• Ever Worry About What's in Your Shampoo?
• Meadowsweet's Commitment to Truly Natural Body Care
• Herbal Foundations: an In-Depth Program in Herbal Medicine
• Spring Herb Classes
• Edible and Medicinal Plant Slide Show

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Ever Worry About What's in Your Shampoo?

Maybe you should

By EDWARD M. EVELD - McClatchy Newspapers

Now we're really getting personal. We're focused on your private place -- the bathroom. That's generally where you use all that soap, body wash, shampoo and lotion. It all gets applied to your body, including all the chemicals within.

Eco-groups and environmental researchers have raised alarms about the cumulative health effects of many of the compounds found in personal-care products. While many industry experts say the products are safe, some scientists and others outside the industry disagree.

In her book, published this year, MacEachern says women spend 85 cents of every dollar in the marketplace and are predisposed to protect the environment and health. That puts them in a strong position to force the greening of products, she argues. And in the personal-care category, they're the target audience.

Even so, Main said, consumers seem to be more concerned about broader health effects -- that leftover chemicals from soaps, cosmetics and other products are sullying the environment and threatening wildlife and the water supplies.

Check out the labels. There's some merit in choosing products with the shortest ingredient lists. The more complicated the formulation, the more likely it has lots of synthetic ingredients.

Also, be aware of meaningless terms. Marketing words on the label such as "natural," "botanical" and even "organic" might mean very little, because no government agency is monitoring their use.

Beauty products: The Dirty Dozen

Meadowsweet's Commitment to Truly Natural Body Care

Did you know that the skin is the largest digestive and eliminatory organ of the body? That means many products that you put on your skin are absorbed directly into your body. Some body care products claiming to be "natural" actually contain harsh chemicals. We research each product we carry to make sure it is pure. You can trust that everything that you put on your skin from Meadowsweet is truly good for you!

Herbal Foundations: an In-Depth Program in Herbal Medicine

Starts Next Month!

Wednesdays May 20 -- September 9, 2009

Join us for the fourth year of our annual in-depth herbal studies program. Make a deeper connection to the earth. Discover the healing properties of medicinal plants - a special and unique part of our world. Come on a journey with us and experience an intimate connection with healing herbs that are native to the Northern Rocky Mountains.

We will study:

Medicinal plants easily grown in our northern climate as well as some special exotics.

• How to grow herbs and how essential oils are made.
• Using medicinal herbs for different body systems.
• The art and science of medicine making.
• How to respectfully harvest and use wild plants.

We are looking for enthusiastic students committed to a long-term class series. Join in our excitement as we explore the healing power of plants and the study of herbal medicine. For more information, or to register click here.      

Spring Herb Classes

The Astonishing Dr. You

Join Anthony Lambert, D.C. the owner and chiropractor of Lambert Family Chiropractic, for this helpful class on how to assess yourself. If you ever lose your health, you need a good doctor. The best doctor in the world is ready 24/7. This doctor is YOU! Come Learn how your brain and body take care of millions of details necessary to keep you alive and healthy. And live by the most important idea in wellness today: You're the doctor. You do the healing!
Wednesday April 1, 2009
7 - 9 pm. Cost:  Free

Is A Doula Right For You During Pregnancy?

This informative lecture lead by Meadowsweet's Doula, Caspian Janssen, will explore the options that women have for childbirth in the Missoula area. Caspian will talk about what you can expect from a Doula assisted pregnancy and childbirth, as well as options for Doctors and Midwives in our area. This will be a great opportunity to meet several cerified Doulas. This is not a childbirth education class.
Tuesday April 7, 2009
7 - 9 pm. Cost:  Free

Spring Cleaning for Our Bodies

Spring is the perfect time of year to consider a fresh start on the inside. A Detox Diet will set the pace for the year to come. Learn different types of cleansing diets, which one will work with you and why this is a beneficial technique for supporting healthy body function. Katrina Farnum will discuss types of Cleanses, why they are helpful, what they do, medicinal plant helpers and why a Spring Cleanse is supportive to body function.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
7 - 9 pm. Cost: $20.00

Naturopathic Information About Cancer

Dr. Lane will discuss how and why cancers occur, from a naturopathic, physiological point of view. Environmental, nutritional, and stress factors will be described. Learn what you can do to help prevent the chances of getting cancer also learn what is going on in alternative approaches to cancer.  Proceeds from this class will be donated to the Missoula Food Bank.
Thursday April 23, 2009
7 - 9 pm. Cost: $20

Tea Tasting 101

In this tasty tea class, we will join Brian Watrous of Missoula's Bitter Root Acupuncture & Herbarium. Brian is trained in the Chinese gong-fu style of tea service and will be teaching the differences between white, green, oolong, pu-erh and black teas. We will discuss specific health benefits of each and how to know the difference by taste and sight. 6 - 10 teas will be sampled. Please bring your own small tea cup to class.
Wednesday April 29, 2009
7 - 9 pm. Cost:  Free

      Please register early, as class space is limited.

Edible and Medicinal Plant Slide Show

As part of the University of Montana's Take a Break Tuesday Program, join Clinical Herbalist Elaine Sheff for an introduction to edible and medicinal plants that are native and introduced to Montana. This informative slide show includes many natives such as Oregon Grape Root, Service Berry, Balsam Root and Lomatium as well as some introduced herbs like Dandelion, Burdock and St.Johns Wort.

Tuesday April 14
7-9 pm At the University Center Room 32

Cost: Free, so bring a friend!