Meet class instructor, Joette Calabrese

This class instructor profile is connected to the February 27 free lecture, "You, Too, Can Beat the Flu!"

On an early Kolkata (Calcutta) morning, thick crowds gather outside the gates of the hospital while officials yell out "Brain tumor, kidney failure, cancer patients form a line here!” Hopeful patients, family members and caregivers arrange themselves by disease symptom.

This is the scene at The Doctor Prasanta Banerji Homeopathic Research Foundation in Kolkata, India. At this hospital, each of the doctors attends to about 100 patients per day, working six days per week. Patients literally run the gamut from presidents to princes to the penniless. Those arriving in the morning pay a fee for the services. The evening clinic is free-of-charge. The allopathically trained medical doctors at this clinic are also classically trained homeopaths. They work with complicated illnesses such as the ones mentioned above. Their astounding and consistent success in treating complex diseases with homeopathic medicine has piqued the the interest of many respected (and previously skeptical) allopathic medical institutions in the West, including the NIH.

Our upcoming guest speaker, Joette Calabrese, has completed eight practicums at this world-famous clinic and is personally close with the Banerji family. She is a classically trained homeopath whose practice was revolutionized by the adoption of the “Banerji Protocols” approach. She reduced her intake interview time by two-thirds while also seeing more consistent results in her clients. Though she still utilizes the classical approach, she has a wealth of experience with this alternative method of using homeopathy.

Like the Banerji family and the doctors at the clinic in Kolkata, Joette is extremely generous with her time and information. Her blog and podcasts are chock-full of free advice about how to apply homeopathy towards both chronic and acute symptoms. She also offers several on-line, group-style and self-study classes that teach homeopathy from her unique perspective. As an honorary board member of the Weston A. Price Foundation and a recovered long-time sufferer of her own chronic conditions, she is fully aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle and diet.

At the same time she sees that diet is often not enough and employs the gentle medicine of homeopathy with her patients. Her passion is to put understanding and knowledge of this gentle medicine into the hands of the everyday person, particularly mothers. Her classes include compelling titles such as "Good Gut Bad Gut" and, "The Antibiotic Alternative." She has a gift for expressing herself in an entertaining and organized fashion.

For many of us, homeopathy can seem so mysterious, confusing and even frustrating. Joette manages to impart her wealth of knowledge in an accessible, hopeful and digestible fashion. With today's current climate in the United States where homeopathy is often decried as a scam, Joette’s clear and vibrant voice is the perfect antidote.

Joette will join The Ashland Food Co-op community via live telecast from her home in Florida on Wednesday, February 27 at 6 PM in the co-op classroom at 300 North Pioneer St. Her topic is something most of us can relate to: "You, Too, Can Beat the Flu!” She plans to share some history behind treating the flu homeopathically. This will include some fascinating information about the great flu epidemic of 1918. She will then cover some recommended approaches to using this gentle medicine to resolve the symptoms of flu and related issues. There will be time for questions and answers. The well-known French homeopathic company, Boiron, has teamed up with Joette and will offer some free gifts to attendees. Joette will have a special offer for us, too. Please join us for this exciting opportunity to have an exclusive Ashland audience with this esteemed and renowned practitioner.

Resources:
Why I Go To India Every Year: The Drs. Banerji
Documentary: The Cure: The Banerji Protocols
Study Guide for Gateway to Homeopathy 1, by Joette Calabrese

More Co-op News

Farm Tour on the Shelves

The Farm Tour shines a spotlight on Southern Oregon - it represents the full range of products grown in the Rogue Valley. The Farm Tour isn't until July 14, but here's a list of tour activities for participating farms that are also on the shelves at the Ashland Food Co-op. Get an early taste of quality local goods!

Planning for Summer... and Smoke

By Emile Amarotico, General Manager

If we are lucky, we’ll only have another seven week smoke intrusion this summer. If we are not, we could be the next Paradise. In less than 13 hours, last November’s Camp Fire wiped out nearly 19,000 structures and more than 80 lives. With community help, we were able to raise over $14,000 to support Chico Natural Foods Co-op’s efforts to feed some of the nearly 20,000 displaced Paradise residents.

The Co-op's "Secret Garden"

Did you know the Co-op employees have a small garden on our campus? Planning and management falls on our fantastic Co-op volunteer: Henry Herting.

Below, Henry shares some background on the garden, what it’s used for, and some additional tales from over the years.


Originally, the need for a kitchen garden arose from having a kitchen classroom in which culinary classes were being held. Visiting chefs have always been invited to use the garden for any ingredients they may have forgotten or items they could use as garnish for their dishes.

 

Tips for a Sustainable Kitchen

By Mahlea Rasmussen, Education Coordinator

Outside of work I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I find it a soothing space to create nourishing meals and lasting memories. I find it essential to be as eco-friendly as possible and a few changes can transform your kitchen into a sustainable center of your home.

Earth Day Bulk Sale! April 17-21

Save money while working towards a more sustainable shopping experience! The Co-op bulk department is a great "first stop" for your grocery lists - everything from hummus mix to local honey to pet food is available. Plus there's less waste, all the way from shipping to ended up in your shopping cart. 

Check out a quick tour below:

Film festival giveaway

Enter your name and email below to be entered to win two film vouchers for the 2019 Ashland Independent Film Festival.

No purchase necessary. Giveaway is not endorsed or sponsored by AIFF. US residents only. Entry will be closed at 5pm PT on Monday, April 15.


The state of plastics

Many Co-op owners and shoppers have shared their interest in reducing plastic usage in the store. From bioplastics, to compostable plastics to recycling options, the Ashland Food Co-op continues to research what works best as we move towards our goal of being a zero waste store. Here is where we stand.

Food waste at the Co-op

By Rianna Koppel, Sustainability Coordinator

How many times in the past month have you reached back in the fridge to snack on some fresh strawberries only to discover… mold?! In the United States, 40% of food is wasted every year. Luckily, how we address food waste can have a major impact. According to Paul Hawkin’s Drawdown, reducing food waste is #3 on the list of best ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. At the Co-op, we use the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy as a guide to bettering our own practices.

Wellness Secret Weapons

There are still plenty of colds and viruses making their rounds, and we want to help you better defend against them!

In January, we asked on social media what kind of secret weapons you use in the winter to stay healthy. We had a lot of responses, so we'll start with the All-Stars.

With your initial recommendations, our Wellness team reviewed the suggestions and picked the products with the highest quality standards and best feedback. Check those out below.

 

Mushrooms for wellness

You may have heard about the fascinating discovery that trees can communicate with each other. What’s the secret? The mycelia - tiny strands of fungus - in the soil form a vast underground network through which trees send chemical signals to their neighbors.

The mycelia differs from the fruiting body of the mushroom, which is the reproductive component that contains spores and is thought to be higher in Beta Glucans.

What to do with all this citrus?!

So you grabbed a few too many extra oranges and grapefruits and lemons (and some finger limes, and some satsumas…), and rather than watch them go bad, we want to provide you with some ideas on how to reduce waste. You’ll also get to enjoy citrus in a lot of new ways!

There are many guides and recipes across the internet (like this one by our friends at Grow Forage Cook Ferment), so here are a few ideas to get your creative and citrus juices flowing.

Update from the General Manager: "Food for Paradise" campaign

Ashland Food Co-op's General Manager, Emile Amarotico, ends 2018 on a very uplifting note with a report back on the "Food for Paradise" donation campaign. Watch the video below, or read on for an extended written update.

Hello, this is Emile Amarotico, the general manager of Ashland Food Co-op with an update on the Co-op’s Food for Paradise initiative.