a Life Coach Can Help The benefits of working with a life coach to better understand ourselves and lead fulfilled lives, including tips for hiring the right coach for individual needs. Read More » UN Methane Report Faults Big Meat and Big Dairy With livestock contributing 32 percent of the methane footprint, there is a great need to regulate and mitigate methane emissions from global meat and dairy companies. Read More » Water Sports for a Total Body Workout: Cool Ways to Stay Fit this Summer Waterskiing, stand up paddle boarding (SUP), river rafting, kayaking, SUP yoga and other summer water sports that improve bone density, elevate mood and engage major muscle groups. Read More » Well-Being Basics Choose happiness by taking these research-supported daily actions to enhance overall well-being. Read More » Zucchini Bacon This recipe for a vegan take on bacon uses seasoned, dehydrated zucchini strips for a healthy, plant-based snack. Read More » Grow Local, Eat Local Six or seven years ago, I listened to a presentation about food—more specifically fruits and vegetables. About soils, chemicals, spoilage, the costs of delivery and about time from picking to eating. Read More » BACKPACKING is a Learning Experience Three books in, I thought that I was familiar with what I would encounter on the trail. I went into my section-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) with preconceived ideas of what it would be like. Read More » Trail Magic Acts of generosity in the wild and primitive setting of the Appalachian Trail, where basic amenities of civilization are intentionally absent, are often received in a heightened sense of wonder and gratitude by hikers. These acts of generosity are referred to as “trail magic”. Read More » August 2021 Digital Magazine In-Print