April/May 2020 Natural Awakenings

E E FR

HEALTHY

Saving All Creatures

Wild & Domestic, Great & Small

LIVING

HEALTHY

Planet Rescue

Grassroots Actions Combat Climate Crisis

PLANET

Lyme Disease

Pitfalls of a Broken System

April/May 2020 | Fairfield County/Housatonic Valley Edition | eNaturalAwakenings.com April/May 2020

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Lessons from the Herd

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

letter from publisher “May you live in interesting times” is an English expression which purports to be a translation of a traditional Chinese curse. While seemingly a blessing, the expression is normally used ironically; life is better in “uninteresting times” of peace and tranquility than in “interesting” ones, which are usually times of trouble. ~ Wikipedia

FAIRFIELD COUNTY/ HOUSATONIC VALLEY Publisher Nicole Miale

Managing Editor Patricia Staino

Editor Michelle Bense

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Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment.

I

’m sure I speak for many of us when I say I’ve had my fill of “interesting” over the past six weeks. I have found some peace and tranquility during quarantine when I could turn off the tape loop in my head endlessly pondering the whatNicole Miale if ’s, what now’s, and what then’s. When I was successful in being mindfully present right NOW, I felt grounded, sometimes even great and energized while moving through my daily routine. It has been instructive to realize anew that despite living in the midst of uncertainty, the human brain and being has the ability to reframe and feel just fine when focused on the moment. Instinct and coping skills are designed for survival; there is an awareness that the current moment is all that is promised and the only thing that needs to be addressed. This is a huge shift for so many of uss used to living with too many tabs open, multi-tasking our lives away.

Whether it is being present for family home all day, having to work in very difficult or traumatic circumstances on the medical front lines, learning unexpectedly to homeschool children, figuring out how to work at home, feeling lonely, exulting in alone-ness, connecting with others by digital means or learning to turn down some of those digital meeting invitations so you could just connect with yourself, this pandemic has tasked us all with the unfamiliar and often challenged us with the rawness of our own unexpected feelings. That may actually be the pearl within the oyster of this whole experience. It is when we push the edges of our comfort zone—by choice or fate—that we learn what we are truly capable of. That is when we are forced to evaluate where our boundaries need shoring up or loosening, where we may learn something surprising about ourselves.

This situation has me marveling at the jaw-dropping consequences as well as the potential of whatever is to come… we are at the edge of what could be a changed world.

I for one am holding out hope that this experience will ultimately change things for the better, though the path may be rocky and may not lead where we intended to go.

Believing in the beauty of possibility, maybe the new journey and destination will reveal horizons and opportunities we couldn’t dream of before. The landscape has shifted and with it our expectations can adjust as well.

Thank you to our loyal readers, advertisers and distributors for allowing Natural Awakenings to be a source of inspiration, comfort and familiarity when so much else feels uncomfortable or even unsafe. We exist to serve the community and are grateful to have that opportunity at this time. We hope you enjoy our carefully selected assortment of articles this month and look forward to keeping you company through the coming period of discovery and rebuilding.

With love and light,

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health briefs

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Echinacea extract may be helpful for situation-induced anxiety, indicates a new study from Hungary’s Institute of Experimental Medicine, in Budapest. The researchers tested 64 middle-aged people that had scored high on the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. They were given either 80 milligrams Echinacea angustifolia root extract or a placebo every day for seven days, followed by a three-week washout period during which no pills were taken. Those taking the echinacea started experiencing less anxiety than the placebo-takers by day seven, and scored significantly lower in “state anxiety”, marked by arousal connected to specific dangers or threats.

Measures of “trait anxiety”, in which anxiety is an ongoing personal characteristic, improved slightly compared to the placebo group. Improvements were maintained even during the washout period.

Breathe Cleaner Air to Help Bone Health Air pollution has long been linked to lung cancer, stroke and respiratory disease, and now research has found that it can lead to osteoporosis, as well. Researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health studied the bone mass and density of 3,717 people living in villages near Hyderabad, India. These were compared to fine particulate air pollution levels, which averaged more than three times the recommendations of the World Health Organization. The researchers also surveyed in-home cooking over wood, coal and other biomass sources. The results showed that exposure to ambient air pollution was associated with lower levels of bone mass, and that cooking over fires did not have that effect. “Inhalation of polluting particles could lead to bone mass loss through the oxidative stress and inflammation caused by air pollution,” says lead author Otavio T. Ranzani.

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Take Echinacea to Reduce Anxiety

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Eat Less Sulfur Amino Acids to Reduce Heart Disease Risk A plant-based diet low in such sulfur amino acid foods as meat, dairy, nuts and soy may be key to lowering the risk of heart disease, concludes a study from the Penn State University College of Medicine. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins; a subcategory called sulfur amino acids plays integral roles in metabolism. Researchers correlated diets and blood biomarkers of more than 11,000 participants from a national study and found people that ate foods containing fewer sulfur amino acids tended to have a decreased risk for cardiometabolic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. They also found that the average American consumes almost two-and-a-half times more sulfur amino acids than the estimated average requirement. “People who eat lots of plant-based products like fruits and vegetables will consume lower amounts of sulfur amino acids,” says lead author Zhen Dong, a doctor of public health.

Confirming this, a Northwestern Medicine and Cornell University study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that every two servings of red meat, processed meat or poultry per week increased cardiovascular disease risk by 3 to 7 percent. For every two servings of red meat or processed meat per week, the risk of death from any cause was increased by 3 percent. The findings, based on an analysis of six studies involving 29,682 people, contradict a controversial study published last year that recommended people not reduce the amount of red meat and processed meat they eat. “Everyone interpreted that it was okay to eat red meat, but I don’t think that is what the science supports,” says senior study author Norrina Allen, a professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern.

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Consume Grape Seed Extract to Improve Cholesterol and Lower Inflammation Grape seed extract, an antioxidant-rich supplement that is a byproduct of the wine and juice industry, significantly improves both total and LDL cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels, and lowers markers of inflammation, concludes a meta-review of 15 randomized trials in the journal Phytotherapy Research. Researchers from Iran, Canada and Croatia concluded that the popular extract also improves fasting glucose levels, but has little effect on HbA1c or HDL cholesterol levels.

April/May 2020

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global briefs

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Between 2005 and 2016, the shutdown of coal-fired plants in the U.S. saved an estimated 26,610 lives and the equivalent of around 570 million bushels of corn, soybeans and wheat, reports a new University of California at San Diego (UCSD) study published in Nature Sustainability. The coal plants were typically decommissioned as utilities transitioned from coal to natural gas for electric power generation, thus reducing particulate matter and ozone in the lower atmosphere. “When a coalfired unit shuts down, local pollution [including particulate matter] levels drop, mortality rates drop and crop yields of major staple crops rise,” writes study author and UCSD associate professor Jennifer Ann Burney. The newer, natural-gas and coalfired units that have supplanted them are not entirely benign and deserve further study, she notes.

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The ice chests we haul to picnics are typically made of Styrofoam, Dow Chemical’s trademarked name for extruded polystyrene, but it is a highly flammable source of greenhouse gases that animals can mistake for food and won’t degrade for hundreds of years, leading thousands of landfills to ban it.

Now, Igloo, the top global cooler maker, has introduced a new, less-destructive alternative made out of paraffin wax and recycled tree pulp called Recool. The 16-quart, water-resistant cooler, sold at REI and other stores, keeps 75 pounds of contents ice-cold for up to 12 hours and goes up to five days without leaking water. The coolers can be stored and reused many times and then recycled, composted or used as a dry storage container. It’s also less likely to break or chip than Styrofoam.

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New research from the University of Sheffield in the UK published in Scientific Reports suggests that individual members of a bee swarm behave like neurons in a human brain. The scientists applied a theoretical model commonly used to study human psychology to the behavior of bee colonies, and they believe that studying “bee speak” could inform us about how our own minds make decisions. In the field of psychophysics, Weber’s law describes a relationship between the size of a stimulus and noticeable increases in its magnitude. This general rule about stimulus and perception has been observed in birds, fish and even the collective behavior of simpler organisms, but not in whole clusters of tiny brains such as an insect hive. To investigate its role in the decision-making processes of the European honey bee (Apis mellifera), the researchers watched hives split apart and hunt for new homes. Among bees, the process of choosing a hive comes down to the interactions of scout bees communicating their discoveries through a visual display of body wiggles. “The study also supports the view of bee colonies as being similar to complete organisms,” says computer scientist and lead author Andreagiovanni Reina.

If Australia can grow enough of the puffy, pink Asparagopsis taxiformis seaweed for every cow in Australia, the country could cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent.

That’s the conclusion the University of the Sunshine Coast (Australia) seaweed research group leader Associate Professor Nick Paul. The cows burp out methane, but, “When added to cow feed at less than two percent of the dry matter, this particular seaweed completely knocks out methane production. It contains chemicals that reduce the microbes in the cows’ stomachs that cause them to burp when they eat grass,” he says. Cows are known to eat seaweed. “This seaweed has caused a lot of global interest, and people around the world are working to make sure the cows are healthy, the beef and the milk are good quality,” Paul notes. “But the one missing step, the big thing that is going to make sure this works at a global scale, is to make sure we can produce the seaweed sustainably.”

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Bee Swarms Form Giant Brains

Seaweed Lowers Cows’ Methane Emissions

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Virus Fighters Essential Oils for Challenging Times

In these coronavirus days, an essential oil mixture with legendary origins in the Bubonic Plague offers soothing scents for the homebound and might add some viral protection.

The mixture of five oils: eucalyptus, clove, cinnamon, lemon and rosemary, is known as Thieves. As the story goes, in the 1500s, as the Black Death decimated Europe, when four unemployed spice merchants that turned to robbing the bodies and homes of the dead were captured and threatened with being burned alive, they confessed to the judge their secret to avoiding infection—the spice blend that they rubbed on their hands, ears, feet and temples.

They were all hanged, but their formula survives as Thieves, and is today one of the most popular essential oil blends in the market, sold under that name and also as Five Guards, Health Shield and Fighting Five. Although shown to sharply reduce three kinds of airborne bacteria in 10 minutes, its antiviral properties

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Its components, however, have proven antimicrobial, antiseptic and antiviral properties: n Eucalyptus, long used for respiratory infections, has been proven effective against a number of viruses, particularly the swine flu and herpes type 1 viruses. n Clove has exhibited strong antiviral activity against such viruses as the adenovirus type 3 respiratory virus, poliovirus and coxsackievirus. n Cinnamon leaf shows antiviral activity and can prevent pneumonia due to influenza. n Lemon oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties, and is often used in cleaning products.

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n Rosemary eases stress and has antiviral, antimicrobial and antidepressant qualities.

Thieves can be purchased in natural health stores or online. For a homemade blend, Jennifer Lane, an aromatherapist, registered nurse and founder of LovingEssential Oils. com, recommends combining these essential oils: 4 35 drops lemon 4 20 drops cinnamon leaf 4 15 drops clove bud 4 15 drops eucalyptus 4 10 drops rosemary

Adding five drops of the blend, along with water in a diffuser, can waft the scent throughout a room and diminish airborne odors and germs. For respiratory support, put a few drops into a cup of steaming, but not boiling, water, drape a towel around the cup and face, and breathe in the fumes. Add it to a carrier oil like jojoba oil or coconut oil at a 1:30 ratio (such as one-half ounce Thieves to 15 ounces jojoba) and rub it on pulse points in the wrist and neck. But do not ingest the blend.

If a child under 10 is in the house, don’t diffuse it or use it topically on them, because rosemary and eucalyptus can be unsafe for a child, advises Christina Anthis, author of The Beginner’s Guide to Essential Oils: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started.

Think Outside the House JurateBuiviene/Shutterstock.com

Expanding Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning traditionally heralds a new beginning, an opportunity to take stock of hearth and home and a time of renewal regardless of the season. Clearing figurative cobwebs is as important as sweeping away real ones, and while most folks focus on giving their abode a thorough airing and scrubbing, there’s plenty to tend to outside before the heat of summer sets in.

Clear out potentially dead grass and leaves and other organic matter near the sides of the house to prevent termites and other insect infestations. Collect the organic matter, add in food scraps and compost it all to benefit the garden. Composting sends the nutrients of loose ingredients into the soil as a natural fertilizer. EarthEasy. com/grow_compost.html reports it can help divert as much as 30 percent of household waste from the garbage can.

Make sure to check the top and outer walls of the house. Upraised nails in a shingled roof or deteriorated shingles or gaps where plumbing vent pipes penetrate the surface—possibly due to high winds, falling branches or ice thawing in colder climes—can produce small breaks and holes for water to seep through onto tops of ceilings. That can possibly lead to mold as summer temperatures rise and water leaks into the interior of the house.

OldHouseWeb.com says collars of vent pipes should be tight, as “some older [ones] can loosen over time and even some newer rubber collars crack and leak long before the shingles fail.” Also, check the gutters to make sure they are clear of packed leaves and tree branches.

Don’t forget the family car, which may need its own spring cleanup. Go green with a natural soap to remove slush and grime, and then take a close look at the toll the past year has taken. Pebbles and rocks may have been kicked onto the sides of the car, resulting in small chips and abrasions of the paint from which rust might spread. The nonprofit Car Care Council (CarCare. org) recommends covering the areas as quickly as possible and if necessary to use a little clear nail polish—nontoxic, of course—as a quick fix for minor paint damage until a proper touch-up can be scheduled.

Then there’s the undercarriage. Salt particles that may have been used in treating roads and highways in icy regions may be lodged into crevices which can corrode metal and functional parts. Make sure the hose sprayer also reaches these areas.

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CALL OF THE WILD Kids Thrive in Wilderness School

I

by Patricia Staino

magine a school day spent building forts and shelters, making pottery, identifying wild edibles and medicinal plants, and sitting silently in quiet reflection, observing the environment and journaling.

We’ve come a long way since “outdoor learning” referred to 20 minutes of recess on a blacktop parking lot. Today, educators and parents are recognizing the inherent benefits of children spending more time outdoors, exploring nature

and balancing reading and writing with hiking, wildlife study and fire-making.

Two Coyotes Wilderness School is at the forefront of this movement in Connecticut; founded in 2000 as a nonprofit nature mentoring organization, its mission is to connect people to nature, community, and self. The school offers youth, adult and family programs, which take place at Sticks & Stones Farm in Newtown; Holcomb Farm in West Granby; and Chatfield Hollow Park in Killingworth. With Two Coyotes’ emphasis on mentoring, cultural practices, and personal growth, students learn about themselves and their place in the natural world.

The school’s newest offering is the Forest Learning Program, which runs from September through June and is designed for children five to 12 years old.

Once a week, children spend a full school day immersed in nature and experiencing core practices like gratitude, song and storytelling, as well as team-building activities with community celebrations that honor students and bring together parents, elders, and youth.

“Our programs have an inherent rhythm and flow that create space for kids to move at their own pace, while we facilitate and guide them towards a goal, ensuring that they’re being challenged at their edge,” says Maggie Gotterer, executive director. “There’s room in our lessons to

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photos courtesy of TwoCoyotes.org

community spotlight

accommodate a diverse range of needs, so that every child can take what they need from a lesson but also be pushed in a way that is relevant to their learning style.”

The teaching style follows the “coyote mentoring” method, where lessons are indirect, yet transformational. Within this framework, nature mentors tailor each day’s activities to the needs and interests of the students, including comfort and familiarity with spending a full day in an outdoor environment. The program aligns with the goals of the Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core State Standards; through mentor-led inquiry and process-based learning, children investigate the natural world, journal and research their findings, use observations to answer their questions, and synthesize facts into knowledge applicable to life. This cultivates students’ innate curiosity and a passion for learning that will serve them when they are back in the classroom.

The day begins and closes in a circle, where students share gratitude, stories of the day, and song. Mornings are focused on learning survival and naturalist skills, which deepen over the arc of the year as students observe, ask questions and apply their skills to hands-on wilderness projects. Afternoons are filled with storytelling, playing in the river and games that apply skills learned in the morning.

Woven throughout the course are lessons in peacemaking and nonviolent communication, challenge activities and teamwork.

“Because our program is built around mentoring, we intentionally build in challenges,” says Gotterer. “For example, if we have a child who doesn’t like bugs, we try to ease them into that relationship over time with increasingly challenging encounters.”

While the curriculum is planned for each meeting day, it is flexible and responsive depending on the weather, the land and the children. Mentors bring unique and varied backgrounds to the school, so the activities they lead make use of their special talents as well as those of the students.

“The mentors spend a lot of time at the beginning of the program getting to know the kids and drawing out their curiosities, learning what gets them engaged and motivated, what interests them, so they can tailor activities as the program evolves throughout the year,” says Gotterer.

Two Coyotes can report weekly attendance to a child’s school, and schools typically mark children as present for that day, likening the time to a weekly field trip or learning in an alternate environment.

Former Connecticut Education Commissioner Dianna Wentzell has indicated that a program similar to Forest Learning, operated by Common Ground in New Haven, is an excellent personalized

learning opportunity for students and is an acceptable way to count attendance.

“We have seen a big payoff for our students; after spending a day in nature, they are much more focused and engaged in the classroom the other four days of the week,” says Gotterer. “For some, they are more confident because they have friendships and connections outside of school, for others they thrive on the close mentorship that they receive from our staff, or being able to explore some of their academic curiosities in another environment.

We receive great feedback from parents that this program has given their children another opportunity to learn and grow.”

The Forest Learning Program is offered for 35 weekly sessions from 9am to 3pm on Wednesdays at Holcomb Farm in West Granby and on Fridays at Sticks & Stones Farm in Newtown. The program includes an overnight in the fall and spring seasons.

Tuition for the Forest Learning Program is $2,250, including the cost of both overnights.

Tuition can be paid in full or on a monthly payment plan. Scholarships are available.

For more information, contact Executive Director Maggie Gotterer at 203-733-3951, Maggie@TwoCoyotes.org, or TwoCoyotes.org.

Patricia Staino is the managing editor of Natural Awakenings’ Hartford and Fairfield County editions.

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The message I try to express [through my art] is that some of our best-known wild animals might, in my lifetime, no longer be on the planet. painting by Josie Martin

~Josie Martin

PLANET RESCUE Grassroots Strategies Combat Climate Crisis

by Julie Marshall

L

ike most kids, Azalea Morgan loves polar bears. “They’re fluffy and cute,” the 8-year-old says, and after watching a documentary on how climate change is affecting these Arctic apex predators, she badly wanted to help. Her mom, Molly Morgan, suggested she do something big, because the problem of global warming is monumental.

For nearly three weeks last September, Azalea pedaled her bike alongside her mom and 9-year-old sister, Ember, setting out from their hometown of Andover, New Hampshire, en route to New York City to attend the United Nations (UN) Climate Action Summit, where Greta Thunberg and other global youth leaders marched for change. The trip was a fundraiser to put solar panels on their 16

school and for future projects under KidsCare4PolarBears, a Facebook page that documents their ongoing efforts.

While not everyone has the time or inclination to ride 250 miles and camp—some of it in the rain—or as Thunberg did, sail across the Atlantic in a zero-emissions yacht, there are steps individuals can take to combat climate change on a grassroots level, experts say, because the crisis is undeniable, as seen most recently in the catastrophic bushfires across Australia.

There are peaceful protests taking place worldwide scheduled throughout 2020 at FridaysForFuture.org and other organizations, but a growing number of individuals that want to do more are using their imaginations and creative en-

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deavors, inspiring others to take unique action.

Students at a school in Spain wrote and performed a play and illustrated a book to raise climate change awareness, while a teen from California used her artistic skills to raise thousands of dollars for wildlife. On March 28, people around the world participated in the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour by collectively turning off lights at 8:30 p.m. while holding eco-events, and others are joining in the global tree-planting campaign of The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

Reversing course may seem insurmountable, but individuals have a lot of power, says Dan Shepard, UN global communications officer: “The choices we make, the things we do, collectively

matter and can have a huge impact on the world.”

Stepping Up for Biodiversity

“I wanted to inspire other kids,” Ember says of her bicycle trek for polar bears. “I love animals and they deserve to not die.”

According to a 2019 UN Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, more than 1 million species are threatened with extinction, and one of the main reasons is climate change, say experts, including Nikhil Advani, director of Climate Communities and Wildlife at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Protecting large predators is one key to enriching biodiversity, Advani says.

“The top of the food chain has a significant impact on prey species and the ecosystem.”

But predators are suffering because of humans that are feeling the impacts of climate change, Advani says. Long droughts have forced many Kenyan pastoralists to enter protected parks and compete with wildlife for water and grazing land, resulting in lion deaths as retaliation for killing livestock. In the Himalayas, as the Earth warms, snow leopard habitat is being encroached for pastureland. In Zimbabwe, farmers have turned to chopping down trees for wood as an alternative economic opportunity.

“Everybody is stressed and competing

for resources,” Advani says. “It is a very severe result of climate change.”

Advani and researchers are working in tandem with local societies in 30 countries across Africa, Central America and Asia to fund novel projects under the Wildlife Adaptation Innovation Fund.

For instance, they are piloting a rainwater harvesting project to help farmers get through the dry seasons and are constructing concrete and mudbrick nests to help albatross breed better in Tasmania. These special projects are based on available levels of donations that are sometimes crowd-sourced.

Raising funds for innovative projects, as well as increasing awareness of what’s happening, is an important grassroots strategy, says Elan Strait, WWF director of U.S. climate campaigns. It can be as simple as sharing updates, tagging social media influencers and instigating a rallying cry. WWF has its own program called Panda Ambassadors in which conservation activists of all ages can get tips and tools to promote specific projects they feel most passionate about.

“I love to see what young people are doing, because if we collectively use our voice to amplify the facts about climate change, we can work to find solutions,” Strait says. “And we need facts to get out there because, at least in the U.S., some

people think climate change is still a controversy and are afraid to talk about it, but we should have that conversation with friends and family so we can find solutions.”

Youth Rising to the Challenge

Getting involved in grassroots-level strategies is empowering not only for kids, but for adults that need their resiliency and inspiration, says Janet Stringer, manager of donor relations at Polar Bears International, in Bozeman, Montana. “In my work, I hear from so many people who are feeling deep despair about the climate crisis. I draw hope from the children who write to us, sharing stories and pictures about their dreams for a future that includes polar bears,” says Stringer.

“I think we owe it to the next generation to work as hard as we can to come together and make the necessary changes to ensure that polar bears—and all wildlife—are not a species we learn about in the pages of a book, but a wild species that we can see with our own eyes, reminding us of how special our planet is and why it deserves our respect.”

One of her favorite examples comes from students at the Daina-Isard school, in Olesa de Montserrat, Spain, and their climate-driven projects with teacher Connie Darilek, who asked the Aquar-

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ium of Barcelona to help them grow plankton, an organism threatened by warming seas.

“They gave us plankton and jellyfish, and it was really amazing for the students to learn the [Arctic] food chain and how serious it would be losing the polar bear on top,” Darilek says. Students recently published the book Nanuc, a story about a polar bear that they also illustrated, now in its second printing.

Josie Martin, 13, of Solana Beach, California, has raised $8,700 for conservation of rhinos, elephants, pangolins, gorillas and polar bears by giving watercolor paintings to those that donate to charities through her PayPal Giving page at Chuffed.org/project/peacelove-hope-for-rhinos. “Each year, I think I’m getting a little bit better at creating art which sends a strong message,” she says. “The message I try to express is that some of our best-known wild animals might in my lifetime no longer be on the planet. I think the difference I make through art is that I am helping to raise awareness for important animal conservation work.”

Every Action Counts

There’s no one solution to climate change, says Catherine Macdonald, TNC director of natural climate solu-

I love to see what young people are doing, because if we collectively use our voice to amplify the facts about climate change, we can work to find solutions. ~Elan Strait tions for North America. “We really have to try, all of us. It’s important that everyone feel they can contribute, because everything does make a difference, and no action is too small.”

For those that are not art-inclined, one of the best things people can do is to plant trees, Macdonald says, whether it’s replanting forests or increasing their numbers in urban areas. According to a 2018 study by TNC published in Science Advances, nature-driven land management could sequester 21 percent of America’s annual greenhouse gas pollution—the equivalent of emissions from all cars and trucks on the roads today. Planting trees emerged in the study as the most significant among 21 strategies to mitigate global warming. One good way to get started is join the TNC Plant a Billion Trees program, Macdonald says; details are at Tinyurl.com/TNCPlantABillionTrees.

“Climate change is definitely a growing concern that we are facing, and as more people understand there

is a problem and what the solutions are, the more influence we can have on the big decision-makers, whether that’s government or corporations that make our products,” she says.

“And being aware informs voters to advance climate action.”

While Josie, Ember, Azalea and the students at Daina-Isard aren’t old enough to vote, their message is strong.

“I’m worried about the impact climate change will have on our future,” Josie says. “I think people should protest peacefully for the things they believe in and that more people should exercise their right to vote for leaders who care about the youth in our world and the generations to come. I also think people should try to spend a little bit of their time taking action for what they want to see changed in our world.”

Julie Marshall is a Colorado-based writer and author of Making Burros Fly: Cleveland Amory, Animal Rescue Pioneer. Connect with her at FlyingBurros@gmail.com.

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A Child Shall Lead Them

T

Connecticut Youth Lead the Climate Charge

he world has the teenage climate warrior Greta Thunberg, but Connecticut is home to several young warriors of its own. High schoolers in the New Haven Climate Movement convinced the city to declare a climate emergency, while Yale’s Endowment Justice Coalition actively seeks the university’s divestment from fossil fuels and Puerto Rican debt.

Green Eco Warriors is a youth climate program founded by Leticia Colón de Mejias, who is one of Connecticut’s foremost mentors to youth regarding the climate crisis, and the mostly 20-something group from New Haven’s Sunrise Movement hub promotes the Green New Deal.

All these groups, and others, had planned robust rallies and marches to call for urgent climate action on April 22 to 24 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. However, after the state shut down in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, all the activities proceeded on-line, and included virtual rallies, teach-ins, poster-making, tree-decorating and much more.

According to Adrien Huq, a 16-yearold senior at New Haven’s Metropolitan 20

Business Academy and one of the organizers with the New Haven Climate Movement, “There’s new excitement and urgency around the climate emergency. It’s a new decade and we need to see strong action because not a lot happened in the last decade. Earth Day is about taking solid action this time, not just a one-day thing or just planting a tree. Being an environmentalist is great, but we also need people pushing for strong action at the governmental level, especially the state level.”

Another group, the Sunrise Movement hub, burst upon the scene shortly after the 2018 mid-term elections when a large group of young people occupied the Congressional office of incoming Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, demanding the government pass legislation for a Green New Deal to “stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process,” says Tyler Wakefield, a leader with the group. “It’s an attempt to center justice in our approach to stopping this crisis. It recognizes our country’s and cities’ long history of racist and classist energy, housing, health care, transportation and food

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policy that has left communities of color and low-wealth communities far more vulnerable to climate change.”

Adult climate activists focused on the “Stop the Money Pipeline” campaign, advancing the idea that if banks and other financial institutions stop extending loans and providing insurance coverage for fracked gas and highly polluting tar sands and other kinds of oil pipelines, then that greenhouse gas-emitting infrastructure can’t be built. Hartford has long been considered the insurance capital of the world, and activists—led by co-organizer the Connecticut chapter of the Sierra Club—recently carried out an “on-line accountability walking tour” to visit a number of insurance companies headquartered in the city. The purpose was “to demand that they stop their investments in fossil fuels, that they invest in renewable energy and stop insuring fossil fuel companies,” says Angel Serrano, lead organizer for the event with Connecticut Citizen Action Group. He added that the focus was on social justice, environmental justice, climate change and energy.

Sena Wazer, a 16-year-old student at UConn, is co-chair of another Sunrise group and a passionate speaker who roused her peers and elders at three climate strikes at the Capitol last year. The youth’s demands included no new fossil fuel expansion; expanded energy efficiency and renewable energy; and ensured climate education for all public-school children, “because every child deserves to know what is happening to their future,” she says. “We cannot keep building natural gas power plants when we need to be moving away from fossil fuels, and renewable energy is the future.”

In a speech last December, she made her case to political leaders, telling them: “I spend every day panicking about climate change, doing whatever I can to help combat it, but yet in your position of power, you continue to sit by and do nothing. But we’re not waiting any longer: Stand up or step aside.”

The activists say the bills that were being debated in the Connecticut General Assembly this year before the shutdown didn’t go nearly far enough in tackling the climate crisis. Although the state relies more on fracked

natural gas than any other fuel source, they say it is not a bridge to a clean energy future.

Some have called it “a gangplank to catastrophe,” since natural gas is almost 100 percent methane, a very powerful greenhouse gas that is 100 times worse for the climate than carbon dioxide over a 10-year period, which is the critical time for action.

Another focus for local climate groups is Killingly, near the Rhode Island border. It’s the site of a fracked gas power plant first denied, then approved, by the Connecticut Siting Council.

“If it’s built and operates, it will increase greenhouse gas emissions over 5 percent in the state, which makes it increasingly difficult to meet our climate mandates,” says Kate Donnelly, one of the organizers of opposition to the plant. The plant’s owner, NTE, says gas is cleaner than the coal- and oil-powered plants it’s replacing, but opponents say renewable energy is cleaner still, and underscore again the methane problem.

Advocates for a stable climate say Connecticut doesn’t need the plant, as energy demand has remained flat throughout the region, and ISO New England, the region’s energy grid operator, last year reduced its need for power.

Donnelly adds that local residents are concerned because emissions from the plant would increase air pollution, and Windham County already has the highest asthma rates in the state. “We have state reps and senators, farmers, businesspeople, the elderly and parents” involved in efforts to stop the plant, she says. “Our strategy is to educate people as much as we can and then put pressure on the governor through protests, writing letters, lobbying.”

The Connecticut Climate Crisis Mobilization, a 90-member coalition that came together last summer to promote September’s youth climate strike in Hartford, met for several months before the planned Earth Day events to build support and carry out their own “lightning round rally and actions.” They also planned a forum that will make the connections between the coronavirus, the climate emergency and the economic crisis.

Local Resources Connecticut Climate Crisis Mobilization • CTClimateCrisisMobilization.org CT Citizen Action Group • Angel.SerranoCCAG@gmail.com • CCAG.net/take-action.html New Haven Climate Movement • NewHavenClimateMovement@gmail.com NewHavenClimateMovement.org No More Dirty Power in Killingly • 860-604-4846 (Sierra Club Connecticut) Sierra Club Connecticut • 860-578-4750 • Connecticut.SierraClub.org Sunrise CT • FB, Instagram, Twitter: Sunrise Movement Connecticut

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Saving All Creatures, Great and Small

by Jennifer Ponte Canning

The fate of Connecticut’s wildlife lies in all of our hands, but only a few exceptional folks are doing the hands-on work.

I

t takes a special person to become a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. They are the field medics in humanity’s war on the natural world, taking in wild animals who have been injured, poisoned, orphaned or displaced by human activity.

They often work out of their homes and are on call around the clock. Vacations and even downtime are rarely a reality.

They are not compensated for their work, relying on donations and grants to fund their life-saving efforts. And, all too often, those efforts are for naught.

Yet it is the success stories that keep them going.

“We work desperately to save them all, but in many cases, it is not possible,” says Cristine Cummings, who co-founded

Top 10 Things You Can Do to Live Harmoniously with Native Wildlife

by Wildlife in Crisis • Leave trees standing, especially mature trees that provide shelter and mast for wildlife.

• Keep cats indoors and supervise dogs.

• Watch for wildlife when driving.

• Do not trap wildlife—you will only leave orphaned young behind.

• Eliminate pesticides, herbicides or rodenticides—these are highly toxic to all living beings.

• Create pollinator pathways with native plants—natural food and shelter for bees to bears.

• Garden gently, keeping in mind frogs, salamanders and other indicator species. Turn half your lawn into a meadow.

• Install nest boxes and feeders for songbirds.

• Pick up fishing line, netting, jars and other trash that harms wildlife.

• Preserve land—habitat preservation is the most important thing we can do for wildlife.

• Become active with your local land trust.

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the Killingworth-based raptor rescue A Place Called Hope in 2005. “The majority of cases we admit are so badly injured, we can’t put them through trying. But for those who have a chance at recovery, we dedicate our efforts.”

For many rehabbers, the inclination to help wild animals began in childhood.

When she was 10 years old, Dara Reid discovered a baby field mouse taking shelter in her mother’s sock drawer. She cared for the mouse until it could survive on its own, eventually returning him to his natural habitat. This inspired her to study veterinary medicine, then wildlife biology, and by age 23, Reid had founded Wildlife in Crisis. That was in 1988. Thirty-two years later, the secluded Westonbased clinic is by far the most robust in Connecticut, answering 20,000 calls and taking in more than 5,000 wild animals each year—with the goal of healing and releasing every last one.

“I have always had a passion and empathy for animals. Their vulnerability has always stood out to me,” Reid says.

“As I matured, I realized that local wildlife needed a voice and a sanctuary.”

Nadia McCartney was also about 10 years old when she found a baby jackrabbit with a broken leg. She made a splint for it using a twig, then raised the rabbit until it was ready to be released. The rewarding experience made a lifelong impact on her. Today she runs Helping Hands for Wildlife, a nonprofit group in Woodbury that is licensed to rehabilitate rabies vector species (RVS) such as raccoons, foxes and skunks, as well as other mammals.

“Although everyone told me not to hold out hope because [the jackrabbit] was wild and probably would die, I realized that these animals are much stronger than people believe,” McCartney recalls. “It’s worth trying to help them. I hate when people say, ‘Let nature take its course.’”

“As a biologist, I am a firm believer in letting nature take its course,” stresses Reid, “but there is nothing natural about being hit by a car, entangled in fishing line, poisoned by pesticides or wounded by a domestic cat.”

Indeed, in 98 percent of cases, it’s not nature taking its course when a wild animal is sick or hurt, but rather falls on people disrupting the natural course of life.

Vehicle strikes are the most common hazard, but there are plenty of others: poisoning by rodenticides, pesticides, herbicides, lead fishing tackle and spent ammunition; window collisions (for birds); garbage entanglements; domestic pet attacks; and habitat destruction, such as the cutting down of dead trees that house the nests of squirrels, raccoons and birds.

Then there is intentional harm by humans. “People will shoot a bird of prey if they fear it may hunt their chickens, pigeons, rabbits, even children,” says Cummings. “Who was it that said, ‘humans fear what they do not understand?’”

A Place Called Hope is currently focused on aiding birds of prey that are suffering from secondary rodenticide poisoning; rodents and small birds often ingest the toxins, then are consumed by larger birds such as hawks, eagles and vultures. While these cases are commonplace nowadays, survival is not.

“To nurse them through the damage and see them back to health is such a success, since so many die in the process,” Cummings explains. “The damage is so severe to all organs, and typically we get them admitted when it is too late—so to have one survive and go free is not only rare but rewarding.”

While healing and releasing as many birds as possible is the main goal of A Place Called Hope, some of the 500 to 600 patients they admit each year must remain “perma-

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April/May 2020

23

nent residents.” These birds become ambassadors, performing live demonstrations of their beauty, power and intelligence for the public while their handlers inform the audience of the threats posed by humans.

“Everything that we do affects wildlife: our homes, our vehicles, our roads, our pets, our purchases, our trash, and more. I feel it is a moral imperative for us to alleviate some of the suffering wild animals are forced to endure in suburban and urban communities,” says Reid. “The most important thing we can do for wildlife and ourselves is to protect natural habitats from development. Habitat fragmentation causes a domino effect of imbalance. Ecosystems are a fragile symphony of species.”

Reid points out that the New England region loses 23,725 acres of forest land per year to development; Connecticut alone loses 3,700 acres annually. When forests are chopped down, meadows mowed and marshes filled in, what becomes of the animals native to those environments?

While mitigating the outcome of this dynamic, Wildlife in Crisis is also taking a proactive approach to preventing it. It has bolstered its rehabbing efforts and educational outreach with the Wildlife in Crisis Land Trust, a fund dedicated to purchasing and preserving precious open space.

“Our main focus now is on continuity, ensuring that Wildlife in Crisis will re-

main in perpetuity for future generations of people and wildlife,” Reid says. “Our services are needed now more than ever.”

That need already far exceeds the number of wildlife rehabilitators currently licensed by the state of Connecticut, with few prospects willing to make the commitment and sacrifices required. There is no public funding for rehabbing, and those who train and pay the licensing fees must also build cages and habitats to state specifications, at their own expense. Caring for sick and injured animals is a 24-hour-aday job with no pay, and the emotional toll is as costly as the maintenance.

“Burnout is the biggest reason people stop rehabbing,” says Nadia McCartney of Healing Hands for Wildlife. “We deal with

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sickness and death all hours of the day, while most of us have to work a full-time job to afford it; I also work a part-time job.”

McCartney decided to become a licensed rehabber 12 years ago after discovering four orphaned raccoons in her garage and taking them into her home. Before long, they were wreaking havoc, so McCartney began searching for a rehabilitator to take them in. After making 20 calls and getting only one response, “I realized how few RVS rehabbers there were in Connecticut, so I decided to get my license,” she recalls.

“To date, we still have too few rehabbers because of the expense and time it takes. Yet we are wildlife’s only help, so many of us take in more than we should,” McCartney laments. “It is so hard to say no to a baby that you know will die if you do nothing.”

For more information, visit WildlifeInCrisis.org, HelpingHandsForWildlife.org, APlaceCalledHopeRaptors.com Jennifer Ponte Canning is a freelance writer from Fairfield County.

What You Can Do Donate: Wildlife rehab groups are non-profit organizations that rely solely on donations to fund their facilities and operations.

Educate: Spread the word about creating a safe environment for wildlife.

Volunteer: Organizations need help with animal transport, patient care, cage building/carpentry, community education, facility maintenance, fundraising, landscaping, laundry, plumbing, web design, and much more.

Preserve: Set up or contribute to a land trust.

Become a state-licensed wildlife rehabilitator: Visit Tinyurl.com/ CTWildlifeRehabilitator

wise words

Brigit Strawbridge Howard on Rediscovering Nature

B

by April Thompson

ee advocate, wildlife Bees have been a porgardener and tal to the natural world for naturalist Brigit me. It happens when many Strawbridge Howard was people get interested in a alarmed the moment she specific species because realized she knew more everything is interconnectabout the French Revolued, and you start to notice the whole web of life. tion than the native trees around her. Howard’s realization that she had What makes bees lost touch with the natural distinct from world led her on a journey other kinds of deep into the fascinatinsects? ing world of honeybees, Bees go out specifically bumblebees, and the often unsung superpollinator sol- It’s never too late to to collect pollen and nectar to feed their itary bees, chronicled in her reconnect and find larvae; other insects eat book Dancing with Bees: pollen and are important the curiosity and awe A Journey Back to Nature.

Howard writes, speaks and that you experienced pollinators, but don’t collect it for their young. campaigns to raise awareas a child.

They also tend to visit ness of the importance the same flower species again and again, of native wild bees and other pollinating which other pollinators don’t always do. insects. She lives in North Dorset, England, with her husband, Rob, where they love to How has your study of bees bee-watch in their backyard garden.

What first piqued your interest in bees?

Initially, apocalyptic headlines about bee decline and colony collapse with female worker bees leaving hives and not coming back alarmed me from a human food chain perspective. It happened to be around the time I realized I had completely lost touch with the natural world I so loved as a child.

I started looking for bees and became completely immersed in their world; the more I watched them, the more I lost track of time and the more questions I had. I also began to more worry about the bees themselves than about their decline’s effect on us.

affected you personally?

I dropped out of school as a teenager.

Bees are the only thing I’ve truly ever studied; I am self-taught in insect biology and ecology. I have read scientific papers that I would have never thought were for the likes of me in my quest to understand more about bees.

Also, when I feel overwhelmed with life, because of my interest in bees I have something else to focus on. I can lose hours and hours walking in the woods and totally forget my problems.

I have learned to tune into the tiny things, the fungi and miniscule plants I would have otherwise walked past.

What is one of the most interesting aspects of bee behavior?

Some years ago, I remember vividly a day on my patio listening to bees with my eyes closed and seeing if I could recognize them by their buzzes. Bumblebees have a deep booming buzz, for example, and I recognized this, but suddenly it changed to a high-pitched sound like a dental drill. I opened my eyes, and it was a bumblebee going round and round the sides of a Welsh poppy, sounding really frantic and having a pollen bath. As it turns out, she was sonicating, otherwise known as buzz foraging. This is how bees pollinate tomatoes. A lot of flowers don’t give up pollen easily, but the bumblebee knows exactly what to do. It grasps the flower and continues to vibrate without moving its wings. This produces high-frequency vibrations that trigger the tomato flower to open and explodes pollen out onto the bee.

What are a few ways that we can help support bee populations?

Maintain gardens, backyards and balconies with a variety of nectar-rich plants and create habitat for bees to nest in. Plant flowers that will bloom in succession. Stop using pesticides, insecticides and other chemicals, because the bees are taking that cocktail of chemicals back to the hive or nest, and collectively they are more dangerous than the sum of their parts. Also, dare to be less tidy in your garden; grow wildflowers and let flowering weeds like clover and dandelions be. Watch and see what comes.

It won’t just be the bees: If we get it right for the bees, it spirals out to other species.

It’s never too late to reconnect and find the curiosity and awe that you experienced as a child. It was bees that captured my attention and imagination; for someone else it may be something else, but if you make time to stop, sit and look around you, you will find the wonder in nature.

April Thompson is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C. Connect at AprilWrites.com.

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Animal Reiki Training

therapy spotlight

ANIMAL REIKI Spiritual Compassion for All Creatures

by Renee Gregory Malo

A

s natural disasters and environmental damage unfold around the world, awareness and acceptance of animal Reiki as a spiritual and healing modality is growing. Global concern continues to mount for the well-being of fellow humans, animal populations, and the planet.

There is a movement toward building a greater connection with household pets and a desire to help animals in difficult circumstances. Reiki’s compassionate spirit and self-healing benefits meet a need for people who want to help in a positive way.

The Reiki modality was founded in Japan by Mikao Usui in the 1920s. The philosophy of the original Usui Reiki method was based on the simple, traditional Japanese techniques of meditation and mindfulness. By practicing Reiki, one 26

learns how to intentionally create a gentle, open space of balance to invite healing, spiritual cultivation and enlightenment.

When Reiki arrived in the U.S. in the 1930s, an element of human touch was added to the teachings and it became what we know today as human Reiki.

In 2006, Kathleen Prasad, the founder of Animal Reiki Source, learned of the original Usui philosophy. She found that animals were highly sensitive to energy work and realized how the notouch techniques supported the healing experience on their terms. She developed the Let Animals Lead method and began teaching its simple meditative and handsoff techniques. Today in Connecticut, the Let Animals Lead method of animal Reiki is being practiced in homes, farms and shelters.

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Kelly McCarthy is an animal Reiki practitioner, educator and speaker. She has taught dozens of classes, provided hundreds of animal Reiki sessions to clients and spoken at numerous public events throughout Connecticut.

With her Native American heritage, McCarthy was raised with a deep connection to Mother Earth and a desire to work with animals. Animal Reiki fit in perfectly.

She first learned about animal Reiki from a friend who completed his certification and suggested that she do it, too. “After having a conversation with Kathleen Prasad,” she says, “everything lit up for me. I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

McCarthy says the animals’ human companions also benefit from the animal Reiki experience. “People allow themselves to become vulnerable, relax and open up when they are with their animals.

In this moment, they give themselves permission to heal and grow. Through animal Reiki, I help humans and their pets tap into their inner light and their self-healing journey together.”

Practices at Flamig Farm

Nevin Christensen was born and raised on Flamig Farm in Simsbury, owned by his family for generations. He grew up playing and working outside. A few years after returning home with a Master’s degree in environmental science, the family began a summer camp program for children to experience caring for farm animals and taking care of the land. The farm became a place of beloved memories for thousands of children.

One day, Christensen’s wife Julie brought home two sheep that needed a new home. They enjoyed having them so much, Julie continued to adopt more animals to live out their days on the joyful farm. Today the farm is home to goats, pigs, horses, cows, alpacas, emus, donkeys, peacocks, guinea pigs and more.

The Christensens strongly believe in the healthful effects of positivity and optimism, and they invite the public to visit the farm animals to relax and relieve stress.

In the fall of 2019, Kelly McCarthy reached out to Julie, her childhood neighbor. McCarthy told her about animal Reiki and how it could benefit their animals; the Christensens agreed to host an animal Reiki certification class at their farm.

Initially, they weren’t going to take the class themselves, but their curiosity led the couple to sign up for Animal Reiki Level I Certification, and they have been pleased with the results.

Nevin and Julie promote animal Reiki on their farm to the public through their website. They like the idea of students offering Reiki to their animals and allowing the public to observe and ask questions. “I like to have people see alternatives. We need more people to see that they can be healed with universal energy,” says Nevin.

They also incorporate this healing modality into daily life behind the scenes.

A lamb was recently born and unable to move his legs. Previously in a situation like this, the Christensens would feel there was nothing they could do. Nevin says that with his Reiki training, “just knowing that if I’m nearby, I can project energy out to the animal. There’s a sense of peace with the animal. There are good vibrations and they are healing.” The lamb was able to stand and walk after a few days and continues to be in good health.

McCarthy currently holds all of her certification classes there, with the farm animals benefitting the most from the Reiki. Nevin says, “Kelly has a standing invitation to come to the farm along with her students.”

The Connecticut Humane Society Brings Reiki in

In July 2019, McCarthy was invited to the Connecticut Humane Society headquarters in Newington to give a “Pet Talk” about the benefits of animal Reiki to the employees and volunteers. Theresa Geary, director of operations, says, “We are always looking for things that are new and less mainstream, as long as it fits with our mis-

sion.” The Connecticut Humane Society’s veterinary services have included flower and herbal essences for a number of years.

McCarthy’s event was well-attended, and 18 employees and volunteers signed up for her Animal Reiki I class in the fall of 2019. Since their training, the students have been practicing the Reiki precepts and offering Reiki to their own animals to improve their skills. Geary says, “I’m familiar with human Reiki, and I wanted to go to this class. I have a cat at home, and whenever I do the animal Reiki meditations, she is all over me and won’t leave me alone.”

Geary says the safety of the animals, employees and volunteers is paramount at all times. Before anyone offers Reiki at any of their three shelters, they create a formal program to ensure that best safety practices are in place.

“These animals are under a constant state of underlying stress,” says Geary.

“We’re always looking for new tools to help animals through our environment.

We’re excited about it.”

Animal Reiki Restores Universal Connections

When asked what she enjoys most about animal Reiki, McCarthy says she loves it because of its simplicity. “It’s a beautiful

experience,” she says. “Every animal is different, but they all connect the same way on a deeper level. They all feel seen and feel love in that Reiki space. Animals see their person as they are and have pure love for them anyway. In that space, they connect on a deeper level that allows them to learn, grow and heal.”

Renee Gregory Malo is a freelance writer, Human Resources consultant, and Animal Reiki Level II practitioner. She can be reached at ReneeGregoryMalo@gmail.com.

Local Resources Beyond Words & Wisdom Kelly McCarthy 860-806-9684 BeyondWordsnWisdom.com Flamig Farm Inc. Nevin Christensen 7 Shingle Mill Rd, Simsbury 860-916-0644 FlamigFarm.com Connecticut Humane Society 701 Russell Rd, Newington 800-452-0114 CTHumane.org

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Self-Healing from Autoimmunity

By her early 20s, Mickey Trescott, of Willamette Valley, Oregon, was bedridden and had lost her job to autoimmune disease. At one point, doctors thought

Healing the Immune System

Autoimmune Breakthroughs Offer New Hope

S

by April Thompson

ome 23 million Americans suffer from one or more autoimmune diseases—a category comprised of more than 80 conditions, including fibromyalgia, Hashimoto’s disease, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and Type 1 diabetes.

These pernicious disorders are notoriously difficult to diagnose, even harder to treat and can be debilitating, diminishing the quality of life for sufferers.

Another commonality is the increased prevalence of autoimmune disease in women versus men; in the case of lupus, for example, a nine-fold difference. Some early indicators are that this may be related to a “gene dosage effect”, as men with XXY chromosomes have the same risk of developing lupus as other women, and women with XXX chromosomes (known in medical parlance as “superwomen”) have an even higher risk of autoimmune disease, according to Judith James, chair of 28

the Arthritis & Clinical Immunology Program at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, in Oklahoma City.

Yet there is hope on the horizon, as scientific discoveries unlock important insights about the manifestation and progression of autoimmune diseases leading to new treatments and prevention tips.

Evidence is also mounting around the role of diet and lifestyle in autoimmune conditions, giving patients new avenues for taking charge of their health instead of simply waiting for a cure.

Autoimmune diseases are chronic and can affect almost any part of the body, including the heart, brain, muscles, skin, eyes, joints, lungs, kidneys, glands, digestive tract and blood vessels. Each disease carries its own set of symptoms, but inflammation is nearly always present, and are all connected by how the immune system attacks the body’s healthy tissues.

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it was multiple sclerosis (MS); she was dizzy, numb, falling over and slurring her speech. Eventually, she was diagnosed with both Hashimoto’s and celiac diseases, affecting the thyroid and small intestine, respectively. Trescott, a nutritionist, chef and author of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, had been vegan for 10 years, but had a feeling that her body needed something different.

She found an early version of what would become known as the autoimmune protocol (AIP), and in following its guidelines, began to find relief. Trescott connected with other women and started a private Facebook group to share information on what was improving their condition from which the AIP community sprung. AIP, an elimination diet that seeks to reset the immune system by cutting out inflammation-causing foods and treating leaky gut, has much in common

metamorworks/Shutterstock.com

“Those shared characteristics hold the potential for shared treatments, and ultimately potentially common cures,” says Jane Buckner, president of the Benaroya Research Institute (BRI), at Virginia Mason, in Seattle, which works to advance the prediction, prevention, reversal and cure of immune system diseases.

“I’m excited about our progress toward prevention. We are working to understand those tipping points in transitioning into disease that help us understand who is at highest risk, and helps give very directed therapies,” says James.

with the paleo diet and promotes vitamin- and nutrient-rich foods. However, every individual comes out of the AIP process with a customized diet.

For Trescott, “Gluten is a forever-no, and I am also allergic to dairy and sensitive to a lot of nightshade vegetables, like tomatoes and peppers.” It took three years to recover most of her functioning, and although she had been a personal chef, it was still challenging to determine a new approach to eating that didn’t include the grains and legumes that had been staples of her diet.

Trescott is still on medications, including the same thyroid support she’s relied on from the start. “There is a misconception that the AIP is an alternative to conventional medicine. We really pride ourselves on using all the tools in our toolbox, including surgery, medication and lifestyle changes,” she says.

Anecdotal successes like Trescott’s have led researchers to pursue funding to test the AIP’s efficacy. In a pilot study of 18 individuals with an average sick time of 19 years that didn’t respond to traditional medication, 73 percent were in clinical remission at the end of the trial, having followed the AIP. “It was a small sample size, but the results are promising,” says Trescott.

Physician, Healed Thyself

Like many physicians, Terry Wahls focused on treating her patients with drugs or surgical procedures—until the Iowa City doctor was diagnosed with MS in 2000. Within three years, despite conventional medical treatments, her back and stomach muscles had weakened to the point where she needed a tilt-recline wheelchair, and by the summer of 2007, she could no longer sit up.

Though Wahls had been a vegetarian on a low-fat diet for 20 years, she went back to eating meat and gave up all dairy, wheat and grains, but still wasn’t improving. Delving back into the science of her condition, Wahls realized that mitochondrial support was key, and the speed of her decline slowed while taking a cocktail of vitamins to support its functioning.

It wasn’t until she took a comprehensive approach to optimize everything she could take in through her food rather than relying on supplements that she saw radical results: Her brain fog, fatigue and pain went away and she biked around the block for the first time in six years. “Taking in nutrients in the form of food rather than supplements, you get related compounds and thousands of others in biologically anticipated ratios,” explains Wahls.

“I still do take some supplements, but the magic is the food.”

Those key ingredients, says Wahls, include magnesium, zinc, selenium, sulfur, amino acids, cholesterol, omega-6 and omega-3s, fats, carnitine and creatine. Her rule of thumb for daily intake is three cups of leafy green vegetables; three cups of sulfuric vegetables like cabbage, mushrooms and onions; and three cups of deeply pigmented vegetables, plus sources of protein for meat eaters and vegetarians.

While her work was initially not accepted, today she has funding from the National MS Society and her research has

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mune disease running in their family, monitoring and maintaining adequate vitamin D levels and avoiding smoking and other high-risk behaviors can help improve their chances.” Even sleep patterns can play a role in disease manifestation, says the researcher. In one study, individuals at high risk for autoimmune disease that slept less than seven hours per day were more likely to develop an autoimmune condition, according to James.

Common Links Serve as Research Clues

There are some clear links between autoimmune diseases, such as the genetic predisposition that runs in families. “Someone with rheumatoid arthritis may have a sister with celiac disease, for example, and one individual may suffer from multiple autoimmune conditions. We can learn from these common genetic links,” says Buckner. These common links can serve

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as important clues. For example, Buckner says they are able to demonstrate changes in T cells in diabetes and MS that are the same, which might lead to common treatments for the two conditions.

While the process from basic scientific discovery to development of effective treatment can be slow, there are some concrete breakthroughs autoimmune researchers are excited about, having demonstrated ability to both prevent and delay disease. Citing a recent clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine, “They have demonstrated in kids at high risk for developing Type 1 diabetes the ability to delay onset for at least two years. It’s an incredibly exciting finding,” says Buckner.

Mackay is hopeful about advances in basic science addressing specific immune system abnormalities linked to inflammatory problems. “Lupus is very challenging to diagnose and treat because it can affect every system in the body,” says Mackay, whose research team has focused on lupus for decades. “The only forms of treatment have been very immune-suppressive medications that shut down the immune response. None of these medications are specific, so in shutting down the immune response to treat lupus, they in turn interfere with the body’s ability to fight off infection and cancer.” Researchers are now honing in on single cells from biopsies that indicate which proteins are abnormal, thereby helping develop more selective therapies, she says.

Seeing progress in the lab is one thing; seeing it in the waiting room is another, and that’s where autoimmune scientists and clinicians are really beginning to note a difference. “I’ve seen patients for 25 years, and when we started, we had very few options in my clinic, which was full of wheelchairs,” says Buckner. “In the last 20 years, we have seen an explosion in research and available treatments. I don’t have wheelchairs in my office anymore.”

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

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been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals. “Basic science is now showing that the microbiome has a huge impact on the immune system activity and the brain; the food we eat can turn gene expression on and off,” says Wahls, who hasn’t taken any drugs for her autoimmune condition since 2008.

Buckner cautions against patients trying to manage disease with lifestyle changes alone, without giving available allopathic treatments a fair try. “People do better if they are treated early and aggressively. They are reliant on fewer medications down the road and don’t have permanent damage if they seek treatment early.”

However, even researchers focused on pharmaceutical approaches acknowledge the importance of diet and lifestyle.

Meggan Mackay, professor of Molecular Medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, at Northwell Health, in Manhasset, New York, believes this can play a critical role in disease management.

She cites numerous studies showing exercise as a stress-buster positively influencing disease outcomes, as well as a more specific study looking at the benefits of adding fish oil and vitamin D to the diets of lupus patients. “The rise in obesity, which is linked to increased inflammation in the U.S., may be one of reasons we are seeing more autoimmune disease than ever,” says Mackay.

At-risk individuals should be aware of factors under their control, adds James.

“If someone is worried about autoim-

MD. Takuna is an extract produced from the bark of Cecropia strigosa, a tree that is found throughout South America. It has been reported to have very powerful antiviral and antibacterial properties. Patients taking Takuna at the dosage of 30 drops (in a four- to six-ounce glass of water) every hour to resolve influenzas, shingles and herpes outbreaks have shown improvement in a matter of one to two days.

Keep on these high doses until symptoms subside, then treat for four to six more hours to ensure success.

The Intersection of Lyme and Coronavirus

Natural Methods to Treat COVID-19 in Those with Chronic Lyme

D

by Gregg Kirk

uring this next phase of the Coronavirus saga, the many people dealing with chronic Lyme may feel like walking targets. It is being made very clear on news reports across the country that the population base most vulnerable to COVID-19 are the elderly and those with impaired immune systems.

All Lyme patients fall into the latter category, and while we are also hearing early reports of doctors having success with Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and Azithromycin (Z-Pak) in treating the virus, many Lyme patients can have sensitivities to antibiotics or may have trouble getting to a doctor to get a prescription for them.

What are the natural alternatives for treating this potentially deadly illness on top of an equally challenging chronic illness? Fortunately, because most individuals with Lyme are already taking a collection of supplements, natural anti-

microbials and immune boosters for their pre-existing condition, they may already have several solutions at their fingertips.

As is usually the case, if we look back at what doctors were using to treat viruses and other deadly illnesses 100 years ago— with treatments that pre-dated our modern antibiotics and pharmaceuticals—we can find a list of powerful, natural remedies that are also free of the multiple side effects caused by the newer drugs.

To take the target and fear off the backs of Lyme patients reading this, the author has successfully helped a half dozen chronic Lyme patients who tested positive for COVID-19 regain their health using the following remedies.

• 30 drops of Takuna every hour (during waking hours): Patients of Lyme disease may recognize this tincture from the Cowden Protocol created by Lee Cowden,

• High doses of liposomal vitamin C: You may have heard recent reports coming from China that several medical teams are currently testing and reporting success treating patients of COVID-19 with high doses of vitamin C. You may have also heard from mainstream news sources that this information is bunk. What to believe? Those familiar with mega-dosing vitamin C understand that there is little to no risk using doses well above the RDA requirements (90mg per day for adult men) to prevent and treat many diseases from flu to cancer. The dosage Chinese doctors are finding effective to fight and prevent COVID-19 is at least six to eight grams (6,000mg to 8,000mg) of liposomal vitamin C per day. This dosage can raise the immune system and knock out the virus if used consistently. Note that there are many kinds and ranges of quality of vitamin C, and the recommended versions are liposomal or lipospheric, which are more easily absorbed and digested.

These are typically drops taken into the mouth, where they are absorbed by the membranes. Taking liposomal versions at evenly divided doses (three to four grams twice daily) of six to eight grams total per day is recommended.

• Four to six cups of Cistus tea per day: Cistus tea (Cistus incanus) grows in arid Mediterranean regions and is a genus of flowering plants in the rock rose family.

The harsh growing conditions cause the plant to produce high levels of polyphenols to protect itself, and it’s these microApril/May 2020

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• Three grams of magnesium chloride every six hours: This form of magnesium chloride (not to be confused with magnesium malate, magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate) has been reported to cure polio and diphtheria and was the

main subject of Dr. Prof. Pierre Delbet’s book, published in 1915. This mineral has been reported to have cured flu cases within 24 to 48 hours at the higher doses of three grams every six hours, and it must be taken orally to be effective. Note that early doses can have a laxative effect, but that is no reason to stop treatment.

• 200 to 300mg of iodine daily: This once-commonly-used, all-but-forgotten curative that was used to treat tuberculosis in the early 1900s is capable of killing all classes of pathogens including bacteria, fungi, yeasts, viruses and protozoa within 15 to 30 seconds of contact. At doses of six grams (6,000mg) per day, it has been used to cure syphilis, skin lesions and chronic lung disease. Patients taking higher doses need to be aware of die-off reactions that can occur (toxin overloads caused by killing high amounts of pathogens), so doses need to be reduced (cut in half) in that case. Since poor immune response is correlated with impaired thyroid function, many patients can benefit from taking higher doses of this wonder substance to also support the thyroid. It was common practice a hundred years ago to use iodine aerosol therapy to protect students in their classrooms. So, adding iodine to a nebulizer, neti pot or spray bottle is highly recommended to protect and treat individuals from viral and bacterial flus.

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nutrients that give the plant its healing properties. This tea is especially suited to addressing upper-respiratory bacterial and viral infections. It may be a little difficult to drink this much tea per day, and patients may have early die-off reactions because Cistus tea is also a strong antifungal and is phenomenal at removing intestinal yeast, mold and biofilms. It is a good idea to drink one cup of the tea and wait an hour or two to see if it has been tolerated. The tea bags or loose tea used in tea balls or diffusers can actually be used up to three times during hot brewing (steeping for at least 5 minutes in boiled water), as the extra brewing unlocks more polyphenols and micronutrients with each brew.

• Five milliliters of colloidal silver three times per day: Specific to colloidal silver, the FDA warned the public in a 1999 Final Rule that it isn’t safe or effective for treating any disease or condition. And yet patients of Lyme disease have been using it for years to effectively drive off multiple pathogens when treating chronic Lyme disease and co-infections. Extended research on silver and its effectiveness as an antimicrobial has been conducted and published all over the U.S. and Europe, starting in the early 1900s with Alfred B. Searle, the founder of Searle Pharmaceuticals, which later became Monsanto Chemical Co. His book, Use of Colloids in Health & Disease, was published in 1919 and in it, Searle writes, “the application of colloidal silver to diseased conditions of the human body is distinctly encouraging, but like all other new ideas it has had its share of drawbacks and discouragements, due in almost every instance to ignorance.” So again, what do you believe?

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The author has had personal experience with Lyme patients who are also treating COVID-19 using up to five milliliters of colloidal silver, three times per day, along with other natural treatments mentioned above, to regain their health. These individuals did not have to resort to pharmaceutical use or going to the hospital.

Other Supportive Measures: • 20,000 to 40,000 IUs of vitamin D3 per day: Stay at these doses for a week to 10 days, then cut doses in half.

• 5,000 IUs of vitamin A per day • 150 to 200mg of zinc gluconate per day: Lozenges are fine but zinc sprays or nasal gels should not be used because they can permanently impair a person’s sense of smell.

• One to two grams (1,000 to 2,000 mg) Liposomal Glutathione per day. Glutathione is important for cellular defense, and it helps the body prevent and fight infections and disease. It is a naturally occurring substance in the body that boosts the production of white blood cells, so it is considered an immune booster. However, it is not easily absorbed in the body so liposomal versions of it must be taken for it to be effective.

The above material is provided for informational and educational purposes only. The material is not nor should be considered a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Gregg Kirk is a Lyme disease advocate, a former patient, and the current practitioner who runs the Lyme Recovery Clinic in Darien, CT. He is also the author of the book, “The Gratitude Curve,” and the founder of the Ticked Off Foundation patient fund, an advocacy group that raises funds for Lyme disease patients in financial crisis. Connect at 203-858-9725 or LymeRecoveryClinic.com.

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Given the prevalence of diseasecausing microbes in our tick population, first-line prevention of Lyme disease requires vigilant tick-bite prevention.

Avoid wooded, shaded or bushy areas and tall grasses. Wear light-colored clothing and tuck your pants into your socks.

Use a tick repellent, of which there are many—both chemical and natural—on the market. Check your clothes and body thoroughly for ticks, including your hair and skin-folds. Washing clothes in hot water or putting them in the dryer on high heat for 10 or more minutes will kill ticks.

The Silent Pandemic of Lyme Disease Understanding Risks, Infections and Treatment

by Keith Yimoyines

T

hink of Lyme disease as a silent pandemic. The CDC reports there are 300,000 new cases every year in the U.S., while other estimates put the number much higher. More than 80 countries have reported cases of Lyme disease. Testing is unreliable, there is no human vaccine available and while it does not spread through casual human-to-human contact, it can spread from pregnant mother to fetus and may be sexually transmitted. It was the fastest growing infectious disease in the U.S. and Europe prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, is grossly underfunded compared to other diseases and is underappreciated by the “conventional” medical community. Connecticut, the epicenter of Lyme disease since the 1970s when it was first identified, continues to suffer the worst of it.

Connecticut at High Risk Data in a recent report from the 34

Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), indicates that 2019 was a particularly bad year for ticks across the state.

Over 2,500 ticks, including 2,068 deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) and 467 American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) were collected, and all female deer tick samples were tested for several pathogens that cause disease in humans. The results were alarming, and experts warn that a mild winter can contribute to a larger boom in the tick population, so 2020 potentially could be a more active year.

Out of the adult deer tick samples tested, 46 percent carried Borelia burgdoferi (the bacteria that causes Lyme disease), 13 percent were positive for Babesia microti (Babesiosis), 9 percent for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Anaplasmosis), 2 percent for Borrelia miyamotoi (tick-borne relapsing fever) and 1 percent for Powassan virus.

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eNaturalAwakenings.com

Why Antibiotics Don’t Always Work

In the ideal situation, a person bitten by a tick and infected with Borrelia burgdorferi displays the common Lyme disease symptoms, including bull’s eye rash, headache, joint pain, muscle pain, fever and chills.

That person would be promptly treated with a proper course of antibiotics and recover with no lingering effects. An integrative approach, incorporating herbs (astragalus is particularly helpful to enhance the immune response) and diet and lifestyle changes (a whole food, anti-inflammatory diet, restful sleep and stress management) will increase the chances of a speedy recovery.

In our less perfect world, tick bites often go unnoticed. Only about 30 percent of people infected get the tell-tale bull’s eye rash, and symptoms range widely from person to person. This predicament leads to delayed or missed diagnosis and the potential for the bacteria to persist in the body or cause lingering effects due to the highly inflammatory state caused by the infection.

Persister Bacteria and Biofilms

Borrelia burgdoferi has a particular ability to change its genetic expression as its environment changes. The bacteria can respond to changes in temperature, pH, nutrient content and changes in the host’s defense. A 2019 study in the journal

Parasites and Vectors examined “persister” bacteria that can evade antibiotics, and potentially cause long term complications for patients, even after Lyme disease treatment.

Most concerning, the Lyme bacteria has shown a better ability than other infections to resist antibiotic treatment. Under pressure from antibiotics or environmental changes, the Lyme spirochete (the common corkscrew shape) can change to a less mobile, round body (cyst form) and other forms, making it less susceptible to antibiotics. After antibiotic treatment has ceased, the round bodies can revert back to the spirochete form. Even in the round body form, Borrelia is still able to infect the host, and reversion to the spirochete form helps explain the high frequency of antibiotic treatment failure. Other studies have shown that round bodies themselves develop resistance to multiple antibiotic agents. Doxycycline, the most commonly used antibiotic in early Lyme disease treatment, was shown to reduce spirochete forms by about 90 percent, but doubled the number of round bodies.

Borrelia burgdorferi can also form colonies or biofilms in response to pressures, making it more difficult to eradicate. Biofilms, which are formed by most bacteria (for example, the plaque on your teeth), are sticky tangles of sugars and other substances that provide protection and community, facilitating the transfer of oxygen and nutrients, and making individual bacteria less susceptible to treatment. Five common antibiotics researched only reduced biofilm formation by 30 to 55 percent, and a majority of those biofilms contained the viable spirochete form of Borrelia.

Prior studies have established the utility of specific antibiotic combinations and stevia leaf extract to break down biofilms with success, with more research ongoing.

Lyme Treatment Demands an Integrative Approach

The most important factor to consider in

Lyme disease treatment is that Lyme is a multi-system infection. It can affect joints and connective tissue, the brain and nervous system, the heart and cardiovascular system, the gastrointestinal system, the thyroid gland, adrenal glands and the rest of the endocrine system, and on and on.

To complicate the picture, Borrelia rarely travels alone. Co-infections such as Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Bartonella, and co-existing conditions like viral infections, heavy metal or environmental toxicity, bad bacteria and yeast in the gut, disturbances in the balance of beneficial bacteria (potentially caused by antibiotics), mold toxicity, and nutrient deficiencies make Lyme disease one of the most challenging conditions to treat.

For patients with persistent symptoms,

this is not a one-infection-one-antibiotic solution. A Lyme and tick-borne disease-literate practitioner works with their patient to establish which co-infections are present, which organs are affected and which complicating factors need to be addressed. The goal of treatment should be to return the body to equilibrium, limit the inflammation caused by Lyme and eradicate the underlying infections.

Dr. Keith Yimoyines is a licensed naturopathic doctor who has been practicing in the state of Connecticut since 2011, with a focus on Lyme and tick-borne diseases. He recently joined the team at Tolk Chiropractic & Wellness at 102 Hopmeadow St, Weatogue. For more information or to make an appointment, call 860-651-3521 or visit TolkWellnessCenter.com.

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many hurdles when it comes to diagnosing and treating Lyme disease.

Where tick-borne disease is concerned, we have a broken system. Given what we’ve been experiencing the past few months with the novel Coronavirus, this concept may unfortunately feel more familiar to some of you now, while others who have already been dealing with Lyme may have wearily recognized the problems as more of the same.

Pitfall #1: Physician Knowledge

Lyme Disease: Pitfalls of a Broken System

“A

by Paula Jackson Jones

search for truth seems to me to be full of pitfalls. We all have different understandings of what truth is, and we’ll each believe—or we are in danger of believing—that our truth is the one and only absolute truth, which is why I say it’s full of pitfalls.” ~ Jocelyn Bell Burnell

When it comes to Lyme disease, there are many pitfalls. Often, we are blinded by trust or our desire to feel better, so we don’t see things as they are until we look back. Sometimes we have no idea that the medical providers we trust don’t know what we’re experiencing, let alone how to properly treat it. Patients face so

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Knowledge and experience are all over the map, and many providers may hold fast to their beliefs without considering the opinions of their patients and other providers.

Many patients, who receive inconclusive diagnoses, are left wondering if they need to find a different provider, one who will treat their infection properly. In truth, not all medical providers are knowledgeable about tick-borne disease. Some still use outdated protocols that science has proven ineffective.

Pitfall #2 What are you treating? If you don’t know what you have, how can your provider possibly treat it? Many doctors give their patients one-size-fits-all diagnostic tests and treatment. But as leading pediatric Lyme specialist Dr. Charles Ray Jones says, “If they are not looking for it, they won’t see it.” In some cases, unreliable diagnostic tools are still being used because most medical providers think that they can use one test for all tick-borne diseases. Rather, each tick-borne disease has its own test and its own treatment.

The ELISA and Western Blot tests only identify one strain of Borrelia (Lyme disease), but there are multiple strains.

Additionally, some tick-borne diseases initially present a certain way, and while staying married to the idea of a tick bite (or the presence of a tick bite), patient and providers automatically think it’s Lyme Disease. In the author’s home state of Maine, relapsing fever looks like Lyme

and acts like Lyme, but the test for Lyme is always negative. Some providers will treat it, others will not, and all the while, the patient remains sick with a tick-borne infection that no one can name.

Pitfall #3 Even when a patient does receive a clear, accurate diagnosis, they may not be able to afford to treat it. Insurance companies are directed on treatments and coverage by various governing entities. If a medical provider tries to operate outside those boundaries, claims are denied, and the patient pays out of pocket until they no longer can. Then treatment stops or they self-medicate in whatever manner they can afford, which is both ineffective and unsafe.

Pitfall #4 The following statement will not be pleasant to read: There is no test that proves that you are better, and any provider that runs a follow-up ELISA or WB following an antibiotic regime does not fully understand tick-borne disease. The ELISA and WB are antibody tests. Antibiotics suppress your immune system and, therefore, when taking them, the body won’t produce antibodies. So an antibody blood screening immediately following a round

of antibiotics will almost always produce a negative result even in the presence of an active tick-borne infection.

Early infection—as early as 48 hours post-tick-bite—requires a PCR test (like a DNA test) that will detect the most miniscule cell of infection. Medical Diagnostic Labs (MDL) offers both the PCR test as well as the antibody test that is highly recommended at the six-to-eightweek point (without antibiotic use). Most Lyme-literate providers offer these tests, and the good news is that MDL accepts all insurances including Medicare. More good news? As a patient, you have the right to determine where your bloodwork goes, so when suspecting a tick-borne disease, you should choose a lab, like MDL or Igenex, that has over 20 years of experience dealing with tick-borne infection.

Pitfall #5 There is a saying in the Lyme community that “you won’t get it until you get it”, meaning you won’t fully understand how devastating a tick-borne disease can be until you experience it first-hand as a patient or caregiver. The many misdiagnoses, the treatments that fail to get you better, the denial letters from your insurance company refusing to pay for treatment,

arguments with your spouse on how to afford treatment, the lack of support from friends and family that walk away—it unfortunately needs to be experienced to truly be understood.

These are the realities that patients with tick-borne diseases face every day.

They wake not knowing if they can make it to work, stay at work, if they will continue to have a job, if their medical provider will refill a prescription and if their insurance will cover it. They wake to find relationships torn, friendships strained, their children ostracized at school and notices of debt collection in the mail.

But there are nuggets of hope, stories of inspiration, messages to hang on to, if patients can find advocates, good information, and a supportive community.

Recovery is possible.

Paula Jackson Jones is the president of Midcoast Lyme Disease Support and Education, the 2018 co-chair of the Access to Care Services and Patient Support subcommittee of the Federal HHS Tick-borne Disease Working Group, the Maine partner of the national Lyme Disease Association, member of Maine’s CDC Vector-borne Workgroup and is active in Maine’s Lyme legislation. You can reach her at Paula@ MLDSE.org or visit MLDSE.org.

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Soul Nourishment The Kitchen As Sacred Space

I

by Marlaina Donato

n our busy lives, grabbing food on the run or eating while standing at the kitchen counter is often the norm.

Designating the kitchen as a practical sanctuary and seeing the sacredness of food not only makes it more conducive to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but also gives our spirits much-needed satiety.

“If we don’t touch the transcendent—emotionally and spiritually— physical nourishment won’t fill us up,” says Ronna Kabatznick, Ph.D., former psychological consultant to Weight Watchers International and the author of The Zen of Eating: Ancient Answers to Modern Weight Problems. “Seeing the kitchen as sacred is something that represents gratitude, beauty and blessings.”

Delia Baron, co-author of Better

Together Kitchen: Beautiful Recipes to Share With People You Love and the host of seasonal food workshops with partner Ronnit Hoppe in Melbourne, Australia, concurs, “The kitchen is often the heartbeat of the home and the best place to gather, feast, chat and create beautiful memories and rituals. The kitchen is also a place to connect to our food source.”

Fun and Felicity

Preparing meals the old-fashioned way can slow us down and foster mindfulness, but Kabatznick emphasizes that cooking is irrelevant. “Look at the kitchen in terms of possibilities: ‘What can I create in this space?’ You don’t have to turn into Julia Child,” she says, adding, “You could be eating Chinese takeout or

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

38

Fairfield County/Housatonic Valley Edition

eNaturalAwakenings.com

a prune; it’s all about mindset and simple rituals like saying a blessing, appreciating what we eat as a great gift.” Kabatznick encourages everyone to eat with dignity, and this includes using the good dishes, putting fresh flowers on the table and eating with awareness.

Seeing the kitchen as the inspired nucleus of the home, it’s natural to add favorite items like art prints, colorful jars, sentimental treasures, dried flowers and other seasonal delights to nourish daily contentment. Conjuring an element of joy adorns the mundane. “Put on some music to put you in either a peaceful or joyful mood,” says Molly Larkin, author, healing practitioner and blogger at Ancient Wisdom for Balanced Living (MollyLarkin. com), in Corrales, New Mexico. “Turn off the TV and give everyone in the family a job. Laugh throughout the meal preparation. Dance as you cook. Do the same thing if you live alone.”

Preparing food, whether a healthy smoothie or a gourmet weekend dinner for two, is a way to express love for ourselves and others. Baron loves the presence of plants, lovely ceramics and interesting platters and dishes, and notes, “Families can definitely shop, chop, cook and meal-plan together to make the kitchen a fun place to be. Doing these things together is very bonding and sends the message that looking after yourself is important.”

Practical Magic

Meal prep can be enjoyable and even relaxing in a calm environment. For Baron, organization is key. She advises, “Having all the ingredients you need and working in a clean space also helps make the experience rewarding.”

The smallest of kitchens can be abundant and organized with the help of a little innovation. A simple bookcase can offer additional shelf space for dry goods, bowls of produce or favorite cups.

A small end table can hold a favorite tea pot and a jar of gourmet dark chocolate.

A beautiful basket can hold go-to spice

Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

conscious eating

photo by Marlaina Donato

jars, and a pretty pitcher near the stove can accommodate a multitude of cooking utensils. “If you can’t fit it all out of sight in a cabinet, get some glass jars, fill them with grains, flours and legumes and line them up on the countertop. It will be neat, and you can see what you have,” suggests Larkin.

In the end, a well-nourished body and spirit fosters a beautiful life and inspires the same in others. An advocate for supporting the hungry in all communities, Kabatznick underscores local efforts and seeing the big picture of our relationship with food: “Taking out the garbage and cleaning up is also a sacred act if we bring that attitude into it. Food connects us to the Earth, the moon and the stars. From the seed to the truck driver—everything and everyone involved— the process of food is miraculous.”

Marlaina Donato is the author of several books and a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

SACRED SERVINGS 2 soft, dried apricots, chopped, or 1 Tbsp golden raisins or 2 dates, chopped ¼ tsp ground cloves ¼ tsp ground turmeric ¼ tsp ground coriander seeds or ½ tsp crushed coriander seeds ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp crushed or ground cumin seeds 2 tsp extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil Bring water, carrots, apricots and all spices and seasonings to boil. Add red lentils, stir once and set heat to low. Cover pot with lid. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, remove from heat. Add olive oil and allow to sit for five minutes before serving.

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MIKHAIL MAKOVKIN/Shutterstock.com

1 part organic apple cider vinegar to 2 parts avocado oil Dash of sea salt

photo by Marlaina Donato

Add avocado oil, apple cider vinegar and salt into a large bowl, swirl around twice. Tear (don’t chop) lettuce and add to the preliminary dressing. Squeeze tangerine juice over lettuce and toss lightly until well-dressed. Place strawberry slices over salad. Sprinkle (don’t toss) flowers on top or artfully place where desired.

Serve immediately.

Whole-Grain Dark Chocolate-Banana Muffins Spring Fever Salad with Flowers and Fruit Yields: 4 servings 1 head romaine or green leaf lettuce 8 medium-large organic strawberries, thinly sliced, or 2 small packages of fresh organic raspberries Handful of fresh, chemical-free flowers from the garden or store’s produce section: nasturtium, pansies and/or calendulas; gathered wild: spring violets and dandelion blooms

In-the-Bowl Dressing:

Juice from one fresh tangerine

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Yields: 12 muffins

½ cup organic whole-wheat flour, sifted (protein-rich, gluten-free option: 1 cup organic brown rice flour and ½ cup organic soy flour or 1 cup organic brown rice flour and ½ cup garbanzo flour) ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ cup coconut sugar, evaporated cane juice or turbinado ½ tsp salt 3½ tsp fresh baking powder 1 cup water or unsweetened non-dairy milk (or half of each to make a cup) 2 tsp extra-virgin, cold-pressed olive oil or cold-pressed sunflower oil 2 organic eggs, beaten (for vegan option: ¼ to ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce)

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2 tsp natural vanilla extract 1½ mashed ripe bananas 2 tsp molasses 1 tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp cloves ¼ tsp dried ginger 2 dashes of nutmeg 1 dash of allspice (optional) Pre-heat oven to 400° F and grease muffin tin with sunflower or olive oil (or line with cupcake papers). Sift flour and cocoa powder into bowl. Add baking powder, salt, sugar and spices; mix well. Combine water/milk, vanilla, molasses, oil and eggs (or apple sauce), and add to dry mixture. Stir, lifting the spoon high with each stirring to get air into the mixture. Do not beat or overmix. Leave it a bit lumpy.

Fold in bananas. Fill muffin cups half to three-quarters full and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. Place muffin tin on wire rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing each muffin by hand (avoid turning tin over to get muffins out, or the extra-moist, fruit-filled muffins might come apart).

Optional treat: Dip muffin tops into melted coconut oil and roll in coconut sugar or turbinado. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Recipes by Marlaina Donato, author of several books and a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

Natural Awakenings appreciates the generosity of its distributors throughout the area. Please consider supporting these essential businesses and major distributors by shopping there and picking up the magazine each month from one of the racks. Thank you!

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community spotlight

The Monthly Naturally Healthy Pet Section Starts Here!

SECOND CHANCE HORSES FLOURISH

Wilton’s Rising Starr Horse Rescue

by Debby Stein

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@NaturalAwakenings.com

42

K

elly Stackpole is the founder and Executive Director of Rising Starr Horse Rescue, a 501c3 farm, located in Wilton, where horses are given a second chance at life. A 30-stall barn is currently filled with 24 horses comprised mostly of rescues, six school horses and some privately owned boarded horses.

The farm includes 40 acres of land with several paddocks, an indoor arena for lessons and programs, with trails on the property.

Rising Starr’s mission includes the rescue, rehabilitation, retraining and rehoming of abandoned, neglected or abused horses, while educating the public and all volunteer team members about atrisk horses and the importance of protecting them. This special charity offers the community a chance to experience the love, connection and compassion horses have to offer.

Fairfield County/Housatonic Valley Edition

eNaturalAwakenings.com

With more than 30 years of experience teaching riders and training horses professionally, Stackpole pursued her passion and love for horses by opening a barn to teach noncompetitive horse lessons in 2005. In the process of looking for horses to fill her first barn in Redding, Stackpole was shocked to learn that young, sound and healthy horses as well as older and sick horses were being abandoned and often sent off to slaughter.

This realization influenced Stackpole to expand her mission to rescuing horses and Rising Starr Horse Rescue was established.

Those who visit Rising Starr Horse Rescue are given the opportunity to learn about what is involved with the responsibility of horse ownership, adoption, boarding, lessons, leasing, volunteering and team building, equine yoga, life coaching and various youth programs.

Stackpole’s passion is for teaching youth, teens and adults through various educational programs about the love and connection that can be experienced with horses, while making safety and proper care a priority. Stackpole has a special gift for relating to horses and humans alike with compassion and clear, concise communication. The barn runs like a well-oiled machine thanks to Stackpole, her staff and all the volunteers.

On December 5, 2019, Rising Starr Horse Rescue bought the former site of Larkspur Farm in Wilton. The larger barn, ample acreage, paddocks and arena allows Stackpole to act quickly to rescue more horses in need and facilitates expanded programming. Charitable donations help Rising Starr literally save horses’ lives and Rising Starr Horse Rescue is supported by a group of dedicated and talented veterinarians, staff and many hard-working volunteers of all ages who provide care and rehabilitation to the horses. At least 90% of the people who started with Stackpole back in 2005 are still supporting Rising Starr.

Stackpole ensures every person working to support Rising Starr Horse Rescue is on the same page when it comes to prioritizing loving care and respect for each horse. Volunteers are comprised of children, teens, adults, a barn cat and even a dog named Apollo who belongs to Stackpole. Apollo knows each horse and each person who supports the barn and makes sure everyone knows her! Rising Starr Horse Rescue creates a safe place for horses to heal and thrive; a mission demanding abundant patience, training, acceptance and love.

In early January 2020, Stackpole instituted a program to have one of the volunteers read to the new rescues and those horses that seemed particularly stressed for various reasons.

Reading to horses helps acclimate them to human voice while asking nothing of the horse. You would be surprised how well this program has helped several of the horses so far. Response to the horse reader has been relatively quick and the horses exhibit a greater sense of calm, rest, ease and balanced consumption of food. Ultimately, the horses become more open to human touch, which assists with additional rehabilitation.

Future plans include a community picnic area and paths for walking. Stackpole is currently working on funding a new program for veterans and their families to engage with the farm at no charge. The goal is to offer free life coaching, trail rides led by the staff and teaching ground work with the horses.

Rising Starr Horse Rescue is located at 93 Silver Spring Rd, Wilton.

For more information, please visit RisingStarrHorseRescue.org or @RisingStarrHorseRescue. Donations can be made by using the “Donate” button on the upper right corner of the home page.

Debby Stein is an energy healing practitioner based in Stamford and a frequent volunteer and horse reader at Rising Starr Horse Rescue.

Happy Trails!

Success Stories at Rising Starr Horse Rescue

R

ising Starr Horse Rescue has helped many horses since its inception. Here are a few of the many happy and successful rescue stories at.

Handsome Hinckley

Hinckley, a grey, doeeyed gelding, was rescued a year ago. Badly abused, he was terrified of human contact. When he heard human footsteps, his ears would flatten and twitch and he stood in the back of his stall.

Slowly, he got used to human voice and eventually he allowed some touch. His trust was steadily earned and he began to progress in his rehabilitation. A year later Hinckley not only accepts human affection, but he craves it. He’s often seen with his head hanging outside his stall, seeking attention from any person who might be nearby. Hinckley has been adopted by a local family and remains as at the farm as a boarder.

The Property Bros Johnathan and Drew are two untrained thoroughbred horses rescued from a farm in early January 2020. There were five thoroughbred horses on the farm; when the owner passed away the caretaker was overwhelmed and could not care for all the horses. There

Final Journey,

LLC

( Pet Euthanasia Service )

Kristen Klie, D.V. M. and Associates

( 203 ) 645-5570 www.finaljourneyllc.com

April/May 2020

43

were good intentions, but life challenges took over. These horses had never been in a barn, let alone a stall. Rising Starr came in to give Johnathan and Drew a second chance. Stackpole nicknamed the two of them “The Property Brothers”.

When these boys came to the farm, they were very scared. They spent so much time rearing straight up in the air that Stackpole nicknamed them “The Dragons”. Johnathan and Drew were not mean or aggressive, but they weren’t used to humans and going inside a stall within a barn was terrifying for them. They looked dirty, underweight and rough when they first arrived.

To bring these horses off the transport trailer and into the barn required a lot of skill to remain calm while staying patient and gentle with these boys. Getting Johnathan and Drew into the barn the first time took almost an hour and a half.

Taking one small step at a time to interact with these horses was crucial to earning their trust. Within a few weeks, their appearance began to improve and stress levels were dropping.

The volunteer horse reader began to sit with Johnathan and Drew a couple times a week for an hour or two each day.

By the second visit, they were begging for touch. Approaching these boys slowly and gently, talking to them and asking their permission each step of the way was key to maintaining trust and comfort. Soon, more of the experienced volunteers and

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trainer could start working with them.

The “Property Boys” are still in the process of being rehabilitated and trained; new things are learned about them all the time. Progress is not necessarily linear.

Both healing and training progress goes forward and backwards at times.

Surprise Baby!

Tessa, a three-year-old pregnant buckskin paint pony who was rescued from a kill pen in Texas also arrived at Rising Starr this January. They think Tessa got pregnant while she was in the kill pen.

Like many rescue horses, when she first arrived Tessa was very scared and wary of humans. Stackpole thought she would benefit from time with the horse reader and she was right. By her second reading session, Tessa put her head on the arm of the reader and allowed touch. Not long after, Rising Starr’s trainer started talking to and grooming Tessa and a trusting bond was formed.

Shortly thereafter, other volunteers were successfully approaching Tessa and she seemed to enjoy increasing amounts of attention.

On March 5, an ultrasound was done on Tessa to find out how soon her baby would be born. Tessa was perfectly calm as many volunteers surrounded her with love and calming hands, so the vet was able to perform the ultrasound with relative ease. Estimated delivery by the vet was within a week or two. The vet also explained what signs to look for, how to prepare Tessa and her stall and what would need to take place after the delivery. Then Tessa surprised everyone by delivering her baby two days later March 7. At the 10pm check, there was no baby, but by morning check, there was Tessa and her baby in the stall together.

Tessa’s filly (female foal) was named Rumi or Ru for short. She was so small, they had to use Apollo the dog’s coat to keep her warm. Within a couple days, mama and baby were able to go outside and get some fresh air.

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Lilith and Goliath Another mare and her four-month-old colt were rescued by a collaboration of three organizations in mid-February: Equus Foundation, RanchoRelaxo and Rising Starr. Goliath, the colt, had been taken away from his mama while still nursing so they both could be sold at auction. Lilith, the mare, was put on a kill truck so the rescue organizations acted quickly to buy Lilith and Goliath and bring them back together. Although Goliath was a large colt, he was barely four months and still needed to nurse from his mother. Lilith had been treated badly and she completely mistrusted all humans. Rising Starr built a special stall within the barn so mother and baby could be together and still have plenty of room.

Lilith and Goliath arrived underweight.

Goliath is friendly and easy to interact with, but Lilith is slowly learning how to trust humans more and more. The horse reader has been spending time with them and progress is being made while they are safe and being loved and handled each day. Lilith has put her head very briefly on the shoulder of the trainer and on the cheek of the reader. While progress and healing are ongoing, it will take time to fully gain Lilith’s trust.

Rising Starr Horse Rescue is located at 93 Silver Spring Road, Wilton.

For more information, please visit RisingStarrHorseRescue.org or @RisingStarrHorseRescue. Donations can be made by using the “Donate” button on the upper right corner of the home page.

Debby Stein is an energy healing practitioner based in Stamford and a frequent volunteer and horse reader at Rising Starr Horse Rescue.

Check online at ENaturalAwakenings.com and in future editions for more such stories.

Avoid Pandemic Pandemonium Lessons from the Herd

by Carrie Brady

T

here is a reason why the saying “may you live in interesting times” is viewed as both a blessing and a curse. These are undoubtedly interesting times that were unimaginable just a few months ago. The coronavirus pandemic is causing physical illness, but beyond the thousands affected directly, millions more are being affected emotionally.

Worried humans try to make sense of the world by weaving together stories, often losing the present moment as we focus on the past or future. We fear disaster, wondering if we or those we love will get the virus and what might happen if we do. We also revisit the past, reconsidering our own decisions or those of others and wishing they or we had acted differently to avert this crisis. We have no control over the past or the future, but there are things we can do in the present moment to help us survive this pandemic, physically and mentally.

Save Your Energy

As prey animals, horses are always on high alert for danger. If an animal approaches a herd of horses, they immediately will stop what they are doing, look up, and assess whether the animal is dangerous. Once the horses decide there is no threat because the animal is not a predator, they will quickly return to grazing. This ability to return to grazing is essential to wild horses’ survival. If they wasted their energy by panicking every time something alarmed them, they would exhaust themselves. Instead, horses wisely conserve their energy so when a predator like a mountain lion arrives, the horses are fully prepared to run or fight.

If you’ve ever dropped your dog off at a kennel with persistently barking occupants, you’ve probably noticed that sound can make it hard to think straight.

You may become agitated and irritable while waiting to check in. When you pick

up your dogs, you might notice they are exhausted because they had to endure that sound for days and may not have been able to sleep. The news cycle in this pandemic can easily become a kennel of barking dogs, continually agitating and exhausting us if we do not manage the flow of information.

Knowledge about what is happening is useful and can help us make well-informed decisions to promote our well-being. Obsessively following the headlines minute by minute, however, can directly harm our health if it causes us to become excessively anxious and lose sleep.

Even one night of poor sleep reduces our immune system’s ability to filter and fight viruses. When we are emotionally affected by the virus, we need to conserve our energy by sleeping, eating and doing what we can to keep our immune system strong so we can fight the virus effectively if we do become infected.

Know Your Calm-Down Cues

Understanding the importance of returning to grazing doesn’t mean it is easy to do. The phrase “calm down” originated with horses because when on high alert, they raise their heads high in the air and literally calm down by lowering their heads and returning to grazing. There are several calm-down cues that horses use to naturally release stress and rebalance themselves, often by moving their bodies.

Sometimes they shake it off, or stop, drop, and roll, which realigns them physically and mentally. Horses also practice self-soothing behaviors, including one that involves rubbing their noses on their forelegs. This movement releases dopamine, which helps horses feel calmer and brings them back into balance.

Humans have a wide variety of calmdown cues too, but they often forget to use them, especially when caught up in a mental whirlwind. Take some time to consider what your personal calm-down cues are. It might help to make a list that you can refer to when you are particularly stressed. Taking a walk, doing yoga, meditating, talking to a friend (about a subject April/May 2020

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natural pet It is unlikely a pet will become infected and serve as a source of infection for people.

Gladskikh Tatiana/Shutterstock.com

other than the pandemic), appreciating a sunset, petting your dog, making and eating a delicious dinner, soaking in a warm bath, and other such actions can help you lower your blood pressure and heart rate and come back out of fight-or-flight mode into grazing mode.

Express Gratitude

When horses return to grazing, they focus on the grass or hay before them. They eat with exuberance and appreciation, noticing and carefully selecting the tastiest bits.

They also will drink with enthusiasm, taking long swallows and sometimes sucking their tongues afterward. They enjoy each moment.

In the midst of the pandemic, remember to express gratitude. Your gratitude list may have nothing to do with the pandemic but, if you can’t stop thinking about it, you can use this list.

In this present moment, if you are not currently very ill with the coronavirus, there are many things for which to be grateful: • I am grateful for the gift of today.

• I am grateful for the air I breathe and to my lungs for taking it in every day and filling all my cells with oxygen.

• I am grateful for clean water to drink and wash with, which is not available in many parts of the world.

• I am grateful for my immune system, which has successfully addressed many viruses and bacteria over my lifetime.

• I am grateful for my family, friends and community who support me.

• I am grateful to be healthy today.

Carrie Brady is the creator of Possibilities Farm in Wilton, where she partners with four horses in innovative non-riding programs for personal growth, professional development and wellness. If you aren’t able to visit the farm, Carrie is available for phone coaching from the barn, so you still get personalized advice directly from the herd. Connect at 203-210-7484 or at PossibilitiesFarm.com.

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Coronavirus Pet Safety

Facts and Tips for Dog and Cat Owners

T

by Shawn Messonnier

here are many types of coronavirus.

COVID-19 is new—a novel coronavirus—and there are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in dogs or cats in the U.S. Dogs can become infected with a canine coronavirus. It is fairly species-specific and will not infect people, but can infect cats (without causing clinical disease in naturally infected cats). Most infected dogs do not show symptoms and recover without showing signs of infection; young puppies may exhibit mild diarrhea.

Cats have their own coronavirus that, like dogs, usually causes an asymptomatic infection, or may cause mild diarrhea or mild respiratory infection (especially in kittens). However, this coronavirus, for unknown reasons, can mutate in the GI tract and transform into the (usually) lethal feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) virus (this occurs in about 10 percent of infected cats).

Again, this feline coronavirus will not infect dogs or people, and only infects felids. (A curious note is that cats can become infected with the human SARS coronavirus experimentally and naturally, but do not become ill, and the original SARS virus was suspected to have originated from a mongoose.) As with human coronaviruses, canine and feline corona-

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viruses can survive outside of the pet’s body for a period of time, especially in a colder environment, but are easily killed with most soap or disinfectants.

Dogs and cats that develop their own coronaviral diseases will not infect people.

However, by serving as fomites (objects that can carry an infectious organism on the surface), dogs and cats could potentially carry a virus on their coat or skin if an infected family member gets infected material (saliva, respiratory droplets, etc.) onto the animal.

Like any other surface in the home, the virus could transfer from the surface of the pet to other uninfected family members. (This is usually by hand to face transfer.)

To be safe, it may be wise to keep the family pet away from the infected family member, or at least have the infected family member bathe and/or wipe the pet’s coat with a wet washcloth before the pet is exposed to uninfected family members.

Keep in mind that maintaining proper blood levels of vitamin D in people and in pets is important in minimizing infectious diseases.

Shawn Messonnier, DVM, is the owner of Paws & Claws Holistic Animal Hospital, in Plano, Texas, and an award-winning author and host on Martha Stewart Radio.

pet resource guide

VETERINARY SERVICES

ADOPTION/RESCUE ANIMALS IN DISTRESS INC

NFSAW

238 Danbury Rd, Wilton 203-762-2006 • Animals-In-Distress.com

223 State Rt 37, New Fairfield 203-746-2925 • NFSAW.org

BRIDGEPORT ANIMAL CONTROL

PET ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY INC (PAWS)

236 Evergreen St, Bridgeport 203-576-7727

504 Main Ave, Norwalk 203-750-9572 • PAWSCT.org

COMMUNITY CATS

PET PROTECTORS

PO Box 4380, Stamford CommunityCatsCT@yahoo.com CommunityCatsCT.org

2490 Black Rock Tpke, #453, Fairfield 203-330-0255 PetProtectorsRescue.org

DANBURY ANIMAL WELFARE

RIDGEFIELD OPERATION FOR ANIMAL RESCUE (ROAR)

SOCIETY (DAWS) 147 Grassy Plain St, Bethel 203-744-3297

45 South St, Ridgefield 203-438-0158 • ROAR-Ridgefield.org

FRIENDS OF FELINES INC

STRAYS AND OTHERS

PO Box 8147, Stamford 203-363-0220 Cats@AdoptAPet.org AdoptAPet.org

PO Box 473, New Canaan 203-966-6556 StraysAndOthers@hotmail.com

LOOKING GLASS ANIMAL RESCUE

WESTPORT ANIMAL SHELTER ADVOCATES (WASA)

Ridgefield • LGARinc.org On Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

1 Tower Ridge, Westport 203-557-0361 • WestportWASA.org

NUTMEG SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC 25 Charles St, Stratford 203-690-1550 • NutmegClinic.org

The Nutmeg Spay/Neuter Clinic is a low-cost, high-volume facility for cats and dogs, the first such professional clinic in Fairfield County. The clinic offers other low-cost services during the spay/neuter appointment. Nutmeg honors state spay/neuter vouchers at face value from adopted shelter pets and qualified low-income families, and offers further low-cost incentives to nonprofit rescue groups. Pit bulls and mixes are welcome at an even more reduced rate, and the clinic offers spay/neuter and vaccine discounts for feral cats.

See ad, page 47.

PET ASSISTANCE, INC

PO Box 2015, New Preston 860-355-PETS GetaPet@gmail.com • PetAssistanceInc.org Pet Assistance helps keep pets in their homes in times of financial and medical crises, providing emergency veterinary subsidies to pet owners in financial need. We only give grants for pets that have a good prognosis, unless the knowledge we gain from the treatment or surgery may help future animals in need.

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community resource guide

CHIROPRACTIC

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 email FFCAdvertising@NaturalAwakenings.com to request our media kit.

ACUPUNCTURE JAMPA STEWART, MSOM, LAC Board Certified Acupuncturist Valley Spirit Wellness Cooperative 6 Green Hill Rd, Washington Depot 860-619-2788 ValleySpiritCoop.com

Compassionate professional care for those suffering from pain, internal disorders, menstrual issues and menopause, infertility, depression and anxiety, insomnia, addiction, fatigue, tune-ups and more.

ASTROLOGY MARJORIE PARTCH

Jungian Astrology • Tarot • Reiki 40 Richards Ave, Norwalk 203-912-3520 or Skype CyberAstrologer@Outlook.com Rather than predictions following the default mode, the Jungian approach provides insight into patterns and cycles of time, empowering you to transform challenges into opportunities.

AYURVEDA NEERU KAUSHIK, ND, MS ACU, MS, MA Institute for Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Therapies 805 Kings Highway East, Fairfield 203-331-9111 DrKaushik@AyurvedicInstituteCT.com AyurvedicInstituteCT.com

A combination of Ayurveda and Naturopathy is used to create a unique treatment plan to regain and maintain health. Based on one’s particular body constitution (dosha), a plan may include supplements, diet/nutrition suggestions, lifestyle management, detoxification, hydrotherapy, 0zone therapy, Panchakarma.

See ad, page 8.

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BIOFEEDBACK ROSEANN CAPANNA-HODGE, EDD, LPC, BCN, LLC 898 Ethan Allen Hwy, Ridgefield Offices in Ridgefield and Newtown 203-438-4848 Info@DrRoseann.com DrRoseann.com

Advanced Bio-Regulation (BRT) is a unique approach to health and wellness that uses Biofeedback and PEMF-based Electromagnetic Technology to help the body better self-regulate, adapt and heal naturally. It is used for chronic pain, depression, anxiety, hormonal issues, Lyme, etc. See ad, page 18.

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. See ad, page 13.

SOPHIA NATURAL HEALTH CENTER

Ken Hoffman, DACM, LAc, Medical Director 31 Old Rte 7, Brookfield 203-740-9300 INM.Center Women’s Health: hormonal balancing, breast cancer prevention.

Breast and full body thermography screening. Screening and treatment of chronic inflammation using medical infrared thermography (MIT). Safe, painless and non-invasive, thermography can detect early changes in breast tissue up to eight years before a mammogram. FDA-registered, our high-definition camera is the most advanced in the region.

Fairfield County/Housatonic Valley Edition

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PETER BRAGLIA, DC

True Health Family Chiropractic 7365 Main St, Stratford 203-923-8633 • TrueHealthCT.com 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 Counties with our unique and gentle approach to health care.

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY/ ALEXANDER TECHNIQUE VINCENT FRASER, CST, CAT, SEP

Craniosacral Therapy, Alexander Technique, Somatic Experiencing Greenwich and Norwalk 203-570-2059 • Vincent@VincentFraser.com Vincent offers paths to wholeness which lead to resolving pain and trauma, ease of movement in one’s body and life, and a fuller conscious embodiment.

EDUCATION THE GRADUATE INSTITUTE 171 Amity Rd, Bethany 203-874-4252 Info@Learn.edu • Learn.edu

The Graduate Institute is a state-accredited graduate school dedicated to promoting an integrative and holistic worldview through the study of health, wellness, education, and personal and professional transformation.

Enrolling now for 2020 programs. See ad, page 10.

INSTITUTE FOR HOLISTIC HEALTH STUDIES

Western Connecticut State University Christel Autuori, RDH, RYT, MA, Director 181 White St, Danbury 203-837-8559 • WCSU.edu/IHHS The mission of the IHHS is to provide the University and Greater Danbury area with an opportunity to engage in and explore different aspects of holistic and integrative health through programming and instruction. Programs include Wellness Wednesday lunchtime workshops, monthly meditation program, lecture series, health wellness and fitness fair.

TWO COYOTES WILDERNESS SCHOOL

YN

ELE

I SS

We offer a unique certification program blending the science of nutrition with the hands-on components of sustainable gardening practices. We use food and herbs to make kitchen medicine, teach basic culinary skills, and practice foraging for and using nutrient-rich wild food. Now enrolling.

See ad, page 17.

20 Fifth Ave, Apt A, Danbury 203-994-1207 Wayne@WayneLeiss.com WayneLeiss.com A

113 Simsbury Rd, West Granby 860-764-9070 Joan@TIOSN.com TIOSN.com

WAYNE LEISS, LMT

W

THE INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABLE NUTRITION

stress reduction, pain relief and overall well-being. They are used in topical, internal CENTERING OUR LIVES and aeromatic applications.

THROUGH TOUCH Improve physically, emotionally and spiritually as I teach you about the benefits and uses of massage with natural and pure dōTERRA Essential Oils. See ad, page 19.

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE TAMARA SACHS, MD

Two Coyotes Wilderness School is a non-profit nature organization dedicated to creating a healthier, more connected future by connecting people to nature, community, and their personal empowerment. We offer year-round wilderness-based mentorship programs, including summer camps, for all ages.

Using Functional Medicine, Dr. Sachs prevents and treats chronic illnesses by addressing their underlying root causes, remaining respectful of the uniqueness, complexity and intuitions that make us human. Trained at Mt. Sinai Medical School and Yale University Hospital in Internal Medicine, in 2003 she opened Functional Medicine and Integrative Care LLC. She has great success with IBS, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, autoimmune problems, toxicity and more, by creating individualized, realistic and comprehensive personalized wellness plans. She consults in her New Milford, CT office, and also by phone or video using telemedicine.

BETH LEAS

Transformative Healing • Tarot 203-856-9566 BethLeas.com • TLCTarot.com If not now, when? Inspire change on all levels—greater physical ease, emotional freedom, peace of mind and spiritual connection. 20 years of intuitive healing experience with adults and children of all ages. Reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Tarot. See ad, page 19.

ESSENTIAL OILS JENNIFER BLAKE

Certified Essential Oil Educator 203-856-1790 JenniferBlake2@yahoo.com my.doterra.com/JenniferBlake2 I sell doTERRA essential oils and teach practitioners how to implement high quality oils into their practice to enhance client experience. I also work with individuals who seek to reduce toxicity load and support their overall health and wellness naturally.

HEALTHY PLANET

Centering our lives through touch. Essential oils address

P.O. Box 711, Monroe TwoCoyotes.org Facebook.com/TwoCoyotes Instagram.com/TwoCoyotes

ENERGY HEALING

HEALTHY LIVING

Functional Medicine and Integrative Care LLC 15 Bennitt St, New Milford 860-354-3304 • TSachsMD.com

HEALING ACID REFLUX HEALING ACID REFLUX NATURALLY Susan Berman, Med, CHHC 860-670-4152 Susan@HealingAcidReflux.com HealingAcidReflux.com

I work with health conscious individuals to help heal their acid reflux or GERD to avoid further damage and prevent esophageal cancer. Find your unique food and lifestyle triggers. Offers 1:1 coaching via Zoom, Skype, or a DIY program.

2020 EDITORIAL CALENDAR

JUN

• Inspired Lifestyle • Brain Health

Connection JUL •• Food Gut Health Out AUG • Education of the Box

• Prospering through Transition

Arts SEP • Expressive and Movement

• Emotion Quotient

Exploring Other OCT • Realms • Transcending Physical Health

Sugar Challenge NOV •• The Stress Management • Community & DEC Connection

• Get Your Glow On

DEPARTMENTS HEALTH BRIEFS | GLOBAL BRIEFS ECO TIP | GREEN LIVING HEALING WAYS | FIT BODY CONSCIOUS EATING HEALTHY KIDS | WISE WORDS INSPIRATION | NATURAL PET

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HYPNOSIS

HEALTHY EATING CHEF ELIANA GRUBEL, CHC

HEALING TREE WISDOM

Licensed and Insured In-home Cooking Services 203-559-8946 • CleanFood4UrType.com

Thea Litsios, CHy Locations in Norwalk and Stratford 203-693-1493 • HealingTreeWisdom.com

As a Board-Certified Health Coach by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and member of the U.S. Personal Chef Association, Eliana’s passion is her clients’ success. She has been serving CT for more than 15 years and now offers short-term detoxes, meals to freeze, dinner parties, homegrown microgreens and fermented, locally grown vegetables as well as personalized coaching programs. See ad, page 33.

Use the power of your whole mind to transform your life: Hypnosis for weight loss, smoking cessation, stress relief, and past life review.

Certified teacher of Active Dream work. Individual dream consultations available, as well as workshops and monthly Dream Groups. See ad, page 19.

HOLISTIC DENTIST

MIND-BODY TRANSFORMATION 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 ads, pages 23 and 35.

WHOLE BODY DENTISTRY

Mark A Breiner, DDS 501 Kings Hwy East, Ste 108, Fairfield 203-371-0300 • WholeBodyDentistry.com Mark Breiner, DDS, is a pioneer and recognized authority in the field of holistic dentistry. His patients have found solutions to baffling, unresolved and seemingly unrelated dentalrelated health problems. He is the author of the award-winning book, Whole-Body Dentistry. See ad, page 2.

HOLISTIC PSYCHIATRY DAVID LONDON, MD

544 Riverside Ave, Westport 203-557-6574 Contact@DavidLondonMD.com DavidLondonMD.com David London, MD, honors emotional, spiritual and biochemical individuality to assist healing psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.

Sophisticated genetic and lab testing help identify underlying causes. Treatment may include acupuncture, psychotherapy, EMDR, herbs, vitamins, nutrients, lifestyle changes, medication.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE PHYSICIAN HENRY C. SOBO, MD

Optimal Health Medical LLC 111 High Ridge Rd, Stamford 203-348-8805 • DrSobo.com Advances in Regenerative Medicine allow Dr. Sobo to offer cutting-edge technologies such as PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) treatments and adult stem cell therapy. Dr. Sobo’s integrative approach addresses a variety of conditions such as: food allergies, Alzheimer’s/ dementia, chronic fatigue syndrome, weight loss, hormonal health, fibromyalgia, anti-aging medicine, and MTHFR-Genetic Mutation. See ad, page 39.

INTEGRATIVE NATURAL MEDICINE SOPHIA NATURAL HEALTH CENTER Ken Hoffman, DACM, LAc, Medical Director 31 Old Rte 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.

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WHOLE-BODY MEDICINE LLC

Adam Breiner, ND, Director David Brady, ND, CCN, DACBN David Johnston, DO Elena Sokolova, MD, ND 203-371-8258 • WholeBodyMed.com Using state-of-the-art science combined with holistic medicine, our caring integrative physicians correct underlying imbalances and address issues which may interfere with the body’s ability to heal itself. We treat many conditions including Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, immune disorders, allergies, thyroid conditions, pain, neurological conditions, stroke, concussion, ADD/ ADHD, depression, insomnia and more. We offer hyperbaric oxygen, neurofeedback and neurotherapies, osteopathic medicine, functional medicine, IV nutrient and chelation therapy, energetic medicine, homeopathy, Japanese Reiki, nutrition, colonics and detoxification, enhanced brain, athletic, scholastic performance, and more. See ad, page 2.

INTEGRATIVE OPTOMETRY EYECARE ASSOCIATES, PC

Dr. Randy Schulman, MS, OD, FCOVD Locations: 6515 Main St, Trumbull • 203-374-2020 444 Westport Ave, Norwalk • 203-840-1991 2600 Post Rd, Southport • 203-255-4005 1425 Bedford St, 1M, Stamford • 203-357-0204 CTEyeCareAssociates.com We offer behavioral optometry, comprehensive vision exams, contact lenses and vision therapy.

See ad, page 24.

IV THERAPY WHOLE-BODY MEDICINE LLC

501 Kings Highway E, Ste 108, Fairfield 203-371-8258 WholeBodyMed.com IV nutrient therapy bypasses the digestive process and delivers 100% of pure quality nutrients to your cells. Custom drips support your immune system, help you recover from long work hours, hangovers, jet lag, and increase stamina, support muscle recovery and growth, aid in detoxification, provide anti-aging benefits for youthful skin and glow, promote weight loss, help brain function, provide an energy boost and more. See ad, page 2.

LYME DISEASE EDUCATION/SUPPORT LYME CONNECTION

400 Main St, Ridgefield Info@LymeConnection.org LymeConnection.org Lyme Connection is an all-volunteer, communitybased task force providing support and resources to patients and their families coping with tickborne disease.

MEDITATION CENTER FOR MINDFULNESS & INSIGHT MEDITATION

9 Picketts Ridge Rd, West Redding 203-244-3130 • ReddingMeditation.org We teach and practice Mahasati meditation.

Mahasati meditation cultivates self-awareness through attention to the movement of the body and, at more advanced levels, to the movement of the mind. No prior meditating experience is necessary. Ongoing weekly meditation classes, retreats and events.

Please check monthly event calendar or visit ReddingMeditation.org for updated information.

METABOLIC OPTIMIZATION MARVIN P. SCHWEITZER, ND

Wellness Institute 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk 203-847-2788 • DrMarvinSchweitzer.com We help you unleash your own body’s ability to heal. Cutting edge evaluations and 25+ years experience help to determine precisely which individualized therapies – including energy medicine, oxygen therapies, homeopathy, botanicals, nutrition, allergy/toxin testing and treatment are used to nourish, cleanse, balance and repair. We collaborate with you in a caring environment. See ad, page 11.

METAPHYSICAL STORE THE ANGEL COOPERATIVE

51 Ethan Allen Hwy (Rte. 7), Ridgefield 203-431-2959 • TheAngelCoop.com Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube The Angel Cooperative is a unique lifestyle boutique featuring the first and only Shungite room in the USA. Wide selection of crystals, jewelry, candles, essential oils and soaps. Spiritual gifts, statuary, oracle decks and tarot and home décor. Available in The Shungite Room: readings, Reiki, meditation, sound therapy, energy work and workshops. See ad, page 12.

THE RUBY TREE

Metaphysical Shop and Healing Space Woodbury 203-586-1655 • TheRubyTreeCT.com An energetically inviting space in the historic town of Woodbury, CT. Daily readings, metaphysical supplies, crystals, gifts, jewelry, blessed candles, incense; Reiki healing and classes, reflexology, cranial sacral therapy, massage, Ideal Protein clinic, workshops and more! Check us out on Facebook and Instagram.

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN ADAM BREINER, ND

Whole-Body Medicine LLC 501 Kings Hwy E, Ste 108, Fairfield 203-371-8258 • WholeBodyMed.com Dr. Adam Breiner has helped patients with a wide variety of neurological conditions—including stroke, concussions, TBIs, ADD/ADHD, depression and anxiety—as well as seeing patients for enhanced sports, scholastic and workplace performance. His center was the first facility in the country to offer the powerful combination of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and neurofeedback. Dr. Breiner also has natural and cutting-edge approaches for the treatment of Lyme disease. See ad, page 2.

NEERU KAUSHIK, ND, MS ACU, MS, MA Institute for Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Therapies 805 Kings Highway East, Fairfield 203-331-9111 DrKaushik@AyurvedicInstituteCT.com

A combination of Ayurveda and Naturopathy is used to create a unique treatment plan to regain and maintain health. Based on one’s particular body constitution (dosha), a plan may include supplements, diet/nutrition suggestions, lifestyle management, detoxification, hydrotherapy, 0zone therapy, Panchakarma.

See ad, page 8.

SHALVA CLINIC LLC

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, back cover.

NATURAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER

Lisa Singley, ND, MS 2103 Main St, Ste 2, Stratford 203-874-4333 Info@NHAWC.com NHAWC.com We use advanced diagnostic testing with safe, effective, all-natural healing modalities and treatment options to treat acute and chronic conditions; restore balance; and treat the mind, body and spirit. Specialists in endocrine disorders, digestive issues, pain management and chronic fatigue. We offer comprehensive solutions to prevent illness and maintain optimal health for body, mind and spirit. See ad, page 15.

MARVIN P. SCHWEITZER, ND Wellness Institute 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk 203-847-2788 DrMarvinSchweitzer.com

We help you unleash your own body’s ability to heal. Cutting edge evaluations and 25+ years CMYK experience help to determine 1, 99, 1, 0 precisely which individualized therapies – including energy medicine, oxygen therapies, CMYK 58, 79, 0, 0 homeopathy, botanicals, nutrition, allergy/toxin testing and treatment are used to nourish, cleanse, balance and repair. We collaborate with you in a caring environment.

Aleo – Bold See ad, page 11.

CMYK: 72, 66, 65, 79

P R O X I M A N O VA – S E M I B O L D

NEUROFEEDBACK CMYK: 72, 66, 65, 79

ADAM BREINER, ND

The NeuroEdge Brain Performance Center Division of Whole-Body Medicine Full ColorHighway E, Ste 108, Fairfield One Color 501 Kings 203-371-8258 TheNeuroEdge.com The NeuroEdge is dedicated to keeping your brain sharp and high-functioning. We treat head injuries and brain traumas such as concussion and stroke as well as help athletes, students and businesspeople improve their performance. Learn and view our cutting-edge neurotherapies at TheNeuroEdge.com. See ad, page 2.

My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return. ~Maya Angelou April/May 2020

51

NEUROFEEDBACK ROSEANN CAPANNA-HODGE, EDD, LPC, BCN, LLC

898 Ethan Allen Hwy, Ridgefield Offices in Ridgefield and Newtown 203-438-4848 Info@DrRoseann.com • DrRoseann.com We work with children, adolescents, teens, adults and families around a variety of issues with non-medication therapies. We provide brainbased treatments like neurofeedback, biofeedback, EFT, hypnosis, meditation, etc. Our staff provides non-judgmental support to help alleviate stress and promote wellness. See ad, page 18.

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PSYCHOTHERAPY

ROSEANN CAPANNA-HODGE, EDD, LPC, BCN, LLC 898 Ethan Allen Hwy, Ridgefield Offices in Ridgefield and Newtown 203-438-4848 Info@DrRoseann.com DrRoseann.com

Our highly trained and experienced therapists utilize a variety of brain-based tools and techniques that allow the CNS to calm down so one can address their issues without heightened anxiety. We specialize in pediatrics, parenting and supporting individuals with chronic issues. See ad, page 18.

ROBIN ORDAN, LCSW

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.

JIIVA YOGA, REIKI AND MASSAGE CENTER

2900 Main St, Ste 1A, Stratford 203-345-7747 JiivaCenter.com Berta Prevosti is a Usui and Karuna Reiki Master and has been practicing Reiki for over 20 years. We also have several experienced Reiki Masters and practitioners. We offer private Reiki sessions for physical and emotional pain. We also have ongoing Reiki classes that are taught in the traditional Usui method by Berta.

TURNING POINT REIKI LLC

JoAnn Inserra Duncan, MS, RMT 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.

Family, Child, Individual and 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, attachment/bonding, child development and parenting.

See ad, page 29.

NANCY SCHERLONG, LCSW

Coaching/Psychotherapy/Consulting Offices in Danbury and Ridgefield 914-572-3167 WellnessMetaphors.com Manage stress with relaxation techniques. Rediscover your creativity through writing and the expressive arts. Resolve trauma with EMDR, IFS or SE. Or book an experiential workshop! Nancy has over 20 years of experience with children, families, groups, adults and corporate wellness programs.

See ad, page 33.

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THE SHUNGITE ROOM THE ANGEL COOPERATIVE

51 Ethan Allen Hwy (Rte. 7), Ridgefield 203-431-2959 TheAngelCoop.com Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube The first Shungite room in the USA. Shungite is the only natural material known to contain fullerenes, a unique carbon molecular structure. It is believed to have active metaphysical properties with strong healing powers. The Shungite Room hosts readings, Reiki, meditation, sound therapy, energy work and workshops. See ad, page 12.

Fairfield County/Housatonic Valley Edition

eNaturalAwakenings.com

SOUND HEALING HUMMINGBIRD SOUND YOGA

Barbara (Bobbi) Soares New Milford 860-946-9470 BSoares@LightOfTheNewMoon.com HummingbirdSoundYoga.com Facebook @HummingbirdSoundYoga Barbara (Bobbi) Soares, MA, CYT, is a sound yoga and vocal yoga teacher, blues/jazz singer, and Reiki master, certified in several modalities of energy and sound healing. She offers hummingbird sound yoga and sound healing immersions for groups and private sessions. Using earth, dance and symphonic gongs, bowls, tuning forks and humming-for-health meditations, her goal is to help individuals experience becoming “one with sound” to promote a deep relaxation response that balances energy and encourages healing. See ad, page 9.

SPA VALLEY SPIRIT WELLNESS COOPERATIVE

6 Green Hill Rd, Washington Depot 860-619-2788 ValleySpiritCoop.com We offer a unique blend of integrative medicine, classes and self-care options. Therapies include acupuncture, herbal medicine, bodywork, massage, holistic psychotherapy, holistic art therapy and intuitive healing. Classes include yoga, meditation and tai chi.

TAI CHI/QIGONG JAMPA STEWART, MSOM, LAC Board Certified Acupuncturist Valley Spirit Wellness Cooperative 6 Green Hill Rd, Washington Depot 860-619-2788 ValleySpiritCoop.com

Develop physical and mental fitness and find a new harmony of the mind, body and spirit using these ancient Chinese movement arts. Starting with basic movements, warm-up techniques and breathing exercises, you will learn a set of flowing natural movements done slowly with calmness, balance and awareness. Weekly classes, weekend workshops and retreats.

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE WESTPORT THERAPEUTIC LLC Betsy Benham Fruda LMT 16 Ketchum St, Westport BetsyBWTllc.com 203-858-0679

Therapeutic massage. Deep tissue melt. Fascial function.

Restorative movement. The goal of my work is creating fascial function and wellness. You leave feeling lighter, standing taller and like something different just happened. I “de-glom” your body using deep tissue melt, cupping, structural integration and myofascial release techniques. See ad, page 19.

TRANSFORMATIVE HEALING KATIE AUGUSTYN, MA, CPC

Transformation Coach - Shamanic Healer TransformationCenterCT.com 203-820-3800 TransformationCenterCT@gmail.com Katie will assist you in reaching your true potential and heal what has been holding you back. You will experience real self-acceptance and start to live in alignment with who you truly are so you can create a life you love, a life of meaning and purpose. See ad, page 19.

BETH LEAS

Transformative Healing • Tarot 203-856-9566 BethLeas.com TLCTarot.com If not now, when? Inspire change on all levels—greater physical ease, emotional freedom, peace of mind and spiritual connection. 20 years of intuitive healing experience with adults and children of all ages. Reiki, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Tarot. See ad, page 19.

WELLNESS CENTER THE ANGEL WING, A DIVINE SPIRITUAL CENTER

Located next door to The Angel Cooperative 49 Ethan Allen Hwy (Rte. 7), Ridgefield 203-431-2959 •TheAngelCoop.com Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube The Angel Wing hosts workshops, yoga classes, retreats, energy work sessions, readings, Reiki and guided meditations. It is available to rent on an hourly, daily, weekly or monthly basis.

Optional rental spaces include a large open room and/or an intimate private room with massage/ Reiki table. See ad, page 12.

SALT CAVE OF DARIEN

555 Post Rd, Darien 203-658-7667 Info@SaltCaveofDarien.com SaltCaveofDarien.com Our wellness destination offers a rich lineup of therapies: community salt cave sessions, special events with local healers, lunchtime meditation class, coffee chatter sessions and weekly yoga and stretch classes.

SALT OF THE EARTH THERAPEUTIC SPA

787 Main St S, Woodbury 203-586-1172 NaturalSaltHealing.com

classifieds To place a Classified Listing: $1 per word. $25 minimum.

Magazine deadline: 12th of month prior to publication. Email copy to NicoleM@NaturalAwakenings.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!

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Combining an array of natural therapies that have been used since ancient times with today’s technology, Salt of the Earth Spa provides a sanctuary for deep transformation, healing and grounding for mind, body and spirit.

SOUL HEALING JOURNEY, LLC Eilis Philpott Fairfield • 203-767-5954 Eilis@SoulHealingJourney.com SoulHealingJourney.com

Eilis is a master healer and teacher and certified in numerous modalities as both a practitioner and teacher. She offers soul-level healing, which clears any blocks, obstacles and challenges that are preventing you from living your life to its fullest potential.

See ad, page 8.

To the healthcare professionals who are risking their lives during this epidemic, thank you for fighting COVID-19 on the front lines.

April/May 2020

53

inspiration

FINDING CALM During Trying Times

F

by Laurie Nadel

rom the moment we wake up and log on to our day, we are flooded with news about people whose days started off much the same, with an expectation of going from point A to point B, to lunch, to point C and then back home.

But something happened. A tornado touched down in the neighborhood. Or a train derailed in a cousin’s hometown. Or, like now, an invisible killer stalks the globe, threatening to take our life or the life of someone we know.

Within seconds, we are flooded with horror and helplessness.

Unable to stop the cascade of acute stress hormones, our bodies shift into fight-or-flight mode or leave us frozen like deer in the headlights.

Whether we see what is happening online, on screen or in real time, we feel unsafe in our own skin. Although disturbing images can be swiped away, when something bad happens to us, we don’t know what to do.

We can’t change the channel.

Even during these tough times, we can find opportunities to develop new strengths and grow individually and together. To start with, we need emotional first aid to help us find calm quickly. We can do this by locating the tension points in our body and asking them what color would help them feel calm. Then we can inhale that color, letting it find its way within to soothe our cells, and exhale our stress by breathing out a different color. We can repeat this technique as long and as often as needed. Teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, Florida, report that this really works for kids, too.

To heal means to make whole. It doesn’t mean to make something go away. Hardship is part of life’s journey. Even this global pandemic can serve as our spiritual wake-up call to learn how different spiritual traditions heal from life-shattering events.

Five gifts offer us the keys to wholeness: n Humility helps us accept what we cannot change. n Patience takes the edge off when the hurt lasts longer than we want. n Empathy keeps us connected for the long haul. n Forgiveness means forgiving ourselves, our leaders and God. n Growth lets us look back with thanks for what we learned when the journey of life was anything but comfortable and easy.

Let’s journey together.

Laurie Nadel, a Manhattan psychotherapist, is the author of The Five Gifts: Discovering Hope, Healing and Strength When Disaster Strikes.

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24

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Institute for Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Therapies

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