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December 2020 | Hudson County Edition | NAHudson.com December 2020

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Contents 14 THE NEW STORY

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FOR THE WORLD

Re-Visioning the Script for a Healthier Society and Planet

18 PAY WHERE WE PLAY Boosting the Hometown Economy

19 FRESH RITUALS FOR A NEW YEAR

20 MIND-BODY FITNESS How Mindfulness Benefits Workouts

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22 THE GIFT OF YUM

Homemade Treats Spark Holiday Cheer

26 REINVENT THE HOLIDAYS

More Meaning, Less Stuff

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DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 10 health briefs 12 global briefs 18 green living 19 inspiration 20 fit body

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eating 26 healthy kids 28 healing ways 30 natural pet 32 calendar 33 resource guide December 2020

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news briefs

KnoWEwell Platform Offers One-Year Free Memberships in December

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

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

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New Healing Practice Focuses on ‘Living Food’

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ome people call it “raw vegan food,” but Eric Sanchez—herbalist, health coach and certified detoxification specialist—prefers the term “living food,” for obvious reasons. “Eating living foods restored my life,” he says.

For years, Sanchez tried to address his many chronic health issues, including alopecia, anxiety, depression, heart palpitations and headaches, through various diets: dairy-free; vegetarian; the keto, paleo and candida diets; and whole-foods, plant-based cooking. Nothing worked. Doctors just prescribed more medication. Alternative-healing methods brought no relief either. Now Sanchez understands why.

“The issue with those alternative modalities is that I didn’t have the diet to support them,” he says. “I eventually found that health always starts with what you’re consuming.”

For almost two years, Sanchez has eaten only raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, juices and spices. He says heating food denatures its enzymes, vitamins, minerals and proteins, so the body has to work overtime secreting enzymes from the pancreas to break the food down.

“What I’m doing is what every undomesticated species on earth does—eating raw and as close to natural as possible,” he says. “Within a few months of consuming only living food, all my conditions and symptoms disappeared. I have evolved physically, emotionally and mentally.”

To help others heal, Sanchez has established a local practice, Ascension Living.

“There are so many people needlessly suffering and feeling powerless, just as I once did,” he says. I want them to know that their bodies are self-healing. Given the right environment, true health and physical freedom are inevitable.”

For more information, visit AscensionLiving.Co.

‘Flip the Script’ at Urban Souls Yoga

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f there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that we’re ready to shake off 2020, says Lara Cohn and Urban Souls Yoga, in Hoboken knows just how to do it. This year caused many of us to feel disconnected and unbalanced, while riding a collective wave of energy highs and lows.

In response, the studio is introducing Flip the Script, a customized six-week program to help people reconnect with themselves and each other, shedding stress and any residual negativity in the process.

Flip the Script starts December 1 and ends January 15. It includes access to weekday meditation streams, energy-based workshops, nutrition-based events and promotional offers. For inclusivity and to help people meet their individual transformation goals, the studio has set up three individual tiers of enrollment, with the lowest tier being free. That way everyone can choose which tier is best for them to personalize their transformation journey, Cohn says.

Enrollment at all three levels includes an invitation to a private Facebook group where people can not only encourage one another, but hold themselves accountable to goals set for improving their physical, energetic, mental and spiritual well-being.

For more information, including details on Flip the Script tier costs and offerings, visit UrbanSoulsYoga.com/flip-the-script-yoga.

Tickets on Sale for It’s a Wonderful Life Radio Play

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ile Square Theatre, in Hoboken, will reprise its popular version of It’s a Wonderful Life, the live radio play, in its virtual theater platform, from November 26 to December 27. Audio descriptions and closed captions will be available for the program starting December 3.

This family-friendly production, which runs 45 minutes, brings the audience into a 1940s radio studio to witness a live reading of the classic film’s screenplay. Joe Landry’s adaptation invites the audience to experience the story as theater of the mind, as versatile actors play multiple roles, enhanced by sound effects performed by a foley artist.

All tickets are sold via video on demand. Once a ticket is purchased, the video will be available starting on the dates listed above and will be available indefinitely until the ticketholder watches it.

After that, the ticketholder will have 48 hours to finish or re-watch it before it disappears.

Anyone requiring audio descriptions should select the event labeled “With Audio Descriptions” when purchasing a ticket. There’s no need to select a special ticket or event for closed captioning, which can be turned on and off using the video player.

For tickets, visit MileSquareTheatre.org. For more information, call 201-683-7014 or email info@milesquaretheatre.org.

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news briefs

Pilsener Haus and Main Street Pops Announce Pop-Up Arts Program

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ilsener Haus & Biergarten has partnered with Main Street Pops to bring a series of pop-up arts programs to Hoboken’s up-and-coming North End. The series will feature local artist exhibitions, artisan markets, film screenings, immersive experiences and other cultural happenings, with the goal of bringing people together and boosting the local economy. The next event will be a COVID-compliant Outdoor Holiday Gift Market, scheduled for the first three Saturdays in December from noon to 6 p.m., featuring the works of many area artisans and makers.

“We were thrilled when Vince first approached us about joining forces to help expand the cultural offerings in town,” says Zabrina Stoffel, a founder of Main Street Pops. “Our company’s mission is to bring people together, and we are excited to have a partner that perfectly shares our goal to create a stronger sense of community in Hoboken.”

Pilsener Haus CEO Vince Crysler says he’s hoping to build on local relationships, and to make the biergarten a neighborhood gathering place. The team behind Pilsener Haus also owns the Kolo Klub, a premier event space in Hoboken, which provides additional capabilities for community happenings.

“We live in Hoboken and want to invest in it,” Crysler says. “Main Street Pops has quickly proven that they too care about our community, and the pop-up events they have produced have already made a major impact.” Main Street Pops’ recent fundraising film festival series raised over $20,000 for local organizations in need during the COVID pandemic.

For more information, visit MainStreetPops.com.

Volunteer Cleanups Set for Jersey City

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lean Green Jersey City is organizing neighborhood cleanups on several Saturdays in December and January, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., weather permitting. Volunteers can show up at any time. The events are family friendly and socially distanced, and students will receive community service hours.

Cleanup dates are as follows: December 5: New York Avenue, on the hill between the Heights and Hoboken (meetup location corner of New York and Ravine Avenues) December 12: Corner of Summit and Cornelison Avenues, near Bergen-Lafayette and McGinley Square December 19: Brunswick Street in downtown Jersey City (meetup location corner of Brunswick Street and Christopher Columbus Drive) January 9: Underpass of Route 1-9 on Newark Avenue, near Journal Square (meetup location corner of Wallis Avenue and Broadway)

Karam Thapar, of Clean Green Jersey City, says the group’s longterm goal is to turn the project into a year-round event, and to expand it to include all of Jersey City, as well as Hoboken and Union City. “These are ambitious goals, but we are better together in numbers, and we believe if we work together we can turn this around quickly,” he says.

Find more info on Instagram and Facebook at @CleanGreenJerseyCity, or email CleanGreenJerseyCity@gmail.com. To sign up or suggest a future cleanup site, visit Bit.ly/39dIfse.

Cat Boutique Supports Local Rescue Groups

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eow Mini Mart, an online cat boutique based in Weehawken, was conceived as a means to give back to the local community. The boutique features unique, sustainably made fashion pet collars, home and kitchen gifts, and cat Sherry Cassin toys and wellness products. Sherry Cassin, owner and creative director, donates a percentage of every sale to local cat rescue groups, to help them pay their vet bills.

Since launching in 2018, Cassin has designed the boutique’s in-house product line, Best Life Pets, an exclusive collection of hand-crocheted cat and small-dog collars and toys.

“The shop also has a reputation for showcasing charming and sophisticated collections created by artisans and designers who love all animals, especially cats,” she says. “For me and my team, it’s the joy of creating and finding special cat-inspired collections to offer to our fellow cat lovers and be able to give back too.”

All orders ship free. To shop or for more information, visit MeowMiniMart.com.

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Local Love Box Is Slice of Home

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udson County media site Hoboken Girl and Hoboken-based Happy Box have collaborated to offer the Local Love Box, a holiday gift box of products from small businesses in Hoboken and Jersey City. The boxes are ready to ship nationally to anyone missing a little slice of New Jersey this holiday season.

Happy Box was launched by sisters Ariel and Hannah Redmond as a way to provide custom-made care boxes online. They buy their gift items from mission-based, women-owned and minority owned businesses. Jen Tripucka, founder of Hoboken Girl, says the three decided to collaborate when she had to cancel plans for her annual in-person holiday market. They wanted to keep the “shop small” spirit alive, even in pandemic times.

The Local Love Box contains a mini seasonal floral bouquet from About Designs, in Weehawken; a pine-scented candle by Evergreen Summer, in Hoboken; a sea salt chocolate chunk cookie by Bang Cookies, in Jersey City; two greeting card options

by Brittany Paige Designs and one by Happy Box; and a Jersey love magnet by Happy Box.

One dollar of every Happy Box sale will be donated to the Jersey City nonprofit WomenRising.

To order, visit HappyBoxStore.com.

To Succeed, Change Inner Monologue

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ur inner monologue can have a big influence on whether we succeed in life, says Kelly Bonell, owner of Rise Coaching, based in West New York. The best strategy is to let go of “limiting beliefs,” the things we tell ourselves that put limitations and obstacles on what we believe is possible.

“These are tiny, subconscious thoughts that sneak in and tell Kelly Bonell you something that is actually a lie,” she explains. “Some common examples are I’m not smart enough, Bad things always happen to me, I’m not qualified for that position, or All the good ones are taken.”

Bonell says these beliefs are actually just assumptions based on our perceptions of life experiences—beliefs we created to protect ourselves. That works for a while, but eventually they hold us back.

“In order to rise to new levels of success, your beliefs need to be as close to reality as possible,” she says. “Consider what you want to believe about what is true and possible for you, and then forge your new path towards success. If you think you can, you will.”

For more information or to contact Kelly Bonell, visit RiseCoaching.co.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby Announces Virtual Conference

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he Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) will host a Virtual Lobby Day Conference on December 5 and 6, with speakers and breakout sessions designed to help participants understand and advocate for HR 763, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, introduced in Congress last year.

The virtual conference will run from 1 to 5 p.m. on December 5, and 1 to 4 p.m. December 6.

Topics will include Bridging the Divide on Climate Solutions, A Lens into Race and Climate, and A Closer Look at Carbon Pricing Studies, among others.

“The will to solve climate change is growing, and 2021 could present historic opportunities for climate solutions,” says Kristen Duda, who co-leads CCL’s Hoboken chapter. “CCL is preparing to move forward. At this conference, we’ll take a look at the road ahead.”

John Wood Jr., Hahrie Han and Shi-Ling Hsu will discuss what the 2020 presidential and congressional election results mean for climate policy in 2021, and CCL Vice President of Government Affairs Danny Richter, Ph.D., will share key elements of the organization’s 2021 strategy based on the election.

“We’ll stay true to our roots,” Duda says. “Some things will remain the same no matter what the election outcomes are. We’ll continue our nonpartisan, grassroots approach. We’ll still build the relationships that turn critics into allies, and allies into activists. At the conference, you’ll have an opportunity to hear about the work we do to reach out to, include and support all different types of people to reach their potential as climate advocates.”

For more information and to register, visit TinyURL.com/y2432onu.

Sustainable Gift Event Showcases Local Vendors

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ustainable Jersey City will host SJC Green Drinks, a Zoom holiday celebration showcasing local green merchandise vendors, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on December 3. The event is an opportunity for eco-conscious people to meet their neighbors and discover small businesses offering sustainable gifts.

Guests will be eligible to win $250 worth of prizes being given away by the vendors showcasing their products. Participating Jersey City small businesses include Chaconia Candles, Tia Planta, Ogee Market, Illuminate Food, Spell Bathing and Hudson Houndstooth, among others. Event supporters are JCFamilies and the JC Women’s Collaborative.

Registration is required and will enter the guest into the prize drawing. A $5 donation earns an additional entry, with the total number of entries limited to five per person (including registration and donations). Names will be drawn live, at random, during the event.

To register, visit https://sjc-green-drinks-sustainable-gifting-market. eventbrite.com. The Zoom link to join the gathering will be sent to registrants the day of the event. For more information about prizes and featured vendors, follow SJC on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. December 2020

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health briefs

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

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

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

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Hudson County

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Eat Cruciferous Veggies for Cleaner Blood Vessels

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Retain Muscle Mass with Vitamin C

For a Healthy Baby, Take a Multivitamin, Exercise and Ditch the Devices

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The simple step of taking a daily multivitamin during pregnancy can reduce the risk of autism in newborns by 38 percent, report Chinese researchers that analyzed nine studies of 231,163 children, of which 4,459 were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

Another study from Kings College, London, of 1,555 obese, pregnant women, concluded that when they improved their diet and exercised, their children three years later had an average resting pulse rate of five beats per minute lower than the other children, a better glycemic response and slightly less obesity. Israeli research, published in the online journal Sleep, involving 116 men ages 21 to 59, found those that used smartphones and tablets in the evening and after bedtime had lower sperm quality with reduced counts and motility. Watching TV, another light-emitting source, during the evening also correlated with lower sperm concentration.

For normal nighttime sleepers, taking a midday snooze for more than one hour may hurt cardiovascular health, reports a surprising new study from Guangzhou Medical University, in China. After analyzing 20 studies of 313,651 people, researchers found those people that napped longer than 60 minutes after sleeping more than six hours at night had a 30 percent greater risk of death from any cause and a 34 percent higher risk of heart disease. However, for people sleeping less than six hours at night, naps of 30 to 45 minutes “might improve heart health,” says study author Zhe Pan. Napping, long thought to be healthy, is under increasing scrutiny, with some research linking it to high blood pressure, diabetes and poor overall physical health. A 2019 Swiss study, published in Heart, of 3,500 people concluded that napping once or twice a week reduces heart disease risk by 48 percent, but benefits decline with more frequent naps, perhaps because ongoing sleepiness can point to underlying health disorders.

Practice Yoga to Improve Atrial Fibrillation Yoga postures and breathing may significantly reduce episodes of atrial fibrillation, suggests a new study—good news for the one in 11 Americans that suffer from its anxiety-producing palpitations, racing pulses, dizziness and shortness of breath.

In the study, which was presented to the European Society of Cardiology, 538 patients underwent 12 weeks without yoga and then 16 weeks of attending 30-minute yoga classes every other day. During the yoga period, their fibrillation episodes were halved, dropping on average to eight as compared to 15 in the non-yoga period. Average blood pressure was 11/6 millimeters of mercury lower after yoga training. The patients also reported improved moods and energy. “Our study suggests that yoga has wide-ranging physical and mental health benefits for patients with atrial fibrillation, and could be added on top of usual therapies,” says study author Naresh Sen, M.D., of Sunil Memorial Superspecialty Hospital, in Jaipur, India. elly fairytale/Pexels.com

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Nap Less for Heart Health

December 2020

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global briefs

Conscientious Director Amazon Climate Label Facilitates Greener Choices

daniel eledut/Unsplash.com

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

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

Skin Relief

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

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

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

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Fast Foodie

MilkRun Gives Farmers Direct Sales

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

Niiro explains that while wholesale orders from restaurants have decreased dramatically due to COVID-19, direct purchasing from consumers is offsetting the losses.

By re-scaling, creating new safety practices and adapting to direct consumer demand, farmers are able to turn a profit during the pandemic. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, farmers receive roughly 8 percent of the purchase price from grocery stores, while MilkRun estimates a return of up to 70 percent of the purchase price through its platform.

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California Passes Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act

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

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

Shining Example

WellExplorer App Can Warn of Toxic Drinking Water

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

Different fracking sites use a diverse mix of chemical ingredients, and individuals and researchers are often uninformed about the exact health consequences of living near a particular well. People can view the closest fracking sites in their state, learn which chemicals are used at those sites and view their levels of toxicity by entering their zip code.

WellExplorer can be obtained for free at WellExplorer.org or downloaded on Apple’s App store.

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

Saving Arctic Ice Using Glass Beads

The California nonprofit Arctic Ice Project is proposing to scatter a thin layer of reflective silica glass particles over parts of the Arctic in an effort to protect it from the sun and help ice to re-form.

Engineer Leslie Field, an adjunct lecturer and chief technical officer at Stanford University, says they are trying to break a self-destructive feedback loop.

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

Tainted Taps

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Climate Refugees Could Reach One Billion by 2050

December 2020

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A New Story for the World

Re-Visioning the Script for a Healthier Society and Planet

by Linda Sechrist

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lightscience/AdobeStock.com

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

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

As we are discovering globally through hard experience, the old stories of rugged individualism and conquering and dominating the natural world have run their course with grim results.

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

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

New Climate Story In Climate: A New Story, writer and activist Charles Eisenstein suggests that we need a new story that makes possible the more beautiful world our hearts know is achievable. The

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

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

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

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

Sahtouris teaches corporations about ecosophy’s new view of a conscious universe and a living Earth in which we are cocreators. This, she believes, takes humans out of fatalistic victimhood so that we can become consciously active agents of our destiny. Lifting the fog of our self-image as consumers of stuff gives humans the rights and responsibilities to live out our full cocreative humanity.

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

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

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

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

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Story of Our Time: From Duality to Interconnectedness to Oneness.

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

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

Undivided Wholeness In a world engulfed by fragmentation, the film Infinite Potential: The Life & Ideas of David Bohm is a healing balm with the potential to overturn our ideas about the world and ourselves. “The core work of David Bohm, considered one of the most significant theoretical physicists of the 20th century, is our essential interconnectedness and undivided wholeness from which we get a sense of our own interconnectivity,” says producer and director Paul Howard. “This realization makes it logical to start taking better care of ourselves, each other and planet Earth.”

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

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

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

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Medicine and Community

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

Initially, Phelps was concerned about how the levels of intimacy, trust and vulnerability necessary for individuals to develop a sense of cohesiveness and bonding could be formed via computer screens. By using the center’s model of self-care, self-awareness and mutual support that has its roots in indigenous culture, she felt her concern dissipate as group members began to bond quickly. “Our guidelines call for no cross-talking and no interrupting. Confidentiality is sacred. I’m a facilitator and a participant, which most models don’t allow,” says Phelps. She speculates that the success of online bonding might be due to participants feeling safer in their homes with a little extra anonymity, noting, “Not being face-toface seems to allow people to share more freely. These weird times are creating a commonality and a sense of community connection.”

INTRODUCING

NEW

DIGITAL ADVERTISING OPPORTUNTIES • Targets specific websites based on affinity lifestyle • pay-per-impression with 100% reach based on verified consumer behavior hugo/AdobeStock.com

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

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

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

Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings.

Connect at LindaSechrist.com.

Reach Out to us TODAY to learn more.

Contact Publisher@NAHudson.com December 2020

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Image Courtesy of Josh Pridgen

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green living

PAY WHERE WE PLAY Boosting the Hometown Economy

by Sandra Yeyati

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

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

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

Cities that have many thriving local businesses enjoy other benefits, too. “We know from 18

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political science studies that they have higher rates of voting participation and volunteering,” Shuman says. “Sociology studies show lower crime and greater degrees of social organization and civil society. Health studies reveal that local business communities replace a lot of unhealthy, imported food with healthier, fresher, less-packaged food that lowers rates of diabetes and obesity.

Unique local businesses attract tourists. And because they shorten the lines of distribution and supply, we know they bring down carbon footprint.”

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

In 2003, Lanning founded the nonprofit Local First Arizona (LFA) to help local businesses thrive and eventually eliminate city, state and federal subsidies that multinational companies were receiving. “Big chains move in, claiming they’re going to drive so much sales tax revenue that the city should pay them to be there,” she explains. “Cabela’s [the outfitter chain] got a $68 million subsidy from Glendale to open one retail location.

These sweetheart deals extract money out of the community that could have been spent on parks, libraries and fire departments, but instead goes to shareholders living elsewhere.” Responding to political pressure by LFA and others, Arizona passed a law banning these subsidies five years ago—a major victory—leveling the playing field for smaller businesses, according to Lanning.

As the author of 13 destination guidebooks, Florida-based travel journalist Karen T. Bartlett helps people discover the oftenhidden flavors and experiences unique to their own region, meeting neighbors and supporting the local economy along the way.

“From kayak adventures and foodie tours to community theater productions and galleries featuring local artists, fun and meaningful ways to enjoy the distinctive offerings of home abound,” she says.

“Think local first,” Lanning says. “Spend your money with people you know in your

Fresh Rituals for a New Year

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

Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

inspiration

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community—from haircuts to oil changes.

Use a local pharmacy. Go to the farmers’ market and move your money to community banks and credit unions.”

“For people to get excited about the purchase of a five-dollar hammer and not pay attention to where they have their mortgage is utterly irrational. Rank [in] order your business expenditures, which starts with your home, then probably goes to your car and then health care, and think about ways of localizing those things, rather than every grocery item,” Shuman advises.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Adapted from an Arcadia Publishing contribution.

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fit body

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Tapping into Contentment

Mind-Body Fitness How Mindfulness Benefits Workouts

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by Marlaina Donato

hen mindfulness approaches are applied to fitness training—which can be as simple as breathing consciously and tuning into subtle body sensations— the results can be fewer injuries, improved immunity, a lowered stress response, a brighter mood and a deeper commitment to staying fit. Being in the present moment can also spark enjoyment.

Research shows that mindfulness training can also significantly raise self-esteem, and women that cultivate meditative self-compassion experience a boost in acceptance of and satisfaction with their bodies.

“In nature, the bigger the eye of the storm, the more powerful the winds, suggesting that our workout potential and enjoyment is dependent not on how hard we push, but how calm and self-aware we can be,” says John Douillard, DC, author of Body, Mind, and Sport and the founder of LifeSpa, in Boulder, Colorado. “Slowing down and being aware of the body allows the mind to attend to muscles, which can increase blood supply, lymph drainage and replace a potentially damaging fight-or-flight response during a workout with a rejuvenating parasympathetic response.”

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Mindful fitness instructor Ellen Barrett, in Washington Depot, Connecticut, offers clients a full-body experience with a fusion of movement forms and weight training. “We think mindfulness is some sort of yoga thing, but everything can become mindful. Jumping jacks and biceps curls can be mindful. It’s not the movement, but the awareness behind the movement. Mindfulness is about being present.”

Adding in balance training, tai chi and Pilates, and swapping a bit less time on the treadmill for a few moments of meditation or visualizing positive results can go a long way, say fitness experts. Debbie Rosas, founder and co-creator of Nia—a body-mind conditioning program anchored in martial arts and modern dance— underscores the importance of listening to cues.

“Notice any areas that feel tight, blocked, rigid and bound. This wisdom through felt sense and awareness will immediately alert you to stop, adjust and slow down.”

The Portland-based co-author of The Nia Technique points to the fun factor. “I believe that when you stop exercising and start moving, anything you do can bring you enjoyment.

Do things that leave you feeling successful and motivated to do them again.”

Breath as a Compass Practicing conscious breathing fortifies the positive impact of exercise and can prevent injuries like hernias that can arise when the breath is held during heavy lifting. “One of the most powerful tools for mindfulness during a workout is following your breath. Mindfulness is the key, but it’s hard to be mindful when you’re breathing 26,000 times a day into the upper chest, activating a fight-or-flight response,” says Douillard.

Breathing through the nose instead of the mouth during exercise bolsters mindfulness, and as Douillard has demonstrated in studies, causes brain waves to shift from stressed beta waves to a meditative alpha state. “It takes longer to fully inhale and exhale during nose breathing, which creates a baseline of calm,” she says.

“Don’t rush. Be aware of the body breathing and feel each muscle contracting and relaxing with each rep and stretch.”

More Helpful Tips Chicago-based fitness expert Stephanie Mansour, host of the PBS weekly Step it Up with Steph show, concurs. “Sync your breath with your movement. Mindfully transition from exercise to exercise.” Mansour also suggests working out next to a mirror to improve alignment and avoiding the distraction that can come with having a workout buddy. “Another trick to improve form is to put on headphones and zone out by listening to white noise so that you have no distraction,” she says.

Exercising with deep body-presence is something we do for ourselves. “If you’re really paying attention, you can steer yourself towards invigoration and away from irritation. The body is always providing feedback, but we’re often too ‘out of body’ to notice. Giving full attention to your body is a big gift of self-love,” says Barrett.

“Breathe. Move. Be free,” adds Mansour.

“This is your dedicated ‘me’ time and you can use it to feel good about yourself.”

Marlaina Donato is an author and composer.

Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

Body scan from Ellen Barrett: Establish a body scan ritual before working out. Either sitting or standing, close your eyes and take a second or two to focus on each part of the body with your mind’s eye. Start with the feet and then move up to the ankles, legs, spine, etc.

Nasal breathing from John Douillard: Establish a comfortable, slow, nasal breathing rhythm in the beginning of your workout and try to maintain that throughout your practice.

Give it time. It will take about three weeks of nose breathing practice to begin to run at the same pace or lift the same weight as you did before as a fight-or-flight mouth breather.

To begin: Breathe deeply in and out through the nose with each rep on the weight machine and lengthen your nasal breathing during cardio [workouts]. As soon as your nasal breath rhythm begins to speed up or you have to open your mouth to breathe, slow down and reestablish a comfortable rhythm of nasal breathing again. Once the mindful calm has been reset, begin to increase your intensity, letting the nose breathing set the pace.

Breathing tip from Stephanie Mansour: Inhale on the easier movement and exhale on the more challenging movement. For example, inhale as you bend down into a squat and exhale as you press up to standing.

Pull your belly button in toward your spine in all workouts. Engage your core whether you’re working your legs, arms, back or chest.

Workout advice from Debbie Rosas: Do some research if you are new to working out. Go online and look for a teacher you feel aligned with in philosophy and workout approach.

Build slowly. Exercise teachers are trained to inspire you. Their inspiration can push you.

Always do less than what you see and build when your body says, “I am ready for more.

Let’s move faster and in a larger range of motion.”

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conscious eating

The Gift of Yum Homemade Treats Spark Holiday Cheer

by April Thompson

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

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

For a sweet but healthy treat, Burgess offers freezer-friendly energy bites, which can be made in large quantities in advance and frozen or refrigerated, then popped into jars at gift time. These gluten-free, vegan treats can be made with common pantry items, including a base of oats, nut butter and a sweetener like honey or agave, as well as “fixings” such as shredded coconut, dried 22

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cranberries or goji berries, chopped nuts, or chia or flax seeds to boost the flavor and nutrition. Natural food coloring can also be added to foster a more festive look.

To give a gift a “wow” factor, blogger Shelley Fulton, in Hudson, Ohio, recommends making a themed basket that may include a mix of homemade and purchased items.

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

Stephanie Hafferty, author of The Creative Kitchen: Seasonal Plant Based Recipes for Meals, Drinks, Garden and Self Care, suggests handcrafted items like infused vinegars, herb salts, herbal tea blends or spice mixes for foodies on the holiday gift list.

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

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

Unusual spice mixes are another favorite gift of Hafferty’s, which can encourage home cooks to get creative. “Ras el Hanout is a versatile Moroccan spice blend that elevates dishes to another dimension. You can upcycle an old tin and decorate it with images of Moroccan tiles and add a homemade booklet with recipe ideas,” she says.

For a hostess gift that will be eaten im-

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

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

The spirit that goes into holiday giftmaking matters as much as the end product.

Making thoughtful presents for loved ones is a great time to reflect upon our blessings, especially those that have blessed our lives this year.

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

Holiday Gift-Giving Recipes Lentil Brown Rice Soup

bread and parmesan cheese, if desired.

yield: 6 servings

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months.

If presenting the soup mix as a gift, layer dry ingredients in a Mason jar and print recipe to attach to the jar.

1 cup green or brown lentils ½ cup uncooked brown rice ½ cup green split peas 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning 1 Tbsp dried parsley 1 Tbsp garlic powder ½ tsp ground black pepper 2 large vegetable bouillon cubes (1 cube should be equivalent to 1 Tbsp of granulated bouillon) 8 cups water

Recipe from Mackenzie Burgess, Cheerful Choices.

photo by Mackenzie Burgess, RDN

Optional: 1 medium yellow onion, diced 1 Tbsp canola oil 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, no salt added Optional: Sauté onion in oil in a large stock pot over high heat for 3 minutes. Add can of diced tomatoes.

Add dry soup ingredients and 8 cups of water to the same large stock pot (unless starting with this step). Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, covered with a lid. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve with crusty December 2020

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Christmas Cocoa Crunch Bark yield: 30 pieces

½ cup 100% cocoa powder, unsweetened ½ cup coconut oil, melted 2 Tbsp raw quinoa 2 Tbsp maple syrup ¼ tsp stevia ¼ cup dried cranberries ¼ cup pistachios, roughly chopped 2 Tbsp candied orange, diced in small pieces ½ tsp pink Himalayan salt 2 Tbsp white chocolate, melted (optional)

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

Toast raw quinoa over medium-high heat until slightly browned and nutty aroma.

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

Pour mixture onto a plate or sheet pan lined with parchment paper or wax paper. Sprinkle pistachios, dried cranberries, candied oranges and salt over the melted chocolate mixture.

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

Rosemary-Infused Vinegar This fragrant, versatile vinegar makes a delightful holiday gift that can be enjoyed for months. Rosemary vinegar is delicious in salad dressings, sprinkled on vegetables (it is especially good on Brussels sprouts, cabbage and other brassicas) or added to sauces and homemade mayonnaise. It is also an excellent natural cleaner.

Fresh sprigs rosemary Light vinegar (organic apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar) Clean bottles Labels Wash the bottles and lids until they sparkle and then dry them thoroughly. Shake the rosemary sprigs to dislodge any dirt or insects if taken from the garden, then rinse and air dry.

photo by Stephanie Hafferty

Cut the rosemary so that it is two inches shorter than the bottle. This is so that all of the herb will be submerged in the vinegar. Place two sprigs of rosemary into each bottle.

Cover with vinegar until the bottle is almost full and replace the lid.

Label creatively; a small sprig of dried rosemary tied to the outside of the bottle is a nice touch.

The vinegar will store for a long time in the refrigerator. When using in the kitchen, the level of vinegar will fall below the sprigs. When this happens, remove the rosemary—the vinegar will still taste of the herb. Use up any vinegar past its best as a bathroom cleaner.

Recipes courtesy of Stephanie Hafferty.

Natural Awakenings recommends using organic, non-GMO (genetically modified) and non-bromated ingredients whenever possible.

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photo by Mackenzie Burgess, RDN

Recipe from Mackenzie Burgess, Cheerful Choices.

December 2020

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healthy kids

REINVENT THE HOLIDAYS

last decade to total $1 trillion. An estimated $16 billion worth of those gifts are unappreciated and tossed aside, reports Moneyish.

This pandemic season offers “a chance to reset expectations if festive gift-giving has become excessive in recent years,” says Beth Kempton, author of Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy. “Perhaps most important is to have a conversation with children about buying less stuff and avoiding waste,” she adds.

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

More Meaning, Less Stuff

by Ronica O’Hara

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Getting Creative

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

Hough, who considers the pandemic a turning point, is not alone. In this turbulent year, holiday celebrations will likely be smaller, quieter and less opulent for many families. Yet the crisis has also set the stage for families “to create a holiday that is more in keeping with their values, finding deeper connection and meaning with less rushing around and spending less money,” says Laura Markham, a clinical psychologist and author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids.

Besides passing up traveling and parties for cozy pajama times, many families are seriously rethinking their gift-giving habits. Although presents are a beloved part of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations, many families have come to wonder how the shopping and spending has gotten so out of hand. According to Investopedia, in 2019, the average American spent $942 on holiday gifts, a figure that has steadily mounted in the 26

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

For parents that want to embrace creativity, low costs and sustainability this holiday season, Kempton suggests the following gift-giving ideas: n Build anticipation with a treasure hunt or by opening presents over a period of time. n Incorporate a sense of wonderment with a wooden magic set or a storybook written by either or both parents that stars the child. n Surprise the children by transforming a room in the house into a winter wonderland or turning the garden shed into Santa’s grotto.

n Offer a parent’s time, skills and attention in the form of promissory notes or a small token that indicates a future shared experience, such as a jar of homemade marshmallows tied with a label promising a family camping trip. n Give children items that they can use or eat that are handmade by the parents. n Invoke a sense of nostalgia that prompts family storytelling, such as a jigsaw that summons memories of putting together a puzzle with a grandfather 50 years ago. n Celebrate environmental stewardship by planting and growing a Christmas tree or Hanukkah bush.

Even gift wrapping can become a fun and eco-smart family game by challenging everyone to creatively repurpose everything

from old maps and fabrics to magazines and paper bags, perhaps decorated with artwork and nature finds. If every American family wrapped just three presents in re-used materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields, estimates the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However they are wrapped, gifts demonstrate in these unprecedented times that deep joy comes not from acquiring new stuff, but from caring for and giving to each other—especially our children. “In the end, the most precious gift parents can give their children this holiday is their attention, infused with a little bit of festive magic,” says Kempton.

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

Gentle Self-Care for Parents It’s been a long, hard year for many parents, and working to make the holidays special for the children may add another layer of stress and anxiety. That’s why it’s key to acknowledge any sadness one is experiencing.

“Feelings of melancholy are a reality for many people over the holidays, and this year it is likely to affect more of us than usual, given how so many of us have lost someone or something this year,” says Beth Kempton, author of Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy. “It is vital to acknowledge these feelings and accommodate them, whilst also making space for joy. This comes down to talking about it, letting people know what you need or asking what they need and being prepared for the emotions to rise to the surface in the middle of things.” She suggests “putting some slack in your schedule, taking extra care of your health, reaching out for support and giving yourself permission to do things differently this year.”

Wishing you a healthy and peaceful

Holiday Season from all of us!

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth. ~Muhammad Ali

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SING TO HEAL

Using the Voice to Uplift Mind and Body

by Marlaina Donato

A

ccording to growing research, singing along to a favorite musical or joining a local choir can be good for our health. From college students to patients with Parkinson’s disease, everyone can benefit, regardless of talent. Singing naturally fosters endorphins, amps up immunity levels and lowers the stress hormone cortisol. A study by the UK University of East Anglia published in 2017 in The BMJ’s Medical Humanities shows that group singing—along with the positivity of social interaction—supports and improves mental health in people with depression and anxiety. Singing for the Brain, a program created by The Alzheimer’s Society, has been shown to improve memory, mood and the ability to socialize for people with dementia.

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

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

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vocal teacher in New York City.

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

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

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

Resonance, Mantra and Humming “The voice can be considered a healing tool for the fact that it is directly related to

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

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

In her work, Anderson-Hanna makes the mantra personal. “I often teach individuals how to create their own mantra and how to challenge their thinking using positive affirmations. The mantra I teach is most often a personal reflection of ‘I am’ statements they can aspire to, versus negative or defeating thoughts.”

Humming, another way to open the voice for healing, is the least intimidating for many people, but packs a powerful punch. “Out of all the many healing sounds I’ve worked

with, I find that humming is the most effective because it is so inclusive—everyone can hum. Physiologically, humming reduces heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. Many different beneficial hormones and chemicals are released, including endorphins, oxytocin, melatonin and nitric oxide,” says Jonathan Goldman, co-author of The Humming Effect and director of the Sound Healers Association, in Boulder, Colorado. “The importance of nitric oxide is coming more into light since it is a vasodilator and has anti-viral qualities.”

In addition, humming stimulates the vagus nerve, which reduces inflammation and enhances immunity.

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

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

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SUPPORT LOCAL HOLIDAY TREATS ADVERTISING FOR PETS

Homemade Recipes They Will Love

by Tonya Wilhelm

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leah kelleyPexels.com

TIMES OF CRISIS –

ooking for our pets is a great way to ensure they are eating wholesome, nutritional foods. It’s also a fun way to customize a pet treat recipe to meet specific dietary needs.

These three festive holiday treats will have a dog woofing for more and a cat purring for seconds. Choose organic, locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.

Pumpkins and apples are always at the top of the culinary list for holiday treats. Not only are these two foods safe for pets, they offer health benefits. Both are packed with fiber, which helps dogs feel fuller. It’s also good for digestive and colon health and can yield firmer stool. For the kitty friends, that fiber also helps move hairballs along. In addition, apples contain phytonutrients and flavonoids like quercetin, which are helpful in treating allergies.

The chia seeds in this pet pie not only help firm up the pie, but are packed with nutrients that naturally boost energy. Chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids and are a great source of antioxidants. They also contain minerals, fiber, calcium, protein and vitamins A, B, D and E. Cinnamon and ginger are wonderful spices to use in pet holiday treats. Both of these warming spices improve digestion and soothe the stomach lining. Select Ceylon cinnamon, not cassia cinnamon, because the latter contains higher amounts of coumarin, which can harm the liver and increase the risk of cancer. Ginger may act as a blood thinner, so don’t use it if a dog is going to have surgery or is pregnant. It may also lower blood pressure and blood sugar, so if a dog has heart issues or diabetes, talk to a vet. When in doubt, leave it out.

Eggnog for Pets

Beware of These Troublemakers n Caffeinated products. Gary Richter, a holistic veterinarian in Oakland, California, and author of The Ultimate Pet Health Guide, suggests keeping caffeinated drinks and food away from pets. Caffeine contains stimulants called methylxanthines, and pets are much more sensitive to the effects of these substances than humans are. Ingesting even a small amount can make dogs vulnerable to caffeine poisoning, which can cause hyperactivity, panting, elevated heart rate, tremors, seizures and collapse. Seek immediate veterinary care for treatment if these symptoms develop in a dog. n Artificial sweeteners. San Diego veterinarian Madison Rose says artificial sweeteners such as xylitol can cause a massive insulin release, leading to acute and profound hypoglycemia, or low-blood sugar, and hypokalemia, or low potassium levels. Marked by lethargy, ataxia, collapse, twitching or seizures, ingestion requires immediate veterinary care. n Raw, yeasty bread dough. This will expand when ingested, potentially causing a deadly twisting of the stomach. n Raisins and grapes. Common in holiday recipes, in large quantities, these can cause kidney failure in dogs. n Nutmeg. A toxin for pets.

smitty/Unsplash.com

n Cooked bones. Not only are these choking hazards, they can pose a serious threat to the digestive tract.

Raw eggs can be a healthy addition to any fresh pet diet, assuming the animal doesn’t have an egg allergy. Cow’s milk isn’t the healthiest option for dogs and cats because they don’t tolerate its high level of alpha-s1-casein protein. Goat’s milk is a healthier option because it contains extremely low to no amounts of this protein, allowing better absorption of the nutrients.

4 eggs 2 cups goat’s milk 1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon Blend all the ingredients. Either place a few tablespoons in the pet’s dish as a special treat or drizzle over the food.

Alternatively, place a silicone ice cube mold on a cookie sheet for support. The smaller the cavities, the better. Take the remaining eggnog, pour into the molds and place in the freezer. Once frozen, pop out the treats and store them in a glass container in the freezer.

Try serving one frozen treat to each pet every few days.

Turkey Meatballs Making treats for cats can be tricky. The best bet is to head to the meat department. Even the most finicky of kitties will gobble up this healthy treat.

1 lb ground turkey 2 eggs ½ Tbsp dried peppermint Preheat oven to 350° F. Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well-blended. Form into tablespoon balls using your hand or scooper and place on a lined or ceramic cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes until meatballs are set (they will be extra eggy). Carefully remove and place on a cooling rack. Serve as a special treat. Place treats in a glass container and refrigerate for up to three days or freeze until ready to serve. Thaw completely before serving.

Tonya Wilhelm is a professional dog trainer, spreading the word about positive methods of preventing and managing behavioral issues with a holistic approach. For more information, visit RaisingYourPetsNaturally.com.

DrLMSteinberg.com • BiologicalDentistsOfNJ.com

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calendar of events TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play– Dec 1-27.

Video on demand. The show brings the audience into a 1940’s radio studio to witness a live reading of the classic film’s screenplay. Joe Landry’s adaptation invites the audience to experience the story as ‘theatre of the mind,’ as we watch the versatile actors play multiple roles, enhanced by sound effects performed by a foley artist. Once you purchase a ticket, the video will be available starting on the dates listed above and will continue to be available indefinitely until you watch it. After that, you have 48 hours to finish or re-watch it before it disappears! $25. Mile Square Theatre, 1400 Clinton St, Hoboken. 201-683-7014.

MileSquareTheatre.org.

Holiday Wreath Making: – 11am-2pm. Heated outdoor event. With design artist Lauren Monaco of Flora Moon Flowers. Make your own unique holiday wreath using fresh, seasonal greens, florals, and natural decorations. Lauren will provide stepby-step instructions that you can use for seasons to come! Feel free to bring wine or beer to enjoy for the duration of the event. There will also be lights snacks provided. $95. Hudson Table, 1403 Clinton St, Hoboken. HudsonTable.com.

Sound Experience: 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. Register for preferred venue online. $25. Urban Souls, 100 Hudson St, 4th Fl, Hoboken. 201-683-4002. UrbanSoulsYoga.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 Christmas Tree Lighting in Hoboken – 5-7pm.

In-person. Get into the holiday spirit and watch as the evergreen tree lights up the night sky. An appearance by Elvis the Elf and Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, live music and performances by local school children choirs. Hoboken City Hall, 94 Washington St, Hoboken. HobokenNJ.gov/.

SJC Green Drinks Holiday Celebration – 6:30-8pm.

Livestream via Zoom. Join Sustainable JC for a holiday celebration showcasing local green merchandise vendors. Meet and greet your eco-conscious neighbors, discover local businesses offering sustainable gifts for your friends and family, and win $250 worth of prizes from our vendors (names drawn at random during the event). Donation encouraged for extra entries in the giveaway. Register here, the Zoom link to join the gathering will be sent day of the event: SJC-GreenDrinks-Sustainable-Gifting-Market.Eventbrite.com.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 Holiday Model Train Exhibit – Dec 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20. 1-6pm. In-person. The New York Society of Model Engineers is opening its doors to visitors for the holiday season. Both layouts, and the Thomas exhibit, will be operating. The show will also feature a candy train and an ice cream train. The souvenir shop will be open for purchase of videos, books, trains and railroad related items. $7, $1/children, free/under 5. The New York Society of Model Engineers, 341 Hoboken Rd, Carlstadt.

Lecture Series: Six Women Poets Live – 4-5pm.

Livestream and limited in-person at the museum.

NJ women make poetry, featuring six contemporary women poets reading their work, and an in-person interview with Hoboken’s own Maria Pepe. To attend in person, face masks, hand hygiene and social distance guidelines will be observed. Free. Reservations are required for in-person and online participation.

Visit Bit.ly/NJWomenMakeHistory to reserve a spot.

Bhagavad Gita Study Group: Focusing on Modern Day Applications – 6-8:30pm. In-person. Develop practical understanding of the spiritual concepts & practices as described in the Bhagavad Gita. Original verses recited in Sanskrit. Learn how to apply the ancient wisdom of the Gods to solve current life problems. Free. Saurav Aneja, 31 River Ct, Jersey City.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 Childbirth Education Two-Day Class – Dec 7 & 14. 9am-12:30pm. In-person. The more you understand about labor, the better prepared you will feel: understanding the process, breathing and relaxation techniques, the role of the support person, options for pain medications and medical interventions, Caesarean birth, understand your body after childbirth, newborn appearance, and procedures after birth. $150/per couple. Palisades Medical Center, 7600 River Road, North Bergen. Robin Petrick: 201-295-4823. PalisadesMedical.org.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 Snowshoe Tour – 10am-1pm. In-person. Professional guides lead a scenic snowshoe tour of some of the area’s best winter trails. Enjoy the cool air, quiet, and beauty of a landscape blanketed in snow, and learn about the surrounding area’s history and nature at a relaxed pace. Gear provided by REI. Prior snowshoeing experience is recommended.

This is not a skills class and students should be able to snowshoe for 2-3 miles. Age 14 and up, easy active fitness level. $65/members, $85/nonmembers. Pyramid Mountain Natural Historical Area – Montville. REI. 201-226-1560. REI.com.

Chemistry Is Bananas! – 1:15pm & 3:15pm.

In-person. Designed to interest and challenge 8- to 12-year-olds. What do you have in common with a banana? Put on your gloves and goggles in order to get the answer to this question. You will be rewarded with a firsthand look at an amazing material that makes all life possible. For children accompanied by at least one adult chaperone per 4 children. Free with paid admission or membership.

Reservations recommended. Jennifer A Chalsty Center for Science Learning and Teaching, Liberty State Park, 222 Jersey City Blvd, Jersey City.

RSVP: 201-253-1310.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15 Kids Art Classes at the Museum – Dec 15, 17, 18. 11am-2pm. In-person. Fun art making in the Museum walkway! Recommended for ages 2-5.

All children must be accompanied by an adult. Art materials are provided, and adults must wear masks.

Seating available first-come, first-served. Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St, Hoboken.

201-656-2240. HobokenMuseum.org.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19 Gingerbread Decorating Class – 2pm. Livestream.

One of the holiday’s fun food traditions is decorating gingerbread houses. Your virtual class includes: A gingerbread house, tray of candy and decorations and bags of royal icing (white, red, and green). You bring the imagination. Demonstrations of decorating techniques from your chef instructor, who will be fielding questions as needed. Instructions to join the online Zoom meeting. Contactless pickup of gingerbread house and decorations will be on December 19 from 9am-12pm. $70. Hudson Table, 1403 Clinton St, Hoboken. HudsonTable.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29 The Chakra Experience – 7-8:30pm. Livestream.

Leah Boston & Chanese Elife on a journey across your personal energy fields, unpacking and exploring all seven chakras through a powerful combination of guided meditation, yin yoga and sound healing vibrations. Together we will let go of outdated, dysfunctional and/or negative programming and create space for positive growth and expansion. $25. Urban Souls, 100 Hudson St, 4th Fl, Hoboken.

201-683-4002. UrbanSoulsYoga.com.

$25/car. PNC Bank Arts Center, 116 Garden State Parkway, Holmdel. MagicOfLights.com.

plan ahead

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27 Moonlight Hike – 6-9pm. In-person. Discover the magic of hiking at night under a blanket of stars.

Experience the landscape bathed in moonlight and learn all about the surrounding ecosystem. This hike is perfect for all experience levels, but participants age 14 and up should feel comfortable walking on uneven terrain for about 3 hours. You bring the hiking boots. REI will bring headlamps and trekking poles. REI. 201-226-1560. REI.com.

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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.

DENTIST LOUIS STEINBERG, DDS, MS

6050 Boulevard E, Ste LE, West New York, NJ 201-662-2020 • DrLMSteinberg.com Biological dentist offering mercury-safe dentistry, Biocompatible Restorative Dentistry and TMJ analysis and treatment. See ad on page 8.

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.

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.

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.

FOOT & ANKLE SPECIALIST 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 6.

HEALTHY FOODS BUSY BEE ORGANICS

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”.

FITNESS 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.

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.

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.

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KEY FRESH AND NATURAL

INSPIRED TO HEALTH

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.

Dedicated to helping women de-stress 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. Quantum Energy healing activates the innate intelligence of the body to heal itself but shifting energy at the cellular level. Call today and learn more about these specialized services and treatments helping women heal.

574 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 201-204-4200

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.

HEALING ARTS 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.

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.

HARMONY DISPENSARY

95 Hudson Street, Hoboken, NJ HarmonyDispensary.org Harmony creates pure, consistent modern medicine.

This medical marijuana dispensary satellite location is an off-shoot of their flagship location is in Secaucus, NJ.

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85 Maple Street #3L, Weehawken, NJ 201-344-6448 • InspiredToHealth.net

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 21.

MIND BODY HOBOKEN

51 Newark Street, Ste. 501, 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.

RISE COACHING

Kelly Bonell West New York kelly@youwillrise.co YouWillRise.co 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.

SALVATION WELLNESS

521 Jersey Ave, 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.

9.

LANGUAGE

LEARN LANGUAGE HOBOKEN

450 7th Street, Hoboken, NJ 201-253-0035 • LearnLanguageHoboken.com At Learn Language Hoboken, you will be provided with the tools necessary to take your language skills to the next level. Whether you’re just starting out, or are a seasoned linguist, LLH is the place for you. We offer Adult Group Language Courses and Private Language Lessons to Kids and Adults in Italian, French, Spanish, Hindi and Mandarin. We also offer on-site Language Enrichment to local schools in Hoboken and surrounding areas. Learning a new language is closer than you think!

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.

PEDIATRICS 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.

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.

HOLISTIC PET CARE

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

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.

WELLNESS 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.

VIDA-FLO HOBOKEN

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

December 2020

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