Saturn is a taskmaster whose aim is to help us create structures of lasting value, those that are reality-based and purposeful. As such, Saturn tests limits, finds the weakest link, and applies pressure—all for the sake of showing us how to forge a creation that has integrity and meaning. Given that Saturn is about doing the work, and not about the quick-and-easy, many people struggle with the energies of this planet. Yet, if we listen as Saturn provides us with guidance, following its one-foot-in-front-of-the-other reality-based tactics, we will be rewarded tangibly since Saturn represents the material and the mundane.

When Saturn transits through a sign, those areas of life ruled by that sign are what the planet of structure focuses its attention upon. What does and doesn’t work is brought to light in a way that we often become very aware of; you can see a lot of it if you focus on themes in the “news.” Hopefully, once faced with knowledge of what doesn’t work, we—both individually and collectively—take this awareness and responsibly work to refine and recreate the broken pieces so that the whole better serves our needs.

A new Saturn mini-era is upon us since on October 29, 2009 Saturn will move into Libra where it will stay until April 7, 2010. After a three-month retreat back into Virgo, Saturn will again take up residence in Libra on July 21, 2010, where it will remain until October 5, 2012.

Looking Back to Look Forward

Looking back to the past two-plus years that Saturn has been in Virgo can serve as a great way to see how this planet works when it transits through a sign, giving us a foreshadow of what Saturn in Libra may offer. Known as the sign of the harvest, Virgo rules agriculture and our food supply as well as healthcare, crafts, labor, and pets. These are among the areas that have caught our collective attention during this time.

For example, questions about the integrity of our food—Where and how is grown?…Is it safe?…Is it genetically modified?—are now on the minds of a much broader audience than in the recent past. As we’ve seen the fallibility of the commercial food industry in such instances as salmonella-contaminated peanut butter and e. coli-tainted hamburgers, we’ve also see the rise of farmers’ markets and the grow-your-own-food movement as well as an increased scrutiny about the way our food is grown, processed, transported, and sold. Another example of Saturn making its way through Virgo is our focus on healthcare, a premier Virgoan arena, something that has taken center stage during this time in the United States.

Saturn in Libra Trends

Saturn in Libra will have impacts upon varied aspects of our culture. Under this sign’s purview are law, femininity, relationships, art, fashion, cosmetics, weights and measures, and other areas related to the Libran ideals of fairness and grace. These sectors of society are likely to face scrutiny and go through litmus tests as we also turn our eyes to focus on questions related to equality and justice. That which has integrity will likely flourish while transience is uncovered. Saturn through Libra will potentially expose areas where fairness may be a concept or ideal but is not being practiced as a reality.

This period of Saturn in Libra is certain to be evocative. That’s because while Saturn’s cleaning house in Libra-related areas of our lives, it will be doing so with assistance from other planets with whom it’s in relationship: transformative Pluto (Saturn/Pluto square: 2009-10), unconventional Uranus (Saturn/Uranus opposition: 2010), and expansive Jupiter (Saturn/Jupiter opposition: 2010).

As I find Saturn transits fascinating, it’s tempting for me to write more here about a wide array of potential trends. But, I want to honor Saturn and create a narrow framework for this article, one more in sync with Planetary Apothecary. Therefore, I’m going to hone in on how its residence in Libra may affect some of our perspectives on health as well as the wellness trends it may usher in, while offering suggestions on self-care practices that may be especially beneficial during this time. (If you’re interested in other trends as related to Saturn in Libra or other astrology transits, follow me at @AstroTrends on Twitter.)

So, what will Saturn in Libra portend for our approach to wellness? I want to share with you my thoughts on four Libran topics—sugar, blood sugar balance, skin, and relationships—and offer you self-care tools that can help you enhance your health and well-being in these areas.

Sugar

In astrology, sugar is under the domain of Venus, the ruler of Libra; therefore, as Saturn enters Libra, sugar will likely be a topic to which we will all pay more attention. Already, we’ve seen shadows of this with talks of rising sugar prices and its declining availability through the world; the idea of taxing soda; the rising awareness of the negative impacts of high-fructose corn syrup; and the court ruling that the USDA illegally approved genetically modified sugar beets. I expect these and other sugar-related issues–including more insights into its effects on health–to become even more top of mind as Saturn journeys through Libra.

Self-care suggestions

If you’re looking to reduce your intake of added sugar, here are some ways to do so.

• Sugar is often a “hidden” ingredient in many packaged foods. Even those you wouldn’t think would contain it—such as chips, pretzels, and crackers—may as manufacturers add it to create their product’s unique taste. Therefore, read the food labels carefully, looking both at the ingredients list as well as the grams of sugar per serving. Remember that the ingredients are presented in the list in descending order; if sugar is one of the first ingredients, it comprises a good portion of the food product.
• When you have a sugar craving and just can’t ignore your sweet tooth, grab a piece of fruit rather than a cookie or baked good.
• See if there are places that you can cut back on the amount of added sugar you use. For example, buying plain yogurt and adding  fruit and honey (or fruit jam) will provide you with less refined sugar than if you bought flavored yogurt.
• Expand your snack repertoire to include savory ones in addition to sweet ones.
• Make your own “soda” by adding some 100% fruit juice to sparkling water.

If you haven’t tried more natural forms of sugar, Saturn in Libra presents a great opportunity to explore them. These can be used in place of refined sugar in coffee, tea, and other foods. Many can be used in baked goods recipes as well. (You can find conversion guidelines for refined to natural sweeteners on many websites.)

While there are a lot of natural sweeteners available, my personal preference is the tried and true, the ones closest to whole foods. These include raw honey (except for infants, pregnant women, and those who are immunocompromised), maple syrup, and blackstrap molasses. There is a mini-cornucopia of others to try, including raw sugar, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, xylitol, and stevia.

When it comes to sugar alternatives, I’m partial to natural ones, no matter which ones, over artificial sweeteners. Saccharin may cause cancer, aspartame is thought to be a neurotoxin, and while sucralose hasn’t been found to have any negative impacts yet, I still think it’s more prudent to trust nature rather than laboratories with the foods we ingest.

Blood Sugar Balance

Another way in which our attention may be drawn to the topic of sugar is via a renewed focus on conditions related to blood sugar balance. Not only is Libra related to sugar, but in medical astrology it is also associated with the islets of Langerhans, which produce the glucose-regulating hormone, insulin.

Hopefully, we will see not only new treatments for diabetes types 1 and 2, gestational diabetes, insulin resistance, and other conditions related to blood sugar dysregulation but also a focus on preventing them in both children and adults. Just as our lexicon has grown when it comes to foods that are “heart-healthy” or “cancer-preventive” potentially so it will for foods that are “blood-sugar balancing.”

As Saturn goes through Libra, hopefully it will also bring increased awareness to what seems like a more under-the-radar blood sugar condition—hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia may occur in those with diabetes and more chronic blood sugar imbalances as well as in “healthy” individuals. When blood sugar dips below a certain level, we may manifest hypoglycemia and any/all of its related symptoms: fatigue, mood swings, anxiety, sudden hunger, nausea, et al.  While there are many causes of hypoglycemia (including diabetes, some medicines, and alcohol intake), some people just experience a mild form of it during the day as a result of imbalanced food intake patterns.

Self-care suggestions

Here are some dietary tips that can help you promote more regular blood sugar balance. (If you have or are concerned you have health conditions related to glucose imbalance, see a licensed healthcare practitioner for guidance.)

• Reduce added sugars in your diet (see section above for suggestions).
• Ensure your diet provides you with enough fiber-rich foods, as fiber is essential for maintaining blood sugar health (as well as health in general). Fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are your best bets.
• While fiber is important to healthy blood sugar balance, there are many others nutrients as well that play a role. If you’re not sure that your diet is providing you with ample amounts of all the essential nutrients, consider taking a good quality multivitamin.
• If you’re going for more than three hours between meals, eat a light snack to keep your blood sugar on an even keel. Best are snacks that combine complex carbohydrates with some protein or fat, since the latter two macronutrients help to blunt blood sugar elevations that the carbohydrates may cause. Some ideas include whole grain crackers with cheese, rice cakes with almond or cashew butter, fruit with your favorite nuts or seeds, and crudite with yogurt- or tahini-based dip.
• There are many foods that have reputations for helping to keep blood sugar balanced. These include onions, bitter melon, fenugreek, and cinnamon.
• As alcohol can cause hypoglycemia, this is another reason why it’s better not to drink on an empty stomach. Have snacks available to ensure that you are giving your body enough “fuel” to sustain blood sugar levels while imbibing.

Skin Health

As both Saturn and Libra are related to the skin, I’m anticipating that skin care and cosmetics will draw more of our attention when Saturn transits through Libra. While we often focus on the beauty (Libra) of the skin, its structure (Saturn) is integrally important in our health. The skin is the body’s largest organ and a vital component of our detoxification system. Plus healthy skin creates a barrier that protects us from bacteria and infections.

The next few years may see new breakthroughs in skin care research, products, and techniques. Just as likely, there may be a focus on whether existing approaches to skin care have the merit they claim. As we’ve looked at our food supply, individuals may be more inclined to review what’s in their cosmetics and beauty products, with resources like the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Safety Database holding even more value.

Self-care suggestions

While Saturn’s in Libra, it’s a great time to focus on skin care, developing new habits that can stay with you throughout your life. Following are some tips.

• Drinking adequate amounts of water can be a wonderful boon to skin health. Water hydrates, keeps cells working efficiently, and helps flush out toxins. Water is also inherently important for the health of the kidneys, another area of the body associated with Libra. The U.S. Institute of Medicine suggests general daily guidelines of 9 cups of water for women and 13 for men.
• There are a variety of nutrients important for skin health, including vitamin A, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids. The best approach to bolstering skin through diet is to eat a variety of whole foods—vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and beans (and sustainably caught omega-3-rich fish, if you’re not a vegetarian).
• Breakouts, dermatitis, and eczema may be caused by food sensitivities/allergies. If you suspect this may be the case for you, consider going on an Elimination Diet with the guidance of a nutritionist or dietitian. Or do a modified one yourself, focusing on the several of the most commonly allergenic foods. To do so, go for two weeks without eating such foods as wheat, dairy products, and soy and see whether your skin condition improves. After the two weeks, you can then add the suspecting foods back one by one, waiting several days before the reintroduction of the next, to determine which—if any—are one(s) to which you are sensitive.
• Exfoliation removes dead skin cells, helping your skin to breath. Plus, it enhances blood flow. For your face, you can exfoliate while you clean (using a gentle skin brush), use a store-bought natural face scrub, or make your own–using ingredients such as oatmeal, almond powder, or rice flour mixed with yogurt (DIY scrub recipes can be found in books and websites). Also, do a skin scrub once a week over your body while in the shower or bath (or use a dry brush if you prefer). Skin scrubbing tools—such as brushes and mitts made from sisal or nylon—are available in many beauty stores and natural foods markets.
• There are many essential oils that provide skin-health benefits. You can add a drop or two to moisturizers, lotions, or body oils. Some of the essential oils that can benefit skin include: frankincense, with its skin-regenerating and wound-healing properties; chamomile, with its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties; and rose, with calming and hydrating properties.

Relationships

Libra is also the sign of one-on-one relationships. Interacting and relating with others is important to Libra because it is through this that learning and greater understanding of self can occur. The sign of the diplomat, Libra likes to negotiate and create accord and gets fulfillment from doing so.

With Saturn in Libra, we’ll see pressure applied to relationships of all sorts, helping us ideally to define what is a true and healthful partnership and what is not. Potentially we will see that real treasure can be found through partnerships that afford us an ability to create a crucible where two people can honestly and openly be themselves.

Self-care suggestions

While Saturn is in Libra, consider engaging a friend or partner to join you in your wellness activities. This may be especially beneficial if there are hurdles that you’ve faced—such as waning motivation—related to starting an exercise program or pursuing a healthier way of eating. For example, consider finding a workout buddy or seeing if a friend will commit to going to yoga classes with you. Sharing the experience of learning to cook or growing your own vegetables with a friend or partner can also be a great activity. Not only will your relationships deepen, but undertaking wellness activities with another will also make them more fun and provide you with another social outlet (which is of special great benefit when, for example, you’re trying to lose weight and are looking for additional social opportunities that don’t involve meeting for drinks or dinner).

Saturn in Libra can also provide us with an excellent opportunity to focus on our relationships and see whether adjustments can be made to them so that they become more satisfying. It’s a good time to reflect and ask ourselves questions such as: Are my relationships fulfilling? Am I showing up authentically? Is my partner? Are my friends? Are my relationships balanced and fair?

Since our relationships can have a significant impact upon our emotional life—and therefore our emotional health—taking the time to focus on them can provide great benefits. With Libra associated with the mediator and arbitrator, if you become aware of imbalances in the relationship and need an objective perspective, consider seeking the services of a relationship counselor or therapist who may provide the objectivity and insight that can help you renegotiate a harmonious partnership.

If you’re not currently in a partnership, Saturn’s voyage through Libra can be very fruitful as well. It provides an auspicious time for looking back at relationships and the patterns that may have colored them, inventorying what your relationship needs are, and then honestly assessing what type of partner and partnership would truly fulfill you. Doing this type of work is often an important step in manifesting satisfying relationships.

Balancing The Collective With the Personal

Ideally this overview of the potential trends that will capture our attention as Saturn transits Libra has been enlightening and will provide you with opportunities to further enhance your health and well-being. Yet, in addition to how Saturn in Libra may affect us collectively, it will also have an impact upon us individually depending upon the relationship it makes to the planets, personal points, and house(s) in our natal astrology charts. You can learn more about the opportunities that transiting Saturn—as well as the other planets—may present to you by having a personalized consultation with an astrologer. Many astrologers also offer computer-generated written reports that can provide some illumination. You can also find websites offering free mini-reports and services–such as the Free Forecast Report on Astro.com and Planet Forecast on StarIQ.com–that may be helpful. By knowing more about your individual birth chart you can learn more deeply how the cycle of the planets–including Saturn–can provide you with an understanding of the current cycles of unfolding and growth that you are experiencing. To me, this is of essence when it comes to well-being, since self-knowledge, in my opinion, is an instrumental part of attaining health and wellness.

The reason: Our country doesn’t require labeling for foods that have been genetically modified (GM). While genetic modification of food is a complex process, the bottom line is this: the DNA of the seeds from which the food is grown have been altered, oftentimes by mixing it with the genetic code from other species.

Why don’t we have the liberty to know which of our foods are “real” and which are grown from manipulated GM seeds?

While the answer is complex and beyond the scope of this article, it is worth noting that the government committee responsible for setting GM food in motion was headed by a chemical industry executive and included no members of the USDA or FDA. (This committee was actually spearheaded by ex-VP Dan Quayle, which is kind of ironic when you think that the man infamous for not being able to spell “potato” played a great role in casting the dye for this arena of our government’s food policy.)

If GM seeds were just a novelty, this may not be much of an issue. But novelty they aren’t: in fact, the Grocery Manufacturers of America, more than five years ago, had estimated that about 70% of all packaged foods sold here contained a GM ingredient. So chances are you’re likely to come across these foods on any given grocery-shopping outing. And yet not know.

Aren’t we just following suit with accepted worldwide food policy? Actually, that’s not the case. In fact, E.U. nations, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries require that the label of GM-ingredient foods include this information. It’s buyer be aware and beware. In turn, consumers can make informed decisions as to which foods they want to purchase. There. But not here.

If It’s Too Good To Be True, Is It True?

The promises of GM foods are appealing. After all, advocates argue, why not use science and technology to improve the value and production of the global food supply.

That would be well and good—actually even great—if there were conclusive evidence that supported the save-the-world-in-a-safe-and-healthy-way claims that have been made for the genetic engineering of food. But we’re not there yet. And many wonder whether we may ever be.

For example, many GM seeds are touted for their high yield, that they will produce more plants per acre or hectare of land. Yet, the Soil Association and others have issued reports that dispute this, finding that many GM seeds actually result in reduced food production.

There may also be other negative social and environmental outcomes of GM foods. For example, its impact on the economics of farming and the sustenance of the small farmer as well as its contribution to climate change and reduced soil quality—let alone its overall ecological effects—have been called into question.

As have, also importantly, their impact upon our health.

Your Health and GMOs

“They are using these seeds to grow our food and we aren’t sure they are safe?” I can hear you thinking (or maybe I’m just projecting my concerns onto you, dear reader). You’d think given the fact our food can be grown from them and that the FDA classifies them as GRAS—“generally recognized as safe”—that this wouldn’t even be a question. But, unfortunately, it is.

From my perspective the answer to the question is, at best: We don’t really know enough about GM foods to confirm that they are safe for and supportive of our health. (Again, I’m making this as a best-case-scenario statement. On most days, I’m more aligned with the worst-case scenario that there is something very problematic about science tampering with the nature of our food.) That’s because there has been minimal research—no well-designed, long-term studies feeding humans GM foods—undertaken, even given the concern for issues such as toxicity, food allergies, and the undermining of health.

While it’s tough to draw definitive conclusions on human health from animal research, the results of a recent study from Austria (which seemed to fly under the mainstream media radar) may give you pause. It showed that feeding lab animals a commonly consumed strain of GM corn negatively impacted their fertility, resulting in a reduction in their ability to reproduce. Many of the offspring that they did give birth to had lower birth weights.

The Power of We, The People

If you’re concerned about GM foods—whether you want to avoid them or just want to learn more—there are tangible steps you can take. These actions are important as they may help to safeguard the healthfulness of our food supply, both today and tomorrow.

For Today: Watch Out for the Big 4

While it isn’t mandatory for the labels of foods—as well as dietary supplements—to tell you whether the ingredients within come from GM seeds, they can still provide you with great insights. For example, soybeans, corn, canola, and cotton (in the form of cottonseed oil) should be high on your radar when you read food labels as they are the Big 4 when it comes to crops most likely to be genetically modified. (In 2002, the USDA estimated that 87% of the soy, 52% of the corn, and 79% of the cotton grown in the U.S. were from seeds that were genetically engineered.) These foods—notably soybeans and corn—are not only grown for human consumption but serve as the foundation of what is fed to the animals whose meat we consume.

Due to the rising awareness of this issue, some companies will either use organically grown ingredients (more on this below) or clearly state that the ingredients included in their product are “non-GMO.” Look for these signs of sustainability on the label of foods.

Remember, though, it’s important to not just look for these foods in their whole form because there are many derivative products made from them. For example, on the soy front there’s soy flour, soy protein isolates, and lecithin. Corn-based ingredients include cornstarch, corn flour, and, of course, the ubiquitous high-fructose corn syrup.

If you have any questions about the origins of the ingredients in a food of interest, don’t hesitate to contact the manufacturer’s customer service department. After all, that’s what they are there for.

For Today: Buy Organic

In the U.S., the laws stipulate that foods that are labeled as organically grown cannot come from genetically modified seeds (and meats and dairy products labeled as organic cannot come from animals that were fed GM foods). So these are your best bets if you want to ensure that you are eating whole foods, grown from seeds as nature intended.

Yet, remember that unless the label says 100% organic, a packaged food can contain conventionally grown ingredients. So, don’t just stop your evaluation by looking at a food’s front or back panel—where the marketing language lives. Instead, read the ingredients list to see whether it contains any items made from the Big 4 that are not organically grown (or not listed as non-GMO).

For Tomorrow: Lobby for Labeling

President Obama ran on the platform of change. Hopefully, this mantra also applies to his administration’s positions toward labeling of GM foods (as well as a general approach to sustainably safeguarding our food supply). While Obama and his USDA head, Tom Vilsack, both seem to be supporters of GM technology, each has mentioned at one time or another their desire for stronger regulatory oversight that takes the health of the public into consideration.

While this may or may not be political rhetoric, since we’re still in the infancy of the Obama administration and no policies have been set in stone (let alone no head of the FDA picked at the time of this writing), we are in an important window of opportunity to let our voices be heard about this labeling issue. If you’re interested, write, call, or email your Senators and Representatives and tell them that you believe that it is the public’s right to know what is in our food and that labeling of GM foods would be an important step in that direction. Also, look into signing your name to online petitions, like the one on the Responsible Technology website, to make President Obama aware of your interest in this issue.

The Future

There is a growing amount of information available on the topic of GM foods. One of my favorites is the compelling movie, The Future of Food.

The future of our food, as reflected in the issue of GM foods and their labeling, is unknown. Yet, with the planet Saturn residing in Virgo until mid-2010, we are in the midst of a period where critical attention may be paid to our food supply—including the role it can play in our health as well as how to best safeguard food safety. Therefore, it’s not surprising that issues like this are strongly resonating with more people. It’s a great time to take action, lobby for GM labeling, and vote with your fork by choosing foods that you believe are those most sustainable for your health and the environment. The future of our food may depend upon it.

The subject of GM foods is controversial and all the facts may not yet be known. I encourage you to share your thoughts on this subject with myself and other readers in the Comments section.