Natural tips for getting rid of your pharmacist

Author teaches how to become you again with happiness and self-love

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Sadness, loss of interest, low appetite, fatigue, insomnia; these are the common symptoms associated with depression, but what if they were pointing to a bigger problem?

Depicting how depression can be misdiagnosed, The Birth of Wonderment depicts one woman's spiritual journey of rebuilding her life after it fell apart. After losing her husband and eventually sinking into a deep personal crisis in 2008, author Cindy Monten shares her methods of "getting real" and owning up to imperfections. From discovering unknown talents to finding happiness in new places, Monten aids and encourages readers to ask for help in overcome their problems.

Representing the countless women who have faced challenges with depression-like symptoms, Monten illustrates how she found a way to move beyond them. Depicting her successful and natural ways of healing, The Birth of Wonderment highlights ways the readers can find and tap into the highest and best version of their self.
"I am taking control of my health by finally peeling back the layers of my life," says Monten. "Working in part with an alternative healing method called Lomi-Lomi, I soon discover wonderment in the world again"

In addition to personal life adjustments, The Birth of Wonderment comments on the country's contagious symptoms of stressed out, over committed and sleep deprived people. Monten encourages readers to get in touch with who they truly are at the level of spirit and to explore alternatives to healing emotional wounds which may appear as depression.

The Birth of Wonderment
By Cindy Monten 
ISBN: 978-1-4525-6106-6
Pages: 70
Available at www.balboapress.com, www.amazon.com, and www.barnesandnoble.com
Website: www.cindymonten.com

About the author
Cindy Monten is a self taught artist, author and alchemist. She refers to herself as an alchemist because her life has become a magical process of transformation. She is available as inspirational speaker and facilitator of empowerment workshops based on her writing.

Toxic Worries? SafeMarkets.org Website Helps Find Safer Products

New website contains info on toxic  chemicals in products; testing results

Information gathered by advocates investigating toxic chemicals in food, baby products, toys, furniture, construction materials and other consumer goods was unveiled on a brand new website today to help shoppers,  including families, builders, and others, learn how to identify potentially harmful products and find safer ones. SafeMarkets.org reflects the work of many organizations that are working to remove toxic chemicals from the marketplace and promote an economy based on safe, sustainable products.

"People assume that if a product is on store shelves, that it is safe, and unfortunately that couldn't be further from the truth. While we wait for urgent reform of our nation's chemicals regulations, it has fallen on moms and dads to become educated on how to protect themselves and their families from toxic chemicals in our homes, schools and hospitals," explains Mike Schade, work group leader for the National Work Group for Safe Markets (WSM) and markets campaign coordinator with Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ). "We have been sounding the alarm on toxic chemicals in back to school products for several years now, particularly lunchboxes, backpacks and other items made from vinyl-- a type of plastic with many hazardous ingredients including  phthalates which are linked to asthma and reproductive harm. Parents shopping for their children's supplies can find links to CHEJ's 2013 safer school supplies guide on Safemarkets.org"

"This new website is a one-stop shop to provide information for consumers, retailers and manufacturers that are demanding safer products," adds Beverley Thorpe, also a WSM co-leader and consulting  co-director for  for Clean Production Action (CPA). "Here at CPA, we've  developed  the 'GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals' that helps manufacturers and retailers figure out how to choose safer chemicals  for their products. This and our BizNGO Guide to Safer Chemicals helps companies adopt safer chemicals.   This new site will help companies find these resources and more.

"With toxic flame retardant chemicals in so many things, including upholstered furniture, many baby products, and so many other common household items, even some brands of soda, it's hard to get through the day without being exposed to them. These chemicals have been linked to neurological problems, infertility, endocrine disruption, even cancer. That's why it's crucial for consumers to educate themselves before they buy. This new site really has what we know all in one place." says Kathy Curtis, National Coordinator of the Alliance for Toxic Free Fire Safety.

"People of color are disproportionately impacted by toxic chemicals," explains Michele Roberts with the Environmental Health and Justice Alliance,"So it is particularly important for us to have access to information about toxics in products marketed to us. SafeMarkets.org is a good start for gaining information on many products in our homes. We look forward to information on personal care products marketed to ethnic markets to be included here in the future."

Jamie McConnell, director of programs and policy for Women's Voices for the Earth and member of  Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. comments: "We've tested household products and found carcinogens and other harmful ingredients in cleansers, detergent, room fresheners and other everyday items used in many homes. 

10 Reasons why animal cancer research matters

The prevalence of animal cancer continues to rise, as approximately 4 million dogs and cats develop cancer each year in the United States.  Did you know that more than half of all pets who live 10 years or more will develop some form of cancer?  The National Veterinary Cancer Registry is working to develop a more predictive research model that will speed new drugs to market, and reduce the cost of drug discovery.

Chatter as a pup

Chatter as an older dog

Below are 10 reasons why cancer research for pets is important to us all:

1. Animal Cancer is naturally obtained or spontaneously developed, as opposed to experimentally induced, as is the case with lab mice.
2. In many cases, pets develop the same types of cancers as their human care-givers do.
3. Animal tumors are similar to human tumors in terms of size and cell kinetics.  Dogs and cats also possess similar physiology and metabolism characteristics to humans, which enables us to compare treatments such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
4. Most pets are large enough for high resolution imaging studies, as well as surgical intervention.
5. Dogs and cats have intact immune systems as opposed to many rodent model systems, enabling immunologic treatment approaches to be explored.
6. Most animal cancers progress at a faster rate their human counterparts, permitting more rapid outcome determinations, such as time to metastasis, local recurrence and survival.
7. Animal trials are more economical to perform than human trials.
8. Because fewer "gold standard" treatments exist in veterinary medicine, it is ethically acceptable to attempt new forms of therapy – rather than to wait until all "known" treatments have failed.
9. Dogs and cats live long enough to determine the potential late effects of treatment.
10. And the recent elucidation of the cancer genome and its resemblance to the human genome provides unparalleled opportunities to study comparative oncology from a genetic perspective.  

The inclusion of veterinary species in clinical trials plays a key role in advancing the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer for all species.  The pharmaceutical industry is starting to invest more in animal cancer research.  But in order to accelerate the adoption of clinical trials, we need pets – in large numbers - to participate.  The National Veterinary Cancer Registry wants to identify these pets and make them available to participate in trials as they emerge around the country.


The registry is available on NVCR's website, by clicking here.