March 2022

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HEALTHY LIVING

PLANTS GO MAINSTREAM VEGAN FOOD TRENDS OFFER MORE VARIETY AND EASE

HEALTHY

PLANET

ANN ARMBRECHT ON BUYING ETHICAL BOTANICALS HELP FOR PEDIATRIC EATING DISORDERS BENEFITS OF A RAW FOOD DIET FOR PETS

March 2022 | Hudson County Edition | NAHudson.com

March 2022

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Nature’s Virus Killer

not a sniffle!” she exclaimed.

Businesswoman Rosaleen says when people around her show signs of cold or flu, she uses copper morning and night.

“It saved me last holidays,” she said.

“The kids had crud going round and round, but not me.”

Attorney Donna Blight tried copper for her sinus. “I am shocked!” she said.

By Doug Cornell “My head cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.” cientists have discovered a cold never got going. That was A man with trouble breathing natural way to kill germs fast.

September 2012. I use copper in the through his nose at night tried copper Now thousands of people nose every time and I have not had a just before bed. “Best sleep I’ve had in are using it against viruses and bacteria single cold since then.” years!” he said. in the nose and on “We can’t In a lab test, technicians placed 25 the skin. make product million live flu viruses on a CopperZap. Colds start health claims,” he No viruses were found surviving soon when cold viruses said, “so I can’t after. get in your nose. say cause and Dr. Bill Keevil led one of the teams Viruses multiply effect. But we confirming the research. He placed fast. If you don’t know copper is millions of disease germs on copper. stop them early, antimicrobial.”

“They started to die literally as soon as they spread and He asked they touched the surface,” he said. cause misery. relatives and Some people press copper on a lip New device puts copper right In hundreds friends to try it. right away if a warning tingle suggests where you need it. of studies, EPA and They reported unwanted germs gathering there. university researchers have confirmed the same thing, so he patented The handle is curved that viruses and bacteria die almost CopperZap® and put it on the and textured to increase instantly when touched by copper. market. contact. Copper can That’s why ancient Greeks and Soon hundreds of people had kill germs picked up on Egyptians used copper to purify water tried it. The feedback was 99% fingers and hands after and heal wounds. They didn’t know positive if they used the copper you touch things other about microbes, but now we do. within 3 hours after the first sign people have touched.

Scientists say the high conductance of unwanted germs, like a tickle The EPA says copper of copper disrupts the electrical balance in the nose or a scratchy throat. still works even when Dr. Bill Keevil: in a microbe cell and destroys the cell in Early user Mary Pickrell tarnished.

Copper quickly kills seconds. said, “I can’t believe how good CopperZap is made cold viruses.

Tests by the EPA (Environmental my nose feels.” in the U.S. of pure Protection Agency) show germs die “What a wonderful thing!” copper. It has a 90-day full money back fast on copper. So some hospitals tried exclaimed Physician’s Assistant Julie. guarantee. It is available for $79.95. Get copper for touch surfaces like faucets Another customer asked, “Is it supposed $10 off each CopperZap with code NATA27. and doorknobs. This cut the spread of to work that fast?”

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March 2022

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

HUDSON EDITION PUBLISHER Claire Byers EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tina Woods EDITOR Allison Gorman MARKETING Carolyn Coogan SALES Roger Dubin DESIGN & PRODUCTION Julee Bode

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letter from publisher

Spring Is Sprung!

W

elcome to our March issue, where we focus on conscious eating. Viewing food as medicine— paying attention to how we fuel our bodies every day—is one of the best ways to prevent disease, chronic pain and mental health issues. While most of us are still learning to make healthier meals at home and make healthier choices when dining out, we’re blessed to have more and more local resources to help us do it—from growers and farmers markets to meal-delivery services, prepared foods and restaurants.

Whether you want to go vegan or just sprinkle a few more plant-based options into your diet, you’ll be making a positive impact on your health. We offer tips for doing just that in our articles “Easing into a Vegan Lifestyle” and “Plant-Based Foods Go Mainstream.” If you’re a parent, this is also a good time to pay attention to how your child is eating—to ensure that they’re getting not just good nutrition, but also good information about what a healthy diet, and a healthy body, looks like. Medical experts are warning us that pediatric eating disorders are on the rise, the unfortunate side effect of the pervasive diet culture and its influence on young teens’ body image. In our article, “Help for Pediatric Eating Disorders”, Cassandra Lenza, an eating-disorder therapist with Healing on Hudson, in Hoboken, notes, “It is imperative that parents’ model good eating behavior and provide a child with the tools for success.” (Visit HealingOnHudsonLLC.com to learn more.)

Of course, we can’t forget about our dogs—they need to eat healthy too, if we want them to have the best chance of a long life. In our articles “Beyond Kibble” and “How Pets Benefit from a Raw Food Diet,” pages 20 and 21, we offer advice on how to fuel your pets’ bodies through good nutrition.

Finally, we’re happy to report that after its great success last year, Main Street Pops will again be hosting their monthly Artisan Market under the 14th Street Viaduct in Hoboken. The first market is scheduled for March 13, so don’t miss out! There are many great local vendors already scheduled to showcase their wares. Check out MainStreetPops. com for a full vendor list.

In health and happiness,

Publisher@NAHudson.com

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

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Contents 12 PLANT-BASED FOODS

18

GO MAINSTREAM

Healthy Eating Gets Easier with Innovations

15 JOURNALING TO

ACCESS INNER WISDOM

16 BURNOUT RECOVERY

Ways to Reset and Find Balance

18 EASING INTO A

20

VEGAN LIFESTYLE

Clever Meat Substitutes that Please the Palate

20 BEYOND KIBBLE

How to Shop for the Healthiest Pet Food

21 HOW PETS BENEFIT

FROM A RAW FOOD DIET

22 THE BOUNTY OF

22

FARMERS MARKETS

Buying Local Boosts Health, the Economy and the Planet

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact Roger at 917-699-6492 or email MrNaturalNYC@gmail.com. Deadline for ads: the 15th of the month.

24 BEYOND PICKY EATING Help for Pediatric Eating Disorders

26 ANN ARMBRECHT

on the Business of Ethical Botanicals

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Tina@NAHudson.com.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: Tina@NAHudson.com.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets contact us at 201-798-3236. For franchising opportunities, call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 10 health briefs 11 global briefs 15 inspiration 16 healing ways 18 conscious eating

21 natural pet 22 green living 24 healthy kids 26 wise words 27 resource guide 30 calendar March 2022

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SHOP LOCAL LIVE LIFE UNCORKED Shop: Etsy.com/shop/LiveLifeUncorkedShop Instagram.com/livelifeuncorkedshop/ Connect: @LiveLIfeUncorked Love wine or know someone who loves wine? Shop Live Life Uncorked’s readymade upcycled wine cork and sparkling wine capsule products, or reach out to have something specially made. Live Life Uncorked can preserve corks from special moments or trips for you to remember forever.

Offer: 10% discount on Etsy or Instagram use or mention code NATURALAWAKENINGS10

MEOW MINI MART Shop: MeowMiniMart.com Connect: @MeowMiniMart Online cat boutique featuring unique and sustainably made fashion pet collars, home and kitchen gifts, cat toys and wellness products. 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 vet bills.

Offer: Now offering local delivery in Hoboken, Union City and Weehawken.

SEAZEN SOAP Shop: SeazenSoap.com Connect: @SeazenSoap Local Handmade natural soap for your skin. SEAZEN specializes in all natural products - soap, skin butter, and CBD products to bring humble luxury to your skin and to create time to indulge yourself and cultivate self-love.

Offer: $5 off with $35+ purchase. Expires on 4/15. Use Code: SPRING.

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news briefs

Organic Basic Food Launches App for Delivery, Pickup

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rganic Basic Food, in Hoboken, has launched its own app for local deliveries.

Customers can use the app to place an order from the grocery store’s broad selection of organic, raw and gluten-free foods; natural health and beauty products; and dietary supplements. They can be prepared for either delivery or curbside pickup.

“Our team actually picks and packs your order with care,” says owner Junghyun “Eric” An. “We check for freshness and confirm any replacement items with you. It’s as if you have your own personal shopper, and you can have groceries delivered right to your doorstep.” Customers can download the app for IOS or Android or shop.organicbasicfood.com An is the second-generation owner of Organic Basic Food, having taken over the business from his father, a Korean immigrant, who opened the store in Hoboken more than 20 years ago.

“We buy in bulk, and we try to pass the discounts we get from vendors to customers,” he says.

Organic Basic Food is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Location: 204 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ. For more information, call the store at 201-610-1100, email organicbasicfoods@gmail.com, or visit OrganicBasicFood.com or Facebook.com/OrganicBasicFood.

LaKoet Salon Goes All Vegan

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aKoet Salon, in Jersey City, is now 100 percent vegan. The move is in keeping with the salon’s philosophy, which goes beyond hair and body care to caring for people and the earth.

“LaKoet’s vision is a sensational collaboration of hair design, hair coloring and custom-made hair and body care,” owner Kitty Varco says. “We are committed to excellence when it comes to hair design as well as using sustainable, natural ingredients, recycled material and carrying brands that represent kindness globally.”

An eclectic salon located in Jersey City’s historical district, LaKoet uses Aveda and Eminence products.

“Aveda hair coloring is vegan and cruelty free, but it also has a protective blend of sunflower, castor and jojoba oils, which infuse the hair with that magical shine,” Varco says. “Eminence organic skincare is popular because it uses hand-picked fresh ingredients to create products that contain potent healing and beautifying properties. Many of these ingredients are combined with pure waters drawn from a thermal hot spring lake containing minerals and trace elements found nowhere else on earth.”

Locations: 301 1st St., Jersey City, NJ (201-918-2095 / lakoetsalonjc@ gmail.com) and 581 Jersey Ave., Jersey City, NJ (201-272-6856 / lakoetdeux@gmail.com). For more info, visit LakoetSalonJC.com.

Health in Hands Spa Specializes in Pain Relief

B

eing triggered is a good thing at Health in Hands Spa, where every massage therapist is trained in trigger point massage. The technique provides such powerful pain relief that it is sometimes covered by health insurance, says owner Leyla Azizova. She notes that nearly half of American adults live with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Massage therapy can save Leyla Azizova thousands of dollars in unnecessary medical treatments and medications.

“Our mission is to cure pain naturally and get people to understand the role of the muscles, referred pain and trigger points,” Azizova says.

The therapists at Health in Hands can handle all sorts of knots and injuries while also promoting deep relaxation, she says. Every treatment is specifically designed and customized to offer a unique experience.

“Trigger point massage can be combined with deep-tissue, Swedish, sports or prenatal massage,” she says. “It’s the most effective treatment for a wide variety of pain problems, including muscle soreness or tightness, sciatica and myofascial pain syndrome. It’s great for expecting mothers as well as professional athletes. Both trigger point and Swedish massage can provide up to six months of relief from low-back pain.”

Location: 1321 Washington St. Hoboken, NJ. For more information, visit HealthInHandsSpa.com or Facebook.com/Healthinhandsspa.

Pholk Beauty: ‘Soul Food for the Skin’

A

s a woman of color, Niambi Cacchioli has often found herself frustrated that even in the age of inclusive beauty, many natural skincare brands don’t address her specific concerns— plus they’re expensive. So she launched her own vegan skincare line, Pholk Beauty, inspired by the folk beauty and botanicals of the African diaspora and craft-batched in a Jersey City lab. She calls it “soul food for the skin.”

Cacchioli blends superfood botanicals from her southern Black traditions with ingredients from African and Caribbean countries. Many of the ingredients are used both in foods and on the skin. Customers can find cleansers, toners, multiuse balms and face masks. Among their most popular items are Honeysuckle Rose Face Mist—Cacchioli’s “ride or die product”—and Werkacita Beauty Balm, hydration for the lips, limbs, heels and face.

“Pholk Beauty grew out of my own sense of awe and gratitude at the timeless folk beauty and herbalist wisdom of my own kin, the cultivators and botanicals and minerals that have nourished our skin and souls for generations, and the multitude of ways that people of color infuse the globe with beauty,” she says.

For more information, email niambi@pholkbeauty.com or visit PholkBeauty.com.

SHOP LOCAL INSPIRED UNIVERSE BOOKS Shop: InspiredUniverse.com Connect: @InspiredUniverseBooks @InspiredUniverse_Books How lucky are we, having a future to see? Through charming rhyme of her new book, New Jersey author, Aleksandra Starling reminds children, teens, and young adults to dream big and follow their hearts.

Illustrated by world-renowned artist, Keico Watanabe (www. keicow.com), You’ll Always Find Your Way, is a perfect graduation gift for any age.

Starling is the founder of Inspired Universe, a company devoted to children’s health. Her richly illustrated books are designed to make kids laugh while inspiring them to try new things that will become foundational habits for a balanced life.

Join the author and the artist LIVE on Instagram @InspiredUniverse_Books or Facebook @keicow on Saturday, Feb 19th, 11am-12pm (add to your calendar) to hear about the inspiration behind this amazing book, take a tour of Keico’s art studio, and have a chance to win beautiful artworks and gifts.

Offer: Receive a beautifully designed bookmark with each purchase.

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March 2022

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news briefs

Pump Pilates Anniversary

P

ump Pilates Hoboken is celebrating its second anniversary with new-client specials as well as a continuation of its popular “open hour” package.

“You won’t find this offered at any other studio in town,” says owner Jennifer Shukofsky. “Our open hour features exclusive use of a reformer and all the props you could dream of for 50 minutes. We have a certified instructor on site and at the ready to answer questions, help make modifications, offer guidance and ensure you are practicing safely.”

New-client offers include two small-group Reformer classes for $39, two Mat classes for $32, and three private Pilates sessions or Pump It Up training sessions for $179.

A lifelong fitness enthusiast, Shukofsky says she founded Pump to make Pilates less intimidating for women by creating “an unassuming and inclusive space” to work out and experience the technique. “While we retain many of the guiding principles of Joseph Pilates, we take a modern approach to the classics,” she says. “You will sweat, you will be challenged, and you will discover muscles you never knew you had. And your body will thank you.”

Location: 401 Bloomfield St., Hoboken, NJ. For more information, call 201-326-6811, email info@pumphoboken.com or visit PumpHoboken.com.

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health briefs

Fatigue that hampers daily activities is a major symptom of heart failure, the leading cause of U.S. hospitalization for people over 65. To explore inexpensive and accessible herbal treatments, researchers at the Aja University of Medical Sciences, in Tehran, Iran, divided 120 heart-failure patients into three groups: one received aromatherapy, breathing in lavender essence every day; another took 530 milligram capsules of valerian root extract daily; and the third group had conventional medical therapy with no herbal supplementation. After 15 days, fatigue was significantly reduced in both herbal groups, while individuals receiving only conventional care did not experience a noticeable relief in fatigue.

DrLMSteinberg.com • BiologicalDentistsOfNJ.com

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Hudson County

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marek walica/AdobeStock.com

Depression relief may be as close as the vinegar bottle on the kitchen shelf, according to a new study from Arizona State University involving 25 healthy college students divided into two groups.

Fourteen drank two tablespoons of Bragg’s apple cider vinegar diluted in one cup of water twice daily with meals, while 11 students consumed a vinegar tablet that contained 1/100 as much vinegar twice daily. After four weeks, using psychological tests and urine samples, the researchers found a 20 to 34 percent reduction in self-reported depression scores from the test group compared to slight increases in depression in the control group. Several metabolic alterations were found consistent with improved mood, including enzymatic dysfunction in the hexosamine pathway, as well as significant increases in glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. “With over 40 percent of college students self-reporting moderate-to-severe depression—a 77 percent increase over the past decade­­—simple and safe strategies that effectively reduce depression in this population are urgently needed,” the authors write.

picture partners/AdobeStock.com

Try Lavender and Valerian to Reduce Fatigue

Take Vinegar to Lower the Blues

Spiritual Awakening

global briefs

Shell Game

People of Faith Find Deep Connection to the Environment

As part of a process begun in 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture labeling rule for food products altered at the genetic level was finalized and implemented on January 1 to uphold the integrity of labeling claims and increase marketplace transparency.

Bioengineered food is defined as containing detectable genetic material modified by in vitro recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid techniques that could not have been modified through conventional breeding or found in nature. Crops include alfalfa, apples, canola, corn, cotton, eggplant, papaya, pineapple, potato, salmon, soybean, squash and sugar beets, and will be updated annually. The rule also applies to food products regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Food labels must disclose that the food is bioengineered or contains a bioengineered food ingredient. Exemptions include small food manufacturers with annual sales of less than $2.5 million; food served in restaurants, delicatessens, food trucks, trains and airplanes; and products that contain an unavoidable or accidental presence of a bioengineered substance of up to 5 percent per each ingredient in the final product. Activist groups agree that extensive consumer education is required to avoid confusion.

Most of the world’s organized religious sects contain a doctrine or reference to preserving the environment. Abrahamic religions view humans as stewards that have a unique responsibility to care for the planet. Other faiths like Buddhism, Hinduism and many Indigenous traditions believe that while people need to take care of the planet, they are just one part of the larger ecosystem. The creation stories in Genesis call upon humans to be caretakers of creation and tenders of the garden.

Nona Siegel grew up in Montana, where she became aware of several mining projects. She notes that one of Judaism’s core beliefs is that the land belongs to the divine, and cites the Jewish ideal of tikkun olam, which means healing the world. Tempe, Arizona, Community Christian Church pastor Doug Bland, wearing a cardboard box painted brown, invites people to confess their ecological sins in a ritual he calls “ecofessionals”. Some participants say they fly too much on airplanes. Others say they don’t appreciate the environment enough. He is the executive director for Arizona Interfaith Power and Light, an organization that works to bring a spiritual response to the climate crisis with about 100 congregations of churches, mosques and synagogues. It’s one of 40 chapters nationwide calling for faith leaders and communities to get involved.

artqu/AdobeStock.com

photo courtesy of USDA

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Now Labeled as Bioengineered (BE)

Floating Families gina sanders /AdobeStock.com

Sustainably Coping with Sea Level Rise In the coastal nation of the Netherlands, mostly built on reclaimed land— a third of which is below sea level—Amsterdam has around 3,000 registered houseboats on canals. A Rotterdam city official states, “Instead of seeing water just as an enemy, we see it as an opportunity.” The newest innovation, a floating house, can be constructed on any shoreline and is able to cope with rising seas or rain-induced floods by floating. Unlike houseboats, Dutch floating homes are fixed to the shore on steel poles, connected to the local sewer system and power grid. They are structurally similar to houses built on land, but instead of a basement, they have a concrete hull counterweight that keeps them stable.

In the Netherlands, the structures are often prefabricated, square-shaped, three-story townhouses built offsite with conventional materials like timber, steel and glass. For cities facing worsening floods and a shortage of buildable land, floating homes are one potential blueprint for how to expand urban housing in the age of climate change. These floating communities are inspiring projects in flood-prone countries such as French Polynesia and the Maldives. Siti Boelen, a Dutch television producer, says, “We feel safer in a storm because we are floating. I think it’s kind of strange that building on water is not a priority worldwide.”

March 2022

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Plant-Based Foods Go Mainstream Healthy Eating Gets Easier with Innovations

by Carrie Jackson

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Hudson County

NAHudson.com

P

lant-based eating has seen an explosion in the past few years as consumers become increasingly aware of how their food choices impact their health and the environment and align with their ethics. According to market research firm SPINS, plant-based eating is now a $7 billion market in the U.S., with $1.4 billion represented by plant-based meat. Consumers can now expect to see veggie burgers at the ballpark, vegan dairy at the cafe, tuna substitutes in every grocery store and a plant-based entrée at Michelin-starred restaurants.

Whether vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian, almost 40 percent of Americans are shifting to a plant-based diet, according to a 2018 Nielsen report. While a plant-based diet supplies essential nutrients and reduces the risk for some cancers, consumers now rank the health of the planet as their number one concern, overtaking personal health, which has been the top priority in recent years, according to market researcher Innova Market Insights. Such an eating regimen can lead to a more sustainable use of resources, combat climate change and help preserve biodiversity. According to a University of Illinois study published in the journal Nature Food, animal agriculture is responsible for 57 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions from food production, which accounts for 35 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.

Plant-Based Companies Align with Values

vladimir/AdobeStock.com

Elysabeth Alfano, the founder of Plant Powered Consulting, sees a plant-based diet becoming a lifestyle as consumers demand a broader range of options. “It’s becoming increasingly normal to find plant-based foods and meat alternatives in every grocery store. Oat yogurt, seafood alternatives and vegan honey are now mainstream. People are seeing how inefficient and harmful meat production is and are making the connection between saving the environment and their lifestyle choices,” she says.

Alfano is also the co-founder and CEO of VegTech Invest, an investment management firm that is the first global exchangetraded fund of plant-based companies; it launched January 4 on the New York Stock Exchange, comprising 37 publicly traded companies actively innovating with plants and plant-derived ingredients, and producing products that are animalfree. “We believe that today’s investors want a more resource-efficient, climate-friendly and cruelty-free food and materials supply system, and want to invest their dollars in the same,” says Alfano.

Dairy and Seafood Alternatives Abound In the grocery store, it’s never been easier to shop for plant-based options. Companies are getting creative and optimizing products that stand on their own merits, instead of just mimicking meat, fish and dairy. With alternatives such as oat, almond and even potato milk touting sustainable credentials, as well as a creamy texture, plant-based dairy is having a surge.

Sales in the plant-based seafood sector grew 23 percent from 2019 to 2020 according to market data from The Good Food Institute. Nestlé recently launched Vuna, a vegan tuna alternative made of pea protein, wheat gluten, rapeseed oil, salt and a flavor blend, and other companies are jumping on board as consumers are becoming more aware of the seafood industry’s environmental problems, particularly overfishing. While a handful are specializing in proteins derived from fermentation and others are developing lab-grown seafood, most are focusing on plant-based products. Due to their fibrous consistency, jackfruit and yam root are ideal fish alternatives for fillets and sticks. Vegan fish stock, as well as plant-based scampi and king prawns, can be found in vegan grocery stores and such online shops as ShopVejii.com and GTFOItsVegan.com.

Mushrooms Become a Plant-Based Superfood Mushrooms are having a heyday due to their versatility, and companies are harnessing them as a source of fiber, protein and antioxidants.

Meati.com is a Boulder-based startup that uses mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, to create a whole-cut product that offers the protein of animal meat with the nutrients of fungi. “We believe that systemic change can start with people replacing animal meat even a couple of times a week. Eating Meati chicken or steak shouldn’t feel like a huge departure from animal products, and the nutrition offered is superior to any food out there,” says Christina Ra, vice president of marketing and communications. “People can enjoy eating Meati and feel great about how they’re nourishing their bodies.”

With $50 million in recent venture capital funding, the company is building an 80,000-square-foot production facility and plans to start selling its substitute chicken and beef in national markets later this year.

Meati has drawn on ancient, natural processes to grow clean, sustainable sources of nutrition. “Mycelium is an infinite, selfreplenishing food source. Made from a closed-loop system, Meati uses less than 1 percent of the water and land needed for animal meat production,” says Ra. The company grows and harvests the mycelium indoors in stainless steel fermentation tanks using only water, sugar and nutrients. Unlike the animal agriculture industry, no antibiotics, growth hormones or pesticides are used.

Vegan Coaching and Delivery Make It Easy For people that aren’t ready to experiment with plant-based cooking themselves, vegan and vegetarian meal-delivery services are popping up. One such program is Plantable.com, founded by Nadja Pinnavaia and designed to give clients the tools to transi tion into March 2022

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Eating Out Gets Healthier

consults with restaurants and breweries looking to expand vegan options, has seen an uptick in interest. “Adding a plant-based option or two on the menu can absolutely set some new eyes on a restaurant’s operation.

Now this place will show up in searches for ‘restaurants with vegan options’ and appeal to an audience who potentially wouldn’t have eaten there otherwise. Plus, it’s not super-costly on the bottom line,” he explains.

He adds that the availability of meat substitutes on a menu, such as an Impossible Burger, makes it easy for people trying to cut down on their meat intake. “Mainstream substitutes are a little more accessible than something like a bowl of quinoa to someone who is not vegan. This new era of plant-based burgers offers an alternative for those who want to wind down their meat intake, but are unsure how to start,” he says.

Hehl also offers clients recipes and guides for recreating vegan versions of traditional fast food and kitsch menus. Past recipes have included a Vegan Philly Cheesesteak and the Vegan Chorizo Sloppy Joe, for which he offers step-by-step instructions and encourages followers to have fun and experiment with ingredients such as oat milk. “I grew up in a very meat-andpotatoes household and had no knowledge of cooking whatsoever. As I learned about some of the benefits of a plant-based diet, I decided to embrace it as a challenge to myself,” he says. “My favorite plant-based ingredients to use are garlic powder and smoked paprika! Some people are eating plant-based ingredients without even realizing it.”

Consumers have no shortage of options as plant-based eating and lifestyle choices continue to go mainstream. Companies are meeting the demand with creative, sustainable products and services that are better for the planet, healthier for the body and allow people to align their values with their purchases. As the interest increases, new innovations are likely to explode on the scene and the plant-based followers are ready.

For people dining out, there is no shortage of plant-based options, and that goes beyond a salad and fries. Eleven Madison Park, in New York City, is the first vegan restaurant to receive a Michelin star. Even fast-food chains are getting on board, with McDonald’s introducing the McPlant burger and KFC debuting a Beyond Chicken made of soy and wheat.

Joe Hehl, the founder of Dragged Through the Garden, a Chicago-based company that

Carrie Jackson is an Evanston, IL-based freelance writer and frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings. Connect at CarrieJacksonWrites.com.

photo courtesy of VegNews.Plantable.com

a plant-based lifestyle. Customers sign up online for either a seven- or 28-day program that includes daily shipped meals, one-on-one counseling through phone calls and texts, and lifestyle recommendations to form new habits. “Our goal is to make plant-based eating so tasty and effortless that it becomes a way of life,” Pinnavaia explains.

She says the idea behind Plantable, which is based in New York, but will ship anywhere in the country, is to make plant-based eating less of a barrier for people. “Most of our clients are either looking to kickstart a new lifestyle and don’t know how to begin, or they are busy and want the ease of prepared meals made from scratch with real, clean ingredients.

Our menu is a whole-food, plant-based way of eating that is filled with fiber and packed with nutrients. We focus on legumes, tofu and nuts as sources of protein,” she says.

Pinnavaia, who holds a Ph.D. in quantum chemistry, became interested in food and nutrition after having too many family members diagnosed with cancers. Since launching

Plantable in 2016, she has observed more clients coming in on their doctor’s recommendation. “We’re seeing a shift towards more consumer-driven health care, where doctors are understanding that meal planning and nutrition are critical to overall health. The community in general is also taking more ownership of their own health and gaining more knowledge of the benefits of a plant-based diet,” she says.

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inspiration

Journaling to Access Inner Wisdom

six months from now that has gotten through the muck you’re currently in.

What deep wisdom and advice does it carry?

START WITH A LOVING GREETING. Address your present self compassionately, the way you would to a child or dear friend. “Hi darling. It’s a brand-new day, sweetheart.”

by Nadine Kenney Johnstone

ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR HARDSHIPS WITHOUT JUDGEMENT. What is your wiser self observing from the outside? Let it state what it notices. “I can see that you’re hurting. You’ve been through it, haven’t you?”

LET THE PAST BE PROOF OF YOUR EMOTIONAL ENDURANCE. Be an investigator and dig up examples of how you’ve coped with previous hardships.

Remember that time you thought you couldn’t deal, but you did?

O

n a summer afternoon in 2015, I sat in my favorite coffee shop waiting on lifechanging news. With each minute, my anxiety mounted, so I turned to the only thing that calms me in a stressful situation—my journal. As my pen scrawled across the page, I instinctively wrote a letter from my future self to my present self. I just needed someone to reassure me. And that “someone,” apparently, was me.

I’ve been writing these inner-wisdom letters ever since, and it has been one of the most helpful practices in managing my anxiety. Women that have attended my retreats say it is the most impactful thing we do. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, grab a pen and follow these simple steps.

CREATE A SIMPLE CEREMONY. Sitting down with your favorite mug or journal makes this exercise feel sacred. Write in the light of dawn or by the glow of a candle, whatever brings you joy.

SET A TIMER SO YOU DON’T OVERTHINK IT. Perfectionism is the enemy of creativity. For 10 minutes, tell yourself to just write whatever comes, no matter how imperfect.

GET INTO THE BRAIN OF THE OLDER, WISER YOU. Imagine the version of you

ashlyn ciara/Unsplash.com

STATE WHAT THE WISER-YOU KNOWS. What does this perspective offer to the situation? Be the scribe as you channel wiser-you’s messages. Try this prompt: “Your heart knows that ...”

REQUEST THE NEXT RIGHT STEP. Ask your wiser self, “What do I need in order to heal from this?” Listen for the answer. It might take the form of advice, a mantra or a simple step: Rest. Pause.

Stay. Hug. LIST WHAT YOU CAN LET GO OF. Dump your obsessive thoughts onto the page, as well as anything you can’t control.

While you think you can control other people’s reactions, you can’t.

CLOSE WITH LOVE AND SUPPORT. “I love you and I’m here for you in your heart.”

READ WHAT YOU WROTE. Be amazed by the wisdom that came simply because you tapped in and asked. Bring your hands to your heart and say thank you.

Nadine Kenney Johnstone is the host of the podcast Heart of the Story, a writing, meditation and yoga nidra instructor, and a workshop and retreat leader.

March 2022

15

healing ways

Burnout Recovery Ways to Reset and Find Balance

“Until we stop and literally look at what we are doing, we remain on the hamster wheel.” – Eileen McDargh

“I

’ll sleep when I die,” Kristina Shea used to joke about her three hours of nightly shut-eye. In retrospect, she says ruefully, “It almost became a reality.” Her hectic life as a single, widowed mother juggling her child’s needs, a highpowered career, university classes, fitness teaching and a two-hour work commute came to an abrupt stop eight years ago when she got off an escalator in the Toronto business district and collapsed. “It was burnout which manifested into physical symptoms such as extreme high blood pressure, red rashes, eczema and even a brain cyst,” she recalls. “I was emotionally 16

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and physically drained, with little joy left for life.”

Determined to reset, she switched jobs, prioritized sleep, practiced yoga, meditated and took long nature walks. When COVID-19 shutdowns hit and she was laid off, she was at a loss, but rebounded, and inspired by her own healing process, started a CBD-enhanced natural skincare product line. “Still to this day, it is an active healing process,” she says. “It is very easy to go back to old patterns of behavior.”

Burnout, once primarily a workplace concern, is turning into a societal norm.

During the long slog of the pandemic, its telltale symptoms have become commonplace: fatigue, cynicism, apathy and feeling ineffective and disconnected. Among American employees, 52 percent reported feeling burned out in a March 2021 study, with two-thirds saying it had worsened during the pandemic. Belgian researchers found parental burnout in the U.S. to be among the highest in the world—even before COVID-19 closed schools. Record numbers of healthcare workers, caregivers and therapists report feeling physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted, with grave implications for those they are helping. Over time, burnout can bring on such health consequences as depression, insomnia, cardiovascular disease and immune disorders.

Turning around burnout requires a simple first step. We must admit what’s going on, says Eileen McDargh, author of Burnout to Breakthrough and an executive coach in Dana Point, California. “Until we stop and literally look at what we are doing, we remain on the hamster wheel,” she says. “And then, we must listen to what our head is saying to us, and perhaps even more important, what our heart—our intuition—is telling us. The heart knows the truth.”

From this self-assessment, other steps can follow, she says, such as asking, “What can I change about this? What can I avoid?

What can I amend? And what—at least for the short term—can I accept?” A stressful situation can also be proactively reframed by viewing it as a challenge, a learning opportunity, a way to help others or as having a higher purpose. Other helpful strategies include:

fizkes/AdobeStock.com

by Ronica O’Hara

ACCESS POINTS OF JOY. By asking ourselves what three specific activities or things truly make us feel alive, engaged and happy, we can figure out how to work them into our days and restructure our life. In one study, physicians that spent about 20 percent of their time—roughly one day a week—on the activity they found the most meaningful had half the rate of burnout as those spending less time on those pursuits.

FIND POINTS OF CONTROL. Feeling helpless is a trademark of burnout, “but there is always something we have control over. Our physical body is a great place to start: sleep, exercise, diet….” says McDargh. Even little steps matter, such as putting greens into smoothies, turning off digital devices a half-hour before sleeping or dancing to a short tune.

TAKE MICRO-BREAKS. “You don’t have to wait for the next vacation to recharge,” says Michelle Risser, a licensed clinical social worker and burnout expert in Worthington, Ohio. “Some examples: stand up and stretch between meetings.

Feel your feet on the ground and take a nice, slow breath. Breathe in on a count of five, out on a count of seven. Listen closely to a piece of music.” As few as 10 minutes sitting or walking in nature improves mood, focus, blood pressure and heart rate, report Cornell researchers.

ENHANCE GRATITUDE. Studies among firefighters and professional athletes have found gratitude to be significantly protective against burnout—in part because it causes us to pause and savor an uplifting feeling. Developing the habit is as simple as writing down a few specific reasons to be grateful before bedtime several days a week. “Gratitude is a powerful energy enhancer,” says McDargh.

Shea concurs, “When we take the time to just be, feel gratitude, the sun on our face, this helps rewire the way we think—and we can then begin to heal our bodies.”

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

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17

conscious eating

Easing into a Vegan Lifestyle CLEVER MEAT SUBSTITUTES THAT PLEASE THE PALATE

by Sheila Julson

istetiana/AdobeStock.com

T

18

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oday’s wide availability of vegan meat substitutes in the grocer’s freezer helps break the ice for people that want to experiment with plantbased foods. The taste, convenience and quality of these products has improved greatly over the past decade, but like many convenience foods, some packaged faux meat products can be high in sodium or fillers. While packaged, meat-alternative products are ideal for a tasty occasional treat, there’s a whole world of options beyond the freezer aisle for those that want to expand their vegan palates.

Arielle and Brandon Hawthorne, coowners of Twisted Plants, a popular, plantbased restaurant in the Milwaukee area, make their vegan food approachable by creating plant-based foods that mimic everyday, non-plant-based options. “I think that motivates people to try it because they feel they can still have the same flavor and taste they’re used to, but in a healthier version,” Arielle says. They use items like jackfruit, a species of tree in the fig family, which takes on the taste and consistency of pulled pork when shredded and marinated in sauces or spices.

Going plant-based does not mean going without. Del Sroufe, a vegan chef based in Columbus, Ohio, culinary specialist at the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutritional Studies and author of the Forks Over Knives companion cookbook, recommends that people craft satisfying, plant-based entrées at home by starting with recipes they like, and then looking for plant-based versions of those. “If you like pizza, you can still have pizza. If you like Italian cuisine, there are plenty of Italian recipes,” he says.

Priyanka Naik, a self-taught Indian vegan

chef, Food Network champion and author of the new vegan cookbook The Modern Tiffin, advises to gradually start a plant-based diet with one meat-free day per week and then increase. She adds that when eating out, opt for vegetarian or vegan options to be sure a plant-based lifestyle is sustainable outside of the home kitchen.

Plant-Based Options BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER BITES

This healthier version of buffalo wings is meat-free and baked instead of fried, but full of flavor and spice. It can be eaten plain or, as Sroufe recommends, as a Buffalo Po’ Boy sandwich, served on a whole-grain hoagie or sandwich buns with cabbage and peanut slaw. ½ cup water ¼ cup almond butter ½ cup red hot sauce, plus extra for tossing with the cooked bites ¾ cup whole-wheat pastry flour ¼ cup nutritional yeast 1 ½ Tbsp granulated garlic 1 large-head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets (about 6 cups) Preheat the oven to 375° F. Combine everything except the cauliflower in a large bowl.

Mix well. Add the cauliflower florets and toss until thoroughly coated.

Place the coated florets on a nonstick baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Toss with extra red hot sauce if desired.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Del Sroufe. siriwan/AdobeStock.com

The concept of protein at the center of every dinner plate has been ingrained in American culture. Dismantling that perspective opens up a whole new world and encourages thinking about vegetarian and vegan food in a new light, Naik says.

Sroufe adds that we often believe we won’t get enough protein from plant-based foods. “There’s been a lot of science to refute that. The World Health Organization has identified people that exist healthfully on less than 6 percent protein in their diets.”

Fruits, vegetables and grains are often more economical than packaged convenience foods, especially when purchased from local farmers markets. Pasta, rice and beans, which can be purchased in bulk, are budget-friendly. Naik cooks with the objective of putting vegetables at the forefront, using her Indian ancestry and global influences to make veggies the star of the show.

Cauliflower and eggplant can be prepared in “steak” form as a main course or stand in as healthier versions of pub-food appetizers like buffalo chicken wings. For those craving meatier flavors, chickpea flour becomes crumbly when water is added, effecting a good substitute for ground beef. Adding chipotle, cumin and other seasonings emulates taco meat. “Chickpea flour is high in protein and is used in a lot of Indian cuisine,” Naik says. “You can buy the flour or grind dry chickpeas to make the flour.”

Jackfruit adapts easily to myriad recipe styles. Sroufe notes it can be used in dumplings and tacos. Hawthorne also uses it to make vegan ribs and in beef-style stews.

Don’t toss that banana peel—Naik says using clean, organic banana peels after the flesh has been removed is a zero-waste approach to plant-based eating. Cooks can shred the peel with a fork and sauté it with soy sauce and other spices to mimic pulled meat.

Tofu gets a bad rap, Sroufe says, noting that many people worldwide eat soy products without experiencing digestive issues.

He often uses tofu for a number of presentations. “Silken tofu can be used to make pudding. Crumbled tofu can be substituted for ricotta in lasagna, or you can marinate tofu to make bacon for sandwiches. It’s a good, filling food.”

Sroufe also uses millet as a base for meatloaf, meatballs and sloppy joes. Several mushroom varieties have meaty textures, and when battered and fried, they emulate fried chicken. Hawthorne also uses mushrooms as a meat replacement in Philly cheese steak sandwiches.

Seitan, made with a vital wheat gluten base, can be used for meatballs.

By experimenting with an array of vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds to create balanced textures and flavors, even the choosiest omnivores won’t miss the meat.

photo courtesy of Del Sroufe

Substitutes at Home

Sheila Julson is a Milwaukee-based freelance writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings magazines throughout the country.

March 2022

19

natural pet

by Sheila Julson

P

eople are always striving to improve the quality of life for their pets. For some, this means making homemade dog and cat food or buying meat directly from a local butcher, but not all pet parents have the necessary time, space or finances.

While there are better quality kibble and canned pet foods available today than in the past, along with frozen raw and freeze-dried raw foods, an overwhelming volume of choices can confuse even the savviest consumer.

Cecille O’Brien Greenleaf, a holistic veterinarian in San Jose, California, advises pet parents to use the same criteria they do when shopping for human food—look for the freshest, cleanest ingredients possible, a limited ingredient panel and no chemicals and pesticides.

“Look for human-grade ingredients that offer the most vitality,” she emphasizes. She notes that some larger manufacturers have been caught using the least expensive ingredients they could find, including diseased animals that have been rejected from the human supply chain.

Ingredients on panels are listed by weight from highest to lowest, so the first one listed is the one that weighs the most. It should be pure meat—chicken, beef, venison or fish. Proteins such as chicken liver, organ meat or eggs may follow. “If there are many synthesized items in the ingredient list, that is to be avoided,” she says.

Frozen raw and dehydrated raw foods provide optimal nutrition while more closely mimicking 20

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pets’ primal eating patterns. The extrusion process that some pet food manufacturers use to make kibble can overcook the product.

To compensate, synthesized vitamins are often sprayed onto the finished product, similar to how many children’s breakfast cereals are produced, she explains.

When purchasing kibble, look for brands that are minimally processed and provide vitamins directly from the ingredients; a long list of supplements on an ingredient list means the food has been highly processed.

There has been recent debate within the animal care community as to whether grainfree diets are more helpful or harmful to pets.

O’Brien Greenleaf notes the jury is still out on how some grains affect pets or whether grain-free diets are better. “It depends on how contaminated or genetically modified the grains are, and whether grains agree with your pet,” she says. Testing is now available to help determine ingredients to which a pet may be allergic.

She also recommends adding highquality fish oil to pet’s food to help quell inflammation that can cause skin issues and other disorders.

Smaller Manufacturers Emphasize Quality Control Randi Ross owns the franchise in Campbell, California, for Ben’s Barketplace, a Northern California pet food store chain that specializes in quality foods for dogs and cats.

She notes that corporate mergers and acquisitions over the years have put many

large pet food brands that are carried at big-box stores into the hands of conglomerates that also produce candy, soap and other non-pet products. This can lead to lack of oversight and quality control issues.

Many smaller, specialty pet food stores carefully screen the brands they carry. They offer products made by smaller companies that produce just pet food and embrace a holistic, farmto-table philosophy regarding how they source their ingredients and manufacture their foods.

The melamine pet food recall of 2007, in which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found chemical contaminants in vegetable proteins imported from China used as ingredients in pet food, prompted many people to look for “Made in the United States” on packages. However, even if a brand is labeled as American- or North American-made, it doesn’t necessarily mean all of the ingredients were sourced from America, Ross says.

Freeze-dried raw meal toppers and pourover broths have become popular ways to add nutrition and flavor to kibble. When purchasing those products, she says, the same rules apply as when shopping for food: look for single or limited-ingredients on product panels and be wary of excessive filler ingredients like corn or wheat.

“We help educate people on the true cost of pet ownership,” Ross says. “Spending a little more money now on high-quality pet food ultimately keeps dogs and cats healthier, reducing the need for veterinarian visits, pharmaceuticals and antibiotics.”

Sheila Julson is a Milwaukee-based freelance writer and contributor to Natural Awakenings magazines throughout the country.

mat hayward/AdobeStock.com

How to Shop for the Healthiest Pet Food

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Beyond Kibble

WE LOVE OUR ADVERTISING

PARTNERS How Pets Benefit from a Raw Food Diet

WE THINK YOU WILL TOO!

by Jorelle Baker

F

or pets as well as people, a healthy, balanced diet can make all the difference between living a long life or struggling at middle age to combat chronic disease. Here’s why raw food is the ideal diet for dogs and cats.

1. Better hydration: A raw food diet consists of fresh meat, vegetables and fruits, all of which contain more moisture than dry food. High-moisture food improves skin and coat health, maintains muscle and joint health, and keeps a pet better hydrated. This is especially beneficial for domestic cats, which often don’t drink enough water throughout the day.

2. Cleaner teeth: Although dry food is often marketed as promoting dental health, it actually sticks to the teeth, causing plaque and tartar buildup over time. Raw food’s high moisture content allows it to slide off the teeth. As a result, the pet’s teeth stay cleaner longer and their breath isn’t as stinky.

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3. Weight management: Raw food, like meat, can’t be left unrefrigerated indefinitely.

With scheduled feedings, owners can quantify their pets’ caloric intake and better manage their weight.

4. Better ingredients: High-quality ingredients provide more nutrition with each meal.

Pets’ bodies were not designed to digest artificial ingredients; they struggle to break them down, eventually leading to chronic disease by middle age. Better ingredients keep pets healthier longer. In fact, some ingredients can combat chronic disease. For example, shiitake mushrooms reduce the risk of cancer and food allergies.

5. Less waste: When a dog or cat eats food with natural ingredients, they absorb more of their meal, which means less waste. Dry food has a lot of excess components, but raw food is more easily absorbed into the system. This means smaller or fewer poops on walks or in the litter box.

6. Natural design: Raw pet food is made with fresh meat consisting of several organs and muscle, as well as vegetables and fruit—mimicking what our dogs’ and cats’ ancestors used to eat in the wild. Unlike humans, dogs’ and cats’ digestive systems haven’t changed to handle artificial ingredients. Raw food is what their bodies were designed to eat.

7. Creative feedings: Pet owners can get more creative with raw food than with dry food.

Sure, dry food can be soaked in water or broken down into smaller pieces, but it remains essentially the same. With some creative thinking, raw food can be turned into a tasty ice pop on a hot summer day, or a lovely chilled soup for pets who like to drink their meals.

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Jorelle Baker is the social media manager, content creator and webmaster for Holistic Pet Care, located at 125 Paterson Ave., Little Falls, NJ. For appointments or information, visit HolisticPetCareNJ.com.

March 2022

21

green living

THE BOUNTY OF FARMERS MARKETS

Buying Local Boosts Health, the Economy and the Planet

T

hroughout the nation, an estimated 8,000 farmers markets offer some of the freshest food available anywhere. Often open on weekend mornings or select weeknights, these nutritional meccas allow local farmers to sell their fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat and dairy directly to consumers, thereby providing an attractive business channel for them. “If you buy direct from a farmer, 97 cents of every dollar goes home with the farmer, whereas if you buy from a traditional grocery store, only 17 cents makes its way back to that farmer,” says Janie Maxwell, executive director of the Illinois Farmers Market Association.

Dollars spent at farmers markets boost local economies. “When farmers make money, they buy seeds at their local co-op or purchase tools from a nearby hardware store, which infuses economic capital into rural communities,” says Katie Myhre, technology research manager at the Farmers Market Coalition. “If we can focus on growing the capacity of our farms within our region and building consumer habits around what we can grow locally, that’s going to help our region become more resilient.”

This type of localized commerce offers environmental benefits, too. Produce from a local source carries a much smaller carbon footprint than one that travelled halfway across the 22

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country. “Farmers markets are uniquely positioned to encourage environmentally responsible farming by providing a solid economic platform to climate-positive farmers that are taking care of land and water quality,” Myhre asserts.

According to a study commissioned by the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, 72 percent of consumers know “nothing” or “very little” about farming or ranching. Farmers markets facilitate ongoing dialogues between growers and consumers, serving as valuable educational sites.

“Getting to know your farmer offers you an opportunity to ask questions directly to the person growing the product and make a choice accordingly, whereas when you go into grocery stores, you’re fed a lot of advertising and greenwash labeling with terms that you don’t understand,” Myhre says, adding, “While many small farmers decide not to go through the costly United States Department of Agriculture organic certification process, their farming practices are often just as clean or even more so, and at a farmers market, consumers are able to look the farmer in the eye and learn about their growing methods.”

Maxwell appreciates the opportunity to make an educated choice. “As a consumer, you have to decide what is your highest value. For me, the most compelling reason to shop at a farmers market is the peak, in-season, quality of the food, the incredible taste and nutrition that you get because it was freshly harvested and didn’t have to be transported over long distances. The number of people that touch your food is

rawpixel/AdobeStock.com

by Sandra Yeyati

significantly lower at a farmers market, so there’s less opportunity for it to be mishandled or cross-contaminated. It carries the name of the producer on it. This is their life’s work, and their reputation is on that label. I sense that there’s a real desire to ensure great quality and safety.”

Regularly buying fresh food from a farmers market allows families to get into the habit of eating in season. “Cooking seasonally allows you the opportunity to capture the incredible flavor profiles of what’s fresh. It has just been picked and tastes incredible—very different from the flavors you get from grocery store products that were produced someplace else, maybe even weeks or months ago,” Maxwell explains.

Myhre concurs: “If we can build our habits, cooking preferences and skills around those seasonal rhythms, that’s a really beautiful benefit. It’s awesome for me to know that these herbs were harvested yesterday. There’s also a wide diversity of products. You’re not going to see 12 varieties of squash at your big-box grocery store. I’m always surprised by what I see, and it’s a really fun experience as somebody who loves food. Taking home really great-tasting products that were produced with so much care is a central benefit.”

For many, the farmers market is a community gathering. In addition to local growers, they often include cottage food vendors offering homemade jams and jellies, baked goods, sauces, preserved and pickled items and other delicious foods, as well as arts and crafts vendors and musical entertainment. “The wonderful thing about the farmers market is that it leads with joy,” Myhre says. “It’s fun. You don’t invite friends to the grocery store, but you might meet your friends for coffee at the farmers market.”

Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer and editor. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.

COMING SOON Save the Dates

“May your trouble be less. And your blessings be more. And nothing but happiness come through your door.” ~Irish Blessing

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March 2022

23

healthy kids

Beyond Picky Eating Help for Pediatric Eating Disorders

vadim guzhva/AdobeStock.com

by Marlaina Donato

M

ost kids go through food phases and bouts of fussiness during mealtime, but more serious problems can lurk beneath the surface of such all-too-common behaviors. Eating disorders are often associated with teen and adult females, but children of any gender under 12 can be afflicted with anorexia nervosa, bulimia and other conditions unique to younger kids.

“Eating disorders used to be primarily a college-aged issue; now eating disorders show up in young teens and even children as young as 5 years old,” says Marcia Herrin, a dietitian and nutritional counselor in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and author of Nutrition Counseling in the Treatment of Eating Disorders and co-author of The Parent’s Guide to Eating Disorders.

Consequences of childhood eating disorders can include permanently stunted growth, impaired immunity, hypoglycemia and delayed puberty, but healing from an eating disorder can occur with early detection, quality care and proactive efforts by the family. Current research has broadened the medical definition, allowing earlier diagnosis and prevention, 24

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reports the New York City-based National Eating Disorders Association.

More than Body Image While eating disorders are fueled by many factors, each child is an individual, and so any child’s struggles around food will be particular to them. Herrin, the founder of the Dartmouth College Eating Disorders Prevention, Education and Treatment program, says, “It is important for parents to know that the main risk factor for developing an eating disorder is genetic. This

means some children are genetically at risk and others are not.”

The fires of predisposition can be fueled by “body dissatisfaction, dieting and involvement in activities that favor thinness, such as dance, gymnastics and running,” says Herrin, adding that the disorder defies stereotypes. “Because a child is male or has always been on the heavier side doesn’t mean that child is immune from developing an eating disorder.”

Being repelled by foods with certain colors, tastes, textures or smells and having phobias around vomiting or choking are often catalysts to disorders. “Extreme picky eating that leads to restricting food intake is now considered an eating disorder in its own right, called avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID),” says Herrin. “The main difference between the child restricting food intake because of anorexia nervosa and the child with ARFID is that those with ARFID don’t care about weight or have body image issues.”

For Cassandra Lenza, an eating disorder therapist and the owner of Healing on Hudson, in Hoboken, New Jersey, the lasting imprints of a pervasive “diet culture” cannot be ignored. “The main and persistent risk factor for the development of eating disorders is early dieting,” she says. “Children under 12 who are dieting or exposed to dieting in their environment are more susceptible to the development of eating disorders than children who are not.” It is imperative, she says, that parents model healthy eating and provide a child with the tools for success.

A Whole-Child Approach Cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness training and yoga have been shown in studies to help both children and adults to process critical emotions, thoughts and eating patterns. Lenza attests to the effectiveness of holistic, multidisciplined care for reversing the common effects of eating disorders like exhaustion and gastrointestinal, hormonal or cognitive impairment. “We recommend a three-pronged treatment approach for all children which includes working with a therapist who treats eating disorder behavior, a registered dietitian who can help nutritionally and a pediatrician who can monitor the child medically,” she says.

Habits and bonds within the family unit go a long way toward prevention. “Having a family dinner most days of the week substantially reduces the risk of a child developing an eating disorder,” says Herrin. For recovery, she advises, “The most effective treatment for children up to age 19 is family-based treatment (FBT). In FBT, clinicians show parents how to help their child eat enough to restore health. The type of eating that is most effective is good old-fashioned meals with plenty of calories from carbs, fat and protein.”

With observant parents and quality care, children have a brighter future. “The early signs are often subtle,” counsels Herrin.

“Trust your intuition.”

Marlaina Donato is an author and composer. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.

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wise words

Ann Armbrecht

on the Business of

Ethical Botanicals

photo courtesy of Bryce Youk

by April Thompson

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What surprised you the most in your journey around the world tracking the herbal supply chain?

I was surprised by the level of mechanization and scale, and the careless way plants were often handled—sometimes stored in open sacks and huge piles, with one type of plant spilling into another without controls for moisture and rodents. But I was also surprised to discover my own naiveté about the supply chain. These were both important realizations to help me come to a more nuanced, realistic assessment of the challenges the different stakeholders face in bringing herbs to market.

What should consumers consider when purchasing herbal products?

Alternative medicine and health care frame wellness as a personal choice, focused on the individual’s health, yet we have a responsibility back to the plants that heal us and the people who care for them. We can’t be well unless the planet is well. By purchasing an herbal product that has been produced in ways that care for the Earth and local communities, we can start to heal the planet and address social inequities.

Purchasing Organic Certified products is a start. Someone I met at Organic India said every time you have a cup of herbal tea that isn’t certified organic, it’s like steeping a cup of pesticides. It doesn’t make any sense to consume something for its medicinal properties that has been made with pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

Certified Organic is not a perfect system—no certification is—but it operates as a stand-in for relationships and trust. These herbs change hands up to 15 times to get to a consumer, so there has to be a way to keep a paper trail and ensure product integrity. When consumers ask for Certified Organic, it signals to the marketplace that sustainability matters and helps drive change in the industry.

quangho/Shutterstock.com

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riter and anthropologist Ann Armbrecht explores the relationship between humans and the planet, notably through her work with plants and plant medicine. Her book The Business of Botanicals: Exploring the Healing Promise of Plant Medicines in a Global Industry tells the stories of the people and places behind the global industry of herbal products which are largely invisible to the consumers that spend $9 billion annually on them. Armbrecht is the director of the American Botanical Council Sustainable Herbs Program and is co-producer of the documentary film Numen: The Nature of Plants, inspired by her experience studying herbal medicine with herbalist Rosemary Gladstar. Although her current work focuses on the herb industry, she is interested in broader questions about how the purchasing choices everyday citizens make impact the world. Armbrecht is also the author of the memoir Thin Places: A Pilgrimage Home, based on her time conducting ethnographic research in Nepal and her continued questioning of culture and community back home in the U.S.

Seeking out fair trade products is also great when possible. The FairWild certification, for example, works toward ecological, social and economic sustainability in the supply chain of wild-collected products.

What key trends are you seeing in the herbal industry?

There is a trend toward regenerative farming, which focuses on issues like how cultivating plants affects soil and biodiversity.

There is also a new focus on social equity for people growing and collecting herbs, as many of them are living on the fringes of society in precarious situations. We are doing case studies to look at details like how the structure of contracts and timing of payments affect smallholder herb farmers so we can make appropriate recommendations and hold companies accountable.

What gives you the most hope about the herbal industry right now?

The people I got to know in my travels are working really hard to take care of the plants and of the communities to bring a sense of ethics, equity and transparency into the system. A lot of money is made at the very end of the value chain and not at the source.

Individuals and companies in the industry are working to address these imbalances.

More consumers are asking questions and becoming empowered citizens, and that also gives me hope. When I studied herbal medicine, what was most powerful for me was learning simple ways to take care of myself and my then-1-year-old daughter. Learning to make these simple remedies was deeply empowering. Without that knowledge, it’s easy to be overwhelmed walking through the supplement aisle of the drugstore, not knowing where to begin other than to read labels and try to compare one marketing claim to another. Taking steps to learn more about herbs and where they come from helps people make a shift from consumer to citizen. That level of engagement also brings more meaning and connection, which people are hungering for.

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

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 10.

FAMILY

PUMP HOBOKEN

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

HEALTHY FOODS

ALPHAKEY CLUB

BUSY BEE ORGANICS

Virtual Based Jersey City, NJ info@alphakey.club • AlphaKey.club

451 Palisade Ave, Jersey City, NJ 201-656-5065 BusyBeeOrganics.com

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.

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.

FASHION 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.

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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GREEN PEAR CAFÉ

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

KEY FRESH AND NATURAL

574 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 201-204-4200 Local grocer offering huge selection of healthy products and quality brand names for the entire family. Fresh produce with many organic options, quality meats and poultry, organic baby food, grain-free and natural pet foods, non-toxic cleaning products and much more. Save time shopping in one location and get all your grocery needs met at Key Fresh and Natural.

Hablamos Espanol. See ad on back cover.

PLANT BASE JC

370 Pacific Ave, Jersey City, NJ 551-256-3868 • PlantBaseMarket.com An ethical, vegan, zero-waste market and restaurant offering a full-vegan, all-day food menu, bulk groceries, organic produce, homeopathic wellness products, body care products and household products. Plant Base is also a strong community hub, known as “the living room for the hood”, where neighbors come together to share knowledge and ideas.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS ANCHOR THERAPY

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

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.

Tr e a t m e n t s m a y i n c l u d e acupuncture, reiki, aromatherapy, moxibustion, cupping, auricular therapy, as well as ancient Shamanic healing methods.

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BABY STEPS PEDIATRICS

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

FOOT AND ANKLE PREMIER SPECIALISTS

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

Specialties include dermatologic foot conditions, any foot and ankle deformities including bunions and hammertoes, chronic nerve pain, sports-related injuries including heel pain, fractures, sprains, and treatment of diabetic foot complications. See ad, page 17.

HOBOKEN CHIROPRACTIC + WELLNESS

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

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

INSPIRED TO HEALTH

85 Maple Street #3L, Weehawken, NJ 201-344-6448 • InspiredToHealth.net Dedicated to helping women destress and lead more healthful lives, Lorraine Giordano offers the following treatments: Quantum To u c h , Q u a n t u m E n e r g y Transformation, Reiki, Quantum Allergy Release, Age Clearing and Energy Medicine. Also specializing in helping women with female reproductive issues and helping them connect to their sacral chakra; an energetic center linked to emotions, self-care, creativity and passion. She also offers Akashic Record readings.

JACQUIE BIRD, SPIRITUAL WELLNESS JacquieBirdWellness.com

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

JC BUMP AND BABY Jersey City, NJ JCBumpAndBaby.com

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

LEAH CRESCENZO

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

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

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

MIND BODY HOBOKEN

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

MINDFUL PLAY YOGA

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

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

NALU CHIROPRACTIC

Dr Sura Devi 75 Montgomery Street, Ste. 201, Jersey City, NJ NaluChiro.com Nalu Chiropractic is a holistic family practice with a special focus on Women’s Health and Healing.

Providing unique, honoring and gentle care - body alignment for a happier and healthier life. Specializations include: fertility, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, motherhood and pediatrics.

OLEVIA METRY, MD

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

RISE COACHING

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

30 Provost St, Jersey City, NJ 551-689-0763 • SalvationWellness.com Salvation Wellness is a multiservice wellness center that offers services such as massage, meditation, yoga classes and sauna sessions. It also sells a variety of personal care products, including CBD bath and body items. Co-founders Celia and Andres Pender have

lived in Jersey City for more than a decade. They both have been dedicated to holistic health studies and deductive, science-based, natural healing for more than two decades.

THE GREEN ROOM

109 14th St, Hoboken, NJ 64 Newark Street, Hoboken, NJ 512 Jersey Ave, Jersey City, NJ TheGreenRoomNJ.com Newly added Jersey City location. 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 Sunday through Thursday 11am-8pm and Fri and Sat 11am-10pm in Jersey City and Monclair.

VICTORIA REED MASSAGE THERAPY

Victoria Radzinski, LMT, CPT 80 River St., 3E-2, Hoboken 201-551-7154 • VictoriaReed.Info@gmail.com ReedWellness.com As a licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Personal Trainer and Yoga instructor, Victoria’s healing and relaxing services reverse the effects of daily stress by repairing damaged muscle tissue to eliminate aches and pains throughout the body. Improve circulation, detoxify your body, and increase mental alertness as you decompress with her carefully designed massages. Victoria’s drive behind her work stems from her observations on today’s lifestyle/living.

See ad, page 8.

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.

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.

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.

MR NATURAL NYC

Roger Dubin 917-699-6492 • Instagram @MrNaturalNYC MrNaturalNYC@gmail.com My mission is to connect people with the beauty and health benefits of hiking and nature. I share this in my Instagram and practice it by supervising over 60 miles of trails in Harriman State Park and being a hike leader and naturist for the Nature Place Day Camp. I am also the Marketing Director for Natural Awakenings where I help people and businesses further healthy living on a healthy planet. Email me for hiking tips and route suggestions. Find Hikes: NYNJTC.org.

Expose your kids to Nature: TheNaturePlace.com.

coming in april issue

Sustainable Living

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29

calendar of events Healing Meditation, Restorative Yoga and Reiki – THC is a favorite space to experience healing through connection, meditation, and movement.

Offering guided meditations, Yin Yoga, mat based experiences, rhythm based cycling and expansive workshops to support your healing journey. The Healing Center, 80 River St, Ste 5A, Hoboken.

973-216-2492. TheHealingCenterHoboken.com.

Recovery Meetings – RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery’s Hope and Healing Program offers emotional support services, education and community-based resources for individuals and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a variety of virtual services, this program aims to assist those impacted by the pandemic to better adjust to their new reality, mitigate stress, review options, develop coping strategies, and, if needed, find linkages to agencies, programs, and other resources in their community. All Recovery virtual meetings provide social support for those seeking or maintaining recovery, as well as family members, friends and supporters of those who have been influenced by substance use. See website a list of meetings and registration info. RWJBH.org/treatmentcare/institute-for-prevention-and-recovery/programs/ hope-and-healing/

TUESDAY, MARCH 1 Workout to Great Music: Zoom Class for 50+ – Tue and Thu through Mar 10. 7-7:30am. This event is a fun short fitness zoom class to great music; it’s a start of a new you 2022. Great music workout; you’ll feel good for the rest of the day. Great music. Get your workout clothes on and get ready to move. Eventbrite.com/e/ workout-to-great-music-50-plus-tickets.

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

Urban Souls Yoga, 100 Hudson St, Fourth Fl, Hoboken.

To register: 201-683-4002. UrbanSoulsYoga.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2 Pranayama Class: Joy of Breathing – Wed through Mar. 1:30pm. The transformational breathing technique works to quickly and effectively allow you to access a deeper, more conscious connection with the body, mind, heart and spirit. Learn to access deep meditative states of consciousness and how to breath naturally and fully with this simple and effective method, and breathe your way to greater health, vitality, peace and joy. Virtual event, Free.

Soul Dimension. Jersey City. EventBrite.com.

THURSDAY, MARCH 3 Creative Arts Workshop: Inspiration Trap – Thur. through Mar. 6pm, 7pm and ‪8pm‬. This unique workshop seeks to reclaim our inspiration and imagination, rethink the unthinkable. It is ideal for people working in the creative arts as well as students, entrepreneurs, team managers, corporate leaders and anyone looking to implement their creative vision.

Feel free to bring along a personal object, a piece of

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clothing or even a small piece of furniture to play with during this hands-on experiment in innovative thinking. Please sign up for the sessions on Eventbrite. $30.

Issyra Gallery, 300 Observer Highway, Hoboken.

Yoga for Beginners – Thur. through Mar. 6:307:30pm. This class is suitable for those who are beginners - with little or no experience, or for those simply looking for a gentle yoga class. The class consists of yoga postures (asanas) breathing exercises (pranayama), and meditation. Instructor Komal Majmundar. $20. Roots Yoga, 2983 John F. Kennedy, Jersey City. RootsYogaStudioJC.com.

FRIDAY, MARCH 4 Small Group Reformer Classes – Fri through Apr. 7-8am. Downtown Pump’s signature, total-body reformer class with Jennifer Shukofsky. With a max of just 4 people, these are really more like semi-private sessions. Lots of individualized attention, and open to all levels. Modifications can be made as necessary to meet you where you are. Prenatal and postnatal clients welcome. Pump Hoboken, 401 Bloomfield St, Hoboken. 201-326-6811.

Friday Storytime at the Museum – Fridays 10:3011:45am. Museum staff and other guest readers share stories, rhymes and sing-alongs with children ages 2 to 5 years and their caregivers. The program is open to all on a first-come, first-served basis; children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. $5 donation appreciated. Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St, Hoboken. 201-656-2240. HobokenMuseum.org.

MONDAY, MARCH 7 Baby & Me Yoga – Mon through Mar. 10:30am.

Carolyn Brush is back with Baby & Me Yoga. Join on Zoom for stories, songs and simple poses for you and your little one. Space is limited so register to secure a spot. Free; Zoom links will be sent out about 30 minutes prior to story time. For any questions, please email Valerie.Coughlin@Hoboken. bccls.org. BCCLS.LibCal.com/Calendar.

Serotonin, by Michel Huellebecq: a Book Club Discussion – 5:30-7pm. Michel Houellebecq’s Serotonin is a caustic, frightening, hilarious, raunchy, offensive, and politically incorrect novel about the decline of Europe, Western civilization, and humanity in general. Deeply depressed by his romantic and professional failures, the aging hedonist and agricultural engineer Florent-Claude Labrouste feels he is dying of sadness. He decides to head for the hills, returning to Normandy, where he once worked. There he finds a countryside devastated by globalization and by European agricultural policies, and encounters farmers longing, like Labrouste himself, for an impossible return to a simpler age.

Free; register online. Amelia’s Bistro, 187 Warren St, Jersey City. Meetup.com/JC-BookClub/.

TUESDAY, MARCH 8 Yoga For All Ages: Frontline/Healthcare Workers – Tues. 9am. RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery’s Hope and Healing Program offers emotional support services, education and communitybased resources for individuals and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a variety of virtual services, this program aims to assist those impacted by the pandemic to better adjust to their new reality, mitigate stress, review options, develop coping strategies,

and, if needed, find linkages to agencies, programs, and other resources in their community. RWJBH.org.

Zoom Meeting ID: 982 7720 3249 Passcode: Yoga.

Silver Lining for All Recovery Wellness – Tues.

10am. All Recovery virtual meetings provide social support for those seeking or maintaining recovery, as well as family members, friends and supporters of those who have been influenced by substance use. RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery’s Hope and Healing Program Daily All Recovery Meetings offers emotional support services, education and community-based resources for individuals and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through a variety of virtual services, this program aims to assist those impacted by the pandemic to better adjust to their new reality, mitigate stress, review options, develop coping strategies, and, if needed, find linkages to agencies, programs, and other resources in their community. RWJBH.org. Zoom Meeting ID: 921 8005 4325 Passcode: healing. 929-205-6099.

Art Classes for Kids – Through Mar. 10am-1pm. Classes take place three days a week – Tues, Thurs, Fri – for fun art making in the Museum walkway. Recommended for ages 2-5. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Art materials are provided; adults must wear masks and maintain social distance. Seating available first-come, first-served. Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St, Hoboken. 201-656-2240. HobokenMuseum.org.

Kiddie & Me Music Classes – Tue through April 12.

10:30-11:30am. 45 minutes sessions in person music classes for you and your little ones (6 months - 5 years).

Fostering social skills, listening skills, imitation skills, and following along in a group. All while having fun!

Music & movement helps to foster the foundational developmental skills. JDK Social Station, LLC, 780 Post Place. Secaucus. 833-535-1212. BergenResourceNet.org.

Sound Bath Experience – 7:30-9pm. 2nd & 4th Tues.

The Sound Bath was created to be a self-care experience to aid in the healing and strengthening of the mind-body connection. The Sound Bath experience targets the physical, emotional, mental, energetic, and spiritual components of the mind-body connection by utilizing the amazing healing powers of sound vibrations. These vibrations allow us to release energy blockages and let go of unhealthy patterns. As we shift our vibrations away from harmful lower frequencies, we allow ourselves to transform into the best version of ourself. $35 in studio.

Urban Souls Yoga, 100 Hudson St, Fourth Fl, Hoboken.

To register: 201-683-4002. UrbanSoulsYoga.com.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9 Virtual Zumba – 6:30pm. 2nd & 4th Wed. Have fun and get fit with Zumba. It is now being held virtually on zoom! By participating in the North Bergen Library’s online Zumba class participants accept sole responsibility for any injury or other damages incurred, directly or indirectly, as a result of such participation, and waive any and all claims or causes of action against the library related to any such injury or other damages.

Community Fiber Craft Night – Weds, 7-9pm.

Fun conversation and working together by Zoom on fiber crafts! Bring your knitting, crochet, embroidery, spinning, weaving or whatever craft you’re enjoying at the moment. Register online for the event and you’ll be sent the meeting invite which includes the Zoom code as well as the weekly Theme of the Week. ShopYarnia.com.

THURSDAY, MARCH 10 FitKidz Fitness Program – Thur. through Apr 21.

4-5:30pm. Foster your child’s fitness, self- confidence, following directions and social skills each week! A program dedicated to fun & fitness. Classes are in person and virtual. Ages 3 to 14, siblings welcome. JDK Social Station, LLC, 780 Post Place. Secaucus. 833535-1212. BergenResourceNet.org/News-Events.

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

SATURDAY, MARCH 12 Musical Cooking Class – Sat through Mar. 1pm.

Learn some colorful home cooking. Get ready for an entertaining experience with One Great Vegan, aka the singing chef, Gabrielle Reyes in a live-streaming musical cooking class where you’ll learn to make colorful and flavorful treats you can create easily in your own kitchen. Be sure to log in and learn live how to cook quick, vegan recipes full of flavor and fun. Free virtual event. OneGreatVegan.com/Great-Events.

Chinese Acrobats – 3pm & 7:30pm. The timehonored art form of Chinese acrobatics combines with traditional music and high-tech special effects for a jaw-dropping carnival of fun. The acrobats will perform juggling, tumbling, contortion, rope walking, trick cycling and gymnastics. They’ll push the limits of human ability. They’ll defy gravity right before your eyes. Bring the whole family to experience this showcase of daring athletics and dazzling artistry. $49-$59.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Victoria Theater.

1 Center St, Newark. 888-696-5722. NJPAC.org.

TUESDAY, MARCH 15 Meet & Greet (JDK Social Station) – 6pm. JDK Social Station, LLC is a specialized multi-sensory inclusion program that enhances learning, social, and communication skills of children with social deficits.

Early treatment is essential for growth and learning.

The program is individualized based on each child’s needs to reach their maximum potential. JDK Social

Station, LLC, 780 Post Place. Secaucus. 833-5351212. BergenResourceNet.org/News-Events.

The Awesome – 7:30-9pm. This experience pairs ancient practices with modern science to improve and maintain your vital energy flow. The Awesome revitalizes and relaxes by combining QiGong, vigorous breathing, body tapping, and energy flow mediation. The Awesome! allows you to maximize your innate healing abilities as well as release deeply held stress and stagnant energy through a super-fun practice of easy, flowing movements. Join us in the studio or on line this month for a transformative experience that will leave your energy flowing and your heart invigorated! $35 in studio. Urban Souls Yoga, 100 Hudson St, Fourth Fl, Hoboken. To register: 201-683-4002. UrbanSoulsYoga.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 19 Lessons from Maritime Artist-in-Residence – 12:30-3:30pm. Frank Hanavan is the Museum’s Maritime Artist-in-Residence. Hanavan will be offering classes in knot-tying, ship model building, and the creation of hand-stitched sailcloth bags. He’ll demonstrate his skills, share his knowledge and answer your questions. For his initial project, he created a model of the America, an 1851 racing yacht sponsored by the Stevens family. It was the first winner of the America’s Cup international sailing trophy. Free with entry. Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St, Hoboken. 201-656-2240. HobokenMuseum.org.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23 Bored in the House: Youth Hangout – Weds, 4pm.

RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery’s Hope and Healing Program offers emotional support services, education and community-based resources for individuals and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a variety of virtual services, this program aims to assist those impacted by the pandemic to better adjust to their new reality, mitigate stress, review options, develop coping strategies, and, if needed, find linkages to agencies, programs, and other resources in their community.

RWJBH.org. Zoom Meeting ID: 947 3214 9652 Passcode: 726468. 929-205-6099.

THURSDAY, MARCH 24 Hoboken Talks – Mar 3, 10, 17, 24. 7-8pm. The Hoboken Museum offers a live-streamed program - Hoboken Talks! - streamed live on YouTube, as well as Facebook and Twitter. Viewers can submit questions using the chat feature. YouTube.com/ User/HobokenMuseum. See the website for other social media links to bookmark your preferred channel. Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St, Hoboken. 201-656-2240. HobokenMuseum.org.

FRIDAY, MARCH 25 Los Ángeles Azules – 8:30pm. Celebrate 40 years of cumbia! Hailing from Mexico City, the Mejía Avante family has brought their unique style of cumbia sonidera all around the world. Best known for their hit song Como Te Voy a Olvidar, they’ve recorded dozens of chart-topping albums.

Constantly reaching new fans and breaking barriers, they were the first cumbia group to perform at Coachella (with Justin Bieber dancing along). And their popular music videos joined YouTube’s prestigious Billion Views Club, the first Latin band to hit that milestone. $61-$181. New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Prudential Hall. 1 Center St, Newark.

888-696-5722. NJPAC.org.

SUNDAY, MARCH 27 End of The Month ChillOut: StressBusters Guided Meditation –1pm. 4th Sun. With StressBusters Guided Meditation, you will learn techniques you can use to reduce anxiety and stress in 30 minutes.

Let go of mental stress, anxiety and worry as you immerse in the healing arts of Sound Healing, Visualization and Intention through the soothing tones of the Tibetan Singing Bowls. You only need a comfortable place to sit or lay down, comfortable clothes, bare feet or socks are recommended, and a blanket if you get chilly. Adjust lighting to set a mood of calm and relaxation. $25, virtual.

EventBrite.com/E/End-Of-The-Month-ChilloutStressbusters-Guided-Meditation-Tickets.

March 2022

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Bring Healthy Home

We offer a large variety of healthy and organic products as well as traditional grocery items and brands Save Time • Save Money • Shop Healthy • Feel Great 574 Jersey Ave. (@ 3rd St.) • (201) 204-4200 • Jersey City 32

Hudson County

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