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Functional Medicine Rising
New Paradigm Seeks the Root of Disease
Detoxification Strategies for Cleansing Your House, Thoughts and Body
Dance Power!
Creative Movement Offers Healing Release
Bruce Lipton on the Epigenetics Revolution
January 2016 | Fairfield County Edition | eNaturalAwakenings.com
The Natural Choice – The Breiner Whole-Body Health Center
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501 Kings Highway East, Suite 108, Fairfield CT
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contents
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12 7 newsbriefs 12 healthbriefs 14 communityspotlight 16 globalbriefs 48 naturallyhealthypet 50 naturalpet 52 masteringyoga 53 fitbody 54 greenliving 55 inspiredtable 57 consciouseating 60 calendar 64 classifieds 65 resourceguide 70 cosmicrhythms 70 displayadindex
advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 203-885-4674 or email FFCAdvertising@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com. Deadline for ads: the 12th of the month. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Visit eNaturalAwakenings.com. Deadline for News Briefs: the 12th of the month. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Visit eNaturalAwakenings.com. Deadline for magazine calendar listings: the 12th of the month. Website calendar listings may be entered at any time. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 239-449-8309. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.
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Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.
20 DANCE POWER! Creative Movement
22
Offers Healing Release
by Khristee Rich
22 THE RISE OF
FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
New Paradigm Gets to the Root Cause of Disease by Lisa Marshall
28 BRUCE LIPTON ON THE EPIGENETICS REVOLUTION Our Beliefs Reprogram Our Genetic Destiny
32
by Linda Sechrist
32 A DETOX PROTOCOL FOR YOUR HOME
Clearing Physical Spaces Has Far-Reaching Effects
by Margarita M. Cossuto 36 CLEANSING IN THE
36
DIRTY NEW WORLD by Lorraine Gengo
42 LET IT ALL OUT! External Mechanisms
42
Spur Physical Detoxification
by Ariana Rawls Fine 54 IT’S EASY TO
BE GREEN
At Home and On the Road by Avery Mack
55 GOING TO
THE GOATS Goat Farming in Connecticut by Leslie McLean
3434 55
COMING IN FEBRUARY 2016
Natural Awakenings’
Annual Directory Issues Fairfield & New Haven Editions
DOUBLE DIRECTORY SPECIAL Reach more than 100,000 readers in the Fairfield/Litchfield and New Haven/Middlesex CT regions! Advertise your business year-round in two Natural Awakenings’ annual directory issues!
Readers are seeking goods and services covering the following: • Creative Expression • Fitness • Green Living • Healthy Pet Solutions
• Natural Health & Wellness • Nutrition • Organic Food & Dining • Personal Growth
• Relationship Counseling • Spiritual Guidance • Sustainable Products • Wealth Management
Final deadline to be included in either directory is January 12 PRICING & DETAILS $250 for two listings, one per edition Second listing = $125 for two listings, one per edition Third listings in each edition FREE
Fairfield Edition • eNaturalAwakenings.com • 203-885-4674 New Haven Edition • NaturalNewHaven.com • 203-988-1808
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letterfrompublisher
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contact us Publisher/Executive Editor Nicole Miale Editor Ariana Rawls Fine Design & Production Kathleen Fellows Erica Mills Contributing Writers Gina Carlotti, Margarita Cossuto, Lorraine Gengo, Robert Grady, Leslie McLean, Mary Oquendo, Khristee Rich, Kurt Waples Community Street Team Leslie McLean Sales & Marketing Alexa Ferrucci Robert Grady Nicole Miale Distribution Man in Motion LLC Natural Awakenings Fairfield County 54 Danbury Rd, Ste 323 Ridgefield, CT 06877 Phone: 203-885-4674 Fax: 203-516-2392 NicoleM@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com eNaturalAwakenings.com NAWebstore.com NaturalAwakeningsSingles.com © 2016 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.
appy New Year! Welcome to 2016, a new year beckoning us with opportunity, challenge and promise. I hope your holidays were filled with love, friendship, laughter and grace. As this year begins, the intention I’m setting for myself is more self-love and positive attention to my own needs, whether my need is physical, emotional or spiritual. Oh brother. I just realized I said that last year too, and possibly the year before that. Has this happened to you or am I the only one who greets a new year still wrestling with some of the same demons? Oh, you too? I suspect we are not alone. Nicole Miale The sad reality is that some of our efforts to improve ourselves are being sabotaged from the beginning. The world we live in is not conducive to self-care and positive, loving nurturing. In fact, it’s the very opposite; we are bombarded with messages about falling behind, needing to do more and behaving in unhealthy ways. The level of toxicity in the information we receive, the air we breathe, the food we eat, what we bring into our homes, what accumulates in our bodies… sigh. Much of it is beyond our conscious control; but the good news is there is still a lot we can do to help ourselves feel better! Detoxification is more than a term for an internal cleanse a couple times a year. In these times, it is a necessary and ongoing protocol that can be applied to effect change in many areas of life if we so choose. The articles in this edition are devoted to supporting just that kind of effort. We offer practical and empowering articles about why, and ideas for how, to detoxify your home, thoughts and body. To support physical change, we include profiles of some practitioners who offer internal detoxification programs and examine a number of healing and empowering dance forms which support release on multiple levels. We look at the exciting rise of a new medical paradigm in functional medicine—an evolving hybrid between the conventional system of old and the “natural” approach that used to be considered alternative and now is becoming essential. And, as we learn from visionary scientist Bruce Lipton, what we believe to be true may wield more power over our bodies than our genetic code; the groundbreaking field of epigenetics is challenging what has been previously believed and creates many pathways for change. These are positive and empowering developments; what an excellent way to begin the new year! Next month is our Natural Living Directory; please be in touch soon if you would like your business or practice to be included in the biggest issue of the year. Distributed year-round, the directory issue puts the spotlight on the practitioners and businesses that make this area such a vital place to live and be. Don’t miss your chance to be included in this key reference guide! The deadline for the directory issue is January 12th. With love and light,
We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.
SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $30 (for 12 issues) to the above address. Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soy-based ink.
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Fairfield County Edition
See our advertiser index on page 70. Making it easier to find the resources you need.
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newsbriefs New Support for Single Parents and Child Development
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he Broken Promises Foundation, a nonprofit based in Westport, has launched its Single Parenting and Child Development Advisory Group, offering leadership and professional guidance. Broken Promises provides support efforts and an online resource center for single parents and their children. The organization also works to educate and share knowledge with other professionals on how Ingi Soliman and to better deal with family issues Richard Spangenberg for those affected by hardships of separation, divorce and single parenthood. “The creation of the group is very exciting in that it will produce much good for those that might not be able to afford it. It gives professionals in the industry the chance to offer nuggets of wisdom and self-help guidance for struggling single parent families and their children throughout the country,” said Dr. Ingi Soliman of Westport, chairman of the group’s governing committee. “Broken Promises represents the struggles of single parent families who are working hard but not able to have a chance at the American dream due to financial stress and the need for further education,” said Richard Spangenberg, executive director of the foundation. In addition to an easy-to-use resource center, the nonprofit will provide additional support for those struggling just above the poverty line so they can maintain independence without government assistance. For these working families, Broken Promises plans on offering educational scholarships for children, gift card financial support to cover a family’s basic needs, and preschool and day care assistance. The Advisory Group is currently comprised of over eight individuals in the fields of psychology, social work and community mental health and educators in the Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts areas but will be expanding across the country. Professionals interested in joining the advisory group can go to Parenting.Broken-Promises.org/become-a-member. Single families in need of guidance or assistance can visit Members. Broken-Promises.org/membership-account. Donations can be made at Broken-Promises.org/donate-online. In the December issue, the incorrect phone number was published for Danielle Joffe Hampton of Soul Centered Healing. The correct phone number is 413-429-1278. Natural Awakenings regrets the error.
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newsbriefs Healing Haven Opens in Woodbury
New Program for Women Aged 50 and Beyond
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ho do you want to be when you grow up? Lisa Jacoby, an author, empowerment coach and consultant, as well he Ruby as a former Natural Awakenings Tree is a new publisher, is now offering a new place for healing, program to help women explore wisdom, supplies how to answer this question. and gifts. Located Created for women in in Woodbury, The transition from departing kids, Ruby Tree is a divorce, corporate downsizing, holistic and metaor simply feeling unfulfilled in physical shop proLisa Jacoby general and wondering what’s viding unique gift items, rocks and crystals, artisan jewelry next, the 24-week, multi-module and crafts, statuary for gardens and altar spaces, candles, course offers an experiential journey designed to help incense and accessories, books, oracle cards and music to women discover an era of true meaning and purpose. relax and meditate with, artwork and more. The Ruby Tree also will be carrying a selection of items from local artisans. Weekly two-hour group sessions, monthly one-on-one phone coaching and monthly guest speakers offer partici The Ruby Tree is now planning its 2016 schedule for various classes, workshops and groups. On New Year’s Day, pants supportive time and techniques to tap into natural a 9am mixed-level yoga class will be held with Nancy Op- gifts and explore a new way of being, which in turn leads to doing what makes each individual happy. gaard. On January 7, a three-meeting series will begin for Jacoby combines her personal experience moving past a 21-day whole food cleanse with clinical nutritionist and 50 with her expertise teaching the practice of What I Know owner of The Ruby Tree, Christina M. Boisits-O’Keefe. to Be True, years of consulting and coaching, and her career Practitioners of several healing modalities will be as a Fortune 500 executive, to help women grow into the scheduling appointments. The center currently offers Reiki for people and pets, Celtic Reiki, therapeutic massage, clini- best time of their life. Day and evening groups will be forming in January in a cal nutrition and life coaching. central Fairfield County location. For more information and to register for classes, visit For more information, visit MovingForward50andBeyond.com TheRubyTreeCT.com or Facebook.com/TheRubyTreeCT, and WhatIKnowtoBeTrue.com, or contact Lisa Jacoby at or call 203-586-1655. Location: 670 Main St S, Sherman LisaJacoby@LJPDCoach.com or 203-981-7092. Village B2, Woodbury.
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Our mission is to continually discover, demon and educate that our source of Good is God w
Discover the Power Within You NICE PEOPLE GREAT MUSIC UPLIFITING EXPERIENCE INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES
3 Main Street, 2nd Floor Norwalk, CT 06851 (203) 855-7922 www.unitycenternorwalk.org
Celebration Service Sundays at 10:30 am Burning Bowl Celebration Service - Jan 3rd at 10:30 am Open Mic Night - Jan 16 at 7:00 pm, Heart’s Desire Workshop Jan 26 at 11:00 am
Main St 2nd Floor Norwalk, CT 06851 (203) 855-7922 enter of8Norwalk is a thriving which Fairfield Countycommunity Edition natural3awakenings strates the practical value of Spiritual Principle Christmas Evewww.unitycenternorwalk.org Candlelight Service 6:30pm
Rev. Shawn Moninger, Unity Minister
Awaken the Goddess Retreat
Westport Rolfing®
Ageless Posture, Freedom of Movement ierra North will Improving body alignment and function lead a threethrough soft tissue manipulation and movement education. day women’s • Decrease chronic pain, muscle tension and stress. retreat, • Create overall ease and balance throughout the entire body. Awaken the Offices in Westport and Fairfield, CT • www.westportrolfing.com Goddess, Mikel Bensend Sachi Nakayama on January Certified Advanced Rolfer Certified Advanced Rolfer 22-24 at the 203-216-9770 203-216-9720 mikel@westportrolfing.com Muktinath sachi@westportrolfing.com Holistic Center in Sierra North Monroe. Participants are encouraged to rediscover their own inner beauty and power as they meditate. The retreat will include a day trip Lose 3-9 Inches in 9 Sessions Lipo-Light is the new nonsurgical state-of-the-art to Spa Castle in College Point, New 20 Minute Sessions • Super Safe technology alternative to Liposuction. It is Non-Invasive • No Pain York, for detoxification and purification completely non-invasive, does not cause any No Downtime • No Side Effects of the body, mind and energy field. The discomfort, and no down time. spa is located in a three-story building basedsauon the principle of with dozens of pools, hotIt istubs, biophotomodulation. nas, steam rooms, meditation rooms, Infrared light at 635 nanometers is absorbed by a full restaurant and a bar. Massage, fat cells causing the cell’s pores reflexology, facials, hydrotherapy and the fatty acid to open and excrete more are available to choose from tosurrounding contents into the fat is taken away by the add to the detoxification fluid. andThe pamperOnly One Offer Per lymphatic system and consumed ing experience. Sacred mantras will be Person Restrictions May by body metabolism. The result Apply New Patients Only SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER used to enhance the spiritual healOffer Expires 8/31/15 is immediate loss of inches. 1 Treatment for $99 or 3 Treatments for $249 ing; mini-healings will be available Only One Offer Per Person. Restrictions May Apply. New Patients Only. Offer Expires 2/29/16 throughout the day by North and other group leaders. The retreat will also include shamanic healing, meditation, in-utero/ www.westportlipolight.com pre-birth healing, mantra and chakra balancing. The retreat will conclude Sunday with a special goddessthemed kirtan by Sita’s Light. North is an Ignite your Spirit therapist, shamanic practitioner/teacher, crystal dreaming practitioner, and Reiki master/teacher of the Usui Shiki Ryoho tradition. She has a bachelors Bringing nature to your home in psychology from St. Bonaventure University.
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The Cleanest Touch LLC
For more information, visit MuktinathHolisticCenter.com or call 203-518-5808. Location: Muktinath Holistic Center, 755 Main St, Bradford Green Plaza Building#1, (Rt 25 above chiropractic office), Monroe.
Your home is an extension of your body and spirit. Shouldn’t it be a healthy, stress-free environment? We are proud to introduce our new HOUSE GREEN CLEANING SERVICES in Fairfield County, CT. We use only “clean” products, including our signature products made with essential oils. For a free estimate, call us at 203-260-3087 www.thecleanesttouch.com
Now serving these areas of Fairfield County: Fairfield, Norwalk, Trumbull, Westport, Wilton, Weston, and Darien.
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January 2016
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newsbriefs Discover the True You at Your Pace
B
eginning January 10, join author Deanne Mincer for a year-long e-course based on her book, The 52: Discovering the True You in 52 Simple Lessons! You can enroll in this course no matter where you live and follow along at your own pace. Each week for 52 weeks, you will receive lessons via email, including the weekly lesson and a Deanne Mincer video message from Mincer. You will learn new ways to view yourself and the world. With practical bullet point lists, you will take action. You will learn how to alter your life and love yourself more through affirmations, breathing techniques, observing your body, and using the powerful forces of classic yoga, like non-violence, truthfulness, non-possessiveness, purity, contentment and meditation`. The course, valued at $99, is being offered for a special introductory price of $19.95. To register, email DMinc100@aol.com. For more information, visit DeanneMincer.com/E-Course--The-52-.html. See ad, page 41.
Stamford Healthcare Associates Moving and Collaborating
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s of January 1, Stamford Healthcare Associates, LLC will be moving to a new location and will be working with Meridian Wellness Center at 66 Glenbrook Road in Stamford. The practice’s phone and fax numbers will remain the same as will the email and website addresses. All patients will be seen by appointment only. Stamford Healthcare Associates, LLC will Chris Sova and also continue treating patients in Beverley Marr its Monroe office. The company’s posture invention, PurePosture, will launch nationally in the first quarter of 2016. The product is geared toward correcting poor posture and alleviating back pain. For more information about PurePosture, visit PurePosture.net. For more information on Stamford Healthcare Associates LLC, visit StamfordHC.com or call 203-569-0067. Locations: 270 Monroe Tpke, Monroe, and 66 Glenbrook Rd, Stamford.
DID YOU REALIZE THAT
TOXINS Toxins drive neurological, metabolic (including weight gain), immune and cardiovascular illnesses – and any disease ending in “itis”. We have the knowledge and technology to help your body heal itself. For 25+ years, our patients have enjoyed remarkable success with naturopathic treatments which cleanse, detox, nourish, repair and balance. Call us to schedule an appointment:
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Fairfield County Edition
natural awakenings
ARE OFTEN THE ROOT CAUSE OF
INFLAMMATION?
D r M a r v i n S c h w e i t z e r. c o m 2 0 3 . 8 4 7. 2 7 8 8
1 We s t p o r t A v e n u e Norwalk, CT 06851
Westport Rolfing Expands to Fairfield
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fter more than five years on South Compo in Westport, Westport Rolfing now has offices in both Fairfield and Westport. Westport Rolfing’s new offices are in Kaia Yoga Studio in Westport and in North Fairfield close to Merritt Parkway’s Exit 46. Sachi Nakayama and Mikel Bensend opened the doors of Westport Rolfing in December 2009 after moving to Fairfield Sachi Nakayama and Mikel Bensend County from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. They offer Rolfing Structural Integration to with daughter help people with postural, functional and Yuma Joyce chronic pain issues. During this time, they have also become parents to Yuma Joyce and decided to put down roots in the community. “We’ve come to love the area and the people; we decided it was time to buy in and invest in our community. Finding the right house which would give us an option for a separate treatment room with its own entrance was difficult, but we were successful and found one in the Lake Mohegan area not far from an excellent elementary school for our daughter.” Since beginning Westport Rolfing, they’ve expanded their portfolio of services with trainings in functional biomechanics and neural-dermal modulation, completed their certified advanced Rolfer trainings in 2011 and 2012, and spent five weeks studying traditional Thai massage with Ajahn Pichest Boonthumme of Chiang Mai, an influential, respected teacher in Thailand. For more information, contact Sachi Nakayama at Sachi@WestportRolfing.com or 203-216-9720, or Mikel Bensend at Mikel@WestportRolfing.com or 203-216-9770. Locations: 150 Harvester Rd, Fairfield, and Kaia Yoga Center, 1200 Post Rd E, Westport. See ad, page 9.
WholeFIT Center Debuts in New Fairfield
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eana Hart, owner, trainer and holistic lifestyle coach of EarthFIT Personal Training Studio in New Fairfield, is now offering clients a new center that encompasses a more complete mind, body and spirit approach. The WholeFIT Studio offers a variety in services for adults, children, teens and seniors. They include yoga classes, kids relaxation and meditation, adult and kids Zumba, mat Pilates, core classes and additional unique fitness classes. WholeFIT also offers massage therapy, Reiki and reflexology, in addition to lifestyle coaching, teen mentoring, corrective exercise coaching, pain management and nutritional coaching for weight loss. For more information, visit EarthFITnf.com/Whole-Fit or call to schedule an assessment at 203-885-0577. Location: 3 Rte 39, Unit #5, New Fairfield.
Budgets, spending, saving, earning won’t solve your financial issues. What will?
Discover and heal your relationship with money . . . to the root. To learn more, please visit www.judithbarr.com and click on MONEY IS A CLUE
Judith Barr, LPC, LMhC ... hEaLiNG tO thE rOOt 30 Years Experience • Depth Psychotherapist • Spiritual Midwife Financial Therapist • Professional Training/Supervision • Speaker PO Box 603, Brookfield, CT 06804 • 203-775-5006 • JudithBarr@PowerAbusedPowerHealed.com
145 Grassy Plain St. Bethel, CT
Soul Focus Mela Rispoli 203-570-3868 mrispoli2@aol.com
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January 2016
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Feel Young, Live Long
healthbriefs
Hope for Those with Allergy and Asthma
M
anaging asthma and allergies can be difficult but a recent review in the December 2015 issue of Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology discusses promising results of research which could soon lead to an increased understanding of the diseases and more effective (and natural) treatments. According to the review, the scientific community had previously underestimated the role of microflora in the lungs. Just like in the gut, the balance of the “good versus bad” bacteria in the lungs may play a significant role in the development of asthma and allergies. The author states, “Recent studies demonstrate differences between the lung microbiomes of health and asthmatic subjects.” Recommendations for ways to adapt diet, environment and probiotic supplementation may still be in the future but studies are now focusing on how manipulation of the microbiome can reduce the impact or onset of asthma and allergies. Source: AACIJournal.com/Content/pdf/s13223-015-0102-0.pdf For more information, contact Jessica Moon of Nutrition Rescue by phone at 203- 979-6181, email Jessica@NutritionRescue.net or visit NutritionRescue.net. See Community Resource Guide listing, page 68.
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esearch published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found people that feel younger than their years have a lower incidence of earlier mortality. Conducted by scientists from the UK’s University College London, the research analyzed data from 6,489 people and measured their selfperceived age with the question, “How old do you feel you are?” Then, over more than eight years, the scientists tracked the number of deaths from all causes. Almost 70 percent of those that averaged a little over 65 reported feeling at least three years younger than their chronological age. Only a quarter said they felt close to their age and about 5 percent said they felt more than a year older. The research found that deaths among those that felt younger were 14 percent, while more than 18 percent of those who felt their own age and more than 24 percent of people that felt older died during the follow-up period. The research further found that individuals that felt at least three years younger were less likely to die later from heart disease or cancer. These relationships prevailed even when other health and lifestyle factors were eliminated. Co-author Andrew Steptoe, Ph.D., says, “We expected to find an association between self-perceived age and mortality. We didn’t expect that the relationship would still be present even when wealth, other socio-demographic indicators, health, depression, mobility and other factors were taken into account.”
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Autism Spurs Creative Thinking
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he UK’s University of East Anglia and the University of Stirling conducted a study of individuals with autistic traits among 312 people recruited through social media, including 75 diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder. Each of the subjects completed a series of creativity tests in which they determined uses of mundane objects. Published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, the study found that while the autistic people chose fewer uses for each object, their choices were significantly more original and creative. The subjects developed a greater range of “divergent thinking”. Martin Doherty, Ph.D., co-author of the study, confirms, “People with high autistic traits can have less quantity, but greater quality of creative ideas. They are typically considered to be more rigid in their thinking, so the fact that the ideas they have are more unusual or rare is surprising. This difference may have positive implications for creative problem solving.” The researchers found that while the average person will utilize simple mental strategies to produce more obvious answers first, autistic people tend to first utilize more demanding strategies during their processing, thus producing the more creative result.
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MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING There
is
Hope
Compassionate & Confidential Specializing in Substance Abuse Counseling William O’Heaney, LPC, LADC 860.629.0428 www.oheaney.com • New Milford, CT
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January 2016
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communityspotlight
Terry, Alison & Elise
AN UNCOMMON BOND by Robert Grady
A
long the Huntington Hills Green in Shelton—close to Exit 11 off of Route 8—is where you will find the Common Bond Market, a natural food and grocery store, deli and supplement center. The nearly two-year-old market offers a broad selection of organic and natural prepared foods, “green” household products, and a growing supplement department offering naturopathic and homeopathic medicine. It is here where Elise Panza, ND, Alison Bushnell and Terry Hernon, EDT, can be found assisting people with their health and beauty care questions and product selections. “In many ways, walking into the supplement aisle is like walking into a pharmacy and trying to choose the right drug without really knowing,” says Panza, a naturopath doctor specializing in both naturopathy and homeopathic medicine and direc-
tor of the supplement department. “You may have some info from the internet, or someone who recommended something to you. What we do is plug you into our own personal knowledge and product lines that we know. I think this is the only place that we sometimes dissuade people from buying things. We say, ‘I don’t think you need this’ or, ‘I think you would be better off with this product that is a little bit different and lower priced’.” The team here is discerning about what goes on the shelf in the supplement department. “We don’t sell anything that we don’t believe works. We make sure there’s no artificial food coloring, we test the products ourselves,” Panza explains. “We will take products off the shelf if we have any concerns about an ingredient.” Bushnell, who manages day-to-day operations in the supplement department, has a background in natural sciences including biology, zoology and physics. Often Bushnell can be found researching the efficacy and ingredients in products to ensure that the ingredients are up to par and what each individual customer needs. Hernon, certified in Emotional Freedom Technique— known as tapping—and the newest member of the team, echoes the sentiments of her teammates; “Everyone in the department genuinely cares about the customer,” she says. “Alison will never sell a customer anything she knows will not be the right thing— she’d rather send them home empty-handed. Elise is amazing. She takes the time to get to root. She’s changed people.” For more information, visit Facebook.com/TheCommonBondMarket or TheCommonBondMarket.com, or call 203-513-8200. Hours: Open Monday through Saturday 7:30am to 8pm, and Sundays 10am to 6pm. Location: 40 Huntington St, Shelton. See ad, page 56. Robert Grady is district manager for Natural Awakenings Fairfield County and a Shelton resident. To connect with him, call 203-500-2860 or email Robert.Natural.Awakenings.CT@gmail.com.
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Fairfield County Edition
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YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT’S IN YOUR MATTRESS EVERY NIGHT WHEN YOU GO TO BED. Did you know regular mattresses contain toxic flame retardants that are known carcinogens? You should. Our mattresses are made with organic cotton, wool, all-natural rubber. No PBDEs. No petrochemicals. We have the certifications to prove it. Sleep healthy. Sleep better. Stay well.
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January 2016
15
globalbriefs
Puppy Cuddles
Students De-Stress by Petting Dogs
News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together At least three universities in England have offered puppy rooms to stressed in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all. students. More than 600 students
Fish Folly
Marine Life Drops by Half since 1970 The nonprofit World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Zoological Society of London have jointly determined that industrial-scale overfishing, pollution and climate change have killed half of all marine life over the last 40 years. The Living Blue Planet Report cites that species essential to the global food supply are among the hardest hit, partially due to humans catching them faster than they can reproduce. Large swaths of coral reefs, mangroves and sea grasses have also died, further decimating fish populations. Statistics show that the family of fish that includes tuna and mackerel has declined by 75 percent since 1970. The number of species is also declining; a quarter of all shark and ray species face extinction. Half of all coral has already disappeared, and the rest will vanish by 2050 if temperatures continue to rise at current rates. “Coral reefs occupy less than 1 percent of the ocean surface, but they harbor a third of ocean species,” says French biologist Gilles Boeuf. The WWF report argues that protected global ocean area should be tripled by 2020 and fish retailers should source from companies that follow certified best practice standards. Source: Tinyurl.com/WWF2015BluePlanetReport
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Fairfield County Edition
natural awakenings
signed up last year in Bristol alone. Gordon Trevett, from the University’s Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health, says, “Every year I see students fretting about their exams, and I thought this would be a great way to ease the stress and take their minds off it. People with dogs have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without a dog, and we know that playing with a dog can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.” Jo Woods, from the Bristol Students Union, says, “It’s important to do fun and different things to de-stress during exams, and cuddling a puppy is a perfect way to release some endorphins.” Source: BBC
GMO Labeling Endorsed by Physicians Even as the federal government pursues H.R. 1599, aka the “Deny Americans the Right to Know” (DARK) act, mainstream medicine is urging the government to abandon its resistance to GMO (genetically modified organism) labeling. They are bolstered by a recent announcement by the World Health Organization that glyphosate (the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer) is probably carcinogenic in humans. The genetic engineering ends up making crops resistant to the herbicide so more must be applied. According to contributing doctors from Harvard, Mt. Sinai Medical Center and the University of Wisconsin reporting in the New England Journal of Medicine, “GM crops are now the agricultural products most heavily treated with herbicides, and two of these herbicides may pose risks of cancer.” A recent notice in the same journal, “GMOs, Herbicides and Public Health,” reports: “The application of biotechnology to agriculture has been rapid and aggressive. The vast majority of the soy and [feed] corn grown in the United States are now genetically engineered. Foods produced from GM crops have become ubiquitous.” Sixty-four countries, including Russia and China, have already adopted transparency in labeling laws, but U.S. Big Food and Big Ag lobbyists have stonewalled efforts domestically.
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actionalert National Radon Action Month
T
he Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated January as National Radon Action Month. We can’t see, smell or taste radon, but it could be present at a dangerous level in our home. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in the U.S. and claims the lives of about 21,000 Americans each year. The EPA and the surgeon general urge all Americans to protect their health by testing their homes, schools and other buildings for radon.
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Map Courtesy of CT Department of Public Health Radon Program Exposure to radon is a preventable health risk, and testing radon levels in the home can help prevent unnecessary exposure. If a high radon level is detected in our home, we can take steps to fix the problem. Four things we can do during National Radon Action Month include: • Test the home - Testing is easy and inexpensive. • Attend a local National Radon Action Month event Look for radon events in the community. • Spread the word - Encourage family, friends and others to learn about radon and test their homes. Consider planning an event in your community to help raise awareness. • Buy a radon-resistant home - Look for builders that practice radon-resistant construction techniques.
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Fairfield County Edition
natural awakenings
The mission of Connecticut Department of Public Health‘s radon program mission is to promote radon awareness, testing, mitigation and radon-resistant new construction throughout the state in order to reduce the number of radoninduced lung cancer deaths in Connecticut. The state Department of Public Health recommends all homes be tested for radon. For more information on the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s radon program, visit CT.gov/dph/radon or call 860-509-7367. For more information about radon-resistant new construction, visit 3.EPA.gov and choose Building Radon Out: A Step-by-Step Guide to Build Radon-Resistant Homes.
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All the places your career in massage therapy can take you... Take 12 whole months. Clean them thoroughly of all bitterness, hate and jealousy. Make them just as fresh and clean as possible. Cut each month into 28, 30 or 31 different parts, but don’t make up the whole batch at once. Prepare one day at a time with these ingredients: Mix well into each day one part each of faith, patience, courage and work. Also add to each day one part of hope, faithfulness, generosity and kindness. Blend with one part prayer, one part meditation and one good deed. Season the whole with a dash of good spirits, a sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play and a cupful of good humor. Pour all of this into a vessel of love. Cook thoroughly over radiant joy, garnish with a smile and serve with quietness, unselfishness and cheerfulness. You’re bound to have a happy new year. ~ Author Unknown
THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE Help your clients relieve pain, reduce stress, and work on a specific physical problem.
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eNaturalAwakenings.com
January 2016
19
DANCE POWER! Creative Movement Offers Healing Release by Khristee Rich
D
etoxification is the new hot topic. From food elimination diets, juice cleanses, supplements, relaxing salt baths, saunas to detoxifying chemical peels, detoxification is in our thoughts. There is a great need to rid our bodies of what it doesn’t need. We want to feel good, eliminate toxins and live longer. Not only do we want our bodies to feel good, we want our minds and spirits to as well. With the “dawning of the age of Aquarius,” people are realizing the importance of great health, joy, and connection to our spirits; some are achieving this through dance. Healing dance is an increasingly popular option for finding cathartic release to heal our minds, bodies and souls. New styles are emerging, such as Biodanza, Chakradance, 5Rhythms and others. While most of these healing dances have their own unique attributes, the common theme is to connect us with our bodies, to calm our minds, to become empowered and to find joy. Sandrine Harris, a movement educator, certified Feldenkrais practitioner, mindfulness facilitator, dancer and certified health counselor, is the founder of 20
Fairfield County Edition
Kinesoma (Kinesoma.com). The wellness approach blends several modalities, including dance movement, principles from the Feldenkrais method and mindful practice. The dance classes, for all ages, are very fluid and blend contemporary dances, such as African or Argentinian tangos. It is about the moment and who is there, she explains. Harris infuses her tools from various modalities and brings these skills into the room, curating the music to create the mood and fit the attendees. Classes start slowly and gently on the floor and the energy and intensity builds as the dancers move across the floor. Harris’ classes are about awareness, tuning in more deeply, learning easier movements, being present, and finding more creativity and joy. In addition to continuing to travel the world with her workshops, Harris will open Kokoro, her own “dance nest”, in spring 2016 in Sharon. Biodanza is an international transformational movement practice that integrates music, movement and authentic connections. Translated, it means “the dance of life”. Created by Rolando Toro in the 1960s in Chile and
natural awakenings
based on his research in psychology, Biodanza is described as the poetry of human encounter. He interviewed thousands of students at a university and discovered five common themes that everyone wished for. He named these principles “vivencias”. They are vitality, sexuality (to give and receive pleasure), creativity, affectivity (to love and be loved) and transcendence. Although popular in South America and around the world, Biodanza is still gaining popularity in the U.S. Michelle Dubreuil Macek, one of the few Biodanza facilitators in the U.S., divulges that she loves how Biodanza (BiodanzaUSA.com) is a powerful way to be present and connect with others without words. It concentrates on the human connection and includes partnering and group dancing. The movement can help improve the nervous system, lower blood pressure and add more happiness and zen to our lives. Maryland-based, Dubreuil Macek will teach Biodanza at Basil Yoga Center in Ridgefield on March 12. She is in the process of opening a Biodanza school in Maryland, and continues to travel to places such as Kripalu to teach workshops. “Through dance, we awaken,” says Keith Lightning. “Through dance, we remember who we are.” Lightning, a facilitator of personal liberation and empowerment coach, is the founder of Liberation Soul Dance. Although he always had a passion for dancing, he was not a trained dancer; his zest for dancing came later in life after experiencing an “awakening” with a shaman in Peru. Liberation Soul Dance (Keith Lightning.com) is a free-form expressive dance geared toward reconnecting us to our passion and joy. Lightning weaves yoga philosophy and empowerment coaching practices such as the
Dance Sites DanceFirst.com 5Rhythms.com JourneyDance.com NiaNow.com OneDanceTribe.com OpenFloor.org SoulMotion.com
four pillars of personal power: grounding (water), fire (focus), earth, (strength) and air/wind (flexibility). He activates chakras, releasing energetic blocks. “So many people are disembodied, disassociated right now,” says Keith Lighting. “An awakening is happening on earth. People are remembering their divinities…and finding answers inside.” Developed in London in 1998 by Australian-born Natalie Southgate, Chakradance is a free-form shamanic dance that balances our chakras and connects us with our spirit. In shamanic cultures, it is believed that if we are depressed, stressed, or even if we have addictions, it is because we are disconnected from our spirit. Southgate developed Chakradance with the intention to heal using her expertise of dance, Jungian psychology, chakra knowledge and meditation. Practiced in over 35 countries, workshops include a guided dance journey of the seven major chakras, meditation, healing music, and creating an art mandala in a candle-lit room. Dancing with eyes closed, participants see visions while they dance; they connect to the collective unconscious, recall dreams and memories, gain insight, even see flashes into the future. The owner of The Dancing Curtain, LLC (TheDancing Curtain.com), Khristee Rich, is a Chakradance facilitator. With her theatre background, Rich’s classes are for all ages and dance experience is not necessary. Chakradance may be done seated in a chair, making it accessible to all, even those with disabilities or mobility restrictions. Rich is currently the only Chakradance facilitator in Fairfield County. She will teach Chakradance: Celebrations, an intensive/ spiritual dance party, at Basil Yoga Center in Ridgefield on January 9 as a celebration of the spirit and the new year. Gabrielle Roth, a dancer and musician, created 5Rhythms (5Rhythms.com) in the 1970s in New York City. 5Rhythms is based on her movement philosophy of five universal beats: flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical and stillness. Each workshop contains all of these universal beats; 5Rhythms can be a powerful, cathartic dance.
Margaret Wagner teaches 5Rhythms in New York City, Connecticut and other locations. In 2016, Wagner hopes to bring 5Rhythms to more museums to bridge this expressive dance to the art world for a unique experience combining art and dance. “To sweat is to pray, to make an offering of your innermost self,” says Gabrielle Roth. “Sweat is holy water, prayer beads, pearls of liquid that release your past. Sweat is an ancient and universal form of self healing, whether done in the gym, the sauna or the sweat lodge. I do it on the dance floor. The more you dance, the more you sweat. The more you sweat, the more you pray. The more you pray, the closer you come to ecstasy.” In the past, shamans would drum for hours and people would dance. Unfortunately, we are so connected today to technology—such as our phones and computers—that we forget to sing, dance and laugh. We are in a rush to succeed and to move quicker until stress and sickness slow us down. “We have created a difficult situation for ourselves constantly being wired in,” says Sandrine. “Everything is moving in the rapid direction and it is the wrong direction. There is something we can do every day with community work or with our individual selves to get calm, to get peaceful. It is possible need to carve out the time. That is what Kinesoma is; do it in a gentle loving way.” Long gone are the days that an apple a day kept the doctor away. Disconnected from our bodies, emotions and each other, more and more people are seeking therapists, taking medication and suffering from chronic illnesses. Our bodies hold wisdom and deep emotions; unfortunately, if we ignore our bodies’ inner wisdom, we will develop illness. Exercise and talk therapy are not enough. There are plenty of ways for us to be proactive about our health, including through healing dances. Khristee Rich is the owner of The Dancing Curtain, LLC in Ridgefield. Connect with her at TheDancingCurtain.com.
Hunter Healing Hands
Integrative & Intuitive Shamanic Wellness Holistic Healing to Honor, Restore, & Transform Body, Mind, & Soul Jessica Hunter
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Private Integrative Healing Sessions • Reiki • Crystal Healing & Melody Crystal Healing • Acupressure • Shamanic EFT • Shamanic Intuitive Readings • Shamanic Healing • Power Animal Retrievals • Soul Retrievals
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January 2016
21
The Rise of Functional Medicine New Paradigm Gets to the Root Cause of Disease by Lisa Marshall
B
y the end of 2014, Trina Mills, of Parker, Arizona, had given up on conventional medicine. She’d been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder 17 years earlier and taken medication ever since without feeling her symptoms of fatigue, muscle aches and stomach problems ever fully subside. She’d visited endocrinologists, gastroenterologists
and a half-dozen other specialists, each of which offered a different diagnosis and prescribed a different drug. At one point, she had her gallbladder removed. At another, her doctor suspected she had bleeding in her brain and sent her for a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan. Some thought she was a hypochondriac; others said
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Fairfield County Edition
natural awakenings
she was depressed. “I would tell them, ‘I’m just depressed that you can’t figure out why I’m so sick,’” she says. Weighing a skeletal 82 pounds, the 54-year-old mother of three finally wrote out a living will and braced for the inevitable. Then she heard of a new Center for Functional Medicine opening at the prestigious, century-old Cleveland Clinic. As the first clinic of its kind to open at an academic medical center, it promised to look at the underlying causes of disease, while focusing on the whole person, rather than isolated symptoms. Intrigued, Mills caught a flight to Ohio and soon was offering up 30 tubes of blood, stool and saliva samples, as well as an exhaustive life history. One year later, thanks to a series of personalized diet and lifestyle changes, she’s 10 pounds heavier and feels better than she has in decades. “I spent a lot of years and money in the traditional medical system and got nothing,” says Mills. With functional medicine, “In a very short time, they had me feeling nearly 100 percent.”
Distinctive Characteristics
In the 25 years since nutritional biochemist Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D., of Gig Harbor, Washington, coined the term, this science-based, whole-body approach to addressing chronic disease has gained widespread traction. More than 100,000 physicians—60 percent of them medical doctors—have trained with the Institute for Functional Medicine he founded in Washington and New Mexico, and numerous medical schools have added its tenets to their curricula. More naturopaths and chiropractors are also distinguishing themselves with a functional medicine emphasis. “It is not alternative medicine at all,” stresses Bland, whose latest book, The Disease Delusion, details how functional medicine can curb chronic diseases like arthritis, diabetes, dementia, and heart disease, which constitute 78 percent of U.S. health care costs. “It’s the basis of 21st-century health care,” he says. For most of the 20th century, conventional medicine centered on a singular objective: Arrive at a diagnosis and treat it with drugs or surgery. Then, the alternative medicine movement proffered a toolbox of more natural therapies,
including acupuncture, herbs and massage to address these same diagnoses. The 1990s brought integrative medicine, a best-of-both-worlds approach. “While all of the above have merit, they lack the necessary guidance to help practitioners determine which tools work best for which patient,” says Dr. Mark Hyman, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine. “Alternative therapies and conventional treatments are tools. We need a new map that can teach us how to skillfully use those tools,” maintains Hyman. “That map is functional medicine.” Because one chronic disease such as diabetes can have dozens of underlying causes, or one culprit such as a genetic predisposition or exposure to toxins can lead to multiple chronic conditions, functional medicine focuses on systems, rather than organs, and origins, rather than diseases. “It’s about listening to the patient’s story in a different way, where the objective is not simply about arriving at a diagnosis,” explains Bland.
Ferreting Out Key Clues
Key to discovering the underlying origins of a health issue are a host of new gene, blood and gut health tests. “They allow us to look under the patient’s ‘metabolic hood’ at the genetic and biochemical factors influencing health,” says Naturopathic Doctor Kara Fitzgerald, who heads up a functional medicine clinic in Newtown, Connecticut. For instance, certain genes influence how a person burns and stores fat. Depending on which variant a patient has, based on a genetic test, they might be guided toward a higher- or lower-fat diet. Those genetically prone to difficulty in metabolizing the amino acid homocysteine (an excess of which can raise the risk of heart disease) might be advised to take folic acid supplements. If a patient displays intractable gut problems, rather than simply look for blood or pathogens in the stool, Fitzgerald also looks at the DNA of their gut microbiome, mapping out which strains of good bacteria are present or absent and prescribing prebiotics, probiotics or whole foods to promote
Lobby for Change To lobby for consistent insurance coverage of more complementary therapies, check out these resources. CoverMyCare (CoverMyCare.org). This national grassroots advocacy campaign, a project of the Integrative Healthcare Policy Consortium, aims to support the proper full implementation of Section 2706 of the Affordable Care Act, which states that insurers cannot leave licensed practitioners like naturopaths, chiropractors, massage therapists or Oriental medicine practitioners out of their provider networks. It still lacks enforcement at the state level, although Oregon and Rhode Island recently passed legislation to fix the existing loophole; California, Hawaii, Minnesota and New Mexico are working to do the same. American Sustainable Business Council (Tinyurl.com/IntegrativeReimbursement). The organization recently launched a campaign to urge insurers to cover integrative practices.
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January 2016
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a healthful balance. For another patient with thinning hair and aching joints, she might use specialized blood tests to look for micronutrient deficiencies, signs of allergies or certain autoantibodies—proteins produced by the immune system that mistakenly attack one’s own tissues—that might herald a brewing autoimmune disorder. “Research shows that predictive autoantibodies can show up in the blood 10 or even 20 years before an autoimmune disease such as Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis makes itself known,” says Fitzgerald, pointing to a seminal review published in 2007 in Scientific American: “If a patient with mild, early-stage symptoms is proactive with diet and lifestyle changes, they may be able to fend it off.” High-tech tests aside, Bland stresses that what’s most important is “a tool that has been largely lost in medicine today: Knowing how to listen to the patient.” In a typical exam, Fitzgerald thoroughly inspects often neglected body parts, including the tongue and fingernails, which can hold important clues to underlying health. She asks about past emotional trauma which might trigger chronic disease, and inquires about what environmental toxins and harmful chemicals both the patient and their birth parents may have been exposed to. One example might be a patient exposed to cigarette smoking in utero
Learn More Online Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine Tinyurl.com/Center4 FunctionalMedicine Dr. Kara Fitzgerald’s blog DrKaraFitzgerald.com/blog Functional Forum FunctionalForum.com Dr. Mark Hyman’s blog DrHyman.com/blog Institute for Functional Medicine FunctionalMedicine.org having a bias toward an allergic disease. If their parents grew up in a period of famine, they might have inherited a genetic disposition for rapid weight gain. “She spent two-and-a-half hours with me,” in her initial consultation, recalls 52-year-old Lauren Zambrelli, of Long Island, New York, who credits Fitzgerald for helping her tame her multiple sclerosis into remission. “It was like having a sister for a doctor.”
Who Pays
Functional medicine doctors don’t shy away from prescription drugs when necessary, but they do lean decidedly toward the lower-tech modalities, using dietary supplements, allergen-free diets, exercise, mind-body practices and toxin avoidance as their primary tools. “We basically take out the bad
stuff from the body and put in the good stuff,” says Hyman. Maintaining good health is priceless, but without conventional insurance coverage, it can be expensive. While Mills’ doctor visits were covered by insurance (which is rare), she spends roughly $1,000 a month on supplements to address her diagnosed leaky gut syndrome, nutrient deficiencies and mercury poisoning. Zambrelli has paid thousands out of her own pocket, too. Some people worry that, like most conventional physicians, some functional medicine practitioners place too much emphasis on expensive tests and too little on the most crucial and affordable remedy—self-care. “Functional medicine as a concept is an important step forward,” says integrative medicine pioneer Dr. James Gordon, founder of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. “However, some practitioners do a lot of tests and prescribe a lot of supplements and work on cleaning out the gut, but neglect the psychological, spiritual and social issues. That concerns me.” Bland and Hyman concede that some practitioners over-test, but say that will fade over time as they learn to better discriminate which ones are useful for specific patients. Several efforts also are underway to get more functional medicine providers and the acupuncturists, massage therapists and nutritionists they work with covered under the Affordable Care Act, which expressly emphasizes a need for more preventive medicine. Viewing the big picture, Bland believes that functional medicine is just what the country needs to save on exploding healthcare costs. Rather than spending dollars on extraordinary measures to save heart attack victims or diabetics in emergencies, we can prevent such dire situations by identifying underlying problems sooner and halting their progression. In the meantime, some patients are finding priceless relief. “Am I poorer right now? Yes,” says Mills. “Am I healthier? Way. It’s been so worth it.” Lisa Marshall is a freelance health writer in Boulder, CO, who specializes in health care. Connect at LisaAnnMarshall.com.
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DIY Testing W
hile most practitioners recommend that patients consult with a physician to interpret their test results, several companies offer gene, blood and microbiome lab testing directly to consumers. Here are a few options to consider. uBiome, Inc. (Ubiome.com): Send in swab samples from gut, mouth, nose, genitals and/or skin and the company will genetically sequence the DNA of resident bacteria and send findings back within six weeks, identifying good and bad varieties present, deficiencies, and how that personal microbiome compares to others with similar lifestyles, such as smokers, vegans, meat-eaters, etc. It’s also possible to test a client’s microbiome over time to see if dietary changes implemented to change gut health are working. WellnessFX (WellnessFX.com): Visit an affiliated diagnostic lab to submit blood samples with results posted within a week on a secure website. Different packages targeting weight loss, sports performance, heart health or women’s health issues look at different biomarkers in the blood, such as levels of certain micronutrients, hormones or signs of inflammation. Clients can request an online consultation with a doctor or dietitian to interpret the results. Pathway Genomics (Pathway. com): The company’s DNA Insight Genetic Health and Wellness Tests use genetic material taken from saliva to analyze genetic markers. Ordered via a licensed practitioner, online or through a smartphone app, clients receive a kit, send in a sample and get results within three weeks. The Pathway Fit tests snapshot 75 genetic markers related to metabolism and sports performance. Others look for genes that influence nutrient absorption, heart health or hormonal function.
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What to Include:
• Vegetables • Fruits (in moderation) • Nuts and seeds • Grass-fed or organic meats and fish • Healthy fats (avocado, ghee, coconut) • Gluten-free grains • Legumes (not including peanuts) • Water and unsweetened tea
Setting Ourselves Up to Succeed
Be sure to plan: Create a meal and snack plan for the week makes it easier to answer, “What can I eat?”. Remove foods from the kitchen that are not on the plan: Simply put, we can’t eat something that isn’t there. Enlist the support of family and friends: Nothing helps people succeed better than a buddy. An entire household can do an elimination diet together. Have plenty of snacks available: There by Gina Carlotti are no calorie restrictions on this plan. Eat often and eat plenty of protein and fat. f you experience brain fog, fatigue, What should be removed? Focus on protein and fat: These help to rashes, bloating, joint pain, weight • Gluten (all varieties of wheat, rye, barley) prevent hunger and stabilize blood sugar. problems or other unexplained symp• Corn toms, food sensitivity may be the culprit. • Soy What to Expect An elimination diet can quickly provide It is normal to have some withdrawal• Dairy (including cow, goat and insight into whether an undiagnosed type symptoms, especially during the sheep milk products) food sensitivity, intolerance or allergy first week. These can include irritability, • Eggs might be contributing to your problem. headaches, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, • Peanuts The diet is simple; we remove food cravings, diarrhea or constipation. • Alcohol foods likely to cause reactions for three • Sugar There may also be emotional reactions, which can be intense but short-lived. By to four weeks. During this time, our • Artificial sweeteners, preservatives, the second week, people are typically bodies become less inflamed, allergy food colorings, dyes mediators lessen and the body begins • Any food to which there is a known feeling much better—many find they are eating more and losing weight. to heal. After the first few weeks, con or suspected reaction tinue the elimination diet, but reintroSpecial Concerns duce one eliminated food every couple Under ideal circumstances, avoid If there is a desire to be tested for gluten days. If there is no reaction, continue anything that comes in a package or sensitivity, wheat allergy or Celiac Disease, eating that food. If there is a reaction, requires a label. If that item will be it is best to do this before starting an elimiavoid the problem food and speak with eaten, make sure it has fewer than five nation diet. Blood tests for these conditions a doctor or health professional. simple ingredients. are not accurate if gluten is not in our diet.
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The elimination diet is not recommended for those that are pregnant, considering pregnancy in the next three months or breastfeeding. If there are any chronic medical problems or prescription medications being taken, consult a doctor before doing an elimination diet.
Gina Carlotti, M.D., is a functional medicine physician practicing in Greenwich. She is beginning a new elimination diet group in January. For more information or to make an appointment, call 203302-3404 or visit GinaCarlottiMD.com.
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wisewords
Bruce Lipton on the Epigenetics Revolution Our Beliefs Reprogram Our Genetic Destiny by Linda Sechrist
B
ruce Lipton, Ph.D., author of The Biology of Belief and The Honeymoon Effect, is a stem cell biologist and internationally recognized leader in bridging science and spirit. He is a visiting fellow lecturer on immunology at the New Zealand College of Chiropractic and participated in the Foundation for Conscious Evolution’s seventh Worldwide Meeting on Human Values, in Mexico. His research explains the interplay between individual consciousness and body biology.
Why do you start with epigenetics as a foundation for health? Many people, programmed with the concept of genetic determinism, believe that genes in the fertilized egg at conception determine character and fate. Unable to pick our DNA genes, we are powerless to control our life, so that the only option is seeking help from someone in the biomedical community to fix our genes. I introduced a new vision about the understanding of genes a half-century ago that is now the new science of epigenetics. Epi- means “above”. Here, we can realize control by regulating the environment in which we live and our perception of it, making us the master of our own genetics rather than a victim of heredity.
Do you believe epigenetics is the future of medicine? Epigenetics is a revolution in our knowledge and awareness of heredity. This new concept of biology is so big that it promises radical change capable of revo28
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lutionizing civilization. Its dynamics are equivalent to the leap from Newtonian physics to quantum physics, which led to everything from computers and cell phones to Martian rovers. We are freed to abandon the belief that genes cause cancer, for instance. In changing our lifestyle, beliefs and perceptions, we also change our genetic expression. Remember, this works because how we individually interpret our world is translated by the brain into chemical information that adjusts the behavior and genetics of cells to complement our perception. We could live in the healthiest environment, but if our mind perceives it as threatening and non-supportive, our biology will become less healthy and can generate disease. The cells’ response is based on the brain’s information, which actually is only an interpretation. Personal perceptions and the way we live, including our spiritual nature, adjust genes to manifest either a functional state of health or one of dysfunction.
Where is the “self” that makes people different? No two people are the same biologically. If I inject my cells into another human, their immune system will recognize it as “not-self” and begin to eliminate them. On the surface of virtually all our cells are thousands of protein receptors that function like miniature antennae. They read and respond to environmental signals similar to the larger receptors on the skin’s surface, such as the eyes, ears and nose. Each human also possesses a
natural awakenings
unique set of “identity” receptors, a subset of which are called “self-receptors” by the biomedical community, found on nearly all of our cells, with the primary exception of red blood cells. Self-receptors are unrelated to the cell’s function contributing to muscle, bone, brain or heart. Conventional medicine studies the physical aspect of selfreceptors as being the source of “self” but overlook the environmental signals they receive. In other words, individual identity is linked to the signals received by the antennae. When I reached this point in my research, I realized that we can’t die, because our real identity is represented by the invisible environment-derived “broadcast”, which might legitimately be referred to as spirit. My personal identity signal is received by each of my 50 trillion cells endowed with the unique set of “Bruce” self-receptors. While my physical body is like a TV, the “spiritual broadcast” representing the Bruce Show is an eternal, energetic element of the environment.
What is entrainment and why is it important today? A group of heart cells in a Petri dish will each beat to its own vibrational frequency. After a couple of days, they start beating in synchrony, because the stronger heart cells control the tempo. The other cells organize their behavior to entrain with the more powerful one. This happens in women’s college dormitories when residents start the school year with different menstrual cycles, but later experience entrainment, with their cycles beginning and ending about the same time. They link to a pulse and a beat, just like the heart cells. Humans become entrained to a higher force that’s an invisible broadcast of energy in harmony or in discordance. As more of us hold the intention for living a life of love and peace, the broadcast of that harmonic energy amplifies and those not yet there will eventually entrain to the stronger signal. This is the shift we need to make for conscious evolution to occur. Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at ItsAllAboutWe.com.
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Being Human in a Chemical Age All of Us Benefit from Cleansing and Rebuilding by Kurt Waples
W
hat is a detox? What are its benefits? Is it safe? This article will discuss the reasons a detoxification program is a good health strategy and why you should definitely be considering one (and maybe even more) this year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that humans have over 700 toxic chemicals in their bloodstream at any given time. The alarming part of their study was that 100 percent
of the participating people were found to be toxic. Toxins have been found to cause and be linked to almost every disease we are experiencing today, from diabetes to cancer and Alzheimer’s to muscle pain. In 1996, Dr. Horace Liang published “Clinical evaluation of the poisoned patient and toxic syndromes,” which included the top seven symptoms of chronic poisoning. These included fatigue, sleep disturbances, intestinal distress, head-
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aches, allergy symptoms, confusion and anxiety. This list of symptoms will sound familiar to chiropractors, naturopaths and other practitioners as common reasons people first reach out to them to make an appointment. Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and disease, insomnia, waking up frequently at night, migraines, neck pain, seasonal or food-related allergies, forgetfulness, Alzheimer’s disease, memory loss, stress, adrenal fatigue, depression, diabetes, cancer, acid reflux, gas, bloating... the list continues. These conditions and symptoms can all be linked to toxins in some way, either directly or indirectly. Many 21st century health problems and their symptoms seem to arise from chronic, and sometimes over many years, poisoning. Should this be a surprise? The answer is sadly no. Over 54,000,000 registered chemicals are in existence. Nearly 78 percent of them have never been tested for toxicity. Some estimate only 900 have been tested for carcinogenic properties, or cancercausing properties. The good news is that nutrition researchers have found and documented the ways in which the body detoxifies certain toxins (also known as xenobiotics). Even though many toxins have not been tested, understanding the ones that have allows us to trace respective detoxification pathways needed to support the elimination of these harmful chemicals. The human body detoxifies many toxins through the same pathways, like the cyctochrome P450 enzyme pathways in the liver. We know that when these pathways are supported, detoxification is increased and, in some cases, decreases cancer and disease risk. If all of this isn’t reason enough to detox, another component of a comprehensive detoxification program is the rebuilding phase. Detoxification is the
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act of removing toxins from the body but another very important part of a good detox program is increasing organ reserve. It helps improve the health and function of organ, thus improving health and vitality. In a groundbreaking article published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1980, Dr. James Fries wrote about organ reserve and what he called “the rectangularization” of the survival curve. When an organ runs out of its back-up stores, it shuts down and dies. Increasing organ reserve during youth and middle age through detoxing and nutrition would decrease time spent on health care at the end of life. Rectangularization to Fries meant that, instead of a steady decline in health—starting at middle age from depleted organ reserves—eventually leading to mortality, people’s health could decline just two to three years before mortality if they could keep their organ reserves fully replenished. Health then drops steeply at the end of life. For most, this is preferred when compared to the bell curve we currently see, health declining slowly beginning in middle age and continuing until the end of life. A personalized comprehensive detoxification plan will increase organ reserve while also helping the body rid itself of toxins and other harmful substance accumulated through daily living. Detoxification strengthens the body by reestablishing balance. It accomplishes this by providing the body with nutrients, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes to carry out detoxification and ultimately increase organ reserve. It gives the body what it needs to build up the reserve, all while facilitating the proper and healthy elimination of toxic substances. Elizabeth Blackburn was a 2009 Nobel Prize winner for the co-discovery of telomerase, an enzyme that helps preserve telomeres. Telomeres are the tips of chromosomes; with each cell division, they get shorter until reaching a critical size when the cell can no longer function properly. At this time in a cell’s life, it enters senescence, a programmed cell death. Hundreds of studies have shown that health strategies like supplements, vitamins, stress reduction, healthy living, exercise and meditation can increase the length of telomeres. We can extrapolate from this that increased telomere length is a way of increasing cellular reserve, thus organ reserve. A whole new area in healthcare called lifestyle medicine has been created with one of the major tenets being to promote healthy detoxification. One of the best ways to achieve maximum health is through detoxification and increasing organ reserve. Kurt Waples, owner of Bluestone Health Group in Stamford, is a chiropractor who uses applied kinesiology and clinical or functional nutrition. Connect with him at BluestoneHealthGroup.com, 203-220-6488 or Info@BluestoneHealthGroup.com.
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A Detox Protocol for Your Home Clearing Physical Spaces Has Far-Reaching Effects by Margarita M. Cossuto
W
hen we think about detoxing and cleansing, this often conjures up images related to internal detoxification—that is eliminating negative and ill elements from our bodies that make us feel sluggish, lethargic, sad, out of sorts, and just
simply like something is missing or off in our lives. While internal detoxification is important, it is only part of the process. It is also crucial to think about our external space; how managing the clutter in our physical space around us can bring about many positive ben-
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efits. By focusing on both the internal (our bodies) and external (our physical space), we are opening ourselves and our daily lives to a host of positive energy and joyful feelings. But how exactly do we start this external decluttering, detox process? The first step is to acknowledge what clutter really is and how it affects us. Clutter is simply an accumulation of items no longer needed or that don’t belong in the place they are; all this can cause emotional stress. Clutter is anything that we do not use, do not like, or do not have a place for in our home. Having too much clutter can be draining. It can complicate our lives by causing us to use our precious time looking for items. Clutter takes up our energy and negatively impacts many areas of our lives. In addition, it also disturbs the beautiful areas of our home and space. Let’s go over some steps on how we can start reducing the clutter in our homes. Plan: Set aside time for clutter-clearing sessions. Some people prefer to work for no more than 30 minutes, while others may find that once they start, they just want to keep going. Do what is best for you. Either way, definitely plan something to treat yourself after each session. Keep in mind that decluttering is hard work, especially on the emotional level. Set aside supplies: Have at least three boxes for each room that you will be working in. Boxes are easier to work with than bags because they have structure and can be stacked vertically in order to maximize space. Note that you may need more than one box for each type below as you sort through all your items. Start by labeling boxes into these three simple categories that will be used for sorting: Box 1 = “In” This will be for items that you use, love and truly enjoy. These will be items that you will likely use again and again. Box 2 = “Out” This will be for items that you might still use but don’t like as much, or it could be for items that are broken or simply don’t get used anymore. Box 3 = “I Don’t Know!” This will be for items that you simply can’t decide
on right away and would like to spend more time thinking about rather than making a rash decision. Prepare yourself: Organizing and decluttering can be energizing, but it can also be emotionally draining and psychically exhausting. As you embark on the external detoxification process of decluttering, think about what makes you feel good. If you work well with music, play some of your favorite energizing tunes to help motivate you to move around your rooms. Place a vase of fresh flowers near you to inspire the natural beauty in your space or try lighting some fragrant candles with lavender or vanilla for uplifting, energizing and calming mood benefits. Where to start: Since there are many rooms in your home, it can be overwhelming to decide which room to begin with when starting. Ideally, you will want to sort through every item in your room so you know exactly what you have, what you want to keep, and what you want to discard. Start by sorting things into categories (i.e., like with like versus categorizing by color, size or favorite items). It will be a lot easier
to sort through your items when you can see how much you have of similar types. When you’re in each room, tackle each by starting with items on the floor; then surfaces like dressers, nightstands and bookshelves; then gradually work into the inside of your closets, drawers and cabinets. Begin by following the order of rooms below— this will help because they are the rooms you are in daily and you will be energized by the immediate effects of your time and effort. Start in the bedroom. Take out all the items that create visual clutter that do not really belong here or that can be distracting to the relaxing nature of your room. For some people, this may include things like a television, exercise equipment or office/work-related items. Then focus on thoroughly decluttering and cleaning your closets. Pay particular attention to clothing you never wear, sheets/towels you never use, and books you will never read again. Let go of as many items as possible that you have not used in a long time. Next, focus on the kitchen. Empty out all your drawers; look for items that you
have duplicates of, pots and pans that are warped or damaged, and cooking tools or utensils that you no longer use or haven’t used in a long time. Move to the main entrance of your home. Let go of any objects in your main door area that are not really needed there, such as the recycle bins in full view, piles of clothes and shoes, out-of-season items, or bags of storebought items that haven’t been put away. Also, think of a way to deal with all the incoming mail so that it has a home the minute it comes through the door—it will either be something you need to act on, file, or discard because it is simply junk mail. A small basket with dividers or three separate containers (labeled with keep, review, discard for instance) by the front door or a landing zone may be a good solution. Always check the discard section for letters that may have accidentally gotten into the junk mail section. Questions to ask yourself: Use the “Organizational Tool” sidebar to decide what items you would like to keep and which ones you are comfortable with giving away. As you put items in
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Owning less stuff can make you feel more organized! Use this Organizational Tool for deciding what items to keep, that you need, use, or love and what to give away.
“LOVE IT”
“USE IT”
USE IT & LOVE IT
USE IT & DON'T LOVE IT
*KEEP it if you need it! *Enjoy your item * Use it! *Display it
*Has your style changed? *Have your interests changed? * Do you still need it? *Can another item that you love take its place?
LOVE IT & DON'T USE IT
*When will you use it again? *Are you keeping it "just in case"? * Do you need it for an emergency? *Is the item worth the space it is taking?
DON'T USE IT OR LOVE IT * Don’t keep *Donate it *Sell it *Give it away
home and if you have space for some the boxes, ask yourself why you are of the items in a closet, cabinet or keeping an item rather than why you drawer. If you do not find proper space should get rid of it. By framing this www.lorganized.com for each and every item in your “In” question in a more positive tone—rebox, you might have to let some go. lated to keeping versus discarding—it is easier to think about because it gives “Out” Box: This box goes out of your home. You could give these items to a loyou a chance to ponder what you use cal charity, a shelter, give them to friends the item for, when you last used it, if or arrange a garage sale—there are many you will use it again, and if you still options. Just remember that the sooner like it. Sometimes when we move too this box goes out, the better; do not keep quickly through the decluttering and it in your home for too long. start to throw things away too fast, it “I Don’t Know!” Box: Know that this can lead to regretting a decision; rebox may contain items with strong grets can slow down the process. emotional attachment (often entangled What to do with each box: with confusion, guilt, and possibly “In” Box: These items will stay in your hurtful and painful memories) that you home and space. As you review the will find difficult to deal with. Know items in this box, consider the amount that taking time to evaluate the items of surface space you have in your in your home can be a very strong
clearing of old emotional ties and old emotional patterns. Give yourself time to let go of uncertainty, confusion and guilt related to these items and to remember any emotional ties you have had with your items. This can have a very profound cleansing effect. Just keep placing them in your “I Don’t Know!” box until the day you are ready to deal with the items in this box. Organizing our physical spaces can have tremendous emotional and psychological effects. By making decisions on the items, we are in control. We can get emotional, angry, frustrated and feel like stopping because it is simply too difficult to make decisions. Know that these feelings are normal. We need to remind ourselves that we are taking a very active, difficult and emotional step into evaluating the clutter items in your home. In order to help avoid future clutter from accumulating in the house, establish an organizational system that is individually suited. And know that it is perfectly okay to have at least one or two clutter drawers. Margarita M. Cossuto, Ph.D., is a professional organizer and owner of Living Organized LLC. Cossuto works with clients in Connecticut and New York. Connect with her at lOrganized.com or 203-451-7880. She would like to thank Dr. Ronald G. Shapiro for helpful comments while preparing this article.
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Practice radical acceptance. Paradoxically, change flows most easily from a place of self-love and acceptance. It’s important to recognize that whatever we are experiencing—be it positive or negative—is absolutely right for us in that moment. We don’t have to like it. We don’t have to embrace it. But try not to judge as judgment is another form of negativity. Counter negativity with love. Negativity comes from a place of fear or pain. No matter how prickly it feels, the best antidote is to bath those thoughts and the hurt place inside of us with plenty of love. Love really does conquer all.
6 Easy Steps to Detox Your Mind by Victoria Shaw
N
egative thoughts—like those stemming from jealously, anger, fear and shame—are a natural part of the human experience. Negativity feels heavy in our bodies; it clutters our minds and blocks our connection to spirit. On the other hand, positive thoughts—such as those stemming from feelings of joy, love and gratitude—feel good and are good for us. Research shows that positively minded people are healthier, happier and more successful than those who engage in more negative thinking. Maintaining a positive mindset is easier said than done. We live in a sea of negativity, where judgment and fear abounds. The news and popular media are rife with images of danger and destruction. And many of us have been taught from an early age to focus on what is wrong with our lives and the world, rather than embracing what feels right and good. Fortunately, our minds and brains are malleable. With some time and attention we reverse this “negativity bias”, and start bringing more positive thoughts and experiences into our lives.
Shift your thoughts to something more positive. Once we have identified, heard and accepted the negative thoughts, we can gently shift our focus to something more positive and pleasant. For instance, we can counter thoughts of jealousy for what we are lacking with thoughts of gratitude for what we already have. Seek Support. For some people following the above steps may not be enough. Some hurts and negative belief systems are harder to let go of than others. Working with a mental health professional, spiritual healer or life coach can help to heal these deeper wounds so that we more easily invite in the positive energy and experiences. Victoria Shaw, Ph.D, LPC, DCC, is an intuitive psychologist and licensed professional counselor with a private practice in Westport and Wilton. Visit VictoriaShawPsychotherapy.com or VictoriaShawIntuitive.com for more information. See ad, page 32.
Here are some tips for detoxing our minds: Pay attention to your thoughts. Many of us keep our attention focused outwards on things in our environment and are not aware of the contents of our minds. In order to reduce negative thinking, we must be aware of our thought processes when we are falling prey to negativity. Not sure what counts as a “negative” cognition? Try paying attention to how the thought feels in the body. Negative thoughts typically feel denser and less comfortable than positive ones. Listen for hidden messages. Our negative thoughts and feelings often appear for a reason; it’s important to take time to listen to what they have to say before moving on. If we just try to ignore them or whitewash over them, they will just get louder and stronger. Sometimes the messages are obvious, other times they are subtler. For instance, a stab of jealousy for a physically fit friend may be a signal that we need to spend more time taking care of ourselves, or it could reflect deeper feelings of unworthiness.
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n the days when clean water and other natural resources seemed unlimited— pre-GMOs and PCPs, pre-pesticides and antibiotic overuse—all our ancestors needed to do to detoxify their bodies was to eat seasonally. They would also perform simple constitutionals that would induce sweating. Today however, detoxing is an any-time-of-the-year endeavor that is imperative to health. Since World War II, the Environmental Protection Agency has registered 85,000 synthetic chemicals and substances that are foreign to our bodies and the environment. Every year, 2,000 more xenobiotics are added to the list, increasing our exposure to chemicals and substances that our bodies do not know how to break down or eliminate. “We’re taking in more toxins than ever since the 1950s. Where once we didn’t need to detox because our bodies could handle it on its own, the burden now is too great,” says Mary Gilbertson, a veteran registered nurse who now works as a nutritionist and certified holistic health coach. In her 28 years of nursing, Gilbertson saw the harmful effects of this
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toxic burden. She maintains that the ever-increasing toxic load “is disrupting our hormones, causing mental illness, more cancers, autism and morbid obesity. It all starts at the cellular level with inflammation.” Most of the dis-ease caused by this unwanted and unchecked xenobiotic overload can be overcome by changes in diet and lifestyle habits, jumpstarted with a detoxification program ideally overseen by a professional. It takes education and a little hard work to start feeling the benefits of turning a “dirty” body into a clean, healthy one. “In the hospital, there wasn’t the time to educate patients; sometimes the situations were so acute, you couldn’t talk to them about lifestyle changes when the patients couldn’t breathe,” Gilbertson says. Like Gilbertson, Lisa Gengo has both allopathic education and training in alternative and complementary medicines. Gengo once worked as a physician’s assistant in cardiac surgery, but now practices medicine in Norwalk as a both a naturopathic doctor and a certified functional medicine physician.
She believes that a doctor is a teacher. “The patient does the work. I meet them where they are, but they’ve got to be willing to take the credit,” she says.
The Center for Natural Medicine
The Mechanics of Detoxification The major organs of the body involved in detoxification are the liver (removes impurities from the blood), the kidneys (recycles water and eliminates waste), the lungs (gets rid of carbon dioxide) and the skin (excretes toxins through sweat). The lymphatic system has an immune function as well as an excretory function. The largest organ of the body is the skin; it is a key player in detoxification. These are the pathways in our bodies through which detoxification occurs on a daily basis. The idea behind any detoxification program is to help support and promote these basic functions. Each individual is genetically predisposed to use certain pathways better than others, according to Gengo, which is why a detox protocol has to be individually tailored. “You can test which pathways are weak and which are strong, and you can take supplements to support weak pathways,” she says. “Any protocol where everyone goes on the same plan should be suspect.” The body has an innate wisdom about how to deal with toxins that enter into it. It takes them out of the bloodstream, where they can freely roam the body and cause more serious damage, and sequesters them in the tissues. Most commonly, toxins are stored away in fat, but also in bone, brain and heart tissue. What happens when a person detoxes is those toxins are put back into circulation, therefore there’s a potential for damage to occur.
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“Any protocol where everyone goes on the same plan should be suspect.” ~ Lisa Gengo, ND Gilbertson says that while most people are able to go through a detox program, she’s especially careful with certain groups—namely the very young, the very old, and people who are morbidly obese. The latter group has a potentially greater toxic burden stored in fat. “You’re going to be more careful with children because they eat a lot more toxic stuff and they have smaller bodies,” she explains. The elderly are more likely to have compromised liver and kidney function. That’s not to say she wouldn’t work with such patients. Gilbertson speaks about a patient with liver cancer who had a very good outcome after following a customized detox protocol. Because toxins are released back into the bloodstream, it’s common to experience physical, mental and emotional reactions. On the physical side, patients may experience muscle and joint pain, headache and flu-like symptoms during a detox. Supplements that support the organs of elimination can combat some of these negative side effects. Also, it’s important that the practitioner is making sure that the patient is defecating, urinating, sweating and avoiding stress as much as possible. One common pitfall of detoxing is known as the Herxheimer reaction. This is when the immune system reacts to either a die-off of pathogens or to toxins re-entering the
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bloodstream. If you’ve ever had the flu and experienced feeling worse in the late afternoon, you were feeling the effects of Herxheimer. According to Gilbertson, a patient may have a strong reaction like this around day three or four of a detox, which she doesn’t necessarily consider a bad thing since it shows that the detox is working. Gengo, however, feels it’s a sign that a patient should proceed more cautiously with treatment, especially if trying to eliminate Lyme or candida.
Mental and Emotional Purging The mental and emotional components of detoxification should not be overlooked. It is a good idea to line up someone who’s a good listener to be around for the emotional purging. Gengo related a personal experience of detoxing after 9/11 exposure as a volunteer. Along with firefighters and other first responders, she participated in a protocol that included taking niacin and alternating rounds of light cardio exercise and sauna treatments for five hours every day for an extended period. The day came, she said, when her emotions reached a breaking point. “I was anger looking for a reason. It was all these mixed emotions that welled up and came out, and once it did it was done. That’s what the team was looking for,” she says.
Because toxins are released back into the bloodstream, it’s common to experience physical, mental and emotional reactions. Two Takes on Methodology Both Gilbertson and Gengo think it’s important to look at patients’ blood work to see their current toxic burden. They also take extensive health histories to determine where and how toxins are gaining access to their patients’ bodies. The warm-up to every detox is getting rid of vices—such as weaning off of caffeine, alcohol, sugar or cigarettes. Gilbertson begins all her patients on a two-week elimination diet; they abstain from the seven most allergenic and inflammation-producing foods: wheat, dairy, soy, sugar, corn, eggs and peanuts. During the first week, she teaches them “how to shop the rainbow”, seeking out the fruits and vegetables that activate the antioxidant system that combats free radicals. That first week, patients are asked to engage in gentle exercise that is just enough to produce a mild sweat, such as yoga, walking or a rebounder trampoline. Gilbertson also suggests
saunas, Epsom salt baths, and dry skin brushing to aid in circulation and to invigorate the skin. After the two-week detox diet, they go on a four-week clean-eating diet. She bolsters her patients’ immune systems with probiotics, fish oils and vitamin D, as well as other herbal supplements as needed on a case-by-case basis. Gengo’s approach is similar, although she usually starts her patients out with homeopathy along with an elimination diet. She agrees that lowering stress levels is also important. “If you’re serious about detoxing, you can’t be working like a crazy person,” she says. “Stress itself creates a toxic internal environment.” Lisa Gengo, ND, practices at Full Circle Medicine, 8 Knight St, #205, Norwalk. Connect with her at FullCircleMed.com. Mary Gilbertson’s Prescription 4 Wellness is located at 238 Monroe Tpke, Ste C4, Monroe. She can be reached at Prescription4Wellness.com. See Community Resource Guide listing, page 66. Lorraine Gengo, LMT, is an experienced journalist and practitioner who provides ayurvedic massage and marma point therapy to patients at the New England Institute for Neurology and Headache and High Quality Home Therapy, in Stamford.
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Ayurveda’s Ancient Detoxification Protocol by Lorraine Gengo
O
ne of the oldest detoxification protocols comes from Ayurveda, a longevity and health-promoting science that began in India 5,000 years ago. Thanks to the popularity of yoga, Ayurveda’s sister science, interest is building in this ancient art of maintaining balance in body, mind and spirit through proper use of food, herbs, lifestyle practices and meditation. Panchakarma—which means “five actions”—is Ayurveda’s detoxifying and rejuvenating program for body, mind and consciousness. It refers to the five methods by which accumulated toxins—or in this system, doshas—may be expelled from the body and mind.
The five ways of getting rid of excessive dosha
are through therapeutic vomiting to remove toxins that aggregate in the stomach; purgation or laxative therapy to remove those that collect in the small intestine; medicated enemas for removal of toxins in the colon; medicated oils administered through the nasal passages to help pacify the central nervous system; and blood purification via bloodletting or by ingesting herbal purifiers such as dandelion root, aloe or burdock. With the understanding that some of these techniques will not be palatable to Western health seekers, Ayurvedic centers—like the newly opened Kairali World of Ayurveda in Stamford—offer alternatives to procedures like vomiting and blood-letting. (The latter is normally done with leeches, and both are common practices in India.) “My first goal for any client is to make them feel good,”
says Moumita Roy, who has a Ph.D. in botany and plant chemistry. She opened her holistic center in collaboration with Kairali Ayurvedic Group of New Delhi, which operates spas, yoga trainings, and has its own line of Ayurvedic medicines and herbal products. The feel-good aspect of Ayurveda’s detox program is the daily series of warm-oil massages, herbal saunas, and the signature shirodhara treatments—which is a warm oil stream on the patient’s third eye that dissipates mental stress. They lead up to the expelling procedure, which is, in most cases, the medicated enema and the nasal application of oil. Those two methods work out to be enough for most people, according to Roy, who also insists that clients participate in light exercise and some form of meditation practice. Usually, a diet of rice and moong dal, known as kitchari, is eaten because it’s both nourishing and easy to digest. Roy also swears by color therapy. The center will be introducing its own line of chakra jewelry, offering a rainbow of semi-precious stones. “If we use the right colored stone for the right reason, it really works. We have to resonate with the right frequencies,” she says. Kairali World of Ayurveda is located at 56 West Broad St, Stamford. See ad, page 3. Lorraine Gengo, LMT, is an experienced journalist and practitioner who provides ayurvedic massage and marma point therapy to patients at the New England Institute for Neurology and Headache and High Quality Home Therapy, in Stamford.
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Let it All Out! External Mechanisms Spur Physical Detoxification by Ariana Rawls Fine
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n our daily lives, we are bombarded with toxic matter, whether the source is alcohol, cigarettes, chemicals in the environment, household cleaners, the effects of stress or others. A regular detoxification program to combat modern-day life’s toxins can improve our mental, physical and emotional health. A plethora of practitioners offer expert guidance to determine the most appropriate food or supplement-based internal cleanse for our needs, sched-
ules and patience level, but we can augment our internal detox process by using external modalities, such as salt, heat, vibration and others.
SALT
Used for thousands of years as a natural and powerful health therapy, salt can be particularly helpful with respiratory detoxification and overall health. Floatation centers like Westport’s iFloat and Trumbull’s PuREST use
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up to 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt—a naturally occurring pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate— mixed with a warm solution of water in float tanks to produce a high buoyancy effect. Soaking in a bath enriched with Epsom salt has been shown to increase magnesium and sulfate levels in the body. Magnesium can help with reducing inflammation, improving muscle and nerve function, and preventing artery hardenings. The sulfates found in Epsom salt also assist with flushing out toxins and heavy metals. The use of essential oils in a soaking bath will intensify the cleansing effects for the body and its systems. Himalayan rock salt, used in another form of salt therapy, has been found to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Salt caves, such as Saltana Cave in Ridgefield and Salt of the Earth Sanctuary in Woodbury, offer their clients the healing benefits of a rock salt rich in trace elements and minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, iodine, bromine, copper, selenium and iron. Modeled after salt caves in Eastern Europe, the indoor salt room combines speleotherapy—the use of salt cave and mine microclimates to treat diseases—and halotherapy, which utilizes a salt vaporizer to push dry aerosol salt vapor into the air to help with various respiratory and skin issues, allergies and other conditions. A session in a salt cave involves relaxing in a gravity chair with your feet up while breathing in the healing, detoxifying salt air.
HEAT
Heat is known to increase circulation while triggering the body to get rid of toxins through the sweating process. During a sauna treatment, the sweating is more intense, which can diminish the amount of detoxification time needed. Infrared sauna can be found at places such as Stamford’s 7eFit Spa, Monroe’s Muktinath Holistic Center and Danbury’s Worden Wellness Center. According to Fairfield’s Whole-Body Medicine practice, the heat in an infrared sauna “is generated by ceramic or metallic heating elements. The temperatures in infrared
saunas are lower than those of traditional saunas, ranging from about 110 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit.” Sauna detoxification programs—which can be several minutes a day to hours with varying frequency—are planned according to each individual’s state of health, tolerance and availability. It will also vary based on whether you are using an infrared or traditional sauna. Consult a your doctor before undertaking a sauna detoxification program or following an expertdesigned program that may include nutritional and supplement support. In order to increase the efficacy of a detoxification program, we can help ourselves in several ways. For example, exercising for a short time or getting a light massage before a sauna session can increase blood circulation, which can, in turn, bring more toxins to the surface for disposal through the sweating process. Increasing doses of vitamin B3—also known as niacin—promotes microcirculation while digestive enzymes can aid in breaking up “trapped” toxins in tissue that the body would otherwise have trouble accessing to clean up. Although most of us are good candidates for sauna detoxification, a medical doctor, naturopath or nurse practitioner should be consulted for those with any conditions or on medications, as well as those that are chemically sensitive. The sauna protocol can be adapted for children but their detox protocol should be supervised by medical personnel.
BIOMAT
Building on the efficacy of infrared heat, BioMat is a mat that uses a combination of far infrared rays, negative ion therapy and amethyst crystals to increase circulation, raise the body temperature and stimulate the sweating process to boost the immune system. In addition to use in hospitals and health clinics, the BioMat—an FDA-registered Class II medical device—is available for home use and is used in various area businesses, including Salt of the Earth in Woodbury, Yoga For Everybody in Fairfield, and Presence of Wellness in Monroe.
Whether used at a facility or at home, a session lying down on the mat usually lasts 15 to 45 minutes.
VIBRATION THERAPY
Norwalk’s Kure Spa—the first Vibrosaun-authorized clinic in the United States—offers the Vibrosaun machine, which combines dry sauna heat and a padded vibrating bed. The bed, used for decades in Australia and Europe, has been shown to help with weight loss, chronic pain, detoxification, and a myriad of other conditions such as sports injuries and insomnia. The heat and vibrations from the machine dilate blood vessels, relax muscles, and increase pulse rates and blood flow. By increasing functioning of the kidneys and lymphatic system, the machine is useful in helping with toxin removal, such as lactic and uric acids. People on blood thinners should consult with a doctor while utilizing The Vibrosaun machine is not recommended for pregnant women, those with circulatory or vascular diseases, cancer, infectious diseases or pacemakers. A session usually lasts 30-45 minutes with five to eight initial sessions normally recommended. Vibrosaun is not recommended for those younger than 16 years of age. Other vibration therapies, such as ionic foot baths, draw out toxins by working to discharge those underneath the skin. In addition to improving blood circulation and reducing cellulite, the FDA-approved TORC technology available at 7eFit Spa in Stamford can help with lymphatic drainage, muscle building and fat cell reduction. The treatment uses bioelectric feedback to contract muscles, offering the body a targeted passive “workout”. Whichever non-food focused detoxification strategy is chosen, it is best to consult with a health practitioner if underlying conditions exist to ensure that we select the program that is most appropriate for our minds, bodies and souls. Ariana Rawls Fine is editor of Natural Awakenings Fairfield County. She resides in Stratford with her family.
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Jessica Moon, MS 66 Glenbrook Rd, Ste 300, Stamford 203-979-6181 Jessica@NutritionRescue.net NutritionRescue.net Facebook.com/NutritionRescueCT
Debbie Morgan, MA, CiPP 203-948-5372 IntegrativeHealthAdvocacy@gmail.com IntegrativeHealthAdvocacy.com
Business/Practice summary and/or services offered: Working with individuals and families to navigate the everexpanding gray area of nutrition as it pertains to management of food allergies and intolerances. I provide support with elimination diets, menu development and minimizing the impact of food restrictions. Areas of specialty, training, and/or special certifications: Jessica Moon I hold a masters degree in human nutrition and have additional experience in working with children and adults with food allergies/sensitivities, behavioral challenges and chronic pain. Do you offer a specific cleanse/detoxification program or multiple options based on individual client needs? Everyone’s unique needs are considered. That being said, there are some strategies that work well even when applied to people with very different needs. What can a client expect from a session or series of sessions working with you? Clients can expect a lot of communication both ways. This way, I can understand where they are in their process and what tools will be most effective for their goals. What new are you offering heading into 2016? I am excited to now offer the latest in microbiome testing, GI-MAP, to assess the gut and to help more effectively guide nutritional interventions. What do you most want Natural Awakenings’ readers to know about you and your work? I am motivated by our interdependence. We’re in this crazy, toxic, beautiful world together and I treat your well-being as if it were my own!
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Business/Practice summary and/or services offered: I empower and support individuals to advocate for their health by building and broadening their knowledge of alternative health. Awareness allows clients to recognize more options and make empowered decisions. We follow a whole-person healing plan. Areas of specialty, training, and/or special certifications: Life experiences formed the root of my learning! Building on those, academically, I have a masters in integrative health and healing, certificates in positive psychology, craniosacral therapy, emotional freedom technique and Reiki. Do you offer a specific cleanse/detoxification program or multiple options based on individual client needs? I am a certified wellness consultant with the M’lis company. M’lis detoxification is 100 percent natural and they offer seven, 30, 45 and 60-day programs. The total detox cleanses the liver, kidneys, blood, tissue and solid waste system. What can a client expect from a session or series of sessions working with you? I will meet you where you are at. Working together, we will identify and achieve your goals. My goal for you is health and happiness. Life is a journey—live it & love it! What new are you offering heading into 2016? In 2016, my goal is to increase the awareness of integrative health to individuals. I will help more people advocate for themselves along their wellness journey. They will have a greater sense of calm and clarity, empowering them to take control and responsibility for their health. What do you most want Natural Awakenings’ readers to know about you and your work? My service is unique because I support and teach integrative health advocacy, discussing what integrative health is and its benefits, while incorporating positive psychology and physical detoxification as well. I am building a bridge of awareness from conventional to integrative health care.
Prescription 4 Wellness Mary Gilbertson, MS, BSN, CHHC Nurse/Nutritionist/Healthy Lifestyle Educator Monroe • 203-521-4733 GilbertsonMary@yahoo.com Prescription4Wellness.com
Mary Gilbertson
What drew you to health and wellness coaching as a profession? During a medical nursing career spanning decades, I kept seeing a common theme emerge. As I witnessed the effects of chronic, degenerative disease and the dependence on drugs to treat conditions that were preventable with healthy lifestyle, I knew healthcare was going in the wrong direction. I wanted to become part of a revolutionary change focused on health promotion for optimal wellness.
What training and/or certifications do you have? I have a bachelors of science in nursing and a master’s degree in human nutrition. I am currently working towards attaining credentialing as a certified nutrition specialist and a certified clinical nutritionist. I hold certificates in health coaching, stress management, detoxification and more. How long have you been practicing? I have been practicing as a nurse for 28 years, much of this time in health promotion and education. I started my nutrition and lifestyle medicine coaching practice, Prescription4Wellness, in 2013. Do you have a particular specialty or niche? Although trained to work with all ages, I especially love working with teenagers, and middle-aged men and women looking to mitigate disease or enhance their overall health. My focus is mostly on integrative or functional medicine, addressing the root cause of illness and providing modalities for wellness. What should a client expect from you as a coach? In an initial, short free phone consultation. I will address your specific needs or concerns. I work with other members of your health care team to ensure your success. What do you most want Natural Awakenings’ readers to know about you and your work? Today I devote my life to educating and empowering others on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, on whole foods nutrition, and in a toxin-free environment for optimal wellness.
Fairfield County Chiropractic Center Kimberly Embry, DC 540 Tunxis Hill Rd, Fairfield 203-971-8546 FairfieldCountyChiropractic@gmail.com FairfieldCountyChiropracticCenter.com Facebook.com/FairfieldCountyChiropracticCenter Twitter.com/FfldCountyChiro Business/Practice Summary/ services offered: A brain-based clinic providing examination and application of rehabilitative chiropractic adjustments to the extremities and spine. Nutrition response testing technique for organ weakness detection and nutrient repletion. Areas of Specialty/training/ certifications: Advanced post doctorate Kimberly Embry chiropractic neurology training utilizing non-surgical techniques to rehabilitate the brain, spine and nervous system producing lasting health benefits. Advanced clinical training in nutrition response testing. Do you offer specific cleanse/detox program or multiple options based on individual client needs? Dr. Embry offers complete purification protocols for food sensitivities, weight loss resistance due to endocrine disrupting chemical burden, heavy metal toxicity, energy, sleep, pain. What can a client expect from a session or series of sessions working with you? Patients are consulted with to identify their specific health goals. Conditions improved include eczema, blood pressure, cholesterol, autoimmune issues, ovarian cysts, overall well-being. What new are you offering heading into 2016? We are offering a 12-week Post Purification program for our 21-day Purification program patients. This entails a nutritional exam and program designed for further patient support. What do you most want Natural Awakenings’ readers to know about you and your work? I am your partner in health, honor your body’s ability to heal, trust the process, and am a dedicated advocate for you to reach your health goals!
eNaturalAwakenings.com
January 2016
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therapyspotlight
Thought Field Therapy Creating Peace of Mind, Naturally by Diane Bahr-Groth
T
raditionally, the start of a year is a time to assess our lives, our past, our present and, of course, our future. We do our utmost to free ourselves from negativity of the past and attempt to think positively and creatively about the future. However, with today’s frightening headlines in our fast-paced and chaotic world, we may find ourselves or loved ones filled with fear, stress and anxiety. Emotional and physical traumas may further deplete a person’s physical energy as well as cause a multitude of other issues. Thought Field Therapy (TFT) works with the body’s own energy system to create relief and can help release negative emotions and feelings. Noted clinical psychologist Roger Callahan began exploring alternative therapies in the early 1980s, searching for a faster and better way to help those suffering from emotional distress. After years of research, he developed 46
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TFT, which integrates the sciences of acupuncture, the meridian system and applied kinesiology with associated emotional problems to successfully eliminate negative and often debilitating emotional and physical responses. While stimulating specific meridian points in a precise order while thinking about the upsetting issue, we utilize the power of the body’s own energy system to help us heal. Scientists have discovered that we have an electromagnetic circuitry or system of meridians throughout the body. This energy, or meridian system—known to the Chinese for over 5,000 years—appears to act as a governing force in healing and growth as well as a control system and pathway for negative emotions. There are 12 major meridians linked to the major organs of the body; specific emotions are associated with those particular organs and meridians. Scientific evidence has shown that significant negative emotional or traumatic events experienced in life—especially those associated with fear, anxiety, shock, traumas or loss—can often be the root cause of illness, anxiety, depression and pain. These traumatic imprints can become “locked” within the meridian system, causing imbalances of energy or “disease” in the body. Research indicates our thoughts and emotions can significantly affect not only our physical health but also our mental well-being. Neuroscientists working with psychologists and immunologists have discovered that emotions such as love, hate, happiness and fear directly influence the nervous and immune system. These emotions cause the body to create chemicals and hormones that can either enhance or drain our energy and performance. When we think negative thoughts, experience stress or feel anxiety, the brain signals the release of chemicals which can weaken the immune system, making the body more vulnerable to disease. Negative emotions can actually cause more negative thinking which, if not treated, could result in emotional or physical pain and illness. Wellness is directly connected to our “thought fields”, our automatic thoughts and responses to past, present and life itself. It is estimated that we have approximately 65,000 thoughts each day and approximately 95 percent of those thoughts are the same thoughts we had yesterday, and the day before that and the day before that. Each thought we have—positive or negative—creates an automatic response in the body. Every time we think about a problem or remember one, we produce a “thought field”, which is energy that runs through and perhaps outside the body. This energy is automatically activated in the system as the movement of our eyes helps us to access information. In conversation, as a person is thinking about what he or she is going to say, they often look away from us. They may be looking up or down or to either side in order to access a thought or memory. This is because our eyes act very much like the cursor of a computer. When we use a mouse and point the cursor to the desired location, we can access the file we need. Similarly, as we think about a problem, the eyes automatically move up or down or to either side in order for the mind to access an image or picture. As this is happening, we associate into the emotion or thought; an
automatic response or feeling is sent through the pathways of the meridians. Our thoughts—positive or negative—will influence how the chemicals or hormones will affect the body, either enhancing or depleting it of energy. With this in mind, we can understand how persistent anxiety, stress or negative thoughts and feelings may cause us to exhaust precious life-force energy and may therefore become unable to fight off “dis-ease” or illness.
Persistent anxiety, stress or negative thoughts and feelings may cause us to exhaust precious life-force energy. In some cases, negative emotions can even cause our energy system to “short circuit” and actually reverse the normal polarity of the body. This reversal in energy is known as a psychological block and is called psychological reversal in TFT. It can cause you to be angry or in a bad mood, to have destructive or negative thoughts or behavior—such as depression, illness, insomnia, confusion and reversal of concepts as with numbers or directions. It can also cause self-sabotaging behavior, including over-eating and addictions; it may produce other negative patterns of behavior, which prevent us from having what we really want. This psychological block may cause pain or chronic conditions that may be difficult to heal and may even prevent healing from taking place. Taking less than one minute to complete, TFT can help eliminate the psychological block and allow healing to take place. Multiple studies have been done to examine the effectiveness of TFT on different conditions and in different environments. Statistically significant results were obtained with all problems and symptoms treated with TFT in a 1999 study at Kaiser Behavioral Health Services. These problems included anxiety, depression, alcohol abuse, anger and anxiety due to medical conditions, bereavement and chronic pain, along with other ailments. The TFT Foundation has provided free trauma relief and used these procedures around the world—from Africa and Kosovo following wars and genocide to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to Haiti after their earthquake. They have completed four studies demonstrating the effectiveness and in the process, thousands of disaster sufferers and victims of war were helped using TFT. The outcomes are recognized in the International Journal of Emergency Mental Health in recent Rwandan genocide recovery studies. A new documentary film about the work TFT has helped to accomplish in Rwanda has recently been released. The film entitled, From Trauma to Peace, was an official selection at a number of film festivals in 2015. Diane Bahr-Groth, CH, TFT-Adv, is director of Mind-Body Transformation Hypnosis Center in Stamford. She specializes in weight management, stress, fear, pain reduction, smoking cessation and success. Her office is located at 1177 High Ridge Rd, Stamford. Connect at 203-595-0110 or MindBodyTransformation.com. See ads, pages 22 and 33.
REAL FOOD. REAL FARMERS. SATURDAYS
Gilbertie’s Herb Garden 7 Sylvan Lane
10 AM - 2 PM NOV 14 - MAR 12 WESTPORTFARMERSMARKET.COM
Family and Child Psychotherapy Support and Guidance • Divorce Anxiety • Parent/Child Conflict Attachment and Bonding • Trauma • Grief Professional/Executive Coaching
Robin Ordan, LCSW 203-561-8535
www.robinordanlcsw.com Located on the Old Greenwich/Stamford Border
Be Allergy Free No Medication or Shots Needed! “Eczema, gastric reflux, bloating, asthma, sinus conditions and digestive problems are often caused by food and chemical allergies.“ Seasonal, food, and environmental allergies can be eliminated with a revolutionary, noninvasive, child-friendly technique! Enhance immune and digestive system function to assist the body in the natural healing process with computerized allergy testing, treatment, elimination, and enzyme therapy.
FREE E-Book: “How To Stop Suffering From Food Sensitivities, ‘Allergies’ and Digestion Problems” Download at: www.AllergyEliminationNorwalk.com
Call 203-838-1555 for a complimentary consultation
Dr. Mark Joachim Associates in Family Chiropractic 156 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851 www.AllergyEliminationNorwalk.com
eNaturalAwakenings.com
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The Monthly Naturally Healthy Pet Section Starts Here!
Holiday Overabundance Affects Pets Too! by Mary Oquendo
T News, articles, resources, events— all dedicated exclusively to happy, naturally healthy living for our furred, feathered and scaled animal companions For information on how you can be a part of a future issue, call
203-885-4674 or email NicoleM@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com
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he holidays have come and gone and many of us are regretting some of our culinary choices. But as we contemplate our tasty digressions, we ought to also consider the effects the holiday season may have had on our pets. Influencing Factors: • Foods outside of their regular diet: Many holiday foods are higher in fat and sugar. • Irregular mealtimes: We are always on the run; catching that last sale, attending a party or just stuck in traffic. • Guests feeding your pets under the table or your pet taking advantage of dropped food. • Pet inappropriate holiday foods left within their reach: Foods such as grapes, chocolates, raisins, onions and macadamia nuts are poisonous to dogs and cats. Artificial sweeteners like Xylitol are deadly as they may cause a fatal drop in blood sugar levels. • Traveling to friends and family: Stress of travel may cause gastric upset.
natural awakenings
• Visiting pets of friends and family: These pets may expose your pet to illnesses or disease. • Holiday plants: Many typical holiday plants are highly poisonous to pets. What Happens to an Overindulged Pet? • The Gastrointestinal system: Includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, colon and anus. Concerns include vomiting, diarrhea, gas and loss of appetite. Bloat is another problem associated with the gastrointestinal system. If your pet has a distended stomach, pacing, restlessness, burping, drooling, dry heaves or the inability to go to the bathroom, contact a veterinarian immediately as bloat is life-threatening. • Infectious concerns: Issues from coming in contact with other pets or traveling can includes tick-borne diseases, as well as canine and feline viral diseases. • Kidney, liver and pancreas damage: Inappropriate foods can overload their bodies, causing them to be unable to properly metabolize.
Emergency and After Care • Emergency hospital: Many medical concerns may escalate quickly without veterinary intervention. Do you know where the emergency veterinary hospital or clinic is located? A hospital has a veterinarian on premise, whereas a clinic may have the veterinarian on call. Always inform them before leaving to give the staff time to prepare for the pet’s arrival. If traveling, it is best to add a veterinary locator app to everyone’s smartphones. • Pet Poison Helpline: Minutes matter in a poisoning. You may need instructions before you leave for the veterinarian. This is not a free call. If you cannot reach your veterinarian, it may save the life of your pet. Pet Poison Helpline’s number is 855764-7661 and is staffed by pharmacology-trained veterinarians. • Detox: This can help remove harmful toxins in your pet’s body. However, this should be accomplished with the guidance of a holistic veterinarian as you can cause irreparable damage if done incorrectly. Preventive Care • Supplements: There are probiotics, herbs, oils and other nutritional supplements to strengthen your pet’s metabolic systems. Discuss the best options for your pet with a holistic or homeopathic veterinarian. • Mindfulness: Pay attention to the food they eat, especially any inappropriate food they may have access to. In addition, watch their stress levels. The Center for Disease Control acknowledges that stress is a major contributor to human illness and diseases. A pet’s immune and other metabolic system react in the same way to stress.
• Water: A well-hydrated pet is less susceptible to stressrelated illness. • Music: There is music specifically designed for calming pets. A search on Amazon will direct you to several options. • Safe Harbor: Provide a hiding place for your pet to go to whenever they feel overwhelmed by the holidays. It can be a crate with a blanket covering it or a bedroom with the door closed. • Essential oils: Oils such as lavender or chamomile diffused in the air with a water-based diffuser can help. Hot plate diffusers denature essential oils and may release toxins into the air. Do not use diffused essential oils around birds or cats with respiratory issues. • Reiki: This modality and other energetic work can help or for relaxation and other medical concerns. Any energetic work should be performed in conjunction with rather than in place of modern veterinarian care. • Crystals: Place blue or purple crystals such as blue lace agate, aquamarine, lepidolite and amethyst near your pet to promote tranquility. Keep stones out of reach as they may pose a choking hazard. Overindulging during the holiday season can have far-reaching consequences. However, promptly attending to any overindulgence may reduce or possibly mitigate any long-term repercussions. The holidays should be fun for all, including our pets. Mary Oquendo is a Reiki master, advanced crystal master and certified master pet tech pet first aid instructor. She is the coowner of Hands and Paws-Reiki for All. She can be reached at HandsandPawsReiki.com. See ad, page 50.
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naturalpet
The Right Vet for Your Pet
Animals Thrive with Gentle, Safe and Natural Approaches by Shawn Messonnier
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et parents have many criteria to consider when choosing a healthcare provider for their prized pet, and among the most vital is trying to find a doctor that uses holistic therapies, because the advantages are many. Wellness care is more than vaccines. While many conventional vets consider giving vaccines and flea medications to all of their patients to be their best form of wellness care, holistic vets know these aren’t always necessary and can potentially be harmful. Instead, true wellness care involves careful consid-
Final Journey,
LLC
Kristen Klie, D.V. M. and Associates
( 203 ) 645-5570 www.finaljourneyllc.com
Fairfield County Edition
Shawn Messonnier, a doctor of veterinary medicine practicing in Plano, TX, is the award-winning author of The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats and Unexpected Miracles: Hope and Holistic Healing for Pets. For more information, visit PetCareNaturally.com.
IS YOUR DESTINATION WELLNESS?
( Pet Euthanasia Service )
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eration of proper diet, blood titer testing instead of vaccines, natural parasite control when appropriate and a heavy dose of diagnostic testing (blood, urine, fecal) to monitor organ function, check for parasites, screen for disorders of the urogenital system, liver and pancreas and early screening for cancer and other inflammatory conditions. There’s also a full physical check for common diseases like dental and heart disease and tumors. Individualized prescriptions for a proper diet and supplements to maintain health are big reasons many owners prefer a holistic vet. Natural treatments include disease prevention. Many pets treated via a more natural approach have an easier experience with occasional illness than those that don’t enjoy this specialized care. Natural therapies can quickly restore an ill pet to his homeostatic balance without the side effects often associated with multiple drug doses. A team approach is expected. A holistic practice is a team effort, and the family doctor will suggest options for care, helping an owner decide on the best therapies for each pet. A fuller range of options is available. While holistic vets prefer a more natural approach, they know that if necessary, conventional therapies can sometimes be an appropriate complement if they follow holistic principles, which means infrequent use of low-dose medications and only when absolutely needed. In general, most conditions can be treated successfully without drug therapy, extending the health and life of the patient and reducing medical costs. Gentler anesthesia means quicker recovery. A naturally balanced and gentler approach means less drugging if anesthesia becomes necessary, close monitoring of an anesthetized pet, a smooth and quick recovery for prompt discharge from the hospital and natural forms of follow-up treatment to control post-operative pain and inflammation. New hope rises for the hopeless. Many pets are brought to holistic doctors after conventional care has failed to help them. Some have been turned away by practitioners of conventional medicine because their cases are diagnosed as “hopeless”. Holistic vets and pet parents alike experience considerable satisfaction in helping to give a joyful pet a whole new lease on life.
natural awakenings
Do you want to maintain or achieve wellness for you, your family and your pets easily and affordably? Call now for a free no-obligation consultation ($45 value)
203-994-5308 • 203-994-1815 HandsAndPawsReiki.com • ReikiHandsAndPaws@gmail.com
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A Few Drops Can Change Your Life! You could feel better, lose weight or increase energy and mental clarity with a few drops of Natural Awakenings DETOXIFIED IODINE daily in water or topically on the skin. The supplementation of iodine, an essential component of the thyroid, has been reported to give relief from: • Depression • Weight Gain • Fibromyalgia • Low Energy • Hypothyroidism • Hyperthyroidism • Radiation • Bacteria • Viruses
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The Hidden Deficiency Having the proper amount of iodine in our system at all times is critical to overall health, yet the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that iodine deficiency is increasing drastically in light of an increasingly anemic national diet of unpronounceable additives and secret, unlabeled ingredients. This deficit now affects nearly three-quarters of the population.
Causes of Iodine Deficiency
Radiation
Almost everyone is routinely exposed to iodine-depleting radiation
Low-Sodium Diets
Overuse of zero-nutrient salt substitutes in foods leads to iodine depletion
Iodized Table Salt
Iodized salt may slowly lose its iodine content by exposure to air
Bromine
A toxic chemical found in baked goods overrides iodine's ability to aid thyroid
Iodine-Depleted Soil Poor farming techniques have led to declined levels of iodine in soil
A Growing Epidemic Symptoms range from extreme fatigue and weight gain to depression, carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure, fibrocystic breasts and skin and hair problems. This lack of essential iodine can also cause infertility, joint pain, heart disease and stroke. Low iodine levels also have been associated with breast and thyroid cancers; and in children, intellectual disability, deafness, attention deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and impaired growth, according to studies by Boston University and the French National Academy of Medicine.
What to Do The easy solution is taking the right kind of iodine in the right dosage to rebalance thyroid function and restore health to the whole body. eNaturalAwakenings.com
January 2016
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Mastering
YOGA
The yoga community in Fairfield and lower Litchfield counties has never been more vibrant! This section provides connections to studios and teachers in the area, as well as helpful editorial to support your efforts to improve your practice.
yogabrief Women’s New Year Yogini Workshop
W
omen’s wellness coach, exercise video creator, author, and yogini Ellen Barrett, MA, will lead a body and soul bootcamp for women at the harts gallery in New Milford on January 7 from 6 to 8pm. The workshop will feature a combination of gentle movement, guided meditation and inspirational speaking. Women of all ages and from all walks of life are Ellen Barrett experiencing unprecedented levels of stress as the pace and demands continue to increase for many. Women today need a holistic approach to achieve authentic wellness, peace of mind, fitness and weight management. This workshop will provide tools to empower women to calm down, tune in, and feel optimistic about their whole selves. This workshop is for women only. No prior yoga or meditation experience is needed. All fitness levels are welcome. It costs $15 if paid through advance registration or $20 at the door.
Start Your Yoga Practice with Us in 2016! New Student Special 30 Days of Unlimited Yoga for $39(+tax)!
Visit: WeAreYogaCulture.com
To register, visit thehartsgallery.com or email thehartsgallery@gmail.com. Location: the harts gallery, 20 Bank St, New Milford.
New Studio
Grand Opening!
430 Main Ave, 2nd Floor, Norwalk
Your Personal Path to Wellness Private & Group Classes: Yoga (various styles, levels & specialties) Mindfulness Meditation Reiki & Mindful Healing Life/Business Coaching Corporate Wellness Holistic Seminars/Workshops
Yo g a a n d W e l l n e s s Nina Antolino RYT, RMT, MBA 203-354-7070 | nina@lifepathyoga.net www.Limitless-potential.net
No pretense, just authenticity….
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Kripalu Gentle Kundalini Vinyasa Prenatal 40 + Classes a Week! All Levels A Diverse Selection of Workshops 200 Hour RYT Teacher Training 30 Days/$30 Introductory Offer 50% Student Discounts (203) 254-YOGA 27 Unquowa Rd. Fairfield, CT 06824 www.yoga4everybody.net
fitbody
everyone wants to come to a class and see what it’s about.” “Seniors love it because barre helps improve their balance. It’s also perfect for people working to overcome injuries,” says Juliet. She notes that while women are predominant in classes, the tide is turning a bit toward more gender equity. “Men that enter classes as skeptical come out sweating.” One recently earned his barre teaching certificate.
Benefits of Barre
Barre Your Way to Better Fitness
Ballet-Inspired Workouts Create Long and Lean Muscles by Lynda Bassett
I
magine having a ballerina’s physique, grace, strength and flexibility. That’s the potential of barre. “Barre is a combination of ballet, yoga and Pilates principles. We use small, isometric movements to temporarily fatigue muscles and make them long and lean. The so-called fatigue is what causes muscles to shake, and therefore, change,” explains Nadia Yokarini-Kotsonis, a certified barre instructor at Physique Fitness Studio, in Grove City, Ohio. Students use a ballet barre to support themselves while doing the exercises. Yokarini-Kotsonis is among many former dancers that have embraced barre fitness. Trained in ballet, tap, contemporary and traditional dance in Athens, Greece, she discovered barre when she moved to the U.S. “I fell in love with how challenging it was and the effects and changes I saw in my body. I got certified a year later and have been teaching ever since. I’m still
in love with practicing it, no matter how tired I might be beforehand,” she says. Rather than a cardiovascular regimen, “Barre is good for developing core strength. You gain overall flexibility, muscle strength, improved posture and range of motion,” says Lisa Juliet, West Coast regional director of the teacher certification program (Barre Certification.com).
Not Just for Dancers
While barre has had some U.S. presence since the 1950s, “It’s having a resurgence now,” says Charlene Causey, a certified natural health professional and ballet body barre instructor in Pueblo, Colorado. Newfound interest began on both coasts and is quickly becoming a Midwest mainstay, according to YokariniKotsonis, who says it’s one of the most popular classes she teaches, and other studios are following suit. She remarks, “Everyone wants to offer barre, and
“What makes this workout brilliant is that the classes are designed to fit the goals and ability levels of all participants. Each set of exercises provides options ranging from the beginner to the more advanced barre enthusiast. Effective, yet safe, low-impact techniques provide ongoing challenges,” says Causey. Those that regularly practice realize many positive effects. “Your body becomes long and lean, similar to a ballet dancer’s. You learn to stand tall and become stronger with each class,” says Yokarini-Kotsonis. However, don’t expect it to be easy. “Even when you do it every day, you’ll still find it extremely challenging,” she adds. Most teachers individualize modifications for beginners. “I tell my students to do what they can. There’s no judgment here,” says Causey. Many yoga teachers offer barre classes as a beneficial complement to other sports and activities such as running. “It supplements your other endeavors,” notes Causey. Today’s barre classes feature bare feet and typical workout wear, specialized equipment and props, contemporary music and of course, the ballet barre. The whole experience is highly positive and upbeat, says Causey. Most fitness experts would agree that it’s good to add variety to workouts, and trying something new adds spice to the mix. Plus, for those that keep at it, says Yokarini-Kotsonis, “Barre can be the fastest results-oriented program you can undergo. Expect to see a change in your body in a month if you attend three to four classes a week.” Lynda Bassett is a freelance writer near Boston, MA. Connect at LyndaBassett@ gmail.com.
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greenliving
Protection Agency reports that one in 10 homes leaks a cumulative 90 gallons a day. 4 Fix the faucet. One drip per second equals 3,000 gallons a year wasted, Seametrics calculates. 4 Reset the hot water heater to 120 degrees. This safe and efficient setting also reduces corrosion and mineral buildup.
It’s Easy to Be Green
At Home and On the Road by Avery Mack
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“
iving green means living well, using what you create with minimal waste,” says Mike Bond, an ecologist and bestselling activist author in Winthrop, Maine. Here, he and other savvy sources share tips to go ever greener in ways that are painless and affordable.
Start Small 4 Choose the best bulb for the job. Light bulbs can confuse even informed shoppers. Incandescent bulbs last more than 750 hours, but aren’t energy-efficient. Fluorescent bulbs use 75 percent less energy than incandescent and last 10 to 15 times longer. A 20-watt compact fluorescent light (CFL) uses 550 fewer kilowatt-hours than a 75-watt incandescent bulb. For additional information, check Tinyurl.com/EnergyInfoLightBulbs. For a free app showing the best buy, visit LightBulbFinder.net. 4 Use appliance thermometers. Widely available, this useful tool will confirm a correct operating temperature of 37 to 40 degrees in the refrigerator and zero degrees in the freezer. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a warmer fridge allows bacteria to grow, while 10 degrees cooler than the ideal range increases energy use 25 percent. Chiller units work harder if the room temperature exceeds 70 degrees, so keep appliances out of direct sunlight and away from the stove. 4 Find the right seeds and plants. Then get quick advice on how many to buy and how and when to plant using the SmartGardener.com step-by-step app. It encompasses more than 3,000 organic, GMO-free, edible varieties. 4 No dishpan hands. A full load of dishes in a waterefficient dishwasher uses four gallons of water versus 24 gallons for handwashing them, according to Seametrics, which manufactures flow meters. 4 Test the toilet. If a few drops of food coloring added to the toilet tank colors water in the bowl, replace the flap. It’s an easy and inexpensive DIY task. The U.S. Environmental 54
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4 Discover soap nuts and wool dryer balls. Dried soapberry fruit shells contain saponin, which works like most detergents and soaps. Toss five or six whole shells (one-half ounce) in a wash bag with the laundry. They’re good for five to eight reuses. All-natural sheep’s wool dryer balls shorten drying time, soften and fluff fabric, reduce static and help keep pet hair off of clothes. 4 Change the car’s air filter. Maintain a clean filter according to manufacturer’s guidelines and visual inspection, about every 30,000 to 45,000 miles. 4 Use an oil-change service. In Connecticut alone, do-ityourselfers change 9.5 million gallons of motor oil a year, and 85 percent of it ends up in sewers, soil and trash as a major groundwater pollutant. Earth Talk reports that one quart can create a two-acre oil slick; a gallon can contaminate a million gallons of fresh water. While the more costly chemicals in synthetic oil create the same amount of pollution as traditional oil, it doesn’t need to be changed as often. 4 Carpool. The Green Living Ideas media network condones Uber, Lyft and Sidecar apps for making ridesharing ultra-accessible.
Go Greener 4 Replace old appliances with energy-efficient models. Check out a unit’s Energy Star rating. Consider a tankless heater for hot water on demand, rather than 24/7 heating. 4 Choose eco-tires. Low rolling resistance improves gas mileage and reduces emissions. Keep tires properly inflated and periodically rotated for longer wear. Watch for future innovations in sustainable materials currently in research and development. 4 Ban idling. Don’t idle an electronic fuel-injected engine for more than 30 seconds when parked in cold weather; it warms up faster by being driven, explains the U.S. Department of Energy. Fuel injection engines took over in the 1980s and early 90s. Only older carburetors need a couple of minutes’ warm-up. The Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory further advises, “Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel and emits more CO2 than engine restarting.” 4 Ask for pet- and eco-friendly antifreeze. Choose less toxic red-orange propylene glycol antifreeze instead of green ethylene glycol antifreeze, which is poisonous to pets and people. Dispose of both types properly, as they are toxic to wildlife and fish via groundwater, as well. 4 Green-clean car windows. Choose a brand like EvergreeN Windshield Washer Fluid, which is plant-derived, eco-friendly, non-toxic and biodegradable. Traditional blue fluid is methanol, combined methyl alcohol and wood alcohol, and extremely poisonous, especially to children and pets. Connect with freelance writer via AveryMack@mindspring.com.
INSPIRED
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TABLE
GOING TO THE GOATS
To advertise or participate in our next issue, call
Goat Farming in Connecticut
203-885-4674
by Leslie McLean
G
oat dairy farms are fairly new in Connecticut, but they are filling a seemingly insatiable consumer appetite for delicious goat cheeses, yogurts, and pasteurized and raw goat’s milk. In general, there are increasingly educated consumers seeking fresh, healthy and locally produced foods. The Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT) and the Department of Agriculture’s Community Farms Preservation Program have protected many farms in Connecticut, which currently has five goat dairy farms that are actually creameries, producing various products on-site. Goats have the most explosive personalities of all farm-raised animals. They are highly energetic, very intelligent, quite vocal and physically comedic. Farm goats can climb trees and will whip around from limb to limb without fear; these types of goats also have amusing dancing skills. All goats are quite strong; they adjust to the climate they are exposed to and are able to survive eating locally grown
food. Most goats are also as trainable as many dogs.
Comparison to Cow Dairy
While cow’s milk remains one of America’s most common daily drinks, it is interesting to note that it may also be the reason why many Americans experience gas, bloating and other forms of indigestion. When the average cow is given growth hormones, antibiotics, GMO-infused feed and vaccinations— while also being exposed to toxic conditions—it may trigger negative effects on humans from consuming pasteurized cow milk. Goat’s milk is widely considered a healthier alternative, especially when it is raw and organic. Goats produce about 2 percent of the global milk supply; those who consume goat milks reportedly cite a lower incidence of allergies and digestive complaints.
Benefits of Goat’s Milk
• Reaction to inflammation: Some research suggests that one of the main
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LOCAL RESOURCES
Visit Connecticut’s goat farms: Beltane Farm 59 Taylor Bridge Rd, Lebanon BeltaneFarm.com • 860-887-4709 • 860-208-2887 Tastings every Sunday 11am-3pm through Christmas or order online Guardian Farm GuardianFarm.com • GuardianFarm@gmail.com 203-906-6372 Purchase at Local Love LLC, 21 Burlington Rd, Harwinton Griffin Farmstead 30 Copper Hill Rd, East Granby 860-653-9064 • 860 716-3239 • GriffinFarmstead.com Purchase at farm or online Little Farm on Main Bethlehem • Facebook.com/LittleFarmonMain LittleFarmonMain@yahoo.com Purchase at Litchfield Winter’s Market on Saturdays OakLeaf Dairy 68 Bogg Ln, Lebanon • 860 423-0358 OakLeafDairy.com • Info@OakLeafDairy.com Purchase in retail stores, at the Lebanon Farmer’s Market or shipped throughout the U.S.
Come visit
The Common Bond Market • Store-made hot food and soups every day, with vegan and vegetarian options • Made-to-order sandwiches at our deli
• Now offering organic and craft beer • Well-stocked supplement dept. with knowlegeable and helpful staff
• Catering by our chef off
• Order grocery by the case and save 10%
40 Huntington St. Shelton, CT 203.513.8200 56
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benefits of goat’s milk is that it may benefit inflammation. This is another reason it is often easier for people with bowel inflammation to drink goat’s milk rather than cow’s milk. • Environmentally friendly: Goats requires far less space and food than cows. Typically, it is possible to comfortably raise six goats on the same acreage as two cows. • Metabolic agent: Studies done at the USDA and Prairie View A&M University link goat’s milk to an increased ability to metabolize iron and copper, especially amongst individuals with digestion and absorption limitations. Besides drinking goat’s milk, you can also take a digestive enzyme supplement to help with this. • Bio-availability: Another main health benefit of goat’s milk is that it is closer to a human mother’s milk than cow’s milk. Because it has a chemical makeup that is much closer to human milk, it is easier to digest and assimilate in the human body. • “Smaller” fat: The size of the fat molecules in goat’s milk is much smaller than those found in cow’s milk, making it easier to digest. • High in fatty acids: While cow’s milk has about 17 percent fatty acids, goat’s milk averages 35 percent fatty acids, making it more nutritionally wholesome. In fact, up to 50 percent of people with lactose intolerance to cow’s milk find that they can easily digest goat’s milk, especially if it is raw. • Rich in calcium: Many people worry that they need to drink cow’s milk for calcium intake and the prevention of bone loss. Goat’s milk also offers high amounts of calcium and the amino acid tryptophan. • Anti-mucosal: While drinking cow’s milk is a common reason for allergies and excess mucous, goat’s milk is not. Cow’s milk is high in fat, which may increase mucous build-up. Moreover, the fat globules in goat’s milk are one ninth the size of those found in cow’s milk, another possible reason why it does not produce irritation in the gut. • Ultra-nourishing: In naturopathic medicine, goats are referred to as bio-organic sodium animals. They are also associated with vigor, flexibility and vitality. Bio-organic sodium is an important element in keeping joints mobile and limber. Goat’s milk has traditionally been used in medicinal cultures to nourish and regenerate an over-taxed nervous system. Goat’s milk is also extremely nutrient dense. It has almost 35 percent of our daily needs for calcium in one cup. Extremely high in riboflavin, just one cup of goat’s milk offers 20 percent of our daily needs. Add to the list of benefits the high amounts of phosphorous, vitamin B12, protein and potassium. • Less toxic than cow’s milk: Whereas most cow’s milk is pumped full of bovine growth hormones as well as a substance known as bovine somatotropin—a hormone specific for increasing milk production in an unnatural way—goats are rarely treated with these substances. • Immune system booster: Goat’s milk has the trace mineral, selenium, a key essential mineral in keeping the immune system strong and functioning normally. Leslie McLean is a contributing writer for Natural Awakenings Fairfield County. Connect with her at 203-470-4435 or LeslieMcLean@optonline.net.
SUPER SOUPS New Twists on Old Favorites Heal, Nourish and Soothe by Judith Fertig
W
inter season soups on chilly days can warm us, both body and soul. Whatever our food preferences or time constraints, some new twists on traditional favorites will satisfy everyone’s taste buds—with an accent on healthy pleasure. Here’s where to start. Reinventing the past. From her Colorado mountain home, Jenny McGruther, author of The Nourished Kitchen, celebrates the wisdom of traditional foodways, making nutrientdense, healing soup broth from bones, water, vegetables and seasonings. McGruther’s twist is to make it in a six-quart slow cooker. Once her family has dined on organic roast or rotisserie chicken, she simmers the bones with purified water, a bay leaf or two, a few whole peppercorns and a few chopped organic vegetables like onion, carrot and celery on the low setting for
24 hours. Then she ladles the broth through a coffee strainer into another container, refreshes the slow cooker with more water and simmers the bones and seasonings for another 24 hours. Eventually, the broth will have less flavor and color, and that’s when McGruther starts all over again. “I call this perpetual soup,” she says. She blogs at NourishedKitchen.com. Slowing it down. With homemade broth on hand, it’s easy to make the Italian winter staple of Tuscan Vegetable Bean Soup. Cookbook authors and slow cooker experts Kathy Moore and Roxanne Wyss, from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, love to make this when they’re working on a cookbook deadline. They simply use what they have in the refrigerator, freezer or pantry. “With a soup like this you can always substitute one vegetable for another, adjusting the recipe to what you enjoy and have on hand,” advises
Natural Awakenings recommends using organic and non-GMO (genetically modified) ingredients whenever possible.
Photo by Stephen Blancett
consciouseating
Moore. The pair blogs at PluggedInto Cooking.com. Speeding it up. Sometimes, we need a single serving of homemade soup fast. Award-winning recipe developer and cookbook author Camilla Saulsbury, of Nacogdoches, Texas, whips up a Pumpkin Sage Soup that can simmer in a saucepan within minutes, ready to be enjoyed in a mug. Saulsbury uses organic canned pumpkin, full of vitamins, which can vary in sweetness. “If needed,” she suggests, “add a drizzle of maple syrup to enhance the flavor of the soup.” Making “bisque” in a high-speed blender. Karen Adler is an avid grower of organic tomatoes in her Kansas City garden. When the seasonal harvest comes to an end, Adler grills or oven roasts the tomatoes, along with organic peppers and onions, and then freezes them, ready to make Roasted Tomato Bisque any time of the year. “My secret to a light bisque without using cream is to blend all the roasted vegetables together with a high-speed blender to give it body. A swirl of extra-virgin olive oil at the end finishes ensuring the satisfying flavor,” she says. Going cold. Douglas McNish, head chef at Toronto’s raw and vegan restaurant Raw Aura, serves a popular Lemon, Cucumber and Dill Soup, which is easy to make in a food processor. “This soup is amazing this time of year, when most of our diets may be lacking in healthy fats and trace minerals,” says McNish. Warming up. Two cookbook authors teamed up across many miles to write 300 Sensational Soups. Meredith Deeds lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, while Carla Snyder resides in Cleveland, Ohio. They’ve mutually discovered the naturally warming properties of curry powder in Curried Coconut Chickpea Soup. Snyder observes, “A good soup nourishes the heart, as well as the stomach, spreading a feeling of satisfaction and contentment.” Judith Fertig blogs at AlfrescoFood AndLifestyle.blogspot.com from Overland Park, KS.
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beans, rinsed and drained 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil, plus additional for garnish Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Tuscan Vegetable Bean Soup Yields: 6 servings 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 large yellow onion, chopped 3 carrots, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 cup frozen, cut green beans 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 can (14.5 oz, BPA-free) diced tomatoes, with liquid 4 cups bone broth or 1 carton (32 oz) vegetable broth 2 tsp Italian seasoning 1 /8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional Salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup chopped fresh broccoli 1 can (15 oz, BPA-free) cannellini
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onions, carrot and celery and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Stir in the green beans and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Heat, covered, until boiling, and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in broccoli, cannellini beans and minced basil. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are as tender as desired. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish if desired with additional minced basil.
Photo by Stephen Blancett
SOUP’S ON! Tasty Recipes for Winter Meals
2 cups chopped peeled, seeded cucumber ½ cup chopped romaine lettuce ¼ cup filtered water ¼ cup chopped fresh dill fronds 1 clove garlic 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil ½ tsp fine sea salt In a food processor fitted with its metal blade, process cucumber, lettuce, water, dill, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. Serve garnished with a dollop of vegan sour cream, if preferred, and additional dill.
Adapted from PluggedIntoCooking.com, by Kathy Moore and Roxanne Wyss
Adapted from Eat Raw, Eat Well,
Lemon, Cucumber and Dill Soup
Pumpkin Sage Soup
Yields: 2 servings
by Douglas McNish
Yields: 1 serving ¾ cup ready-to-use chicken or vegetable broth 2 /3 cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling) ¼ tsp dried rubbed sage 3 Tbsp half-and-half, whole milk or coconut creamer Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1525 Black Rock Tpke Fairfield CT 06825 203.576.1455
We are a full service bakery specializing in custom cakes, gourmet cupcakes, pastries, cookies and desserts. Gluten free options are available.
www.alinaspatisserie.com 58
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In a saucepan, bring the broth, pumpkin and sage to a simmer over medium-high heat. In the mug, stir broth, pumpkin and sage until blended. Stir in cream and heat for 1 minute more. Season it to taste with salt and pepper before pouring into a mug. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds. Adapted from 250 Best Meals in a Mug, by Camilla V. Saulsbury
Coconut Curried Chickpea Soup Yields: 6 servings 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp curry powder 1 lb small, red-skinned potatoes, ½-inch diced 4 cups vegetable stock 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk ½ tsp salt 2 cans (each 14 to 19 oz, BPA-free) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 zucchini, ½-inch diced 1 Tbsp packed light brown or date sugar 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 2 cups (about 3 oz) packed baby spinach Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Toasted shredded coconut for garnish In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add curry powder and sauté another 10 seconds. Add potatoes and stir to coat. Add stock and coconut milk; cook for 10 minutes. Add chickpeas and zucchini; cook another 10 minutes, or until potatoes and zucchini are tender. Stir in brown sugar and lime juice. Add spinach and stir until wilted. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into heated bowls and garnish with coconut. Adapted from 300 Sensational Soups, by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds
1084 Post Road, Darien • 24 Railroad Place, Westport www.olivettect.com • (203) 621-0643
Whole Foods Market is bringing you natural & organic foods at premium quality, not premium prices. Westport 399 Post Road West, CT 203.227.6858 Greenwich 90 E. Putnam Avenue, CT 203.661.0631 Darien 150 Ledge Road, CT 203.662.0577
SPICE-CRUSTED ROAST SALMON WITH GINGER BEETS (Serves 8)
This simple, festive treatment for a whole side of salmon is an easy way to feed a crowd with style. You can substitute a mix of peppercorns (green, white, pink and black— sometimes called rainbow peppercorns) for the black and pink ones called for in this mix.
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 pound beets (about 8 medium), peeled and cut into wedges 1 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the parchment paper 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns 1/2 teaspoon pink peppercorns 2 teaspoons coriander seeds 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt 1 whole side (about 3 pounds) boneless salmon, skin on 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh chives 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves • Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place beets on a rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold them in a single layer. Sprinkle with ginger, fine sea salt and 1 tablespoon of the oil; toss to coat. Roast in the middle of the oven, stirring once or twice during cooking, until tender and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. • Meanwhile, place black peppercorns in a spice grinder and pulse once or twice until cracked, or place them on a cutting board and crack with a rolling pin. Add pink peppercorns, coriander seeds, rosemary and coarse sea salt; continue to pulse or crush until the mixture is very coarsely ground. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, oil the paper, and place salmon on top; fold the thin tail section under if the fillet is too large for the baking sheet. Brush salmon with remaining 2 teaspoons oil and sprinkle with peppercorn mixture. After beets have roasted for about 15 minutes, place salmon on the top rack of the oven and roast until just lightly pink in the center, about 15 minutes. • Loosen salmon from the parchment with a spatula, then use 2 large spatulas to transfer salmon to a platter. Spoon beets around salmon and sprinkle them with chives and parsley.
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calendarofevents
markyourcalendar
Magazine calendar events must be received by January 12 (for February issue) and adhere to our guidelines. All calendar submissions must be entered online at eNaturalAwakenings.com: click on “submit calendar” at the very top of the page. FRIDAY, JANUARY 1 Free New Year’s Day Meditation – 3-4:30pm. With Beth Leas. Guided meditation as we step into the portal of a new beginning together—harnessing the collective energy as we release 2015 and step fully in 2016. Free. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566. TLCCenter@aol.com. TLCCenter.com.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 2 Empowering Relationships II – 9:30am5pm. Learn simple ways to handle conflict, be more assertive and experience greater love. Must pre-register. By donation. Muktinath Holistic Center, 755 Main St (Rt 25), Monroe. 203-518-5808. MuktinathHC@gmail.com. MuktinathHolisticCenter.com Reiki 1st Degree Workshop – 9:30am-5:30pm. With Gigi Benanti. Learn Western style from an experienced Reiki master (20 years). Includes latest info. Learn how to use Reiki for self-healing and healing for others. 2 manuals and certificate. $125. Angelic Healing Center for Reiki, 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk. 203-852-1150. AngelHealReikiGigiB@snet.net. AngelHealReiki.com.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 3 Burning Bowl Celebration Service – 10:30am. Find the good from the past year and plan to see the Presence of God in each day of the upcoming year. Wear white to symbolize our clean slate. Love offering. Unity Center of Norwalk, 3 Main St, 2nd Fl, Norwalk. 203-855-7922. Office@UnityCenterNorwalk.org. UnityCenterNorwalk.org. Welcome 2016! Women’s Afternoon Retreat – 1-5pm. With Beth Leas. Unwind and reconnect with what is emerging within you. Learn simple, powerful tools for self-care, clarify your vision for the year ahead and create a personal mandala collage for inspiration. $75. Redding Meditation Center, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, W. Redding. 203856-9566. TLCCenter@aol.com. BethLeas.com.
Monthly meeting. Come together as women and healers. Each month explore a variety of topics including sacred healing and women’s plant allies. $25/per session. Twin Star Herbal Education, 65 Bank St, New Milford. 203-313-7883. TwinStarHerbInfo@gmail.com. TwinStarHerbal.com. Naam Yoga Healing Circle – 8pm. First Wednesday. With Linda Fiske. Guided mantra and breath meditation to promote healing. Come and pray for yourself and/or others. $5/donation. Naam Yoga Connecticut, 164 Greenwood Ave, Bethel. 203-7302400. Info@NaamYogaCT.com. NaamYogaCt.com.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 Reiki Level 1 Workshop – 10am-5:30pm. With Gigi Benanti. Learn Western style from an experienced Reiki master (20 years). Includes latest info. Learn how to use Reiki for self-healing and healing for others. 2 manuals and certificate. $125. Angelic Healing Center for Reiki, 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk. 203-852-1150. AngelHealReikiGigiB@snet.net. AngelHealReiki.com. TLC TarotScope Friday – 7-9pm. With Beth Leas. We will pull one card for each month of the year to create your own personalized road map of 2016. A fun and magical evening. $40. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-8569566. TLCCenter@aol.com. TLCCenter.com. Shamanic Healing Drum Circle – 7:30-10:30pm. Join us to connect with energy, spirit and Mother Earth through sacred Shamanic drumming, rattling and Shamanic healing. All levels welcome, no experience necessary. $20. Hunter Healing Hands, 215 Harbor Ave, Bridgeport. 203-9168381. HunterHealingHands@hotmail.com. HunterHealingHands.com.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 9
Reiki 1 Certification Training – 9am-2pm. With Beth Leas, Reiki Master (25 years). Starting point for those interested in energy healing and a great adjunct for practitioners/teachers of other modalities. Focus on learning self-practice, bringing more balance into WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6 life. $245.3:52 TLCPM Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. S&SF NaturalAwakenings_Jan2016_3.5x2_Layoutone’s 1 12/17/15 Page 13 Moons: A Women’s Healing Circle – 6-9pm. 203-856-9566. TLCCenter@aol.com. BethLeas.com.
Become a Professional Certified Crystal Healing Practitioner!
Hunter Healing Hands Crystal Healing Intenstive
An Accredited Certification Training Program Part 1 Saturday April 2 Sunday, April 3 9am to 5pm Part 2 Saturday, April 30 Sunday, May 1 9am to 5pm Includes a full set of healing crystals. A certificate is issued upon completion of Part 2. Contact Jessica at 203-916-8381, or email HunterHealingHands@hotmail.com. Visit HunterHealingHands.com for more program information. Introduction to Chinese Medical Aromatherapy – 11am-1pm. Explore essential oils in everyday use: compare fragrances; properties; directional flow; concept of base, middle, top notes. Construct an essential oil blend based on Alchemical Aromatherapy. $5/includes essentail oil blend you’ve created. Rooted in Spirit Healing Arts Center, 544 Riverside Ave, Westport. 203-226-8897. Patricia@ PatSinger.com. PatSinger.com. Toolbox: Resolving Colds and Flu – 2-4pm. Strategies that assist and resolve various stages of colds or flu using essential oil blends to be diffused, used in baths, placed on acupuncture points; stones/crystals; Dietary Therapy. $50/includes 3 essential oil blends. Rooted in Spirit Healing Arts Center, 544 Riverside Ave, Westport. 203-226-8897. Patricia@ PatSinger.com. PatSinger.com. Chakradance: Celebration – 6-8:30pm. With Khristee Rich, Chakradance Facilitator. Balance your chakras through dance. Includes shamanic dance, meditation and creating an art mandala in a candlelit room. No dance experience necessary. Adults of all ages. $45. Basil Yoga Center, 31 Bailey Ave, Ridgefield. 203-733-8250. Khristee@ TheDancingCurtain.com. TheDancingCurtain.com. Naam Yoga Full Moon Celebration – 8-10pm. With Regina Snyder. Naam Yoga ritual to celebrate the New Moon. This is the best time to manifest and bring in all things new, health, abundance and
Moss Mountain at
STICKS & STONES FARM A family farm hosting healing, educational, and musical events for the community.
Salt Therapy and Wellness Center
Getting to the Core of Natural Recovery sticksandstonesfarm.com or call 203 270 8820 60
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787 Main Street South • Woodbury 203.586.1172 • www.NaturalSaltHealing.com
markyourcalendar LifePath Yoga & Wellness January Workshop Schedule 2016 Women’s Intention Setting Workshop: Create the Life You Love Saturday, 1/9 12:30-3pm • with Nina Antolino Yoga Therapeutics for Neck & Shoulder Pain with Matan Cohen-Citron Saturday, 1/16 12:30-2:30pm New Year’s Retreat • with Irene Genovese Sunday, 1/17 1-4pm Soul Dance • with Irene Genovese Saturday, 1/23 2:30-4pm Yin Yoga • with Robert Ortner Sunday, 1/24 12:30-2:30pm Sivananda: 5 Points of Yoga • with Miriam Zernis Saturday, 1/30 12:30-2pm Register for all workshops at LifePathYoga.net. For more information, call 203-354-7070 430 Main Ave, 2nd Fl, Norwalk prosperity. $18.08. Naam Yoga Connecticut, 164 Greenwood Ave, Bethel. 203-730-2400. Info@ NaamYogaCT.com. NaamYogaCt.com.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 10 Circles, Dreams and the Mysteries of Mary Magdalene – 1-2pm. Author & intuitive Gloria Amendola is a master dream decoder and a trained facilitator of The Magdalene Circle where we explore ancient and contemporary roots of the divine feminine. Free. Twin Star Herbal Education, 65 Bank St, New Milford. 203-313-7883. TwinStarHerbInfo@gmail.com. TwinStarHerbal.com.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 12 Focused Creating – 10am-12:30pm. Technique separates out key areas in your life, defining desires, hopes and dreams. You’ll establish a singular visionary statement encompassing the whole, which creates direction, focus, insight and ultimately manifestation. $40. Rooted in Spirit Healing Arts Center, 544 Riverside Ave, Westport. 203-226-8897. Patricia@PatSinger.com. PatSinger.com. Live Class - The 52: Discovering the True You in 52 Simple Lessons – 7:30-9pm. Tuesdays, 1/122/23. With Deanne Mincer, author and inspirational speaker. Following weekly practices to bring the changes you’d like to see in your life. Learn affirmations, breathing techniques, mindfulness, spiritual teachings and many others. $100. Ridgefield. DMinc100@aol.com. DeanneMincer.com.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13 Kindermorning – 9-11:30am. Enjoy a sample early childhood class along with your 3-6 year old child: joyful play, beautiful watercolor painting, seasonal songs, creative movement and a nutritious snack. RSVP required. Free. Housatonic Valley Waldorf School, North Campus, Early Childhood Campus, 40 Dodgingtown Rd, Newtown. 203-3641113. TLederer@WaldorfCT.org. WaldorfCT.org.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 14 The Holistic Chamber of Commerce: New Haven Chapter Monthly Meeting – 6:30-8:30pm. To Register and for more information, contact New Haven chapter president Rosa Chyan at 203-228-1777, NewHaven@HolisticChamberOfCommerce.com, or HolisticChamberofCommerce.com/NewHaven. The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd, Bethany. 203-874-4252. Info@Learn.edu. Learn.edu. Fire Cider Workshop: Ultimate Homemade Flu/Cold Remedy – 7-9pm. Tonic revered for its ability to help prevent cold and flu symptoms and/or shorten their duration. Sample a variety of Fire Cider recipes and create your own warming, energizing concoction. Historical/ Medicinal overview plus workshop. $20/materials included. Woodbury. 860-354-4881. ColonialGoodwife@ gmail.com. GroundedHolisticWellness.com.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 16 Reiki 2 Certification Training – 9am-2pm. Learn 3 Reiki symbols and how to apply them for additional empowerment. Receive the Reiki 2 Attunement and access a finer level of energy. Expand your healing abilities by offering Reiki through time and space. $345. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-8569566. TLCCenter@aol.com. BethLeas.com. Children’s Book Release Party – 10am-noon. With Velya Jancz-Urban, author/teacher. Celebrate the release of children’s hands-on science book, Whooo Eats What? Make your own owl snack, create a pine cone owl ornament, book signing, and meet the Author. Registration required. Free. Old Woodbury Town Hall, 5 Mountain Rd, Woodbury. 203-263-3113. JMiller@WoodburyCT.org. HowCoolisThat.name. WoodburyParksandRec.org. Focused Creating – 10am-12:30pm. This technique separates out key areas in your life, defining desires, hopes and dreams. You’ll establish a singular visionary statement encompassing the whole, which creates direction, focus, insight and ultimately manifestation. $40. Rooted in Spirit Healing Arts Center, 544 Riverside Ave, Westport. 203-226-8897. Patricia@PatSinger.com. PatSinger.com.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 17 The Law of Attraction & The Natural Laws of the Universe – 11am-1pm. Learn to manifest and create the life you desire for 2016. Workshop will incorporate discussion and exercises about what they are, how they work, and how to work with them. $40/registration requried. Hunter Healing Hands, 215 Harbor Ave, Bridgeport. 203-916-8381. HunterHealingHands@ hotmail.com. HunterHealingHands.com.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 19 Hey Baby, What’s Your Sign? – 6:30-9pm. With Laura Watkins. The first in 6-class series to study the basics of astrology as a tool to learn about yourself and to help navigate your day-to-day life. Informative and fun. $50. Twin Star Herbal Education, 65 Bank St, New Milford. 203-313-7883. TwinStarHerbInfo@gmail.com. TwinStarHerbal.com.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 22 Spirit Circle with Psychic Medium, James Luse – 7-10pm. With James Luse, psychic medium. Evening of spirit communication, messages and inspiration of the highest love and wisdom. Receive healing messages from loved ones and spirit guides. Refreshments provided. $40/pre-registration. Hunter Healing Hands,
markyourcalendar TLC Jump Start 2016 MasterMind Group Begins January 12, 10:30am-12:30pm Are you on the brink of success, but not sure how to get from here to there? Looking for inspiration and balance? Join a group and receive the support of others in a similar situation.
$595
(includes 1 hour private business coaching).
Run by Beth Leas at TLC Center 152 East Ave, Norwalk 203-856-9566 TLCCenter@aol.com • TLCCenter.com 215 Harbor Ave, Black Rock, Bridgeport. 203916-8381. HunterHealingHands@hotmail.com. HunterHealingHands.com.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 23 Naam Yoga Full Moon Celebration – 8-10pm. With Regina Snyder. The Full Moon is the time for healing. Bring your mental, emotional and physical bodies into balance. Let go of unhealthy patterns, sending healing to places in need and opening yourself to receive Divine Love. $18.08. Naam Yoga Connecticut, 164 Greenwood Ave, Bethel. 203-7302400. Info@NaamYogaCT.com. NaamYogaCt.com.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 24 Transforming Toxicity: A Continued Education Training for Reiki Practitioners – 10am-1pm. Learn to transform toxicity with Reiki, based on the teachings of Reiki Master, Brett Bevell. Include an attunement, lecture and hands on training. Certificate issued upon completion. $40/pre-registration. Hunter Healing Hands, 215 Harbor Ave, Black Rock, Bridgeport. 203-916-8381. HunterHealingHands@ hotmail.com. HunterHealingHands.com. TLC Healing & Psychic Sunday – 11am-4pm. A day of insight, clarity, peace and healing brought to you by the professionals at TLC Center. Healing sessions and readings $20/20min. Choose from massage, energy healing, tarot readings and more. Free admission and mini-workshops. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566. TLCCenter@aol.com. TLCCenter.com.
MONDAY, JANUARY 25 Free Introduction: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) – 6:30-8:30pm. With Sheila Wall and Carol Shear. Informational introduction to 8-week program. MBSR is a method of using mindfulness meditation and gentle yoga, cultivating non-judgmental present moment awareness to reduce stress, pain and illness. Free. Unitarian Universalist, 24 Clapboard Ridge Rd, Danbury. 203216-6243. SMWall@optonline.net. RiseUpCoaching.com. DanburyMBSR.eventbrite.com.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26 Windows into Waldorf – 8:45-11am. Experience firsthand a truly developmental approach to education. Adults tour the school while classes are in session and then participate in a Q & A. Adults only. RSVP required. Free. Housatonic Valley Waldorf School, South Campus, Compass Hall, Lower Level, 1 Jacklin Rd, Newtown. 203-3641113. TLederer@WaldorfCT.org. WaldorfCT.org.
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ongoingcalendar
calendar ofevents The Graduate Institute Information Session – 6:30-7:30pm. Free. The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd, Bethany. 203-874-4252. Info@Learn. edu. Learn.edu/Events.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 28 Free Introduction: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) – 6:30-8:30pm. With Sheila Wall and Carol Shear. Informational introduction to 8-week program. MBSR is a method of using mindfulness meditation and gentle yoga, cultivating non-judgmental present moment awareness to reduce stress, pain and illness. Free. Unitarian Universalist, 24 Clapboard Ridge Rd, Danbury. 203-216-6243. SMWall@optonline.net. RiseUpCoaching.com. DanburyMBSR.eventbrite.com. Energetic Boundaries: Tools for Healing and Transformation for HSP’s, Empaths & Clairsentients – 7-9pm. Learn a variety of energetic, shamanic and crystal techniques for transformation and healing to learn how to protect yourself, decipher energies and transform imbalances. $40/pre-registration. Hunter Healing Hands, 215 Harbor Ave, Black Rock, Bridgeport. 203-916-8381. HunterHealingHands@ hotmail.com. HunterHealingHands.com.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29 Reiki Second Degree Workshop – 10am-5:30pm. With Gigi Benanti, Reiki master/teacher (20 years). Learn to send distance Reiki healing, deepen use of Reiki for others and yourself. 2 powerful energy connections from my short Japanese/ Usa Linage. Two manuals and certificate. $215. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk. 203-852-1150. AngelHealReikiGigiB@snet.net. AngelHealReiki.com.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30 Reiki Second Degree – 9:30am-5:30pm. With Gigi Benanti, Reiki master/teacher (20 years). Learn to send distance Reiki healing, deepen use of Reiki for others and yourself. 2 powerful energy connections from my short Japanese/ Usa Linage. Two manuals and certificate. $215. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk. 203-852-1150. AngelHealReikiGigiB@snet.net. AngelHealReiki.com.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4 An Evening at the Acquiescence Farmhouse – 7-9pm. Join us for a tour of the 1770 house, a presentation of The Not-So-Good Life of the Colonial Goodwife and refreshments - including homemade Apple Brandy Cordial, organic Women’s Tonic Tea, and dessert. Meet Woodbury author Velya Jancz-Urban. $10. Woodbury. 860-354-4881. ColonialGoodwife@gmail.com. ColonialGoodwife.com. Eurythmy Performance; an Eighth Grade Performance – 7pm. The movement art known as eurythmy, developed by Rudolf Steiner, is unique to Waldorf schools. Helps children become more imaginative, graceful, coordinated, alert and at ease within themselves. Free. Housatonic Valley Waldorf School, 1 Jacklin Rd, South Campus, Compass Hall, lower level, Newtown. 203-3641113. TLederer@WaldorfCT.org. WaldorfCT.org.
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sunday New Beginnings in Community Sunday Service – 10am. Join this group of spiritually-minded people embracing and honoring all world religions, belief systems, cultures and traditions. Come together to share thoughts, experiences and wisdom in a supportive environment. Free. Mystics By The Sea, 394 New Haven Ave, Milford. 203-980-6272. NewBeginningsInCommunity.Weebly.com. Family Program (Kids and Teens) – 10-11:30am. First and third Sunday. Introducing kids to meditation, metta, yoga, art practice, a discussion of mindfulness in everyday life, generosity, compassion, letting go of negative mind states and other basic Parents can meditate in the main building. Contact Matt Keeler at MmKeeler@gmail.com. ReddingMeditation.org. Mahasati Insight Meditation – 10-11:30am. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way. 203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org. Celebration Service – 10:30am-noon. With Rev. Shawn Moninger Inspiring message supports your spiritual unfoldment with thought provoking, soul healing topics and uplifting music. By donation. Unity Center of Norwalk, 3 Main St, 2nd Flr, Norwalk. 203-855-7922. Office@UnityCenterNorwalk. org. UnityCenterNorwalk.org. Albertson Church Service – 11am-12:30pm. Includes an inspirational talk from caring ministers, guided meditation, time to receive healing energy and spirit messages from those we continue to love. Free. Albertson Church of Spiritualism, 293 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich. 203-637-4615.
monday Women’s Reflective Writing Series – 9:30-11am. With Beth Leas. 3-week series designed to lead to powerful insights and discoveries. No writing experience necessary. Thoughtful questions designed to stimulate new ways of looking at yourself and your life. $120. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203856-9566. TLCCenter@aol.com. TLCCenter.com. Monday Morning Meditation – 11:30am-12:30pm. With Beth Leas. Practical approach supports you as you develop a solid life skill. Whether you’ve never meditated or you’re a sage meditator - this class is for you. Explore different meditation techniques each week. $30. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566. Beth@BethLeas.com. BethLeas.com. Kids Relaxation and Meditation: Yoga Style – 5-5:30pm. Children are encouraged to play yoga and experience how their breath and body move together in a fun-filled way. Program promotes inner-strength, confidence and self-esteem and love for one’s self, inside and out. $10. 3 Rt 39, Unit #5, New Fairfield. 203-885-0577. WholeFitNF@gmail. com. EarthFITnf.com/Whole-Fit.
natural awakenings
Mahasati Insight Meditation – 7-8:30pm. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way. 203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org. Monday Meditation for Everyone – 7:30-9pm. This is Meditation Guided Imagery for relaxation and stress reduction. It also helps you move forward on your spiritual path. No experience necessary. $20. Soul Focus, 145 Grassy Plain St, Bethel. 203-570-3868. Reiki Share – 7:30-9:30pm. Fourth Monday. With JoAnn Inserra Duncan, MS, RMT. Practice Reiki in a small group setting. Share experiences and help each other develop in a safe, fun environment while providing a wonderful, relaxing, rejuvenating experience. $20. Registration required. Turning Point Healing Arts and Education Center, 100B Danbury Rd, Ste 101, Ridgefield. 203-438-3050. TurningPointReiki.com.
tuesday TLC Monthly Networking Breakfast – 8:3010am. First Tuesday. Looking for a community of healthy living professionals? Relaxed supportive group of professionals. Grab a friend, your biz cards and join us for a fun morning of connecting. Free. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203-856-9566. Beth@BethLeas.com. TLCCenter.com. Yoga Therapeutics – 9-10:15am. With Dr. Kathy Sward. Designed for those with chronic pain, health conditions, prevention and other health concerns. Traditional poses are expertly modified to allow the mind to calm, joints to align and muscles lengthen and strengthen. $15. Redding Center for Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 203-207-1613. Dr.KathySward@gmail.com. DrKathySward.com. Healing Flow – 9:30-10:30am. Series of stretches, moves and poses; concentrating on breath. Improve flexibility and core strength while reducing stress. Create a lasting sense of calm. $14. 3 Rt 39, Unit #5, New Fairfield. 203-885-0577. WholeFitNF@ gmail.com. EarthFITnf.com/Whole-Fit. Heart’s Desire Method – 10:30am. With Tanya. Heart’s Desire is a process designed to focus our intentions and assist us in manifesting our dreams. We are able to use our own Heart’s Desire as a force for powerful change. Workshop will help you discover your deepest desires. Love Offering. Unity Center of Norwalk, 3 Main St, 2nd Fl, Norwalk. 203-855-7922. Office@UnityCenterNorwalk.org. UnityCenterNorwalk.org.
Toastmasters – Noon. Interested in public speaking? Monroe-Trumbull Toastmasters is a chartered club of Toastmasters International dedicated to improving members’ communication and leadership skills. Meets alternate Tuesdays. Body Smart, Crescent Village, 115 Main St, Unit 11, Monroe. 203-459-6773. Franny. Hannigan@charter.com. ToastMastersClubs.org. Tai Chi Classes – Noon-1pm & 6-7pm. With Tai Chi Master Rich. For all levels of fitness. Known to reduce stress, increase focus and balance. Focus is on purposeful work to improve well-being and self. $25/drop-in, $85/1 class per week-month. $150/unlimited classes month. Kindred Spirits, 59 Ledgewood Rd, Redding. 203-938-3690.. Mahasati Insight Meditation – 12:30-2pm. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way. 203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org. Kung Fu Classes – 1-2pm & 7-8pm. With Sensei Rich. The ancient of art of Kung Fu is known for its ability to increase mental focus, strength, flexibility and balance and for its self defense moves. $25/ drop-in, $85/1 class per week-month. $150/unlimited classes month. Kindred Spirits, 59 Ledgewood Rd, Redding. 203-938-3690. Meditating Holistically – 6:30-8pm. With Urgyan, a Western Buddhist lama sharing a rich practice of traditional meditation guidance directed toward holistic integration. Group meditation and discussion, devoted to our mutual innermost truths. $15. Location: ah Yoga, 168 New Milford Tpke (Rt 202), New Preston. 860-868-6707 or Danbury Area Vajrayana Buddhist Meditation on Meetup.com. Angelic Healing Group – 7-9pm. First Tuesday. Experience the healing energy of the Angelic Realm. Your energy body will be infused with the love and light of the Divine through meditation and hands-on touch. $20. Stevens Memorial Church, 8 Shady Ln, South Salem, NY. 203-438-4893. Reiki Shares – 7:30-10:15pm. First and third Tuesdays. Gigi Benanti Usui/Karuna Reiki Master/ Teacher. For Reiki practitioners only. Exchange ongoing since 1996. Instructions included. $20. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk. Pre-register: 203-852-1150.
wednesday Understanding Brain Wave Training – 10:3011:30am. First & third Wednesday. Discuss how conditions such as ADD, anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain and others have unique, abnormal brainwave patterns that can be improved using BrainCore Neurofeedback Therapy. Free. Halo Studios - Club Room, 45 Grove St, upstairs in tennis center, New Canaan. 203-316-8212. Info@ NorwalkBrainCore.com. NorwalkBrainCore.com. Vinyasa Yoga – 6:15pm. In Vinyasa yoga, your movements are synchronized to the breath. This style is sometimes also called flow yoga, because of the smooth way that the poses run together and become like a dance. $14 or co-op rate. 3 Rt 39, Unit #5, New Fairfield. 203-885-0577. WholeFitNF@ gmail.com. EarthFITnf.com/Whole-Fit. Reiki Share – 6:30-8:30pm. First Wednesday. With June and Tracy. Come join our circle of practitioners for sharing and caring and healing. All levels of prac-
titioners are welcome. Please RSVP. $15. Kindred Spirits, 59 Ledgewood Rd, Redding. 203-938-3690.
2016
Meditation – 7-8pm. Transform you by healing the chakras through the release of long-held negative thoughts and beliefs, stagnant emotions, and discordant vibrations. Active-style meditation. All faiths and cultures welcomed. Perfect for all levels. By donation. Muktinath Holistic Center, 755 Main St (Rt 25), Monroe. 203-518-5808. MuktinathHC@ gmail.com. MuktinathHolisticCenter.com.
editorial calendar
Mahasati Insight Meditation – 7-8:30pm. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faith s develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way. 203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org. Stamford Positive Living Forum – 7-8:30pm. Second Wednesday. Meetings feature inspirational speakers who aim to introduce you yo happiness boosters and techniques to lead to emotional and physical well-being, happiness and an overall sense of positivity. Free. Innovation Center of Stamford, Old Town Hall, 175 Atlantic St, Stamford. 203-962-1062. Donna.M.Vella@gmail.com. HappinessClub.com.
FEBRUARY connections
Using Smart Body (Kinesiology) for Everyday – 7-9pm. Third Wednesday. Learn how to sense the energy of foods, supplements, books, places and more. Sense what you cannot see and therefore make better choices. Learn how to change energy. Presentation and discussion. $20. Newtown Congregational Church, 14 West St, Newtown. 203-377-6162. Bruce.Zboray@yahoo.com. TrinityProduction.org. Holistic Moms Network Fairfield County, CT Chapter – 7:30pm. Second Wednesday. Associates in Family Chiropractic & Natural Health Care, 156 East Ave, Norwalk. Home.Homewebs.com/ HMNFairfieldCtyCT. Turning Point S.H.A.R.E. Divorce Group – 7:30-9:30pm. Third Wednesdays. Offering support, healing, advocacy, resources and education for women in the process of, or recently divorced. $20, $150/10-session card. Registration required. Turning Point Healing Arts and Education Center, 100B Danbury Rd, Ste 101, Ridgefield. 203-438-3050. TurningPointShare.com.
thursday Tea and Meditation – 9:30-11am. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way. By donation. Redding Center for Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 203-244-3130. Info@ ReddingMeditation.org. ReddingMeditation.org. Thursday Morning Meditation for Moms – 9:3011am. Come and unwind with a Guided Meditative Journey geared to release stress and a healthful more positive understanding of self. $20. Soul Focus, 145 Grassy Plain St, Bethel. 203-570-3868. Tai Chi Classes – Noon-1pm & 6-7pm. With Tai Chi Master Rich. For all levels of fitness. Known to reduce stress, increase focus and balance. Focus is on purposeful work to improve well-being and self. $25/drop-in, $85/1 class per week-month. $150/unlimited classes month. Kindred Spirits, 59 Ledgewood Rd, Redding. 203-938-3690.
JANUARY detoxification plus: dance power
plus: seasonal affective disorder
MARCH green planning and planting
plus: healing chronic pain/illness
APRIL everyday sustainability plus: seasonal allergies
MAY women’s wellness plus: hormone health
JUNE men’s health plus: fitness
JULY food integrity
plus: natural beauty
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Kung Fu Classes – 1-2pm & 7-8pm. With Sensei Rich. The ancient of art of Kung Fu is known for its ability to increase mental focus, strength, flexibility and balance and for its self defense moves. $25/ drop-in, $85/1 class per week-month. $150/unlimited classes month. Kindred Spirits, 59 Ledgewood Rd, Redding. 203-938-3690. Zumba – 6-7pm. Designed to bring people together to sweat it out. Mix of low- and high-intensity moves for an interval-style, calorie-burning dance fitness party. Workout combining all elements of fitness; cardio, muscle conditioning, balance and flexibility. $14. 3 Rt 39, Unit #5, New Fairfield. 203-885-0577. WholeFitNF@gmail.com. EarthFITnf.com/Whole-Fit. CHADD/ADHD Parent Support Group – 7-8:30pm. 3rd and 4th Thursdays. Monthly discussion on parenting child(ren) with an ADD/ADHD diagnosis. Form connections with other parents and gain skills and education to support your child(ren). Free. The Offices of Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, 898 Ethan Allen Hwy, Ridgefield. 203-438-4848. DrRoseannInfo@att.net. DrRoseann.com. EFT Tapping Circle Meetup – 7-8:30pm. Second and fourth Thursdays. Come learn about your energy body. Every month will be a different topic or exercise. No experience needed, all are welcome. $15. Location given with RSVP. 203-247-1318.Robin@ RobinFriedman.net. EnergyToolsForDailyLiving.com. Meditating Holistically – 7-8:30pm. With Urgyan, a Western Buddhist lama sharing a rich practice of traditional meditation guidance directed toward holistic integration. Group meditation and discussion, devoted to our mutual innermost truths. $15. YogaSpace, 78 Stony Hill Rd, Bethel. 203-730-YOGA or Danbury Area Vajrayana Buddhist Meditation on Meetup.com. Reiki Healing Circle – 7-9pm. Second Thursday. All welcome. Non-Reiki & Reiki practitioners share and experience Reiki. See details on Unity website. Hosted by Gigi Benanti Reiki master/teacher. $20. Unity Center for Practical Spirituality, 3 Main St, Norwalk. 203-852-1150. AngelHealReikiGiGiB@snet.net. AngelHealReiki.com, UnityCenterNorwalk.org.
friday Fire Your Core: Form of Pilates – 8:30-9:30am. Perform core exercises that work both lower and upper abs as well as the obliques, for a complete core workout that will help with stability and balance. $14 or coop rate. 3 Route 39, Unit #5, New Fairfield. 203-885-0577. WholeFitNF@gmail.com. EarthFITnf.com/Whole-Fit. Reiki Share – 9:30-11:30am. First Friday. With JoAnn Inserra Duncan, MS, RMT. Practice Reiki in a small group setting. Share experiences and help each other develop in a safe, fun environment while providing a wonderful, relaxing, rejuvenating experience. $20. Registration required. Turning Point Healing Arts and Education Center 100B Danbury Rd, Ste 101, Ridgefield. 203-438-3050. TurningPointReiki.com. Free Mommy & Me Yoga – 10am. With Brooke de Weaver. We supply water and mats - just bring yourself and your kids. Free. Yogasmoga Townhouse, 68 Greenwich Ave, Greenwich. Student Massage Clinic – 11am-1pm. Relax and enjoy a full-body massage at the Danbury Campus public Student Massage Therapy Clinic. Wednesday evenings
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or Friday mornings available. $30/50 minutes. RidleyLowell Business & Technical Institute, 24 Shelter Rock Rd, Danbury. Call for appt: 203-748-0052. Teen Meditation – 5-6pm. This is an enjoyable approach to the understanding of self and how you fit into the world in which you can grow with confidence. Come and explore a guided meditative journey that helps to melt away stress and anxiety. For teens and up. $15. Soul Focus, 145 Grassy Plains St, Bethel. 203-570-3868. Discussion with Spirit – 7:30pm. Last Friday. Bring questions, receive channeled information to help understand who you are, why you’ve come to the earth plane and empower yourself with messages from Spirit and loved ones. $35. Private residence, Monroe. Information/RSVP: 203-268-3262. Circle of Life – 7:30-9:30pm. Third Friday. Explore topics such as love, trust, permission and forgiveness as tools in navigating through life’s opportunities, losses and changes. Learn how to bring love, life and happiness. Notetaking welcome and encouraged. $40. Bridgeport location given with registration: 203-268-3262. TrinityProduction.org.
saturday Angelic Reiki Meditation with Essential Oils – 8-9am. Receive short, hands-on Angelic Reiki, experience powerful techniques to reduce stress and relax. $10. Angelic Healing Center, 7 Morgan Ave (in the back, downstairs), Norwalk. Pre-register: 203-852-1150. Love Yourself Fit Meetings – 8:30am. Support for your sacred journey of real weight loss. Meetings offer you a place to be accountable to your highest vision for your healthiest self. $15. Insights Wellness Center, 458 Monroe Tpke, Monroe. 203-260-9353. ChrisGuerrera@me.com. InsightsWellnessCenter.com. Reiki Mastership Certification – 9am-2pm. Fourth Saturday. Increase your awareness of Reiki as a spiritual practice. Gain a deeper experience of the extraordinary healing and transformative powers of Reiki. Taught by Beth Leas, Reiki Master, teacher, practitioner with over 25 years experience. Call to discuss. TLC Center, 152 East Ave, Norwalk. 203856-9566. TLCCenter@aol.com. BethLeas.com. Mahasati Insight Meditation – 10-11:30am. Mahasati is a form of Insight Meditation. The Redding Center for Meditation’s mission is to help people of all faiths develop the self-awareness and inner peace necessary to live life in a skillful way. 203-244-3130. ReddingMeditation.org. Spondylitis Support Group – 11am-12:30pm. Last Saturday. Led by Dr. Andrew Cummins, naturopathic physician. Having lived with the chronic inflammatory disease Ankylosing Spondylitis for the last 18 years, Dr. Cummins understands what living with chronic pain and limited mobility is all about. Group provides education, empowerment, understanding and support. Free. Shalva Clinic, 8 Lincoln St, 1st Fl, Westport. 203-916-4600. DrCummins@ShalvaClinic.org. ShalvaClinic.org. Buddhist Teachings & Practice Discussion Group – 11:45am-1:30pm. Second and fourth Saturday. Join a relaxed group, in a tranquil environment, and explore some of the core principles of Buddhist practice. By donation. Redding Center for Meditation, 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding. 914-763-4639. Jexel@att.net. ReddingMeditation.org.
natural awakenings
classifieds To place a Classified Listing: $1 per word. $25 minimum. Magazine deadline: 12th of month prior to publication. Email copy to NicoleM@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com. HELP WANTED DISTRIBUTORS WANTED for monthly deliveries of Natural Awakenings and other local publications. Perfect for a retired person or stay-at-home mom looking to earn some extra income and connect with their local community. Honesty and dependability are the most important characteristics of our distributors if you don’t have it in spades, please do not apply! Thomas@ManInMotionLLC.com. LIVING HEALTHIER, INSIDE & OUT. Looking for people searching for a holistic solution to lessen or ELIMINATE the need for pharmaceuticals. NO nasty side effects..... Only side BENEFITS...FREE SAMPLES! Modonnell.myqivana.com/FreeSample or call 860-382-6698.
In a universe
made out of energy, everything is entangled; everything is one. ~Bruce Lipton
communityresourceguide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide (CRG) in print and online email FFCadvertising@ NaturalAwakeningsMag.com to request our advertising rates. ACUPUNCTURE ACUPUNCTURE BY JIM FITZPATRICK 3 Hollyhock Lane, Wilton & Community Health Associates of Newtown, 153 South Main St, Newtown 203-257-4377 JimFitz@AcuJimFitz.com • AcuJimFitz.com
I bring years of experience and study to my patients to create a relation-ship that emphasizes clear comm-unication, responsiveness to a patient’s needs and expectations, and effective care with the totality that TCM has to offer: Acupuncture, Herbs, Adjunctive Therapies.
INGRI BOE-WIEGAARD, LAc
Fairfield, Wilton, Bethel 203-259-1660 • CTAcupuncture.com 25-year full-time practice Ingri treatments help alleviate Pain, Depression, Neck & Back, Anxiety, Headaches, Stress, Allergies, Asthma, Arthritis, Digestive, Menstrual, Infertility and Smoking & Weight Loss Issues. See ad, page 26.
AYURVEDIC WELLNESS CENTER
High-quality acupuncture at the most affordable prices in Fairfield County. 20+ years experience, specializing in treating all kinds of pain and general health issues. See ad, page 42.
PATRICIA SINGER, MS, LAc 544 Riverside Ave, Westport 203-226-8897 • PatSinger.com
As a Spiritual Alchemist, I use a customized one-on-one approach to connect on many levels to assist in the healing process. Modalities: acupuncture, shiatsu, aromatherapy, dietary therapy, sound and energy healing, ceremony and spiritual counseling. See ad, page 40.
Associates in Family Chiropractic & Natural Health Care 156 East Ave, Norwalk 203-838-1555 • CTChiropractic.com Dr. Risa Sloves is 1 of 12 Chiropractic Physicians in Connecticut with Board Certification in Maternity and Pediatric Care including Webster and Bagnell Tu r n i n g Te c h n i q u e s . A l s o provided: acupuncture, BioSET Allergy Elimination Technique and the DRX9000 Spinal Decompression. See ad, page 47.
KURAILI WORLD OF AYURVEDA
56 West Broad St, Stamford 203-559-1571 • 203-961-0044 WorldofAyurvedaCenter@gmail.com Kairali.com • WorldofAyurvedaCenter.US We offer most authentic Ayurvedic procedures for weight loss, stress and strain, Hair fall, and Royal makeovers. Natural healing for your mind, body and soul. See ad, page 3.
COLONICS COLONICS
914-921-LIFE (5433) LifelineHygienics.com Experience and personalized service you can trust. The finest in colonic irrigation and personal care. Serving the tri-state area since 1993.
WHOLE-BODY MEDICINE, LLC
BREAST THERMOGRAPHY ALBA THERMAL IMAGING LLC
Safe, painless early detection 71 East Ave, Ste D, Norwalk 203-856-1421 • AlbaThermalImaging.com Thermography can detect breast disease at its earliest stages and monitor and assess pain in any part of the body. Safe, painless, noninvasive, FDA registered.
JODY EISEMANN, LAc
Offices in Norwalk, Southport and Trumbull 203-216-2548 • AcupunctureHealingCT.com
RISA SLOVES, DC
501 Kings Highway East, Ste 108, Fairfield 203-371-8258 • WholeBodyMed.com Ready to start feeling healthier? Take your first step with this gentle cleansing procedure. Watch our colonic and detoxification videos on our new video website located at WholeBodyMed.com. Call for Free CD on detoxification. See ad, page 2.
CRYSTALS MOTHER EARTH GALLERY
XTORAYS.COM
Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging Suzanne Pyle, MS, CCT 866-XtoRAYS • SuzannePyle@prodigy.net Get peace of mind with safe (no radiation), FDA-approved breast cancer screening. 8 years earlier detection vs. mammography. Certified DITI thermographer. Conveniently located throughout Fairfield. See ad, page 13.
449 Danbury Rd, New Milford 203-775-6272 MotherEarthCrystals.com
The area’s finest crystal shop for natural, polished & tumbled gemstones for healing or collecting. Handcrafted gemstone jewelry, candles, chimes, books as well as a showcase for local artisans. See ad, page 11.
EDUCATION
CHIROPRACTIC
HOUSATONIC VALLEY WALDORF SCHOOL
PETER BRAGLIA, DC
True Health Family Chiropractic 7365 Main St, Stratford 203-923-8633 • TrueHealthCT.com
40 Dodgingtown Rd, Newtown 203-364-1113 • WaldorfCT.org
As a member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, Dr. Braglia has received advanced training in Pediatric Adjusting and Prenatal Care, including the Webster Technique. We are proud to serve patients from all over Fairfield and New Haven County with our unique and gentle approach to health care.
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We develop each child’s unique capacity to engage meaningfully in the world by integrating experiential and artistic learning, academic excellence, respect for diversity and reverence for nature. See ad, page 17.
January 2016
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WESTBROOK NATURE SCHOOL 7 Long Ridge Rd, West Redding 203-664-1554 Info@WestbrookNatureSchool.org WestbrookNatureSchool.org
HEADACHE / PAIN RELIEF
CONNECTICUT HEADACHE & MIGRAINE RELIEF CENTER/ A nature-based educ- TOM ANZALONE, DDS
ation on six acres of 235 Glenville Rd, Ste 2B, Greenwich trails, streams, and 203-531-5688 • CTHeadacheRelief.com
meadows, with an Connecticut organic garden and Headache and natural playscapes. Our curriculum builds physical and Migraine Relief emotional resilience, moral awareness and the Center’s (CHMRC) foundation required for intellectual growth. See ad, approach to head-ache pain relief actually addresses and page 25. treats the sources of the problem. Using techniques that have been proven effective in sports medicine, the CHMRC system targets improper muscle forces EXPRESSIVE ARTS in the head, neck, and jaw area that cause painful conditions. See ad, page 34.
SOUL COLLAGE
Zelie Pforzheimer PforzSoulCollage.com • PforzSoul@gmail.com Where Creativity Combining Meditation and and Meditation meet Creativity leads to clarity in Introduction to SoulCollage® life’s daily issues in a fun and Monday, October 5, 10:30 am-1:00 pm Tuesday, October 6, 1:00-3:00 pm fulfilling way while Wednesday, October 21, 7:30-9:30 pm reprograming your brain for success. Zelie Pforzheimer SoulCollage uses images found To register, visit: www.pforzsoulcollage.com in magazines and books to create small collaged cards to be used as tools for selfinquiry. See ad, page 25. Classes held in Wilton CT. $35/class.
All supplies are provided, but bringing a personal journal is suggested. Certified SoulCollage® Facilitator
SoulCollage® created by Seena Frost and described in her book: SoulCollage: An Intuitive Process for Individuals and Groups.
FLOATATION THERAPY iFLOAT
163 Main St, Westport 203-226-7378 • iFloatSpa.net
HEALTH COACH MARY GILBERTSON MS, BSN,CHHC
Licensed RN, Nutritionist & Certified Health Coach 500 Monroe Tpke, Monroe • 203-521-4733 GilbertsonMary@yahoo.com Prescription4Wellness.com Working 1:1 in groups and corporations to develop customized healthy lifestyle plans. You receive tools to optimize your health through nutrition, disease management, exercise, weight loss & stress reduction. 28 years of experience supporting teens & adults in healthy lifestyle. Available for speaking engagements and health events.
Experience this superior form of body/mind relaxation as HOLISTIC DENTIST you float effortlessly in warm water with high concentrations of Epsom salt. Relieve stress, chronic pain MARK A. BREINER, DDS, FIAOMT and more. See ad, page 40.
501 Kings Highway East, Ste 108, Fairfield 203-371-0300 • WholeBodyDentistry.com
PUREST FLOAT CENTER
35 Corporate Dr, Trumbull 203-445-6918 • PurestFloat.com Float for stress and pain relief, relaxation and mental calmness. At PuREST we provide a relaxing environment from pre-float to post float. After your float, stay for complimentary tea and come back to earth in our oversize, inviting post float area. See ad back cover.
Dr. Mark A. Breiner is a pioneer and recognized authority in the field of holistic dentistry. With over 30 years of experience, he is a sought after speaker and lecturer. His popular consumer book, Whole-Body Dentistry, has been sold world-wide. See ad, page 2.
Diane Bahr-Groth, CHy, TFTdx 1177 High Ridge Rd, Stamford 203-595-0110 • MindBodyTransformation.com
Fast, effective methods for weight, stress, fear, pain, smoking, etc. Certified Hypnotherapist, Thought Field Therapy, Time Line Therapy, NLP and Complementary Medical Hypnosis, since 1989. See ad, pages 22 & 33.
Fairfield County Edition
HENRY C. SOBO, M.D.
Optimal Health Medical, LLC 111 High Ridge Rd, Stamford 203-348-8805 • DrSobo.com Dr. Sobo provides Natural Horm-one therapy, Weight Reduction programs, IV Vitamin/Minerals treatments, Allergy evaluation and treatment, Fibromyalgia care, and treatment for a wide variety of problems utilizing an Integrative Medicine approach.
STAMFORD INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE Michael E. Doyle, M.D. Conventional & Alternative Medicine 22 5th St, Ste 201, Stamford 203-324-4747 StamfordIntegrativeMedicine.com
Specializing in Natural and Alternative approaches to restoring health. Focusing on underlying causes of illness. Hypothyroidism, hormonal imbalances, nutrition and much more. See ad, page 24.
INTEGRATIVE NATURAL MEDICINE SOPHIA NATURAL HEALTH CENTER Ken Hoffman, DAc, (RI), LAc, CCH, Medical Director Bruce Roff, LAc, LMT, Senior Associate Craig Pannone, ND 31 Old Rt 7, Brookfield 203-740-9300 • INM.center
Using naturopathic and Chinese medical principles, we get to the source of your health concerns. Diagnostic methods include functional testing such as advanced bloodwork analysis, cardiovascular testing, hormone evaluation and thermography. Our customized treatment program includes acupuncture, herbal and nutritional medicine, diet and lifestyle counseling and more. Most insurance accepted.
HYPNOSIS MIND-BODY TRANSFORMATION HYPNOSIS
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INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE PHYSICIAN
natural awakenings
It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive everybody. ~Maya Angelou
INTEGRATIVE OPTOMETRY EYECARE ASSOCIATES, PC
Randy Schulman, MS, OD, FCOVD, Stephen Carr, OD, Narvan Bakhtiari, OD, Brian Rodrigues, OD, Jason Rutherford, OD Locations: 6515 Main St, Trumbull • 203-374-2020 444 Westport Ave, Norwalk • 203-840-1991 2600 Post Rd, Southport • 203-255-4005 CTEyeCareAssociates.com We offer behavioral optometry, comprehensive vision exams, contact lenses and vision therapy. See ad, page 17.
MASSAGE SCHOOL
NATURAL FOOD MARKET
FINGER LAKES SCHOOL OF MASSAGE
THE COMMON BOND MARKET
272 N. Bedford Rd, Mount Kisco, NY 914-241-7363 • FLSM.com Join us for a transformative experience as you develop your intuitive and scientific abilities to heal through therapeutic touch. Classes taught to auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners. Financial aid available for full and part-time programs.
RIDLEY-LOWELL BUSINESS & TECHNICAL INSTITUTE
NATURAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER
INTUITIVE CONSULTANT Crystal Visions, Inc. 1 Rt 37 East, Ste 2, Sherman 860-210-9897 • CrystalVisionsCT.com Kimberly is a psychic medium and intuitive. Readings consist of childhood experiences, present personal and professional relationship paths and future outcomes of major life decisions. Kimberly can also be a conduit for lost loved ones. See ad, page 23.
MASSAGE & BODYWORK LAURA CARLSON, LMT
Redding/Monroe/Easton 203-885-7353 (SELF) Facebook.com/LauraCarlsonMassageLLC You deserve to be nurtured and time to be still, to breathe and to restore balance. Relaxing and nourishing massage will encourage positive changes in your mind and body. Individual sessions and massage parties available.
Lisa Singley, ND, MS
Accredited institution offering skilled training in the 2103 Main St, Ste 2, Stratford following fields: Massage Therapy, Medical Assisting, 203-874-4333 Medical Admin Assisting, Medical Billing and Coding, Info@NHAWC.com • NHAWC.com Information Technology and Electrical Systems We use advanced diagnostic testing Technician;day/evening classes, Financial Aid (if with safe, effective, all-natural eligible), free placement assistance. See ad, page 19. healing modalities and treatment options to treat acute and chronic conditions, restore balance and MEDITATION treat the mind, body and spirit. Specialists in endocrine disorders, REDDING CENTER FOR MEDITATION digestive issues, pain management and chronic 9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding fatigue. We offer comprehensive solutions to prevent 203-244-3130 illness and maintain optimal health for body, mind ReddingMeditation.org and spirit. See ad, page 7. We teach and practice Mahasati meditation. Mahasati meditation MARVIN P. SCHWEITZER, ND cultivates self-awareness through Wellness Institute attention to the movement of the 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk body and, at more advanced 203-847-2788 • DrMarvinSchweitzer.com levels, to the movement of the Family Health Care using all natural mind. No prior meditating therapies for 25 years. Acupuncture, experience is necessary. Ongoing Bio-Identical Hormones, Homeweekly meditation classes, retreats and events. opathy, Chinese/Western Herbs, Please check monthly event calendar or visit Allergy/Toxin Testing, Oxygen ReddingMeditation.org for updated information. T h e r a p y, M e r i d i a n S t r e s s Assessment, Nutrition/Enzyme Therapies. See ad, page 10. MOBILE FITNESS &
WELLNESS
SHALVA CLINIC, LLC
ROBIN ORDAN, LMT, LCSW, CICMI Licensed Massage Therapist & Reiki Practitioner Old Greenwich/Stamford 203-561-8535 • RobinOrdanLMT.com
Robin has been providing massage and Reiki for over 15 years. Specializing in Swedish, Pregnancy, Trigger Point, Injuries and Infant/Child Massage Instruction. Sessions are individualized to meet your needs. See ad, page 23.
The Common Bond Market is a natural food market that provides The Valley with more healthful alternatives than the usual grocery fare. You’ll also find hot food, supplements, and much more. Find us on Facebook! See ad, page 56.
NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN
44 Shelter Rock Rd, Danbury 203-797-0551 • Ridley.edu
KIMBERLY TAYLOR
40 Huntington St, Shelton TheCommonBondMarket.com 203-513-8200
BRAMASOLÉ FITNESS AND WELLNESS CENTER
Elizabeth D. Aleksinas 57 Slab Meadow Rd, Morris 860-567-0219 • BramasoleWellness.com Bramasolé is a unique mobile fitness and wellness unit. Can’t get to the gym or yoga studio? I come to you! Services include yoga, meditation training, Reiki, massage, Tai Chi and personal fitness. Studio hours also available. See ad, page 31.
Ellen M. Lewis, ND, Director 8 Lincoln St, Westport 203-916-4600 • ShalvaClinic.org Dr. Lewis offers comprehensive holistic care for women including well-women exams, fertility, thyroid and menopause support. She also has a special interest in pediatrics and utilizes a variety of natural modalities when working with patients with ADD/ADHD, autism, allergies, eczema and asthma. Treatments include herbal medicine, functional medicine, biotherapeutic drainage, homeopathy and more. See ad, page 37.
NA Fun Fact: Natural Awakenings’ free app has been downloaded by more than 40,000 iPhone users and is now available on the Android platform. To advertise with us, call 203-885-4674. eNaturalAwakenings.com
January 2016
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DR. MARINA YANOVER, ND, LAC 1720 Post Rd East, Ste 213, Westport 203-255-5005 • BigAppleHealth.com
Naturopathic Medicine, Acupuncture, Craniosacral Therapy, Natural Face Lift using microcurrent therapy. Specialties include Family Medicine, Women’s Health, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Pain Man-agement, Skin Care. Insurance accepted.
NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN WHOLE-BODY MEDICINE, LLC
Adam Breiner, ND, Director Elena Sokolova, M.D., ND David Brady, ND, CCN, DACBN 501 Kings Highway East, Ste 108, Fairfield 203-371-8258 • WholeBodyMed.com Using state-of-the-art science combined with centuries-old healing modalities, our caring naturopathic doctors correct underlying imbalances and address issues which may interfere with the body’s ability to heal itself. Treatment protocols or therapies include: Abdominal Manual Therapy, Acupuncture, Allergy Desensitization, Chinese Medicine, Colonics and other Detoxification Protocols, Electro-Dermal Screening, Energy Medicine, FDA-cleared Phototherapy, Functional Medicine, Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy, Hormonal Balancing, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Metabolic Typing, Nutritional Assessment, Real-Time EEG Neurofeedback and other therapies. See ad, page 2.
NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING NUTRITION RESCUE
Jessica Moon, MS 66 Glenbrook Road, Ste 300, Stamford 203-979-6181 Jessica@nutritionrescue.net NutritionRescue.net facebook.com/NutritionRescueCT Jessica uses a comprehensive approach for working with individuals and families. Specializing in dietary management of food sensitivities/ allergies and providing support with elimination diets, menu development, and minimizing the impact of food restrictions.
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ORGANIC MATTRESSES & BEDDING THE CLEAN BEDROOM
79 East Putnam Ave, Greenwich 203-292-9275 • 866-380-5892 TheCleanBedroom.com The Clean Bedroom is an organic and all-natural mattress and bedding resource with seven showrooms, including its new location in Greenwich. Through its showrooms and web site, eco-minded shoppers gain insight to create a healthier sleep environment. See ad, page 15.
PHYSICAL THERAPY PHYSICAL THERAPY OF SOUTHERN CT
Linda Maude, PT 917 Bridgeport Ave, Shelton 203-926-6997 • PhysicalTherapySoCT.com Specializing in evaluation & treatment of musculoskeletal imbalance & injuries. Results achieved that traditional physical therapy may not. Therapeutic approaches such as manual therapy, cranialsacral, visceral manipulation and vestibular rehab. State of the art facility for strengthening & overall rehabilitation.
PSYCHOTHERAPY MARIA C. CASTILLO, MSW, LCSW 238 Monroe Tpke, Ste B, Monroe 203-445-8966 • Msisi@aol.com LifeBetweenLivesTherapy.com
Past Life Regression, trained by Brian Weiss, MD. Life Between Lives Hypnotherapy, trained by TNI and Michael Newton, PhD. Traditional psychotherapy with a spiritual approach; Reiki. Connect with your soul self and let your inner wisdom guide you.
CHRISTINE GUERRERA, LMFT
PsychoSpiritual Therapy & Coaching InsightsWellnessCenter.com 203-260-9353 • ChrisGuerrera@me.com Non-traditional holistic sessions to free and empower yourself on your path of healing and awakening with a blend of psycho-spiritual therapy, energetics and universal wisdom.
HARMONY OF THE MIND,
natural awakenings
BODY, & SOUL LLC
Anasta Kydes MA, NCC, LPC, ACSM, CPT (Licensed Psychotherapist and Certified Personal Trainer) 91 East Ave, Norwalk 203-318-4514 • AnastaKydes@yahoo.com A client centered approach is taken in a supportive, non-judgmental, empathetic, and compassionate environment. I teach coping skills to help manage life’s challenges and incorporate exercise and meditation upon your request to help alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. See ad, page 23.
YUDIT MAROS, LMFT, CHt
100 Danbury Rd, Ridgefield 203-244-5898 • Center4AuthenticLiving.com Author of Apple of My I: The Four Practices of Self-Love. There is hope! Even life-long unhappiness can be helped. State-of-the art psychotherapy for individuals of all ages, couples and families. Trauma resolution, Relationship Clinics, six-week Authenticity Clinics for inner connection.
ROBIN ORDAN, LCSW
Family, Child, Individual & Couples Therapy Old Greenwich/Stamford 203-561-8535 • RobinOrdanLCSW.com Robin has more than 18 years of experience working with families and children. Specializing in Divorce, Parent/Child Conflict, Grief, Attach-ment/ Bonding, Child Devel-opment and Parenting. See ad, page 47.
DENI WEBER, MA, LPC, D-CEP
Holistic Psychotherapist Comprehensive Energy Psychology Fairfield County 203-544-6094 • DeniWeber.com Within a supportive, empathic relationship Deni guides individuals on their journey of selfdiscovery integrating psychology, Eastern medicine and spirituality to heal suffering from traumatic stress related to chronic illness, disabilities, abuse & PTSD.
REIKI GIGI BENANTI, USUI REIKI MASTER Angelic Healing Center 7 Morgan Ave, Norwalk 203-852-1150 • AngelHealReiki.com
Gigi is an experienced Reiki Master/ Teacher. She offers all levels of Reiki training monthly. All classes and Reiki sessions include the latest techniques including Karuna, Angelic and Jikiden Reiki.
RIVER’S EDGE REIKI
Lori Haggerty • Usui Reiki Master Bethel • 203-994-8978 RiversEdgeReiki.com Feeling the negative effects of a high stress life? Illness, unhappiness, exhaustion? Experience the power of Reiki and how it can restore you physically, emotionally and spiritually. Sessions for adults, children and senior citizens (geriatrics is my specialty!). Reiki training classes offered for all levels. See ad, page 36.
TURNING POINT HEALING ARTS AND EDUCATION CENTER JoAnn Inserra Duncan, MS, RMT – Turning Point Reiki, LLC 100B Danbury Rd, Ste 101, Ridgefield 203-438-3050 TurningPointReiki.com TurningPointShare.com
JoAnn uses intuition, experience and a deep spiritual connection in her Reiki, IET and Reconnective Healing sessions. Specializing in care for individuals with Cancer, Lyme disease and Back Pain. All Reiki levels taught.
ROLFING WESTPORT ROLFING
Kaia Yoga Studio, Westport and Fairfield near Merritt exit 46 Sachi: 203-216-9720 Sachi@WestportRolfing.com Mikel: 203-216-9770 Mikel@WestportRolfing.com Providing Rolfing Structural Integration to Fairfield County. We provide soft tissue manipulation and movement re-education for postural, functional and chronic pain issues with offices in Westport and Fairfield. See ad, page 9.
SHAMANIC PRACTITIONER HUNTER HEALING HANDS
Jessica C. Hunter 203-916-8381 HunterHealingHands@hotmail.com HunterHealingHands.com Healing sessions in shamanic healing, Melody crystal healing, reiki, shamanic intuitive readings. Accredited and certification training programs in reiki, crystal healing, and shamanic healing. See ad, page 21.
WELLNESS CENTER
STRESS REDUCTION CAROL SHEAR, BNRN, CERTIFIED COACH
7EFIT SPA
SHEILA WALL, MSW, PROFESSIONAL CERTIFIED COACH
7eFit Spa offers a variety of aesthetic services and non-invasive techniques to support mind body wellness. Services include anti-aging and oxygen facials with aromatherapy, Torc Plus bioelectric stimulation for muscle activation and weight loss, infrared sauna, and the DietMaster weight loss program. See ad, page 7.
1092 High Ridge Rd, Stamford 203-356-5822 7eFitSpaCT1@gmail.com 7eFitSpa.com
Rise Up Coaching, LLC Fairfield/Danbury/Trumbull 203-452-9614 • RiseUpCoaching.com
In Synchrony LLC Danbury/Norwalk/Fairfield 203-216-6243 • InSynchronyLLC.com
Specializing in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction 8-week program pioneered by Jon Kabat-Zinn. We completed the MBSR Practicum and Mind-Body Medicine training at UMASS Medical School’s Center for Mindfulness. With decades of experience in mental health, health care, coaching and business, we offer comprehensive and expert guidance in mindfulness training to address a variety of stressful situations.
Fit Spa
™
A new way to lookin and feeling good ESSENCE HOLISTIC CENTER
Kimberly Joyner 246 Federal Rd, Ste C 23B, Brookfield 203-733-0595 EssenceHolisticCenter@yahoo.com
body and spirit are the focus Relax whileMind, our technology of all of our treatments. We believe
TRANSFORMATIVE HEALING BETH LEAS
Transformative Healing • Tarot Offices in Norwalk & Ridgefield 203-856-9566 BethLeas.com • TLCTarot.com
individual options . does inbased the worktreatment on a client’s personal needs.
No surgery or invasive procedures. We offer many forms of holistic care from massage to Reiki to Infrared Sauna •cleansing Micro-dermabrasion as well as Thai stretch, hypnosis and herbal treatments. Myolift • Torc • Body Waxing Diet Master KURE SPA• Oxygen Bar • Reiki 430 Main Ave, 2nd Flr, Dermalogica Facials • Norwalk Oxygen Facials (Wilton Line) Teeth• Whitening 203-857-1500 Kure-Spa.com
Save Now with Introductory Prices! Call 203-356-5822
Kure Spa rovides a If not now, when? Inspire change place for people to on all levels - greater physical rely on as part of ease, emotional freedom, peace of their weekly routine to maintain a healthy lifestyle. mind and spiritual connection. 20 years intuitive healing experience Experience our 4-Pillars of Health for 30-days and we’ll transform your life to one of Health, Healing with adults and children of all 1092 High Ridge Road | Stamford, CT 0 ages. Reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Tarot. & Vitality! Offering Vibrosaun, massage, and an organic juice bar. See ad, page 16. | www.7efitspa 7efitspact1@gmail.com See ad, page 41.
NATURAL BEAUTY SPA
BRILLIANT SOUL
4154 Madison Ave, Trumbull 203-502-8503 Natural.Beautyspa@hotmail.com CTNaturalBeauty.com
Carla Barzetti Newtown 203-364-6262 BrilliantSoul.com
Your brilliant soul heals you physically/mentally / emotionally/spiritually through my CranioSacral Therapy/ SomatoEmotional Release, Ki/ Pranic/Reiki Energy, channeling, soul contract info/clearing, pure essential oils & Crystal chakra bowls!
We specialize in today’s latest skin rejuvenation. Anti-aging and acne treatment, massage, facials, hair removal, acupuncture, lymphatic drainage, VelaShape for cellulite treatment and more. See ad, page 31.
SALTANA CAVE
590 Danbury Rd, Ridgefield 203-969-4327 SaltanaCave.com Fairfield County’s first and only therapeutic Himalayan salt cave provides relief from respiratory issues such as allergies, asthma, and side effects of smoking and pollution. Salt is naturally antiinflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal.
eNaturalAwakenings.com
January 2016
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COSMIC RHYTHMS by Alethea Hunt
T
he Sun’s proximity to Pluto at the outset of January is great for an intense, no-excuses commitment to goals—perfect mojo for resolutions. Empowerment definitely involves an element of self-initiated change with this duo also contacting Uranus. Don’t self-sabotage by resisting the shifts that will help you live a richer, more fulfilling life in 2016. Embrace transformation and think of it as an evolution. Between January 5-11, Venus connects with Saturn and realism in financial matters is favored along with curbing excess expenditures. As Venus will approach Uranus, there is also the capacity to revolutionize in a fiscal sense; not only can budgets be trimmed in a beneficial way, but financial planning can also free us and save time. This is especially true if we automate certain transactions like bill payments or deductions from our paycheck to go to a savings or retirement account. Mercury retrogrades from January 5-25; renegotiating the terms of our verbal or written commitments is in the air for the sake of being liberated from any undue burdens. Contractual obligations that restrict freedom can be reworked; there is even the chance to back out and break a promise if it functions more like a set of handcuffs, especially near the date of January 25. A Capricorn New Moon on January 9 is perfect for setting intentions to banish or purge negative influences of any stripe thanks to its close proximity to Pluto. Jupiter in Virgo says keep all aspects of health in mind; Uranus says break any old habits that “die hard”. If you’re not sure what needs to go, tap the intuitive wisdom of Chiron in Pisces by praying or meditating on it. Around or after this date, Mars in Scorpio connects to Neptune for more than two weeks. Acting on intuitive hunches in any respect is favored. You can also merge physical activity with the spiritual to augment your aura now—try something like yoga or qi gong if you are inclined. Echoing last month’s advice, extra verbal self-control is advised between January 17 and February 3 as Mercury once again brushes with Pluto and Uranus. Things suppressed or left unsaid may come flying out in a surprising or even upsetting way throughout this period—think Freudian slips and such. Do avoid any conversation loaded with power or control dynamics—especially with authority figures or adolescents—and don’t be baited into losing your cool. Be cautious of what is said to “allies” as well at the end of January and the beginning of February; there is a possibility of “double agents”. Matters concerning children are highlighted by the Leo Full Moon on January 23 and the polarity of the Aquarius Sun ruling it could mean the kids might be feeling a little rebellious. That aside, there’s a lot of creativity in this Moon that may be expressed in an unconventional way, such as through a digital medium, for example—feed your creative side around this time and be experimental. A fusion of Jupiter in Virgo with the North Node at month’s end is an ideal time to take a macro-focus on wellness matters. There may be something chronic that’s either not seen or willingly ignored/ denied with asteroid Chiron on the South Node opposite Jupiter. Especially if it involves escapism in one form or another, and it could be subtle. Addictive tendencies need healing now; while this is easier to see with things like alcohol or substances, it may be blurry if it involves taking something “healthy” to excess, such as diet or exercise. A practitioner of Western Tropical astrology, Alethea Hunt has been practicing for more than 17 years. Connect with her at 203-9176312, Alethea@EmpoweredDestiny.com or EmpoweredDestiny.com.
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displayadvertiserindex 7eFit Spa Acupuncture Center/ Ingri Boe-Wiegaard
7 26
Acupuncture Healing CT/ Jody Eisemann
42
Alina’s Patisserie
58
Associates in Family Chiropractic and Natural Health Care 47 Judith Barr
11
Basil Yoga
52
Big Brothers Big Sisters
29
Bramasole Mobile Fitness & Wellness
31
The Breiner Whole-Body Health Center: Medical
2
The Breiner Whole-Body Health Center: Dental
2
Deanne Mincer
41
Mind-Body Transformation
22
Mind-Body Transformation
33
Mother Earth Gallery
11
Mowatt Painting & Services
39
Natural Awakenings’ Franchise Sales
71
Natural Beauty Spa
31
Natural Health & Wellness Center 7 Natural Solutions
36
Nature’s Temptations Healthy Food Market
30
Nature’s Way Natural Foods
11
Nutmeg Spay/Neuter Clinic
49
O’Heaney Consulting
13
Olivette
59
The Center for Natural Health
13
Robin Ordan, LMT
23
Central Services
35
Robin Ordan, LCSW
47
Chamomille Natural Foods
23
Organic Sleep at Sleep Etc
43
The Clean Bedroom
15
Julie Punishill
40
The Cleanest Touch
9
Ann Reeves, PsyD
30
Ridley-Lowell Business & Technical Institute
19
CT Headache & Migraine Center 34
Salon Aponte
17
Detoxified Iodine
51
Salt of the Earth Therapeutic Spa 60
DoTerra/Lori Haggerty
36
Shalva Clinic/Ellen Lewis, ND
37
Victoria Shaw, PhD
32
The Common Bond Market
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Crystal Visions
31
Michael E. Doyle, MD/ Stamford Integrative Medicine
24
Patricia Singer
40
Embody the Sacred
23
PuREST Float Spa
72
Eyecare Associates
17
Fairfield County Chiropractic Center/Kimberly Embry, DC
Soul Centered Healing/ Danielle Joffe Hampton
40
14
Soul Collage
25
Final Journey LLC
49
Soul Focus/Mela Rispoli
11
Debra Gibson, ND
38
Sticks & Stones Farm
60
The Graduate Institute
27
Hilda Swaby
Hands & Paws Reiki for All
50
Total Life Care Center
Health 2 Go
29
Touch of Sedona
Healthy Choice Mattress
12
TreeTech 37
Housatonic Valley Waldorf School
17
Unity Center for Practical Spirituality
Hunter Healing Hands
21
University of Bridgeport Clinics 18
Ifloat
40
Izzi B’s
55
Wellness Institute/ Marvin Schweitzer, ND
10
3
Westbrook Nature School
25
Kindred Spirits
25
Westport Farmers Market
47
Kure Spa
16
Westport Rolfing
Kairali World of Ayurveda
Anasta Kydes/Harmony of the Mind, Body & Soul Beth Leas LifePath Yoga & Wellness Lipo-Light Westport
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Whole Foods
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X to Rays
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Yoga Culture
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Yoga for Everybody
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