Whole Life Magazine

February/March 2013

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art & soul FIlm solAR mAmAs directed by mona eldaief In the most underprivileged areas of the world, it is still women who bear the brunt of poverty. They are illiterate, with a number of children to care for and no means of earning an income. So how does a woman in these circumstances better herself and pave the way for a better life for her children? Indian social activist and educator Sanjit "Bunker" Roy has found a way—through Barefoot College, a school he established to teach women skills that will help them change their communities. Solar Mamas focuses on the journey of Rafea, a 32-year-old mother of four with plenty of drive and determination. She's the second wife of an unemployed husband, living in one of Jordan's poorest desert villages. Selected to attend Barefoot College's solar engineering program, she travels outside of her village for the irst time. In India, she joins women from Guatemala, Kenya, Burkina Faso and Colombia. Over a six-month period, these women—most of whom can neither read nor write—will learn how to build and install simple solar-powered energy systems. This will enable them to create an income for themselves and jobs for others. Barely into her training, Rafea's controlling husband threatens to divorce her and take her children away if she doesn't return home. And if she thought she would get support from the women of her village, she's wrong. When Rafea tries to convince them of how life can improve for everyone, she is met with apathy and told that it's best for women not to educate themselves. Solar Mamas is part of Why Poverty?, a PBS Independent Lens series. It has no narration, allowing the viewer to become part of the experience. It is fascinating, inspiring and leaves you wanting more. And yes—you'll be cheering Rafea on as she stands up to all the men—and women—in her village. —Jacquelin Sonderling tHeAteR on BeHAlF oF nAtURe meredith monk & vocal ensemble Meredith Monk, composer, singer, director, choreographer and visual artist, has been bringing her unique and proliic work to audiences for nearly ive decades. In January the 71-year-old force debuted her newest evening-length work at the Freud Playhouse at UCLA. Monk's powerful work echoes 1960s and '70s performance art—no surprise, since it's where she irst made her mark—but although recent pieces have been comprised of as many as 82 performers, the current work is con34 A&S.indd 34 siderably more intimate. While she knows how to use a sea of people to create a wave of sound and movement, here Monk works with just eight voices to produce that same audio and energetic in-and-out of the tide. Singing, or rather toning over and through each other, they fold and fold again in a lush and enveloping wave. There are no words, but the sounds manage to convey an urgency, likely Monk's own feelings "on behalf of nature." Monk describes the work as "a poetic meditation on the environment, inspired in part by the Buddhist notion of conjoining heaven and earth through human beings…illuminating the interconnection and interdependency of us all." Indeed, so interconnected is the company that the orchestra sometimes function as singers and the singers use their voices like orchestra instruments. Mallets are used to particularly resonant effect, artfully balanced with violin, keyboards and a bevy of woodwinds. The audience won't be distracted by the costumes in this work. For most of the performance the women are garbed in what appear to be thrift shop inds that, other than involving skirts, are virtually genderless. The men's attire is slightly more appealing. But the audience isn't there for the costumes, and the sound is moving, inspiring and deeply satisfying. It's easy to see why Monk was named Musical America's 2012 Composer of the Year. —Abigail Lewis Hormones Continued from P. 17 and low libido, all of which tend to be stumbling blocks for sexual interest. Foods rich in phytoestrogens include apples, cherries, olives, plums, carrots, yams and many varieties of nuts and seeds, including lax and sunlower. Certain beans and grains are also rich in phytoestrogens, including peas, garbanzo beans, laxseed, barley and brown rice. Herbs and seasonings, such as fennel, parsley, sage, oregano, red clover, thyme, turmeric and coconut boost your estrogen function and your libido. Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, turnip greens, cabbage, caulilower and mustard greens are a rich source of a phytonutrient called indole-3-carbinol, believed to increase the rate at which estrogens are metabolized. Cook lightly to avoid damaging this phytonutrient; for most people, raw consumption is even better (except in the case of low thyroid function, since it can interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis). Essential fatty acids, found in salmon, halibut, laxseed and walnuts; and folic acid, found in sunlower seeds, lentils and spinach, are particularly beneicial for cell-to-hormone and hormone-to-hormone communication, and may also have anti-cancer action on cells. Other lifestyle factors also play a role in healthy estrogen metabolism. Exercise increases estrogen by intensifying the process of 2-hydroxylation, which converts lipophilic (fat-dissolving) compounds into water-soluble (hydrophilic) products that are more readily excreted. One caution is that women with extremely low body fat may not be producing enough estrogen, and should take care to balance such loss. Many women today lead extremely busy lives. We're juggling careers with family time, and often dealing with extended families and aging parent issues. Plus, we're faced with unavoidable hormonal changes that come with monthly menstrual cycles, pregnancy and menopause. And women are complex sexual beings. Our heads, hearts and health all play a major role in whether or not we're interested in sex, as well as our ability to enjoy it. Karen Roth, MS, CNC (www.karenrothnutrition.com) is a holistic nutritionist specializing in hormone balancing, with a private practice in Encino and Valencia. wholelifetimesmagazine.com 1/25/13 6:30 PM

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