Here is an excerpt of an article by Joseph Mercola about the very real dangers of MSG. For a full copy of the article, send an email to amy@SugiHealth.com or go Joseph's website at Mercola.com.

One of the best overviews of the very real dangers of MSG comes from Dr. Russell Blaylock, a board-certified neurosurgeon and author of "Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills." In it he explains that MSG is an excitotoxin, which means it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death, causing brain damage to varying degrees -- and potentially even triggering or worsening learning disabilities, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease and more.

No one knows for sure just how many people may be "sensitive" to MSG, but studies from the 1970s suggested that 25 percent to 30 percent of the U.S. population was intolerant of MSG -- at levels then found in food. Since the use of MSG has expanded dramatically since that time, it's been estimated that up to 40 percent of the population may be impacted.

Food manufacturers are not stupid, and they've caught on to the fact that people like you want to avoid eating this nasty food additive. As a result, do you think they responded by removing MSG from their products? Well, a few may have, but most of them just tried to "clean" their labels. In other words, they tried to hide the fact that MSG is an ingredient.

Here is a list of ingredients that ALWAYS contain MSG:
Autolyzed Yeast
Calcium Caseinate
Gelatin Glutamate
Glutamic Acid
Hydrolyzed Protein
Monopotassium Glutamate
Monosodium Glutamate
Sodium Caseinate
Textured Protein
Yeast Extract
Yeast Food
Yeast Nutrient

These ingredients OFTEN contain MSG or create MSG during processing:
Flavors and Flavorings
Seasonings
Natural Flavors and Flavorings
Natural Pork Flavoring
Natural Beef Flavoring
Natural Chicken Flavoring
Soy Sauce
Soy Protein Isolate
Soy Protein
Bouillon Stock
Broth
Malt Extract
Malt Flavoring
Barley Malt
Whey Protein
Carrageenan
Maltodextrin
Pectin
Enzymes Protease
Corn Starch
Citric Acid
Powdered Milk
Anything Protein Fortified
Anything Enzyme Modified
Anything Ultra-Pasteurized

So if you do eat processed foods, please remember to be on the lookout for these many hidden names for MSG. Eat fresh, not packaged. Organic is MSG free.

A Course in Miracles is a spiritual practice that provides practical tools for attaining peace of mind.

Wednesdays, April 22 - May 27
7 - 8:30pm
Fee: $120 for 6 weeks
Ask about our sliding scale fees.
Location: Diablo Realty, 975 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Walnut Creek

We will spend each week discussing the lessons in the workbook from A Course in Miracles. Weekly practice at home will be required for attaining the most benefit from this class.

Barnes and Noble or Borders carry the book. Amazon is also a good resource for used copies.

Everyone is welcome in this class. No previous experience necessary.

Please contact Amy at 925.934.3120 with questions.

Pleasant Hill Meet-and-Greet / Community Building Meeting

The East Bay Area Chapter is expanding our offerings to include a regular daytime meeting in the Pleasant Hill area. Join us at Sugi Health and Fitness for our first meeting in Pleasant Hill. Meet other holistic-minded parents and learn more about the Holistic Moms Network. Share ideas on what meeting topics and group activities you'd like to see offered in this area. Play a part in building community. Children are welcome.

Wednesday, May 13
10 am - 12 pm

For more info, please contact Karen Rezai at eastbayhmn@yahoo.com or 510-821-0637.

Organization info: www.holisticmoms.org

Many of you have been asking about out Sugi Yoga DVDs. The editing process is taking longer than we thought and our enthusiasm jumped ahead to tell you they're on the way. So, we're still working on them. As soon as we have a due date, we'll start taking orders. We'll keep you posted!

In herbal medicine,nature's plants provide us with herbs and medicines for easing many physical ailments. The abundant flowers in the plant world offer us sustenance for the spirit.

Buttercup flower essence gets us in touch with our true value. In this competitive society where external accomplishments are tied closely to self-worth, Buttercup brings forward the radiant inner light of the essential self.

This remedy is helpful for adults and children with disabilities or limitations and people who have a low sense of self-worth.

We all have behavior patterns and attitudes that hold us back in life. The vast variety of flower essences available helps us to address our personal issues and move forward by releasing old patterns and forming new, stable ways of expressing ourselves.

Flower Essence Therapy readily complements any other form of therapeutic intervention serving as a wonderful adjunct to psychotherapy, massage therapy or western medical approaches to health care. To find out how you can personally benefit from Flower Essence Therapy, call Amy at 925.934.3120 for a free 10 minute phone consultation.

The Reiki I workshop connects the student to the Reiki energy, provides tools for first aid and skills for self-treatment and supporting loved ones.

Reiki II offers a continuation of study with the life-changing benefits of Reiki.

Amy's Workshop Schedule below:

Reiki I
July 16 - 19(Th./Fri. 6:30 - 9:30 p.m., and Sat./Sun. 1 - 4 p.m.)
Pleasant Hill
$200

Mark your calendar! Reiki Master Susan Mitchell, Amy's teacher and former Executive Director of the Reiki Alliance, will be coming to Pleasant HIll this fall. She will be here the weekend of September 12-13. We are still making plans and details will be coming in June or July.

Reiki Potluck and Practice

If you already have taken Reiki, you may enjoy getting together with others to practice Reiki with other Reiki enthusiasts.
Our next gathering will be on Sunday, May 17. Potluck from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.and Reiki from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Please let Amy know ahead of time what you will be attending.

Contact Amy at amy@SugiHealth.com to get on the Reiki email list.

Neck, Back and Shoulder Relief
Sunday, May 31, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Relieve neck, back and shoulder tension that result often in headaches and other debilitating symptoms. Learn self-help tools to take the pain away!

Spiritual Wellness
Saturday, July 11, 1:00 - 2:00pm

Spiritual wellness is an important aspect of our modern health care. In the past, religion was the most obvious way to access our spiritual practices. In our modern culture more opportunities have become available. Learn more about how you can bring spiritual wellness into your life and how profound the benefits can be!

Introduction to Reiki
Sun., August 2, 1:00 - 2:00pm

Discover an amazingly effective self-help tool. Reiki uses simple hand positions to balance and rejuvenate, relieving symptoms caused by stress. Often practiced as a spiritual discipline, Reiki is popular with the general public and the medical community alike. Meet Amy Erez, Reiki Master, learn about this simple hands-on treatment and receive a complimentary experience of Reiki.

To register for the classes listed above, call 925.676.2305

These classes are free and are held at Harvest House, 2395 Monument Blvd., Concord

Family Discount Program
For Moms and Dads with kids under the age of 18. Kids are welcome to use this program, too! $70 for one hour or pay for two at a time only $120 for a further discount of $10 per session.
To schedule your appointment with Amy call 925.934.3120. Remember to mention the discount program of your choice.

Healthy Movement Evaluation
Ofer is now offering an opportunity for you to learn about the quality of your movement and how it is affecting your health. A full evaluation takes about 20 minutes and is done in standing, sitting and lying down on the back, belly and sides. This is a complimentary service for new clients only.

To schedule your appointment with Ofer call 925.934.3120.

Sixty for Sixty!
This program offers people over 60 relief from stress, aches and pains for only $60 a session (regularly $85).
To schedule your appointment with Amy call 925.934.3120. Remember to mention the discount program of your choice.

The Root Chakra, also called the base chakra, is the first center and is located at the base of the spine. The color associated with the root chakra is red.

The instability of our economy at this time is pushing many people out of balance in their first chakra. Insecurity in finances and personal relationships are a symptom of survival issues reflected in the first chakra. To maintain stability during these rocky times, follow the exercise below and re-energize your root chakra.

1. Stand with your feet placed at hip width. Alternately, sit on the edge of a straight-backed chair, the feet at a ninety degree angle under the knees.
2. Place your attention on the base of the spine (tailbone).
3. The root chakra is a rich, red in color.Take a moment to sense what is there - dark or light, muddy or clear red or another color altogether?
4. Take three deep breaths and imagine a deep red rose sitting on the base of the spine.
5. Slowly expand the size of the rose until it fills your lower abdomen between the pubic bone and the tailbone.
6. Visualize a rose with infinite rose petals. The petals slide off of the rose and drift down the center of the legs until each leg is filled with deep red rose petals.
7. Simultaneously, allow the rose petals to expand upward to fill the entire abdomen.
8. As you are filled with the rose petals, become aware of the uplifting fragrance of the rose as it tickles your nose.
9. The fullness and stability that the rose brings to your lower body will bring lightness and love back to your heart.

There are many ways to view the relationship between the mind and body. They are an intertwined expression of the deepest parts of ourselves. We like to encourage people to become aware of the ways that the body reflects our personal issues, as a reflection of what we feel and our attitudes in life. This awareness can assist us in gaining a deeper understanding of our experiences as cause and effect. The different parts of the body also carry symbolic expression.

NanoGreens10
You'll find the full spectrum of phyto-nutrients in the NanoGreens formula at only 50 calories per serving.

Get the best high potency nutrients that re-energize you!
$49.95 for 30 servings.

NanoPro
Pure Whey protein isolate from colostrum is the highest biological value of all proteins. NanoPro includes lactose enzymes to minimize lactose intolerance.

Delicious vanilla flavored NanoPro

• balances stress hormones and sleep chemicals
• improves the immune system
• supports a healthy heart and gastro-intestinal function

Call Amy to order yours today! 925.934.3120.

Spring is here and the bees are buzzing around the yard pollinating the flowers that will become the summer fruits and vegetables in your garden. All year round, local honey serves as a great helper for good health. Mt. Diablo Beekeeper's Association newsletter of February, 2009 gives us a wealth of information on the health benefits of honey.

Some of the benefits include help for heart disease, arthritis, bladder infection, colds, strengthening the immune system and indigestion. For the complete article, go to http://www.diablobees.org/newsletters/february09.pdf.