Natural Awakenings - September 2008 Read the September 2008 edition of Natural Awakenings. Know the Forest and the Trees: A Consumer’s Guide to Buying Wood Most of today’s furniture comes from illegally harvested wood, often clearcut from Earth’s rainforests. It’s up to green commerce to step up to save this treasure. Read More » The Best Furniture is Green: 10 Keys to Eco-Friendly Furnishings Our furnishings say a lot about our values, vision and philosophy. But our buying decisions might also say that we think it is okay to contr... Read More » Honey Almighty: Legendary Sweet Packs a Punch One of the oldest sweeteners used by man, honey remains a perennial favorite for good reason, with far more to recommend it than just savoring its sweetness. Read More » Drumming Circles a Hit Drumming circles can be useful in physical and psychological therapy as well as an outlet for expression. Read More » Disc Golf: For Fun and Fitness Today, disc golf is a worldwide, organized sport, with more than 2,500 dedicated outdoor courses in the US alone, complete with competitions, celebrities and fans. Read More » Healthful Harmonies: All Ages Benefit from the Power of Rhythm and Sound There are endless ways we can bring music into children’s lives to enrich overall well-being and quality of life. Read More » Why More Offices are Going to the Dogs: Pets Can Reduce Stress in the Workplace Pet-friendly workplaces are on the rise as part of a shift to make more fun and fulfilling work environments. Read More » Spiritual Shift: Religious Fluidity Reflects a Wondering Society A panoramic snapshot of American religious life in 2008 reveals an extraordinary dynamism that is reshaping the country’s major traditions i... Read More » Think Purple: Think Red Cabbage Consuming red cabbage may support heart health. Read More » Blueberries Jumpstart Memory: This Favorite Food Keeps our Brains Sharp A research team reports that blueberries may hold the key to enhanced brain function. Read More » Do The Vacuum Boogie...: ...To Boost Mental Health Just 20 minutes of physical activity a week—which includes housework—is enough to get those feel-good hormones dancing. Read More » Move Over Chicken: Why Veggies are Better for Your Muscles A new study reports that as people age, plant foods help preserve valuable muscles mass. Read More » Cherries for the Heart: More than a Sweet Treat The tangy taste of tart cherries might deliver more than a treat for the taste buds. Read More » Yoga Helps Prevent Falls: The Elderly Can Get Even More from the Practice A new study suggests that certain Iyengar yoga poses also improve balance and stability and help prevent falls, a leading cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma in the elderly. Read More » Can Money Buy Happiness?: A Recent Survey Says Yes A recent study suggests that money can buy happiness, so long as you spend it on others. Read More » Happy Birthday: IONS Celebrates 35 Years of Monitoring Consciousness Members of the Institute of Noetic Sciences persevere on the frontier of witnessing the revolution in human understanding about the nature of consciousness and human capacities. Read More » September Ananda: Celebrating a Month of Yoga Bliss Millions of yoga enthusiasts will practice their <i>asanas</i> (positions) around the world during September to further the causes of world peace, environmental responsibility, community service and better health. Read More » Pollution Solution: Home Depot Collects CFLs for Recycling Home Depot stores have launched a nationwide program to help people recycle compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). “With more than 75 percen... Read More » Required Viewing: King Corn & Ethanol Exposé Earth Cinema Circle’s documentary, <i>King Corn</i>, reveals the politics behind the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation. Read More » Long Weekends: State’s Four-day Work Week Saves Energy Utah has officially become the first state to experiment with reducing energy costs and commuter gasoline expense by switching 17,000 of 24,000 executive branch government employees to a 40-hour, four-day work week. Read More » Performance Poets: Words Written to be Heard Dozens of teams from across North America and Europe converged on Madison, Wisconsin last month for the 2008 edition of National Poetry Slam, the genre’s flagship event. Read More » Dumpster Diving: Frugalists Use Society’s Trash Frugalists hate to see waste and find plenty of places to score the stuff they need. Self-proclaimed frugans search dumpsters behind food stores. Read More » No Status Quo: Narrowing the Creative Gap at Work Creativity is gaining recognition as a way for businesses to improve the bottom line and keep employees satisfied. Read More » Make Your Life a Work of Art: Creativity is about artful living, not just making art. Creativity is often perceived as a blessing bestowed upon those who call themselves artists. Observed and encouraged in most children, creativity seems to disappear when playful youngsters become responsible adults. Where does it go? Read More » In-Print