April 2021

EE R F

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL April 24-25

Spring Cleaning the Body

Nature to the Rescue

Climate Change & Our Health

Simple Ways to Detox Naturally

Kids Come Alive Outdoors

The Human Costs of a Warming Planet

April 2021 | Hudson County Edition | NAHudson.com

April 2021

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Go Out and Play

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his April marks the 51st year of celebrating Earth Day. Although there aren’t a lot of in-person activities scheduled locally this year due to the pandemic, Earth Day is a reminder that we need to continue to focus on the well-being of the planet we call home. As long as climate change negatively affects the earth and the health of its flora and fauna, our health will be negatively affected too. They are all interwoven. The good news is that the collective choices we make as humans—even seemingly insignificant ones, like choosing paper over plastic or deciding to walk or bike to work rather than driving—have a broad ripple effect. The more we understand how everything is connected, the more we can see that our small actions have a big impact.

That’s also a good rule to remember when it comes to our physical, mental and emotional health—all of which have been under duress this past year. The pandemic has kept most of us inside, staring at computer screens, but research shows that even before COVID, our kids spent seven hours a day behind a screen, and just seven minutes outside. Now that the weather is warming up, it’s time to change that ratio. Getting out in nature has incredible physical and psychological benefits for adults and kids alike. One fun idea for easing back into the great outdoors? Go for a hike and bring your pup along. We have the ultimate guide to hiking with your dog, and some hikes to check out near Hudson County, on page 28.

For the second year in a row, we are proud to be a sponsor of the Wild & Scenic Film Festival, which will be held on April 24 and 25, hosted by Main Street Pops. This curated program of short films honoring Mother Nature is being presented in a virtual format so you can view it from your own home. WSFF is a California-based festival, now in its 21st year, that travels the country and “shares an urgent call to action, encouraging festival-goers to learn more about what they can do to save our threatened planet.” The films will make you smile and cry at the same time, and leave you inspired and in awe of this beautiful planet and the people who live on it. Turn to page 17 to read short synopses of the films and learn all the details, including how to enhance the viewing experience with dinner and/or brunch delivered right to your door.

Then, in honor of Earth Day, go out and play.

In health and happiness,

NaturalAwakenings.com

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Contents 12 CLIMATE CHANGE

18

AND OUR HEALTH

The Human Costs of a Warming Planet

15 CREATE A

NURTURING NEST

16 WILD AND SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL

18 BREATHE EASY

Natural Remedies for Allergy Woes

22

20 HEALTHY HOME

How to Detoxify a Living Space

22 SPRING CLEANING THE BODY

Simple Ways to Detox Naturally

24 ECO-ATHLETES

Working Out with the Planet in Mind

26 NATURE TO

24

THE RESCUE

Kids Come Alive Outdoors

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 201-798-3236 or email Publisher@NAHudson.com. Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month.

28 THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO HIKING WITH YOUR DOG

30 SHERYL DEVORE

on Appreciating Nature and Wildlife

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DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 10 health briefs 11 global briefs 15 inspiration 16 community spotlight 18 healing ways 20 green living

22 conscious 24 26 30 31 33

eating fit body healthy kids wise words calendar resource guide April 2021

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Garden Presentation Focuses on ‘Dark Beauties’

news briefs

Community Solar Subscriber Save Now and Later

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ubscribers to New Jersey’s Community Solar program—guaranteed to save 10 to 15 percent on electricity costs—will also receive $100 just for signing up. Because the power isn’t generated by individual homes, there’s no need to own solar panels, or even a roof, to join the program.

Sustainable Jersey City has partnered with PowerMarket and Solar Landscape to help Jersey City residents join the Community Solar Movement. City residents can choose either one. Both companies are offering a $100 cash gift card to new subscribers.

Community Solar was designed as a hassle-free way to ensure a cleaner environment for our communities by reducing New Jersey’s dependence on fossil fuels. There are no up-front sign-up costs, and subscribers will always end up paying less for electricity than nonsubscribers.

When a subscriber signs up, electricity generated from the project is sent to their utility provider, increasing the amount of solar-generated electricity and reducing fossil-fuel electricity. Their home’s electricity continues to function as usual, with no installation, additional fees or downtime.

Their utility provider adds discounts to their utility bill in the form of solar credits. The more people who sign on to the project, the bigger the discounts—and the closer New Jersey is to a fossil-fuel-free future.

To learn more or sign up, visit SustainableJC.org and click Projects and then Community Solar.

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he Hoboken Garden Club is celebrating its 21st anniversary on April 17 with a special presentation, Drama Queens: Dark Beauties for Your Garden, by garden historian and writer Lesley Parness. The event, hosted by the Hoboken Library, will be held via Zoom from 7 to 8 p.m. Registration is required.

Parness has worked in public gardens in America and abroad for four decades. She is a founding member and past president of Garden State Gardens, a nonprofit consortium of public gardens in New Jersey. In her presentation, she will discuss how black-hued plants can highlight, offset and dramatize every color in a garden, and she’ll explain how to use them for maximum impact. There are more than 75 “dark beauties,” including annuals, perennials, vines, trees and shrubs.

The Hoboken Garden Club’s mission is to encourage interest in home gardening, provide educational activities, promote civic beatification and conserve natural resources in an urban environment, and encourage participation in local and statewide garden-related activities. It offers a variety of events and activities, including a lecture series, plant swaps, field trips, nursery visits and workshops. Members don’t have to live in Hoboken.

Registration for the presentation begins one week before and closes 15 minutes before the event. The Zoom link and password will be sent to registrants 15 minutes before the event begins.

To register, visit BCCLS.libcal.com/event/7514169. For questions about the event, email heidi.schwab@hoboken.bccls.org. For more information about the Hoboken Garden Club, visit HobokenGardenClub.com.

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Support Encouraged for Proposed Essex Hudson Greenway

R om.life Touts Unique Menu of Wellness Services

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nand J. Sukhadia created om.life in 2015 to support the health of the Jersey City community by offering effective, affordable holistic services. Since then, he says, om.life has grown into something much bigger.

“It’s become a lifestyle that’s proactive about creating wellness and empowers everyone to make informed health choices,” Sukhadia says. “We take an open-minded, unbiased and eco-conscious approach to health and well-being. We only recommend and offer treatments and products that we love and have experienced ourselves. Our content is always relevant and honest and works to support you in creating a lifestyle that is healthy, simple and balanced.”

He says om.life brings everything he’s passionate about—ancient knowledge, holistic health, biohacking, modern technology, green living, spiritual wellness—together in one place.

“We combined all these things to create the first wellness spa on the East Coast that offers our unique combination of services,” he says.

One of the essential services offered since the opening has been float therapy.

“Soaking in a concentrated Epsom salt bath can help the body and detoxify organs,” Sukhadia says. “The magnesium sulfate gets absorbed through the skin and draws out toxins from the body.” Floating is also thought to lower stress, improve sleep and creativity, relieve inflammation and muscle tension, ease fibromyalgia symptoms and speed muscle recovery.

Other services offered include wholebody cryotherapy, NormaTec Recovery, infrared sauna, fascial stretch therapy, postural realignment, clinical hypnotherapy, massage therapy and corporate wellness.

Location: 18 Park View Ave., Suite 2A, Jersey City, NJ. For more information, call 201-333-8116, email info@om.life or visit om.life.

esidents of Essex and Hudson counties are being encouraged to contact their local officials in support of the Essex Hudson Greenway Project, a proposed 135-acre linear park that would span nearly nine miles and be jointly owned by both counties.

A long-held vision of the communities along the route, the project would follow the path of a converted rail line to give pedestrians and cyclists a way to get from the New Jersey suburbs to New York City. Proponents say multi-use trails would provide free recreational opportunities for all ages, encourage healthier lifestyles, bolster local economic development, reduce car trips and carbon footprints, provide additional transportation options and encourage better environmental stewardship.

Open Space Institute (OSI), with support from New Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition and the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance, has reached a preliminary agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway Company for property spanning Montclair, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, Belleville, Newark, Kearny, Secaucus, and Jersey City.

OSI and the New Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition are currently exploring public funding sources to pay for the acquisition of the line. The development and management of the greenway will happen after the acquisition and could be paid for through a combination of public and private funds. According to the partners, “While much work lies ahead in terms of community outreach, park design, engineering and environmental assessments and financing, the concept of this linear park has never been closer to reality.”

For information about the project and how to support it, visit EssexHudsonGreenway.org.

Salvation Wellness Opens Provost Street Studio

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alvation Wellness, a modern CBD apothecary and wellness studio, has opened a new office at 30 Provost Street, in Jersey City, a few blocks from the Harsimus Cove light rail station. The studio moved from their former location on Christopher Columbus Drive.

The trained staff at Salvation Wellness offer a variety of customized services, including therapeutic bodywork such as reiki massage, cupping, lymphatic drainage, detoxification and trigger point therapy; meditation classes; and infrared sauna for individuals and couples.

CBD and aromatherapy upgrades are also available.

For appointments or information, contact Salvation Wellness at 551-689-0763 or hello@ salvationwellness.com, or visit SalvationWellness.com.

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April 2021

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Salon 10N Serves Up ‘Clean Beauty’

PARTNERS A WE THINK YOU WILL TOO!

LOUIS STEINBERG, DDS, MS 6050 Boulevard E, Ste LE, West New York, NJ 201-662-2020 DrLMSteinberg.com

s the owner of a “wellness-minded” salon, Krista Misuraca has less a business model than a business mission: “We’re dedicated to helping our guests love their hair while supporting a cleaner lifestyle,” she says.

Located on the eastern edge of Hamilton Park in Jersey City, Salon 10N offers a carefully curated collection of haircare lines, catering to women and men “who value creativity and personalized service,” Misuraca says.

“We have thoughtfully selected a variety of products that will appeal to both the traditionalist and the chemical minimalist,” she says. “Carrying brands such as Davines and Innersense Organics allows us to cover a wide variety of needs. When you visit us, you’ll leave with more than just a look you love. Think of it as a purposeful indulgence for the wellnessminded.”

Davines, an Italian, family-owned line, is scientifically engineered for effectiveness. It uses small farms for its plant-based ingredients and supports reforestation to compensate for carbon dioxide emissions. All its products are sulfate- and paraben-free. Innersense Organic Beauty was created by “two seasoned beauty professionals dedicated to the practice of self-care, purity, peace of mind and, of course, toxin-free beauty,” Misuraca says.

She calls it “clean beauty”—products hand-selected for quality, authenticity and a commitment to sustainability. “They’re brands we love using, and we guarantee you will too,” she says.

The stylists at Salon 10N specialize in cuts, color, editorial, bridal and event hair.

Location: 5 McWilliams Place, Jersey City, NJ. For appointments or more information, call 201-356-9110 or visit Salon10N.com.

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Yuki’s Bakery Now Open in Hoboken

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uki’s Bakery & Coffee, an authentic Israeli bakery and café featuring fresh-baked goods made to order, with organic and local products, is now open—and hiring—on the ground level of the Monroe Center in Hoboken.

“Baking has been my passion since I was a kid, and now I’m excited to share my childhood flavors with my community,” says owner Yuki (Aviyah) Levinson.

“I make cookies, breads, granola, cakes and more. It all started from the passion of creating what makes you enjoy eating.”

A resident of North Bergen, Levinson grew up in Israel but spent a decade cooking, baking and managing in New York City’s restaurant industry. Over the past four years, she’s been baking and selling baked goods to restaurants and cafés in NYC under her brand Yuki’s Cookies.

“Despite the challenges that Covid-19 brought to the culinary and hospitality industries, I believe that comfort food is always in need,” she says. So she decided to open her own shop in the heart of Hoboken’s residential area.

Her specialties include babka (available in different flavors), challah bread, borek, rugelach, vegan oat and date cookies, granola and more. Coffee beverages are by Counter Culture Coffee.

Additionally, the shop will be offering delicatessen items, such as authentic tahini and za’atar.

The shop is currently taking applications for experienced bakers, pastry chefs and baristas.

Location: 720 Monroe St., Hoboken, NJ. For more information, call 201-455-6401, email info@yukisbakery.com or visit YukisBakery.com.

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Kudos

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ustainable Jersey City Wins $10K ‘Change Makers’ Grant.

Sustainable Jersey City, a collaborative network of community groups and individuals working to move the city toward a more sustainable and resilient future, is the recipient of Unilever’s 2021 Change Makers and Do-Gooders community grant. SJC will use the $10,000 award to help address the urban heat island (UHI) effect across three environmental justice communities—Jersey City, Elizabeth and Newark.

The UHI effect is an increase in temperature caused by dark, heat-absorbing urban surfaces like asphalt roofs, roads and parking lots.

It’s made worse when there is a lack of tree cover. According to SJC, the UHI effect can cause a temperature spike of 15 to 20 degrees in affected neighborhoods, worsening air quality and causing heat-related health issues. The problem especially impacts lower-income communities, which are often characterized by fewer trees and green spaces.

SJC has announced that it will partner with Groundwork Elizabeth and the South Ward Environmental Alliance of Newark to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the UHI effect, supported by CAPA Strategies, across the three environmental justice communities.

The Rutgers Environmental Occupational Health & Science Institute will work with them on an air quality monitoring study in sync with the UHI effect study. SJC will use the results to develop actionable Sponsors: reports for municipal decision makers and the general public.

April 24 & 25

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To learn more, visit SustainableJC.org.

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Celebrate Earth Day 2021 Virtually

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he COVID-19 pandemic may be with us for some time, but there are still many ways to participate in the 51st anniversary of the global environmental movement. The Biden administration will host world leaders at an Earth Day 2021 global climate summit on April 22. Many important environmental events have occurred on Earth Day since 1970, including the 2016 signing of the Paris Agreement, as Earth Day continues to be a momentous and unifying day each year. Be a part of this historic climate summit by taking action to restore the Earth.

For more information, visit the Earth Day Network at EarthDay.org.

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health briefs

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Hypertension is a global disease that particularly affects people in low-income communities, but a new study by the UK University of Nottingham suggests that beetroot juice may be a practical solution for people with high blood pressure that have little access to diagnostic help or money for medication. Researchers divided 47 people between 50 and 70 years of age in Tanzania into three groups. For 60 days, one group drank nitrate-rich beetroot juice and folic acid; another was given nitrate-rich beetroot juice and a placebo; and the third drank nitrate-depleted beetroot juice. The researchers found that systolic blood pressure dropped by 10.8 millimeters (mm) Hg (mercury) in the nitrate-rich plus folic acid group and 6.1 mm Hg in the nitrate-rich and placebo group. Studies have shown that the high level of nitrates in beets is converted by the digestive system into nitric oxide, which relaxes and widens blood vessels.

Consider Curcumin and Nano-Curcumin for Heart Health Iranian researchers tested 90 patients undergoing elective heart angioplasty, giving one group 500 milligrams (mg) curcumin, the second group 80 mg nano-curcumin, and the third a placebo. After eight weeks, both types of curcumin significantly improved cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-C levels. They also boosted antioxidant levels, superoxide dismutase and glutathione, and reduced C-reactive protein levels, indicating less inflammation. The nano-curcumin, however, produced even better results in five of those indexes, leading the authors to conclude that the effects of curcumin on the nano formula may be more conducive for cardiac patients due to its high bioavailability. Nano-curcumin is made through a process that encapsulates the herb, allowing it to be metabolized better.

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Drink Beet Juice to Lower Blood Pressure

New research from Rush Medical College, in Chicago, shows that regularly cheating on a healthy diet undermines its cognitive benefits. For 19 years, researchers followed 5,001 adults over age 65 that were asked to eat the Mediterranean diet, with its emphasis on daily servings of fruit, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, fish, potatoes and unrefined cereals, plus moderate wine consumption. Every three years, their cognitive abilities were tested and their diets reviewed, including how often they ate a Western diet of fried foods, sweets, refined grains, red meat and processed meats. After almost two decades, those that adhered most faithfully to the Mediterranean diet were cognitively 5.8 years younger than those that followed it the least.

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Keep Off Junk Foods for Cognitive Wellness

global briefs

Group Hug

World Watchers

While human activity has transformed 75 percent of the Earth’s surface and 66 percent of ocean ecosystems, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services determined in a 2019 assessment that approximately 1 million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction, some in mere decades. In response to the crisis, more than 50 countries representing 30 percent of the world’s land-based biodiversity, 25 percent of its land-based carbon sinks, 28 percent of important areas of marine biodiversity and more than 30 percent of ocean carbon sinks have united as the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC 30x30), avowing to preserve 30 percent of the planet’s land and oceans by 2030.

The group announced its goal at the One Planet Summit for Biodiversity in January, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, along with the World Bank and the United Nations. “We call on all nations to join us,” Macron said in the video launching of the plan. Biologist E.O. Wilson has called for the “conservation moonshot” of protecting half of the land and the sea. Goals include preventing biodiversity loss, solving the climate crisis and preventing pandemics.

Deforestation, which contributes to warming the planet, is a key factor behind the 40 percent increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide since the beginning of the industrial age. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the global average atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration in 2018 was 407.4 parts per million, higher than it’s been in almost 1 million years. Avoiding deforestation is much better than conducting reforestation efforts after the fact, and should be a key global climate change mitigation strategy, says Jennifer Alix-Garcia, a researcher at Oregon State University.

The Global Land Analysis and Discovery System (GLAD), founded in 2016 by the University of Maryland’s Department of Geographical Sciences, is based on high-resolution satellite imaging from the NASA Landsat Science program. Subscribers can access data via a free interactive web application, Global Forest Watch. So far, forest loss has declined 18 percent in African nations where GLAD provided alerts when detecting deforestation activities.

Previously, government agencies and other groups had to use reports from volunteers or forest rangers.

sarah brown/Unsplash.com

Deforestation Alert System Mitigates Climate Change

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Nations Band Together to Preserve One-Third of the Planet

Freedom of Information

Access Expanded for Scientific Papers

image courtesy of PlanS.org

A two-year, open-access project organized by more than 20 organizations, including Wellcome, in London, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in Seattle, and Dutch NOW—some of the world’s largest research funders—began requiring in January that scholarly papers published from the work they fund be made immediately available for public reading at no charge. The initiative, Plan S, may usher in the end of journal subscriptions and allow anyone to read scientific literature. Plan S has already prompted several titles, including Nature, to offer open-access publishing for the first time.

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CLIMATE CHANGE AND OUR HEALTH cottonbro/Pexels.com

The Human Costs of a Warming Planet

by Sandra Yeyati

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lobal warming is not just threatening polar bears far away in the Arctic, and its effects are not somewhere in the distant future. With every new wildfire, hurricane and flash flood, people are understanding that the warming of the planet poses dire consequences for human health right here, right now. It’s personal, and while some sectors of the population are unfairly and disproportionately impacted, we are all in harm’s way.

This is no time to panic, say climate and public health advocates, but rather a moment for preparation, adaptation and mobilization. Prospects are hopeful as we tackle new realities together and evolve our conversations about climate change so we can build resilient, thriving communities. The good news is that many of the individual and policy changes we need to make are exciting opportunities for positive transformation and justice.

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Health Threats in Our Midst

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The warming of the planet is becoming more noticeable. “That historic two weeks anywhere in the United States where it’s the heat wave of high summer is now six weeks to two months,” says Jay Lemery, M.D., professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado and co-author of Enviromedics: The Impact of Climate Change on Human Health. “There are parts of the Middle East now where you can’t be outside and meaningfully cool your body during certain parts of the day.”

“With warming, we’re seeing drought, wildfires, hurricanes, extreme precipitation, flooding and sea level rise, all of which have health consequences,” says Surili Patel, director of the Center for Climate, Health and Equity at the American Public Health Association. “With rising temperature and heat waves, we’re seeing heat stroke, dehydration, diarrheal disease, cardiovascular distress and respiratory illnesses. Extreme weather like wildfires, hurricanes and flooding cause direct injuries, as well as vector-borne illnesses (Lyme

OSORIOartist/AdobeStock.com

disease carried by ticks or dengue fever and malaria by mosquitoes), mold and harmful algal blooms that happen when it’s really hot, but also show up in places that otherwise wouldn’t have because of the combination of heat and flooding.”

Lemery notes that incidences of mosquito- and tick-borne diseases are moving higher in altitude and latitude, affecting historically naive populations that have not had levels of disease immunity, the infrastructure or cultural habits to protect them. “These are huge killers worldwide, and we’re seeing more and more of that,” he says.

“When you have a warmer winter, spring starts earlier, trees bloom early and pollen season starts early too, and longer exposure to pollen increases your risk of having an asthma attack,” says Professor Amir Sapkota at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, adding that the Northeast is heavily impacted by this phenomenon.

“Here in Colorado, in the summer heat, we have these huge swaths of wildfire smoke hanging over Denver, and people come in to the emergency department.

Their inhalers aren’t working anymore, and they’re having chest pain and shortness of breath when they’re on oxygen at baseline,” says Lemery. “These are people normally able to walk across a parking lot with their walker and their oxygen, but now they can’t. We see this all summer long, and we admit them for asthma exacerbation, shortness of breath and COPD (i.e., emphysema), but what we don’t write down is that the air quality is the worst it’s been all year, or that it’s the hottest day of the year.”

“Air pollution contributes to climate change, but it also gets into your lungs and irritates them, exacerbating chronic respiratory illnesses, and can even lead to a heart attack,” says Jennifer Roberts, director of the Path of Positive Communities program at EcoAmerica, noting that the biggest culprits are carbon emissions from coal-burning power plants, diesel fuels and ground-level ozone, which is created when pollution reacts to heat and sunlight.

“With sea level rise, things are flooding more often and we get septic tanks overflowing, sending fecal matter into our drinking water supplies and exposing us to

April 2021

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diarrheal diseases. We also see offices and industrial sites getting flooded and, whether it’s paint, fertilizers or other toxins, those get into our water and it’s very unhealthy,” Roberts says.

The Most Vulnerable Among Us Certain segments of the population are more at risk. “Lower socioeconomic groups are suffering more from extreme heat events. The urban heat island effect, which unfortunately correlates very well with poorer neighborhoods, means that they’ll have heat waves seven to 10 degrees hotter in their neighborhoods than surrounding places with more green space,” Lemery says.

“You see the public health infrastructure less robust to be able to attend to communities of color—like you saw with COVID. There are also physiologic vulnerabilities. Climate change affects the very young, the very old and the very sick much more because of their preexisting vulnerabilities, and then we have geographic vulnerabilities—people who live on the coast without sea walls or in flood plains. As sea level rise proliferates, and that data is really straightforward, they’re going to be going under increased storm surge stress and flat-out flooding.”

that much can be done to restore and protect streams, ponds and lakes from the ill effects of pollution and development. “You get volunteers to clean up the gunk and increase regulations for developers to keep stuff out of the waterways.”

“credible messaging repeated over and over again with clarity and no hedging: Wear a mask. Stay indoors during high-heat events.

Don’t let children play outdoors when the air quality index is at a dangerous level.”

There are many ways to mitigate threats.

As experts point out, we know what to do, and it’s just a matter of putting our attention and resources on their implementation. “One of the biggest ways is let’s remove the sources of harmful spewing pollution—move away from coal, oil and gas—and invest in clean sources of energy, which will also create jobs in these new industries,” says Patel.

Another big step would be to promote mass transit and active transportation— walking and biking—over individual, gasguzzling vehicles. Patel advocates for local investments in bike lanes and sidewalks that encourage the switch. Both Lemery and Roberts express excitement about clean-running electric cars as potential game-changers in transportation.

Planting trees and vegetable gardens are easy, community-building solutions. “Trees are very beneficial to everything from shade to water filtration to producing oxygen and taking up carbon,” says Roberts, who adds

Eco-Anxiety and Making Positive Change

The experts agree that it’s important to frame climate change as a public health issue because it brings a sense of urgency to act.

“If it isn’t a crisis, if it isn’t something we’re seeing every day on the front page, then you forget about it. And when you forget about it, the funding doesn’t come,” says Patel, whose work focuses on underprivileged communities that need special attention and funding.

Sapkota advocates for the development of early warning systems so that local health departments can anticipate and adapt to impending extreme weather events, directing resources to the most impacted and vulnerable communities. In some cases, moving people out of flood plains and vulnerable coastal areas through eminent domain might be needed.

Lemery believes that doctors are in a prime position to counsel their patients on preventive measures against climate hazards with 14

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Achievable Public Health Solutions

Jessica Schiff, a second-year master of science student at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, struggles with eco-anxiety—the depression, anxiety or dread associated with climate change. She says, “It impacts the decisions I make for my life and the future, just trying to think about overall impacts. Where is my food coming from? Do I want to have kids or adopt? Should I live in the suburbs or the city because of transportation and fossil fuel consumption? This all adds a layer of unease or uncertainty about the future. Sometimes I look at Greta [Thunberg] and how far she’s taken things, and feel guilty about not taking things to such an extreme. Is it hypocritical for me to care about climate change but still eat meat occasionally or take a plane to explore the world?”

Schiff deals with eco-anxiety by taking action. “We’re not going to reverse climate change at this point, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take steps to slow it down or reduce emissions. There are many small things we can each do, like biking or walking instead of taking a car or bus and reducing our use of plastic. It’s a process. You can’t do it overnight, but if you make a lot of small changes, and if everybody makes small changes, that has a bigger effect.”

Roberts acknowledges the power of small, individual actions, but stresses that we should not let the big polluters off the hook. “We need to continue to press for policy changes, holding polluters accountable, passing regulations based on protecting human health and climate, requiring cleaner cars and buildings, and more.

That’s the only way we will get to the scale of change needed to truly bring global warming to a halt.”

Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer.

Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

inspiration

Create a Nurturing Nest

by Marlaina Donato

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ore than being a roof over our heads, home is where we live, love and heal. This past year, we all have been reminded of the importance of having a refuge; a place that shelters not only our physical beings, but our souls, too. With ongoing pandemic restrictions, we have more time on our hands, and with this comes a blessed opportunity to catch up with our bliss. Living space should be inspired space.

Creating a haven doesn’t require remodeling the kitchen or buying new furniture, only distilling new joy from the mundane. Adding a luxurious throw to a sofa or putting books to read in a pretty basket by an easy chair invites us to tend to the much-neglected inner life. Putting cut flowers at the bedside or turning a chair toward the sunlight says, “Yes” to life and renewal.

Playing uplifting, infectious music on laundry day rouses an element of fun. Practicing easy principles of feng shui—the art of placement—can get previously stagnant energy moving. Repositioning furniture for optimal flow and creating more open space are

simple actions that can lighten heavy thoughts or memories. Home is a harbor of habit, and breaking out of the usual routine can be transformative. Here are some activities to try.

n Reserve an evening every week for an old-

fashioned “Sunday supper” by candlelight or have a rainy-day indoor picnic on the floor in the living room.

n Add one item per day for a month to a bag intended for a local thrift store and then follow through by dropping it off. n Tidy the desk every other day and keep

it uncluttered.

n Hang new art prints, photos or paintings to set a new mood. Consider bright splashes of color—a set of red cups, a turquoise pillow or sunny yellow bathroom towels. n Bring the seasons in; hang a garland of faux ivy, roses or autumn leaves over the showerhead. n Buy or adopt low-maintenance indoor plants like philodendrons and snake plants for a spot of lovely green, even in deep winter.

In a world that fosters a “grass is always greener on the other side” mentality, cultivating soul-nourishment is a sure way to turn the humblest space into a castle.

Marlaina Donato is the author of Spiritual Famine in the Age of Plenty: Baby Steps to Bliss. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

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community spotlight

them to bring it to Hoboken to begin with. They turned the 2020 event into a fundraising film series, raising more than $20,000 for local organizations in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When we first screened some of the short films WSFF featured last year, the three of us found ourselves both inspired and moved to tears. We just knew our community would respond the same way,” Gettens says. “We live in Hoboken and want to invest in it. Main Street Pops truly cares about community, and pop-up events we have produced are designed to make an impact. The Wild & Scenic Film Festival fit that mold perfectly.”

As life is getting closer to normal, so is this year’s WSFF, which through great film and food is delivering on Main Street Pops’s mission: to support local arts, create a stronger sense of community, offer access to diverse voices and perspectives, and promote sustainable and responsible living.

To learn more about each film go to WildAndScenicFilmFestival.org.

For ticket prices and more information, visit MainSreetPops.com/wild-scenic-film-festivalon-tour-2021/ or see our calendar on page 32.

Wild & Scenic Film Festival Visits Hoboken April 24 and 25

Main Street Pops joins with local restaurants to take ‘dinner and a movie’ to new places.

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he California-based Wild & Scenic Film Festival (WSFF)—which captures the dramatic beauty of Mother Nature to celebrate her and inspire environmental activism—is coming to Hoboken April 24 and 25, as part of the festival’s 2021 national tour.

This is the 19th year for the WSFF, and the second year that Main Street Pops, a women-owned pop-up programming company, has brought the festival to Hoboken— and they’re ready. They’ve distilled the multi-day festival into a curated weekend of breathtaking viewing (a Saturday evening event for general audiences, and a Sunday midday event for families) that can be watched streaming or within a 24-hour time frame as video on demand. Viewers in Hoboken and Jersey City can enhance the experience with dinner and/or brunch, prepared and delivered to their door by local restaurants Salt + Seed and Seven Valleys Persian Cuisine.

Main Street Pops was ready last year too, when it was all set to host WSFF for the first time. But it wasn’t ready for COVID-19, which shut down live events everywhere— including WSFF in Hoboken—practically overnight.

But Shan Gettens says she and fellow Main Street Pops co-founders Tracy Gavant and Zabrina Stoffel found a way to make the festival happen by taking it virtual. Even more important, they stayed true to the giving spirit of the festival, which is what caused 16

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Wild & Scenic Sponsors Main Street Pops brings the Wild & Scenic Film Festival to Hoboken with the support of the following local businesses:

2021 Wild & Scenic Films Saturday, April 24, 8 p.m.

INSPIRING ADVENTURE (General Audiences)

River Looters (4 mins) Three river surfers turned obsessed free divers hunt for lost belongings in Oregon’s Deschutes River.

The Crown (4 mins) Thru-hiker, veteran and Merrell ambassador Will “Akuna” Robinson completes the Triple Crown of Hiking: the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail.

Pathfinder: Life Beyond Fear (10 mins) Follow six world-class slackliners on a highlining mission deep into the Norwegian mountains to attempt something that has never been seen before: walking a thin line, elevated in the vastness between two colossal cliffs, illuminated only by the northern lights.

Pedal Through (14 mins) Director Analise Cleopatra had never camped or ridden a bike off the pavement when she decided to plan a weeklong mountain-biking adventure through the Oregon backcountry with an all-black female team.

Water Flows Together (11 mins) One of the few female Diné (Navajo) guides on the San Juan River narrates this meditation on the challenges she and her community have faced, her kinship with the river, and her quest to create positive change.

Dani Burt (11 mins) Follow Dani, who lost part of her leg due to injury, as she seeks to become the first-ever women’s World Adaptive Surfing champion.

Made in Voyage (25 mins) Cody and Kellyn put their lives on hold to embark on an adventure far removed from the responsibilities, social engagements and smartwatches of fast-paced 21st century life.

Flotsam (10 mins) A small, gritty band of kayak fishermen forsake flashy boats for utilitarian pieces of plastic to pursue their passion, paddling miles out to sea for exhaustive encounters with prehistoric sport fish.

Myrtle Simpson: A Life on Ice (34 mins) At age 90, nearly 55 years after she was the first woman to cross Greenland’s polar ice cap, Myrtle Simpson—trailblazer, skiing pioneer, adventurer, writer, mother and polar explorer—is still going.

Sunday, April 25, Noon WILD CHILD (Family Program)

30° Below (3 mins) Follow an Alaskan musher and his sled dogs in the barren, harsh and beautiful landscapes near Fairbanks, Alaska.

Beebox (2 mins) This is a story of contemporary agriculture and a need for change, as told by a bee and its box.

If We Take Care of the Land and Water, It Takes Care of Us (4 mins) A young girl from San Luis, one of Colorado’s oldest towns, explains how it keeps up its historic tradition of equitable distribution of water.

Life of a Plastic Cup (4 mins) Follow the adventures of a small plastic cup that, after being used just once at a party, is carelessly discarded, resulting in a trip to the ocean.

Camel Finds Water (9 mins) Narrated, styled and scored like a fable, this is the yarn of surfer Trevor Gordon, who pursues the quirky dream of restoring a wrecked boat and putting it out to sea off the coast of British Columbia.

Baked Fish: Peix al forn (4 mins) What happens if there is so much plastic waste floating in the oceans that the fish disappear?

Stories from the Blue: Ocean Guardians (7 mins) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Guardian School Program provides opportunities for kids to get out in their environment to do hands-on projects.

Disappearing Penguins (15 mins) A team of scientists travels to Elephant Island, a remote island off the Antarctic peninsula, to find out how its penguin population is faring.

Strike With Us (2 mins) Meet 9-year-old Hawkeye Huey, who’s been hearing a lot about climate change and the climate crisis—and it’s freaking him out.

Becoming Ruby (19 mins) If you can’t find a hero, create your own. For mountain biker, skier and artist Brooklyn Bell, that hand-drawn hero is a comic character named Ruby J. It’s Me, Landon (4 mins) Eight-year-old Landon Moise shows us around his favorite forested spots in his home community, Clearwater River Dene Nation.

24 Leeches (10 mins) A tribute to a father’s best friend and adventure partner, his 10-year-old son, 24 Leeches documents a family canoe adventure to the Slate Islands of Ontario.

FOOD and

FILM Check out dinner options for 1, 2 & 4 people with our dining partners for home viewing when purchasing tickets at: MainStreetPops.com/wild-scenic-filmfestival-on-tour-2021/ Salt + Seed: Elevated vegan comfort food SaltAndSeedEats.com Seven Valleys : Traditional Persian cuisine SevenValleysRestaurant.com

April 2021

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healing ways

Breathe Easy Natural Remedies for Allergy Woes

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by Ronica O’Hara

s the one in five Americans suffering from allergic rhinitis can miserably testify, the fragrant breezes of spring aren’t much fun when they bring on sneezing, coughing, watery eyes and a runny nose. The fifth-most common chronic disease in the country, allergic rhinitis—also known as hay fever—is aggravated in spring by rising pollen levels, but can occur year-round from exposure to mold, household dust mites, pet dander and vehicular air pollution.

Common remedies like over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants bring their own share of afflictions, including drowsiness, dry mouth, blurred vision and dizziness. “By undertaking natural therapy for allergies, however, one can avoid and mitigate the unpleasant symptoms of allergies with no need for medication,” says Carrie Lam, M.D., an integrative and functional medicine doctor in Tustin, California. “Instead of loading up on drugs, you can take care of yourself in a more natural way and avoid nasty side effects.” Here are some non-pharmaceutical approaches.

Probiotics: In a 173-person, double-blind study, a probiotic blend of Lactobacillus gasseri KS-13, Bifidobacterum bifidum G9-1 and Bifidobacterium longum MM-2 lowered hay fever symptoms and improved participants’ quality of life during allergy season, report University of Florida researchers in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (Read labels to locate these strains in yogurts, kefirs and supplements.)

Sublingual Immunotherapy: To desensitize the body, small amounts of specific allergens in the form of tablets or liquid drops are placed under the tongue, making it a gentler and safer process than allergy shots. Numerous studies have shown it to be safe and efficient in the treatment of respiratory tract allergies, reports JoAnn Yanez, ND, executive director of the Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges (AANMC).

After getting a diagnosis and a first dose from a health practitioner, the tablets or drops can be taken at home.

EnvatoElements.com

Quercetin: Found naturally in apples, berries, red grapes, red onions, red wine and black tea, this antioxidant inhibits the release of histamine and hampers the IgE antibodies formed during allergic reactions. As a 400-milligram (mg) supplement, it takes about a month to kick in.

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Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica): When freeze-dried as an extract or used as a tea, this prickly roadside weed is a nontoxic natural antihistamine. In one study, 58 percent of

participants found that 300 mg per day relieved their symptoms.

Acupuncture: Based on established research, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation recommends acupuncture for hay fever patients that want to avoid pharmaceuticals.

Omega-3s: Anti-inflammatory fatty acids found in such foods as tuna, salmon, walnuts and flaxseed oil can help reduce symptoms, research suggests. In a Japanese study, eating fish lowered respiratory symptoms for women, while fast food and sugary drinks worsened respiratory stress.

Homeopathy: To stimulate the body’s natural healing process, homeopathy uses highly diluted doses of herbs and other substances.

Although it’s best to work with a homeopath, two helpful remedies commonly found in health food stores are Allium cepa 30C, for watery eyes, sneezing and a runny or irritated nose; and Kali bichromicum 30C, for persistent sinus congestion with thick nasal discharge.

Nasal Rinse: Using a neti pot with saline solution to rinse allergens out of nasal passages provides quick relief for stuffy, runny, irritated noses. In one study, people using them reported a 64 percent improvement in chronic sinus symptoms and a better quality of life. An ancient Ayurveda technique popularized by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Oz, the pots cost about $20 in pharmacies. Nasal sprays, although easier to use initially, aren’t as effective, studies show.

Anti-Allergen Cleaning: Simple steps recommended by AANMC to lower airborne allergens include using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in the vacuum cleaner; replacing AC filters frequently; changing out of clothes and showering when coming in from the outdoors to rinse off pollen; leaving shoes outside; changing the air filter in the car; and avoiding toxic inhalants with synthetic ingredients like perfumes, body sprays, scented candles, room sprays, air fresheners and dryer sheets.

Unpasteurized Honey: “Local honey contains tiny amounts of pollen from nearby flowers, which can make you less sensitive when you’re exposed to them outdoors,” says chiropractor and nutritionist Josh Axe, Nashville-based author of Ancient Remedies. A Malaysian study of 40 hay fever sufferers found that high doses of local honey, taken along with an antihistamine, reduced sneezing and nasal decongestion more effectively than the antihistamine alone.

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

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19

green living

Healthy Home

How to Detoxify a Living Space

by Yvette Hammett

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s the world moves into its second year of a viral pandemic, many of us are still spending most of our time at home— working, exercising, hanging out with family and as with any other year, cooking and cleaning. There’s no better time to take stock of these surroundings and purge them of any toxins—gases, inhalants or fumes—that may be contributing to a harmful environment.

Start with the air. Research shows that indoor air is two to five times more toxic than the air outside, due to inadequate ventilation.

This condition, coupled with fumes from synthetic fibers, makeup, paints, cleansers or even a baby’s plastic toys, can contribute to health issues and a less environmentally beneficial abode. A straightforward solution—in addition to getting rid of the pollution-causing objects—is to open the windows and use fans to recirculate the air. A high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter can safely remove many contaminants, but don’t spritz a commercial air freshener: A University of Washington study found that eight widely used air fresheners released an average of 18 chemicals into the air, some of them hazardous, including the likely human carcinogen acetaldehyde.

Purge plastics. Perfluorinated compounds PFAS and PFOS, known as “forever chemicals”, are found in nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant fabrics and carpets, some cosmetics, and products that resist grease, water and oil. They have been found to cause a wide range of health problems from kidney and testicular cancers to endocrine disruptions. Consider doing a clean sweep of the house to determine which of these can be replaced, paying special attention to plastics. “If you really limit plastics to a few things, you are fine,” says Heather Patisaul, Ph.D., a neuroscience and toxicology expert at North Carolina State University.

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Reconsider kitchenware. Eliminate all nonstick cookware, Patisaul advises. “Use ceramic and other materials that do not have perfluorinated chemicals.”

Debbie Steinbock, a nutrition counselor at Mindful Family Medical, in Boulder, Colorado, suggests replacing plastic storage containers, which can leach chemicals when heated. “Use a cast iron skillet and use glass jars and mason jars for food storage.”

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Chuck out toxic cleaners. Many commercial kitchen, bathroom and other cleaning products are loaded with chemicals linked to asthma, cancer, reproductive disorders, hormone disruption and neurotoxicity. They can be particularly toxic for children: A recent

Canadian study found that repeated use of a disinfectant reduced beneficial gut bacteria in toddlers, probably contributing to obesity.

A good place to start in cleaning out the cleaners is at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) website ewg.org; its Healthy Living Home Guide evaluates the health risks of 2,500 cleaning products. It also advises a simple strategy of using vinegar and water or baking soda.

Get the lead out. Andrew Rooney, deputy director at the National Toxicology Program of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, sees lead, which causes brain damage and other serious defects, as a major risk present in water supplies and the paint of older homes. “The thing I want to emphasize is there is no safe level of lead exposure, so eliminating exposure sources is the best protection for your health,” he says.

Drinking water contamination comes from the distribution lines and plumbing fixtures, with lead leaching out from repairs or adjustments. “Having your household water

tested by a certified lab is the best option to determine if you have water issues,” he says. Consult state and local health agencies for guidance on lead paint or lead in the water lines and how to remove it. Also consider a water filter: ConsumerReports. com has a comprehensive rating of models from pitchers to under-sink setups.

Take it a step further. The new EWG downloadable Healthy Living app makes it easy to use a smartphone to check out 120,000 products for toxic ingredients, including cosmetics and foods. “It has a barcode scanner to scan your favorite lipstick or shampoo, and it will pop up an ingredient list and give it a score,” says Patisaul. The database includes ingredients not found on packaging and scores products on a zero to 10 scale. “It pretty much has to be water to get a zero,” she says.

Forests are the lungs of our land.

~Franklin D. Roosevelt

Yvette Hammett is an environmental writer based in Valrico, Florida. She can be contacted at YvetteHammettHull49@gmail.com.

CELEBRATING 27 years in THE business of

April 2021

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conscious eating

Spring Cleaning the Body Simple Ways to Detox Naturally

by April Thompson

A

s we shake off the sluggishness of winter, many of us feel an urge to “spring clean” our bodies with a detox or cleanse. Yet health experts say such programs should help jumpstart new healthy habits and not necessarily be seen as a short-term fix.

“The air we breathe, the water we drink, the cosmetics we use, the materials we build with and most notably, the food that we eat, are loaded with chemicals that are toxic to our metabolism,” says Alejandro Junger, a Los Angeles cardiologist, author and founder of CleanProgram.com. “The systems in the body designed to clear toxicity are overwhelmed, and this leads to the imbalances and damage that is at the root of most diseases today.”

Detoxification functions are performed by many different organs and tissues, including intestinal flora, the immune system, the nervous system and the liver, so its imbalances can manifest in diverse ways, according to Junger. “Symptoms of detox imbalance include sleep and mood disorders, anxiety, rashes, lack of energy and libido, autoimmune disorders, inflammation and cancer.”

While some health professionals say that detoxes are unnecessary because the body is capable of cleansing itself, others make a compelling case for the need to help it along, given our heightened exposure to manmade toxic elements. Information of varying repute swirls around the internet, offering approaches ranging from juice cleanses to total fasts.

Simple dietary strategies can help sweep out toxins, explains Robin Foroutan, an integrative dietitian and nutritionist in New York City. She points to cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, collards and kale, which promote cytochromes P450, a family of enzymes critical in helping toxins clear the body. She also recommends foods high in fiber that can bind to toxins and bile, and transport them out of the body through the stool. Berries, green tea and turmeric are also helpful for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; even water facilitates the excretion process, supports the lymphatic system and replenishes fluids lost through sweat. Using a water filter and eating organic foods when possible also reduces incoming toxins, she says.

Healthy smoothies are a great way to get water, fiber and easily digestible nutrients into our body at the same time, according to 22

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Everyday Toxin Cleaners

Fasting (occasionally for a prolonged period, such as three days without food) and intermittent fasting (abstaining from food for a shorter period, such as 16 hours per day on a regular basis) are great tools for deeper detoxification, says Junger. “Digestion takes energy and resources from the detox functions, so eating less, eating less often and allowing time for digestion to stop so that detox can intensify is crucial.”

For a comprehensive detox, experts recommend working with a health practitioner to assess toxic burdens and develop a personalized plan. Russell Jaffe, a physician in Ashburn, Virginia, crafts a detox program based on four self-assessments, including digestive transit time, urine pH, hydration levels and vitamin C levels.

Jaffe claims our bodies are burdened by excess acid, rendering them less resilient to stress and resulting in fatigue, illness and infection risks. “When we enjoy a diet rich in greens, fruits, vegetables, minerals and antioxidants, our cells become more alkaline and more resistant to everyday stress,” he states.

Experts emphasize that a short-term program must be part of a longer-lasting lifestyle and diet shift. “It is not enough to do periodic detoxes if you go back to old habits. I offer these programs as a jumpstart in hopes that participants feel so much better that they never want to go back to what they were doing and eating before,” says Junger.

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

Sweet Mango Smoothie Sweet fruit paired with spinach for an extra dose of fiber, vitamins and super-green-detoxifying antioxidants won’t change the taste of this beloved fruit smoothie.

1 cup fresh or frozen mango 1 to 3 cups spinach ¼ cup packed mint ½ cup coconut water ½ cup coconut milk 1 Tbsp chia seeds 1 serving dairy-free protein powder Handful of ice

photo by kaitlyn noble

Deep Detox

Detox Delights

Skin and chop mango. Wash spinach. Remove mint leaves from their stems and rinse them with water. Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high until smooth (30-60 seconds). Pour and serve immediately. Sprinkle chia seeds on top if desired.

Recipe by Kaitlyn Noble of the Clean Program.

Vegetable Yum Soup Soups help provide the body with nutrient- and fiber-rich vegetables in an easy-to-digest format, while soup broths help supply water for detoxification and a sense of satiety.

YIELD: 4 TO 6 SERVINGS 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 garlic clove, minced 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated 1 stalk lemongrass, minced ½ tsp crushed red pepper ¾ cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced 2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped 5 to 6 cups vegetable stock 1 (14-oz) can coconut milk 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce 3 Tbsp cilantro or parsley, chopped Heat the oil in a large pot and sauté garlic, ginger, lemongrass and crushed red pepper. Stir in the mushrooms, sweet potatoes and bell pepper, and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add the stock, bring to boil and then reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the coconut milk and soy sauce, and stir. Serve sprinkled with cilantro or parsley (optional).

photo by kaitlyn noble

Junger. “When using a good, clean, protein powder in addition to fruits and leafy greens, healthy fats such as nuts, and coconut or cashew milk, a smoothie can provide us the nutrients needed to support our energy for hours,” he says. Adding herbs like mint or holy basil (tulsi) and spices like turmeric and cinnamon elevate both flavor and healing. Liquids such as celery juice provide highly concentrated nutrients and hydration, but lack the fiber of a blended drink. Both juices and smoothies give overtaxed digestive systems a needed break.

Source: Russell Jaffe, The Joy in Living: The Alkaline Way. April 2021

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Eco-Athletes

Working Out with the Planet in Mind

by Marlaina Donato

F

change. “Being eco-centric enriches life and enhances health, but while it’s personally gratifying, it also makes you keenly aware of just how far the world is from taking action sufficient to keep climate change in check.

We all need to do more,” says Bruce Rayner, founder and chief green officer at Athletes for a Fit Planet, in Portland, Maine, who was enlightened to the problems firsthand at a halfironman distance race. “When I got to the finish line, I was given my obligatory plastic water bottle. I looked around for a recycling bin, and all I saw was an overflowing trash bin.” Founded in 2008, Rayner’s organization partners with pro-environment races like the TD Beach to Beacon 10K, in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, recently named the most sustainable 10-miles-or-less race in the country.

rom human-powered gyms that generate electricity to Earth-friendly activewear, professional and recreational athletes alike are increasingly working out with the planet in mind. Taking a recycled yoga mat to class, nixing the plastic water bottle and going “plogging”—picking up litter while out for a run—are just a few examples of eco-fitness in motion.

“We believe that movement and nature go hand-in-hand, yet the world of sports isn’t as green as it should be, with plastic bottles at events, junk food in canteens and monotonous movement in the gym,” says Saraï Pannekoek, co-founder of the Sustainable Athlete Foundation, which strives to create a sustainable sports environment through coaching, workshops and campaigns.

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Fueling Up, Protecting Natural Resources

Working Out Green Links between personal fitness and environmental toxicity are critical. Sixty percent of clothing is manufactured with fossil fuel-derived plastics, and activewear rates highest for eco-toxic fibers. Choosing workout clothes made from sustainable bamboo and cotton can soften the impact. With name brands like Adidas offering sustainable footwear, staying fit doesn’t need to increase the toll on the environment. Pannekoek, who hosts the Sustainable Athlete Podcast with co-founder Paul Venner in Amsterdam, emphasizes personal responsibility. “We believe that there isn’t a quick fix. It’s all about habits and conscious behavior, while still being able to peak perform.”

Supplementing the usual gym routine with self-powered workouts and outdoor activities like gardening, sustainable charity races and hiking are sound choices that can help to buffer climate 24

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A pillar of the eco-fitness movement is eating clean and going plant-based for the health of people and planet. “Diet is a big part of being eco-fit. The best action you can take is to support local farms, specifically organic farms,” emphasizes Rayner.

To minimize global greenhouse gas emissions and water usage, eating more nutritionpacked produce, whole grains, legumes and nuts instead of animal products supports sustainability. For Adam Layzell, sports therapist, nutritionist and author of How to Train Your Vegan: The Comprehensive Guide to Plant-Based Fitness, going vegan is a win-win situation. “A vegan diet encourages fat loss, improves endurance and recovery and has plenty of all the necessary components such as protein to build strength and muscle.” Layzell underscores that the vegan diet preserves animals and their ecosystems, prevents deforestation and destruction of wild land and lowers the impact on climate change and global warming.

Athlete Engagement For Lewis Blaustein, managing editor of GreenSportsBlog.com, climate change action and sports are an ideal marriage. He recently launched EcoAthletes.org to encourage sports figures to speak up about global warming. “Nelson Mandela once said, ‘Sport has the power to change the world.’

EcoAthletes aims to show that athletes are the agents of that change and that they, by mobilizing millions if not billions of fans, can do so on climate.” Blaustein sees a surge of climate-concerned athletes leading radical changes. “There will be many different looks—from athletes endorsing green products à la solar power, electric vehicles, etc., to athletes speaking out for environmental/ climate justice in a similar fashion to WNBA and NBA players on Black Lives Matter.”

Pannekoek concurs, “All small steps taken still go a great distance. Elite athletes are role models.

If they would support more conscious brands to influence the youth, we believe that they can make such a difference.”

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

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image courtesy of Meraiko

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI

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s Angela Hanscom of Barrington, New Hampshire, watched her preschool daughters at play, she realized that a surprising number of their friends had problems with balance, coordination and muscle weakness, conditions she was attuned to as a pediatric occupational therapist. Teachers told her that compared to past years, young children were falling out of chairs and bumping into each other and walls more often—all evidence of poor proprioceptive skills, the “sixth sense” ability to feel and position the body in space.

Hanscom also realized that almost none of the children played outdoors, which “fascinated and scared” her. Nationwide, even before the lockdowns and online schooling brought on by the pandemic, the average child spent seven hours per day looking at screens and only seven minutes per day playing freely outdoors.

Recent studies show that today’s children have poorer hand grip strength, slower running speeds and lower cardiovascular fitness levels than previous generations. Meanwhile, a growing body of research finds that spending time in nature makes kids happier, healthier and more functional.

Hanscom’s solution was to establish TimberNook, camps in which children from 18 months to 14 years of age are encouraged to explore natural settings in imaginative, largely unstructured, minimally supervised play. Now in its eighth year, 38 TimberNook-affiliated camps are located in the U.S., Canada, the UK and Australia. Hanscom’s book, Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children, has garnered more than 300 five-star reviews on Amazon.com.

“Children thrive physically, mentally and emotionally when they are given frequent outdoor play experiences, especially with other children. When children do not get enough of these opportunities, it comes at a great cost to their development,” she says.

Journalist Richard Louv, author of the seminal Last Child in the Woods, agrees. “The scientists who study the human senses no longer talk about five senses, they list conservatively nine or 10, and some believe that humans have as many as 30 senses,” he says.

“Yet today, children and adults who work and learn in a dominating digital environment expend enormous energy blocking out many of the human senses—including ones we don’t even know we have—to focus narrowly on the screen in front of the eyes.

That’s the very definition of being less alive. What parent wants his or her child to be less alive? Who among us wants to be less alive?”

That dawning realization is motivating parents and teachers to find ways to get their children actively involved with nature in ways that open their senses while also moving their bodies.

This often means hitting the local trails and nature preserves, sometimes with binoculars, bug jars, bird and plant guides and a scavenger list in hand. “‘Hiking’ can be a bit of a drag to young children, but ‘exploring’ (while still hiking) helps open their minds to the beauty and wonder of the outdoors,” says Tanya Gray of Woodstock, Georgia, a homeschooling blogger at TwoPineAdventure.com.

To improve kids’ hearing, Lilach Saperstein, an Israeli audiologist who hosts the podcast All About Audiology, asks children to close their eyes and describe only what they hear. “The wind, the rustle of leaves, a running water stream, crickets, birds, their own breathing, the swish of their sleeve or pant—this is a great way to introduce mindfulness, as well.”

To awaken sight, sound and smell, Boston plein air artist Diana

Stelin hands kids paper and art supplies out in nature. “Allowing kids to sit with sounds around them and with smells of various seasons makes them truly feel part of our grand universe. It also allows their minds to quiet down and reset, making them pay more attention to detail, to their inner landscapes and to people around them.”

To engage the sense of taste, Malorie Thompson, editor of TheVeganInsider.com, takes her children foraging for edible plants on treasure hunts on a trail or around their Northern California neighborhood. She says, “Bonus activity: use the foraged food to make a meal afterward!”

Most of all, nature should be both physical and fun. “Point excitedly at the full moon, shout at it and say hello. Pick up leaves and chestnuts and rocks and create beautiful art together. Stop to smell the twigs and flowers and roll on the grass—who can make it faster down the hill? Make sandcastles and animals. Tie colorful ribbons on tree branches. Look for the shapes of animals in the clouds,” says Milana Perepyolkina, of Salt Lake City, who wrote about forest bathing in Gypsy Energy Secrets.

“The only way to get your children to be excited about nature is for you to be excited about nature first,” she notes.

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

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The Ultimate Guide to Hiking with Your Dog

by Arden Blumenthal

Choose the right trail.

Planning is an essential part of hiking, and it’s even more important when you’re bringing your dog. If your dog is new to hiking or hasn’t hiked in a while, the key is to start slow. Choose an easier hike with limited mileage and fairly even terrain. Slowly build duration and hike difficulty from there.

Remember that trail difficulty can also depend on the weather. Dogs overheat and get too cold more quickly and easily than humans. So if you’ll be exposed to direct sun, rain or high winds, pay attention to what the temperature feels like.

When you think you’ve found a good match of mileage and elevation for your dog’s fitness level, take a look at the other features of the trail. Are there scrambles?

Ladders? Tight squeezes? Are you confident your dog can handle them? If it can’t, are you willing to turn back?

Some hikes may be more challenging for your dog because of the amount of traffic. If your dog isn’t comfortable around other dogs or almost pulls your arm off trying to greet them, choose a moderately or low-trafficked trail. Does your dog have a bike phobia? Pay attention to other potential users of the trail so you can make the hiking experience enjoyable for you and your dog.

Need help finding the right trail? Check out Best Hikes with Dogs: New Jersey.

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Safety first.

You probably know what to do if you or someone you know twists their ankle on a hike, but do you know what to do if your dog cuts its paw pad?

Bringing a dog on a hike means you’re responsible for its safety, so make sure your first aid kit includes supplies for your dog as well. And if you’re headed to the backcountry, consider bringing an emergency harness in case you need to carry your dog out.

The best way to avoid an emergency, however, is to be prepared for the hazards you could encounter on your hike, including snakes, steep cliffs, bears or extreme temperatures.

Also, check for ticks regularly. Some tick-borne diseases can be transferred to your pet within 10 hours, and therefore may not be preventable with prescribed tick preventatives.

Photo Credits: Arden Blumenthal

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hinking about hitting the trail with your pup this spring? Read these tips before you go.

Doggie Day Hikes Nearby

by Roger Dubin

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Pack for your pup.

Packing for a dog is relatively simple. Essentials include a collar with an ID tag, water, a collapsible bowl and poop bags. Depending on the hike length and conditions, consider bringing treats or food, a warm layer, booties, a quick-dry towel, an attachable bear bell and a harness made for adventure

Be a good steward.

Always comply with leash laws—not just to protect your dog and other trail users, but also to protect fragile habitats. And when you hike with your dog, remember to pack out when you pack in— including their poo, which can take a year to break down and is harmful to the environment.

After your hike, don’t forget to clean off your dog, checking for seeds and burrs. Invasive species can travel from site to site through hitchhiking seeds on your gear and your pets.

Be flexible.

We love dogs because they live in the moment. They remind us to enjoy the simple things in life—and that’s certainly true on a hike.

You may take a detour or find a new trail thanks to your fourlegged buddy. But you also might need to turn around because your dog is too hot.

Always watch your dog for signs of fatigue or injury, and listen to it when it shows you it’s had enough. Sometimes your hikes won’t go as planned, especially when you hike with a dog, and you have to be okay with that.

But the amazing part about hiking with a dog is that it allows you to step outside yourself and see the world through the eyes of an animal. What are they smelling over there on the westward wind? What creature did they hear in that underground burrow?

Hiking with dogs reminds us to embrace our own wild. By hiking with them responsibly, we can keep our trails wild too.

Arden Blumenthal is Conservation Dogs program coordinator for the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. Learn more about the wagging tails saving trails by following the Conservation Dogs team on Instagram at @DiaSavesTheForest.

ood news! Virtually all hiking destinations in northern New Jersey permit pets on a six-foot leash. The only exceptions are nature sanctuaries and a few municipal nature parks. To make sure you’re hiking where dogs are permitted, go to nynjtc.org, click on Find Hikes, click the logo of a hiker with a dog, and you can rest assured your furry friend will be permitted. The site also suggests routes based on difficulty, length and other features, and gives directions to parking.

Here are some of our favorite hiking spots close to Hudson County: Palisades Interstate Park: Stretching from Fort Lee to the New York State border and beyond, here you will find miles of trails along the shoreline of the Hudson River and the Palisades Cliffs, with a number of trails winding up and down the cliffs to make loops. Go to NJPalisades.org for details and multiple parking destinations at the top of the cliffs and boat basins.

Pets are permitted on the trails but not permitted in picnic areas, on the pathways of Fort Lee Historic Park or in Allison Park. Download the map and park brochure for free.

Ramapo Valley County Reservation: For many pet-lover hikers, this is dog heaven. Features include stunning vistas, with a view of the New York skyline; and several bodies of water, including a lake, a reservoir, a river, multiple brooks and even a waterfall; and several loop-hike options, of all sizes. There are lots of dogs, though, so be prepared if yours is skittish around other dogs.

Other favorite destinations include Ramapo Mountain State Forest, Norvin Green State Forest and the City of Newark Pequannock Watershed (permit required).

For maps and apps to plan your routes, go to AvenzaMaps.com (the official digital source for New York-New Jersey Trail Conference maps) or AllTrails.com (which is crowdsourced, so be guided accordingly—it offers lots of choices but does not indicate which are the officially designated state, county or local trails).

Roger Dubin is a volunteer trail supervisor for the New YorkNew Jersey Trail Conference. Also, a Day Hike Leader and Naturist for the Nature Place Day Camp. Find him on Instagram @MrNaturalNYC or email him at MrNaturalNYC@gmail.com.

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wise words

Sheryl DeVore on

Appreciating Nature and Wildlife

by Randy Kambic

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s we spend more time outside for pandemic safety to exercise and reduce stress, Sheryl DeVore suggests maximizing these experiences by being more aware of the wonders we see and the need to preserve them.

The award-winning author of five books on science, health and nature also writes for the Birds & Blooms national magazine, the Chicago Tribune and Natural Awakenings Chicago.

With degrees in writing and education from Northwestern University and Northern Illinois University, respectively, plus extensive studies in biology and botany, she assists the Illinois Audubon Society, including writing for and editing a 2019 book on the state’s endangered species.

Is climate change impacting wildlife and nature?

Recent worldwide studies are showing how climate changes affect bird migration times, bloom times of plants and mammal behavior. All of this is interconnected and can harm the environment and the flora and the fauna that live within it. For example, we’re finding that the relationship between healthy oak woods and migratory birds like warblers is being affected by climate change. Warblers time their migrations to pass through regions when oaks are just starting to leaf out. Insects are attracted to the buds and the early leaves, and warblers 30

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are attracted to the insects. Once the leaves emerge, chemicals in the oaks deter the insects and there isn’t any food for the warblers. Climate change can cause the oaks to leaf out early, so if warblers arrive on their normal schedule, they’ll find less food and therefore have less energy to make it to their nesting grounds. Plants and animals are trying to adapt in different ways, and this can be a huge issue if climate change continues.

Are there any new trends you’ve noticed in people growing vegetables at home?

Especially during the pandemic, people that have limited space are learning that they can grow their own food at home—growing vegetables and herbs in containers, both indoors and outdoors. Online classes can be helpful in teaching them to grow vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, spinach and peppers, which are great sources for antioxidants and vitamins. This trend coincides with the movement to eat healthier.

Have you seen any changes in how people observe nature during the pandemic?

When I go to forest preserves, parks and nature centers, even in my neighborhood, I have noticed more people, including families with their children, outdoors. Parents can inspire their children anywhere to learn

to appreciate nature. Ask a child what kind of tree is in the yard. Maybe they can take a photo or draw a picture of it to create a memory and inspire them to want to learn more. Ask them, “What’s that bug on that plant?” or, “What is the bird that’s singing?”

There’s so much for them to enjoy.

What can we do to try to protect and preserve the environment?

Sometimes people think they can’t make a difference as individuals. Small things can make a difference—have a ripple effect. People volunteer to return native habitats to their past, remove non-native species, plant new ones. Volunteers are planting and restoring prairies, woodlands. In your own backyard, you can plant native species or create a butterfly garden or capture rainwater in a rain barrel to water your plants, which will conserve resources. There are so many things you can do with the family.

Why should we care about endangered species?

Endangered species serve as canaries in a coal mine. When their numbers decline, that can be a signal that something is going wrong with the environment. When DDT was widely used in the U.S., the bald eagle and other species began to decline. The DDT thinned their egg shells so they weren’t able to raise their young.

They showed us that DDT pollutes and harms the environment, and in turn, humans. By discovering that, by saving eagles, we helped save ourselves.

By protecting endangered species, we truly are saving ourselves. We don’t know what unknown species are out there that might be useful in helping to treat diseases. Anyone who sees an endangered species knows how satisfying an experience this is, and to me, it also translates to a healthier mind and body.

For more information, visit SherylDeVore.wordpress.com.

Randy Kambic, in Estero, Florida, is a freelance editor and writer.

calendar of events THURSDAY, APRIL 1 Winter-Spring Farmer’s Market – Thur. through Apr 22. 4-6pm. The Historic Downtown Jersey City farmers’ market features various NJ vendors and local Jersey City vendors: Mother Nature’s beauty soaps, gourmet nuts & dried fruit, Vesco Foods, For the Love of Toffee, LLC, River Valley Community Grains, Stony Hill Farms, Jersey City Fish Stand, Hoboken Farms, R&M Farms, cake jars, Le Coco Nutrition. On the Grove PATH Plaza.

HOHA Run – Thursdays, 7:40pm. The Hoboken Harriers Running Club, a diverse group of runners/ joggers, welcomes runners of all abilities for a 5.2-mile run. 6th Street & Washington, Hoboken.

Libations: Moran’s Pub. Info: HOHA.net.

FRIDAY, APRIL 2 Family Sugar Cookie Decorating – 10am & 12pm.

Come decorate sugar cookies with your family. Learn how to make cookies like a butterfly, a chick in an egg, and a stained-glass flower cookie, but be creative too. Each child will get to roll out dough to make their own cookies, then decorate them with their own piping bag set and sprinkle tray. The class will be outdoors and social distanced. Masks are required for guests when not seated, staff will wear masks the whole class. Recommended for ages 3-14. $50, for one adult and one child. Register online. Hudson Table, 1403 Clinton St, Hoboken. HudsonTable.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 3 Mama Online Workout Class – Sat through Apr 24. 9:30-10:15am. This class, for all mamas and soon-to-be-mamas, focuses on stretches, breathing exercises and strengthening that will cater to your body. All levels welcome. Props needed: chair, weights, mat, ball or pillow. Zoom link will be sent at time of booking. Presented by Mama Strength, serving Hudson County. $15. Register on line: MamaStrength.com/Get-Started.

Meet the Easter Bunny – 3-6pm. Outdoors and socially distanced, meet and greet with the Raster Bunny in the outdoor garden, designed by Larkspur Botanicals, of The Cottage restaurant.

Must preregister. $15 per session. The Cottage, 136 Monticello Ave, Jersey City. 201-200-7067.

TheCottageJerseyCity.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 4 Handmade Pasta: Hands On –11am-2pm. For pasta connoisseurs and beginners alike, this is your opportunity to make pasta from scratch. Create pasta of all shapes and sizes ranging from ribbon styles (pappardelle and fettuccine) to filled (ravioli). Learn to replicate these techniques at home as you mix the old-fashioned way - by hand. All guests must register below CDC temperature guidelines and answer “No” to all of the written questions related to recent travel and symptoms related to COVID-19. $100. Register online. Hudson Table, 1403 Clinton St, Hoboken. HudsonTable.com.

Drum and/or Folk-Dance Class – Sun through Apr. Dance 2-3pm; Drum 3-4pm. Learn the rich cultural Afro-Puerto Rican folkloric music with our dance and drum classes for La Bomba y La Plena.

It’s open for both kids 7 and older and adults, so bring your family and friends. Sign up for the class

on Eventbrite or use registration form on website: SegundaQuimbamba.org. $20/drop in per class, $150/ten class package. Segunda Quimbamba Folkloric Center, 279 Second St, Jersey City.

Coming Attractions – Sun through Apr. 6pm. A radio show hosted by a nationwide team of more than 60 youth entertainment reporters, ages 8 to 21, who attend press screenings, press junkets, premieres and red carpets and other media events. They give you the latest news about media for kids, by kids. Before you spend your hard-earned money at the movies, listen to what they have to say. VoiceAmerica.com/ Show/1950/Kids-First-Coming-Attractions.

MONDAY, APRIL 5 Egyptian Style Belly Dance – Mon through Apr. 12pm. Online dance class for kids is designed to introduce students to the social folk dance of Egypt known in the West as Belly Dance. Students will be taught the cultural and historical origins of the dance as well as the movement vocabulary of the dance involving the arms, hands, torso and hips. This is a fun, low impact form of dance and exercise suitable for both sexes and all ages. View on Jersey City Free Public Library’s Facebook Page: Facebook.com/JCFPLNJ. Exit West: A Novel by Mohsin Hamid: Author Lecture/Discussion – 6:30-8:30pm. The book is about a young couple, Saeed and Nadia, who live in an unnamed city undergoing civil war and finally have to flee, using a system of magical doors, which lead to different locations around the globe. Meets in the bistro’s private room; future books will be chosen by the group. Free; register online. Amelia’s Bistro, 187 Warren St, Jersey City. Meetup.com/JC-BookClub/.

The Science of Natural Healing Masterclass – 7-8pm. There is no better time than now to get right with your health. Traditional Western medicine is not the only healing system rooted in science. Medical systems from other cultures, including those of India and China, have used natural treatments for centuries, some of which are now directly influencing our own health-care professions. Free. Full info and access to the workshop: BIT.LY/NaturalHealingMasterclass.

Prenatal Yoga – Through Apr: Mon & Wed, 7:30-8:30pm; Sat, 10-11am. For mammas-to-be, post-natal, and any other women who would like to join. This is a gentle yoga class focusing on areas of the body that ask for extra attention during pregnancy. Each class is tailored for the women in the room and their specific needs and desires. This is a semi-private class (five students maximum), so that each woman can receive personalized attention and support. Come to move, breathe, open the body in preparation for labor and delivery, and simply to connect with other women. $40/ one class, $175/five classes. Celebrate Life Studio, 1200 Park Ave, Hoboken. 201-687-9901. Register: CelebrateLifeStudioHoboken.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 6 Basic Life Support Training Certification – 9:30am-1:30pm. BLS for Healthcare Providers uses a scenario-based approach to develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that drive better outcomes for adult, child, and infant patients. Topics include: choking, critical thinking and problem solving, communication and teamwork and many more. $77. Hudson County Community College,

161 Newkirk St, Jersey City. To register: 201-3604246. Time, details: Gransom4959@live.hccc.edu.

HCCC.edu/ContinuingEducation.

Kids Art Classes – Through Apr. 10am-1pm. Museum Kids Art Classes take place three days a week – Tues, Thurs, Fri – for fun art making in the Museum walkway. Recommended for ages 2-5. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Art materials are provided; adults must wear masks and maintain social distance. Seating available first-come, firstserved. Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St, Hoboken. 201-656-2240. HobokenMuseum.org.

Savion Glover: Dance, Resistance and History – 7pm. Online illustrated conversation. Since he was 11 years old, Glover has been a dance superstar. His brilliance as an artist has only been exceeded by his diligence as a scholar of the art form he practices so uniquely. Savion and NJPAC President John Schreiber trace the history of tap through historical performances by the likes of Jimmy Slyde, George Hillman, Lon Chaney, Gregory Hines, Sammy Davis and Fred Astaire, examining not just their artistry, but the cultural and historical context in which these timeless works were created. Glover is a member of the NJPAC Board and has taught dance performance and choreography to the Arts Center’s students for many years. Free on Zoom with on line rsvp: NJPAC.org/Event/Savion-GloverDance-Resistance-And-History/.

Shamanic Sound Journey – 7:30-9pm. In studio & livestream. Leigh Higgins leads a sound immersion for the soul, using vocals and a variety of ancient instruments to shift our inner and outer perspective, helping discover our spirit guides and soul’s path. At the core of this path are experiential practices that lead to a deeper understanding of who we are. By exploring these practices personally and as a community, we learn to access the wisdom of spirit and make changes that enable us to feel fully connected. $25/livestream, $35/in studio. Urban Souls Yoga, 100 Hudson St, Fourth Fl, Hoboken. To register: 201-683-4002. UrbanSoulsYoga.com.

THURSDAY, APRIL 8 Support Group for Parents of LGBTQIA+ Youth – Apr 8, 22. 6-7:30pm. Join a virtual support group for parents of LGBTQIA+ youth. The group sessions will build communication skills, improve understanding and identifying challenges faced while raising LGBTQIA+ children. Info on these Zoom meetings: 201-963-4779. Info@hudsonpride.org.

Hoboken Talks – Thur. through Apr. 7-8pm. The Hoboken Museum is pleased to offer a new livestreamed program: Hoboken Talks! The talks are streamed live on YouTube, as well as Facebook and Twitter. Viewers can submit questions using the chat feature. The talks are streamed live on YouTube, as well as Facebook and Twitter. Viewers can submit questions using the chat feature. YouTube.com/ User/HobokenMuseum. See the website for other social media links to bookmark your preferred channel. Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St, Hoboken. 201-656-2240. HobokenMuseum.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 10 Seasonal Scavenger Hunt – Apr 10-11. Families will receive a digital set of clues through email to independently solve nature riddles along Nature Center

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trails. Each family will need to work as a team as they hike along the trails to complete the hunt. Program is intended for families with children 4 and up. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Program will be held entirely outdoors. In case of inclement weather, the program will be postponed the program to the following month. Social distancing in effect. Masks required when distance cannot be maintained. Space is limited and pre-registration is recommended. $10/ non-member family, free/member family and children under 2. Tenafly Nature Center, 313 Hudson Ave, Tenafly. 201-568-6093. TenaflyNatureCenter.org.

SUNDAY, APRIL 11 Prenatal Class – 9-12pm. A virtual childbirth education class that provides detailed information on what to expect during the birthing process as well as breathing and relaxation techniques. Classes are taught by experienced and certified instructors.

Information on newborn care is also presented by a board-certified pediatrician. Free. Riverside Medical Group, 1st Fl, 1 Harmon Plaza, Secaucus. 201-5522333. RiversideMedGroup.com/prenatal-classes.

THURSDAY, APRIL 15 Yin Yoga and Meditation – 6:30-7:30pm. Join livestream for yin yoga and meditation under the Sattva tree while you practice at home! Be still, reground and reconnect; breathe your way back to balance. Investigate the primary yin yoga poses, pairing postures with intentional guided breath techniques; with Karen Mandell. Have your mat ready, 2 blankets or large towels. If you have yoga blocks great, if not try a couple of hardcover books. $15.

Register online. Sattva Yoga Jersey City, 523 Palisade Ave, Jersey City. 201-839-5242. SattvaYogaJC.com.

NLN Preparation Course – Sat, Apr 17-May 22.

9am-1pm. The National League for Nursing preadmission exam evaluates the academic ability of nursing majors to identify the most qualified candidates among those seeking admittance into nursing schools nationwide. This course assists students in preparing for the exam by mastering the subject matter covered in the math and science portions. Students will also learn test-taking strategies that will help them achieve a high composite score. $229. Hudson County Community College, 161 Newkirk St, Jersey City. To register: 201-3604246. Time, details: Gransom4959@live.hccc.edu.

HCCC.edu/ContinuingEducation.

Mobile Shredding Event: Kearny – 9am-2pm.

Hudson County residents (no businesses) are invited to have personal, confidential and sensitive documents shredded at a mobile paper shredding site. Rain or shine; no plastic binders; remove large binder clips; recycle magazines and nonconfidential paper curbside; limit your documents to less than 40lbs. Free. West Hudson Park Parking Lot by Duck Pond, Kearny. HCI.org.

Mobile Shredding Event: Guttenberg – 9am2pm. Hudson County residents (no businesses) are invited to have personal, confidential and sensitive documents shredded at a mobile paper shredding site. Rain or shine; no plastic binders; remove large binder clips; recycle magazines and nonconfidential paper curbside; limit your documents to less than 40lbs. Free. Dept of Public Works, Guttenberg. HCI.org.

Hudson County

mark your calendar Main Street Pops Artisan Market Open-Air Artisan Market providing a public venue in Hoboken for high quality artisans and makers to sell their handmade goods as well as for local residents to enjoy their neighborhood, view art, and engage with one another. See a varied collection of local makers and artists offering their unique, hand-crafted creations including: Fashion, Accessories, Jewelry, Bath Products, Pet Products, Home Goods, Fine Art, Photography, Sweets and more!

Every 3rd Sundays of the Month and the First Three Sundays in December

11am-4pm

SATURDAY, APRIL 17

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Hoboken Garden Club’s Anniversary Celebration – 7-8pm. Special speaker is garden historian and writer, Lesley Parness. She has worked in public gardens in America and abroad for the past four decades. Topic is Drama Queens: Dark Beauties for Your Garden. Defined as “the absence of color,” black in its many hues can highlight, offset and dramatize every real color in your garden. Understand how to use black hued plants for maximum impact. Over 75 dark beauties, including annuals, perennials, vines, trees and shrubs are featured in this compendium of powerful plants. Registration is required: BCCLS.LibCal.com/Event/7514169.

NAHudson.com

Under 14th Street Viaduct, Hoboken

TUESDAY, APRIL 20 Keeping Houseplants and Their Gardeners Happy – 7-8pm. Presentation will discuss the unique needs of houseplants and the best practices for a thriving in-home garden. Presented by Rutgers Master Gardener Kate Colucci, who will briefly review the history of indoor gardening and emphasize the health benefits of indoor gardens. Free. Register online, or call 732-634-4450. On the day before the program, you will be sent the Zoom meeting information by email. WoodbridgeLibrary.evanced.info/Signup/.

THURSDAY, APRIL 22 Earth Day Calendar – A calendar of art created for a calendar contest by Hudson County students in recognition of the annual Hudson County Improvement Authority Earth Day is available online. HCIA. org/Images/HCIA_2021_Calendar.pdf.

One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure – Thur.Sat, 10:55am and 1pm. Explore the night sky with Big Bird, Elmo, and a friend from China named Hu Hu Zhu! In this planetarium show featuring beloved characters from Sesame Street, you’ll learn about the Big Dipper, the North Star, the Sun and the Moon. It’s the perfect introduction to space for our youngest astronomers! Recommended for ages 8 and younger. Free with admission. Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium, Liberty State Park, 222 Jersey City Boulevard, Jersey City. 201-200-1000. LSC.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 24 Bayonne Earth Day Cleanup – 10am-12pm. Earth Day 2021 will provide residents an opportunity to clean up and beautify our community,” Mayor James Davis said. Last year, the city held a socially distant at-home cleanup due to the stay-at-home order prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents cleaned garbage and debris in front of and around their homes. This year, the city is shifting back to its traditional format. Interested organizations and individuals may register as a team. Sign up for a team of four to ten people. The city can also place individuals on a team near where they live or work. Participants will meet in front of the 7/11 on 20th Street and Ave C. Volunteers must wear masks.

Supplies will be distributed. HCIA.org.

Wild Edibles Walk W/Bobcat Saunders – 2-4pm.

A program/walk about foraging, cooking and healing with wild edible plants and medicinal herbs. Expand your knowledge of worldwide cuisine, learning to identify wild edibles and mushrooms. The walk will be slow and easy. Bobcat Saunders has been cooking and eating wild foods for over 4 decades. $12, $8/ members; preregistration is required. Tenafly Nature Center, Visitor Center, 313 Hudson Ave, Tenafly.

201-568-6093. TenaflyNatureCenter.org.

Wild & Scenic Film Festival – The film festival inspires environmental activism and a love for naturethrough film. This festival goes on tour to more than 250 events each year, partnering with groups who are working to protect and restore the important places in their communities. Main Street Pops brings this tour to Hoboken as national tour hosts. Run time per screening approximately 2hrs: $10 per screening Location: A virtual, remote, group viewing party in your home.

2x virtual live to tape (ltt) + 24 hours VOD. Info and register: MainStreetPops.com.

SUNDAY, APRIL 25 A Walk Under a Full Moon – 7-9pm. This 2-hr adults-only walk by moonlight through the Lost Brook Preserve is approximately 1.5 miles, with a quiet rest stop at the Purple and Allison Trail crossing. The hike encourages reflection and connection with nature while experiencing the trails in a new way. Please bring a flashlight and wear sturdy closed toed shoes. Program will be held entirely outdoors. In case of inclement weather, the program will be. Social distancing in effect. Masks required when distance cannot be maintained. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. $10, $5/members. Tenafly Nature Center, Visitor Center, 313 Hudson Ave, Tenafly. RSVP: 201568-6093. TenaflyNatureCenter.org.

TUESDAY, APRIL 27 Criminal Minds: Killer Handwriting – 7-8pm.

Covering some high-profile cases using handwriting specimens of killers to show their behaviors with some stunning outcomes of the situations that may surprise history buffs. This program also highlights the Lindbergh kidnapping, again with some surprising new information that may be of interest to anyone who followed the case or because you are an NJ resident.

Presented by handwriting historian Terry Antoniewicz.

Free, registration is required. On the day before the program, you will be sent the Zoom meeting information by email. WoodbridgeLibrary.evanced.info/Signup/.

communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Publisher@NAHudson.com to request our media kit.

FITNESS

DENTIST LOUIS STEINBERG, DDS, MS

6050 Boulevard E, Ste LE, West New York, NJ 201-662-2020 • DrLMSteinberg.com

PRIME CYCLE HOBOKEN

70 Hudson St, Hoboken, NJ 201-683-6956 • PrimeCycle.com Prime Cycle Hoboken is now offering more than 25 outdoor classes a week—from early morning to midday to evenings, including Saturday and Sunday mornings—on the Hoboken Little League field, on 5th Street.

Biological dentist offering mercury-safe dentistry, Biocompatible Restorative Dentistry and TMJ analysis and treatment. See ad on page 7.

FAMILY ALPHAKEY CLUB

Virtual Based Jersey City, NJ info@alphakey.club • AlphaKey.club A foundation in reading is the classic predictor of academic success. But there are also certain character traits— like confidence, gratitude, integrity and patience—that are critical to success in the classroom and in life.

AlphaKey Club is a holistic educational program and interactive workshops founded by ShalomIsrael Diggs, a Jersey City teacher, dancer and artist, who teaches those foundational qualities right along with the ABCs.

FASHION EMBROIDERED PANDA Jersey City, NJ EmbroideredPanda.com

Embroidered Panda is a minoritywoman-owned business that normally specializes in delightful, thoughtful and sometimes quirky embroidery customized for weddings, babies, and even pets. Owner Amanda “Panda” Farrell also makes masks that are available online, and at Love Locked, 353 Grove Street in Jersey City, a woman-owned small business that features the work of local artists.

ONE/SOL

1422 Grand Street, Suite 3A Hoboken, NJ 201-809-9401 • BeOneSol.com ONE/SOL is a lifestyle boutique devoted to the wellness scene. It offers beautiful clothing and accessories to add confidence and color to someone’s wardrobe, and is also a unique haven for events, bringing all types of people and their fabulous energy together to experience parts of themselves... variations of wellness that can propel them to truly find “what makes their SOL happy”.

PUMP HOBOKEN

401 Bloomfield Street, Hoboken, NJ Boutique Pilates & fitness studio located in midtown Hoboken, offering smallgroup Pilates, reformer, mat classes and one-on-one sessions (virtual until studio re-opens). With a belief that every body is unique, Pump maximizes every workout with dynamic movements that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Strengthen your body and soul and view their virtual schedule.

HEALTHY FOODS BUSY BEE ORGANICS

451 Palisade Ave, Jersey City, NJ 201-656-5065 BusyBeeOrganics.com Chef Michelle Berckes and her team make up Busy Bee Organics, which serves nutritious, immuneboosting eats to the local c o m m u n i t y. T h i s h e a l t h supportive, local eatery offers instore specials, a brand-new cafe menu & limited outdoor seating. With choices to accommodate every dietary restriction and allergy, you can expect to find delicious options for everyone organic, plant based, customizable & 100% gluten-free.

BWÈ KAFE

1002 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 1401 Adams St., Hoboken, NJ 140 River Dr. S, Jersey City, NJ 201-683-0045 • bwekafe.com All three locations serve drink and food menus with several fun and fresh seasonal items. Offering fresh lemonade, housemade lavender coldbrew lattes, green water detox drinks, salads and toasts, bwé kafe is always thinking of creative and tasty drinks to satisfy your health and pallet. They also source and roast their own coffee beans. Order at the door, ahead of time online, or have them deliver right to your home.

CAFE PEANUT

586 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 201-721-6270 • CafePeanut.com Funky cafe dedicated to quality foods using locally grown, natural and organic produce.

Menu selections include delicious salads, sandwiches, soups, pastries, and artisan coffees & teas.

GREEN PEAR CAFÉ

93 Grand Street, Hoboken, NJ 201-659-0940 93 Franklin Street, Jersey City, NJ 201-968-7151 GreenPearGroup.com Green Pear Cafe is Hoboken’s healthy and innovative eating destination offering gluten free dishes, house made soups, nut milks and smoothies.Recently opened Jersey City Heights location completed their menu with European classic cuisine featuring AustroHungarian goulash dishes, wide variety of pickles, linzer desserts and much more. For more information, please visit greenpeargroup.com.

KEY FRESH AND NATURAL

574 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 201-204-4200 Local grocer offering huge selection of healthy products and quality brand names for the entire family.

Fresh produce with many organic options, quality meats and poultry, organic baby food, grain-free and natural pet foods, non-toxic cleaning products and much more. Save time shopping in one location and get all your grocery needs met at Key Fresh and Natural. Hablamos Espanol. See ad, page 2.

PLANT BASE JC

370 Pacific Ave, Jersey City, NJ 551-256-3868 • PlantBaseMarket.com An ethical, vegan, zerowaste market and restaurant offering a full-vegan, allday food menu, bulk groceries, organic produce, homeopathic wellness products, body care products and household products.

Plant Base is also a strong community hub, known as “the living room for the hood”, where neighbors come together to share knowledge and ideas.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS ANCHOR THERAPY

223 Bloomfield St, Ste. 121, Hoboken, NJ 201-565-2275 • AnchorTherapy.org Therapy is the anchor that holds life together through choppy waters. Anchor Therapy specializes in helping teens and adults through these times. Their experience and professional skills help clients feel better sooner.

Call for a free consultation.

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ACUPUNCTURE ATELIER

1321 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 201-708-8577 • AcupunctureAtelier.com Acupuncture Atelier offers undivided personalized attention during each and every session. Sara and Samia pride themselves on being unique and adaptable. Treatments may include acupuncture, reiki, aromatherapy, moxibustion, cupping, auricular therapy, as well as ancient Shamanic healing methods.

BABY STEPS PEDIATRICS

Dr. Carmen H. Lebron 75 Montgomery Street, Ste. 401 Jersey City, NJ 201-600-4306 • LebronPeds@gmail.com BabyStepsPediatrics.com Carmen Lebron is a fun-loving and creative pediatrician in downtown Jersey City. Our clinical approach is holistic, giving attention not just to medical issues, but integrating all aspects of the social and family environment. Dr. Lebron is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, and is a clinical homeopath.

FOOT AND ANKLE PREMIER SPECIALISTS

Dr. Juliana Paternina 70 Hudson St, Hoboken, NJ 201-659-5222 • FootandAnklePS.com Dr. Juliana Paternina, is a boardcertified Foot and Ankle Reconstructive Surgeon. She provides compassionate and comprehensive care for both adult and pediatric patients with any type of foot and ankle needs. She is well known for being thorough and for having a holistic approach.

Specialties include dermatologic foot conditions, any foot and ankle deformities including bunions and hammertoes, chronic nerve pain, sports-related injuries including heel pain, fractures, sprains, and treatment of diabetic foot complications. See ad, page 25.

HABIT DISRUPTION THERAPY

Kevin Munhall m.AmSAT Hoboken, NJ 316-461-7660 • HabitDisruption.com Identify the seemingly harmless habits of tension that we all carry with us throughout the day that can lead to aches, pains, and injury.

Specialist, Kevin Munhall, will help relieve this tension and teach you how to move in line with how you are designed, with freedom and ease. By changing these habits, you are able to get to the root of the issue and can address what actually causes the pain instead of waiting for it to arrive.

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HOBOKEN CHIROPRACTIC + WELLNESS

Dr. Laura Brayton/Dr. Olga Alvarez 113 Monroe Street, Hoboken, NJ 201-792-3544 • HobokenChiro.com Family wellness practice, specializing in pediatrics and maternity, that strongly believe in the body’s innate intelligence and ability to heal itself when blockages to the healing process are removed.

Utilizing chiropractic, soft tissue techniques, allergy elimination, nutrition/ supplements, and massage, health is restored and maintained for optimal wellness.

INSPIRED TO HEALTH

85 Maple Street #3L, Weehawken, NJ 201-344-6448 • InspiredToHealth.net Dedicated to helping women destress and lead more healthful lives, Lorraine Giordano offers the following treatments: Quantum Touch, Quantum Energy Transformation, Reiki, Quantum Allergy Release, Age Clearing and Energy Medicine. Also specializing in helping women with female reproductive issues and helping them connect to their sacral chakra; an energetic center linked to emotions, self-care, creativity and passion.

She also offers Akashic Record readings.

JACQUIE BIRD, SPIRITUAL WELLNESS JacquieBirdWellness.com

Jacquie Bird, Spiritual Wellness offers products and services that, support, guide and empower the individual. She is the author of the 7 Daily Thoughts & Mantras 4 Mindfulness eBook series; the Creator/Practitioner of Stress Busters Guided Meditations; she creates guided meditation as well as meditation music called SoundSoulVibin’ and is the Owner/ Creator of the handmade wellness brand MODAL VISIONS, which is rooted in the energetically dynamic properties of gemstones, crystals and copper. Jacquie is also the Creator and host of the podcast Roll With Peace, In Mind. Her entire platform and intent is in mindfulness, personal growth, stress relief and stress management – in essence, how we can live more calm, centered, grounded and meaningful lives.

JC BUMP AND BABY Jersey City, NJ JCBumpAndBaby.com

JC Bump and Baby connects moms through support groups, yoga classes and workshops.

LEAH CRESCENZO

917-525-3477 • HeyLeahC.com Transformative healer who utilizes the powerful tools of Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) and Hypnotherapy to improve everything from emotional to physical conditions.

LOTUS GENESIS WELLNESS CENTER 7000 JFK Boulevard East Galaxy Mall, Ste. M-15, Guttenberg, NJ 201-210-4764 • LotusGenesis.com

A holistic sanctuary offering a team of healers, therapists, mind-body experts and a naturopathic doctor, who combine various modalities from energy healing, diet and nutrition, to hypnotherapy and body work. Lotus Genesis offers a full line of wellness services, from detox and weight-loss programs, to caring for more complex medical issues. Their unique focus and approach to addressing root causes allows for rapid and long-term wellness. See ad, page 25.

MIND BODY HOBOKEN

51 Newark Street, Ste. 402, Hoboken, NJ 201-994-3500 • MindBodyHoboken.com Mind Body Hoboken works with individuals, corporate teams and small business owners to find balance in their personal and professional life. Finding the calm and peace in life is essential to balancing out the “fight or flight” response caused by stress. Founder/ practitioner Jennifer Araneo utilizes neurolinguistic programming, hypnosis, meditation and reiki to help clients find the Zen in their lives.

MINDFUL PLAY YOGA

646-552-2982 MindfulPlayYoga@gmail.com Mindful Play Yoga brings out the kid in all of us by working with children, adults & caregivers through mindfulness, play & yoga to see the best in everyone.

MPY is committed to inspiring children ages 3 -15 & families to be curious life-long learners.

OLEVIA METRY, MD

Family Medicine 108 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 201-656-5688 • Linktr.ee/Dr_Olevia Dr. Olevia Metry is a Board Certified Family Medicine Physician who grew up in Florida and has made Hoboken home for 3 years. She’s passionate about preventative medicine, lifestyle medicine, women’s health and diabetes.

RISE COACHING

Kelly Bonell West New York Kelly@YouWillRise.co • YouWillRise.co

VIDA-FLO HOBOKEN

HOLISTIC PET CARE

131 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 201-683-3222 • VidaFloHoboken.com

125 Paterson Avenue, Little Falls, NJ 973-256-3899 • HolisticPetCareNJ.com

Serving ambitious professionals who strivie to live their best life, but sometimes get weighed down with stress, anxiety, uncertainty, and that ‘stuck’ feeling. RISE helps clients to close the gap between stagnation and success by expanding what their mind sees as possible, helping them release limiting beliefs, and accelerating their growth. Kelly Bonell is a trained life coach who provides her clients a non-judgmental, inclusive, and trauma informed space to empower them to rise to new heights. Virtual sessions available.

Vida-Flo services offer IV hydration treatments, essential gains, advanced gains, injectable treatments & oxygen.

All treatments are provided by trained nurses in a clean medical spa environment for your comfort.

Holistic Pet Care of Little Falls provides guidance on optimum diet and environment, and how to minimizing negative elements/toxins to keep your pet healthier and living longer. Holistic and complementary modalities include acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, homeopathy, bach flow remedies, herbal therapies (western, chinese & ayurvedic), nutritional therapy, ozone therapy, cold laser therapy, and reiki for addressing problems and for preventive care.

OUTDOORS A SMALL GREEN SPACE Jersey City, NJ ASmallGreenSpace.com

A Small Green Space is an urban garden design firm, specializing in designing, installing and maintaining small city spaces.

SALVATION WELLNESS

30 Provost St, Jersey City, NJ 551-689-0763 • SalvationWellness.com Salvation Wellness is a multiservice wellness center that offers services such as massage, meditation, yoga classes and sauna sessions. It also sells a variety of personal care products, including CBD bath and body items. Co-founders Celia and Andres Pender have lived in Jersey City for more than a decade. They both have been dedicated to holistic health studies and deductive, science-based, natural healing for more than two decades.

THE GREEN ROOM

64 Newark Street, Hoboken, NJ 20 Church Street, Montclair, NJ TheGreenRoomNJ.com Hoboken and Montclair’s first CBD shops that provide both in-person and online shopping.

Owner Darek Michael offers education and high-quality products. The Green Room is open 7 days a week, from 11am10pm in Hoboken and 11am-8pm in Montclair.

VICTORIA REED MASSAGE THERAPY

Victoria Radzinski, LMT, CPT 201-551-7154 • VictoriaReed.Info@gmail.com VictoriaReedMassageTherapy.com As a licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Personal Trainer and Yoga instructor, Victoria’s healing and relaxing services reverse the effects of daily stress by repairing damaged muscle tissue to eliminate aches and pains throughout the body.

Improve circulation, detoxify your body, and increase mental alertness as you decompress with her carefully designed massages.

Victoria’s drive behind her work stems from her observations on today’s lifestyle/living. See ad, page 9.

PETS GALLA WELLNESS

Florentina Galla, Rdh.MS GallaWellness.com Florentina has been using holistic care and reiki healing for decades and now is providing that for pets. She provides pet healing and holistic pet nutrition. She’s using gentle touching if an area is in pain after trauma and to reduce the healing time; she offers customized nutrition and supplement needs to manage stress and weight gain based on the pets need. She is a regular volunteer at North Star Animal Rescue and is the author of Confessions of a Holistic Hygienist in a New Era of Wellness.

HOBOKEN JENGO

Hoboken, NJ 732-277-0284 • Hello@HobokenJengo.com HobokenJengo.com Hoboken Jengo is a sustainable online shop designed to empower pets and their humans with ways to reduce their environmental impact through minimally processed highquality treats, safe lasting toys, and ethically-sourced products that spark joy, foster health, and make a positive difference. The name Jengo is derived from kujenga, a Swahili word which means “to build”. Hoboken Jengo provides access to eco-friendly, unique mission-driven brands for dogs, cats and humans in one central place.

MEOW MINI MART

Sherry Cassin Hello@MeowMiniMart.com MeowMiniMart.com Online cat boutique featuring unique and sustainably made fashion pet collars, home and kitchen gifts, cat toys and wellness products. See charming and sophisticated collections created by artisans and designers who love all animals, especially cats! A percentage of every sale is donated to local cat rescue groups to help pay the vet bills.

PAWTANICALS

7622 Broadway, North Bergen, NJ 201-520-3036 • Pawtanicals.com Pawtanicals was established to give pet owners the accessibility of washing their pets without space constraints–as they normally would do at home in their bath tubs. It allows for pet owners to create a stronger bonding experience while simultaneously making their pets feel safe and secure having their owners personally wash them.

THE CUDDLY BOUTIQUE TheCuddlyBoutique.com

Founded by pet parents, Tom & Kimberley Bueno-Schonig of The Cuddly Cottage pet sitting service, the Cuddly Boutique is an online pet store that sells a variety of special gifts from cozy sweaters to unique toys.

Their promise is that The Cuddly Boutique products will give your pet that “this is the best gift ever” look in their eyes and give you that warm and cuddly feeling in your heart.

SKINCARE SEAZEN SOAP Hoboken, NJ SeazenSoap.com

Handmade local luxury products for your skin. The Seazen Soap company specializes in natural soaps, skin butter and CBD products.

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