Natural Awakenings Richmond, September/October 2021 by NA Richmond

E E HEALTHY LIVING FR

HEALTHY

PLANET

ART & CREATIVITY for HEALING Working with a Life Coach Integrative Pain Management Healing Trauma with Yoga

FREE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 | GREATER RICHMOND | NARICHMOND.COM

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

CBD For Stress, Anxiety, & Immune Support √ Professional Quality √ Third-Party Tested √ Physician Recommended

FREE MAILING AVAILABLE - 804-717-5000 Virginia’s First Nationally Accredited Compounding Pharmacy 11934 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23233 • 12230 Ironbridge Road, Suite C, Chester, VA 23831

Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

September/October 2021

from the publisher It’s hard to believe that summer has come to an end, school is back in session and we are heading into fall. Time is such a crazy thing; minutes and hours can sometimes creep by as the days, months and years zip along. And just like that, my two babies are in their junior and senior years of college, our lovely German exchange student who celebrated her sweet 16 in our home in 2010 is expecting her first baby and life rolls right along. Our biggest task is to figure out how to roll right along with it. Accepting the highs and the lows. Being as present as we can in the moment and with those we are with. It is not always easy, especially with the stressors surrounding us in regards to the mercurial state of the pandemic and the ways in which differJessica Coffey, Publisher ent people respond to it. It can be overwhelming. I wish I had the cure—for the virus, for the angst, for the divisiveness. The one thing I know for sure is that when I wake up and show up with a positive outlook and attitude, things go so much better. That means I need to make sure I am nourishing my body, mind and spirit with rest, healthy food, hydration, exercise, meditation/prayer, connection, time in nature, mental stimulation, gratitude … all of the things this wonderful magazine shares and promotes. It’s not easy to do all of it all of the time, but having good intentions and trying your best is half the battle. And sometimes, I just need to trick myself into it. One way to do that is by smiling. Yes, lifting up the corners of your mouth can shift your mood. Try it right now. Then read this wonderful article, Smiling Can Make Us Happier, by Julie Peterson… A smile makes the brain happy. As it turns out, it doesn’t matter if we smile at first because we’re genuinely happy or if we simply fake a smile. The brain doesn’t know the difference. When we are happy, we naturally smile. But research has shown that the act of smiling can also induce happiness. It happens because the muscles required to lift the mouth into the shape of a smile are connected to nerves that send signals to the brain. Once the brain gets the message that a smile is happening, it releases dopamine, endorphins and serotonin throughout the body. These feel-good chemicals make us feel less stressed, less pain and happier, which can effortlessly transform a fake smile into a genuine one. Platitudes through the ages have urged us to “Turn that frown upside down” and “Put on a happy face.” In 1872, Charles Darwin hypothesized that facial feedback could alter emotions and, ever since, the topic of smiling and mood has been a subject of discussion and research. Whether or not forced smiles can have a strong enough impact on our state of mind to effectively boost overall mental health is still being debated, with some research indicating that “false” smiles can lower mood if used continuously to avoid expressing certain feelings; however, there are several more positive aspects of smiling to take into consideration. Smiling is contagious. Seeing other people smile stimulates our mirror neurons; they discharge similarly whether we’re doing an action or observing someone else do it. So being around smiling people, seeing them smile, affects our brains as if we were doing the smiling. Smiling also provides the health benefits of reduced anxiety and lowers both blood pressure and heart rate. Over the long haul, these attributes add up to improved cardiovascular health and a measurable reduction in risk for stroke. Get more smile time by working these muscles at every opportunity. Fake it if you must until it comes naturally, watch funny shows, spend time with cheery people and when things are looking down, grin and bear it. You might just feel better right away, and better long-term health is certainly something to smile about. Happy Reading and Happy Smiles! Warmly,

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

SHOWCASED ON

INSOMNIA? ANXIETY? CHRONIC PAIN?

CBD YOU CAN TRUST Midlothian

Short Pump

(804) 658-4126 10621 Hull Street Rd Midlothian, VA

(804) 298-3703 12171 W Broad St Ste B Henrico, VA

KULTIVATEWELLNESS.COM

Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

September/October 2021

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

CONTENTS

GREATER RICHMOND EDITION

Natural Awakenings | Richmond | September/October 2021 Issue

Publisher Editors Writers Design & Production

Jessica Coffey Martin Miron Theresa Archer Randy Kambic Erin Hillert Patrick Floresca

Natural Awakenings Richmond Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $12 (for 6 issues) to the above address.

NATIONAL TEAM CEO/Founder Sharon Bruckman COO/Franchise Sales Joe Dunne Layout & Design Gabrielle W-Perillo Financial Manager Yolanda Shebert Asst. Director of Ops Heather Gibbs Digital Content Director Rachael Oppy National Advertising Lisa Doyle-Mitchell Administrative Assistant Anne-Marie Ryan

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation 4851 Tamiami Trail N., Ste. 200 Naples, FL 34103 Ph: 239-434-9392 • Fax: 239-434-9513 NaturalAwakenings.com

Healing Through Creativity

Equine Therapy has Physical and Emotional Benefits

ART’S EMBRACE

YOGA TO HEAL TRAUMA

HORSES AS HEALERS

Soothing Poses Calm the Nervous System

CONQUERING CHRONIC PAIN

FORAGED FUNGI FARE Cooking with Wild Mushrooms

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

Working with a Life Coach Can Help

UNLEASH YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL

How the Body-Mind Connection Works

SHEDDING LIGHT ON LIGHTBULBS The Ins and Outs of Our Options

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment.

Natural Awakenings Magazine is ranked 5th Nationally in CISION’S® 2016 Top 10 Health & Fitness Magazines

Greater Richmond Edition

Natural Awakenings is a family of 50+ healthy living magazines celebrating 27 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet. NARichmond.com

DEPARTMENTS

8 advertiser news briefs 11 global briefs 12 health briefs 16 fit body 18 conscious eating 19 healing ways 20 natural pet 22 healing ways 25 the james river matters 26 calendars 30 healthy living directory 35 eco tip

Find relief - without surgery or medication

chiropractic care • sports therapy • massage therapy 3507 Boulevard Colonial Heights 526-7125

34C Medical Park Blvd Petersburg 862-2255

5409 Patterson Ave Richmond 288-1005

9778 Gayton Rd Henrico 750-2400

10168 West Broad St Glen Allen 270-5700

9535 Kings Charter Dr Ashland 550-0780

Most insurance plans accepted | AriyaChiro.com

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 804-405-6724 or email Jessica@NARichmond.com. Deadline for ads: the 1st of the month prior to publication. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Jessica@NARichmond.com. Deadline for editorial: the 1st of the month prior to publication. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit events online at NARichmond.com/Events/New. Deadline for calendar: the 1st of the month prior to publication. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-434-9392. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com. Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

September/October 2021

advertiser news briefs

The Finest Beeswax Candles at Rx3 Rx3 Compounding Pharmacy is adding a new line of candles to its in-store selection of health and wellness products and nutritional supplements. Root Candles offers clean-burning, long-lasting candles made with an all-natural beeswax blend and 100 percent natural fiber wicks that are braided on-site at their facility in Ohio. The candles will be sold at a 15 percent discount through the end of October. A family-run business since 1869, Root Candles was founded by a beekeeper. Their fragrances contain essential oils for a longlasting aromatic bouquet that is always true to nature. Rx3 will carry a variety of Root Candles, including their Fall Legacy fragrances. Rx3 Compounding Pharmacy, an industry leader in innovation and quality for more than 22 years, is Virginia’s first nationally accredited compounding pharmacy. They specialize in customized compounding, bioidentical hormones, veterinary/equine compounding, traditional pharmacy, palliative care, professionalquality supplements, CBD expertise and food inflammation testing, with the ability to customize treatment sizes, dosages, strengths and forms to individually tailor medications for each patient’s unique needs and preferences. Locations: 12230 Ironbridge Rd., Ste. C, Chester; and 11934 W. Broad St., Henrico. For more information, call 804-717-5000 or visit Rx3Pharmacy.com. See ads, pages 3, 30, 32.

Join the Global Wave of Change for Women An outdoor launch party for the joyepidemic.Life community, with local poet Yemaja Jubilee, will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., September 25, with a livestream viewing of the Netherlands-based Female Wave of Change Global Conference. This event is designed for mind/body/spirit connection and empowerment. This is an historic time. Change is occurring at a rapid pace and it is more important than ever to make time to reconnect to our power as women. We are living, breathing, powerful embodiments of divine feminine energy, expressing itself through creation, nurturance and vibrancy on our planet. The mindset and energy from which we think, speak and take action is foundational to our ability to create all that we wish to see in our world as we navigate and create a “new normal”. The event is free with registration on Eventbrite or at joyepidemic.Life. Broadcasting live from Studio D, 9327 Midlothian Tpke., Ste. 1B, North Chesterfield. See ad, page 9. 8

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

Well Into Life Finds New Digs

Well Into Life Massage & Bodywork has moved from their Hungary Spring Road location to 2307 North Parham Road in order to expand their menu of massage and wellness services and educational classes. Ten years ago, Carey Phillips, massage therapist and Eden Energy Medicine practitioner, created a massage and wellness practice where massage and energy therapists could focus on providing clients quality therapeutic services while being respected and supported as professionals in a nurturing and safe environment. Well Into Life offers clients a variety of massage and energy therapies, including pregnancy, therapeutic, hot stone, couples and CBD massages; along with orthopedic cupping, Eden Energy Medicine and Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. After opening in 2011, Well Into Life acquired James River Massage in 2015. The dedication and focus of the company has been to grow a strong, high-quality team of wellness service providers. Despite the challenges of a pandemic, they maintain high standards of care and safety for their staff and clients. For more information, call 804-818-6281 or visit WellIntoLife.com. See ads, pages 13, 31.

Focusing on Our Attention The Innerwork Center’s fall keynote will be held on October 14 from 7 to 9 p.m. via Zoom. Dr. Amishi Jha, Ph.D., director of contemplative neuroscience and professor of psychology at the University of Miami, will speak on Owning Our Attention. With grants from the U.S. Department of Defense and private foundations, Jha leads research on Dr. Amishi Jha the neural basis of attention and the effects of mindfulness-based training programs on cognition, emotion, resilience and performance in education, corporate, elite sports, first responder and military contexts. In her laboratory, Jha uses functional MRI, electrophysiological recordings and behavioral analysis techniques to understand why our attention sometimes fails us and whether it can be trained for greater focus and less distractibility. She has discovered that without intervention, attention is compromised and attentional lapses increase. Yet with mindfulness training, attention can be strengthened and protected. Jha’s work has been featured on TED.com, National Public Radio and in Mindful Magazine, and she has been invited to present her research to NATO, the UK Parliament, the Pentagon and at the World Economic Forum. In her forthcoming book, Peak Mind (Harper Collins, 2021), she shares her discoveries on how attention can be trained for optimal performance and well-being. The Innerwork Center offers programs for self-discovery to adults in the Richmond region. Their programs in mindfulness and compassion, creative expression and movement, psychology and consciousness, and wisdom traditions and spirituality are led by certified and experienced facilitators. Location: 213 Roseneath Rd. For more information, call 804-359-0384 or visit InnerworkCenter.org. See ads, pages 3 and 32.

Thermography Discounts for Breast VegFest is Back at Byrd Park The 18th annual Richmond Richmond VegFest Cancer Awareness Month

VegFest

will be held from noon to 6 p.m., October 2—World Farm Animals Day AND Gandhi’s birthday—at the Carillon in Byrd Park. As always, there will be delicious vegetarian and vegan food, cooking demonstrations, vendors, life-changing presentations and some of the most compassionate people in RVA. On-site animal adoptions provide an opportunity to possibly discover your new BFF. Stop by and meet Dr. Joanne Kong, editor of Vegan Voices, a collection of essays launching the same week as the VegFest. The main objective of this annual event is to educate the public about the many healthful and humane aspects of a vegan lifestyle. The VegFest is a combined effort of amazing local sponsors—Vegan Action, the Vegetarian Society of Richmond, My Vegan Sweet Tooth, Commonwealth Event Company, Hang Space and Natural Awakenings magazine, wonderful vendors and amazing volunteers. Admission is free. Currently vaccinated, leashed dogs are welcome. For more information, visit VeggieFest.org. Take the 22-day pledge to go vegan today at Challenge22.com. See ad, page 21.

Throughout the month of October, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Debbie Troxell, RN, MSNH, a local thermographer and owner of Lifestyle Designs, LLC, is offering special pricing on all thermography services. One region of the body is $167 (save $20), half-body is $287 (save $40) and full-body is $547 (save $50). These services are often covered by FSAs and HSAs. By detecting heat patterns and blood flow in body tissues, thermography’s preventative and diagnostic applications include breast health, cardiovascular health, musculoskeletal disorders, dental health, sinus and allergies, thyroid health and full-body health maintenance. Thermographic images are interpreted by Dr. Matthew Lee, M.D., RPh, MS, of eLEEte Physicians. Location: 1404 Starling Dr., Henrico. For more information or to make an appointment, call 804-683-7774 or visit LifestyleDesignsWellness. com. See ads, pages 17, 33.

11AM SEPTEMBER 25TH GLOBAL LIVE & LIVESTREAM EVE T Join the Wave & Reignite Joy! Co-Creatresses Unite!

joyepidemic.Life what kind of Life do YOU co-create?

YOU'RE invited to represent empowered women of the USA at the

FEMALE WAVE OF CHANGE (FWOC) GLOBAL CONFERENCE! FWOC is a Netherlands-based global women's empowerment group and RVA is only one of TWO US locations selected for this event! 1 0a m

Yemaja Jubilee Soulfull Poet JJ Skyler joyepidemic.Life Creatress

11a m

10am - 2pm

Reigniting Joy pre-screening & joyepidemic.Life Launch Party RVA Reigniting Joy program Outdoor Mind/Body/Spirit Empowerment Fest

Event is free, but registration required at Eventbrite or www.joyepidemic.Life. Live hosted by Studio D Yoga. Livestream hosted by Female Wave of Change. Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

September/October 2021

advertiser news briefs

New Approach to Fitness Fights Aging Mary Burruss and Al Conde, cofounders of Re-Think Fitness, believe they have developed a fitness program to help us stay mobile and active for life instead of experiencing body breakdown as we age. Using a unique combination of physical therapy-based personal training and traditional yoga practices, they have created a new approach to exercise called Homeostatic Mind/Body Training. It is a way to get active people out of pain, correct the movement dysfunctions that are limiting them and teach them what they call Sustainable Fitness. Conde, a physical therapy-based personal trainer, explains, “By clearing up movement dysfunctions and getting the body moving in all planes of motion, our clients find that they can do things they haven’t been able to do for years.” Easily bending, balancing or squatting are things that most people assume they lose as they age, but the Re-Think Fitness team argues the point. “We are on a mission to spread the word that aging can be very different than what is currently accepted,” says Burruss, a yoga guru. For a free 15-minute consultation, visit ReThink.Fitness or email ReThinkYourFitness@gmail.com.

Bright Body Relocates Production Space Bright Body, a local non-toxic and zero- waste beauty brand, has relocated to a new space in Midlothian at 1811 Huguenot Road, Suite 301. Motivated by personal and industry changes due to COVID-19, founder and owner Gabi Day pivoted away from retail to focus on e-commerce and wholesale. The new Bright Body space is equipped for production, shipping and fulfillment. Local customers may pick up their orders during select hours and shipping is always available. Day offers free virtual consultations for customers seeking guidance on choosing the right products for their needs and budget. Bright Body also revamped its fully circular zero-waste refill program. When running low, customers can repurchase their favorite items in aluminum pouches. Empty pouches are then returned to Bright Body and processed through a specialized Terracycle recycling program. For more information, call 804-464-0820 or visit MyBrightBody.com. 10

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

Richmond Gets New Riverfront Education Center and Future Parkland In August, The Conservation Fund purchased a 5.2-acre Dock Street property on the James River from the Capital Region Land Conservancy, which entered into a contract for the historic property last year. The James River Association plans to purchase approximately one acre of the land from The Conservation Fund to establish a new river center for environmental education. The James River Center will focus on connecting Richmond youth with river-based, hands-on learning experiences while inspiring confidence, ecological understanding, nature appreciation and conservation action. The rest of the 5.2 acres will be transferred to the city of Richmond to become part of the James River Park System. Benefits to the Richmond community include adding new public access to the riverfront, enhancing the Virginia Capital Trail and youth education programs and safeguarding the historic “View That Named Richmond”. Conservation easements will be placed on the land to prevent future commercial development of the site and ensure public ownership of the riverfront from Rocketts Landing to Browns Island and the Belle Isle pedestrian bridge. They will also support water quality for more than 2.6 million people that live in the 10,000-square-mile James River watershed, as well as wildlife like the Atlantic sturgeon. For more information, visit TheJamesRiver.org/james-river-center.

The Real Local Farm Tour Goes to Charlotte Acres The fifth annual Real Local RVA Farm Tour will take place from 3 to 7 p.m., September 18, at Charlotte Acres, in Mechanicsville, to highlight local farmers, encourage local food purchasing and educate the public about the importance of sustainable food-growing practices. Charlotte Acres is the home to three separate minority-owned farms: Shine Farms, Real Roots Food Systems and Hazel Witch Farm. Guests will receive a tour of each farm and learn about their growing practices and business models, followed by dinner from Leek & Thistle with dishes that include ingredients from the farms. Local musician Rachel Leyco will provide entertainment. Tickets: $45 to $55 at Tinyurl.com/2021RVA-Local-Farm-Tour. For more information, visit RealLocalRVA.com.

For more information, visit RuslanaRemennikova.com.

Working Hard, Being Kind and Providing Meals Since it began earlier this year, the nonprofit Be Kind RVA has served more than 1,700 hot meals to groups at The Healing Place, Richmond Urban Ministry Institute, Safe Haven, Hispanic Center of Chesterfield, Caritas and Blessing Warriors, and to homeless individuals in and around Richmond. The goal of Be Kind RVA is to bridge the hunger gap in the Richmond area by partnering with local restaurants and bringing the community together to serve a bigger purpose. “Partnering with local restaurants will not only allow us to provide numerous meals to those in a time of need, but also connect the hospitality industry with the nonprofit world. Bringing these two industries together will bring powerful change to the Richmond Metro area,” says Luke Stackow, founder of Be Kind RVA and general manager at Bistro 804. “Richmond kitchens will be coming together like never before to help get meals to those most in need. It is the goal of Be Kind RVA to have meals going out every day.” In Virginia, there are more than 842,870 people that face food insecurity; 233,530 of those are children. To put that in perspective, that is one in 10 adults or one in eight children. Stackow’s biggest priorities for Be Kind RVA are getting more volunteers, increasing donations and encouraging purchases from the organization’s growing Amazon wish list. For more information, visit BeKindRVA.com. Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

global briefs

Sweet Shade

Wealth Distribution Linked to Urban Canopies It’s not surprising that more urban trees lower the levels of heat and pollution. Although many cities maintain treeplanting programs, not all canopies have equivalent value. A new analysis from the American Forests conservation organization states that the U.S needs to plant more than half a billion trees across 500 metropolitan areas and 150,000 local communities. A new Tree Equity Score data tool (TreeEquityScore.org) allows users to see where urban trees exist and where they don’t. American Forests identified 20 large American cities that are lacking in canopies to protect their populations from hotter temperatures. Tree canopies are particularly effective in reducing health stress associated with urban heat “islands”. It was also found that a pattern of inequitable distribution of trees has deprived many communities of the health and other benefits that sufficient tree cover can deliver. Communities of color have 33 percent less tree canopy on average than majority white communities. Jad Daley, American Forests president and CEO, says, “We need to make sure the trees go where the people are, and more than 70 percent of the people live in cities or suburbs, so it’s a place-based problem with a place-based solution.”

Penny Pincher mike/Pexels.com

Ruslana Remennikova, past owner of wellness-focused smoothie cafe, Pulp on Lakeside, is starting a free weekly guided meditation series in October and offering a writing seminar called Stepping Into Your Divinity at The Beet at Ellwood Thompson’s in mid-October. She states, “My current efforts involve writing my first book about healing with the masculine and feminine, making short films and interviewing people for my podcast, Fire & Heart, and my monthly Ruslana Remennikova publication, The Loveletter. Fire & Heart and The Loveletter spotlight members of society that are dynamically impacting our world through holistic approaches.” Remennikova also crafts natural products such as candles, incense, teas, steaming herbs and women’s health elixirs, and is involved in creating the Martin Luther King Jr. Urban Agricultural Center, sponsored by The Pocahontas Project, Virginia Free Farm and Richmond Public Schools.

mary taylor/Pexels.com

Free Guided Meditation Series

Electric Vehicles Demand Far Less Maintenance

The U.S. Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory reports that overall maintenance costs for a light-duty, battery-powered car are around 40 percent less per mile than for a gasoline-powered model. Not only do they not require motor oil, they also have no timing belts, oxygen sensors, fuel filters, spark plugs, multiple-speed transmissions and other parts. The difference is on average for gasoline-powered cars—10 cents per mile; hybrid cars—nine cents per mile; and electric cars (EV)—six cents per mile. EVs may have a higher initial investment cost, but their lower maintenance and increased mileage make them especially attractive to companies or government agencies with large fleets of vehicles. Motor Trend magazine estimates that an all-electric fleet of the federal government’s light-duty vehicles would be $78 million cheaper per year to maintain than if it were entirely gas-powered. |

September/October 2021

health briefs

Healthy Choices Mitigate Cognitive Health Reduction

Eating more plants than meat is not only good for the planet, it might also be protective against COVID-19 severity, reports a new study in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health. Researchers from Johns Hopkins and other universities analyzed web-based responses from almost 2,900 frontline doctors and nurses in the U.S., France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK that had been significantly exposed to COVID-19, 95 percent of which were doctors and 70 percent males. Those that ate a plant-based diet, described as high in vegetables, legumes and nuts, and low in poultry and meats, were 73 percent less likely to contract moderate to severe COVID-19. Those with pescatarian diets allowing fish were 59 percent less likely. However, those following low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets had 48 percent greater odds of moderate to severe COVID-19. “Our results suggest that a healthy diet rich in nutrient-dense foods may be considered for protection against severe COVID-19,” researchers concluded.

A Chinese study of 6,160 adults 80 or older found that a healthy lifestyle cuts the risk of cognitive impairment by half, even if a person carries the APOE ε4 gene that is linked to cognitive loss and Alzheimer’s. Researchers used data from the ongoing Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey to determine the eating, exercising and smoking habits of subjects. They found that those with healthy lifestyles were 55 percent less likely to be cognitively impaired and those with intermediately healthy lifestyles lowered their risk 28 percent. This reduction was greater than the increased risk of cognitive impairment resulting from the APOE ε4 gene, which was 17 percent.

andrii kovalAdobeStock.com

Getting teens to eat well can be an uphill battle, but new evidence shows its longterm importance. Drinking two sugary drinks p e r d a y from ages 13 to 18 increases by 32 percent the risk of colorectal cancer in women by age 50 when compared to drinking less than one such drink each week, Washington University School of Medicine researchers report in the journal Gut. The study used data from the Nurses’ Health Study II, which tracked the health of nearly 116,500 female nurses from 1991 to 2015. Other drinks, including milk and unsweetened coffee, were associated with a decreased risk. Early-onset colorectal cancer rates have risen alarmingly in the last 20 years, causing the American Cancer Society to lower its recommended age for a first colonoscopy from 50 to 45. 12

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

Eat Produce to Lower Stress and Heart Disease sommai/AdobeStock.com

Avoid Sugary Drinks to Reduce Colorectal Cancer Risk

mikhail nilov/Pexels.com

vegan liftz/Pexels.com

Plant-Based Meals Reduce Severe COVID-19 Risks

People needing a push to eat more fruits and vegetables might be motivated by two new studies from Australia’s Edith Cowan University. Studying data from 8,600 Australians between the ages of 25 and 91, researchers found people that ate at least 470 grams (about two cups) of fruits and vegetables per day had 10 percent lower stress levels compared to those that ate less than half that amount. “Vegetables and fruits contain important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and carotenoids that can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and therefore improve mental well-being,” says lead author Simone Radavelli-Bagatini. In a second study based on 23 years of data on 50,000 Danes, researchers found that those that consumed one cup each day of the most nitrate-rich vegetables like leafy greens and beets had about a 2.5 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure and a 12 to 26 percent lower risk of peripheral artery disease, heart attacks, strokes and heart failure. Eating more than one cup daily didn’t increase the benefits, they found, and blending greens into smoothies (but not pulp-destroying juicing) is a good option for increasing intake.

1/4 V

Field-ripened for peak flavor & nutrition Hand-harvested by 50+ local young workers CSA programs Year-round local markets Family owned and operated

Shop at agriberrystore.com Info at agriberry.com raspberries, blackberries, cherries, peaches, pears, nectarines, apples & more *season pending

We Are Hiring!

Come and Join Agriberry Looking for motivated Field Workers to join us for the Season

Apply today at: agriberry.com/hiring Accepting Applications NOW!

Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

Agriberry Farm & CSA 6289 River Road, Hanover, VA 23069 |

September/October 2021

ART’S EMBRACE

Healing Through Creativity by Sandra Yeyati

rt can be a powerful force for healing. Its potential manifests in a disabled man’s triumphant dance or cancer patient’s stirring self-portrait. Throughout America, art’s redemption takes center stage at hospitals, nursing homes, jails and homeless shelters. Even an entire city can be transformed when its citizens embrace public art to add beauty, create community and heal its broken places.

ART IN MEDICAL SETTINGS According to Jill Sonke, director of the University of Florida (UF) Center for Arts in Medicine, approximately half of U.S. hospitals have art programs that provide positive distraction, enjoyment and connection. To humanize otherwise intimidating environments, visual artists and musicians are employed to install appealing exhibits and play relaxing music. Artists also work at the bedside with patients as part of inter-professional care teams. Serving as an artist-in-residence early in her career, Sonke remembers a young female patient with sickle cell disease whose bouts of extreme pain required hospitalization. Dance sessions eased her suffering and enabled doctors to reduce pain medications. “The way the patient described it was not that the pain was going away, but that she didn’t mind it as much because she was enjoying dancing,” she says. While facilitating Dance for Life classes for Parkinson’s patients, Sonke encountered a man suffering limited mobility and an inability to form facial expressions. After two months of biweekly sessions, he could lift his arms over his head and, to his wife’s delight, smile again. “It’s that multimodal capacity of the arts,” Sonke explains. “All at the same time, he was engaging in music, movement and imagery. He was moving with others and experiencing joy and laughter.” According to Sonke, ongoing research seeks to pinpoint the public health benefits of art. In Britain, they have learned that people over 50 visiting museums or concerts once a month are almost half as likely to develop depression in older age. Other studies suggest that music can unlock memories and improve cognition. UF researchers are currently investigating whether live music in emergency and trauma care settings can reduce the need for opioids. “When people engage in the arts, they often enter into a flow state, that experience of losing yourself in art where we lose track 14 14

Greater GreaterRichmond RichmondEdition Edition

NARichmond.com NARichmond.com

agsandrew/AdobeStock.com

of time and what we’re doing is intrinsically motivated,” Sonke says. “A flow state can engage a relaxation response, helping to reduce stress and anxiety, which can enhance immune function.”

ART THERAPY FOR CANCER PATIENTS Board-certified art therapist Mallory Montgomery helps cancer patients in Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital work through symptoms of depression, anxiety or trauma. “Any person seeking a talk therapist or social worker could also consult with an art therapist,” she says. “We have the same training, but use art instead of just words. Evidence suggests that art therapy accesses healing faster because you’re forging a deep mind/body connection.” When counseling a double mastectomy patient that has questions about who they are now that they’re missing a part of their identity, Montgomery might offer a printed body map so that they can pinpoint where they carry feelings of loss, pain or confusion. “By drawing or coloring in those areas, I’m asking them to show how they’re being affected physically, emotionally and spiritually, and to externalize the overwhelming, negative side of their problem,” she explains. Using a second body map, Montgomery might invite the patient to draw or paint in those same areas to transform the pain into something more positive. “Is it going to blossom like a flower or be soothed with water? What imagery can you create that represents the opposite of your pain or an improvement of your concerns? We might also do a portrait to highlight other aspects of you and your personality that still exist, even though you no longer have a body part that was killing you,” she says. Montgomery’s emphasis is never on the quality of the art. “I walk the fine line between allowing patients to problem-solve how to make something look like what’s in their head and providing them with comfort and intervention so they don’t get so frustrated that they want to give up,” she notes. Montgomery keeps a visual journal for her own self-expression. “It helps me make sense of the world,” she says. “Art gives my voice

and thoughts an outlet, something concrete and representational that reaches into the depth of what I’m experiencing.”

REDEMPTION SONGS IN SKID ROW About 10 years ago, violinist and recording artist Vijay Gupta took a wrong turn and ended up in Skid Row, a disadvantaged downtown Los Angeles neighborhood. “It felt like a gut punch,” he recalls. “I saw the gross inequality between Walt Disney Concert Hall where I performed for the LA Philharmonic and a community of 5,000 people less than two miles away sleeping in tents in extreme poverty.” To uplift and inspire people recovering from homelessness, addiction and incarceration, Gupta founded Street Symphony in 2011 as a series of concert performances by world-class musicians. “One of our first venues was the Department of Mental Health,” he recalls. “After the second movement, the young violist I was performing with turned to the audience with tears in his eyes and said, ‘I’ve loved playing for you because I can feel your hearts.’ He shared that his mother had grappled with schizophrenia, his father was a prison guard and whenever he played for his family, he felt more connected to them. That’s when I began to see him as a human being who was in deep need of this work himself.” Gupta has learned firsthand that healing is a two-way street. “When I come to Skid Row, I’m the one who feels lifted,” he says. As a result, Street Symphony has morphed into a collection of workshops and conversations that also employs jazz, reggae, hip-hop and West African musicians and vocalists from the Skid Row community. “We might play 30 minutes of music and then ask the audience what images, thoughts or memories came up for them,” he explains. In this community, art is neither entertainment nor a commodity, Gupta says. “It’s a lifeline; a way for people that have been devastated by poverty, addiction or trauma to add to their lives in a constructive way. We all have devastated places within ourselves that need healing and attention. Visiting Skid Row is a pilgrimage to the broken place within myself, and in that way, it’s a spiritual place; my temple where I go to worship.”

CREATIVE CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA Drawing from her theater background, Anne Basting, author of Creative Care, has developed an innovative approach to dementia and elder care. “Our current caregiving model envisions one person that’s empty and has lots of needs and the other person that’s full and pours themself into the other person, which leads to burnout,” she says. “Dementia and aging are experiences of increasing separation. People isolate themselves and learn not to trust their own expressive capacities, because their relatives and friends no longer know how to relate with them and often ignore their words.” Basting’s Creative Care changes this depleting dynamic. “In improvisational theater, you observe everything that’s happening on stage and try to figure out how you can add to the performance positively,” she explains. “Applying that idea to a care Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

situation, you observe the person’s facial expressions, what they’re saying, how they’re behaving and then invite them into expression out of that moment with what we call a ‘beautiful question’, one that has no right or wrong answers and draws on the person’s strengths.” A beautiful question might be, “If your feet could talk, what would they say?” This offers people with pain a poetic way to express it. “I invited a gentleman with dementia who had no language—no words left—to show me how water moves. His response was the most beautiful dance I’d ever experienced, performed in the kitchen of his duplex,” Basting recalls, adding that it’s important to acknowledge the person’s expression so they know they’ve been heard. The final step in Creative Care is to accumulate these experiences over time and shape something larger and universally meaningful that can be shared with others—an artistic product. Basting founded the nonprofit TimeSlips to train artists and caregivers worldwide to do this visionary work. Their efforts have resulted in art exhibits, dance and theater productions, books and animations. “My dream is that meaning and beauty will be made every day in nursing homes, creating care settings so interesting that people want to visit them—a new kind of cultural center, integrating health and art,” she says.

TRANSFORMING A CITY WITH PUBLIC ART More than 4,000 works of public art grace the city of Philadelphia, three-quarters of which are breathtaking murals that combine world-class paintings and images with provocative words and healing messages. Art permeates virtually every neighborhood on walls, billboards, sidewalks, rooftops, swimming pools and basketball courts, enriching people from all walks of life, even those that don’t have access to galleries and museums. “Public art lifts our spirits, provides us with beauty and inspires us,” says Jane Golden, founder and executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia (MAP). “It can be evocative, challenging and educational, as well, serving as a barometer of our time—a system of checks and balances and a mirror that we hold up to people and say that your life counts and you matter.” In addition to sponsoring 75 to 100 new works every year, MAP’s $10 million budget funds programs related to criminal justice, art education, housing insecurity, behavioral health, community development and environmental justice. According to Golden, the healing power of art is not just in the mural, but also in its collaborative creation. In addition to artists and educators, hundreds of people work on these projects, including individuals grappling with addiction or homelessness, veterans with PTSD and immigrants and refugees facing isolation and stigma. “The act of creating is a meditative and healing experience, and because you’re part of a larger effort, it connects you to your community,” Golden says. “People start to feel a sense of purpose and value. They start to believe in themselves again.” Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer and editor. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com. |

September/October 2021

fit body

YOGA TO HEAL TRAUMA Soothing Poses Calm the Nervous System by Marlaina Donato

yoga including bullied teens, women rebounding from abuse and anyone impacted by pandemic turmoil. Research published in the journal Military Medicine in 2018 reports that U.S. veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that participated in a one-hour vinyasa-style yoga session for six weeks showed significantly lowered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, as well as less insomnia, depression and anxiety.

etting on the yoga mat can be a powerful stress-buster that lowers blood pressure and excessive cortisol, but yoga can offer an added boon for those living with the lasting effects of traumatic events. Trauma-informed yoga (also called trauma-sensitive yoga) is a promising therapeutic branch of the yogic system designed to quell the body’s programmed “fight-or-flight” responses. Founded on yoga, psychology and neurobiology principles, the approach is in harmony with the ancient yogic concept of samskaras, or memories imprinted on our cellular consciousness. People from many walks of life can benefit from trauma-sensitive 16

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

Yoga performed with trauma sensitivity can pick up where talk therapy leaves off, targeting the amygdala, the danger detector in the brain, and the vagus nerve that runs from the brain to the abdomen, which plays a vital role in processing trauma. “Somatic processing and treatment methodologies like yoga are now being used to help repair and rebuild distressed nervous systems, which in turn helps the brain integrate and ‘file’ distressing memories,” says Beth Shaw, founder of YogaFit Training Systems Worldwide, the largest yoga teacher training school in North America, and the author of Healing Trauma with Yoga: Go From Surviving to Thriving with Mind-Body Techniques. The Fort Lauderdale-based yoga therapist and entrepreneur highlights the body’s role in trauma and stress. “The brain rewires itself around the traumatic event and memories stored in the tissues throughout the body. Yoga can help to free those memories, alleviating troubling emotions and thought patterns, as well as chronic somatic tension and hypervigilance.” Shaw draws upon new psychological and neurological discoveries, including polyvagal theory, that help

merfin/AdobeStock.com

TRAUMA-INTELLIGENT FITNESS

explain the full impact of trauma and most importantly, how and why yoga helps to lessen these impacts. Trauma-informed yoga keeps the nervous system in mind, excluding poses and breathing techniques that might provoke a sense of vulnerability or overstimulation. Trained teachers adhere to non-touch assistance methods and often opt for welllit studios to avoid a possible triggering atmosphere. A trauma-informed yoga teacher knows the inner workings of the nervous system,” explains Mandy Eubanks, a traumatrained yoga educator and certified yoga instructor in Tulsa. “We have respect for the variety of responses that our clients have to yoga, meditation and breathwork practices. For example, we understand deep breathing will be calming to one person and agitating to another. We normalize clients’ responses and work with them to find an effective technique for that individual.” Teachers with specialized train-

ing and access to props can also support people on a yoga journey that are limited physically. Eubanks emphasizes, “Yoga truly is for everyone and every body.”

THE POWER OF CHOICE AND INDIVIDUALITY Lisa Danylchuk, the Oakland-based author of Yoga for Trauma Recovery: Theory, Philosophy, and Practice, underscores that in a trauma-informed environment, everything a teacher instructs is an offering or invitation. “This is important because people who have endured trauma have often not had a say over what happens to their bodies. A good trauma-informed class cultivates somatic and psychological resources, and focuses, above all, on cultivating a sense of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual safety.” The founder of The Center for Yoga and Trauma Recovery believes it’s important to be responsive to individual needs. “Trauma affects so many different individuals and groups of

people and in such a variety of ways that it is impossible to give one prescription. Some people might benefit from a weekly, 60- to 90-minute vinyasa-style class. Others might benefit from a short, fiveminute daily restorative practice.” Shaw also stresses a tailored approach. “How one wishes to practice is up to the individual, but I suggest a combination of both one-on-one instruction and class format. If someone is in the throes of trauma, they will need a private session to start.” Eubanks adds the importance of consistency. “In my experience, it is about finding which yoga practices work best for the client and then encouraging them to find time to practice every day. Yoga for PTSD is not a one-and-done deal. It takes time, effort and belief in oneself.” Marlaina Donato is a body-mind-spirit author and recording artist. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

Begin your journey now to a healthy body and tranquil mind.

merfin/AdobeStock.com

Classes are tailored to meet your needs. Yoga | Massage | Workshops | Teacher Training

804.741.5267 • glenmoreyoga.com 10442 Ridgefield Parkway, Richmond

Debbie Troxell, RN, MSNH Thermographer RVAThermography.com • 804-683-7774

Breast and Health imaging to keep you living happily longer.

Aren't you worth it?

Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

September/October 2021

conscious eating

FORAGED FUNGI FARE Cooking with Wild Mushrooms by April Thompson

Greater Richmond Edition

ivan kmitAdobeStock.com

ild mushrooms can infuse exciting new flavors and textures into familiar dishes, along with a taste of the local terroir, the natural habitat, from woods to plate. “I first encountered wild mushrooms through local foragers, then later from specialty food purveyors who would fly mushrooms from around the world into our kitchen. They were the most unique ingredients I could find, offering colors, flavors and textures I had never experienced … pure catnip for a chef,” says Alan Bergo, a Minnesota chef and author of The Forager Chef’s Book of Flora. Recipes at ForagerChef.com feature more than 60 species of wild edible fungi, from common deer mushrooms to prized porcinis. The intriguing flavors of wild mushrooms in part come from their diets, akin to the difference between grain- and grass-fed meats. “For fungi, their food is their habitat. Cultivated mushrooms have less variety of the micronutrients and secondary metabolites that can add flavor to a wild mushroom,” says Eugenia Bone, a New York City food journalist and editor of Fantastic Fungi: The Community Cookbook. Foraged fungi also offer a host of nutritional benefits surpassing commercially grown mushrooms. Wild mushrooms like chanterelles and morels can contain up to 1,200 international units (IU) of vitamin D per serving, whereas commercial mushrooms, typically grown in dark conditions, contain less than 40 IU, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. While foraging is the most satisfying way to procure wild mushrooms, they are becoming increasingly available through farmers’ markets, online purveyors and gourmet stores. Some species that grow wild throughout North America such as

oysters, maitake (hen of the woods) and lion’s mane are also grown commercially; these can be suitable for transitioning from buying to hunting. Sam Fitz, owner of ANXO Cidery & Tasting Room, a neighborhood taproom in Washington, D.C., picked up mushrooming when COVID-19 hit, in part mentored by the restaurant’s wild food purveyor. Fitz started ANXO making hyperlocal ciders from crabapples foraged on bike rides through the nation’s capital, salvaging fruit that otherwise would go to waste. Today, the seasonally focused menu often features wild fungi and other foraged ingredients from savory tartelettes made with beech and hedgehog mushrooms to cocktails made from bitter boletes. One of ANXO’s signature dishes is a vegan “chicken of the woods” sandwich, served hot, Nashville-style. This orangecolored tree mushroom, also known as sulphur shelf, has a taste, texture and color that so closely resembles chicken that many recipes use it as a meat substitute. “People are so blown away by its meaty texture they can’t believe they are being served mushrooms,” says Fitz. When preparing mushrooms, “Forget what you know about cooking vegetables,” says Bone. “Also forget the notion that mushrooms are too delicate to take wash-

NARichmond.com

ing or high heat. Mushrooms are extremely hardy because of the chitin in their cell walls, a compound that is more like fingernails than the cellulose of plants. You can cook mushrooms twice and they will still retain their integrity.” Because the amino acids in mushrooms respond to heat more like meat than vegetables, Bone suggests searing mushrooms on the grill or under the broiler. “A slice of maitake will cook beautifully on the grill,” she says. When cooking a particular species for the first time, Bone recommends oven-roasting the mushrooms wrapped in parchment paper. “When you open up the parchment, you can really smell the mushroom. It’s a wonderful way to pick up subtle flavor differences and see how the mushroom handles,” she says. Since fungi take on all sorts of shapes and sizes, Bergo suggests letting a mushroom’s morphology inform how to cook it. Lion’s mane, for example, has a texture that mimics crabmeat, so faux crab cakes make a fun dish that honors its form. “Chefs tend to chop things up, but I prefer to cook many mushrooms whole, especially when they have interesting shapes,” says Bergo. One of the chef’s go-to preparations of oyster mushrooms is to toss large pieces in seasoned flour or brush them with mustard, then bake until crispy. “They turn into cool-looking, crispy croutons you can put on a salad or eat as a snack,” he says. Connect with Washington, D.C., freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com.

Wild mushrooms are a culinary delight, but beginning foragers should harvest with caution. The forager’s rule of thumb is to be 100 percent sure of an identification 100 percent of the time given that toxic lookalikes can exist. It’s also important to try a small amount of a mushroom the first time around, as some individuals can respond adversely to a particular species despite its general edibility.

healing ways

Unleash Your True Potential Working with a Life Coach Can Help by Sandra Yeyati

that align with who they are.”

Going for Gold Martha Beck, Ph.D., a Harvard-trained sociologist, renowned coach and bestselling author of The Way of Integrity, says, “Most problems can be resolved by simply talking to someone who is willing to listen compassionately and deeply to whatever is going on in their lives and to give them good feedback. A coach will get you to high levels of happiness, self-fulfillment and

self-expression. Unlike therapists, coaches don’t deal with the mentally ill. They deal with the mentally well who want to maximize their performance.” “A coach helps you think and say and dream of things you hadn’t thought before,” says Williams. “I can advise myself all day long, but as soon as I have a conversation with a trained coach, I hear myself differently. I get new ideas, and that motivates me to make change. The value may come monetarily. It may improve someone’s business or money decisions, but it also may come in how you live your life. There may be value in having less stress, more time, more fun. Anybody who is motivated to make a change or maybe is in the midst of change and they don’t know what to do; that’s who benefits from coaching.” alfa27/AdobeStock.com

iring a life coach can be an empowering decision for people that want to understand themselves better and lead fulfilled lives. Coaches may specialize in distinct topics like business, parenting or weight loss, but, “It’s all life coaching,” says Patrick Williams, a master certified coach by the International Coach Federation, licensed psychologist and founder of the Institute for Life Coach Training. “If I hire a specialist like a wellness coach, I assume they’re going to know something about wellness, but I’m not hiring a consultant to tell me what I should do in diet and exercise. I want to be coached in living a more well life.” According to master certified coach Fran Fisher, with 30 years of experience, “Life coaching is a safe environment or sacred space of unconditional love and acceptance where learning, growth and transformation naturally occur. It’s a partnership of two experts. The client is the expert of the content: who they are, what’s important to them and what they believe, think and feel. The coach is the expert of the process. They’ve been specially trained to help the client access their deeper wisdom and make better choices

Limiting Beliefs and Turtle Steps According to Beck, one of the most common issues a coach must address is their clients’ limiting beliefs. “It’s about freeing yourself from beliefs that are preventing you from moving forward or convincing you that you can’t have what you want, so you never try,” says Beck. “There’s something in your behavior that’s not allowing you to move forward. Let’s find the behavior, figure out why you’re doing it and change that belief. It’s good old-fashioned problem solving in partnership with the client.” Beck’s favorite tool for making changes is what she calls one-degree turns, or turtle steps, defined as the smallest steps you can take toward a goal. “Research shows that large steps tend to get discouraging,” she notes. “We could do them at the beginning of a really passionate, goal-seeking time,

Besure sureto tolet letour ouradvertisers advertisersknow knowyou youfound foundthem themin in Be

but we almost never sustain it. If we go in tiny steps toward what we really believe and what we really want, we get there. The tortoise wins the race.”

Achieving Goals and Feeling Free When it comes to setting and achieving goals, coaches have different approaches. Williams, for example, considers himself an accountability partner. “I won’t punish you if you don’t achieve your goals,” he says. “If you report progress, we celebrate and talk about what’s next. If you say, ‘I didn’t get it done,’ then we talk about what got in the way, what needs to change. We never make the client wrong. It’s what’s true for you.” For Beck, goals take a back seat. “My clients tend to give me goals that are culturally based on what they think they should do. People move forward much more rapidly when you don’t hold them to a goal. When they have permission to do whatever they want, they actually start doing the things that all the goal setting in the world won’t allow them to do. We have such a strong response to freedom. When we feel like we’re forcing ourselves to do something, we won’t do it because it’s not free. When we’re free, we do the things that are best for us.” For more information, visit DrPatWilliams.com, FranFisherCoach.com and MarthaBeck.com. Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

LOVE YOURSELF AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW. a co-creative life coaching approach for people who want to radically love their whole life.

Benita Conde benita@createradicallove.com Connect for a free consultation call.

|| September/October September/October2021 2021

19 19

natural pet

Horses as Healers Equine Therapy has Physical and Emotional Benefits by Julie Peterson

sushytska/AdobeStock.com

orses are being increasingly used to help people work through emotional and physical challenges, and for good reason: Numerous studies have shown that equine-assisted therapy helps with anger, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and dissociative or other emotional problems. It works whether the therapy involves riding or simply feeding and grooming. Building the relationship increases people’s selfconfidence, social skills, trust, empathy and emotional regulation, and helps them establish routines, structure and a sense of responsibility—all skills that are transferable to daily life.

EQUINE PSYCHOTHERAPISTS Equine-assisted psychotherapy involves counseling with a mental health professional and time riding or caring for a horse. The horse is considered a co-therapist. Forming a relationship with an animal that weighs 1,000 pounds or more may be intimidating, but the required vulnerability and trust is part of the process. “Horses show us how to live together in harmony. They teach us about acceptance of others and of ourselves,” says Marcy Tocker, clinical mental health counselor and founder and executive director of Grey Muzzle Manor Sanctuary, in Mohrsville, Pennsylvania. “In some cases, I see results more quickly using equine therapy than solely with office therapy. I also see more motivation from typically resistant clients because this can actually be fun, too,” says Meagan Good, a counselor and owner of Take Heart Counseling & Equine Assisted Therapy, in Wernersville, Pennsylvania. “Horses are relationship-oriented and intuitively sense and honestly respond to the emotions of those around them, which makes the horse-human bond a powerful healing mechanism.” “Horses have similar emotions to humans—they get stressed out, happy, impatient. That’s why equine-assisted services are so popular,” says Traci Leigh, equine manager and instructor at Dream Riders TLC, in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

THERAPEUTIC RIDING Beyond working as co-therapists for emotional issues, horses are excellent for occupational, speech and physical therapy. “Riding a horse rhythmically moves the rider’s body in a manner similar to a human gait. Their pelvic movement is the same as ours, so riders with physical needs often show improvement in flexibility, balance, muscle strength, circulation and breathing,” says Pamela J. Rogan, founder, executive director and certified therapeutic riding instructor at Harmony Farms, in Cocoa, Florida. “It will also 20

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

“New Day Equine Therapy’s therapeutic program in Ashland, VA, has enabled cancer survivors and siblings to ride together. We have seen improvements in core strength and overall coordination in a very short amount of time. The interaction with the horses and ponies has brought greater self-confidence and self-esteem to all of our students. The overall sense of well-being that each animal contributes is beyond measure.” ~ Bruce D. Nachman, Director, New Day Equine Therapy enhance a rider’s quality of life, build confidence, independence and self-esteem. This is particularly true of riders with emotional or behavioral disabilities.” Research shows that children and adults with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke and other conditions that affect motor control saw improvements in balance, gait, gross motor function and posture after several weeks of equine-assisted treatment.

HORSES AT WORK “I look for horses who are not afraid of new things, but curious about them … a horse that thinks through a new situation, that expresses himself freely and that enjoys interacting with humans,” says Good.

“From there, my professional team works on building a relationship with that horse so that the horse feels safe to build relationships with clients who may or may not have any horse background.” There are certifications and advanced courses that ensure appropriate training of the therapists and instructors, the safety of the people receiving services and the training and well-being of the horses. Reputable organizations include the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (eagala.org), the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (pathintl. org) and Natural Lifemanship (NaturalLifemanship.com). “In addition to requiring that the horses are quiet, gentle animals and physically and mentally sound, they are trained to be desensitized to noise, wheelchairs, walkers and different types of therapeutic equipment that riders may need for safety or postural assistance,” says Leigh. Her horses get four weeks off every year and work a schedule that ensures ample time to rest and recharge during the day. “The horse is a co-therapist. They are doing a job, and it’s a not an easy job,” says Tocker. “To ensure the well-being of our equine therapists, they get ample time off and massages. They’re taking on a lot, so we want to make sure they don’t burn out.” “I have horses that seem to step in and ‘protect’ clients when they are feeling vulnerable. I have horses who try to help regulate the anxious client by breathing or yawning or nuzzling,” says Good.

“For the most part, we trust the horses to just be themselves, and what they bring is always helpful for the client.” “Horses are able to be present and focus solely on what is going on around them. They do not think about the future or the past or judge people based on what they look like or what experiences they may have had,” says Tocker. “I feel like I witness miracles every time I do a session at the barn.” Julie Peterson writes about health and wellness from rural Wisconsin. Reach out at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.

Richmond VegFest

Saturday, October 2, 2021

12 to 6pm, Byrd Park VeggieFest.org Cooking Demos • Speakers Food • Kids' Activities • Vendors “Pledge to Go Veg” Raffle

Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

September/October 2021

healing ways

Conquering Chronic Pain How the Body-Mind Connection Works

stanciuc/AdobeStock.com

by Ronica O’Hara

or three decades, David Hanscom was a top-ranked orthopedic surgeon in Seattle who daily put the scalpel to injured, deformed and twisted spines. Privately, he writhed in pain himself. He was beset over 15 years with burning feet, insomnia, tinnitus, anxiety, skin rashes, crushing chest pain, depression, sweats, heart palpitations and tension headaches, among other symptoms. That put him among the estimated 50 million American adults afflicted with chronic pain for which relief is hard to come by and often short-lived. The standard medical approaches of surgery and injections often don’t work well or last long for many patients, research shows. Opioids, once a standby, are now prescribed sparingly after being implicated in half a million overdose deaths. Treatment is especially elusive for the one in six adults and 30 to 40 percent of primary care patients with pain or chronic conditions considered “medically unexplained”. As a result, integrative pain management, which focuses on both mind and body and incorporates medical and holistic approaches, is growing in importance. Major medical centers such as the Mount Sinai Health System and Cleveland Clinic, as well as practitioners such as chiropractors and homeopaths, offer dozens of modalities to turn around painful conditions. Sometimes a single simple method works quickly for a patient with a straightforward symptom; more often, it takes a combination of approaches over time to reverse pain, especially if it is complex, sustained or recurring. Launching on his own healing path, Hanscom came to a critical understanding: The abuse he had suffered as a child from a 22

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

rage-filled mother, coupled with emotional repression and a fierce drive to excel as a surgeon, produced his high levels of anxiety. It turbocharged his central nervous system and set off a cascade of reactions that fed ever-rising levels of pain. “Your mind and body function as a unit with no separation,” he says. “Chronic pain results when your body is exposed to sustained levels of stress hormones, excitatory neurotransmitters and inflammatory protein. Your brain is sensitized and the nerve conduction speed is faster, so you physically feel more pain. It’s not ‘all in your mind’—it’s a normal physio-logical process.” After six months of intense inner work focused on his rage, Hanscom calmed his overwrought nervous system and his symptoms “essentially disappeared.” He began applying his experience to hundreds of spine patients, helping the great majority of them to avoid surgery altogether. In the book Back in Control, he describes his approach, which is designed for people with pain that is not caused by underlying structural or organ issues. He recommends these initial steps.

n Getting at least seven hours of sleep a night, which may require sleeping pills or natural methods. n Doing expressive writing twice a day, which involves writing down in longhand whatever is on the mind using graphic and descriptive language for 10 to 30 minutes, and then promptly tearing it up. Neurological research shows that this simple practice rewires the brain. “Some people experience remarkable pain relief right away,” he says.

Learn More Direct Your Own Care Journey is a free, online course for healing chronic pain. Designed by David Hanscom, M.D., it includes an experiential app, group sessions, video tutorials and webinars at TheDocJourney.com. Stress-Disease Information, including videos, a webinarbased course, recent research and a list of practitioners, can be found at ppdassociation.org, the website of the Psychophysiologic Disorders Association, founded by stress-disease expert David Clarke, M.D. American Chronic Pain Association, at theacpa.org, lists treatments, clinical trials, support groups and other resources.

PROMISING PAIN RELIEF THERAPIES In the offices of holistic practitioners and in some medical centers, a wide range of integrative modalities to treat chronic pain are healing the afflicted. Some commonly used options, which can be part of a multipronged approach or effective individually, include:

n CBD. Studies show this cannabisderived substance, the non-mindaltering form of marijuana, acts on multiple pain targets in the central and peripheral nervous systems. It has demonstrated pain-relieving effects for neuropathy, some cancers, arthritis and irritable bowel disease, among other conditions. A University of Michigan study of 878 people with fibromyalgia that had used cannabidiol (CBD) products found that more than 70 percent had substituted it for opioids or other pain medications, with many stopping them altogether as a result. With research mounting, almost every state now allows CBD use in some form.

n Practicing “active meditation” throughout the day by mindfully focusing each time on a sight, sound or sensation for five to 10 seconds. For deep, sustained healing, he stresses the importance of forgiveness, gratitude, self-discovery, exploring a spiritual path, relearning playfulness and connecting with others. Medication may be necessary initially, he says, and as pain levels recede, most people become ready to improve their diet and exercise more. Understanding the mind/body connection is key in pain management, concurs gastroenterologist David D. Clarke, M.D., author of They Can’t Find Anything Wrong! and president of the Portland, Oregonbased Psychophysiologic Disorders Association. “When medical evaluation shows no problems with organs or structures, then the pain is being generated by the brain,

n TURMERIC/CURCUMIN. The Indian spice that makes curry yellow has potent anti-inflammatory properties, especially in formulations that combine it with piperine (black pepper) to enhance bioavailability. A meta-analysis in Oxford Pain Medicine of eight randomized controlled trials of curcumin involving 800 patients with muscle pain, osteoarthritis or postoperative pain found that it effectively lowered pain levels without adverse reactions, outperforming nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and paracetamol (ibuprofen) for knee osteoarthritis pain.

n HYPNOSIS. By lowering the fear and anxiety that aggravate pain sensations, hypnosis reduces pain as effectively as many other approaches at a relatively low cost. A meta-analysis of 18 studies found that 75 percent of people, including those with both acute and chronic pain, received substantial relief from hypnotic techniques without side

similar to what happens in phantom limb pain, where people feel pain in the location of an amputated arm or leg,” he says. “Chronic pain generated by the brain generally occurs due to stress, an emotional/psychological trauma or strong negative emotions (often toward people the patient cares about) that are not fully recognized. Often, these issues began due to adverse childhood experiences, which can be anything you would not want a child of your own to endure. I recommend people explore these possibilities on their own, with a loved one or with a therapist.” That process might sound daunting, but so is suffering crippling pain. “The most important thing for people to know is that pain can be successfully treated, relieved and often cured with the right techniques,” says Clarke.

effects. In a University of Washington study, patients kept practicing selfhypnosis after completing the study even if it had not relieved their pain, saying it gave them better sleep, lower stress and a greater sense of calm and well-being. Hypnotherapy treatment usually involves four to 10 sessions and is often covered in full or in part by insurance companies or Medicare.

n LOW-DOSE NALTREXONE. When taken at levels of 50 to 100 milligrams (mg) daily, this medication weans people off opioids and alcohol, but when used at low doses of less than 2 mg, research suggests it can ease the pain of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia. Stanford School of Medicine researchers reported it significantly reduced pain for 32 percent of fibromyalgia patients and also improved mood and life satisfaction, noting, “The medication is widely available, inexpensive, safe and well-tolerated.”

Are YOU ready to reclaim your joy and well-being?

Health InSyncs offers a personalized approach to naturally healing your body-mind-emotion 9210 Forest Hill Avenue, B-3 Richmond, VA 23235

804-377-2222 info@healthinsyncs.com healthinsyncs.com

Health writer Ronica O’Hara can be reached at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

September/October 2021

Copper Stops Germs Before They Spread

presents ever. This little jewel really works.” Frequent flier Karen Gauci had been suffering after crowded flights. Though skeptical, she tried copper on travel days for 2 months. “Sixteen flights and not a sniffle!” she exclaimed. Businesswoman Rosaleen says when people around her show signs of cold or flu, she uses copper morning and night. cientists have discovered a illnesses by over half and saved lives. “It saved me last holidays,” she said. natural way to kill germs fast. The strong scientific evidence gave “The kids had crud going round and Now thousands of people are using it inventor Doug Cornell an idea. He made round, but not me.” against unwanted viruses and bacteria in a smooth copper probe with a tip to fit in Attorney Donna Blight tried copper the nose and on skin. the bottom of his nose. for her sinus. “I am shocked!” she said. Germs, such The next time “My head cleared, no more headache, no as viruses and he felt a tickle in more congestion.” bacteria, can his nose that felt A man with trouble breathing though multiply fast. like a cold about his nose at night tried copper just before When disease to start, he rubbed bed. “Best sleep I’ve had in years!” he germs get in your the copper gently said. nose they can in his nose for 60 In a lab test, technicians placed 25 spread and cause seconds. million live flu viruses on a CopperZap. misery unless you “I didn’t No viruses were found surviving soon stop them early. get sick,” he after. New device puts copper right where you need it. Hundreds exclaimed. Some people press of studies in the last 20 years by “Due to regulation we don’t copper on a lip right government and university scientists make health claims, so I can’t away if a warning tingle show that copper, a natural element, say if it is cause and effect.” suggests unwanted germs kills germs just by touch. “That was September 2012,” gathering there. The EPA officially declared copper he continued. “I have been using The handle is curved to be “antimicrobial”, meaning it kills it every time and have not had a and textured to increase microbes, including viruses, bacteria, single cold since then.” contact. Copper can and fungus. He asked relatives and kill germs picked up on The National Institutes of Health friends to try it. They reported fingers and hands after Dr. Bill Keevil: Copper kills viruses you touch things other says, “The antimicrobial activity of the same thing, so he patented on contact. copper is now well established.” CopperZap® and put it on the people have touched. Copper’s power to kill germs has market. The EPA says copper still works even been used for thousands of years. Soon hundreds of people had tried it. when tarnished. Buy once, use forever. Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used The feedback was 99% positive if they Made in America of pure copper. copper to purify water and heal wounds. used the copper within 3 hours after 90-day full money back guarantee. Price They didn’t know about microbes, but the first sign of unwanted germs, like a $79.95. Get $10 off each CopperZap now we do. tickle in the nose or a scratchy throat. with code NATA21. Scientists say the high conductance Early user Mary Pickrell said, “I Go to www.CopperZap.com or call of copper disrupts the electrical balance can’t believe how good my nose feels.” toll-free 1-888-411-6114. in a microbe cell by touch and destroys “What a wonderful thing!” exclaimed Statements herein are not intended it in seconds. Physician’s Assistant Julie. Another and should not be interpreted as product Some hospitals tried copper for touch customer asked, “Is it supposed to work health claims, and have not been evaluated by the FDA. Not claimed to surfaces like faucets and doorknobs. that fast?” diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any They say this cut the spread of MRSA, Pat McAllister, 70, received one for disease. which is antibiotic resistant, and other Christmas and called it “one of the best ADVERTORIAL

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

the james river matters

Become a River Hero Home for the James River This October marks the James River Association’s annual River Hero Homes Month, celebrating a dedicated network of local heroes who are improving the James River by pledging to adopt easy, river-friendly behaviors that start at home. Making a difference for our waterways can be as simple as installing beautiful native plants in our yards. Stormwater runoff continues to be one of the largest threats facing the James. Every time it rains, fertilizers, herbicides, bacteria from pet waste and other chemicals flow from our properties into local waterways. Becoming a River Hero Home is an easy way to stop this kind of pollution. River Hero homeowners commit to three out of five actions that have a positive impact on our rivers, streams and creeks. While these actions may seem small, when adopted on a wide scale, they can make a significant difference on local water quality:

1. Picking up after dogs. 2. Reducing or eliminating the use of herbicides and pesticides. 3. Avoiding invasive species and using native plants to support wildlife and reduce watering needs. 4. Using alternatives to municipal drinking water, like a rain barrel, for irrigation. 5. Reducing the need for fertilizer by encouraging healthy soil with mulch and compost.

Sign up at TheJamesRiver.org/What-YouCan-Do/River-Hero-Homes. Learn more at TheJamesRiver.org/Be-A-James-Changer. Erin Hillert is the marketing and communications manager for the James River Association.

To promote the program and encourage participation, the James River Association will be providing helpful River Hero Homes tips, tricks and testimonials across social media. They will also offer rain barrel workshops where participants can purchase a rain barrel and learn how to install it at home.

Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

September/October 2021

s ,

y t

e r

calendar of events CALENDAR DEADLINE: All Calendar events must be submitted online by the 1st of the month preceding publication. Go to NARichmond.com/Calendar.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Living From the Core – 6-8pm. Thru research & holistic & spiritual studies, Dr. Sara Smith weaves together an integrative experience for immediate application to assist yourself w/accessing your own Core Wisdom to release & transform your most challenging life situations. $25. Zoom. The Innerwork Center: htru.io/RsrN.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Free Webinar: ADHD & Brain Optimization – 12-1pm. ADHD & other cognitive issues can often pop up in our information-fueled, attention-demanding world. Learn about all the ways nutrients can help w/your attention span. Register: SouthriverRx.com.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

Genworth Free Community Day – 9am5pm. Free admission to the Garden includes M&T Bank RESTORE: The Healing Power of Nature exhibit. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave. LewisGinter.org.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

Free Webinar: Stress – 12-1pm. Stress may come in all kinds of levels and sizes, but any stress can lead to unwanted health issues and can disrupt your daily routines and habits. Learn the causes and remedies for all levels of stress. Register: SouthriverRx.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

Saturday Salutations at the VMFA – 9-10:30am. Recognize the power of your practice and help raise funds to increase access to yoga in our community. All levels, beginner appropriate & family friendly. Pay what can online. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Belvedere Deck, 200 N Arthur Ashe Blvd. ProjectYogaRichmond.org. Glenmore Yoga’s 200-Hr Teacher Training Begins – 10:30am-6:30pm. Program covers philosophy, ayurveda, pramayama, meditation, asana & teaching methods, plus the business & ethics of yoga. Modules take place on weekends. Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Center, 10442 Ridgefield Pkwy. 804741-5267. Details: GlenmoreYoga.com. SpiritMindBody Gathering – 11:45am-4pm. Replace fear with love. This meditation technique was “given” to Tony Zonca from the Divine & he is honored to share it with all. It is designed to remove worry and fear from your everyday life and can be used to address the subject of fear as a whole or to address a specific subject or challenge that may arise.

Greater Richmond Edition

Free/talk; Private mini-sessions w/practitioners: $20/20 mins. Archstone Counseling and Treatment Center, 1007 Peachtree Blvd. SpiritMindBodyRVA.com.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Mondays with Jung: Living a Full Life – Mon, 9/13-12/13 (no class 11/22). 12:151pm. Join a dedicated group of Jung followers for a weekly session as we examine a variety of Jungian concepts & ideas & how they connect to our day-to-day living. Vicki Saunders. $5-$20 suggested donation. Zoom. The Innerwork Center: htru.io/RCPf.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Small Changes, Big Shift Challenge – 6-7pm. This 4-wk course is a perfect exploratory path for those looking to create positive change in their lives. Taking manageable steps towards transformational shifts. $60/4 wks. Balance RVA, 10431 Patterson Ave. 804-918-6181. Sally@ SallyFraserWellness.com. MBSR for the BIPOC Community – Tues, 9/14-11/2. 6-8:30pm. Retreat Day: 10/23, 9am-1pm. Learn to check in w/your body to identify what causes you stress, then use practical techniques to reduce your tension on a regular basis. Korantema Pierce-Williams, Carolina Bautista-Velez. $330. Zoom. The Innerwork Center: htru.io/RsrQ.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

Movement Medicine – 9/16-19. Are you ready to immerse yourself into the magical healing powers of movement as medicine? Dive deeper into the movement medicine that yoga and Nia can offer. Honor the importance of connection, belonging, nature & time. $763-$1,050. The Art of Living, 639 Whispering Hills Rd, Boone, NC. ArtOfLivingRetreatCenter.org.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

Lewis Ginter Fall PlantFest – 9/17-18. 9am-5pm, Fri; 9am-3pm, Sat. Features vendors selling plants ranging from wellknown favorites to rare exotics and other garden-related items. Free. 1800 Lakeside Ave. 804-262-9887. LewisGinter.org.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Online: Glenmore Yoga’s Meditation & Book Study – Mon, 9/20-12/6. 12-1pm. Each week of this 12-wk series will include a guided meditation followed by a group discussion inspired by the teachings from The Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield. No prior medi-

NARichmond.com

tation experience necessary. $144. Zoom. Register: GlenmoreYoga.com.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Free Webinar: Immune Health – 12-1pm. Every immune system is different and may need a little boost to help ward off threats. Learn ways to boost the immune system & challenges people face along the way. Register: SouthriverRx.com.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

mark your calendar joyepidemic.Life community Outdoor Launch Party Livestream Viewing of Female Wave of Change Global Conference 10am-2pm Free With local poet, Yemaja Jubilee. Offering mind/body/spirit connection and empowerment. Register on Eventbrite or at joyepidemic.Life.

Broadcasting live from Studio D, 9327 Midlothian Turnpike, Ste 1B

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

Soulful Sunday at Hardywood Brewery – 12:30-1:30pm. What better way to celebrate Sunday than with conscious dance followed by incredible craft beer & pizza? All levels. Marybeth Grinnan. Free; donations gratefully accepted. Hardywood Brewery, 2410 Ownby Ln. SoulShineStudios.com.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

Archetypes: Ancient Wisdom for Current Times – 9/28 & 10/12. 12-1:30pm. Use the age-old wisdom of archetypes in your everyday life for growth, development & healing. Archetypes are shared frameworks for human behavior & can be used as resources for our inner work. Vicki Saunders. 1st class in person at the IWC, 2nd class via Zoom. The Innerwork Center, 213 Roseneath Rd. 804-359-0384. InnerworkCenter.org.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

CBD Seminar – 6-7:30pm. Dr. John Cuirash will update us on the latest on CBD. Rx3 Compounding Pharmacy. 12230 Ironbridge Road, Suite C, Chester. For more information, call 804-717-5000 or visit Rx3Pharmacy.com.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2

Pet Blessing Event – 11am-2pm. Bring your pet(s) for this wonderful event w/vendors offering pet products & services. Enjoy a stroll thru the Meditation Gardens. Love offering. Unity of Bon Air, 923 Buford Rd. 804320-5584. UnityBonAir.org.

save the date Richmond Vegetarian Festival 12-6pm Food, Vendors, Speakers & More! The VegFest continues to grow each year & has become a favorite event for vegetarians & meat-eaters alike. Free

Byrd Park, 600 S Arthur Ashe Blvd. VeggieFest.org

MONDAY, OCTOBER 4

Mindfulness for Well-Being – Mon, 10/411/8. 12-1:30pm. This course supports participants’ mindfulness meditation practice & includes the most current topics from the science of well-being & positive psychology. Will focus on socio-emotional & psychological well-being rather than physical health. Shanza Isom, Susan Wilkes. $180. Zoom. InnerworkCenter.org.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7

Free Webinar: Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy – 12-1pm. Men & women can suffer from changes in their hormone levels leading to changes in appetite, mood, growth & other functions within the human body. Learn about the bodily functions your hormones control & ways to keep them happy. Register: SouthriverRx.com.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

SpiritMindBody Gathering – 11:45am6pm. Learn about Korean Shamanism with Seo Kelleher & how it has guided her spiritual journey, including the creation of her Morning Calm Oracle cards. In person & online. Private mini-sessions (in-person only) w/practitioners. Free; donations appreciated. Archstone Counseling and Treatment Center, 1007 Peachtree Blvd. SpiritMindBodyRVA.com.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14

Free Webinar: CBD – 12-1pm. The CBD industry is still growing & the increase in options, brands & doses can make it a hard topic to research for your specific needs. Will take questions & cover the most up-to-date CBD information to help you decide what is best for you. Register: SouthRiverRx.com.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30

plan ahead

mark your calendar

2021 Reincarnation Symposium

The Innerwork Center Fall Keynote: Dr. Amishi Jha 7-9pm, Zoom Research shows we are missing 50 percent of our lives because we’re distracted. Learn to find your focus & own your attention. Dr. Amishi Jha’s mission has been to scientifically determine how we can harness the full power of our attention to better meet all that life demands.

Reincarnation Stories: Truth is Stranger than Fiction 10am-6pm As more people are remembering past life experiences, case studies are more readily available & the impact is life changing. Whether you are curious about past lives or want to learn more about reincarnation, you will be amazed by our presenters’ stories. In-person & online. $50 early bird pricing.

Deep Run Park 9900 Ridgefield Pkwy. 804-652-1430 TheCenter-RVA.com

$25, InnerworkCenter.org

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21

Free Webinar: Thyroid Health – 12-1pm. The thyroid gland produces & regulates specific hormones involved in several functions in the body. Learn about the thyroid and how to make sure yours stays happy & healthy. Register: SouthriverRx.com. Qigong – Thurs, 10/21-11/11. 12-1pm. Across the course of 4 classes, learn a qigong sequence to help improve your physical & mental health. Jennifer Cable, The Innerwork Center, 213 Roseneath Rd. 804359-0384. InnerworkCenter.org.

classifieds

MEDITATION FROM THE DIVINE CONSCIOUSNESS – 2 in 1 CD: “Everything is in Bloom” and “Our True Being”. Experience the Spring of Life and our eternal home. Gabriele-PublishingHouse.com. Toll-Free: 844-576-0937

Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game. ~Babe Ruth

GO TO NARichmond.com/Calendar for current offerings, updates

and additional listings. Please double-check with the host prior to an event to ensure the information is accurate. Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

September/October 2021

ONGOING EVENTS Email Jessica@NARichmond.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

SUNDAY Soulful Sunday – Thru 11/28. 9-10am. Move & groove, connect & play & cocreate movement medicine. World music, spoken word, poetry, drums, instrumentals, popular music. $16, $125/10-class pass, $10/community rate. SoulShine Studios, 9200 Stony Point Pkwy, Ste 111. 804-3350593. SoulShineStudios.com.

Online Yoga for the Pelvic Floor – 6-7:15pm. For those w/challenges engaging or letting go of pelvic floor muscles. Designed to strengthen & relax this area; breathing & deep relaxation included. Kerry Shultz/ Sandy Axelson. $60/4 classes/mo, $17/ drop-in. Zoom. Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Ctr: 804-741-5267. GlenmoreYoga.com.

Breast Cancer Support Meeting – 4:30pm. 3rd Sun. Sisters Network Central Virginia (SNCVA) House, 13354 Midlothian Tpke, Ste 100, Midlo. Details: 804-447-4027. SistersNetworkCentralVA.org.

Online Mindfulness Yoga – 6-7:30pm. Integral Yoga w/asanas (yoga poses), chanting, breathing, yoga nidra (deep relaxation) & meditation. Nora Vimala Pozzi. Pay what can via Venmo/Paypal: $10-$15. Zoom. Register: Vimala@YogaHelps.com. YogaHelps.com.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Nia Fusion Fitness – 9-10am. All levels/ abilities. No experience (or rhythm/ coordination) needed. Practiced barefoot. $10, $5. Zoom. Pre-register & pay: 804335-0593 or SoulShineStudios.com.

Beginner Yoga – 9-10:15am. May include floor work, balance poses, supported inversions such as shoulder stands, core work & gentle backbends. Restorative poses end the class followed by guided relaxation. Debbie Stewart. $60/4 classes/ mo, $17/drop-in. Zoom or Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Ctr, 10442 Ridgefield Pkwy. 804741-5267. GlenmoreYoga.com.

Massage Clinics – 9:15 & 11:05am. The Lotus Professional College student massage clinic offers on-campus clinics for local volunteers to receive 1-hr massages for $30. 8935 Patterson Ave, Ste A, Henrico. Info: 804-290-0980. LotusVA.com. Online Yoga on the Ball – 2-3:15pm. Mixed-level yoga practice utilizing large stability ball & working on core strength, balance & focus. Carolyn Hazel. $60/4 classes/mo, $17/drop-in. Zoom. Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Ctr: 804-741-5267. GlenmoreYoga.com.

Online Chair Yoga & Balancing – 10-11am. Seated poses to increase flexibility & range of motion; balancing poses done standing using chair for support as needed. Reduce your risk of falls. Linda Dunn. $10. Zoom. Register: Linda@LongLifeYoga.com. X-Gentle Yoga Online – 10:30-11:30am. For people w/some physical limitations. Helpful for stress management and for those who spend a lot of time sitting in front of computers. Nora Vimala Pozzi. Pay what can via Venmo/Paypal: $10-$15. Zoom. Register: Vimala@YogaHelps.com. YogaHelps.com. Online Restorative Yoga – 10:30am-12pm. Introspective & quiet class. Most of class is on the floor w/poses being held for up to 5 min w/use of props. All levels. Mary Leffler/ Mary Lou Bean. $60/4 classes/mo, $17/ drop-in. Zoom. Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Ctr: 804-741-5267. GlenmoreYoga.com. Agriberry, Birdhouse Farmers’ Market – 3-6:30pm. 1507 Grayland Ave. Agriberry.com. Agriberry, Atlee Farm Stand – 3:306:30pm. Atlee Sq Shopping Ctr, Mechanicsville. Agriberry.com. Trashy Tuesdays – 6-7:30pm. Local trash pickup with Keep Virginia Cozy. Locations vary. Check FB for details: KeepVirginiaCozy. KeepVirginiaCozy.org.

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

WEDNESDAY Agriberry, Lakeside Farmers’ Market – 10am2pm. 6110 Lakeside Ave. Agriberry.com. Online or In-Person Ageless Gentle Yoga – 11am-12:15pm. Gentle yoga stretches, postures, breath awareness & relaxation to improve flexibility, increase range of motion, strength & energy. Carolyn Hazel. $60/4 classes/mo, $17/drop-in. Zoom. Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Ctr, 10442 Ridgefield Pkwy. 804-741-5267. GlenmoreYoga.com. Agriberry, St. Stephen’s Farm Stand – 3:306:30pm. 6000 Grove Ave. Agriberry.com. Agriberry, Mechanicsville/360 Farm Stand – 3:30-6:30pm. 6305 Mechanicsville Tpke. Agriberry.com. Vinyasa Flow – 6-7:15pm. Incorporates all aspects of traditional hatha yoga class (postures, breath, meditation) while challenging the coordination thru flow. Kerry Shultz. Space limited for in-person sessions. $60/4 classes/mo, $17/drop-in. Zoom or Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Center, 10442 Ridgefield Pkwy. 804-741-5267. GlenmoreYoga.com. SpiritMindBody Healing Circle – 6:308:30pm. 4th Wed. Explore alternative healing modalities in a loving environment. Free. Zoom or Archstone Counseling and Treatment Center, 1007 Peachtree Blvd. SpiritMindBodyRVA.com. Drop-In Journaling Group – 7-8:30pm. For new journal keepers & experienced writers, this monthly evening of reflection includes time for centering, a writing warmup activity, a period for more in-depth journaling, optional sharing & reflection & a closing ritual. Elaine Kizia. $10 suggested donation. Zoom. InnerworkCenter.org.

THURSDAY Bands + Brains + Balance: A Unique Chair Yoga Class – 10-11am. 3-part chair yoga class for maximum benefits in a class done in the comfort of your home. All you need is an armless chair on a nonskid surface + 1 or 2 resistance bands. $10. Zoom. Register, Linda Dunn: Linda@LongLifeYoga.com. Agriberry, Huguenot-Robious Farmers’ Market – 10am-2pm. Great Big Greenhouse. Agriberry.com. X-Gentle Yoga Online – 10:30-11:30am. See Tues listing. Nora Vimala Pozzi. Pay what can via Venmo/Paypal: $5-$15. Zoom. Register: Vimala@YogaHelps.com. YogaHelps.com.

Ageless Yoga for Bone Strengthening – 11am-12:15pm. Learn how to work on increasing bone density using weight bearing & static poses to help with osteoporosis & osteopenia. Chris Riely. $60/4 classes/mo, $17/drop-in. Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Center, 10442 Ridgefield Pkwy. 804-741-5267. GlenmoreYoga.com. Agriberry, Strange’s Florist Farm Stand – 3:30-6:30pm. 12111 W Broad St. Agriberry. com. Agriberry, Forest Hill Presbyterian Farm Stand – 3:30-6:30pm. 4401 Forest Hill Ave. Agriberry.com. Online Mindfulness Yoga – 6-7:30pm. See Mon. listing. Grace Sadhya Alphin. Pay what can via Venmo/Paypal: $10-$15. Zoom. Register: Vimala@YogaHelps.com. YogaHelps.com. Massage Clinics – 6:15 & 8:05pm. The Lotus Professional College student massage clinic offers on-campus clinics for local volunteers to receive 1-hr massages for $30. 8935 Patterson Ave, Ste A, Henrico. Info: 804290-0980. LotusVA.com. Tibetan Buddhist Meditation – 7-8:30pm. Traditional study & practice. All welcome. Lama Chodron Linda Jordan. Free. Kagyu Shenpen Tharchin at Ekoji Buddhist Sangha, 3411 Grove Ave. 804-554-1162. Online program details: Kagyu-Richmond.org.

FRIDAY Intermediate-Level Yoga – 9-10:15am. This challenging class offered online or inperson. Offering more advanced postures w/emphasis on alignment & form; integrates breath & movement; increases core strength; cultivates a deepening internal awareness. Randi Weiss. $60/4 classes/mo, $17/dropin. Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Center, 10442 Ridgefield Pkwy. 804-741-5267. GlenmoreYoga.com.

Massage Clinics – 9:15, 10:55am, 12:35pm. The Lotus Professional College student massage clinic offers on-campus clinics for local volunteers to receive 1-hr massages for $30. 8935 Patterson Ave, Ste A, Henrico. Info: 804-290-0980. LotusVA.com. Beginner Yoga – 10:30-11:45am. See Tues listing. Christina Evans. $60/4 classes/mo, $17/drop-in. Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Ctr, 10442 Ridgefield Pkwy. 804-7415267. GlenmoreYoga.com. Online Chair Yoga – 12:30-1:45pm. Poses practiced while sitting as well as alongside chair for support. Work on strength, flexibility, balance & increase range of motion. Sandy Axelson. $60/4 classes/mo, $17/drop-in. Zoom. Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Ctr: 804-741-5267. GlenmoreYoga.com. Hydration Happy Hour – 7:30pm. Water Matters – Do you know what’s in your water? Join us for a fun demonstration/discussion of filtered, alkaline, structured water products. You bring the happy and we’ll bring the hydration info. Barb Satterwhite. Free. Zoom: #794 4613 9964 (password: PIMAG).

to Our Community Sponsors ~ these local businesses support healthy living on a healthy planet ...

SATURDAY Mixed-Level Yoga – 9-10:15am. All levels. Kerry Shultz. $60/4 classes/mo, $17/dropin. Zoom or Glenmore Yoga & Wellness Ctr, 10442 Ridgefield Pkwy. 804-741-5267. GlenmoreYoga.com. Online Mindfulness Yoga – 9:30-10:45am. See Mon listing. Anne Bhudevi Fletcher. Pay what can via Venmo/Paypal: $12. Zoom. 804-677-3199. To register: Vimala@ YogaHelps.com. YogaHelps.com. Lakeview Yoga – Thru 12/18. 10-11am. 3rd Sat. Bring mat & friends & hang out for the day. Lakeside yurts available w/ reservation. $15/adult, $5/children. Jolene Family Winery, 2750 Pocahontas Trl, New Kent. Registration & payment required: 804557-5316. Cash App to Shannon Somogyi: $MobileOMWellness.

Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you. ~Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

September/October 2021

healthy living DIRECTORY Acupuncture

Chiropractor

ACUPUNCTURE & HEALTH CENTER

Ruiping Chi, L.Ac., MD (China) 3924 Springfield Rd, Glen Allen, VA 23060 804-308-3561; 804-387-7651 AcupunctureVirginia.com Trained and practiced in China since 1985. Specialties: pain management, allergies, fertility, gastro-intestinal disorders, insomnia, women’s health, emotional issues, chronic medical conditions and cosmetic acupuncture.

KULTURE

Richmond, Midlo, Short Pump, VCU 804-447-7995 KultureVA.com Serving RVA and Virginia since 1999 with four locations and an online store. Offering CBD oils, edibles, syrups, balms, cartridges, crumbles, hemp flowers and more. Products for pets, too.

RX3 COMPOUNDING PHARMACY

12230 Ironbridge Rd, Ste C, Chester 11934 W Broad St, Henrico Ph: 804-717-5000, Fax: 804-717-8300 Rx3Pharmacy.com

CHINESE ACUPUNCTURE & HERBS

Xiaoyan Wang, L.Ac., MD (China) 3721 Westerre Pkwy, Ste C, 23233 804-301-1784 AcupuncturistWang.com

Trained and practicing in China since 1983 with extensive experience working as a doctor in Traditional Chinese Medicine hospitals. Specializing in pain management, acne, psoriasis, eczema, shingles, Bell’s Palsy, allergies, infertility, menstrual problems, menopause, endometriosis, anxiety, depression, insomnia and more.

RX3, Virginia’s First Nationally Accredited Compounding Pharmacy, offers physician-recommended, professional quality CBD products grown in the USA with verified certificates of analysis. Oil tinctures, gummies, topical balms, nighttime PM versions, full spectrum, broad spectrum, THC-free products - all available without a prescription. Trust the experts at RX3. See ad on pages 5.

SOUTH RIVER COMPOUNDING PHARMACY

11420 W Huguenot Rd, Midlothian 3656 Mayland Ct, West End 804-897-6447

CBD Oil KULTIVATE WELLNESS

SouthRiverRx.com

13140 Midlothian Turnpike 804-464-2238 KultivateWellness.com @KultivateWellness Kultivate Wellness brings you the area’s first dedicated Hemp, CBD and Wellness boutique with 20 years of industry knowledge! Offering CBD products, hemp products, herbs, local CBD honey, teas, wellness classes, yoga therapy, crystals, workshops, lectures, films, food demos and more. See ad on page 5.

As a pharmacist with decades of experience, it is my mission to ensure we are offering the highest quality and most innovative products on the CBD market. I constantly evaluate the current literature and research in order to provide the most up-to-date information possible to our clientele. I start with the basic premise: if I wouldn’t use it or take it myself, or give it to my wife, daughter, sons, dogs or cat, then I wouldn’t give it to a patient or customer. While we stock several brands of CBD products at South River, our preferred line is Boxley’s Organic as they are dedicated to the cleanest line of products that are the purest in the industry.

ARIYA FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC CENTER

Six locations in the Richmond area 804-526-7125 AriyaFamilyChiropractic.com

Ariya Family Chiropractic Centers provides a natural path to wellness through chiropractic care and massage therapy. We take pride in creating a peaceful, nurturing environment to provide excellent care and outstanding service. See ad on page 7.

MONTPELIER FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC

Dr. Theresa Neiss, DC Dr. Alli Totzke, DC 17212 Mountain Road, Montpelier 804-883-3000 MontpelierChiro.com

Offering chiropractic, nutritional healing, acupuncture, Webster Technique and functional movement. Assisting you in meeting your wellness goals to live better naturally is what we do best, and we pride ourselves on that.

Coaching/ Spiritual Counseling SPIRITUAL COUNSELING/SACRED SERVICES AND RITUALS

Rev. Dr. Cathie Stivers 804-908-7456 IndigenousSoulRevival.com

Ordained Unitarian Universalist minister with PhD in Health Education offers guidance to adults on soul/inner-work journeys seeking spiritual growth, through 1-1 spiritual direction, ritual, and teaching/facilitating small groups. 30+ years combined experience in ministry, chaplaincy and teaching.

Digital Advertising 4-LEAF PRODUCTIONS PREMIUM DIGITAL ADVERTISING

4LeafProductionsDigital@gmail.com NARichmond.com/pages/online-advertising

Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen—that stillness becomes a radiance. ~Morgan Freeman

30 30

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

Interested in a web ad/digital advertising? Get results with our Custom Targeting Model that offers 100% HyperLocal Reach (not affected by cookies or webblockers), 100% Viewability and 100% Transparency. Receive detailed monthly report that lists sites, impressions and click-through rates (CTR).

Go to NARichmond.com/businesses and check out our special Online Healthy Living Directory Guide

Serves as your local green pages — a handy reference tool to use when searching for businesses, practitioners, products and services to help you live a happier, healthier, more balanced life.

Education

Essential Oils

LOTUS PROFESSIONAL COLLEGE

LISA CUSANO

Feng Shui LYDIA NITYA GRIFFITH

8935 Patterson Avenue Richmond, VA 23229 804-290-0980 Lotus@LotusVA.com

dōTERRA Wellness Advocate, 212455 804-296-9284 MyDoTerra.com/LisaCusano Facebook.com/EssentiallyWellRVA

The Lotus School offers training in Acupuncture, Massage, Esthetics, and Master Esthetics. Certificate to operate issued by LOTUS PROFESSIONAL COLLEGE SCHEV and accredited by ACCSC. Student clinics for all of our programs are located at the school. See ad on page 2.

Looking for alternatives? Find out why dōTERRA is committed to sharing the life-enhancing benefits of therapeutic-grade essential oils and essential oil-enhanced wellness products with the world. Join the vibrant community of Wellness Advocates in the Greater Richmond area as we learn together. Weekly classes offered on all aspects of use. See ad on page 25.

Are you ready to release energy blocks in your home so you can experience a healthier, more abundant and vibrant life? Lydia Nitya Griffith is a Certified Traditional Feng Shui Consultant and Master Chinese Astrologer with over 18 years of experience with hundreds of clients all over the U.S. Consultation for home or office. Free Astrology Reading with each consultation. Outstanding personal attention.

Farm/CSA

Functional Medicine

Energy Healing HEALING CREATIONS

Rev. Emily Pels, BFA, CHTP, RScP/ Minister, RoHun Doctor 804-740-0509, West End Richmond EPels@aol.com EmilyPels.com Working together to help you to remember what an awesome gift you are to the world. Experience a powerful healing restoring Joy, Balance, Harmony, Pain Release. Offering Healing Touch, Intuitive Energy Medicine, RoHun, Crystal Healing, Past Life Regression, Mandala Art and Soul Portrait therapies.

WELL INTO LIFE

Carey Phillips, LMT, EEMCP, NCTMB 3001 Hungary Spring Rd, Ste C 804-205-6531, West End WellIntoLife.com Intuitive and integrative bodywork. Eden Energy Medicine Certified Practitioner, Structural Integration and massage therapies. Bringing balance and healing to body, mind and spirit. Empowering individuals to live more vibrant lives! See ad on page 13.

AGRIBERRY FARM & CSA

6289 River Road Hanover, VA 23069 Agriberry.com 804-537-0448

804-678-8568, Richmond NityaLiving.com

HEALTH INSYNCS

Sherron Marquina, DC, PAK 9210 Forest Hill Ave B-3, Richmond 804-377-2222 Board-Certified Professional Applied Kinesiologist. Individualized care using functional diagnostics, gentle balancing methods, clinical nutrition, advanced therapies to solve difficult health problems or optimize your health. See ad on page 23.

Join our 2021 CSA program and eat healthier with a weekly box of nutritious, delicious berries and seasonal fruit from area family farms. Visit our weekly markets and enjoy a variety of farmmade fruit snacks and pantry items. See ad on page 19.

FARM TO FAMILY CSA

804-397-7337 TheFarmbus.csaware.com FB: Farm to Family CSA/the Farmbus IG: @TheFarmbus Offering an all-local, four-season diet of naturally grown/raised vegetables, fruits, dairy and meats since 2009. We are a veteran-owned business supporting local farmers. Ask about military discounts. Quick and easy sign-ups online. Home delivery or pick-up available. Support local! Eat at home! Sign up today!

Holistic Health & Wellness Center KULTIVATE WELLNESS

13140 Midlothian Turnpike 804-464-2238 @KultivateWellness Kultivate Wellness brings you the area’s first dedicated hemp and wellness boutique! Offering wellness classes, yoga, yoga therapy, CBD oil, hemp products, herbs, local honey, tea, crystals, workshops, lectures, films and more. See ad on page 5.

When setting out on a journey, do not seek advice from someone who has never left home. ~Rumi

Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

September/October 2021

and other local Guides to find more and better ways to achieve natural health, wellness and sustainability.

31 31

Laser Therapy HEALTH INSYNCS

9210 Forest Hill Ave B-3, Richmond 804-377-2222 Laser therapy can reduce pain and swelling of strained muscles, tendonitis, irritated discs, inflamed nerves; can stimulate tissue repair and regeneration from old and new injuries. See our website for more information about laser therapy. See ad on page 23.

LGBTQ+ Donna Ballentine 804-938-1462 DonnaIsMe@outlook.com

BAYLOR RICE, RPH, FIACP

Providing Therapeutic Massage for 30+ years. Tailored to your needs – Deep Tissue, Trigger Point, Prenatal/Postpartum, Therapeutic, Hot Stone, Swedish, Sports, Chair, Couples and Infant Massage. Thai Massage, Reflexology, Healing Touch. Gift certificates available. See ad on page 16.

BAYLOR RICE, RPH, FIACP

Coming out as being L.G.B.T. is never easy. Let me help you overcome your fears, gain new focus and become the person that you were always meant to be. Specializes in transgender spouse support. First 30-minute session is free. Wedding Officiant.

Life Coach THE MAIN CHANNEL, LLC

Stephen D. Saunders, M.Ed 804-405-5216, Richmond Cecilia B. Thomas, M.Ed, M.Ht 804-402-4591, Richmond TheMainChannel.net Gain more life balance in a relaxed, strictly confidential setting. Goal and results oriented. Free 30-minute consultation. Further information available on our website.

Massage Therapy ATTEVLÉ MASSAGE THERAPY, LLC

Elvetta Wilkins Vasquez, LMT, CNA 2505 Pocoshock Pl, Ste 203 804-518-8450 Attevle.com

You deserve to take time out for yourself. You deserve to be happy and healthy as well as pain and stress free. Attevlé Massage invites you to schedule your therapeutic massage where the focus is always on you! Online scheduling available.

Greater Richmond Edition Greater Richmond Edition

Far West End Location 10442 Ridgefield Pkwy, Henrico 804-741-5267 Info@GlenmoreYoga.com GlenmoreYoga.com

Nutritional Consulting

MIDDLE PENINSULA HEALTH AND LIFE COACHING, LLC

32 32

Pharmacy

GLENMORE YOGA & WELLNESS CENTER

South River Compounding Pharmacy 11420 W Huguenot Rd, Midlothian 3656 Mayland Ct, West End 804-897-6447; SouthRiverRx.com Our expert staff offers counseling for over 100 different disease states/issues, such as Ketogenic Weight Loss, Modified Elimination Diet, Mediterranean Diet, ADD/ADHD, Overall Nutrition, Diabetes, High Cholesterol, Depression, Stress/Anxiety, Pain Management, Autism, BioIdentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), Sports Nutrition, Respiratory Conditions, Anti-Aging (Optimal Aging), Allergies, Skin Ailments, Auto-Immune disorders, GI issues, Chronic Disease (ie: CFS/FM, RA, MS, etc.). We also offer on-going free educational health webinars addressing many of the issues listed above. Just go to our website to view our complete webinar schedule and register for all that are of interest or applicable to you. Contact our Patient Care Coordinator if you would like to schedule a consultation or have questions. PatientCare@SouthRiverRx.com.

South River Compounding Pharmacy11420 W Huguenot Rd, Midlothian 3656 Mayland Ct, West End 804-897-6447; SouthRiverRx.com Richmond area residents have chosen South River to be their preferred provider of customized medications, nutritional counseling, nutritional supplements and CBD for over 22 years. A compassionate experienced staff, paired with state-of-the-art facilities and national ACHC accreditation, make us the true specialists in BHRT, Pain Management, Dermatologic, Pediatric, Psychiatric, Topical Anti-Infective medications and Veterinary compounded medication for pets. We also offer an affordable, wide range of comprehensive tests (Saliva, Urine, Hair, Stool, Genetic, etc.) designed for individuals who are looking for additional insight into their health and wellbeing. South River offers multiple shipping options, curbside pick-up and online ordering. Stop in or visit us online today.

RX3 COMPOUNDING PHARMACY

12230 Ironbridge Rd, Ste C, Chester 11934 W Broad St, Henrico Ph: 804-717-5000, Fax: 804-717-8300 Rx3Pharmacy.com RX3, Virginia’s First Nationally Accredited Compounding Pharmacy, has been an industry leader for 23+ years. Specialists in customized compounding, bio-identical hormones, veterinary/equine compounding, traditional pharmacy, palliative care, professional quality supplements, CBD experts, Food Inflammation Testing, and more. See ad on page 3.

Physical Therapy

Personal Growth

RVA PHYSICAL THERAPY

THE INNERWORK CENTER

213 Roseneath Road 804-359-0384 InnerworkCenter.org

2620 A Gaskins Road, Henrico 804-396-6753 Ramky@RVAPhysicalTherapy.com RVAPhysicalTherapy.com

The Innerwork Center, a catalyst for well-being through programs that inspire curiosity, cultivate mindfulness and awaken the spirit, addresses topics ranging from movement to journaling and mediation, with free drop-in classes, regular recurring programming and retreats. Begin within. See ad on page 3.

RVA Physical Therapy specializes in Orthopedic, Pelvic Health, Sports and Aquatic Physical Therapy. Our mission is “Excellent Care, Exceptional Results”—we are committed to providing personalized solutions to get our patients back to their active lifestyles. Flexible scheduling available and most major insurances accepted. See ad on page 2.

NARichmond.com NARichmond.com

NARichmond.com/businesses

Physician

Reflexology

RUMKI BANERJEE, M.D., ABIHM

Family Practice and Integrative Holistic Medicine Apex-MD 5310 Twin Hickory Rd, Glen Allen 804-273-0010 Apex-MD.com

Trained and certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and Integrative Holistic Medicine. Specialties: Primary care and chronic disease management by integrative holistic approach. Weight loss and medical nutrition counseling, skin care, IV nutrition, Ayurveda, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). See ad on back cover.

MATTHEW C. LEE, M.D., RPH, MS

5700 Old Richmond Ave, Ste A-5 (Off Libbie, near St. Mary’s) 804-358-1492 eLEEtePhysicians.com

Integrative approach to medicine, optimizing a realistic plan for your health/disease management. As a pharmacist, I review your medications to determine which ones are needed. Implement alternative therapies. Web visits available for established patients. See ad on page 7.

NANCY A. POWELL, M.D.

River’s Way Healthcare of Virginia 5500 Monument Ave, Ste T 804-379-4560 RiversWayHealthcareVA.com RiversWayVA@gmail.com Offering expanded healing services in new location. Providing traditional primary care and alternative approaches to support the body’s ability to heal itself. Extensive study in the mind-body connection to achieve optimal health. Certified by the American Board of Scientific Medical Intuition.

RELAXATION BY THE FOOT

Talia Moser, Reflexologist, IIR certified By appt., TMoser8@verizon.net 804-399-3353, Richmond TaliaMoser.com Reflexology is a holistic healing art. Applying pressure to points on the feet and hands stimulates a healing response in glands, organs and systems, resulting in better circulation, vitality and peace. Hot stone massage with essential oil included at end renews tired feet. International Institute of Reflexology certified. Wheelchair accessible.

Thermography DEBBIE TROXELL, RN, MSNH

Thermographer The Wellness Village 1404 Starling Dr, Richmond 804-683-7774 RVAThermography.com

Safe, non-invasive, radiationfree imaging. Preserve your breasts, heart health and much more. Live happier and healthier longer! Interpreted by Matthew Lee, MD, RPh. See ad on page 17.

Waterproofing & Mold Remediation

Reiki GRACE WILD

BONE-DRY WATERPROOFING & FOUNDATION SYSTEMS

Grace Wild has been cultivating a brand of healing for more than 20 years. Utilizing her knowledge from the teachings of shamans, mystics, and healers all over the world, she offers a unique treatment that rejuvenates your spirit and aligns with your purpose. Results start immediately. Where is your happy place? Find out and start your journey today!

Bone-Dry will thoroughly assess and repair any existing moisture damage that can endanger your health, including mold and fungus remediation, structural repairs and indoor air quality studies. We can then restore the health of your foundation, crawlspace and basement. Call on us for fresh air systems, sump pumps, dehumidification, encapsulation, insulation and more. See ad on page 5.

Transcend Healing and Earth Herself 804-292-5159 Eartherself.com Facebook.com/EarthHerself

10375 Cedar Lane, Glen Allen 804-550-7717 Bone-DryWaterproofing.com

Spiritual Centers UNITY OF BON AIR 923 Buford Road Richmond, VA 23235 804-320-5584 UnityBonAir.org Unity of Bon Air is an inclusive and diverse spiritual community integrating practical Christianity with all walks of life and ways of being. Come Visit! Our mission is to live and express unconditional love and acceptance.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts. ~Winston Churchill

Be A Part of Our NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ISSUE

Living a Simpler Life Plus: brain health

Contact Jessica to reserve your space: Jessica@NARichmond.com Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in Be sure to let our advertisers know you found them in

| September/October 2021 | September/October 2021

33 33

THE AFTERLIFE FREQUENCY THE AFTERLIFE FREQUENCY: The Scientiﬁc Proof of Spiritual Contact and How That Awareness Will Change Your Life by

Mark Anthony, JD Psychic Explorer

75 th A NNIVERSARY !

World-renowned 4th generation psychic medium and Oxford educated attorney Mark Anthony bridges the divide between faith and science in this fascinating afterlife exploration taking you around the globe, from the cosmic to the subatomic, into the human soul itself. Combining physics, neuroscience and riveting true stories this book: • Reveals how our “Electromagnetic Soul” is pure eternal energy which never dies. • Takes spirit communication, near-death experiences, and deathbed visions out of the shadows of superstition and into The Light of 21st Century Quantum Physics. • Teaches Anthony’s “RAFT Technique” to Recognize contact with spirits, Accept it as real, Feel it without fear, and Trust in the experience. • Provides hope for victims of grief, homicide, suicide, PTSD and survivor’s guilt. • Illuminates how contact with spirits is a powerful instrument of healing and love.

“To put it bluntly, this is an “amazing book that deserves to be enjoyed by millions of readers.” Gary E. Schwartz, PhD, Director of the Laboratory for Advances in Consciousness and Health, University of Arizona and author of “The Afterlife Experiments”.

“Mark Anthony shows that while we cannot control death, we can control how we understand and react to it in healthy ways.” Bruce Greyson, MD, co-founder of IANDS and author of “After: A doctor Explores what Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond”

Mark Anthony, JD Psychic Explorer author of The Afterlife Frequency and his other best sellers, Never Letting Go and Evidence of Eternity is cohost of The Psychic & the Doc on The Transformation Network and columnist for Best Holistic Magazine. He appears nationwide on TV and radio as an expert in spirit communication, near-death experiences, paranormal phenomena and as a legal expert. ®

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI

The book that has c hanged the lives of millions Paperback, only $8.50 Also available in eBook and audio editions

To get your copy go to: Amazon, ﬁne book stores or ATERLIFEFREQUENCY.com. Also available on audio, narrated by Mark Anthony, JD Psychic Explorer (Psychic Lawyer ) ®

www.AfterlifeFrequency.com

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

w w w. AYa n n i ve rs a r y. o rg

Yoga

eco tip

GLENMORE YOGA & WELLNESS CENTER

Shedding Light on Lightbulbs

Far West End Location 10442 Ridgefield Pkwy, Henrico 804-741-5267 Info@GlenmoreYoga.com GlenmoreYoga.com

THE INS AND OUTS OF OUR OPTIONS Don’t be left in the dark when choosing lightbulbs. Lighting accounts for up to 20 percent of a household’s energy bill, and untold numbers of bulbs end up in landfills. Let’s illuminate some bulb options to increase savings and reduce waste. led supermarket/pexels.com

Incorporate yoga into your life at Glenmore. 30 student-focused, multi-level classes from Gentle and Ageless to Vinyasa Flow, Yin, Restorative, Prenatal, Meditation. Yoga Therapy. 200- and 300-hour Teacher Training. Voted Best Yoga Center. See ad on page 17.

INTEGRAL YOGA® CENTER OF RICHMOND

Nora Vimala Pozzi, E-RYT500, C-IAYT 213 Roseneath Rd. 804-342-1061 • YogaHelps.com 25+ years teaching Integral Yoga®; 18+ years offering Teacher Training & Yoga Therapy. An educational & training center with certified teachers offering classes in a safe, non-competitive environment with personalized attention, including Mindfulness and Raja Yoga—yoga philosophy—leading to transformative experiences and a more meaningful and peaceful life. Specialized classes and private sessions for those with physical limitations or emotional issues. Affiliated with Yogaville.

NITYA LIVING YOGA

Specializing in Yoga for Children 804-678-8568, Richmond NityaLiving.com

PROJECT YOGA RICHMOND

ProjectYogaRichmond.org Info@ProjectYogaRichmond.org

Cost efficiency: Estimated $4.80 to $7.01 annual cost of operation. Potential health risks: No toxic chemicals. They can cause burns or fires if hot from use. Proper disposal: Not recyclable. Throw away in garbage. COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHTS (CFL) were a great answer to the incandescent bulbs that came before them as far as energy efficiency, but they have disadvantages, as well.

Cost efficiency: Estimated $1.25 to $1.75 annual cost of operation. Potential health risks: CFLs contain small traces of mercury and emit puffs of toxic powder when they break. Visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website epa.gov for safe clean-up instructions. Proper disposal: Go to Earth911.com to search for nearby CFL disposal facilities. LIGHT EMITTING DIODES (LED) bulbs are here to stay and illuminate the majority of households. To compute old bulb wattage compared to LED wattage, divide roughly by five or six. For example, a 60-watt incandescent bulb is equivalent to a 10-watt LED. It’s not an exact equation, but it’s close. Energy efficiency: Up to 83 percent more efficient than incandescent.

Project Yoga Richmond is a 501 (c3) nonprofit organization based in Richmond, Virginia, that makes yoga instruction accessible and affordable to practitioners of all abilities and income levels through its pay-what-you-can studio classes and community partnership programs. Project Yoga Richmond partners with local groups, agencies, schools, and community centers to provide free and/or low-cost yoga and mindfulness services throughout Greater Richmond. See ad on page 17.

Greater Richmond Edition Greater Richmond Edition

Energy efficiency: Each bulb lasts one to two years, and 80 percent of the electricity is lost as heat.

Energy efficiency: About 65 to 75 percent more efficient than incandescent.

Nitya Living™ specializes in kid’s yoga programs that engage the whole child plus mindfulness yoga programs, women’s retreats, private classes for adults, teens, and children, kid’s yoga camps, workshops, and teacher trainings. NEWLY Released Nitya Living Cookbook; Seasonal, Local Vegetarian Meals Recipes.

35 35

INCANDESCENT BULBS, the iconic symbol for a bright idea, were the only option until the early 2000s. They’re hot to the touch and no longer easy to find because governments worldwide have ordered them phased out to lower energy consumption.

Cost efficiency: Estimated $1.19 annual cost of operation per bulb. Potential health risks: Age-related macular degeneration is more likely with high exposure to low-intensity “blue light”; however, the warmer glow from LEDs typically used in home light fixtures is not the culprit. The “blue light” LEDs are typically glowing from computer screens, mobile phones and other devices or appliances. Proper disposal: Big-box and local hardware stores often offer free or low-cost recycling, as do online recyclers and local facilities because there are no toxins or hard-to-recycle wires.

NARichmond.com NARichmond.com

NARichmond.com/businesses

Greater Richmond Edition

NARichmond.com

Natural Awakenings Richmond, September/October 2021

Articles inside

eco tip

healing ways

health briefs

fit body

healthy living directory

conscious eating

global briefs

healing ways

the james river matters