Editorial
Volume 11 Issue 3—September/October
2005
by Melva Armstrong
Welcome to a bigger issue for September/October 2005. It
is a very full journal with lots of well-written articles
and diverse advertising that reflect the uniqueness of the
ever-growing wholistic health movement in Saskatchewan. I
trust you will enjoy reading it and that you will find all
aspects of the journal useful in your daily life.
Ever since I heard an excellent documentary about the International
Slow Food movement on CBC Radio, just over a year ago, I
have been wanting to introduce
our readers to this unique movement. At last we have found an article by Alexandra
Greeley called, Slow Food: Take Time to Savour
the Flavour (p. 20), that I
feel expresses the essence of this growing, world-wide movement
which is basically
about enjoying life’s simple pleasures at an unhurried pace. The Slow Food
connoisseurs’ love of good food and respect for nature greatly appeals
to me, as I like to eat good healthy food (slowly), to move slowly, and to
enjoy and preserve the environment around me. Other aspects of this movement
that I
especially like are their focus on promoting sustainable agriculture, preserving
food traditions, and educating people about quality foods. This, to me, is
the foundation necessary to build and live a healthy life. What better place
than
our bountiful agricultural province to generate Slow Food enthusiasts. I trust
you will find this article of great interest and hopefully there will be some
Slow Food convivia starting up in Saskatchewan very soon.
A topic I have always been concerned about is the use of
artificial sweeteners in all sorts of products used for human
consumption. Therefore I was interested
to read the Results of Study on the Carcinogenicity
of the Artificial Sweetener Aspartame (p. 12) in a July 2005 press release. I felt it was important to
include this press release in WHOLifE so that our readers can be made aware
of the study’s
findings. According to the release the study “demonstrates for the first
time that aspartame is a carcinogenic agent, capable of inducing lymphomas and
leukemias in female rats, including when administered at dose levels very close
to the acceptable daily intake for humans.” The recommendation from the
study is “for urgent reconsideration of regulations governing its [aspartame’s]
use as an artificial sweetener in order to better protect public health, in particular
that of children.” As we go about our daily lives, I think it is important
for everyone to seriously consider these results.
In this issue we are honoured to have an article titled, Why
is Peace So Elusive? (p. 18), by Arun Gandhi, grandson
of Mahatma Gandhi. With wars and
unrest going
on in many countries, with growing pressures and demands of life placed
on individuals at work and at home, it makes sense then,
in these fast-paced
and turbulent times,
for people to ask the title’s question: Why is Peace So Elusive? Thankfully
there are many people in our world who are dedicated to living their lives peacefully
and non-violently, and many of these folks are actively teaching and promoting
peace and non-violence in their communities and beyond. Globally, we have individuals
such as Arun Gandhi and the Gandhi Institute, and provincially, we have a growing
number organizations dedicated to promoting peace. One such group is the Saskatoon
Peace Coalition which is presenting the fourth annual Making
Peace Conference,
October 28 to 30, in Saskatoon. (For details see their ad on page 19.)
I highly recommend it.
Former NASA physicist Barbara Brennan, who has been researching
the human energy field and realms of human consciousness
for more than 30 years,
is interviewed
by Roger Windsor in his article, Barbara
Brennan School of Healing (p.
14). Brennan is a world-renowned spiritual leader, healer, and educator
whose
best-selling book, Hands of Light,
is considered a classic in the field of complementary
medicine.
Workshops based on the fundamentals of the Brennan School of Healing
will be presented by Donna Evans-Strauss at workshops in
Saskatoon in November.
(See
the Calendar of Events for details.)
For the palate, Paulette Millis’s article introduces
us to the wonders of Cookin’ With Kale (p. 8). Kale
is a green leafy vegetable that belongs to the brassica (cabbage)
family and has more nutritional value for fewer calories
than almost any
other food. Included are wonderful recipes to help you make kale a
regular part of
your meal plans.
Finally, don’t forget to check out the book review
and the other great articles on Reflexology, Laughter, Renewing
the Sacred Balance, and Natural Reflections.
Until next time, keep well and remember to laugh for the
health of it!
Namaste!
(I honour the Spirit in you!)
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