Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey / December 2020

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

FREE

SIMPLIFY

THE SEASON

GIVE THE GIFT

OF FESTIVE EDIBLES

THE HEALING POWER OF

SINGING

HOMETOWN BENEFITS OF

THE BUY LOCAL MOVEMENT

WRITING A NEW

WORLD STORY

THAT HEALS US AND THE PLANET

December 2020 | Somerset-Middlesex-Hunterdon-Mercer-S. Warren NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR PARTNER HAS LAUNCHED ®

TRANSFORMING YOUR HEALTH CARE TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR HEALTH & WELL-BEING Natural Awakenings is honored to give our dedicated readers the opportunity to be among the first members welcomed into the KnoWEwell community. With gratitude for our 26 years of readership and support, through our mission-aligned collaborative partnership with KnoWEwell, we are pleased to gift both individuals and providers with:

FREE ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP - FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY

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Join for FREE at KnoWEwell.com INDIVIDUALS ENTER CODE: NANJ260 (a $60 value)

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A Top 50 Healthcare Company 2019

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Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com The KnoWEwell Collaborative with benefits for all in the RWH and well-being ecosystem.

Natural Health and Beauty Products. Holistic and Traditional Medicines. Unmatched Expertise.

Shop online at ValleyIntegrativePharmacy.com Order what you need — right from your favorite device.

Go to : ValleyIntegrativePharmacy.com for in-store pick-up or shipping.

Items include, but are not limited to: • PPE • Probiotics • Nutraceuticals • Vitamins & Supplements • Natural cosmetics & skin care • Health & Beauty Aids • Over the Counter medications • First Aid • Elastic supports & stockings • Pantry items Micronutrient Testing, Food Sensitivities, Gluten/Celiac, Hormone Testing has resumed.

Call us for appointment or information: 908-658-4900.

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75 Washington Valley Road, Bedminster, NJ 07921 • 908.658.4900 • valleypharmacyrx.com Located next to Fresh Market • Current hours: Monday-Friday 10am - 6pm, Saturday 10am - 3pm December 2020

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Contents

Natural Awakenings is a family of more than 60 healthy living magazines celebrating 26 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

24

18 COLD

It’s Shockingly Good for Your Health

22

20 SING TO HEAL Using the Voice to Uplift Mind and Body

22 PAY WHERE WE PLAY

Boosting the Hometown Economy

24 THE NEW STORY

20

FOR THE WORLD

Re-Visioning the Script for a Healthier Society and Planet

28 REINVENT THE HOLIDAYS

More Meaning, Less Stuff

31 FRESH RITUALS

31

FOR A NEW YEAR

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 908-405-1515 or email Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com. Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Kathy@ NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com. Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email calendar events to: Kathy@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com.

Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month.

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.

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36 THE GIFT OF YUM Homemade Treats Spark Holiday Cheer

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 9 virtual fare 10 now open 12 health briefs 14 global briefs 17 teen voices 20 healing ways 22 green living 28 healthy kids 31 inspiration

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

32 local yoga 33 yoga corner 36 conscious eating 37 classifieds 38 calendar 40 business

directory

NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

publisher letter

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

What’s Truly Important Once again, I am sitting here agonizing over what to write about. This sweeping pandemic makes almost everything seem to be just a little bit harder. Finding a subject that fits, something that may be somewhat inspiring, or even uplifting, has left me scratching my head. With all the confusion, unrest, insecurities, hardships and financial concerns so many of us are experiencing, I am at a loss for words.

I started thinking about what this pandemic and so much social unrest has brought to the forefront of my mind. I ask Joe Dunne, Publisher myself what have I learned? What do I need to relearn? Or unlearn? And my thoughts on what is truly important come down to this: Time. What I choose to do with it and who I spend it with.

My thinking should always be wrapped around doing the right thing for others as well as myself.

Slow down. Enjoy my life. Laugh more.

Worry is hard to shake if I don’t work at shaking it. It also never serves me or anyone around me well.

That truly living in the moment is hard but necessary for me.

To pay attention to my ego; I may not be as important as I think I am. Humility serves both you and me better.

To understand love, how to love more, and be loved.

That my foundation, when faced with adversity, is my faith, which leads me to trust and acceptance.

That my control is only an illusion. The future will be as the future becomes, with or without me.

To live life with a purpose of joy and happiness; take nothing, absolutely nothing, for granted.

To appreciate everyone, to respect everyone, especially my family, friends. To be present.

That there should be no place for hate. Love, for me, is always the answer.

That every lesson I have learned must be practiced and practiced and practiced until it becomes a part of me.

That doing the right thing is not that hard, and I should not look for any acknowledgement for doing the right thing.

How honored I am to be supported, by anyone, but especially my wife.

That we are all in this together, and the planet is smaller than we think. We are much more alike than we are different. It has also reinforced in me that peace, love, tolerance, understanding, empathy and compassion are the solution. Never the problem.

CENTRAL NJ EDITION

Publisher Joe Dunne Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com 908-405-1515 • Fax 877-635-3313

Managing Editor Kathy Tarbell Kathy@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com 908-912-4569 • 770-867-2101 direct

Design & Production Kathy Tarbell Social Media Tiffany Brackens

Website Kristy Mayer Accounting/Billing Asta Dunne Asta@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com 908-405-4040

SALES & MARKETING Joe Dunne • Bedminster, NJ 908-405-1515 Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com Visit our Facebook page for the latest health updates and information, or to post your events and comments.

NaturalAwakeningsCentralNewJersey

NATIONAL TEAM

CEO/Founder Sharon Bruckman COO/Franchise Sales Joe Dunne

Art Director Josh Pope

Layout & Design Gabrielle Perillo

Financial Manager Yolanda Shebert Asst. Director of Ops Heather Gibbs Digital Content Director Rachael Oppy

National Advertising Lisa Doyle-Mitchell Administrative Asstistant 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 © 2020 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

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.

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

Please Recycle December 2020

5

Directory of Display Advertisers Thank you for being part of our community!

7 Chakras Wellness

27

Be Here Now Yoga

32

Be The Medicine

7

Califon Yoga

32

Center for Advanced Health

43

Through Dentistry Dr. Clare Larkin

17

Fortis Farms

30

Holistic Dental Center

44

Hunterdon Integrative Physicians

27

Jean O’Toole

9

KnoWEwell 2 Lisa’s Thermography & Wellness

6

Morning Star Family Health Center

29

Mederi Cosmetics

21

Mederi Skin Care

8

Natural Awakenings

35

Natural Awakenings Singles

19

Nature’s Rite

29

New Jersey Natural Medicine

13

Ondov Relationship Coaching

11

Personally Yours Lingerie

17

Phyzeke Fitness

15

Psychic Gallery

11

Qi Gong for Healing

9

Samsara Chiropractic

39

Sunrise Nutrition Center

23

The Hemp Oil Store

7

Valley Integrative Pharmacy

3

Whole Foods

8

WholeListic Hair Design Yoga Central

news briefs

Naturally Good for You Cosmetics

T

erry Martin’s fascination with makeup began as a child and led to work as a medical esthetician and paramedical makeup artist. This experience vividly demonstrated how proper care can heal skin and how makeup can restore confidence. It also inspired Martin to create Mederi Cosmetics—a line of natural/ organic, cruelty-free, vegan cosmetics and skin care products made in the USA. “Mederi means ‘healing’ in Latin, and that’s truly what this company is about. I wanted customers to look great knowing they are wearing safe makeup. It makes you feel healthy knowing you are choosing the best products for your body, mind and soul,” shares Martin, CEO and founder.

The cosmetic line includes everything needed in makeup, from foundation and concealer to eyes, brows and lips, in colors and tints that suit every need or preference. There is also a paramedical makeup line for accident and burn survivors that also works great for scars, freckles, bruises, burns, birthmarks, age spots, rosacea and varicose veins. These products can also be used as a regular daily makeup.

“We also offer a wide range of skin care products at MederiSkinCare. com. The skin care side is run by my son, Jeramie Scott,” states Martin. “All of our products are sold online. We also have representatives who will gladly talk with you about your selection and answer any questions you have.”

For additional information or to order by phone or email, call 570-575-8185 or email Terry@MederiCosmetics.com. To purchase products online visit MederiCosmetics.com or MederiSkinCare.com. See ads, pages 8, 21.

Thermography is “Health Discovery” a very important part of your preventive wellness program.

Radiation Free Breast and Full Body Thermography for Both Women & Men

Find out if you have inflammation before it becomes a problem.

Non-Invasive-Pain Free Imaging World class state of the art Infrared technology high quality images.

All reports approved and written by Board Certified M.D.s

9 32

FREE Dry Brush for new clients only

* new or returning advertiser

Let them know you found them in Natural Awakenings Central NJ!

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~ Visit Website for Test Locations in NJ, NY & PA ~

Call for your appointment today! 855-667-9338

Lisa Mack, CCT, HHC • LisasThermographyAndWellness.com

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

Peace, Clarity, and Health are within reach Get Unstuck in All Areas of Your Life!

Janet StraightArrow’s unique blend of ancient wisdom with practical methods opens the door for discovering your true self.

Meet Your True Self free of fear & anxiety free from trauma free to grow in love

Awaken

Deep Love, Complete Healing, Practical Spiritual Living.

Shaman, Healer, Teacher, Yogi, Sage

973-647-2500 | BeTheMedicine.com Workshops, Shaman & Reiki Training, Energy Healing Private Sessions | Remote, Virtual, In-Person

High Quality CBD Oil 3rd Party Lab Tested Trusted CBD Brands Drops • Pet Products • Capsules • Sprays • Flower Softgels • Gummies • Topicals • Beauty Products And More!

855-904-4367 3 E Afton Ave Mon-Sat: 10am-6:30pm TheHempOilStore.com Yardley, PA 19067 Sun:10am-4pm December 2020

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news briefs

KnoWEwell Platform Offers One-Year Free Memberships in December

K

Natural Awakenings is proudly distributed at: Bound Brook (Bridgewater) 319 Chimney Rock Rd.

Clark 1255 Raritan Rd. Unit 150

Madison (Rose City) 222 Main St.

Metuchen

noWEwell, a collaborative partner with the Natural Awakenings family of publishers, is offering individuals and providers the opportunity to receive a complimentary one-year membership to its global community and marketplace. The KnoWEwell platform is a comprehensive online destination for today’s trusted Regenerative Whole Health knowledge, resources and community. Through its use, subscribers can find access to vetted, evidence-based resources for health, wellness and sustainability. Individuals, providers and experts can communicate and work together in an interactive, vibrant online community.

“We are an ecosystem collaborating to inspire and empower individuals to achieve WELLthier Living. Join the movement as we share knowledge and healing success stories, provide access to evidence-based resources, create meaningful connections and help today’s providers, mission-aligned nonprofits and businesses opportunities prosper. We are transforming the health care we know,” says Kimberly Whittle, Founder and CEO. “Natural Awakenings is honored to give our dedicated readers the opportunity to be among the first members welcomed into the KnoWEwell community. With gratitude for our 26 years of readership and support, through our mission-aligned collaborative partnership with KnoWEwell, for a limited time we are pleased to gift both individuals and providers with free annual memberships,” says Sharon Bruckman, Founder and CEO. For more information, visit KnoWEwell.com and see the ad on page 2, which includes the free membership codes during this limited time offer.

645 Middlesex Ave.

Millburn-Union 2245 Springfield Ave. Vauxhall

Montclair

“Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.”

— Hippocrates

701 Bloomfield Ave.

Morristown 110 Washington St.

Newark 633 Broad St.

Parsippany 60 Waterview Blvd

Princeton 3495 US Rt 1 S

Ridgewood 44 Godwin Ave.

West Orange 235 Prospect Ave.

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Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

Virtual Fare Be The Medicine Janet StraightArrow, Shaman, Healer, Sage Online Sessions and Classes Home Base: Morristown 973-647-2500 / Janet@Bethemedicine.com

QiforGong Healing

classes|seminars|workshops

Classes & Seminars

BeTheMedicine.com

Online Beginner Series / 4 Classes

Yoga Central

Begin the gentle movements of a Qi Gong Tai Chi Journey with Patty Pagano

Antonette D’Orazio 953 Hwy 202 North Online and Outdoors; dates/times vary 908-707-0759 / yogacentralnj202@gmail.com YogaCentralNJ.com

Qi Gong For Healing Brian Coffey LMT, and Fran Maher, CA Virtual Classes 908-647-1563 QiGongForHealing.com

Not sure? First 1-hour class is FREE! For info, contact Patty at 908-392-1313 or PattyQigongforHealing@gmail.com

QiGongForHealing.com or call Fran Maher & Brian Coffey

908-647-1563

Blossoming into Light Sue Freeman & Leslie Treloar 31 Fairmount Ave., Suite 105, Chester Virtual Classes & Intuitive Readings By Appointment 862-222-4268 / Info@BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com

Jean O’Toole has been empowering people to live their best lives for over 20 years. She is a Nationally certified JourneyDance facilitator who embraces expressive arts and nature meditation to guide people to design the lives of their dreams.

BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com

Jean O’Toole Empowerment Coach, Life Designer and Movement Facilitator Spirit Animal Guidance - 5 Days of Inner Wisdom Monday, December 7 - 11 • 12noon-1pm Zoom link sent on registration. Contact 917-405-0596 or email meetyourselfinnature@gmail.com to register.

Book a private session or join us at an upcoming workshop or retreat.

FB: Meet Yourself in Nature, MeetYourselfInNature@gmail.com.

Call/Text: 917-405-0596

December 2020

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Here is a collection of local businesses whose doors (or windows :) are Open for Business as (Un)Usual.

Fortis Farms, LLC

7 Chakras Wellness

18230 Edwards Shop Rd., Elkwood, VA Webstore is open 24/7 540-409-6871 hello@growfortisfarms.com GrowFortisFarms.com

Ayurvedic Practitioner, RN Call for free consult for new clients.

908-251-1200 jennifer@7chakraswellness.com 7ChakrasWellness.com

Monika Christian and Kiley Doll

Fortis Farms grows nutritious, local produce and designs, sells, and leases aeroponic tower gardening solutions for home, greenhouse, or commercial use.

Kaleidoscope Hair and Body Artistry Deborah Link

Jennifer Agugliaro

Are you tired of feeling unwell? Jennifer offers natural, holistic methods to help you take control of your health and life. She focuses on women’s health issues such as reproductive health, digestion, sleep and anxiety. Book a free consult today.

Full-service salon and day spa offering a safe and relaxing environment for all your beauty needs.

Open Sunday and Monday by appointment.

The Hemp Oil Store is a family-owned CBD store.

Our goal is to bring you, your pets, and your loved ones high-quality CBD products at affordable prices. Shop online at TheHempOilStore. com with free shipping. We also have curbside pickup and walk-ins are always welcome.

Morningstar Family Health Center

Online Sessions and Classes Home Base: Morristown 973-647-2500 Janet@Bethemedicine.com BeTheMedicine.com We have easily transitioned into a mostly online business for private healing sessions, profound energy work, coaching, Healers Training, Shamanic classes-sessions. Zoom, Phone, In person.

215 Union Ave.,Ste D, Bridgewater Monday, Tues, Thurs 8:30 to 4:30, Fri 8-1 908-526-2266 MeleDDS.com We offer the highest quality dental services with a holistic approach for children and adults.

Holistic Dental Center 91 Millburn Ave, Milburn Current hours: Mon 9am-7pm; Tues-Thurs, 8am-5pm; Fri 9am-6pm 973-379-9080 inquiry@drgdds.com HolisticDentalCenterNJ.com

Joseph Wilker

3 E. Ave., Yardley, PA Online Store open 24/7 855-904-4367, 267-679-2949 coolbreezedist@gmail.com TheHempOilStore.com License Number: 82-2609404

Janet StraightArrow Shaman, Healer, Sage

Dr. Joseph R. Mele, DDS, CNC

Vladimir Gashinsky, DDS

The Hemp Oil Store

570 Allen Road, Basking Ridge Tues, Thursday, Friday: 9am-8pm; Wed & Sat: 9am-5pm 908-901-9777 mail@kaleidoscopehairandbody.com KaleidoscopeHairAndBody.com

Be The Medicine

The Center For Advanced Health Through Dentistry

54 Old Highway 22, Clinton Mon-Fri; 8:30am-5pm 908-735-9344 MorningStarFHC.com

MorningStar’s team of health professionals cares for you like family. Our membership based practice cares for men, women and children age 8 and up with a functional approach to primary care.

Holistic dental care that is good for the body as well as teeth and gums. By treating the cause, not just the symptoms, Dr. Gashinsky helps improve his patients’ quality of life through dental care that respects and honors the body for healthy teeth and gums. d, page 28.e 12.

Dr. Clare M. Larkin, DC, CMRP located in Warren 908-930-0628 DrLarkin@optonline.net DrClareLarkin.com

Your cells remember traumatic injury on a deeper level. Some injuries hang on because their energy gets trapped in the deeper tissues of the body. Matrix Repatterning allows the detection and release of these deeper injuries, improves electrical flow and allows the body to function normally again.

“A small business is an amazing way to serve and leave an impact on the world you live in.”

-Nicole Snow 10

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

Yoga Central

Sunrise Nutrition & Wellness

Antonette D’Orazio

953 Hwy 202 North Online and Outdoors; dates/times vary 908-707-0759 yogacentralnj202@gmail.com YogaCentralNJ.com Offering online and outdoor classes. Please check website, Instagram, or FaceBook for complete schedule.

Modern Acupuncture Joan Arata

176 Columbia Turnpike, Florham Park, NJ Mon-Tues: 10am–3pm; Wed-Fri: 2-7pm; Sat: 10am-3pm 973-765-9500 Nj001@modacu.com ModAcu.com/nj001 65 W. Houston Street, SoHo, NYC Mon, Wed, Fri: 10am-3pm; Tues, Thurs: 2-7pm; Sat-Sun: 10am-3pm 917-388-2886 Ny001@modacu.com ModAcu.com/ny001 We offer an approachable, natural pathway, validated by thousands of years of practice, to better health and well-being for all in a convenient, peaceful and modern location.

New Jersey Natural Medicine Dr. Jason Frigerio, ND, LAC

2424 Lamington Road, Bedminster NJ Hours: 9am-5pm 973-267-2650 info@njnaturalmedicine.com NJNaturalMedicine.com Since 2004 New Jersey Natural Medicine utilizes Naturopathic, Chinese, Ayurvedic and Biological Medicine: treating the whole person, not just his or her symptoms.

Dr. John Harrington 137 Mountain Ave., Hackettstown Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri: 9am-7:30pm 908-441-2276 drharrington@SunriseNutritionCenter.com SunriseNutritionCenter.com We are dedicated to providing a health improvement program unique to your body. We aim to improve your health through nutrition and other safe, non-invasive therapies.

Qi Gong For Healing Brian Coffey LMT, and Fran Maher, CA Virtual Classes 908-647-1563 QiGongForHealing.com Specializing in T’ai Chi and Qi Gong classes, as well as private session clinical Qi Gong and acupuncture since 1994. Chinese Medicine weekend seminars teach how to apply clinical Qi Gong remedies to specific disorders. Excellent for the lay person and healthcare providers. All are welcome to observe or join a class..

Lisa’s Thermography & Wellness Lisa Mack, CCT, HHC

Thermographer and Holistic Counselor See website for locations in NJ and NY By appointment 855-667-9338 Lisa@LisasThermographyAndWellness.com LisasThermographyAndWellness.com Thermography gives an early look at the most important indicator of a potential health problem – inflammation. Early stage disease screening is an area in which thermography excels. Radiation-free breast and full body screenings for men and women.

Keep Calm and

Shop Local!

Support Local Business!

Recover from the trauma, bridge the divide, and put the pieces back together.

With or without your partner!

Rhoda Ondov, MS, MFT, CPC Relationship Coach

908-642-6256 rhoda.ondov@gmail.com

OndovRelationshipCoaching.com 12-14 E. Main St., Somerville

Sliding Scale Rates

Open the door to

Your Future to see where it will lead. psychic reader & advisor

spiritual life coach spiritual healer private & confidential

+++

crystals tarot card & palm readings chakra balancing

908.397.7797 PsychicGalleryNJ.com Bridgewater • Branchburg • Somerville psychicgallerybranchburg December 2020

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Practice Yoga to Improve Atrial Fibrillation

elly fairytale/Pexels.com

Yoga postures and breathing may significantly reduce episodes of atrial fibrillation, suggests a new study— good news for the one in 11 Americans that suffer from its anxiety-producing palpitations, racing pulses, dizziness and shortness of breath. In the study, which was presented to the European Society of Cardiology, 538 patients underwent 12 weeks without yoga and then 16 weeks of attending 30-minute yoga classes every other day. During the yoga period, their fibrillation episodes were halved, dropping on average to eight as compared to 15 in the non-yoga period. Average blood pressure was 11/6 millimeters of mercury lower after yoga training. The patients also reported improved moods and energy. “Our study suggests that yoga has wide-ranging physical and mental health benefits for patients with atrial fibrillation, and could be added on top of usual therapies,” says study author Naresh Sen, M.D., of Sunil Memorial Superspecialty Hospital, in Jaipur, India.

For a Healthy Baby, Take a Multivitamin, Exercise and Ditch the Devices The simple step of taking a daily multivitamin during pregnancy can reduce the risk of autism in newborns by 38 percent, report Chinese researchers that analyzed nine studies of 231,163 children, of which 4,459 were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Another study from Kings College, London, of 1,555 obese, pregnant women, concluded that when they improved their diet and exercised, their children three years later had an average resting pulse rate of five beats per minute lower than the other children, a better glycemic response and slightly less obesity. Israeli research, published in the online journal Sleep, involving 116 men ages 21 to 59, found those that used smartphones and tablets in the evening and after bed-time had lower sperm quality with reduced counts and motility. Watching TV, another light-emitting source, during the evening also correlated with lower sperm concentration. freestocksorg/Pexels.com

health briefs

southstore design/Pexels.com

Eat Cruciferous Veggies for Cleaner Blood Vessels

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Pile on the broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. In a study of 684 older Australian women published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers found those that ate more than 45 grams of cruciferous vegetables a day—about one-quarter cup of steamed broccoli or one-half cup of raw cabbage—were 46 percent less likely to have calcium buildup in the aorta, the main vessel carrying blood from the heart into the body. Fatty calcium deposits in the aorta are a key marker of vascular disease linked to heart attacks and strokes. “One particular constituent found abundantly in cruciferous vegetables is vitamin K, which may be involved in inhibiting the calcification process that occurs in our blood vessels,” says lead author Lauren Blekkenhorst, of Edith Cowan University, in Perth.

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

Retain Muscle Mass with Vitamin C Since 2004 Naturopathic, Chinese & Biological Medicine COMPREHENSIVE & COMPASSIONATE

prathsnap/Pexels.com

HEALTH CARE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

“Bulking up” evokes images of bodybuilders and possible steroid use, but new research shows that older people that simply eat lots of vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables have greater skeletal muscle mass than those that don’t eat these foods.

Researchers from the UK’s University of East Anglia collected data from more than 13,000 people between 42 and 82 years old and reported in The Journal of Nutrition that the highest amounts of vitamin C correlated with the greatest estimated skeletal muscle mass—an important finding, as people older than 50 typically lose half a percent of muscle fat each year, leading to frailty and a lower quality of life. Sixty percent of men in the study and 50 percent of women were not getting enough vitamin C from food or supplements. “We’re not talking about people needing megadoses. Eating a citrus fruit such as an orange each day and having a vegetable side to a meal will be sufficient for most people,” says study co-author Richard Hayhoe.

All who come to NJ Natural Medicine benefit from our holistic approach to treatment. Regardless of the reason for the visit, the guiding principal remains constant: to observe and treat the whole person, not just his or her symptoms.

Acupuncture Bio-resonance Therapy Diagnostics Infrared Sauna

Dr. Jason Frigerio ND LAC 2424 Lamington Road Bedminster, NJ 07921 973 267 2650 www.njnaturalmedicine.com

December 2020

13

global briefs

Conscientious Director

Amazon Climate Label Facilitates Greener Choices

daniel eledut/Unsplash.com

Amazon is labeling approximately 25,000 products with a Climate Pledge Friendly (CPF) designation to meet a commitment to become carbon neutral by 2040. The selection includes grocery, household, fashion, beauty and personal electronics products, as well as from brands such as Seventh Generation and Burt’s Bees Baby. CPF products are clearly labeled in shopping results, have additional sustainability information on their product page and are featured in a dedicated section of the online store.

The Seattle company, which currently delivers 10 billion items a year, has an enormous carbon footprint due to its commitment to speedy deliveries, transportation-related emissions and data centers. A paper in Environmental Science & Technology, published by the American Chemical Society, found that going to a physical store actually has a lower carbon footprint than shopping on Amazon because customers tend to buy fewer items at a time online. When they go to a store, they’re more likely to stock up and reduce the need for more trips.

Skin Relief

California Passes Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act

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Fast Foodie

MilkRun Gives Farmers Direct Sales

MilkRun, a Portland, Oregon, company founded by farmer and entrepreneur Julia Niiro, is supporting local farmers on small farms by enabling them to sell produce safely and directly to consumers. The online platform allows farmers to set their own prices, eliminating wholesalers, shippers and truckers. After consumers place orders, farmers deliver the produce to an aggregation hub where MilkRun boxes and ships it.

Niiro explains that while wholesale orders from restaurants have decreased dramatically due to COVID-19, direct purchasing from consumers is offsetting the losses. By re-scaling, creating new safety practices and adapting to direct consumer demand, farmers are able to turn a profit during the pandemic. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, farmers receive roughly 8 percent of the purchase price from grocery stores, while MilkRun estimates a return of up to 70 percent of the purchase price through its platform.

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

laura chouette/Unsplash.com

California governor Gavin Newsom has signed the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act into law, which bans 24 ingredients from cosmetics and personal care products sold within the state. The list includes mercury, formaldehyde, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, endocrine-disrupting phthalates and long-chain parabens used as preservatives, among other chemicals. Many have been linked to breast cancer, reproductive and neurological damage, birth defects, organ system toxicity and developmental delays.

National standards lag behind the rest of the world and have not been updated since being created in 1938.

Despite the industry’s immense size, only two pages of the 829-page Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act govern cosmetics. The new California law will make products safer for everyone, but Black women stand to benefit more because they represent the biggest U.S. market for cosmetics. Environmental watchdog Treehugger notes that Black women account for an estimated 22 percent of the country’s $42-billion per year personal care products market, despite comprising less than 7 percent of the national population.

December 2020

15

global briefs

Weather Wanderers

Climate Refugees Could Reach One Billion by 2050

Shining Example

Tainted Taps

WellExplorer App Can Warn of Toxic Drinking Water

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The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has created WellExplorer, a new, interactive tool that allows residents and scientists to find out what toxins have been deposited in their drinking water as a result of hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Exposure to fracking fluid in drinking water has been shown to increase the risk of respiratory problems, premature births, congenital heart defects and other health problems.

Different fracking sites use a diverse mix of chemical ingredients, and individuals and researchers are often uninformed about the exact health consequences of living near a particular well. People can view the closest fracking sites in their state, learn which chemicals are used at those sites and view their levels of toxicity by entering their zip code. WellExplorer can be obtained for free at WellExplorer.org or downloaded on Apple’s App store.

A recent study published in the journal Database found that operators of wells in Alabama use a disproportionately high number of chemicals that target estrogen pathways, as do those in Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania in impacting testosterone pathways. The information found through WellExplorer might be particularly relevant for those that use private water wells.

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Saving Arctic Ice Using Glass Beads

The California nonprofit Arctic Ice Project is proposing to scatter a thin layer of reflective silica glass particles over parts of the Arctic in an effort to protect it from the sun and help ice to re-form. Engineer Leslie Field, an adjunct lecturer and chief technical officer at Stanford University, says they are trying to break a self-destructive feedback loop.

An underrated feature of Arctic sea ice is the ability of its bright, white surface to reflect light. The frigid poles have acted for millennia as a massive umbrella that helps keep the planet cool and climate stable. Now much of that ice is rapidly melting. As temperatures rise, the reflective white ice dissolves into darker blue water that absorbs more of the sun’s energy instead of reflecting it into space. Warmer water accelerates melting, which means yet more absorption of heat, which drives further melting, in a cycle that is part of the reason why the Arctic is warming about twice as fast as the rest of the planet.

In July, the ice cover was as low as it has ever been at the same time of year.

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The U.S. Geological Survey predicts that global sea levels would rise by about 230 feet if all the glaciers and ice caps on Earth melted, flooding almost every coastal city in the world. This disastrous possibility forces us to confront where current coastal dwellers would go if their cities become uninhabitable. In 2017, of the 68.5 million people that were displaced by sudden weather events that included floods, forest fires and intense storms, more than one-third of them were forced to leave their homes behind.

A 2018 World Bank report found that without tangible climate action, more than 143 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America will be forced to move to escape the impacts of climate change by 2050. According to the Institute for Economics and Peace, more than 1 billion people worldwide will live in countries with insufficient infrastructure to withstand climate change by 2050 (see Tinyurl.com/EcologicalThreatMap). The Pacific Islands are expected to be impacted especially hard because sea levels there are already rising at almost half an inch each year.

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teen voices

Hello 2021

by Isabella Dussias

The best gifts aren’t always under the tree

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s we usher out 2020, we look forward to the future. We have never seen a year like 2020 as we witnessed a pandemic sweep across the globe. We have seen loss of life.

We have seen our way of life change; the simple tasks and routines we once knew have been replaced by new protocols.

As teens, our school and social lives have been altered dramatically. Our school days look very different. The way we Isabella Dussias spend our time after school, from sports to clubs to the arts has taken new forms. Our decisions about where we apply to college or if we will apply for this upcoming year, all hang in the balance.

As we look to 2021 with uncertainty, we will acknowledge what we have learned and hope for the better.

On December 31, at the stroke of midnight, teens yearn for a happier year—one like we used to know.

As we say hello to 2021, let’s hope it truly is a “Happy New Year”.

Isabella Dussias is a 17-year-old singer-songwriter/ composer from New Jersey. She enjoys writing about issues that are important to today’s youth, and she believes music is an important outlet to connect people and share messages through the creativity of lyric and melody. For more information, please visit IsabellaDussias.com.

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common weight loss myth is that the body inherently needs help burning fat. In reality, our bodies are already hardwired to burn excess fat; we just have to create the conditions that promote biological balance, which gives the body the chance to burn extra fat that has been stored.

Following an intelligently formulated nutrition protocol is the best way to promote weight loss. However, there are several overlooked protocols that you can add to your daily ritual that can paid in placing your body in the optimal fat burning state.

In installment number one of our three-part series, we will discuss a little-known practice known as cold thermogenesis, which can help balance hormones and allow the body to burn excess fat naturally.

Cold Thermogenesis

If you follow athletics or pop culture, you’ve probably heard of celebrities like LeBron James and Alicia Keys trying “cryotherapy” to help with post-workout recovery or as an anti-aging strategy.

It’s Shockingly Good for Your Health by Joe Condora

Cryotherapy treatment involves being exposed to subzero temperatures in order to activate the central nervous system and illicit a variety of beneficial biological functions. Some health benefits include decreased inflammation, cellular regeneration, and powerful (but natural) fat burning.

Let’s take a moment to dig deep into the science of how cold thermogenesis is a fat-burning tool that can easily be added to your daily ritual. Behind the scenes, cold thermogenesis (exposure to cold temperatures) acts as a hormetic stressor, as well as an epigenetic trigger, that activates several different “survivor genes”.

A hormetic stressor is a desirable type of stress because it follows the law “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. Below are some of the powerful fat burning effects of cold thermogenesis.

Brown Fat vs. White Fat

Just as there are good and bad dietary fats, there is good and bad fat within our own bodies. Perhaps “good fat” and “bad fat” are not the best terms to use. Instead, let’s refer to these fats as more desirable and less desirable.

White fat (white adipose tissue), which is less metabolically active, is the less desirable type of fat. Located largely in the belly, waist, and thigh regions, white fat is present in higher quantities in obese people. This is the type of fat that we generally want to burn or lose.

Brown fat (brown adipose tissue) on the other hand, which is more metabolically active, is the more desirable type of fat. Located predominantly in the upper back, collar bone, and shoulder regions of the body, brown fat has the ability to burn off the white fat. Stimulation of this more desirable fat has fat-burning effects comparable to exercise, which helps to burn calories.

Cold thermogenesis has been clinically shown to increase the body’s ability to stimulate brown fat, keeping the white fat under control in a process called mitochondrial uncoupling. Basically, your body tries to compensate for the extreme temperature shock, resulting in metabolic upregulation, which immediately kicks you into fat-burning mode.

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Adiponectin Another benefit of cold thermogenesis is that it activates a powerful fat-burning hormone known as adiponectin. The role of adiponectin is to properly manage glucose levels as well as control fatty acid breakdown. This overlooked hormone also has a nifty way of lowering inflammation and preventing oxidative stress. In other words, adiponectin has the ability to lower blood glucose and turn you into a fat-burning machine.

How to Get the Benefits of Cold Thermogenesis

Unfortunately, most people aren’t able to afford cryotherapy on a consistent basis. The role of a good biohacker is to find a way to replicate the biological benefits of a health-enhancing technique despite being unable to utilize that exact technique for one reason or another.

Luckily, there are some useful techniques that can largely mimic the effects of cryotherapy and provide many of the same biological benefits. The easiest “hack” is to take [extremely] cold showers.

Turning the temperature as cold as it can go while aiming the shower head at the previously mentioned brown fatty areas is the best way to receive the benefits of cold thermogenesis. Sure, it takes some getting used to, but the benefits of cold thermogenesis are worth the momentary discomfort.

Here is an easy home protocol. Starts with a full shower in warm water. Then alternate the final rinse between extremely cold water aimed at chest, upper back, and shoulders for one minute

followed by warm water for 30 seconds. Repeat this cycle five times before exiting the shower.

The most effective protocol is one that can be comfortable to use daily to enjoy the myriad of fat burning effects that it may offer.

While hesitation before trying a new regimen is common, there is no need to worry that a practice that includes cold showers will inhibit sexual energy. Science shows that the old adage of taking a cold shower to “calm yourself down” doesn’t hold much merit. Sure, an extremely cold shower will induce calm in the short term, but that calmness is short-lived. Research shows that after the initial shock of a cold shower, there is a small increase in testosterone along with a few other hormones that contribute to an increased sex drive.

Whether its interest in promoting fat loss, reducing inflammation, or activating some of your body’s natural healing mechanisms, the addition of a daily cold shower can help. Admittedly, it may take some getting used to. But the proven health benefits significantly outweigh the initial discomfort.

Joe Condora is a nutrition and health coach at Valley Integrative Pharmacy and host of the top-rated health and wellness podcast The Primal Example Podcast.

Valley Integrative Pharmacy is located at 75 Washington Valley Rd., Bedminster. For information call 908-658-4900 or visit ValleyPharmacyRX.com. See ad, page 3.

VE THIS O L E U R T FIND

December 2020

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Breathing into Self-Expression

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healing ways

SING TO HEAL

Resonance, Mantra and Humming

Using the Voice to Uplift Mind and Body

by Marlaina Donato

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ccording to growing research, singing along to a favorite musical or joining a local choir can be good for our health. From college students to patients with Parkinson’s disease, everyone can benefit, regardless of talent. Singing naturally fosters endorphins, amps up immunity levels and lowers the stress hormone cortisol.

A study by the UK University of East Anglia published in 2017 in The BMJ’s Medical Humanities shows that group singing—along with the positivity of social interaction— supports and improves mental health in people with depression and anxiety. Singing for the Brain, a program created by The Alzheimer’s Society, has been shown to improve memory, mood and the ability to socialize for people with dementia.

“I feel singing can be significant to mental well-being and healing from an injury or cancer, while in recovery from substance abuse, or to help cope with trauma. Additional benefits may include pain management,” says Tamera Anderson-Hanna, a licensed mental health counselor and the owner of Wellness, Therapy & Yoga, in Miami.

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“When we sing, we dive straight into a conscious bodily experience that brings us into immediate connection with our bodies. Singing, especially repetitive singing where we can start to regulate a breath cycle and elongate it, gets us deeply oxygenated,” says Daisy Press, a professional singer and vocal teacher in New York City.

There’s no right or wrong way to reap the benefits of music. A few years into her professional career, Press took a group lesson with a North Indian raga teacher and experienced a deep inner shift. “I was allowed to enjoy the feeling of singing that one note and my mind turned off. I felt the intonation itself in my body—in waves, shapes and colors. Intonation itself became a real living energy that felt essentially good, restorative and healing.”

Lea Longo, a Montreal-based meditation mindfulness coach and musician, concurs.

“Singing has been my way to relax, not only my mind, but my body, as well. It uses the breath, a vital tool for health. It’s my go-to place to feel better. I just sing when I need a boost, and it works for me.”

“The voice can be considered a healing tool for the fact that it is directly related to resonance in the body,” explains Longo.

“We can think of our voice as a tuning fork to ‘tune’ ourselves and use it as a way to heal internally through the vibrations and sounds we produce.” Using sound is a subtle energy therapy that can help heal emotional or physical distress, he says.

Mantra, the recitation of specific words or traditionally sacred chants, is not a religion, but simply a method to quell mental chatter. “Mantras are vibrational tools that can be practiced by any faith or spiritual practice.”

In her work, Anderson-Hanna makes the mantra personal. “I often teach individuals how to create their own mantra and how to challenge their thinking using positive affirmations. The mantra I teach

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is most often a personal reflection of ‘I am’ statements they can aspire to, versus negative or defeating thoughts.”

Humming, another way to open the voice for healing, is the least intimidating for many people, but packs a powerful punch. “Out of all the many healing sounds I’ve worked with, I find that humming is the most effective because it is so inclusive—everyone can hum. Physiologically, humming reduces heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. Many different beneficial hormones and chemicals are released, including endorphins, oxytocin, melatonin and nitric oxide,” says Jonathan Goldman, co-author of The Humming Effect and director of the Sound Healers Association, in Boulder, Colorado. “The importance of nitric oxide is coming more into light since it is a vasodilator and has anti-viral qualities.” In addition, humming stimulates the vagus nerve, which reduces inflammation and enhances immunity.

Whether we sing children to sleep at night or learn to sing jazz, using our voices can be good medicine. Goldman reminds us, “There are so many different ways that sound can positively shift and change us.”

Marlaina Donato is a recording artist and author. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

Starting Off Singing

Humming and Singing Tips to Try From Tamera Anderson-Hanna, an Uplifting Playlist: “I encourage my clients if they need to boost their mood to create a happy and uplifting playlist to sing or listen to—the same advice I used for myself when healing from breast cancer and experiencing setbacks.”

From Jonathan Goldman, Conscious Humming: “Find a place where you will not be disturbed. Begin by taking some nice deep breaths in and out.

Choose a purpose or intention. Do you want to assist with a headache? Do you want to reduce your stress? Do you want to send this sound to a specific part of your body?

Hum a tone on one note that is comfortable. Do this at least five times so that you can become aware of how the hum is resonating in your head or body, and then hum for five minutes, if possible.

Be in a place of silence for at least a minute or more after you have created the hum and be aware of what you experience. Note: Because the hum has so many powerful effects, people often become lightheaded (and very relaxed) when they practice conscious humming.”

From Lea Longo, Mantra Tips: “If you have never used or chanted a mantra before, I would recommend starting with the universal mantra Aum or Om. It is simple and easy to pronounce. Start with five minutes a day for 30 days and increase the time as you feel fit. As you get more comfortable with the sound of your voice, you will develop a practice and habit. The shower is a great place to start to overcome self-consciousness.”

Live simply and share time, energy and material resources with those who are in need. ~Thich Nhat Hanh December 2020

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Image Courtesy of Josh Pridgen

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green living

unteering,” Shuman says. “Sociology studies show lower crime and greater degrees of social organization and civil society. Health studies reveal that local business communities replace a lot of unhealthy, imported food with healthier, fresher, less-packaged food that lowers rates of diabetes and obesity. Unique local businesses attract tourists. And because they shorten the lines of distribution and supply, we know they bring down carbon footprint.”

Phoenix business leader Kimber Lanning, who opened a record store in 1987 and an art gallery in 1999, has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of local commerce. “Doing business with people we know heightens our connection to place, and when we care about place, we’re more likely to vote, volunteer and give charitably.”

In 2003, Lanning founded the nonprofit Local First Arizona (LFA) to help local businesses thrive and eventually eliminate city, state and federal subsidies that

PAY WHERE WE PLAY Boosting the Hometown Economy

by Sandra Yeyati

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message we hear throughout the year, but especially during the holidays, is, “Buy local.” The idea is to purchase from locally owned and operated businesses. Facing competition from big chains like Walmart or internet companies like Amazon, they need our support. But it’s not just a nice thing to do; consumers that buy local help build robust hometown economies with a long list of impressive benefits.

“About three dozen studies have found that two to four times more money stays in the economy for every dollar spent in a locally owned business rather than a nonlocal one,” says economist Michael Shuman, author of The Small-Mart Revolution, Put Your Money Where Your Life Is and The Local Economy Solution. “What’s more, the community enjoys a multiplier effect, generating two to four times more job opportunities, two to four times more income and two to four times greater tax collections. If your interest is in reducing poverty and raising social equality, locally owned businesses are your ticket to doing so.”

According to Shuman, cities that rely on just one or two large companies to drive their economies are far less self-reliant and less resilient than towns that support a diversified base of smaller, locally owned businesses. “The more you have control over your economy, the less likely you’re going to be hurt if one big company splits for Mexico,” he explains.

Cities that have many thriving local businesses enjoy other benefits, too. “We know from political science studies that they have higher rates of voting participation and vol-

multinational companies were receiving. “Big chains move in, claiming they’re going to drive so much sales tax revenue that the city should pay them to be there,� she explains. “Cabela’s [the outfitter chain] got a $68 million subsidy from Glendale to open one retail location. These sweetheart deals extract money out of the community that could have been spent on parks, libraries and fire departments, but instead goes to shareholders living elsewhere.� Responding to political pressure by LFA and others, Arizona passed a law banning these subsidies five years ago—a major victory—leveling the playing field for smaller businesses, according to Lanning.

As the author of 13 destination guidebooks, Florida-based travel journalist Karen T. Bartlett helps people discover the often-hidden flavors and experiences unique to their own region, meeting neighbors and supporting the local economy along the way. “From kayak adventures and foodie tours to community theater productions and galleries featuring local artists, fun and meaningful ways to enjoy the distinctive offerings of home abound,� she says. “Think local first,� Lanning says. “Spend your money with people you know in your community—from haircuts to oil changes.

Use a local pharmacy. Go to the farmers’ market and move your money to community banks and credit unions.� “For people to get excited about the purchase of a five-dollar hammer and not pay attention to where they have their mortgage is utterly irrational. Rank [in] order your business expenditures, which starts with your home, then probably goes to your car and then health care, and think about ways of localizing those things, rather than every grocery item,�

Shuman advises. “Usually, you find cheaper, better-quality goods and services, or at the very least, comparable options,� he says, adding that even if a purchase is slightly more expensive or a bit less convenient, favoring the neighborhood vendor is always going to benefit the local economy.

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December 2020

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A New Story for the World

Re-Visioning the Script for a Healthier Society and Planet

by Linda Sechrist

T

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he most familiar form of human activity and the most natural way to describe what happens in our lives is through telling stories. Toddlers listen to stories that have contained the same archetypal characters acting out similar plots for millennia. In literature, folktales and myths all over the world, stories serve the purpose of providing life instructions and answering humanity’s fundamental questions about the nature of existence, such as who we are, where we came from, the definition of our purpose and the nature of our reality.

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In the 1980s, author and cultural historian Thomas Berry declared that humanity needed a new story that is less destructive and dysfunctional. Berry filled lecture halls, telling attendees, “We are in trouble now because we don’t have a good story. The old story, the account of how the world came to be and how we fit into it, isn’t functioning properly. What once sustained us, shaped our emotional attitude, provided us with life purpose, energized action, consecrated suffering, integrated knowledge and guided education is no longer serving humanity.” As we are discovering globally through hard experience, the old stories of rugged individualism and conquering and dominating the natural world have run their course with grim results.

In the last four decades, fragments of a new story have been slowly emerging.

Because it isn’t deemed worthy of mainstream media, the public is left in the dark about new, life-instructing stories capable of altering human civilization in positive ways. Were these story fragments woven together in an anthology, chapters on climate, economy, religion, environment, science, politics, medicine, education, conscious evolution and community would constitute a useful account of ideas and concepts capable of bringing about a brighter future for humanity and the planet. These possibilities would surely capture readers’ imaginations.

New Climate Story In Climate: A New Story, writer and activist Charles Eisenstein suggests that we need a new story that makes possible the

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New Science Story Evolution biologist Elisabet Sahtouris’ stories about science shine a light on the broader perspective of life and science gained from studying multiple worldviews.

A scholar of ancient sciences, Sahtouris reminds us that the original purpose of science was to find guidance for human affairs by studying nature.

During a recent conversation with Ubiquity University founder Jim Garrison in the online Humanity Rising’s Global Solutions Summit, she says, “We have acted in opposition and made ecology subservient to our economy, using ecology as a set of resources for human economics. When we make our economy fit into nature’s economy, which we call ecology, we’ll have ecosophy, the ‘wisdom of the Earth itself ’ that occurs when a man knows how to listen with love.”

Sahtouris teaches corporations about ecosophy’s new view of a conscious universe and a living Earth in which we are co-creators. This, she believes, takes humans out of fatalistic victimhood so that we can become consciously active agents of our destiny. Lifting the fog of our

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more beautiful world our hearts know is achievable. The story, which he believes is attainable, calls for people, governments and organizations to embrace a partnership paradigm to protect, restore, regenerate and repair damages to our planet’s natural world, which we call the environment. Using indigenous wisdom, organizations such as the Pachamama Alliance and Bioneers are helping individuals worldwide to recognize that humanity is here to be in service to life. Creating the right conditions for revitalizing life is the opposite of our collective story that views the natural world only as a resource.

Eisenstein’s ideas for regenerative agriculture match those described in environmentalist Paul Hawken’s Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming. In October, Drawdown Georgia became the first state-centered effort to crowd-solve for climate change, with solutions tailored to Georgia’s unique natural, economic and social resources.

self-image as consumers of stuff gives humans the rights and responsibilities to live out our full co-creative humanity.

A Global Commons Sharing Solutions Through the daily sharing of stories with keynote speakers and panel discussions, Garrison increases the momentum of the Humanity Rising movement, which includes Ubiquity University students, program participants and more than 400 organizations that come together as a “global commons” to take counsel and share what they are developing for their own networks.

Humanity Rising was launched to try to leverage the crisis of the coronavirus pandemic into an opportunity for human renewal and increase our resilience to future challenges. This new form of real-life competency education delivered in TED Talk-style presentations, moderated dialogues, working groups, blogs, ongoing conversations, group discussions and other interactions provides participants a wide scope of possibilities and activities for working together for global solutions.

Economics Story If British economist Kate Raworth writes a follow-up to her bestselling book Donut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist, she’ll certainly add a case study of her consulting work in Amsterdam, where her donut model is now embraced as the starting point for public policy decisions. Amsterdam is the world’s first city to make a commitment to Raworth’s concepts: “Out with the global attachment to economic growth and laws of supply and demand, and in with … what it means for countries, cities and people to thrive in balance with the planet,” as reported in The Guardian. The simple central premise of Raworth’s alternative to growth economics is that the goal of economic activity should be to meet the core needs of all within the means of the planet.

Interconnectedness Author Robert Atkinson’s contribution to the new story is his understanding of the underlying unity in all religions and all humanity, expressed throughout his book The December 2020

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Story of Our Time: From Duality to Interconnectedness to Oneness. “Nature is an embodiment of the divine, and the whole Earth is sacred. Its vast resources are our common heritage entrusted to us,” he says. “Humanity is one family. Having passed through the stage of childhood, humanity is now struggling to leave behind its adolescent ways while taking on new patterns of thought and action in approaching its maturity. Accepting the oneness of humanity as a biological fact, a social necessity and a spiritual reality will lead us further along our journey toward lasting peace.”

Atkinson believes global harmony is inevitable when we exercise our obligation to independently investigate reality and stop blindly and uncritically following various traditions, movements and opinions. He says, “I consider this as one of the main sources of world conflict.”

Undivided Wholeness In a world engulfed by fragmentation, the film Infinite Potential: The Life & Ideas of David Bohm is a healing balm with the potential to overturn our ideas about the world and ourselves.

“The core work of David Bohm, considered one of the most significant theoretical physicists of the 20th century, is our essential interconnectedness and undivided wholeness from which we get a sense of our own interconnectivity,” says producer and director Paul Howard. “This realization makes it logical to start taking better care of ourselves, each other and planet Earth.”

Howard notes, “David was interested in the nature of thought and consciousness. Realizing that he wanted to develop full expression of his interests, he explored wider domains and investigated different worldviews with sages, philosophers and spiritual leaders such as the Dalai Lama, who called David his ‘science guru’. A lifelong concern with social and political change led him to develop the Bohm Dialogue, a form of communication aiming to break through our collective modes of habitual thought. He also spent time with indigenous people, searching for a new form of language in which to express his ideas in a more process-oriented way.”

Indigenous Wisdom While the early church developed and grew in numbers by assimilating the wisdom of the world about it, including paganism, it neglected to assimilate the intuitive ways in that indigenous people knew the natural world, how it functioned and how intimately they were integrated with it.

Tribes around the globe have ancient extinction stories that foretold the crises we are collectively experiencing, as well as potential outcomes and possible solutions. In Sacred Instructions: Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit-Based Change, Sherri Mitchell (Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset) tells the story of the Mohawk Seventh Generation Prophecy. “The Onkwehonwe, or real people, rise up and demand their wisdom and way of life be respected and that the natural way of the Earth and way of life be fully restored. Teachings on the indigenous way of life are being sought after, and all that remains is that we work together to restore the Earth to a state of balance and good health,” she says.

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Medicine and Community

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Thousands of people are gathering in online intentional communities associated with personal growth, healing and spiritual awakening. Jennifer Phelps, M.D., owner and director of Phelps MD Integrative Medicine, in Redding, Connecticut, practices mind-body medicine and is a faculty member of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, in Washington, D.C. A trained facilitator of small groups, she has been teaching trauma and stress healing via Zoom calls during the pandemic.

Initially, Phelps was concerned about how the levels of intimacy, trust and vulnerability necessary for individuals to develop a sense of cohesiveness and bonding could be formed via computer screens. By using the center’s model of self-care, self-awareness and mutual support that has its roots in indigenous culture, she felt her concern dissipate as group members began to bond quickly. “Our guidelines call for no cross-talking and no interrupting. Confidentiality is sacred. I’m a facilitator and a participant, which most models don’t allow,” says Phelps.

She speculates that the success of online bonding might be due to participants feeling safer in their homes with a little extra anonymity, noting, “Not being face-to-face seems to allow people to share more freely. These weird times are creating a commonality and a sense of community connection.”

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Feeling Vibrant is Natural (at least it should be)

Imbalances in a woman’s health can feel like being bombarded (or ambushed) from within. Life can become uncomfortable, irritating, painful and even sad.

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Conscious Choice Leah Lamb, a sacred storyteller in Topanga, California, defines her role as a seer far beyond the present moment. In Lamb’s online classes with her storytelling community, she loves sharing quotes by other storytellers such as Rebecca Solnit, “We think we tell stories; but stories often tell us … Too often stories saddle us, and they ride us and whip us onward and tell us what to do and we do it without questioning. The task of learning to be free is to learn to hear them; to question them, to pause and hear silence, to name them and then become a storyteller of your own story.”

“In our role of storyteller, we can’t be without understanding that we tell stories about how we are in the world as much as stories tell us how to be in world. Identify and notice your stories, then understand how they are running you, so you can consciously choose your place in them,” advises Lamb, who encourages her students to discover the genius of their own calling.

These are only some chapters in the new story that calls for each of us to be aware of the stories we live by, as well as those we tell ourselves and others. It also begs us to ask what is our role in the new story.

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings.

Connect at LindaSechrist.com.

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Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy. “Perhaps most important is to have a conversation with children about buying less stuff and avoiding waste,” she adds.

“They may have their own ideas about how to reduce waste and relish the challenge of thinking about what they really want.”

healthy kids

REINVENT THE HOLIDAYS

Getting Creative

More Meaning, Less Stuff

dglimages/AdobeStock.com

by Ronica O’Hara

L

ike many parents, Alicia Hough, a corporate wellness expert in New York, used to go overboard plying her kids with gifts at Christmas. “I was always busy with work, which is why I thought that buying my children the latest or most trending toy in the market will make up for the time I’ve lost,” she recalls. “As kids, they indeed get excited with material gifts, but that joy is just temporary, and that’s what I realized throughout this pandemic. In the end, it’s the relationship with people you value that matters, and not these material things or celebrations.”

Hough, who considers the pandemic a turning point, is not alone. In this turbulent year, holiday celebrations will likely be smaller, quieter and less opulent for many families.

Yet the crisis has also set the stage for families “to create a holiday that is more in keeping with their values, finding deeper connection and meaning with less rushing around and spending less money,” says Laura Markham, a clinical psychologist and author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids.

Besides passing up traveling and parties for cozy pajama times, many families are seriously rethinking their gift-giving habits. Although presents are a beloved part of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations, many families have come to wonder how the shopping and spending has gotten so out of hand. According to Investopedia, in 2019, the average American spent $942 on holiday gifts, a figure that has steadily mounted in the last decade to total $1 trillion. An estimated $16 billion worth of those gifts are unappreciated and tossed aside, reports Moneyish.

This pandemic season offers “a chance to reset expectations if festive gift-giving has become excessive in recent years,” says Beth Kempton, author of Calm Christmas and a

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For Evan Porter, of Milton, Georgia, a parenting writer at DadFixesEverything.com, “Less clutter and fewer gifts are something we’ve been working toward anyway.” This year, he and his wife plan to drastically pare down their kids’ gifts, possibly using this formula: “Something to read, something to wear, something you want and something you need.” Instead of presents under a tree, Dawna Campbell, of Bigfork, Montana, founder of ThetaHeartHealing.com, will give her kids an unplugged (and coronavirus-compliant) nature retreat where they can investigate the natural environment, work with animals and journal about how to make the world a better place.

For parents that want to embrace creativity, low costs and sustainability this holiday season, Kempton suggests the following gift-giving ideas: n Build anticipation with a treasure hunt or by opening presents over a period of time. n Incorporate a sense of wonderment with a wooden magic set or a storybook written by either or both parents that stars the child. n Surprise the children by transforming a room in the house into a winter wonderland or turning the garden shed into Santa’s grotto. n Offer a parent’s time, skills and attention in the form of promissory notes or a small token that indicates a future shared experience, such as a jar of homemade marshmallows tied with a label promising a family camping trip. n Give children items that they can use or eat that are handmade by the parents. n Invoke a sense of nostalgia that prompts family storytelling, such as a jigsaw that summons memories of putting together a puzzle with a grandfather 50 years ago.

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Ronica O’Hara, a Denver-based health writer, can be reached at OHaraRonica@ gmail.com.

Gentle Self-Care for Parents “Feelings of melancholy are a reality for many people over the holidays, and this year it is likely to affect more of us than usual, given how so many of us have lost someone or something this year,” says Beth Kempton, author of Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy. “It is vital to acknowledge these feelings and accommodate them, whilst also making space for joy. This comes down to talking about it, letting people know what you need or asking what they need and being prepared for the emotions to rise to the surface in the middle of things.”

She suggests “putting some slack in your schedule, taking extra care of your health, reaching out for support and giving yourself permission to do things differently this year.”

Fresh Rituals for a New Year

ksenia makagonova/Unsplash.com

Even gift wrapping can become a fun and eco-smart family game by challenging everyone to creatively repurpose everything from old maps and fabrics to magazines and paper bags, perhaps decorated with artwork and nature finds. If every American family wrapped just three presents in re-used materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields, estimates the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However they are wrapped, gifts demonstrate in these unprecedented times that deep joy comes not from acquiring new stuff, but from caring for and giving to each other—especially our children.

“In the end, the most precious gift parents can give their children this holiday is their attention, infused with a little bit of festive magic,” says Kempton.

inspiration

ksenia makagonova/Unsplash.com

n Celebrate environmental stewardship by planting and growing a Christmas tree or Hanukkah bush.

T

he end of one year and the beginning of another marks a hopeful transition that many of us choose to celebrate with fireworks and glitzy parties. Here are several New Year’s rituals to help us connect more deeply to our loved ones, to ourselves and to a richer sense of purpose as we embrace the promise of 2021.

Reevaluate the past year. While many people focus only on what lies ahead on New Year’s Day, consider taking a therapeutic and spiritual look at the past 12 months, evaluating personal accomplishments and deviations from goals and aspirations. Take note of lessons learned and challenges faced, as well as the top 10 highlights of the year.

Declutter. In Italy, people throw things out of their windows on New Year’s Eve; getting rid of items that are no longer of service is just as important as welcoming the new. In that spirit, this is a good time to gather clothing, books and other items collecting dust and donate them to a local charity where they may be useful to someone else.

Formally invite prosperity. Many cultures around the world celebrate New Year’s Day with rituals that are meant to ward off bad luck and attract good fortune. Some of them espouse throwing money over the threshold the first time someone enters their home after the new year has begun. Here’s a modern twist: Gather the family together and bless a few coins or paper bills, either through prayer or as a statement of hope and anticipation.

Then, donate the money to charity as a way to spiritually pay it forward.

Spend New Year’s Eve in meditation. Quiet meditation or prayer is a great way to usher in a sense of peace and harmony. Make sure the session begins before midnight and extends into the new year. This can be done at home alone, with friends or at a local meet-up group, yoga center or spiritual organization.

Place special emphasis on the first 12 days. For many people, the first 12 days of a new year represent each of the 12 months to come. To set a positive course for 2021, spend each of those days exhibiting aspirations for the coming year, such as volunteering at a soup kitchen to manifest an interest in being more charitable, or reading a book about immigrants to become more culturally sensitive.

Adapted from an Arcadia Publishing contribution.

December 2020

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LOCAL

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Yoga Corner Yamas & Niyamas

by Nicole Zornitzer

T

he Western world view of the practice of yoga is often that of movement and exercise. However, there is much more to yoga than the pure “asana” (movement); in fact, asana is only one limb of the Eight Limbed Path of Yoga. In the Eastern world, yoga is a way of life—for some it is a spiritual experience; for others it is a means to better comprehend all that life tosses our way. In my case, yoga has saved my life multiple times and it is not because I can comfortably go upside down. Yoga goes much deeper than this.

Many years ago, in my quest for knowledge and a deeper understanding, I began to dive deep into the yamas and the niyamas. These Sanskrit words and ideas of wisdom have molded the way in which I have chosen to live my life, experience my yoga and educate the population on such concepts.

The yamas and niyamas can be viewed as yogic ethical disciplines or observances that offer the practitioner a means to move through life both on and off the mat in a mindful and meaningful way. They encourage acceptance of and kindness to all, including one’s self, and offer tangible and non-tangible methods to heal.

The 5 Yamas are translated as “restraints” or social disciplines:

◊

Santosha (contentment) – To be content with what we have and live authentically in the moment.

◊

Tapas (self-discipline) – Exude your pure character and continue on a path of wellness.

◊

Svadhyaya (self-study) – Understanding oneself to create a pathway of knowledge and acceptance.

Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender) – To let go of ego and open the heart to live life fully.

◊

Ahimsa (non-violence) – invites one to be non-harmful to oneself, others and the environment.

◊

Satya (truthfulness) – encourages one to live life authentically.

◊

◊

Asteya (non-stealing) – introduces one to live life with integrity, in the present moment with gratitude.

◊

Brahmacharya (non-excess) – enables one to accept that one has enough versus grasping for more.

◊

Aparigraha (non-possessiveness) – asks one to let go of how one thinks life should be and instead accept the life one has to truly arrive present.

Yoga and the yamas and niyamas have provided me a pathway to wellness, the ability to be compassionate toward myself and others, and the framework to effectively and efficiently live a full life. The greatest lesson I have learned is that this life is short; thus, to live in the present, truly acknowledging all moments, appreciative for others who have entered and existed and understand that I was meant to experience them all. A full life is one that can be reflected upon at death with gratitude for everything.

The 5 Niyamas are translated as “observances” or ethical conduct: ◊

Saucha (purity) – Maintain a pure body, thoughts and actions.

Nicole Zornitzer, ERYT 1000, yoga therapist, founder of Niyama Yoga & Wellness Shala, located in Randolph, New Jersey, and Upper Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey. NiyamaYogaShala.com.

December 2020

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Winter Solstice

A New Season – A New Era

Celebrate The Light

by Janet StraightArrow

E

very year we celebrate the Winter Solstice as the day that awakens the light. December 21 is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. As the sun moves into Capricorn, the winter season begins, often bringing cold weather for us in New Jersey.

This year, a special planetary alignment at the Winter Solstice occurs when planets Saturn and Jupiter join at zero degrees Aquarius. These two planets meet in the sky every 20 years bringing a new phase for the world to experience.

A theme for Aquarius is all for one and one for all. Both a personal and collective focus at the same time. Aquarius awakens us to collective responsibility as our true selves. For this to occur on the 2020 Winter Solstice portends a big shift point and change coming.

As we gather on the Winter Solstice, it is good to explore a grander purpose for all of us to be self-sustaining and productive. Discovering who we are and what our place is, on the whole, is an important theme to explore. Living our true self with clarity and peace serves all.

Aquarius is represented by the planet Uranus which is known for lightning bolt change. What changes do we need to make to improve society now? What is our part in this change?

How might Saturn (structure) and Jupiter (expansion)inspire a new era? Both of these energies joined in Aquarius offers opportunities to work together. The adventure continues as we try to work through the divisions in thought and resistance to cooperation within our part of the world.

On the solstice, join with family, gather on Zoom with a spiritual community or alone to meditate, pray, celebrate and set your intentions for the New Season, Year, and 20-year cycle opening. Reach for the stars, the highest truth, and love. Let’s say a collective prayer for this next cycle to advance the best change for all.

Janet StraightArrow, founder of Be The Medicine, is a shaman, healer and sage. Join Janet StraightArrow on December 21, at 7 p.m., on Zoom. Sliding Scale donations. For details, see the calendar listing on page xx or visit BeTheMedicine.com. See ad, page 7.

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December 2020

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jill heyer/Unsplash.com

conscious eating

The Gift of Yum Homemade Treats Spark Holiday Cheer

by April Thompson

G

ift-givers seeking memorable presents while avoiding holiday shopping stress need look no further than the kitchen. Edible homemade gifts make special, welcome treats, help slow down the shopping frenzy of the season and increase creativity in the kitchen. While 79 percent of recipients return some holiday gifts every year, food and handmade items rank in the top 10 treasured gifts, according to Survey Monkey research.

Mackenzie Burgess, a Fort Collins, Colorado, dietitian and recipe developer at Cheerful Choices, encourages holiday gift-givers to think beyond the Christmas cookie. One of her go-to holiday gifts, a lentil and brown rice dry soup mix, features colorful dry ingredients layered in a Mason jar and the recipe attached with a pretty ribbon. “This shelf-stable dry soup mix is the perfect, plant-based meal to make on a chilly night, and makes for a unique, affordable and thoughtful gift,” says Burgess, adding that the Mason jars can be repurposed.

For a sweet but healthy treat, Burgess offers freezer-friendly energy bites, which can be made in large quantities in advance and frozen or refrigerated, then popped into jars at gift time. These gluten-free, vegan treats can be made with common pantry items, including a base of oats, nut butter and a sweetener like honey or agave, as well as “fixings” such as shredded coconut, dried cranberries or goji berries, chopped nuts, or chia or flax seeds to boost the flavor and nutrition. Natural food coloring can also be added to foster a more festive look.

To give a gift a “wow” factor, blogger Shelley Fulton, in Hudson, Ohio, recommends making a themed basket that may include a mix of homemade and purchased items. “You can take your signature spice rub or that homemade soup mix everyone raves about and expand into a gift basket with other products that support the theme, like barbecue tools for the spice rub or a kettle with cute soup bowls and a new ladle for the soup mix,” says Fulton, the creator of Two Healthy Kitchens. For the dog lovers on a holiday list, Fulton suggests making homemade sweet potato dog biscuits, which can be bundled in a dog bed with other canine comforts.

Stephanie Hafferty, author of The Creative Kitchen: Seasonal Plant Based Reci-

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pes for Meals, Drinks, Garden and Self Care, suggests handcrafted items like infused vinegars, herb salts, herbal tea blends or spice mixes for foodies on the holiday gift list.

Infused concoctions can be easily made by steeping a light vinegar like champagne or cider with rosemary, thyme or other perennial herbs, along with a spiraled citrus peel, for two weeks before gifting. “Infused vinegars look so lovely and go with so many winter dishes. They also have the advantage of being antiviral and having the shelf life of a few years,” says Hafferty.

Herb-infused olive oils make another gorgeous foodie gift, but Hafferty warns of botulism risk if the herbs are not completely dried beforehand and fully submerged in the oil. “Make this one closer to the time you plan to give it and include instructions to use within a few weeks,” recommends the Somerset, England, author.

Unusual spice mixes are another favorite gift of Hafferty’s, which can encourage home cooks to get creative.

“Ras el Hanout is a versatile Moroccan spice blend that elevates dishes to another dimension. You can upcycle an old tin and decorate it with images of Moroccan tiles and add a homemade booklet with recipe ideas,” she says.

For a hostess gift that will be eaten immediately, Fulton loves making fruit kabob bouquets, made festive by using red and green fruits like strawberries and kiwi cut into holiday-themed shapes like stars and bells. “This is a fun one to make with kiddos,” adds the blogger.

If concerned about preparing food items for someone due to COVID-19, Fulton suggests assembling a countertop herb garden or a handmade book of favorite recipes, with a promise to cook together soon.

The spirit that goes into holiday gift-making matters as much as the end product. Making thoughtful presents for loved ones is a great time to reflect upon our blessings, especially those that have blessed our lives this year.

Connect with Washington, D.C., freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com.

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Holiday Gift-Giving Recipes

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Christmas Cocoa Crunch Bark ½ cup 100% cocoa powder, unsweetened ½ cup coconut oil, melted 2 Tbsp raw quinoa 2 Tbsp maple syrup ¼ tsp stevia ¼ cup dried cranberries ¼ cup pistachios, roughly chopped 2 Tbsp candied orange, diced in small pieces ½ tsp pink Himalayan salt 2 Tbsp white chocolate, melted (optional) Toast raw quinoa over medium-high heat until slightly browned and nutty aroma.

In a small bowl, mix together cocoa powder and melted coconut oil. Stir in toasted quinoa, maple syrup and stevia.

Pour mixture onto a plate or sheet pan lined with parchment paper or wax paper. Sprinkle pistachios, dried

This is lovely sprinkled onto roasting vegetables or added to falafel mixes, soups, stews and tagines.

1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp fennel seeds

cranberries, candied oranges and salt over the melted chocolate mixture.

Drizzle white chocolate over the top and use a toothpick to create swirl effect if desired.

Freeze for 1 hour. Break into pieces and enjoy. Store leftovers in freezer for up to 3 months.

HELP WANTED MASSAGE THERAPIST WANTED: We’re MassageOfHunterdon.com. Start at 50% of fee, which scales up, plus tips and promotions. NMT training provided. Start Part-time, some Saturdays prefered.

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Recipe from Mackenzie Burgess, Cheerful Choices.

photo by Stephanie Hafferty

Ras el Hanout Spice Mix

photo by Mackenzie Burgess, RDN

yield: 30 pieces

2 tsp cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick, ground 1 tsp smoked paprika or red pepper flakes 1 tsp black peppercorns 1 tsp cayenne (optional for spicier version) 5 star anise ½ tsp ground cloves Seeds from 10 cardamom pods 1 tsp dried rose petals Dry roast the cumin, coriander, peppercorns, fennel and star anise in a cast-iron skillet until lightly toasted.

This takes a minute or two and smells gorgeous. Cool and mix with the other ingredients, grinding in a pestle and mortar or spice blender until the mixture resembles a fine powder. Store in a glass-lidded container. This spicy mix is good for up to six months.

SPACE AVAILABLE SPACE AVAILABLE: Holistic Center in Hunterdon County: HunterdonHealingArts. com. $150 per day of the week for the month.

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December 2020

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daily & ongoing

All calendar events for the January 2021 issue must be received by December 8, 2020 and adhere to our guidelines. To submit, visit naturalawakeningscnj.com/pages/calendar-listings or email kathy@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com for submission form.

DECEMBER 2020 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 Mundi Outlet Holiday Sale – Open Now through Dec. 23 (closed Nov. 23, 26 & 30; Dec. 7 & 14); Mon-Sat: 10am-5pm, Sun: 11am-4pm. Save on men’s and women’s handbags, wallets, belts, cosmetic cases and more from brand name designers at this annual accessory warehouse. Save up to 50% and more. Mundi Westport Group, 331 Changebridge Rd., Pine Brook. For information call 973-575-7993 or visit MundiOutletSale.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2 Reiki Practice Class: All Levels – 7-9pm.

Practitioners come together for healing and learning. Learn a new meditation or tool and send energy to one another in various ways.

Monthly. Sliding scale $30-$60 prepaid (Venmo janet-straightarrow 973-647-2500 or PayPal.me/Janetstraightarrow); Zoom link sent on payment. For more information, call 973-647-2500 or email Janet@ Bethemedicine.com. BeTheMedicine.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3

session with your journal or writing materials.

Optional additional items to have with you: drawing or art materials, yoga mat, blanket, meditation cushion and essential oils. Join live or participate later with recorded sessions.

Facilitator: Jean O’Toole, empowerment coach, life designer and movement facilitator. $50/full series; 1 day for $25. Zoom link sent on registration. Contact 917-405-0596 or email meetyourselfinnature@gmail.com to register. $25-$50.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8 Know Your Soul Introduction to Soul Shamanism – 7-8:30pm. Soul Shamanism is a path of direct soul connection, healing, and living our whole true self. It is a Universal practice open to people of all ages and walks of life. Free Facebook Live. Sign Up on Facebook.com/events/450135549300090/.

For more information, call 973-647-2500 or email Janet@Bethemedicine.com.

BeTheMedicine.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10

Magical Gong Bath – 7-8:15pm. $25. Register via website. Niyama Yoga Wellness, 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph. For information call 973-500-2939 or visit NiyamaYogaShala. com. $25. Niyama Yoga Shala Sparta, 270 Sparta Avenue, Suite 202, Sparta.

NiyamaYogaShala.com.

Holiday Yoga & Wine Workshop with Certified Sommelier – 6-9pm. Holiday Yoga & Wine Workshop with Certified Sommelier.

Register via website. Niyama Yoga, 270 Sparta Avenue, Upper Lake Mohawk, Sparta.

For information call 973-500-2939 or visit NiyamaYogaShala.com. $50. Niyama Yoga Shala Sparta, 270 Sparta Avenue, Suite 202, Sparta. NiyamaYogaShala.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12

Reiki I Certification – Noon-4pm. Become attuned to the practice of the ancient, hands on healing modality, Reiki. Discover the history and hand positions, become familiar with the chakra system, experience receiving and giving Reiki. You will be certified, in possession of one Reiki symbol, able to give reiki treatments to yourself, family, and pets.Completion of this class makes the student eligible for Reiki 2.Class is led

by Reiki Masters Donna and Terry Pollin. $150 per person. Yoga Central, 953 US Hwy 202 North, Branchburg. 908-707-0759.

YogaCentralNJ.com.

Shine Your Light Yoga Festival – 9am-4:15pm.

This day-long event includes virtual and inperson (subject to change) trauma informed yoga classes. All proceeds benefit Take Back the Night Foundation, an organization seeking to end all forms of sexual violence.

Please check the Yoga Central website for the day’s schedule of classes. Suggested $15 per class. Yoga Central, 953 US Hwy 202 North, Branchburg. 908-707-0759. yogacentralnj.com.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 Spirit Animal Guidance - 5 Days of Inner Wisdom – Noon-1pm. Spirit Animal Guidance - 5 Days of Inner Wisdom – 12/7-11; noon-1pm.

Together let’s honor our inner wisdom. Guided each session by The Spirit Animal Oracle Deck

by Colette Baron-Reid. Prepare to attend the

38

Special 12-12 Sound Meditation – 4-5:30pm.

In-Person and Zoom. Join Leslie & Sue for the 12-12 sound meditation. The energies of the 12-12 and the meaning of it will be shared and then we will be using crystal singing bowls, tuning forks, chimes, awakening bell, crystal pyramids, etc. $33. In-person space is limited. Blossoming into Light, 31 Fairmount Ave, Suite 105, Chester. To register and for information contact info@ blossomingintolight-chester.com or call 862222-4268. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21 Winter Solstice & 12-21 Special Sound Meditation – 6:30-8pm. In-Person and Zoom.

Join Sue & Leslie for a special evening to celebrate the winter solstice and the age of Aquarius. A very powerful and special energy both numerologically and astrologically. It will bring in new energies for 2021.Enjoy the sounds of crystal singing bowls, chimes, awakening bell, crystal pyramids and more. $33. In-person space is limited. Blossoming into Light, 31 Fairmount Ave, Suite 105, Chester.

To register and for information contact info@ blossomingintolight-chester.com or call 862222-4268. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

Winter Solstice Ceremony and Circle – 7-9pm. Join Shaman Janet StraightArrow for a sacred, deep, fun Shamanic experience. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day, marking an end and a new beginning to our year.

Sliding scale $30-$60 prepaid (Venmo janetstraightarrow 973-647-2500 or PayPal. me/Janetstraightarrow); Zoom link sent on payment. For more information, call 973647-2500 or email Janet@Bethemedicine. com. BeTheMedicine.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27 Light Language Appointments & Group Meditation With Katherine of Light – Light Language is a universal multidimensional system of communication. Unlike linear language we speak or use of logic or intellect, Light Language speaks to the “knowing from the Heart” or Soul. This deeply layered alchemical communication of information that is truly beyond words.

One-on-One appts: $80 (appts available from 11:30am-3:15pm). Group Light Language Meditation & Activation: $44 (from 3:30-5pm). Blossoming into Light, 31 Fairmount Ave, Suite 105, Chester. To register and for information contact info@ blossomingintolight-chester.com or call 862-222-4268. BlossomingIntoLightChester.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31 Annual New Year’s Eve Meditation – 6-7:30pm.

Annual New Year’s Eve Meditation In-person and virtual. We have been hosting this event for over 10 years. It’s a popular way to bring focus and purpose to the new year. Each participant receives a special gift and we focus on what to expect for the coming year astrologically. Guided meditation included. $44. In-person space is limited. Blossoming into Light, 31 Fairmount Ave, Suite 105, Chester.

To register and for information contact info@

NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

blossomingintolight-chester.com or call 862222-4268. BlossomingIntoLight-Chester.com.

PLAN AHEAD SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2021 Body Freedom Workshop - Randolph – 12noon-2pm. Join Niyama Yoga Studio for a spiritual experience through the body.

We will focus on creating acceptance and freedom as we begin a new year. This program includes Yin Yoga to open the heart, meditation, yoga nidra and meditation. $35. Register via website. Niyama Yoga Wellness, 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph.

For information call 973-500-2939 or visit NiyamaYogaShala.com.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 22 Yin Yoga 30 Hour Teacher Training Program – 1/22-24, 1/29-31. Two Weekend Experience.

Are you interested in deepening your understanding and application of Yin Yoga?

This program is meant for yoga practitioners as well as existing yoga instructors who are looking to understand or potentially teach Yin Yoga. Training runs over 2 weekends (Friday evening - Sunday afternoon) to accommodate those that work other jobs or have other obligations. This is the perfect training for all yogis! This program is accredited by the International Yoga Alliance and all participants will receive 30 hours of CEU credit with this organization. $695. Register via website. Niyama Yoga Wellness, 1250 Sussex Turnpike, Randolph.

For information call 973-500-2939 or visit NiyamaYogaShala.com.

DECEMBER advertiser specials Mention Natural Awakenings to take advantage of these terrific specials.

7 Chakras Wellness Ayurvedic Healthcare for Women

Free 30 Minute Consult For information 908-251-1200, jennifer@7chakraswellness.com

7ChakrasWellness.com See ad, page 27.

Do y you experience p chronic p pain, allergies, depression or anxiety?

Neuro-Emotional Technique (NET) is a safe, gentle, and effective body-mind stress reduction technique utilizing acupressure points and a gentle Chiropractic adjustment.

ONGOING DAILY Qi Gong for Beginner Series – Times and days vary. Four 1-hour classes. Begin the gentle movements of a Qi Gong Tai Chi journey featuring Patty Pagano live online. First 1-hour class is Free! Check schedule or register at https://forms.gle/k2kcv9tVJ6X1QfpD8.

For information contact Patty at 908-3921313 or PattyQigongforHealing@gmail.com.

QiGongForHealing.com.

WEDNESDAY Focus on the Joints – 8:45-10am. This class focuses on warming up the body and moving the joints. Small movements reap big rewards as we move stuck energy through the body! Simple pranayama (breath work) and asana sequence is followed by relaxing savasana. Adults $18, Seniors/Students $16 or class card. Yoga Central, 953 US Hwy 202 North, Branchburg.

908-707-0759. yogacentralnj.com.

1 of 4 Doctors Advanced nced NET N certified in NJ

Dr. J. Redmond

CHIROPRAC CH C CHI HIIROP H ROPRAC ROP ROPRAC RO RA R AC TIC

Samsara Sa S ams msa arra ra Chiropractic Chir Ch irop irop opra pract ra acctticc Wellness Wel elln nes e s Center Cent Ce nterr nt E. High Ave., St., Somerville, 17Eastern Somerville,NJ NJ08876 08876 www.DoctorRedmond.com www.DoctorRedmond.com

908.300.8800

Nerve N er ve IInterference nterference can can cause cause tthese hese S Symptoms: ymptoms: Headaches/Migraines Sinus/Allergies Neck/Back Pain Shoulder Problems Anxiety Depression

Earaches Sports Injuries

December 2020

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Central New Jersey Community

business directory

Join the community! Request our media kit today by emailing Joe@NaturalAwakeningsNJ.com

Your local source for natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

Acupuncture

age 25.CBD Oil

Acupuncture Works Center

The Hemp Oil Store

Kristin A. Dudley LAc

84 Park Ave, Ste G-103C, Flemington 973-979-1652 AcupunctureWorksCenter.com

page 50.

Gentle acupuncture with can be both very relaxing as well as healing. Acupuncture has been used for centuries to ease muscle and arthritis pain, relieve stress, increase energy and improve sleep.

De-stress in a nurturing and healing enviroment. See ad,

Eden Energy Medicine/ Sound Meditation

Joseph Wilker Cool Breeze Distributors 3 E. Ave., Yardley, PA 855-904-4367, 267-679-2949 coolbreezedist@gmail.com TheHempOilStore.com License Number: 82-2609404

RedTail Energetics

The Hemp Oil Store is a family-owned CBD store. Our goal is to bring you, your pets, and your loved ones high-quality CBD products at affordable prices.

Shop online at TheHempOilStore.com with free shipping. We also have curbside pickup and walk-ins are always welcome. See ad, page 7.

Experience more joy, peace, calm, health and vitality through the combination of two profoundly effective healing modalities—Eden Energy Medicine, which corrects imbalances in nine different energy systems, and Sound Meditation with authentic bronze Himalayan Singing Bowls and Gongs.

Karen E Adamo, EEM-AP

Eden Energy Medicine Advanced Practitioner Phillipsburg, NJ 908-752-0097 (phone or text) Karen@RedTailEnergetics.com RedTailEnergetics.com

Agri-business

Chinese Healing Arts

Fortis Farms, LLC

Qi Gong For Healing

Monika Christian and Kiley Doll

18230 Edwards Shop Rd., Elkwood, VA 540-409-6871 hello@growfortisfarms.com GrowFortisFarms.com Fortis Farms’ goal is to create easy access to fresh, local food sources in a sustainable, resource-conserving system. We use and distribute aeroponic garden solutions to produce more, local, lower cost, healthy food in smaller spaces. See ad,

page 30.

Education/Schools

Brian Coffey LMT, and Fran Maher, CA 908-647-1563 QiGongForHealing.com Specializing in T’ai Chi and Qi Gong classes, as well as private session clinical Qi Gong and acupuncture since 1994. Chinese Medicine weekend seminars teach how to apply clinical Qi Gong remedies to specific disorders. Excellent for the lay person and healthcare providers. All are welcome to observe or join a class. See ad, page 9.

Ayurveda/Women’s Health Cosmetics – Organic 7 Chakras Wellness Jennifer Agugliaro

Ayurvedic Practitioner, RN 908-251-1200 jennifer@7chakraswellness.com 7ChakrasWellness.com Are you tired of feeling unwell? Jennifer offers natural, holistic methods to help you take control of your health and life. She focuses on women’s health issues such as reproductive health, digestion, sleep and anxiety. Book a free consult today. See ad, page 27.

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MEDERI COSMETICS

MederiCosmetics.com

Terry Martin, mother of five, is CEO, owner and founder of Mederi Cosmetics, offering both natural/organic and paramedical makeup lines (mainly for accident and burn survivors). Medical esthetician and paramedical makeup artist, motivational and lay ministry speaker, author of Makeup & More and Beyond Makeup, radio talk show host, newspaper founder. See ad, page 21.

1062 Cherry Hill Rd, Princeton 609-466-1970, x115 PrincetonWaldorf.org

The Waldorf curriculum, used in 1,000+ schools School worldwide, integrates arts, of Princeton academics, movement, and music, emphasizing social and environmental responsibility. The hands-on approach is screen free.

Waldorf

Functional Medicine Morningstar Family Health Center 54 Old Highway 22, Clinton 908-735-9344 MorningStarFHC.com

Terry Martin 570-575-8185 Terry@MederiCosmetics.com

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

Waldorf School Of Princeton

MorningStar’s team of health professionals cares for you like family. Our membership based practice cares for men, women and children age 8 and up with a functional approach to primary care. See ad, page 29.

“I never think of the future - it comes soon enough.”

- Albert Einstein

NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

Holistic Chiropractors

Hypnosis & Reiki

Meditation/Spiritual

Samsara Chiropractic Wellness Center

Energy Health & Wellness LLC

Center For Healing and Empowerment

Dr Jennifer Redmond 7 E. High St, Somerville 908-300-8800 DoctorRedmond.com

We believe that the body is designed to heal itself but structural issues, toxins, lack of nutrients or an emotional component can affect overall health. We offer Whole-istic healing techniques including Neuroemotional Technique, Active Release techniques, Activator, Flexion Distraction and more! See ad, page 39.

Holistic Dentistry The Center For Advanced Health Through Dentistry Dr. Joseph R. Mele, DDS, FIND, CNC 215 Union Ave.,Ste D, Bridgewater 908-526-2266 MeleDDS.com

Our aim is to restore you to health and vitality by eliminating dental road blocks. We offer the highest quality dental services with a holistic approach for children and adults. See ad, page 43.

Holistic Dental Center Vladimir Gashinsky, DDS

91 Millburn Ave, Milburn 973-457-4688 HolisticDentalCenterNJ.com Holistic dental care that is good for the body as well as teeth and gums. By treating the cause, not just the symptoms, Dr. Gashinsky helps improve his patients’ quality of life through dental care that respects and honors the body. See ad, page 44, back cover.

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened.”

- Alexander Graham Bell

Michele Dellavalle, CH, CHTP, ART Clinton & Flemington Online Sessions available #908-403-2045 EnergyHealth4Wellness@gmail.com ReikiEHW.com Employs complimentary methods to treat individuals in a holistic manner helping clients reach their goals and highest possible level of mental, physical & spiritual well-being.

Offering 5-Path Hypnosis®, 7th Path Self-Hypnosis®, Reiki, Healing Touch, Crystal Healing & Meditations.

Integrative Psychotherapy Bobbie Lynn Edwards LPC, NCC,M.Ed

Licensed Psychotherapist 15 E. Main St., Clinton 908-892-8978 • HunterdonTherapist.com Bobbie Lynn Edwards is a licensed psychotherapist for 35 years. Practicing integrating psychotherapy focusing on a broad spectrum of spiritual philosophies and practices to assist in your healing.

Clinically trained to provide guidance and direction to individuals, couples and families. Goals set within a mutual learning environment is the process. Meditation workshops for small and large groups are available. Call for a free consultation and further information.

Matrix Repatterning Dr. Clare M. Larkin, DC, CMRP located in Warren 908-930-0628 DrLarkin@optonline.net DrClareLarkin.com

Your cells remember traumatic injury on a deeper level. Some injuries hang on because their energy gets trapped in the deeper tissues of the body. Matrix Repatterning allows the detection and release of these deeper injuries, improves electrical flow and allows the body to function normally again. See ad, page 17.

Phyllis Livera

172 Washington Valley Rd, Suite 3, Warren 732-882-9676 CenterForHealingAndEmpowerment.com Are you seeking deeper meaning in your life? Are you stressed and ready for a change? Tired of being in both physical or emotional pain? We offer spiritual development, meditation and mini-me yoga classes, which have been helping people live more productive, happier lives.

Naturopathic Medicine

New Jersey Natural Medicine Dr. Jason Frigerio ND, LAC 2424 Lamington Road, Bedminster 973-267-2650 NJNaturalMedicine.com

Since 2004, NJNM has treated countless patients with naturopathic, Chinese, ayurvedic and biological medicine. Some come to improve and maintain health, while others are seeking treatments outside the traditional medical sphere. Regardless of the reason for the visit, our guiding principal remains constant: to observe and treat the whole person, not just symptoms. Using this approach, NJNM is better able to identify and treat the root cause of illness, help restore balance and promote optimal health. See ad, page 13.

Naturopathic School Health Queen

Avis Gardell-Feldstein 1 Shadowbrook Lane Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 732-547-1196 (phone or text) HealthqueenAvis@gmail.com HealthQueenAvis.com We are excited to be able to bring the most cutting edge information in the Health Industry through our Certification in Naturopathy. Private consultations with Matrix Decoder diagnostics and Biofeedback plus testing available for Food Sensitivities, Hormones and more!

“A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues.”

- Cicero December 2020

41

Nutrition

Reiki

Skin Care

Sunrise Nutrition & Wellness Center

Liminal Reiki and Guidance

Mederi Skin Care

Brigid Burke 862-812-9205 chthonia@chthonia.net LiminalReiki.com

Jeramie Scott 570-575-8185 info@mederiskincare.com MederiSkinCare.com

Dr. John Harrington 137 Mountain Ave., Hackettstown 908-441-2276 drharrington@SunriseNutritionCenter.com SunriseNutritionCenter.com Get checked today! You may be suffering from nutritional deficiencies, toxin overload, chronic infections and bad lifestyle habits. We provide health improvement programs unique to your body to improve your health through nutrition and other safe, non-invasive therapies. See ad, page 23.

Nutrition Education Dian’s Wellness Simplified

Dian Freeman, MA, MHHC Private Nutritional Consultations, Classes, Nutritional Certification Course Morristown, NJ 973-267-4816 WellnessSimplified.com Clinical Nutritionist Dian Freeman has a private practice and nutrition school in Morristown, NJ. Her six-month nutritional certification course has certified over 850 graduates in Holistic Health over the last 16 years. She also practices frequency biofeedback, teaches 1-day classes and lectures widely.

Brigid Burke welcomes all types of clients for Reiki therapy by itself, or in conjunction with other methods to help identify and work through crisis areas, including Tarot readings, Astrology, and other related tools. See website for more information.

Kimberley Lauton 124 W. Washington Ave. Washington (within Headliners Salon) 908-835-0042 IlluminateYou.site Illuminate YOU Integrative Nutrition Counseling and Holistic Therapy: Integrative Health Counseling, Reiki Master, Reflexology, Sound Healing, Group Coaching and Mind/Body Wellness Workshops.

“What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.”

- Aristotle 42

ad, page 8.

Spiritual Healing, Teaching Be The Medicine Janet StraightArrow

Reiki & Hypnosis Alice Rich Reiki Center Alice Rich, Certified Master Teacher

Usui Reiki Ryoho, Karuna Reiki®, Crystal Healing, Certified Hypnotist 732-501-7628 alice@AliceRichReikiCenter.com AliceRichReikiCenter.com Reiki, Crystal Healing and Integrated Energy Therapy® or Hypnosis sessions can help reduce pain physically, mentally and emotionally, promote a healthy lifestyle, achieve personal and professional goals, create balance and harmony and advance your spiritual journey.

Private sessions and classes. Certification classes on Reiki, Crystal Healing and IET.

Nutrition/Holistic Therapy Relationship Coach Illuminate YOU

Pharmaceutical grade skin care. Free of parabens.

Natural and potent.

Engineered for results. See

Ondov Relationship Coaching Rhoda Ondov, MS, MFT, CPC

12-14 E Main St, Suite 8, Somerville 908-642-6256 rhoda.ondov@gmail.com OndovRelationshipCoaching.com If you are in a troubled relationship, or dealing with infidelity, or facing possible divorce, you do not need Therapy. You are not mentally ill. You just need guidance and solutions. Relationship Coaching can help you repair these difficult situations, bringing clarity and restoring harmony. Eight years experience helping couples successfully navigate relationship crises. Does not require participation by both partners. See ad, page 11.

Somerset/Middlesex/Hunterdon/Mercer/ S. Warren Co. Edition

973-647-2500 Janet@BeTheMedicine.com BeTheMedicine.com Shamanic Healing, Energy Medicine, Past Life, Medical Intuition, Life, Health, Spiritual Coaching, Astrology Readings, House and Land Clearings. In person, phone or Skype. Professional Reiki, Shamanism and Medical Intuitive Training. Retreats. 40 years’ experience. See ad, page 7.

Thermography Lisa’s Thermography & Wellness Lisa Mack, CCT, HHC

Thermographer and Holistic Counselor See website for locations in NJ and NY 855-667-9338 Lisa@LisasThermographyAndWellness.com LisasThermographyAndWellness.com Thermography gives an early look at the most important indicator of a potential health problem – inflammation. Early stage disease screening is an area in which thermography excels. Whether your pain is acute or chronic, or you are merely curious about the state of your health, thermography can help provide answers. Radiation-free breast and full body screenings for men and women. See ad, page 6.

“The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution.”

- Bertrand Russell

NaturalAwakeningsCNJ.com

The Center for Advanced Health Through Dentistry Our aim is to restore you to health and vitality by eliminating dental road blocks.

Our patients come from New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and other states...some have even traveled from outside the United States! Why? Because quality biocompatible dental care provided by a warm, caring dental team in a comfortable, relaxed setting is worth the trip.

Start Early for a Lifetime of Benefits!

Improvements to Your Child’s Crowded Teeth and Appearance Can Begin As Early as Age 7.

Does your child show signs of: • Crowded baby or adult teeth?

• Mouth breathing? (Lips are apart most of the time due to obstructed airways.)

For more information, see our video

“How To Start Fixing Children’s Crooked Teeth As Early As Age 7 to 10” at MeleDDS.com or YouTube®.

We offer the highest quality dental services including...

• Safe removal of amalgam restorations (fillings) following OSHA and EPA guidelines • Biocompatible dental materials including BPA-free restorations • Non-surgical natural and nutritional therapies to treat periodontal disease and dental decay • Effective treatment of TMJ, teeth grinding, bad breath, snoring, sleep apnea, and mouth breathing

Joseph R. Mele D.D.S., FIND, CNC Fellowship, Institute for Natural Dentistry Diplomate Member, American Association of Nutritional Consultants Member, International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology Member, The Holistic Dental Association

Come in for a complimentary Meet and Greet or visit our website for information.

215 Union Avenue — Suite D, Bridgewater, NJ 08807

(908) 526-2266

www.MeleDDS www.

MeleDDS..com December 2020

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The Holistic Dental Center Working Together with Other Holistic Practitioners to Create a True Holistic Approach to Your Health

A

team approach to your overall health and it starts at the Holistic they don’t see, I do, and vice versa, seeing dental infections and Dental Center in Millburn, New Jersey, with their highly skilled how they can affect organ systems through meridians or directly and team of trained professionals in holistic and biological dentistry. From utilizing the benefits of networking with a holistic practitioner can and their award winning doctors and their state of the art technology to does make all the difference in patient care…I wouldn’t have it any their use of ozone and self-healing therapies, they are committed other way,” Dr. Gashinsky says about working with other practitioners. to not only treating your dental related symptoms, but also, the root So if you’re looking for an approach that is inclusive of all aspects cause thereby eliminating disease and promoting optimal health. of holistic care, visit Dr. Gashinsky and his team at The Holistic Dental Little did conventional practitioners know so many years ago that Center in Millburn, New Jersey. It’s their priority to ensure complete it took more than just looking at the mouth. A generation ago there holistic care by promoting the benefits of holism. “It’s not just your was a disconnect, a thought that our mouth and teeth had no bearing teeth anymore,” as he says, “It never was,” but now they have the on the health of the rest of our body. Now more and more research ability to not just treat overall disease but truly prevent and promote has been showing that there is a strong connection between dental whole body wellness. disease and systemic health. Dr. Gashinsky, Holistic Dentist, has always known that. A holistic approach to health is multifaceted, so he Other than being a dentist for 40 years, Dr. Vladimir Gashinsky, is a certified nutritional consultant, Accredited by the International Academy has built a network of healthcare practitioners to assist his patients in of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, SMART certified and a Naturopathic obtaining their desired level of optimal wellness. doctor “My passion for learning is never complete, I will continue to Working hand in hand with Naturopaths, Functional Medicine research and learn the latest in alternative treatments and team up practitioners and many others in the field of holistic medicine has with the best in the fields of holistic and alternative medicine to bring expanded Dr. Gashinsky’s ability to help more people. “I find it to be my patients the best treatments available, this I can assure you.” incredibly fulfilling to work synergistically with these practitioners to be able to improve patients’ health so dramatically. Some are coming Holistic Dental Center is located at 91 Millburn Avenue, Millburn, to me so very sick and by working together we’re seeing drastic New Jersey. For more information, call (973) 457-4688 or visit improvements in their quality of life,” says Dr. Gashinsky.

HolisticDentalCenterNJ.com.

Dr. Gashinsky feels strongly in the need to practice in such a manner as to take patients whole health into consideration. So much so, that he traveled to Switzerland this past spring to visit the Paracelsus Clinic and Swiss BioHealth Clinic; two healthcare models that promote the oral-body connection, to study their holistic approach to patient care. Dr. Gashinsky says, “To truly practice holism; the thought that everything is understood in relation to the whole and not just its parts, it’s important to remember that when treating a person it’s not just what one practitioner does, but how they can work together for your appointment today! to improve the final outcome.”

“Finding and working with like minded practitioners to help my patients has not only been professionally satisfying, but also on a Mercury Free and Mercury Safe personal level knowing that my patients are being well taken care of,” Metal Free Implants say Dr. Gashinksy. “Finding and addressing the root cause of disease Fluoride Free • Holistic Cleanings in all our disciplines is the key to success in our patients’ health. What __________________________________________ A D V E R T O R I A L __________________________________________

Looking for a “TRUE” Holistic Dentist?

Call 973-457-4688