April 2023

PEOPLE. PLANET. PURPOSE.

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April says, “I have a rainbow for each little child… I’ll give every rainbow away!” There is so much besides the rainbow that we can absorb and do positive things from everything around us. There is a lethargy that builds the during the winter, and we all need to shed it using with April’s rainbows.

During this month of Earth Day, check out all the community events. In “The Wind of Change” we celebrate young Gen-Z activists pursuing climate justice and green living with a result-oriented approach and a new urgency. In the same vein, peruse the Sustainable Eating department and “Sustainable Grocery” eco-tip which highlight small steps that can be very impactful in the long run. Similarly, “Toxic Overload” describes ways to clean our water, food and indoor air.

In May, we are celebrating the contributions of women, including leaders from the professional and business community, that are leading and making difference. I want to call on readers to provide nominations and vote through our website and social media.

Natural Awakenings of Hudson is your all-season health and wellness resource for body, mind and soul—the physical body and inner, spiritual, well-being. Like us on Facebook and Instagram. Find even more great information in our online edition at NAHudson.com.

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Northern New Jersey Natural Awakenings publisher Anil Singh and his wife Vartika

Natural Awakenings is a family of nearly 50 healthy living magazines celebrating 28 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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A Heavenly Gift from China

The culture of ancient China was divinely inspired. Shen Yun’s works reflect this rich spiritual heritage at the New Jersey Perform ing Arts Center from May 4 through 7. Travel back to the magical world of ancient China and experience a lost culture through the incredible art of classical Chinese dance and see legends come to life. Shen Yun pushes the boundaries of the performing arts with a unique blend of stunning costumes, high-tech backdrops and a unique orchestra.

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In 2006, a group of Chinese artists came together in New York with a vision to revive the best of China’s cultural heritage and share it with the world. They drew courage and inspiration from their practice of Falun Dafa—a spiritual discipline based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. The company’s repertoire includes important works shedding light on the plight of people like them in communist China today. After a decade of performing around the world to sold-out audiences everywhere, Shen Yun has brought a great civilization back from the brink of extinction.

Admission starts at $80. Location: 1 Center St., Newark. For tickets, call 888-907-4697 or visit ShenYun.com/newark/new-jersey-'performing-arts-center. See ad, back page.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

For those that feel stressed, tired, anxious or worried and can’t seem to shut off their mind no matter what they try, an Access Bars session can reduce the noise in their head without having to meditate for hours, releasing disharmonious thoughts and behavior patterns while allowing greater possibilities into their life.

Access Bars is a gentle treatment using light touch on the head. No matter what age, everyone has the potential to benefit greatly from an Access Bars session. Trusted by many, this gentle, innovative energy process is practiced in more than 100 countries with positive results.

Location: Paramus. To preregister (required) or book a private session, call 201-655-3836.. For more information, visit AccessConsciousness.com or citm-drfinn.com. See ad, page 13.

Earth Day 30 Minute Reset: StressBusters Guided Meditation

Jacquie Bird will present Earth Day 30 Minute Reset: Stressbusters Guided Meditation on April 22nd at 10.00 am, 12.00 pm, 6.00 pm and April 23rd at 12 p.m., 2.00 pm.

An opportunity to balance, center and ground your Vibe on Earth Day Weekend. Bird says, “Immerse yourself within the vibrations of sound and breath while you float upon the positive visualizations you will receive in this restorative guided meditation.

As we are called to honor our incredible Earth, the greatest gift we can give is becoming more Aware and Mindful. Mindful of how we walk the Earth, Mindful of how we treat each other and Mindful of how we treat ourselves. Reduce stress, anxiety, feel good and refreshed. Feel calmer, more grounded and centered. Gain clarity and balance in this 30-minute StressBusters Guided Meditation session.”

Cost is $25. Register at Tinyurl.com/StressBustersMeditation. See ad, page 16.

FARMERS MARKETS

The Bayonne Farmers’ Market – The market opens from 2-7 pm. and will run every Tuesday at the same time. The market is located on West 23rd Street between Broadway and DelMonte Drive. The Bayonne Farmers’ Market aims to foster “a sense of community by bringing farmers and local businesses together right in our neighborhood.” The goal is to offer a variety of fresh foods to the community.

Downtown Jersey City Farmers’ Market – Mon & Thu through Dec. 4-8pm. The Historic Downtown Jersey City farmers’ market features various NJ vendors and local Jersey City vendors. Operating for over a decade, the Historic Downtown Jersey City Farmers Market, conveniently located by the PATH Train station and Grove Street bus stop in the heart of the historic downtown, it’s the place to get your groceries and treats! Come out and support NJ farms and businesses and get your fresh produce, pies, cookies, flowers and more. 201-547-3554. JCDowntown.org.

Hamilton Park Farmer’s Market – The Farmers’ Market runs weekly through the fall. The hours will be from 4-7pm, Wednesdays in Hamilton Park, 25 West Hamilton Place, Jersey City, easily accessible on foot from Jersey City PATH stations located at Grove Street and Newport. Check the website for a list of vendors and products for sale. GNADF.com/Events/HNPA-Farmers-Market/ HDSID Farmer’s Market – The Historic Downtown Special Improvement District Farmers Market is open year-round, and the summer/fall session, begun in April, runs Mondays and Thursdays from 4-8pm. The location will remain at the Grove PATH Plaza, Newark Ave and Grove St, but will also include the “first green” area of the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Mall. Check the website for a list of vendors and products for sale. JCDowntown.org.

Hoboken Farmers Market – The Hoboken Farmers Market is open through mid-November on Tuesdays from 2-8pm. It is located between Fourth and Fifth Garden Street on the east side of Church Square Park near the Demarest School. Vendors in attendance will include Union Hill Farms, Roger’s Seafood, Melick’s Town Farm, Circle Brook Organic Farms, Pickle-Licious, Gourmet Dried Fruit and Nuts, and Hoboken Farms.

Paulus Hook Farmers Market – The Paulus Hook Farmers Market is both a farmers’ market and a CSA pickup spot for local subscribers. It is open through December on Saturdays from 10am-4pm. The Market is located at the end of Washington Street in the Morris Canal State Park next to the Korean War Memorial, in Jersey City. For more information: PaulusHook.org.

Riverview Farmer’s Market – This farmer’s market is held at Riverview-Fisk Park through November. The vendors are between Ogden & Palisade from 10am-3pm. Take a stroll through Riverview-Fisk Park (with NYC views) in Jersey City Heights and enjoy live music, and a variety of awesome vendors like Alstede Farms, Stony Hill Farms, Headquarters Farms, RH Farms, Nature’s Own, and more.

The Southwest Park Farmers Market – This farmers market is brand new to the 2022 season. Like other markets, the new market will offer an underserved neighborhood fresh vegetables, fruits, and baked goods. Where: North side of Observer Highway between Jackson Street and Harrison Street through midNovember Thursdays 2-8pm.

Uptown Farmers Market – The City of Hoboken will host the Uptown Farmers Market every Saturday, from 9am-2pm, under the 14th Street viaduct between Grand and Adams Streets, Hoboken. The market will have a variety of fruits, vegetables, and other local products. Some of the vendors in attendance are Stony Hill Farms, Cotton Cattle, Hoboken Farms, Roger’s Seafood, Pick-Licious, Choc-O-Pain and Paolo’s Kitchen. To add to the fun, there will be live music on some days.

Van Vorst Park Farmer’s Market – Van Vorst Farmers Market, Van Vorst Park, Montgomery and Jersey Avenue, Jersey City, will be open until December on Saturdays, 8am-2pm. This open-air market offers a wide variety of goods, including fresh organic and conventional fruits and vegetables, baked goods,

Jacquie Bird

earth day events

EARTH DAY 2023

INVESTING IN OUR PLANET

by Sandra Yeyati

This year’s Earth Day theme—Invest in Our Planet—reminds us that it is not enough to merely celebrate our ancestral home for one day. We are called upon to dedicate our time, money and talents year-round to ensure a sustaining and just world for generations to come. The motto also calls attention to the economic realities and opportunities of the climate crisis. It is no wonder that EarthDay.org, the global organizer of this annual event, decided to keep the same theme as last year, thus underscoring a continuing need to bring global economies together in harmony with the environment.

“In 2023, we must come together again in partnership for the planet. Businesses, governments and civil society are equally responsible for taking action against the climate crisis and lighting the spark to accelerate change towards a green, prosperous and equitable future. We must join together in our fight for the green revolution, and for the health of future generations. The time is now to invest in our planet,” advises EarthDay.org President Kathleen Rogers.

Surmounting the climate crisis is within reach if we all take action. The time is right for innovators to bring planet-saving ideas to market, and for consumers to stop supporting brands that are socially and environmentally irresponsible—instead, spending

money with businesses that take the Earth’s future seriously.

In the voting booth, citizens have the power to elect leaders that will help build a green economy through regulations, incentives and partnerships with the private sector. We can press our congressional representatives to support clean energy jobs and move away from the doomed fossil fuel economy.

There are many ways to make a difference in our daily lives, too. We can eat sustainable foods, pick up trash while on a run, participate in beach cleanups, reduce our use of plastic, write our representative, switch to solar power, take reusable bags to the grocery store, drive an electric vehicle, compost, go pesticide-free, plant a pollinator garden, support local farmers, eat less meat, purchase secondhand clothing, use environmentally friendly cleaning products, turn off lights when not in use, take shorter showers and so much more. Learn

about all of the ways to make a difference at EarthDay.org.

This year, join one of the empowering events here in Bergen and meet planet-loving people that are ready to push up their sleeves, vote with their pocketbooks and dedicate their time to a healthy, equitable and prosperous future on Earth.

An Earth Day Weekend Celebration from 8 a.m., April 16, through 8 p.m., April 17, will be held at the New Jersey State Botanical Garden amid the beauty of nature and a soothing respite from this busy world. Admission is free every day. Location: NJ Botanical Garden, 2 Morris Rd., Ringwood.

The Earth Day 5K race in Jersey City will be held on April 22.

On Earth Day, April 22, the Ridgefield Park Nature Preserve will conduct a family-friendly guided tour. Bring cameras, binoculars and outdoor boots. Location: E. Grand Ave, Ridgefield Park.

The Conservancy for Ridgewood

Public Lands, the Parks and Recreation Department and Green Ridgewood will host a Daffodil Festival and Earth Day Fair on April 23; a fun, family event that will include many interactive eco-themed activities. Location: Van Neste Square, Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood.

A family-friendly, open-air Earth Day celebration and Folk and Bluegrass Festival in Hoboken on April 23 will showcase green local businesses, artisans and engaging green and nature-themed activities for all ages. Admission is free. Location: 770 Jackson Plaza, Hoboken.

The Paramus Environmental Commission 2023 Earth Day at the Celebration Paramus Public Library at 2 p.m., April 30, will highlight environmental issues and provide education, information and resources for the community on environmental issues. Location: 116 E. Century Rd., Paramus.

De-Stress With Sauerkraut

A new study published in Molecular Psychiatry has shown that eating more fermented foods and fiber daily for just four weeks significantly lowered perceived stress levels. Forty-five participants with relatively low-fiber diets were split into two groups.

One group met with a dietitian that recommended a psychobiotic diet, which included six to eight daily servings of fruits and vegetables high in prebiotic fibers, such as onions, leeks, cabbage, apples, bananas and oats; five to eight daily servings of grains; three to four servings of legumes per week; and two to three daily servings of fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir and kombucha. The control group received only general dietary advice based on the healthy eating food pyramid.

The group following the psychobiotic diet reported feeling less stressed compared with those in the control group. Moreover, significant changes in the level of certain key chemicals produced by gut microbes were found in these participants. Some of these chemicals have been linked to improved mental health, which could explain why the participants reported feeling less stressed. The quality of sleep improved in both groups, but those on the psychobiotic diet reported greater sleep improvements.

Screening Children for Anxiety

After a systematic review of 39 studies to evaluate the benefits and harms of screening for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents aged 8 to 18, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a group of disease prevention and medical experts assembled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, now recommends that primary care physicians perform such screenings, even if there are no signs or symptoms of anxiety.

A common mental health condition in the U.S., anxiety disorder involves excessive fear or worry that manifests as emotional and physical symptoms. In children and adolescents, it is associated with impaired functioning, educational underachievement and an increased likelihood of a future anxiety disorder or depression. The 2018-2019 National Survey of Children’s Health found that 7.8 percent of children and adolescents aged 3 to 17 had a current anxiety disorder.

USPSTF recommended using screening questionnaires to identify children at risk, noting that studies show that children with anxiety benefit from treatments that may include cognitive behavioral therapy or psychotherapy. They also concluded that there is insufficient evidence to assess children 7 years old or younger.

Exercise for the Brain

Researchers in the UK compared the effect that different types of daily movement had on overall cognition, memory and executive function. Their study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, reported that replacing sitting, sleeping or gentle movement with less than 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity (brisk walking, bicycling, running up and down stairs, aerobic dancing, jogging, running or swimming) can protect the brain and improve working memory and executive processes like planning and organization. The intensity of the exercise matters, and study participants that engaged in light physical activity, rather than more vigorous activity, saw declines in cognitive performance. However, light activity is still more beneficial than sitting, the scientists found.

The data for these findings was taken from the 1970 British Cohort Study, an ongoing survey that tracks the health of a group of UK-born adults. The group of nearly 4,500 participants consented, at age 46, to wear an activity tracker and complete verbal memory and executive functioning tests, and they were followed from 2016 to 2018.

Enhance Health with Intravenous Nutrient Therapy

Intravenous (IV) nutrient therapy is a way of giving vitamins, minerals and other natural substances directly into the bloodstream instead of through the digestive tract. It helps to bypass any issues with absorption and allows for large doses of nutrients to reach the tissues that need them quickly. It’s important to note that IV nutrient therapy should only be administered during an in-office procedure by a licensed and trained medical practitioner, using proper materials and setup under aseptic conditions.

There are different ways to give micronutrients to the body, but using IV or intramuscular routes can be more effective for some people. For instance, IV administra-

tion can provide higher levels of nutrients such as vitamin C than oral administration.

Some benefits of nutrients require specific concentrations that may not be achievable through oral administration. For example, vitamin C’s antiviral effect is seen at a concentration which cannot be attained through oral administration.

Also, oral absorption of nutrients can be affected by food or impaired by other nutrients and minerals. Moreover, IV administration can prevent gastrointestinal (GI) side effects like upset stomach, nausea and vomiting. This makes IV administration a better option for many people as it enhances absorption while minimizing GI side effects.

IV therapy helps the body absorb all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants by bypassing the digestive system, thus hydrates the body quickly and effectively, making us feel more energized and healthy.

Due to poor diet options and lifestyle, some people cannot fix their chronic conditions with a healthy diet alone. Intravenous therapies can bypass a dysfunctional gastrointestinal tract to help improve the patient’s quality of life and chronic health conditions faster and more efficiently with assistance of a healthcare provider. Rehydrate quickly with a normal saline or lactated ringer’s solution, which restores electrolytes, fluid balance and pH levels.

IV vitamin infusions are designed to enhance overall well-being and physical performance, provide immune support, improve nerve conduction and boost energy levels all at once. Stay healthy and energized with blended hydration, high-dose glutathione, biotin and multi-trace elements. It provides 100 percent bioavailable vitamins and antioxidants to help keep hair, skin, and nails looking beautiful and healthy.

Dr. Roman E. Finn is the owner of The Center for Integrative and Traditional Medicine, located at 22 Madison Ave., in Paramus. For appointments or more information, call 201-291-0401 or visit citm-drfinn.com. See ad, page 23.

In May, we are celebrating contribution of women to our community, the woman leaders from different aspects of professional, business and community who are leading and making difference.

Sustainable Grocery Shopping

There are many ways to be environmentally responsible when shopping for food. Here are a few tips.

Bring Reusable Shopping Bags

Americans use approximately 100 billion single-use plastic bags each year, which accumulate in landfills and waterways and never truly decompose. Some states have banned disposable bags, but many still permit them. Come prepared to the grocery store with reusable bags to reduce the use of single-use plastics.

Shop the Perimeter

Food packaging and containers make up 23 percent of landfill waste. Shop around the perimeter of the store as much as possible to find the freshest, healthiest foods with the least amount of packaging, such as produce, bulk items, dairy, fresh fish and meat. Bulk items like nuts, dry beans, coffee, tea and grains can be purchased in exactly the amount needed with no packaging.

Plan Ahead

The average American wastes about 21 percent of the food they buy, which equates to about $1,800 a year. To avoid overbuying and shrink the carbon footprint of multiple shopping trips, plan meals a week (or month) ahead and come with a shopping list organized by the sections or aisles of the store.

Shop Local and In Season

Local produce has a drastically smaller carbon footprint than fruits and vegetables that must travel long distanc-

es by truck, airplane or ship. Buying local, in-season produce reduces waste because the produce is fresher when purchased and will not spoil as quickly at home. If the family’s diet includes meats, choose pasture-raised, grass-fed products from farmers that practice regenerative organic agriculture, which improves the quality of the land and maintains local ecosystems.

Read Labels

Choose foods that were produced with the environment in mind by looking for the following labels, seals and certifications:

n USDA Organic

n Biodynamic (BDA) for food produced without chemical pesticides or herbicides, using organic, non-GMO seeds

n Non-GMO Project Verified for foods that were not genetically engineered

n FAIRTRADE Mark and Fair Trade Certified for food producers committed to reasonable wages and the safe, fair treatment of workers

n Climate Neutral Certified for food manufacturers committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions

n Safe Catch for sustainably caught fish

n Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) for sustainably farmed seafood

Gas Stove Pollution Goes Unnoticed

A new study published in Environmental Science & Technology finds that gas stoves frequently leak dangerous pollutants into the kitchen. A team from PSE Health Energy collected samples from 159 gas stoves across California and sent them to a laboratory for analysis. The researchers found 12 pollutants in total, and four of these gases—benzene, toluene, hexane and m- or pxylene—were present in 98 percent of the samples. Most of the stoves leaked at least a little, even when they were turned off.

The natural gas used in stoves is comprised mostly of methane and other hydrocarbons and gases. Before it is delivered into homes and business, most of the nonmethane gases are removed and a strong-scented chemical is added to alert people to possible leaks. The leaks studied by the California researchers were not substantial enough for people to notice this rotten-egg smell, but they could still expose users to harmful and potentially cancercausing pollutants. Those with gas stoves are encouraged to turn on their exhaust fans whenever they are in use.

Invasive Wild Hogs Pose Numerous Threats

There are approximately 6 million non-native, feral pigs in the United States. They destroy an estimated $2.5 billion in crops, pastures, forests and livestock each year across 35 states and jeopardize endangered species, including the Florida panther, green sea turtles and red-cheeked salamanders. But their greatest threat may be the potential to carry disease to humans, domesticated hogs and other animals.

The pigs were brought to the Americas from Europe as early as the 1500s. They reproduce quickly, with up to two litters of four to 12 piglets every 12 to 15 months, and can grow to be five feet long and weigh more than 500 pounds.

Feral swine can carry a long list of pathogens, including leptospirosis, brucellosis, swine influenza, salmonella, hepatitis and pathogenic E. coli. The U.S. Department of Agriculture describes swine as a “mixing vessel species”, meaning that they are susceptible to human viruses and have the ability to create novel forms of those diseases. Human risk to known and new pathogens is greater from feral swine than other wildlife due to our proximity to them and their large numbers. Hunters and farmers are at greatest risk. Anyone that handles feral swine should wear rubber gloves and avoid fluid exchanges.

Rebuilding Coral Reefs With Sound

Rapid ocean warming and other effects caused by climate change have stressed and degraded corals around the globe, and scientists have been studying ways to rebuild, manage and conserve these vital ecosystems. A new Australian study published in Journal of Applied Ecology tested whether playing certain sounds underwater at reef restoration sites could boost the recruitment of oysters and enhance their habitat-building activities. Australia’s flat oyster is a key reef-building organism targeted for restoration efforts.

Previous studies had shown that the sound of healthy reefs differs from that of damaged reefs. Using inexpensive marine speakers, the researchers reproduced the sound of a healthy reef at four sites across two of the largest oyster reef restorations in Australia and compared the results to areas that did not receive this soundscape enrichment. The sonically enhanced areas resulted in the presence of more and larger oysters that formed more three-dimensional habitats atop the reef restorations. The scientists propose that the use of marine soundscapes during early stages of new reef restoration projects could reduce the cost of habitat recovery.

Bilanol/ShutterStock.com

Aerial Yoga Offers a New Perspective

by Zeni Pepper

Aerial yoga, also known as antigravity yoga, incorporates the use of a fabric hammock or swing to support and suspend the body during yoga postures. With the support of the hammock, people can practice their fa vorite poses like war rior, tree and sun salutations in a whole new way. They may try poses never even possible, but with the support of the silks, feel totally accessible, and the align ment just makes sense.

Health benefits include decompression of the spine: (when the body is hanging freely, it helps alleviate pressure and

As with any physical activity, it’s important to practice aerial yoga under the guidance of a qualified instructor to ensure proper technique and safety. Although

Discover Life Changing ACCESS BARS® Sessions

The Bars are 32 points on the head that when lightly touched releases old energies that keep you stuck in many areas of your life, allowing for tremendous and easy change.

A NEW DAWN ON THE FARM FRONT STEPPING AWAY FROM INDUSTRIALIZED AGRICULTURE

by Sandra Yeyati

We all have to eat, and the food industry is big business, with wide-ranging implications across many arenas. Because agriculture is controlled by a handful of multinational corporations, the priority to maximize profits often conflicts with what is best for human and planetary health. In many ways, our food production and consumption practices are broken or on the brink of failure. They are inhumane, socially unjust, environmentally unsound and unsustainable.

Viable, achievable solutions to these immense challenges exist, and the emerging consensus is that regenerative organic agriculture is the key to preserving human health and helping solve the climate crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic uncovered weaknesses in the system, such as supply chain vulnerabilities, and altered human behavior as more people started cooking at home and exploring healthier lifestyle choices. The time is right to make positive changes to the way we grow, distribute and consume food.

The Problems With Our Current Industrial Farming Model

For decades, doctors, scientists, farmers and nonprofits at the forefront of the environmental movement have been sounding the alarm about the inherent weaknesses in the national food chain and the harmful effects of industrial agriculture. In his book Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities and Our Planet—One Bite at a Time, Dr. Mark Hyman notes, “Food is the nexus of most of our world’s health, economic, environmental, climate, social and even political crises. While this may seem like an exaggeration, it is not.”

In the late 1800s, American farming began to transition from small, diverse operations that produced a variety of crops and livestock to feed a family or community to an industrialized system dominated by multinational corporations that focused on maximizing yields of just a few crops, primarily corn, soy and wheat. Today, these crops overwhelmingly end up as animal feed, biofuels and cheap, processed food ingredients—a staple of the standard American diet since the 1950s.

Industrial agriculture is now the dominant food production system in this country, characterized by large-scale monoculture, heavy use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and meat produced in confined animal feeding operations (CAFO). Most modest family farms have been forced to either get into business with a big company (contract farming) or go out of business. The Natural Resources Defense Council reports that 90 percent of the 9 billion chickens raised each year in the U.S. are grown under contract, and 57 percent of hogs are owned and slaughtered by just four companies. According to Rodale Institute, only 8 percent of farms produce more than four crops, while specialty crops like fruits, vegetables and nuts are grown on just 3 percent of cropland.

With industrial dominance comes numerous devastating consequences.

Image courtesy of RodaInstitute.org

Human Health Costs

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, industrially produced food is bad for us on several fronts. Heavy pesticide use is poisoning our food, fertilizer is polluting our drinking water, junk food made of corn and soybeans is degrading our health and the overuse of antibiotics in CAFOs is accelerating the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Bioethicist Peter Singer advises, “Factory farms are breeding grounds for new viruses. We’ve had swine flu and avian flu coming out of factory farms. It’s quite possible that the next pandemic will originate there.”

Zach Bush, a triple board-certified physician and producer of the documentary Farmer’s Footprint, says, “Over the last 25 years, we have seen the most profound explosion of chronic disease in human history. Research from around the globe now suggests that environmental factors are contributing to a combination of genetic, neurologic, autoimmune and metabolic injuries that underpin the collapse of health in our children and adults.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that chronic and mental health conditions account for 90 percent of the nation’s $4.1 trillion in annual health care expenditures. Obesity affects 20 percent of children and 42 percent of adults. More than 850,000 Americans die of heart disease or stroke annually, and 37 million have diabetes. Each year, more than 1.7 million people are diagnosed with cancer, while 600,000 succumb to the disease.

“Most of those diseases are caused by our industrial diet, which means they are avoidable if we transform the food we grow, the food we produce and the food we eat. Eleven million people die every year from a bad diet,” Hyman asserts.

Solutions Using Regenerative Organic Farming

Led by the Regenerative Organic Alliance, which includes organizations and brands like Rodale Institute, Dr. Bronner’s and Patagonia, the Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) standard helps consumers make informed choices about their food purchases. Its three pillars—soil health, animal welfare and social fairness—are designed to ameliorate the problems associated with conventional agriculture.

Soil Health Equals Planetary and Human Health

Chemical-heavy farming practices employed by conventional agriculture deplete topsoil, draining it of all its organic matter—the very microbiome needed to nourish the plants we grow and ultimately nourish us. In 2014, Maria-Helena Semedo, of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, said that if current farming practices continue, we have only 60 years of harvest left. The clock is ticking.

Farming techniques proposed by the ROC are designed to continually rebuild soil. They are proven by years of science done at Rodale Institute and practical re-

sults achieved by regenerative organic farmers already growing food this way. “On the farm that we operate here at the Institute, we know that Native Americans were farming this land 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. We’d like to be farming this land 8,000 to 10,000 years from now. We probably won’t be using tractors or diesel fuel, but we will be using the soil,” says Rodale Institute CEO Jeff Moyer.

Under ROC standards that include a variety of rotating crops, cover crops, no tillage, no synthetic inputs of any kind, no genetically modified seeds and staggered grazing by animals, farms become biodiverse ecosystems with organically rich soil that absorbs water, doesn’t erode over time and produces safe, nutritious food. As J.I. Rodale said, “Healthy soil equals healthy food equals healthy people.”

Healthy soil draws carbon from the atmosphere deep into the ground, and that is a boost for our fight against climate change. “Regenerative organic farming has a very positive impact on climate, because we’re sequestering more carbon than we are emitting,” Moyer explains. “Under its current production model, agriculture is part of the problem. If it’s part of the problem, then it can and should be part of the solution. That’s the whole premise behind the [ROC] standard itself—treating agriculture as one of the primary tools that we’re going to use as a society to improve our relationship with the planet.”

Animal Welfare Is the Right Thing to Do

Under the ROC model, animals must be raised in a humane way that frees them from discomfort, fear, distress, hunger, pain, injury and disease, while also being able to express normal behavior. To achieve these aims, they need to be taken out of CAFOs and reintegrated into farmland, so that they are pasture-raised and grass-fed, creating meat that is more nutritious and less diseased without chemical interventions.

“We’re integrating animals onto the cropland, with livestock, chickens, sheep and hogs. Imagine what the Great Plains of the United States was 500 years ago. You had bison, elk, deer, rabbits, wolves and myriad different birds, because the birds always followed the migrating animals. We’re trying to mimic that to a small degree on our ranch,” says North Dakota farmer Gabe Brown, who started transitioning into regenerative organic practices in the mid-1990s and wrote an influential book on the subject, Dirt to Soil: One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture.

Social Fairness and Farming Resilience

Taking care of the farmers and workers that plant, raise, harvest and transport our food is not just the right thing to do, it also creates a system that is more stable and resilient, says Graham Christensen, a Nebraska farmer and president of GC Resolve. “There are serious issues with how the big agricultural companies are treating workers. We saw horrible situations with COVID in the meatpacking plants and how the work

ers were being treated. This is just one of the many reasons that this overcentralized, monopolized system is affecting people in bad ways,” he says.

“Regenerative organic farming requires more hands-on work, which creates jobs. Structural changes in the food production system to decentralize agriculture in favor of regional markets comprised of smaller farms would allow for more equity and better management of the ecosystem.”

Sandra Yeyati is national editor of

When we think to ourselves “I must lose some weight”, it is often in context of appearance, perhaps for an upcoming special event or to look great in a bathing suit – and these are valid considerations. Weight certainly impact self-confidence, mood, and one’s sense of sexual desirability and desire for physical intimacy. But far beyond that, weight is at the root of so many medical symptoms and conditions, including:

1Hypertension: When one is overweight, each extra pound requires that new vessels be added to feed the new tissue, greatly enhancing the burden of work on the heart.

2Diabetes: With excessive weight comes a decreased efficacy of insulin, known as “insulin resistance.” This metabolic problem is proportionate to the degree of body fat carried by an individual and is the precursor to diabetes. As insulin resistance advances with increasing weight, the pancreas must work harder to put out more insulin. Eventually, this escalation exhausts the pancreas, and the necessary insulin must be supplied via injections. Complications of elevated blood sugar can potentially involve nearly every system and organ in the body: the brain, kidneys, blood vessels, limbs, nerves, and eyes. All are intensely vulnerable to diabetes. And, as a double-whammy, the extra output of insulin in the early phase causes yet additional

Weighing in on Weight Loss

weight gain, and hence, rapidly increases insulin resistance. This Catch 22 situation can only be alleviated by losing weight under supervision.

3Breathing/Sleep apnea: It is mechanically difficult to breathe when the chest is burdened with restrictive weight, and sleep apnea/snoring are often associated with excessive pounds.

4Fatigue/Lethargy: It is simply not pleasant to lift a heavy body and move it from place to place. Overweight encourages an inactive, stagnant, and often isolated lifestyle, and inhibits exercise.

5Joint pain/discomfort: Inflammation due to overweight and the mechanical burden of weight on the musculoskeletal system almost inevitably lead to joint problems.

6Inflammation: This is a global issue, and a simple fact. To be overweight, without ANY OTHER medical diagnosis is inherently to be inflamed, typically with an elevated cardiac CRP, a sensitive marker for cardiovascular risk. Inflammation is an underlying factor in nearly all serious conditions, including auto-immune diseases, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Put it all together, whatever may initially lead one to seek weight loss, overweight is an enormous, health risk and detracts from a daily feeling of vitality and wellness.

Working towards, achieving, and maintaining a normative body weight is perhaps the most important steps you will ever take to improve your current and long-term health outlook. Any proactive health plan that does not include or sidesteps the achievement of optimal weight is surely missing one of the most critical and accessible pieces of total health. Substituting medications to mask the fallout and discomfort of overweight may be necessary in the short term, may even be lifesaving, but, for long term health, it is essential to work with a professional trained and experienced in this field to establish a healthy goal, and work steadily towards its achievement. Many options exist. Talk with a physician versed in these options and get to work ASAP. Your body, and those who love you, will thank you.

Robin Ellen Leder, M.D., was mentored by Robert Atkins, M.D., author of The Atkins Diet. She has been providing alternative medical care, including intravenous treatments, for more than 30 years at A Better Alternative Medical Center, in Hackensack. She trained with Dr. Robert Atkins of The Atkins Diet fame, and has guided thousands of patients to achieve their optimal weight using her vast knowledge of the field.

MUSCULAR MAINTENANCE 101

HOW TO REPAIR MUSCLES AFTER EXERCISE

by David J. Sautter, NASM CPT, FNS, PES, ACE SCS

In any fitness regimen, rest and muscle recovery are just as important as strength training or cardio workouts. Allowing our body to heal micro-tears and inflammation after strenuous exercise readies muscles for subsequent training sessions. By strategically planning a muscle recovery regimen, we optimize performance and reduce injury risk.

Key factors that affect recovery time include workout intensity and duration, stress, sleep and nutrition. Workouts that are longer in duration or higher in intensity require a greater amount of recovery time. High stress levels can increase cortisol and adrenaline, and consistently excessive levels of these fight-or-flight hormones have been shown to impact the body’s ability to repair. If we are chronically deprived of proper sleep (at least seven hours every night) our muscles will suffer. And a poor diet is akin to using broken tools to fix something. Following a healthy, well-balanced and protein-focused eating plan can signifi-

cantly improve muscle recovery time. Here are a few scientifically proven approaches that promote tissue repair. A solid, muscle-recovery plan should include one or more of these techniques.

Earthing

Earthing is the practice of connecting with the Earth’s surface energy by going barefoot outside. Also known as grounding or barefoot healing, recent studies suggest that this practice can promote

muscle recovery. One study that divided 32 healthy young men into either a grounded or sham-grounded group found that the grounded participants had significantly greater concentrations of neutrophils and platelets, which are essential for pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses.

In another study, researchers wanted to observe the impacts of grounding on immunity, focusing specifically on delayed onset muscle soreness. Results suggested that being grounded considerably lessened pain levels and altered circulating neutrophils and lymphocytes, as well as various chemicals related to inflammation.

“The feeling of being grounded will calm your mind and center your body,” says Anthony Roumell, a personal trainer, gym owner, gymnast and long-time proponent of earthing. But there’s more to grounding than a clear head. He explains, “Our entire cellular system charges with free electrons when we connect to the earth. Studies suggest that these free electrons act as antioxidants in the organism, neutralizing the inflammation response.”

Jonathan Jordan, a certified personal trainer, nutrition coach and grounding practitioner, advises, “Simply getting off computers or devices and going outside has immediate benefits. Just taking a break, being outside in nature with sun and fresh air lowers the fight-or-flight response. My clients who take the time and practice this for just a few minutes during the day

PASS US AROUND

all see great benefit to their health and in their workout programs.”

Hydration

Another way to improve muscle recovery is by hydrating properly. Staying adequately hydrated before, during and after a workout helps the body flush out toxins, reduce inflammation and promote muscle repair. Hydration is more than just drinking water. We also need electrolytes such as sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium, which can be found in natural sources like coconut water, fruits and vegetables. Electrolytes can also be found in sports drinks, but make sure to choose brands that do not contain sugar, preservatives or food coloring.

Diet

Having a balanced meal before and after a workout is important for muscle recovery. Eating the right foods can provide the essential nutrients needed to repair muscles. Healthy examples include protein like poultry, wild-caught fish, eggs and grassfed protein powder; carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, quinoa, oats and dark leafy greens; and fats like avocados, nuts, seeds and medium-chain triglycerides, known in the market as MCT oil.

Massage

Massage increases the oxygen-rich blood flow in muscles and may decrease lactic

acid buildup—a condition that causes soreness and puts a damper on proper exercise. Consider getting periodic massages from a well-trained professional. A good massage can encourage muscles to heal faster. Self-massage using a foam roller, trigger point balls or our own hands can also be helpful. To promote better blood flow, compression clothing designed to apply pressure to certain parts of the body may also be helpful.

Contrast Therapy

Contrast therapies involve alternating between hot and cold, such as taking a hot shower followed by a cold one. A related muscle-recovery technique is whole-body cryotherapy, which involves exposure to extremely cold temperatures for a very short amount of time, usually one or two minutes.

“Learning how to embrace the discomfort within the cold and heat has had a profound change on my life,” Roumell says. “Contrast therapies will reconnect you to the power of your mind, your breath and your belief in your body’ s magnificence. After all, when you are finished sitting in a 34-degree tub for two to 10 minutes, what could possibly be much harder in your day?”

David J. Sautter is a professional fitness writer for KnoWEwell and Natural Awakenings .

Thyroid medication: why less really is more

by Dr. Raquel Espinol

Introduction

The thyroid gland regulates metabolism by releasing hormones called thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). When the thyroid underperforms, it causes everything in your body to work less efficiently. This is known as hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism affects more than 30 million American adults and is five to eight times more common in females.1 By conservative estimates, one in eight women will develop hypothyroidism.1

The most common cause of hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This makes up 75-85% of hypothyroid cases. Oftentimes, people with Hashimoto’s struggle to find a medication or treatment plan that works for them and continue to suffer through symptoms like:

• Fatigue

• Feeling cold

• Losing hair

• Gaining weight

• Depression

While there are many treatment options for hypothyroidism, not all are created equal. Selecting the most appropriate one is vital to managing this disease.

What can interfere with hypothyroid therapy?

Some commonly used prescription drugs that can interfere with thyroid medication absorption and efficacy:

• Antacids

• Lithium

• Amiodarone

• Antibiotics

• Antidepressants

• Dopamine agonists

• Colestipol

• Cholestyramine

• Estrogen, testosterone

Thyroid hormones: T3 and T4

The two hormones to remember are T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). T4 circulates throughout your bloodstream and is stored in your tissues until needed. Once your body finds a need, it converts T4 into T3. Establishing the exact levels of T4 and T3, and determining if the conversion process is working normally, are critical to designing the best treatment approach.

While most healthcare providers understand the critical nature of T4 to T3 conversion, many fail to recognize the factors that affect this process. These include:

• Nutritional deficiencies/excesses

• Autoimmune diseases

• Gastrointestinal diseases such as celiac disease, acid reflux, or irritable bowel syndrome

• Use of interfering medications like proton pump inhibitors (Nexium® and Prevacid®, for example) or H2 blockers (Tagamet®, for example), which inhibit the dissolution and absorption of thyroid hormone tablets

• The body’s own obstacles to converting T4 to T3

Some people continue to suffer from hypothyroid symptoms despite being on medication for years. But with some effort, patients can work with their doctor to find an approach that works for them.

Some commonly used nutraceuticals that can interfere with the absorption of thyroid medicines:

• Iron

• Calcium

• Magnesium

• Chromium picolinate

Some foods that can interfere with absorption of medication:

• Soy products

• High-fiber/high-bran foods

• Calcium-enriched foods/beverages

Digestive complications or diseases such as celiac disease, autoimmune gastritis, and irritable bowel syndrome can also complicate thyroid hormone therapy.

Make sure to discuss with your doctor all of your medical conditions, medications (both prescription and nonprescription), and nutritional supplements before starting or switching thyroid hormone therapy.

Dr. Raquel Espinol graduated with honors and received her doctorate in naturopathic medicine from Sonoran University of Health Sciences (formerly Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine). She struggled with her own thyroid condition, which was not successfully managed until she discovered naturopathic medicine and worked with a naturopathic doctor to control her condition. This firsthand success inspired her to pursue a career in naturopathic medicine specializing in thyroid diseases.

Dr. Espinol works with men and women addressing thyroid conditions, hormone imbalances, and weight loss. She is licensed to practice in Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, Utah, and Montana.

Common choices for treating hypothyroidism

The most common treatments for hypothyroidism include T4 monotherapy with levothyroxine, natural desiccated thyroid (NDT) aka “glandular thyroid,” and a regimen of T4 and T3 medications taken together. Figuring out the best option for you may take some time. See the accompanying chart for pros/cons of commonly used hypothyroidism therapies.

T4 monotherapy

Pros:

• Current standard of care for hypothyroidism

• Proven safe and effective

• Available at all pharmacies

• Usually low cost

Cons:

• GI conditions, medications, sensitivities to excipients/ inactive ingredients in tablet formulations can interfere with absorption and tolerability

Natural desiccated thyroid (NDT)

Pros:

• Contains both key thyroid hormones: T4 and T3

• An option for people who need supplemental T3

Cons:

• Derived from thyroid glands of pigs – an issue for vegans

• NDT therapies are tablets that contain excipients or “fillers”

• The T4:T3 ratio contained in NDT tablets is 5:1 – different than the normal human ratio of these hormones

• Can lead to cardiac problems like rapid heartbeat, insomnia, and feelings of anxiety

• It comes from pigs and may contain porcine antigens, which may be problematic for some people

• Not all pharmacies carry NDT products. Not all insurance carriers pay for them

Combined T4 and T3 medication therapy

Pros:

• Consistent potency

• Can be an option for those in need of supplemental T3

• Available at most pharmacies

Cons:

• Two separate medicines that need to be taken daily. T4 is taken once a day; T3 may be recommended in multiple daily doses

• Some insurance plans may require two medication copays

• T3 can be risky for some patients with cardiovascular conditions. Some patients can experience heart palpitations and other side effects

Malabsorption and drug underperformance

Most thyroid hormone therapies come in tablet form. These contain inactive ingredients such as wheat starch (gluten), talc, lactose, sugars, and dyes that help hold the tablet together, but also can impede the absorption of their active ingredient, which results in suboptimal or inconsistent levels of thyroid hormones. When this happens, many patients often believe they need to change medication rather than address the factors that contribute to their therapy’s poor performance. They turn to their physician for new therapies in the hope that these can provide long hopedfor relief from their symptoms.2

Nutritional support

Nutrition can play a role in managing hypothyroidism. However, few patients can treat hypothyroidism with nutritional supplements alone. Some examples of helpful nutritional supplements include inositol, nigella, B vitamins, and selenium. However, excess amounts of certain nutritional supplements can also lead to hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Always tell your physician about all drugs and supplements that you are currently taking as well as your soy, fiber, and non-animal product intake.

Thyroid treatment: sometimes less is more

Less is often more when it comes to hypothyroid treatment. Tirosint®-SOL (levothyroxine sodium) oral solution is a unique liquid hypothyroid medication made with only three ingredients. It contains no fillers or other ingredients that can irritate your stomach or lead to poor drug absorption. Because it’s a liquid, it doesn’t need to dissolve in your stomach like a tablet or capsule before your body starts to absorb it. It’s not made with any ingredients sourced from animals, and it’s easy to swallow and comes in precise monodose ampules that can be conveniently stored for travel. You can pour it into a glass of water and drink it, or you can squeeze the contents of the ampule directly into your mouth.

Since Tirosint-SOL consists of just water, glycerol, and levothyroxine, it’s a very simple yet effective solution for treating hypothyroidism. This is important to me. Additionally, I want to ensure my patients have consistent access to the thyroid medication that works best for them. That being said, Tirosint-SOL has a generous coupon program and low-cost mail-order option to help patients without insurance or with high insurance copays/ deductibles. These can be found on the product’s website.

So, which treatment is right for you?

Share your answers to the following with your physicians so they can work with you to pick the right option for you:

• Have you been treated for hypothyroidism and are dissatisfied with the results?

• Do you want a simpler approach?

• Do you need a drug that is free of excipients like gluten, dyes, lactose, and preservatives?

• Do you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or another GI condition?

• Problems swallowing?

Please see Important Safety Information on the following page or toward the back of this issue, and Full Prescribing Information at TirosintSOL.com.

References: 1. American Thyroid Association Website. https://www.thyroid.org/mediamain/press-room/. Accessed December 8, 2022. 2. McMillan M, et al. Results of the CONTROL Surveillance Project. Drugs in R&D. 2015;16(1):53-68. PM-01-22-0089

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: NOT FOR THE TREATMENT OF OBESITY OR FOR WEIGHT LOSS

• Thyroid hormones, including TIROSINT-SOL, either alone or with other therapeutic agents, should not be used for the treatment of obesity or for weight loss.

• In euthyroid patients, doses within the range of daily hormonal requirements are ineffective for weight reduction.

• Larger doses may produce serious or even life-threatening manifestations of toxicity, particularly when given in association with sympathomimetic amines such as those used for their anorectic effects.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to glycerol

• Uncorrected adrenal insufficiency

Warnings and Precautions

• Cardiac adverse reactions in the elderly and in patients with underlying cardiovascular disease: Initiate TIROSINT-SOL at less than the full replacement dose because of the increased risk of cardiac adverse reactions, including atrial fibrillation

• Myxedema coma: Do not use oral thyroid hormone drug products to treat myxedema coma

• Acute adrenal crisis in patients with concomitant adrenal insufficiency: Treat with replacement glucocorticoids prior to initiation of TIROSINT-SOL treatment

• Prevention of hyperthyroidism or incomplete treatment of hypothyroidism: Proper dose titration and careful monitoring is critical to prevent the persistence of hypothyroidism or the development of hyperthyroidism

• Worsening of diabetic control: Therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus may worsen glycemic control and result in increased antidiabetic agent or insulin requirements. Carefully monitor glycemic control after starting, changing, or discontinuing thyroid hormone therapy

• Decreased bone mineral density associated with thyroid hormone over-replacement: Over-replacement can increase bone reabsorption and decrease bone mineral density. Give the lowest effective dose

Limitations of Use

• Not indicated for suppression of benign thyroid nodules and nontoxic diffuse goiter in iodine-sufficient patients

• Not indicated for treatment of transient hypothyroidism during the recovery phase of subacute thyroiditis

Adverse Reactions

Adverse reactions associated with TIROSINT-SOL are primarily those of hyperthyroidism due to therapeutic overdosage including: arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, dyspnea, muscle spasm, headache, nervousness, irritability, insomnia, tremors, muscle weakness, increased appetite, weight loss, diarrhea, heat intolerance, menstrual irregularities, and skin rash

For Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning, visit www.TirosintSOL.com

The Earth as Muse INSPIRATION MEETS CONSERVATION

by Marlaina Donato

The Earth is both our mother and our muse, sustaining our lives and blessing us with beauty when we make time to notice her perpetual creative forces. She has long inspired expressive souls of all disciplines, but some of our modern innovators are merging talent with the urgent need to minimize toxic impact. This eco-vision has resulted in some awe-inspiring efforts.

In an awareness-based art installation he calls Ice Watch, Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson collected 30 blocks of glacial ice found free-floating near Greenland and placed them in public settings across London where passersby could observe them melting.

Artists John Dahlsen and Rox De Luca spotlight the plastic waste catastrophe in their sculptures and paintings by using debris washed up on the shores of Australia’s beaches. Their sculptural assemblages hang from ceilings and criss-cross walls, driving home the prediction by the World Economic Forum that by 2050 our precious oceans will be more crowded with plastic than marine life. When creating our own art, we can join these stirring visionaries by minimizing toxic impacts.

Buy Earth-friendly art supplies for the kids. The common crayon contains chemicals like formaldehyde and asbestos, which are harmful to humans and the planet. Opt for biodegradable glitter, non-toxic modeling clays and recycled paper. For more sustainable supply ideas, visit Tinyurl.com/EcoArtSupplies

Get creative with single-use trash items. Paper towel cardboard rolls, plastic shopping bags, bottles, straws and cutlery can be turned into fun projects for kids, teens and adults. Whimsical mobiles, sculptures and magical miniature cities are just a few ideas to conjure while contributing to Earth Day every day. For more ideas, visit Tinyurl.com/SingleUseTrashToArt

Inspire environmentalism by choosing art implements that celebrate nature. Consider using alternatives to toxic solvents, pigments and varnishes. Look for sustainable brushes made from bamboo or corn and easels fashioned from eucalyptus wood.

Marlaina Donato is a visionary painter who hosts art exhibits for community healing. She is also an author and composer. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.

calendar of events

EVERY TUESDAY

Hoboken Farmer’s Market–2 pm-6 pm. Celebrating 22 years of providing fresh, local produce and other epicurean delights in Hoboken. Enjoy the sweet corn and juicy Jersey tomatoes; Pick up some fresh-from-the-farm lettuce for dinner or a scrumptious peach pie for the weekend barbeque. Location: Garden Street between 4th and 5th Street, Hoboken.

EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY

Kids Art Classes at the Museum—10 am -12 pm. Join for fun art-making in the Museum walkway! Recommended for ages 2-5. Art materials are provided. $5 suggested donation is appreciated; Location: Hoboken Historical Museum.

EVERY WEDNESDAY

Outdoor Yoga Jam: DJ Yoga with Asana Soul Practice—6:30 pm-7:30 pm. Join the creative, fun classes function as a workout of the body and mind, designed to rejuvenate and inspire, with the freedom and flexibility to set intentions that work best for you. Contact: Asana Soul Practice, 201-792-5254. April 3 (6 - 7 pm); April 7, 2023 (10:30 - 11:30 am) and April 10 (6 - 7 pm).

Virtual Yoga —A certified yoga teacher will address individual needs and/or medical limitations in this weekly class. Utilizing this ancient practice can often help promote inner peace, mental clarity, increased strength, flexibility, and overall well-being. Free event; to register or for more information, please call 973-322-7007.

APRIL 3, 10 AND 17

Seasonal Eats—1 - 2pm. Join for an in-person or virtually for this cooking class featuring simple recipes using local, farmer’s market fresh ingredients. Free, register online at: www.rwjbh.org/events; for more information contact: Molly Fallon Dixon, MS, RDN at 973-926-7371 or molly.fallon@rwjbh.org.

THURSDAYS, APRIL 6, 13, 20, 27

Diabetes Support Group—12 – 2 pm. Join Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support team for a FREE 4-week virtual workshop! Led by a Certified Diabetes Educator you will learn how to manage your diabetes, share your challenges, and obtain the resources you need to focus. Register online: DiabetesFoundationInc.org.

THURSDAY, APRIL 6

Full Moon Reiki Healing Sound Bath with Rose

Aura Pena—8:30 - 10 pm. Hosted on the Full Moon & New Moon; Attune your mind, body and spirit to higher frequencies and open up your energy channels (chakras and meridians) to flow freely by removing blockages in a similar way to acupuncture or acupressure. Contact: info@solspiritjc.com or call: 201-472-5500.

THURSDAY, APRIL 6

Head Start on Life with Craniopathy—7 pm. Learn what are signs of poor and ideal feeding and explore the benefits of body work and revision of

oral ties to promote optimal feeding and airway function. Fees: $20; Get tickets here: https://www. eventbrite.com/e/head-start-on-life-with-craniopathy-tickets-567130491567.

FRIDAY, APRIL 7

Soul care reset for moms raising kids with mental health challenges—2-3 pm. Join this free, virtual event to learn how to establish, embrace, and maintain soul care practices while caring for kids with mental health challenges. Learn the confidence where you can show up as the best version of yourself. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ soul-care-reset-for-moms-raising-kids-with-mentalhealth-challenges-newark-tickets-401640356117?af f=ebdssbdestsearch.

MONDAY, APRIL 10

Chakras & Meditation –6:30 pm - 7:30 pm. Explore the world of Chakras and Meditation at the Recreation Center and Library. Registration is required. Register at North Bergen Public Library website: https://nbpl.org/.

TUESDAY, APRIL 11

Stress Reduction Through Guided Imagery—12 pm. Join for a virtual relaxation session of guided imagery, creative visualization and breathe work. One hour session is led by Nadine Roberts, Integrative Mind-Body Stress Management Practitioner. Free; To pre-register email: kathleen.johnson@ rwjbh.org.

The Historic Trilogy at Liberty State Park—1:30 -3 pm. Learn about the historical role of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and CRRNJ Terminal. Good for ages 10 and above. Free event; Location: CRRNJ Terminal, 1 Audrey Zapp Drive Jersey City, NJ; Call: 201-915-3400X503 for registration.

SATURDAY, APRIL 15

Feeding Our Kids: Foods, Fads and the Future—7:30 am - 1pm. Join speakers from France and the USA on topics ranging from food allergies, food supply challenges, Celiac Disease, nutrition risks associated with specific elimination diets and risks our children face with fad diets. This conference offers 4.5 hours of certified education and is geared to health care providers; Fees: $45. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ feeding-our-kids-foods-fads-and-the-future-tickets-525260086057.

SUNDAY, APRIL 16

Artisan Market by Main Street Pops—11 am - 4 pm. Enjoy the varied collection of local makers & artists offering their unique, hand-crafted creations and goods! Location: Under 14th Street Viaduct (GPS- 1401 Adams Street), Hoboken, NJ. April 22, 10 am, 12 pm, 6 pm; April 23, 12 pm, 2 pm.

Earth Day 30 Minute Reset: Stress Busters

Guided Meditation—Balance, center and ground your vibe on Earth Day weekend. Immerse yourself within the vibrations of sound and breathe, while you float upon the positive visualizations. Reduce stress, anxiety, and feel refreshed. Fees: $25; Register here: www.jacquiebirdspiritualwellness. com/events/.

SATURDAY, APRIL 22

Celebrate Mother Earth Festival—10 am to 6 pm. Enjoy the wonderful family friendly day of environmental exhibits, urban farming, planting activities, LIVE Music, food, drinks, petting zoo etc. Admission: $10 adults / $5 for children over 5 / $25 family of 4 / $5 Seniors and Veterans. Location: The Historic Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery, 435 Newark Avenue, Jersey City.

SUNDAY, APRIL 23

Earth Day Celebration in Hoboken—11 am - 4 pm. Come and celebrate this FREE, family friendly, open air event will showcase green local businesses, artisans and engaging green and nature-themed activities for all ages. Location: 770 Jackson Plaza 770 Jackson Plaza, Hoboken.

classifieds FOR SALE

ELEGANT KAWAI PIANO – Mahogany upright with matching bench. Dimension: 5’ 2’’ x 2’ 2’’ x 3’ 5’’, Perfect for interested child of 5-7 years of age to begin study in keyboarding. Bench has finally crafted, hinged top opening to store music books. Price cut to $2500. Separate Piano lamp, marble and brass available at $150. Located close to Bergen Town Center/Whole Foods. Call 201-487-4839.

SERVICES

CONCERNED EMF’S ARE AFFECTING YOUR HEALTH? EMF’s affect our health and well-being. We offer remediation of Electomagnetic Fields inside and outside the Home using energy balancing tools.For rates and information call: Irene Christopher (917) 576-9310, Barbara Kehr (201) 637-8859

YOUR AD HERE – $33 PER MONTH - Up to 40 words. Add $1 per word over 40 words. Pre-paid. Call 201-781-5577 or submit ad to: Publisher@ NaturalAwakeningsNNJ.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

Whole body dentistry focused on improving smiles and overall health. We provide full preventative services including safe removal of mercury amalgams, biological periodontal therapy, orthodontics, supportive therapies for toxin removal, TMJ dysfunction and chronic face pain and dental management of sleep disorders. See ad on page 19.

DOWSING

JEANIE PASQUALE

Professional Dowser

dowsing@househarmony.org

845-709-5245 • HouseHarmony.org

Protect Yourself from EMFs and other Negative Energies. A professional dowser can block the negative affect of cell phones, satellite dishes, high tension wires, geopathic stress, interference lines and more. If you’ve been experiencing unexplained health issues and would like to be protected from this negative energy, call to see how dowsing can help protect you.

ENERGY HEALING

ACCESS CONSCIOUSNESS

Theresa Obssuth, Access Bars Practitioner

Paramus, NJ

201-655-3836 • Citm-DrFinn.com

What if you are far greater than anyone has ever acknowledged? Where have you not acknowledged this for yourself? What keeps you in frustration of limitation, judgment of yourself and the lack of peace and joy in your life? What if this could all change easily and create a new way of life for you. Let me introduce you to the process of Access Bars and a way to live life where you function from your own awareness having more happiness and ease. Offering Access Bars and Access Energetic Facelift sessions and classes. See ad, page 13.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

ROMAN E. FINN, M.D.

Center for Integrative & Traditional Medicine

22 Madison Avenue, Paramus, NJ 07652

201-291-0401 • citm-drfinn.com

Dr. Roman Finn has successfully combined holistic and integrative ways as well as modern developments in traditional medicine to treat a wide range of conditions including cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal and immune disorders as well as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, fibrommyalgia and stress related conditions. An all-encompassing holistic approach provided through non-invasive testing. Most labs and tests are performed on premises. We are working with major insurance companies and Medicare. See ad, page 23.

HEALTHY DRINKS

NUTE JUICE

Made-to-order delivery: NUTEJUICE.COM

Instagram/Facebook: @NUTEJUICERY

201-572-4201

High quality unpasteurized (no HPP) 100% organic cold pressed juice. Offering convenient delivery to improve your healthy lifestyle easily! Mix and match your favorite flavors and ginger bombs, or choose from our selection of curated juice cleanses and health boost kits. We also offer catering and bulk discounts. All juice is pressed fresh and made to order!

See ad, page 13.

HEALTHY FOODS

BUSY BEE ORGANICS

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

Chef Michelle Berckes and her team make up Busy Bee Organics, which serves nutritious, immuneboosting eats to the local community. This health-supportive, local eatery offers in-store 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.

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.

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 page 3.

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. Treatments may include acupuncture, reiki, aromatherapy, moxibustion, cupping, auricular therapy, as well as ancient Shamanic healing methods.

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.

JACQUIE BIRD, SPIRITUAL WELLNESS

JacquieBirdSpiritualWellness.com

917-740-8097

Jacquie is a Wellness Guide, helping people to connect to their deeper, quieter, Witness Selves. She offer products and services to reduce stress and anxiety; to increase mindfulness, awareness, and personal growth. Her service StressBusters Guided Meditation is a personally developed system using sound, breath, aromatherapy, gemstones, journaling, and movement. Private and group sessions are available. Jacquie has also created audiobooks, eBooks, custom guided music with the intent to calm, support, guide and empower. See ad, page 16.

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.

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.

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 highquality products. The Green Room is open Sunday through Thursday 11am-8pm and Fri and Sat 11am-10pm in Jersey City and Monclair.

INTUITIVE FENG SHUI

&

MEDIDTATIVE CLEARING

LOIS KRAMER-PEREZ INTUITIVE

FENG SHUI & MEDITATIVE CLEARING

Lois Kramer Perez

201-906-5767 • Fax 201-265-6037

LoisKramerPerez.com

“If we want to make changes in our lives, we must start from within.” Are you ready? Through her own journey of self-discovery, Lois has embraced diverse energy modalities as a way of life, and she wants to share them. Lois has developed simple, effective techniques that help clients sharpen their awareness, clarity and empowerment through feng shui, personal meditative clearing, and environmental space clearing. Each of these services can provide anchors for creating change from the inside out. Let’s get started!

YOGA

PURE BLISS YOGA

Zeni Pepper

Pure Bliss Yoga

pure-bliss-yoga.com

Pure Bliss Yoga was founded by Zeni Pepper, a lifelong yoga and meditation practitioner, who regularly leads classes, workshops, teacher trainings and retreats. Echoing her multi-faceted life experiences, Zeni’s yoga classes are varied and deep, infused with energetic practices, philosophy, mythology, poetry and spirituality. She teaches a broad range – from intelligently weaved vinyasa flows, to blissful restorative yoga, meditation and yoga nidra, in group, private or corporate settings. You can follow and connect with her on Facebook or Instagram @zeniyoga. See ad, page 16.

No one comes from the earth like grass. We come like trees. We all have roots.

~Maya Angelou

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