Natural Awakenings - July 2014 Read the July 2014 edition of Natural Awakenings. Lustrous Pooch: 10 Foods to Make a Dog’s Coat Glow Beyond pills and oils, choosing to feed a dog these whole foods gives a healthy shine to its skin and coat. Read More » James Gormley Takes On the FDA: Why the Natural Health Movement Must Protect Itself Big Pharma dominates the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is why consumers must keep close watch to ensure they don’t cripple the natural health industry. Read More » Give Freedom a Hand: Let Peace and Prosperity Ring Around the World Our five fingers remind us of our five basic freedoms—all of them attainable—for which everyone in our planetary community hungers. Read More » Good Clean Fun Water Sports: Saying No to a Wave of Trash It’s hard to enjoy the water when it’s littered with plastic trash and other flotsam—which is why sports lovers across the country are rallying to collect floating and submerged debris. Read More » Seabirds’ Significance: Complex Interactions Help Cool the Planet A cycle involving the signals between seabirds and krill opens the door to a deeper understanding of climate change. Read More » Action Alert: Sneak Attack on Dietary Supplements The FDA has proposed changes to both the current Nutrition Facts panel on food labels and Supplement Facts panel on dietary supplement labels that prompt concern. Read More » Shame Game: Corporations Bow to Public Pressure Some personal-product makers and law enforcers are becoming more attentive to public concerns about microbeads and palm-oil sourcing. Read More » Sperm Killer: Monsanto Roundup Herbicide May Cause Gene-ocide Animal research is raising concerns that Roundup’s toxic effects upon animal species’ sperm could similarly be hampering male fertility in humans. Read More » Strength in Numbers: It Takes a Village to Feed the World Using educational films, heifers, seed banks and investments and other measures, nonprofit groups are nudging the planet toward more sustainable and just food systems. Read More » Urban Habitats: How Plants and Animals Adapt to Cities With half the planet’s people now established as city-dwellers, scientists are studying the urban effect upon greenery and critters. Read More » Essential Oils Effective in Fighting Candida, MRSA: Effective Natural Treatments In recent studies, sage and dill essential oils inhibited Candida, and grapefruit seed extract and geranium oil dampened the spread of bacteria-resistant MRSA. Read More » Ginger and Turmeric Protect Skin from Sun: Herbal Extracts Absorb UVB Rays A study of 15 herbal extracts found that ginger and turmeric absorbed many UVB rays before they damaged the skin. Read More » Dried Plums Prevent Bone Loss: Small Daily Serving Boosts Density A mere 100 grams of dried plums daily boosts bone density in post-menopausal women. Read More » Fruits and Veggies Boost Kids’ Learning and Social Skills: Healthy Nutrition Leads to Stronger Abilities A new study reports that school children fed more produce have better learning skills and are better able to handle difficult situations. Read More » Sun’s Rays May Help Heart Health: Providing More than Vitamin D Production UVA rays lowered blood pressure and boosted healthy nitric oxide levels in volunteers in a Scottish study. Read More » Ashwagandha Herb Mutes Bipolar Disorder, Lowers Stress: Ayurvedic Treatment for Mental Health In just eight weeks, bipolar patients taking ashwagandha, an herb used in ayurvedic medicine, improved in several key measures. Read More » Preterm Babies Grow Better with Supplements: Vitamins and Minerals Help Premature Infants When preterm infants were intravenously fed multivitamin and mineral supplements for 28 days after birth, they enjoyed greater weight and bigger head circumferences than the control group. Read More » Food Transparency: Vermont Demands GMO Labeling Vermont’s legislature has passed the first law in the country mandating labeling of products with 1 percent or more of genetically modified ingredients. Read More » Garden Gunk: Sewage Can Lurk in Bagged Fertilizers No regulations exist to warn us that human sewage, not to mention toxins and heavy metals, might be part in the garden fertilizers we buy. Read More » Relaxing Rules: U.S. Organic Standards Under Siege The Department of Agriculture has quietly opened the door to more non-organic and synthetic ingredients in products certified as organic. Read More » Farm Building: Training Programs Attract Young Farmers The fact that the average American farmer is age 58 underscores the urgency of a new crop of programs now teaching younger farmers agricultural business and technical skills. Read More » Camping Turns Kids into Nature Lovers: Forsaking ‘Angry Birds’ for Bird Songs To unplug kids from a screen, entice them with successful strategies like fun campouts, zoo overnights and nature scavenger hunts. Read More » Essential Oils for Summer: Healing Fragrances for Bites, Allergies and Sunburn Bothersome summer maladies can be easily and beautifully healed with the right essential oils. Read More » Fracking Versus Food: America’s Family Farm Heritage and Health at Stake The fast spread of barely-regulated gas drilling throughout rural America is threatening the economic viability of farms and the integrity of our food supply. Read More » Quick and Cool Vegan Smoothies: Summertime, and the Sippin’ is Easy For refreshing and nourishing smoothies, try these delicious combos that combine vegan proteins such as soy or seeds with luscious summer fruits and veggies. Read More » Stewards of Earth's Bounty: Organic Farmers Sow Seeds of Change Across the country, pioneering farmers are ditching pesticides to grow food—even beef and fish—that is healthy, tasty and sustainable. Read More » In-Print