E E FR H E A L T H Y L I V I N G
HEALTHY
PLANET
Chasing ZZZZZs Healthy Home, Happier Life
Clean Up Inside and Out
Put Insomnia to Rest
ZENFUL
EATING Joyous, Mindful Meals
November 2019 | Greater Hartford County Edition | NAHRT.com November 2019
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Many Paths Many truths One Bridge
BRIDGE HEALING ARTS CENTER Bridge Healing Arts Center is a diverse holistic wellness center, offering the community many choices of complementary and holistic healing modalities, workshops, events, and classes on their journey to wellness.
Meet some of the Bridge community… Chinese Medicine
Author & Alignment Coach Elizabeth Hill, MSW, ACC Green Heart Living - Compassionate Coaching to Align Your Body, Mind & Spirit liz@greenheartliving.com www.greenheartliving.com 860-913-6918
Donna M. Gordon, RMT, Tui Na Acupressure, Usui Ryoho Reiki, Qi Gong Therapy, Tong Ren Healing, Tai Chi and Qi Gong Instruction myheartsourcewellness@gmail.com www.heartsourceintegrative.com 860-978-2938
Psychic/Mediumship/Events/Workshops
Hypnotherapy
Keiko Broyles, Psychic Spiritual Medium Willows Healing Path, LLC - Owner Tested Member of Shay Parker’s Best American Psychics • Usui Reiki Master Teacher keiko@keikomedium.com www.keikomedium.com • 860-280-5548
Carl Brown Hypnosis Licensed Hypnotherapist Easily change limiting beliefs. You can have, be, or do anything you want! www.carlbrownhypnosis.com 860-309-9004
Reiki/Intuitive Readings
Spiritual Intuitive, Medium & Psychic
Deborah Lyons, RMT Owner/Operator of The Lotus Petal, LLC Reiki Master Teacher, Spiritual Counselor, Psychic/Medium, Nutrition Health Coach LotusPetalReiki@gmail.com www.TheLotusPetalReiki.com • 860-335-4060
Denise Ann Atkinson, Owner of Soul Centered Mediumship. Private and group readings, CT and New York • Reiki Master/Teacher Facebook.com/Deniseaapsychicmedium www.deniseatkinsonmedium.com 860-930-9515
Our Village is Growing!
There is currently a wide variety of services available at The Bridge Healing Arts Center. Please visit our website at www.BridgeHAC.com for a complete list. If you are a practitioner who is interested to move your practice to the Bridge, please be in touch today! We have limited space available for you to join our growing village!
��� Main St. | Farmington, CT �6��� | bridgehac.com | 86�-���-���� | info@bridgehac.com 2
Hartford County Edition
NAHRT.com
Are environmental exposures a danger to your mental health? Aly Cohen, MD, FACR
It is no secret that the environment we live in today is having a negative effect on our health. From the polluted air we breathe, to the food additives we consume, untested skin products that we lather on, and the emotional stressors that bombard us daily, most people agree that our environment is making us sick. Dr. Cohen has dedicated her career to helping people live a healthier life in a less stressful and toxic environment.
*
Wed., November 13, 2019 7:30 pm Ives Concert Hall WCSU Midtown Campus 181 White St., Danbury, CT Tickets now available!
For more information, contact: Christel Autuori, autuoric@wcsu.edu
At the box office
General admission $20.
At the door
WCSU employees $10.
Online at wcsu.edu/tickets
WCSU students free with valid ID
November 2019
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Contents 45 S. Main Street, West Hartford, CT
$ 32 New Student Special: Tai Chi & Qigong
16 HEALTHY HOME,
HAPPY LIFE A Conversation with Victoria Gleixner,
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founder of b. kind Wellness Boutique
18 REWARDS FOR
RECYCLING
The Beauty Industry Steps Up
20 THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND Living Litter-Free
To Register for Workshops CALL 978-790-8888 center@wuhealing.com wuhealing.com
21 SOMETHING IN THE AIR Natural Gas Effects on
32
Human Health
24 CHASING ZZZZZs
How to Put Insomnia to Rest
28 HORMONE HEALTH 101 Directing How and
What the Body Does
32 ON THE MOVE
Increase Joint Mobility Naturally
34
34 ZENFUL EATING
Mindful Meals in Quiet Gratitude
36 HAVE YOU HEARD? Mediums Help Yale
Study Voice-Hearing
DEPARTMENTS 7 news briefs 12 global briefs 14 health briefs 15 eco tip 16 wise words 22 green living 4
Hartford County Edition
NAHRT.com
27 inspiration 28 healing ways 34 conscious
eating 39 calendar 43 resource guide 46 display ad index
Natural Awakenings is a family of more than 70 healthy living magazines celebrating 25 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.
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Vitalized Performance Group Solutions to Better Health Specializing in ED and Sexual Health Vitalized Performance Group (VPG) combines new advanced state-of-the-art medical devices applying the most current medical research with traditional and ancient medicine to help clients/patients achieve successful outcomes. VPG can work closely with your medical doctors while offering safe, drug-free and non-invasive treatment to help you achieve better health outcomes.
Alternative Therapy Can Make All The Difference In Achieving A State Of Well-Being!
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28 ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings, please contact our sales team: Ads@NAHRT.com or 860-507-6392. Our fax is 860-357-6034.The due date for ads is the 10th of the month prior to publication. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Submit articles, news items and ideas to Editor@NAHRT.com or call 860-507-6392. The due date for editorial is the 10th of the month prior to publication. CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit ALL calendar events on our website at NAHRT.com. The due date for calendar is the 10th of the month prior to publication. REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets! Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets, call 239-434-9392. For franchising opportunities, call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakenings.com.
• Naturopathic Medicine • Acupuncture*** • Traditional Chinese Medicine • EFT: Emotional Freedom Technique • Massage/Heat/Fascia Blast • The LIBBE (the only one in CT!) for semi-private colon hydro-therapy • Thermography Imaging • GAINSWave/Shockwave for Pain Management and Reduction of Appearance in Cellulite • GAINSWave/Shockwave Therapy for ED and Sexual Health • Foot Spa Treatments
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For more detailed information visit: www.vpgwaves.com November 2019
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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET
letter from publisher
D
espite what ubiquitous television ads tell us, no illness is caused by lack of a pharmaceutical GREATER HARTFORD product. Some illness may be due to nutritional COUNTY EDITION deficiencies or chemical imbalances, but a majority of PUBLISHER Nicole Miale today’s chronic conditions are not primarily chemi MANAGING EDITOR Patricia Staino cal in nature. We are sick (and tired) in large numbers EDITOR Michelle Bense because of the way we live. Our routines are mostly DESIGN & PRODUCTION Kathleen Fellows sedentary, ritualized, stressed, and often financially Erica Mills CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Karen Ali uncertain. We navigate complicated relationships, try Joan Carra to nurture brilliant (athletic, artistic and kind) children, Philip Corlett and regularly attempt to pack 15 pounds into 12-pound Nanaz Khosrowshahi Nicole Miale Angel Serrano bags. Our human quest for longer, higher-quality lives Megan Tantillo seems diametrically opposed to what living a “successful” and active modern life actu Julia Vitali Peter Wilson ally requires. Frankly, it feels like we’re being set up to fail. SALES & MARKETING Shirley R. Bloethe There’s no doubt it’s much easier to take a pill, whether a pharmaceutical or an Nicole Miale herbal supplement, than to make difficult personal choices that create a huge shift in Lisa Toczko your life experience. Anyone who has tried to make major lifestyle changes knows it SOCIAL MEDIA Amy Hass WEBSITE Erica Mills can be challenging. Going to bed earlier/getting more sleep is one consistent lifestyle CONTACT US recommendation, yet it’s a common struggle for many. Which begs the question: why 137 Danbury Rd, #323, New Milford, CT 06776 aren’t we more successful doing something so basic for ourselves? Ph: 860-507-6392 • Fax: 860-357-6034 It’s an important question because it turns out the foundation of well-being starts Publisher@NAHRT.com • NAHRT.com with sleep. Articles in this issue examine the importance of sleep and the effects lack of SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $30 sleep can have on the body, while offering suggestions for getting better quality sleep. (for 12 issues) to the above address. Modern environmental toxins, in our homes and outside of them, also have a NATIONAL TEAM huge impact on our well-being, and the sad fact is that, while evidence mounts, still CEO/FOUNDER Sharon Bruckman not enough is known. Many people aren’t sure how to take action to protect them COO/ FRANCHISE SALES Joe Dunne selves. What if you knew you could die if you were to keep using the same makeup or NATIONAL EDITOR Jan Hollingsworth MANAGING EDITOR Linda Sechrist household cleaners? If it were that black-and-white, would you be able to give up your NATIONAL ART DIRECTOR Stephen Blancett favorites? It may be that fundamental. ART DIRECTOR Josh Pope This month of Thanksgiving is a perfect time to express not only our gratitude for FINANCIAL MANAGER Yolanda Shebert all the blessings we have, but also to take responsibility (or at least increase our aware FRANCHISE SUPPORT MGR. Heather Gibbs WEBSITE COORDINATOR Rachael Oppy ness) of the things in our control that are affecting our experience of life. Want to feel NATIONAL ADVERTISING Kara Cave better? Here are two places to start: Establish a practice of going to bed earlier and Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation 4933 Tamiami Trail N., Ste. 203 discard your conventional makeup products and/or household cleaners. Naples, FL 34103 Change can be difficult, but on the other side of the transition there may be a much Ph: 239-434-9392 • Fax: 239-434-9513 NaturalAwakeningsMag.com better quality of life. What is the point of living a long life if it’s not a good one?! We’ve © 2019 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved. survived everything that’s come at us thus far… it’s time to make choices that help us Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior thrive instead of survive. I’m worth it and you are too! permission be obtained in writing. Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. Check with a healthcare professional regarding the appropriate use of any treatment. Natural Awakenings Magazine is ranked 5th Nationally in CISION’S® 2016 Top 10 Health & Fitness Magazines
Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soy-based ink.
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Hartford County Edition
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With love and light,
See our display advertiser index on page 47, making it easier to find the resources you need.
Breathwork and Sound Healing in Hartford
news briefs
West Hartford Therapists Plan Couples Retreat
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Principals Therapy of West Hartford will host a couples retreat in the Dominican Republic from December 7 through 13. This retreat is for anyone who is married, engaged, in a loving relationship or who wishes they were, whether they are experiencing difficulties in their relationships or would like their satisfactory relationship to function on an even higher plane. The week will consist of relaxation, activities, presentations, group exercises and more, facilitated by Lori Carpenos, LMFT; Jack Pransky, PhD; and Nicole Beasley, PhD. The facilitators will help couples understand the secret to a deep and everlasting love within safe and secure group sessions dealing with common issues. The intention is for couples to leave the retreat understanding how the Three Principles arise in any relationship, how to use them to build a relationship that supports love, how to deal with problem situations and how to find the “We” in a relationship. The cost of the trip is $3,200 per couple and includes transportation within the Dominican Republic between the airport and resort; food, beverage and lodging in an all-inclusive resort; and couples sessions. During free time, one-to-one sessions can be scheduled with Lori, Jack or Nicole for an additional but less-than-usual fee. For more information, call 860-561-1919, email Lori@3PrinciplesTherapy.com or visit 3PrinciplesTherapy.com. Location of retreat: Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic. Location of 3 Principles Therapy: 81 S. Main St, West Hartford.
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t’s a busy time of year; ground yourself at the next monthly Community Breathwork and Sound Healing Circle led by wellness practitioners Lydia McClain and Kelvin Young. The class provides a safe space on the first Friday of every month to gather and heal as a community; classes will be held from 7 Lydia McClain and Kelvin Young to 9pm on November 1 and December 6. Each class begins with a brief grounding meditation, followed by breathwork led by McClain and sound healing led by Young. Breathwork is an active form of guided meditation that utilizes dynamic breath, essential oils and music to release stuck energy in the body. This nourishing practice helps safely release emotions to spiritually and physically detox the body. The self-healing practice leaves you feeling lighter, refreshed and energized and connected to your authentic truth. Sound healing utilizes crystal and Himalayan singing bowls, gongs, ocean drums, tuning forks, rattles, hand drum and other healing tools to activate the parasympathetic nervous system to calm your mind, relax your body, heal your emotions and nourish your soul. Together, these active and passive healing modalities promote healing from chronic/toxic stress, muscle tension, physical pain, energetic blockages, past traumas, addictive behaviors, PTSD, depression, anxiety, sleep issues, and other chronic health conditions. The class is by donation (suggested donation $10 to $25) so everyone can receive healing, regardless of financial situation. Location: 56 Arbor St, Hartford.
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Spring Semester Classes Start January 13
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November 2019
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news briefs
Heart Flame Energy Master Program in Avon
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haring the Light Wholistic Center in Avon will offer a Heart Flame Energy Master Program beginning in January. “On your journey to mastery, you become the designer and controller of everything through your heart with the Divine’s Heart Flame,” say partners Cheryl Case and Cheryl Case and KT “Suli” KT “Suli” Sullivan. “We truly Sullivan know that love is all you need at the core of your work, and we are now ready to train you.” The Heart Flame Energy Program is a culmination of combining ancient and modern healing modalities. The old and new together bring ample opportunity for discovery of self and growth of the mind, body and spirit, bringing out innate wisdom and compassion, according to the partners. The 12-month program is for those who have completed up to Reiki 2 and want to take a deeper approach to the ways of healing with ascended masters, angels, saints, scents, sound, color and crystals. The group will meet monthly, on the second Saturday of each month from 10am to 6pm, starting in January, and students will also meet privately with Case and Sullivan for personal work. Students will master Usui Reiki Master Certification; crystal dreaming sessions to release blockages; St. Germain Violet Flame instruction; Elohim of Peace Attunement; Seraph Rose Aura Attunement; Archangel Michael, Raphael, Uriel and Gabriel Attunements; essential oil instruction and consultation; chakra balancing; color, sound and code healing; Heart Flame Energy Bracelet with charms; Oneness outings; building or choosing their own drum; and 9 Munay-Ki Rites. The all-inclusive package price is $145 monthly when you sign up before December 1; $175 monthly when you sign up between December 1 and January 1; and $200 monthly after January 1, 2020. For more information ,call 860-936-0012, text 860-620-7709, or visit SharingTheLightWC.com. Location: 395 West Avon Rd, Avon. See ad, page 22.
Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone. ~Anthony Burgess
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Hartford County Edition
NAHRT.com
Applied Kinesiology and Bowenwork Classes
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clectic Naturopathic Medical Center in Newington will be offering classes in applied kinesiology (A/K) and Bowenwork in November, taught by Kathleen Riley, ND. The workshop from 12 to 4pm on Kathleen Riley November 3 will focus on A/K Class 1 and is for those who want to learn the A/K Testing Technique. The cost is $80 and payment in full ensures your spot in the class. The workshop from 10am to 2pm on November 9 is “Introduction to Bowenwork,” a gentle, noninvasive therapy that stimulates the body’s ability to heal itself. Class participants will learn to apply key elements to ease breathing difficulties, relieve muscle tension and joint pain, ease gastrointestinal complaints and relieve neck, back and knee pain. Cost of the class is $95, which includes an illustrated manual. For more information, call 860-665-1254. Location: 48 Christian Le, Ste 203, Newington. See ad, page 12.
TriCity Massage Anniversary Party
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oin TriCity Massage and Wellness in Vernon on November 30, between 1 and 3pm to celebrate its first anniversary. Enjoy a complimentary yoga or meditation session, free massages, Tibetan bowl sessions, Reiki and reflexology. There will be snacks and a raffle, and you can kickstart your holiday shopping with special discounts on retail items and gift cards. TriCity Massage and Wellness opened one year ago with the idea that massage and self-care can be both affordable and an amazing experience in a beautiful setting. The studio is conveniently located in the heart of Vernon, where Vernon, South Windsor and Manchester meet. “Over the past year we have been making connections in our community by offering free yoga in the parks, volunteering massages at a few charity races and teaming up with Vernon Parks and Recreation to bring paddleboard yoga to Middle Bolton Lake,” says owner Cassidy Hwalek. “We look forward to future community-centered events to come. We are amazed at how fast this year has flown by and are so grateful for all who have joined us for events or come in for services. It's been a wonderful first year and we are excited to see what the future brings.” Current services include a variety of customizable massage modalities, assisted stretching, Reiki, shamanic healing sessions, Tibetan singing bowl sound healing, private meditation and 100 percent natural raw-ingredient facials. They also offer weekly yoga sessions in an intimate setting and monthly holistic wellness events. Be sure to check the website and social media pages for more information on upcoming events. For more information, call 860-512-0433 or visit Tri-CityMassage.com. Location: 220 Hartford Tpke, 2nd Floor (elevator in back entrance), Vernon. See ad, page 10.
Women Empowering Women Launches Bristol Chapter
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he Women Empowering Women NOW organization, founded in Watertown, has now launched a chapter in Bristol. The group will meet the first Wednesday of each month from 6 to 8pm. WEW is a growing community of women entrepreneurs who are stepping outside the box and making their dreams come true. The organization was founded by Doreen Dilger, certified business and life coach and author, with a mission to educate, support and empower women by offering networking, leads groups, certification programs, mastermind groups, online inner circle memberships, business coaching, life coaching, workshops and challenges. The Bristol chapter is being organized by Wolcott’s Carol Jurzyk, a life coach and founder of Inner Beauty Life Coaching. Cost is $10 for materials and light refreshments, and RSVP is necessary because space is limited. For more information about programs, certifications and other offerings, visit WomenEmpoweringWomenNow.com. To RSVP for a Bristol meeting, call Carol Jurzyk at 203-233-4643. Location: Patterson Place Apartments, 72 Maple St, Bristol.
Shaman and Priestess Comes to Wallingford
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waken your feminine power with ancient secrets from the Siberian shaman and priestess Shakuntali. From 7 to 10pm on November 14 at Hidden Gem in Wallingford, the author, Siberian White Shaman, doctor of psychology and founder of GYUD Academy will present the workshop “Three Hours in the Cosmos.” This unique Shakuntali workshop will explore the mysteries of the soul with trance dance, a GYUD session, orphic art, elemental massage and more. For those interested in a deeper exploration, Shakuntali will present a three-day retreat, “Secrets of Women of Power,” from November 15 to 17 (location to be announced). Shakuntali has dedicated her life to helping women in 32 countries expand their potential by awakening the power of their own beauty. Her intuitive wisdom illuminates one’s life purpose in order to release the past and access the healer within. To reserve your spot and for more information, contact Agnia at 203-768-3954. Location of November 14 workshop: Hidden Gem, 33 N Main St, Ste D, Wallingford.
MONDAZZI An
Book , Bead & Crystal Warehouse Showroom
Square Feet amazing 5000 of SHOPPING!
A little bit of everything for the mind, body and spirit. Beads & Beading Supplies
Hundreds of gemstone beads 50% off strands of beads
Jewelry • Candles Crystals & Minerals
from around the world Books 50% off list price
Essential Oils Herbs & Resins Himalayan Salt Lamps Music • Classes Psychic Fairs • Events Vintage & Handpainted Furniture
Visit our Salt Room!
860-285-0538
Monday - Friday 9am-5pm | Saturday 9am-4pm | Closed Sunday www.mondazzi.com 570 Hayden Station Rd. | Windsor, CT 06095
“The Twelve Paths To Enlightenment” Program Is Finally Here! The Enlightenment Method is a Time-Proven, Step-By-Step Path to Living an Empowered, Purposeful Life • A Proven System to Connect You with Your Highest Calling • Calm Your Fears and Anxieties • Get Relief from Heavy Emotions • Gain Clarity and Find Direction • Feel Supported, Connected and Grounded
Manifest the highest vision of your life because you know what you want to create and how to go about making your vision real. Is your mental health worth investing in? If you’re ready to change for the better, this is the class for you! The Twelve Paths To Enlightenment is a year-long program in Woodstock, CT
Monthly meetings 9am-12pm Breakfast served
One-year investment $875 Installment & monthly plans available Contact: Driscoll.h@gmail.com
Visit our website for more detailed information: www.EnlightenmentMethod.com November 2019
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news briefs
Self-care is Healthcare
Festival of Trees to Benefit Ann’s Place
Join us on Saturday, November 30th as we celebrate our first anniversary! Time flies when you’re having fun. We’d like to thank everyone who has been a part of our journey. Stop in between 10 and 3 to have some snacks, enter a raffle, and enjoy a complimentary session!
TriCity Massage and wellness
massage | yoga | reflexology | reiki | tibetan bowl therapy (860) 512-0433 | tri-citymassage.com | 220 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT
When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. ~Jimi Hendrix
For Holistic Studies
Master of Arts Degrees and Certificate Programs 1 weekend per month – 2 years
Enrolling Now! CURRICULUM:
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Our Curriculum is designed for you to… Learn how to Thrive not just Survive in Today’s World.
www.learn.edu • 203.874.4252 Main campus in Bethany, CT with locations in New Haven, Fairfield, Hartford & Middlesex Counties
10 Hartford County Edition
NAHRT.com
C
atch the excitement and benefit Ann’s Place at the 17th Annual Festival of Trees at the Danbury Sports Dome. The weekend of November 22 to 24 will be filled with live events and is the largest annual fundraiser for Ann’s Place. The event has raised over $3.1 million since 2003, supporting area cancer patients through services at Ann’s Place. Festival of Trees days are filled with live entertainment on the hour, more than 100 holiday trees, amazing prizes, grand raffles, treasures in the Market Place, Quilter’s Corner and goods for purchase from specialty vendors, artisans and local craftsmen. The Mistletoe and Martinis party from 6:30 to 10:30pm on Friday night will kick off the event. Sip delicious specialty drinks and join us in a tribute toast to Waterworks and The Benefactors Society, the organization’s 2019 honorees. On Saturday, local brewers will line up to share their favorite seasonal drinks at the annual Taps & Trees Craft Beer Fest. Attendees can enjoy live music and great food both nights. Children and adults will be dazzled by the magic of Tom Pesce on Saturday, with seatings at 11am and 1pm. The little ones can enjoy the Children’s Winter Village, featuring a bounce house, Santa and activities including crafts, coloring station, face painting, tattoos and more. General admission is 10am to 4pm and costs $10 for ages 3-64; those 65+ come for just $5. Evening programs have separate ticketing available online. For more information about Festival of Trees or to buy tickets, visit AnnsPlaceFestivalofTrees.org or call 203-790-6568. See ad, page 14.
Fire Cider DIY Workshop
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oin The Institute of Sustainable Nutrition (TIOSN) from 10am to 12pm on November 23 to learn about and make your own Fire Cider. This tasty traditional herbal tonic has been used as an immune and health boosting remedy for decades. We will talk about the history, health benefits and different recipes for this tonic while sampling some and making your own batch to take home. We will have the recently released book, 101 Zesty Recipes for Health Boosting Remedies Made With Apple Cider Vinegar, by Rosemary Gladstar and friends, for sale for those who preregister for it at the website. TIOSN instructor Alison Birks was a contributing author to the new book and will joyfully sign your copy for you. Join us and make your own zesty tonic for winter health. Cost is $25, which includes the 2-hour class and supplies. The book is $15.
1000 Farmington Avenue Suite 100 West Hartford, CT 06107 860-338-5499 b.kindct@gmail.com
b. kind’s mission is to improve lives through natural living. We do so by offering a selection of natural and organic products, in addition to hosting events with local practitioners and community members. Items in b. kind are either locally sourced or handmade in the USA.
Victoria Gleixner owner
Register at the event page on TIOSN.com. Location: Holcomb Farm, 113 Simsbury Rd, West Granby.
IHHS Presents Aly Cohen at WCSU
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here are more than 90,000 commercial and industrial chemicals currently registered and available for use in the U.S., the majority of which have never been tested on humans for safety or toxicity. Mounting evidence indicates many of these chemicals are harmful to human health, especially in Aly Cohen fetuses, toddlers and teens. On November 13, the Institute for Holistic Health Studies (IHHS) at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) will present Aly Cohen, MD, who will discuss evidence-based data on everyday chemicals and EMF exposure and how they contribute to mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and ADHD. Cohen, a rheumatologist, integrative medicine practitioner, and environmental health specialist practicing in Princeton, N.J., will offer dietary approaches to reduce toxicity, beneficial supplements, indoor air quality, sleep hygiene, stress management and safe use of cellular technology. Tickets for the lecture cost $20 for assigned seating or $10 for general admission. WSCU students will be admitted free with valid ID. To buy tickets, visit WCSU.edu/tickets. For more information, contact AutuoriC@wcsu.edu. Location: Ives Concert Hall, 181 White St, Danbury. See ad, page 3.
DEE RANDIS
Astrologer Certified
Over 40 Years Experience in the Interpretation of Birth Charts. Past, Present and Future
Call 860-274-1690 for appointment 24 Country Drive, Watertown, CT 06795
astrodee24@yahoo.com • www.metaphysicalcntr.net
The only transdermal, FDA-registered product containing the highest legal dose of Homeopathic human growth hormone available without a prescription. USAGE MAY • Relieve Headaches • Enhance Muscle Mass • Improve Sleep • Heighten Libido • Promote Significant Fat Loss
Contact Shirley R. Bloethe 860-989-0033 or HGH8609890033@gmail.com November 2019
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Economics Drive Farm Food Losses
Hot Habits
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com
Phoenix Shifts to a Cooler Night Mode
Phoenix, which had 128 days at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit last year, is one of the hottest and fastest-warming cities in the U.S., and most American cities are expected to drastically heat up in the next decades with heat waves and triple-digit days. In the Valley of the Sun, work and play are shifting into the cooler hours. Neighborhoods are active at dawn and dusk when residents hike, jog and paddleboard. Last year, heat caused or contributed to the deaths of 182 people in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix. Ariane Middel, a professor of urban climate at Arizona State University, says, “We are almost a living laboratory. We can test strategies and see different ways to keep adapting and mitigating. By the time it gets hot in other places, they can take what we have learned here.”
Eclectic Naturopathic Medical Center, LLC Kathleen M. Riley, ND Wilberto Lugo, ND Naturopathic Physicians
48 Christian Lane, Suite 203 Newington, CT 06111 www.kathleenrileynd.com
Call to schedule an appointment
860-665-1254
12 Hartford County Edition
Farmer Cannon Michael left more than 100 acres of ripe cantaloupes unharvested last year because he couldn’t sell them for enough to cover the cost of labor, packing and shipping. According to a new study from Santa Clara University, in California, about one-third of edible produce remains unharvested in the fields, where it rots and gets plowed under. Most research on food loss and food waste has focused on post-harvest, retail and consumer levels. The new study offers a far more accurate look at on-farm food loss by relying on in-field measurements. ReFED, a coalition of nonprofits, businesses and government agencies that fight food loss and food waste, estimates that 21 percent of water, 18 percent of cropland and 19 percent of fertilizer in the U.S. are dedicated to food that is never eaten.
Jaws of Life
California Bans Fur Trapping
California has enacted a ban on fur trapping for animal pelts, making it the first state to outlaw a centuries-old livelihood that was intertwined with the rise of the Western frontier. The Wildlife Protection Act of 2019 prohibits commercial and recreational trapping on both public and private lands. Legislators are considering proposals to ban the sale of all fur products, including fur coats, and to outlaw the use of animals in any circus in the state, with the exception of domesticated horses, dogs and cats.
NAHRT.com
SOMMAI/Shutterstock.com
Abandoned Crops
global briefs
Holistic Community Professionals HCP
Our professional team of holistic and natural businesses provides community outreach and education. We are committed to improving the health and wellness of body, mind, and spirit in the communities we serve. Visit our Site: www.HolisticCommunityProfessionals.com
Astrologist/Psychic/Reiki Practitioner Bren Meadows Psychic Reading Tarot since 1984 Psychic Parties, Individual Sessions, Spiritual Guidance Sessions Terryville, CT or by Skype rainmakers2413@gmail.com 860-983-3030
Coaching & Workshops
Bradford W. Tilden, MM, CMT Universal White Time Gemstone, Energy, and Angelic Sound Healing Individual, Remote, Group Sessions Classes, Workshops, Sound Journeys Bradford@CrystalMusicHealing.com CT/MA locations 860-830-5841
Torin Lee TL Coaching /Zen Events www.MyPathForward.net torin@zenevents.net www.torinlee.com 860-861-9038
Healing/Coaching
Healing & Wellness Center
Robin Barros, Spirit of the Lotus Integrative Manual Therapy, Medical Shamanism, Holographic Sound Healing, Advanced Soul Coaching® & Past Life Journeys Medical Intuitive, Medium, Channel SpiritoftheLotus.org Columbia, CT 860-709-3903
Lily Holcomb, The Water Lily Holistic Empowerment Center, Intuitive & Mediumship Readings, Empowerment Energy Healings, Groups, Classes & Events • 129 Tolland Stage Rd. Tolland, CT thewaterlilycenter.com 860-756-6391
Naturopathic Physician
Mind • Body • Soul
Quantum Psychotherapy
Dr. Nicole Klughers, ND, PharmD, MSAc Naturopathic Provider & Acupuncture Specialist Vis Wellness Center at Nova Spa Rocky Hill DrNicoleKlughers.com DrNicoleKlughers@gmail.com (234)2-ACU-DOC
Celeste E. Mattingly, LCSW Creator of Celestial Psychology® State-of-the-art energy medicine & quantum healing techniques with Tachyon Zero-Point-Energy products & traditional talk therapy Insurance accepted celestialempowerment.com 860-586-8700
Shamanic/Reiki/Sound Healer
Transformational Healing
Denise Cassella, Stairway to Healing Light, LLC Reiki Master Teacher, Sound Healer, Interfaith Minister, Shamanic, Angelic & Spiritual Guide, Qigong Associate Instructor, CT/RI/Cent. & East. MA StairwaytoHealingLight.abmp.com Stairway2Healing@gmail.com 860-965-6398
Shari Dorman, LPC Inner Mountain Peak Healing, LLC- Owner Licensed Professional Counselor Reiki Master/Teacher InnerMountainPeakHealing.net InnerMountainPeakHealing@gmail.com 860-324-3309
SAVE THE DATE - STATEWIDE HOLISTIC SPRING EXPO Passport to Health & Wellness Expo SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2020 10am - 4pm
Closing Event - Drumming on the Patio 4 - 5pm The DoubleTree by Hilton 42 Century Drive, Bristol, CT 06010 75 Vendors & Readers • Free Raffles • Drumming GRAND PRIZE A Hilton Overnight Stay for Two!
Crystal/Sound/White Time
ADMISSION Advance Early Bird $5 p/p $7 p/p at the door • Children under 5 are FREE For Tickets: Facebook.com/events/443393576471517 Contact Shirley R Bloethe at 860-989-0033 Email: yourholisticevents@gmail.com Vendors apply at: www.yourholisticevents.com
Integrative Psychotherapy The Enlightenment Counseling Center, LLC Holistic psychotherapy & alternative medicine to enhance our clinical services. 998 Farmington Ave, West Hartford 660 Prospect Ave, Hartford EnlightenmentCenterCT.com EnlightenmentCenterLLC@gmail.com 860-729-3284
Reiki/Sound Therapy Ed Cleveland The Ed Cleveland Reiki & Sound Therapy Training Center, Hartford Sound therapy, Reiki, Classes, Workshops EdReiki3@yahoo.com 860-681-3981
Treating Acid Reflux Susan Berman, M.Ed., CHHC Find your unique food & lifestyle triggers. Offering 1:1 coaching via Zoom, Skype, or a DIY program. HealingAcidReflux.com Susan@HealingAcidReflux.com 860-670-4152
We Welcome You! To join the Holistic Community Professionals, contact Shirley R. Bloethe at 860-989-0033 or ShirleyBloethe.com November 2019
13
Festival of Trees November 22-24, 2019 Danbury Sports Dome
Benefiting Ann’s Place Cancer Support Decorated Trees & Grand Raffle Gift Shopping & Artisan Vendors Children’s Winter Village - Crafts and Fun Live Entertainment Sat-Sun Opening Night Mistletoe & Martinis* Taps & Trees Craft Beer Fest* General Admission: 10 am - 4 pm
Age 3-64, $10; Age 65+, $5 *Evening events have separate ticketing online. Ann’s Place is a nonprofit providing free counseling and wellness programs to people facing cancer. For information visit annsplace.org or call 203-790-6568.
$1 OFF
General Festival Admission Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10-4. Buy online to avoid lines. Enter code:festivalfun1
AnnsPlace Festival ofTrees.org 14 Hartford County Edition
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Take Hibiscus to Fight Breast Cancer Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is much more than a brilliant scarlet tropical flower: New laboratory research from Canada’s University of Windsor found that a hibiscus flower extract selectively kills off triplenegative breast cancer cells. This is one of the most difficult to treat types that affects 15 to 20 percent of breast cancer patients. Hibiscus is particularly effective when combined with chemotherapy, researchers say, and works as well with very low doses of the chemicals as with higher doses. The flower’s low toxicity and precise targeting of cancer cells also offers hope for long-term treatment. Previous studies have shown hibiscus to be effective on prostate cancer, leukemia, gastric cancer and human squamous cell carcinoma.
Say No to the Third Cup of Joe to Avoid Migraines Caffeine has been the subject of controversy among the one in six adults worldwide that suffer from periodic migraines: Some say it triggers symptoms, while others report it wards them off. A new study from Harvard and two other teaching hospitals of 98 migraine sufferers used six weeks of daily journals to investigate the link and found that drinking up to two servings of caffeinated beverages a day had little effect, but three or more raised the odds of a headache that day or the next. Among people that rarely drank such beverages, even one or two servings increased the odds of having a headache that day. A serving was defined as eight ounces or one cup of caffeinated coffee, six ounces of tea, a 12-ounce can of soda or a two-ounce can of an energy drink.
artjazz/Shutterstock.com
See You At The Dome!
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health briefs
Annua 17th l
eco tip
Eco-Flossing
Syda Productions/Shutterstock.com
A Healthy Choice for Teeth and the Planet Dental floss, that little everyday staple in our medicine cabinets, has been taking on a bad name environmentally. The smooth, slippery flosses that are the top choice among both dentists and consumers are made with a Teflon-like product containing toxic PFAs and PFCs. The wax coatings and flavors of ordinary nylon flosses are typically made with petroleum products that may be endocrine disrupters. The floss, plastic spools and flip-top containers can’t be recycled easily because of their size, and floss filament easily tangles up recycling machinery. In landfills, their toxins leak into the soil; in waterways, floss can entangle and even kill sea creatures. And washing and reusing floss isn’t a good option because it runs the risk of introducing bacteria into new areas of the mouth, warns the American Dental Association.
However, a handful of new eco-options in flosses have emerged, primarily with silk and bamboo, which are biodegradable and free of chemicals. Blogger Beth Terry at MyPlasticFreeLife.com rates Dental Lace, a floss made of 100 percent silk coated with candelilla wax from Mexican trees, as her favorite product. It’s packaged without a plastic coil in a refillable glass container, making it a 99 percent zero-waste product. In addition, the company, based in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, offers a vegan bamboo version. Bamboo flosses in eco-friendly containers are also made by Los Angeles-based Terra & Co. (with activated charcoal, coconut oil, peppermint oil and no synthetic fragrances, sweeteners or artificial colorings, in a cardboard box); and Altoona, Florida-based Lucky Teeth (activated charcoal, candelilla plant wax, organic peppermint oil and tea tree oil, in a glass jar). Two other easy-to-find flosses, by Eco-Dent and Tom’s of Maine, are made of nylon, but are covered in natural vegan waxes rather than beeswax or petroleum-based waxes. They come in compostable cardboard boxes but include plastic spools. Advice columnist Umbra of Grist.org recommends switching to an oral irrigator or water flosser that plugs into the wall or runs on a battery—sometimes rechargeable—because it effectively removes plaque, is reusable, produces no trash, lasts for years and uses relatively little water and electricity.
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR A RESEARCH STUDY Fecal Microbial Transplantation (FMT) in Subjects with Multiple Sclerosis The Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, the Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Center at Griffin Hospital, and Yale University are teaming up to study whether changing the bacteria in the gut, using an oral fecal microbial transplant (FMT), can affect the process that leads to the development of multiple sclerosis. Through the use of oral capsules approved by the FDA for other uses, fecal material (poop) from a healthy person will be transferred to a person with MS. We are seeking people who want be part of this pilot investigational study. TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS STUDY: • You must be diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis • You must be 18 to 40 years old, and willing to come to Griffin Hospital 8 times over 4 months.
RECEIVE $800 TO PARTICIPATE! For more information, please call 203-732-1265, ext. 300 for Rockiy or ext. 220 for Sue
Study Name: A Pilot Study of Oral FMT (Fecal Microbial Transplant) in Subjects with Multiple Sclerosis, Griffin Hospital IRB # 2018-09, Principal Investigator Joseph Guarnaccia, MD
November 2019
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Healthy Home, Happy Life
I
A Conversation with Victoria Gleixner, founder of b. kind Wellness Boutique
n 2017, Victoria Two years later Gleixner found Gleixner is the proherself waitprietor of b. kind, a ing in yet another wellness boutique and cramped, germcollaborative event ridden emergency space in the center of room. Plagued with West Hartford. Natural another neuroAwakenings asked why logical “episode,” as she became so pasher doctors called sionate about making it, she was shaky, homes healthier. faint, and on the verge of passing What did you out. This was one discover during b. kind owner Victoria Gleixner (center) your journey of many episodes with her mom, Heidi Gleixner, and her —coupled with back to health? husband, Sebastian Skarba. severe anxiety— I began to ask, why are that affected her for years. Americans so unhappy and unhealthy? After undergoing an MRI and being Why do so many people, including administered a heavy dose of antibiotics, myself, struggle with chronic pain and she was instructed to leave the hospital; diseases, leaving us joyless and hopeless? the diagnosis was yet another sinus infec According to the National Health Council, chronic diseases affect approxition. She was unhealthy, unhappy and mately 133 million Americans, representfeeling on the verge of a breakdown at ing more than 40 percent of the total only 21 years old.
population of this country. By 2020, that number is projected to grow to an estimated 157 million, with 81 million having multiple conditions. These numbers affect children as well. About half of all adults have a chronic condition, and approximately 8 percent of children ages 5 to 17 were reported by their parents to have limited activities due to at least one chronic disease or disability. The more I researched, the more I asked myself, “What is the solution?” This was the beginning of a lifestyle change for me; living toxin-free, mind and body became a mission. It was time I started being kind to myself.
How did you make changes that mattered for you? My journey began with observing the products I put into and onto my body— from daily cosmetics to household cleaners. I became mindful of the chemicals affecting both my physical and emotional health. My first step to living a natural lifestyle was to develop a home plan. As I researched common chemicals, I realized that cosmetics and cleaners were only the tip of the iceberg. Chemicals are found in many of our common household products—shampoos, body washes, toothpastes, hairsprays, sunscreens, soaps and
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wise words
even oven cleaners. I looked at the products and their ingredients in every room of the house—from the bathroom, to the bedroom, the yard, the laundry room and even my medicine cabinet. I slowly replaced products with natural, organic alternatives that were chemical-free.
What’s the hardest part of staying healthy?
Can you give us specific examples of products readers might want to replace?
Let’s start in the bathroom. Consider the soap in the dish. What type of fragrance is emitting that fantastic smell? Look at the ingredients. Common fragrances are linked to cancer, asthma, hormone disruption and central nervous system disorders. Many bars of soaps also contain triclosan, a chemical linked to thyroid problems, weakened immune systems and asthma. No wonder so many of us are sick! In the kitchen we find household cleaners, degreasers, oven cleaners and your everyday detergent. Detergents contain phthalates, which are chemicals linked to hormone disruption, breast cancer and infertility.
How about cosmetics?
Foundation and mascara often contain BPA, DEA, MEA and TEA, which are linked to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, liver tumors, hormone disruption and other tumors. The same goes for cleaners, hairsprays, shampoos and toothpastes, which contain chemicals such as triclosan and oxybenzones, which are linked to cancer, skin irritation and hormone disruption.
What can readers use instead of conventional products?
There are natural alternatives to all these products. For natural fragrances, essential oils work wonderfully—with the added benefit of aromatherapy. Most local health food stores offer a large variety of organic and natural products—from nutritional foods to organic body scrubs. Take the extra time to read labels! Walk room-to-room, researching products and their ingredients, and seek natural alternatives. Creating a home plan is the first step to living a natural lifestyle. Join me in creating a life overflowing with joy and good health! Victoria Gleixner is principal of b. kind, a wellness boutique located at 1000 Farmington Ave, Suite 100, West Hartford. For more information, call 860-338-5499 or email b.KindCT@gmail.com. See ad, page 11.
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17
off your empties at the MAC counter at Macy’s in Buckland Hills Mall in Manchester or Westfield Mall at Meriden and at Nordstrom at Westfarms Mall.
Lush
At the Lush stores at Westfarms Mall, Westfield Mall in Trumbull or Mohegan Sun, customers receive a complimentary Fresh Face mask for recycling five black, plastic, empty Lush brand pots. The empty pots are broken down and molded into new pots.
Rewards for Recycling The Beauty Industry Steps Up
A
by Nanaz Khosrowshahi
growing number of beauty companies have recognized that residential and commercial curbside recycling programs often reject empty or near-empty containers of skin, hair and cosmetic products. Now, Kiehl’s, L’Occitane and other beauty brands have created quick and easy recycling programs to help alleviate the problem.
L’Occitane
At the L’Occitane stores in Westfarms Mall in West Hartford and The Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor, consumers who bring in empty, full-sized beauty product containers—regardless of the brand—receive 10% off their highest-priced purchase of a new L’Occitane product. Simply dropping off
the empties is fine, however; no subsequent purchase is required.
Kiehl’s
Customers who recycle 10 empty, fullsized containers of Kiehl’s products at the stores in Westfarms Mall or Mohegan Sun in Uncasville receive a new 2.5-ounce product. Each container is valued at one point, and 10 points must be accumulated to receive the freebie offer. (Sample-sized containers will be recycled but do not count towards points.)
MAC
When you return six primary packaging containers online at the MAC website, you can claim a free MAC lipstick, lip gloss or eye shadow. For a free MAC lipstick, drop
Origins
At the Origins store in Westfarms Mall, toss empties, regardless of brand, in a recycling drop-off bin in the store. No purchase is necessary to do so.
Aveda
The Aveda store at Westfarms Mall recycles Aveda empties only. No purchase is necessary to do so.
For even bigger impact, collect empty toiletries from family or friends or set up a collection bin and run a collection drive at work to maximize your drop-off journey.
Mail-Back Options
Email and postal mail are options for folks who want to recycle but prefer staying closer to home and avoiding crowds, parking or salespeople.
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Pacifica
Earn loyalty points toward free gifts, discounts or free shipping on future purchases when you recycle with Pacifica, a vegan and cruelty-free beauty line. Create an online account, email Pacifica for a pre-paid shipping label, then pack up and ship them your empty products in a mailing envelope. The empties give life to new shaving razors or toothbrushes.
Everyday Minerals
Mail in eight large, empty jars for base, face, or cheek products to Everyday Minerals, Attention: Recycle My Empties, P.O. Box 42349, Austin, TX 78704. For your efforts you’ll receive a free Everyday Minerals blush of your choice. Everyday Minerals create new products using recycled jars.
TerraCycle and Garnier
TerraCycle and Garnier provide a free recycling program where you earn points toward fundraising for charities, schools or purchase of new products. TerraCycle accepts skincare packaging such as lip balm tubes, hair gel tubes or conditioner caps and cosmetic packaging such as eye shadow cases, eyeliner pencils and concealer sticks. Herbal Essences, Josie Maran, Limelife, Paula’s Choice, Tom’s of Maine, Weleda, Burt’s Bees and Eos are a handful of the cosmetic and skincare companies that work directly with TerraCycle.
lilah b.
At lilah b., request a prepaid shipping label by emailing Declutter@lilahbeauty.com, then send in unwanted beauty products, whether they are lilah b. brand or an alternative brand. Additionally, Project Beauty Share is an organization that accepts gently used beauty products for distribution to homeless women and domestic abuse victims who are unable to afford these products. The drop-off locations are mainly in Washington and Idaho but are expanding, so keep an eye out for local spots to pop up. If any of the places listed are a bit of a drive, and you are questioning the effort you’ll output to recycle one dried-up tube of mascara, make a day of it. Take in a show, try a new restaurant or go shopping. Or for even bigger impact, collect empty toiletries from family or friends or set up a collection bin and run a collection drive at work to maximize your drop-off journey. Remember, softening your hair and skin with conditioner or moisturizer does not mean you have to go soft on helping the environment. Nanaz Khosrowshahi is an eco-friendly pharmacist and mom of three children who resides in Avon. She tries to make the world a greener place by sharing information and engaging in community service.
The Future Dentist is Here Now!
100% Digital Practice Reducing Waste and Chemical Exposure • Computerized records mean no paper waste • Digital imaging means no film x-rays, dangerous chemical exposure or waste • Digital radiographs use a fraction of the x-ray exposure of traditional film radiographs • Impressions taken digitally with a laser scanner Solea Laser Technology Eliminates the needle and drilling from many procedures by naturally numbing the teeth. No contact with the tooth like traditional drills. Sirona CEREC CAD/CAM Scanner and Milling Machine Digital scans of teeth for orthodontic appliances, crowns, bridges and many other treatments. We can make crowns in a day! Sirona Orthophos CBCT Scanner (Cone Bean Computerized Tomography) Takes 3D CAT scans of the entire mouth at 1/3 the exposure of a traditional full set of x-rays. Cutting-edge Natural Alternatives to Flouride & Restorative Materials free of Bis-GMA & BPAs! These technologies all work together to eliminate many of the traditional things that people fear when going to the dentist. Visit our website for more detailed information about our state-of-the-art services at: glastonburydentalcenter.com
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November 2019
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dren and stress the importance of keeping public lands clean, they will continue to follow that example and pass on the good behavior they learned to their friends and future generations. Volunteer: Participating in community cleanup events is a great way to reduce litter. Not only does it have the immediate effect of removing the litter, but it brings the community together and helps promote awareness of the issue.
This Land is Your Land Living Litter-Free
L
by Peter Wilson
iving litter-free might seem like an easy thing to do. We all keep our homes and property clean, but often we forget that public lands—such as state parks and forests—are our responsibilities as well. As taxpayers, we own these public spaces, but we rarely consider our duty to keep them clean. There are many consequences when a mess is left in our state parks. Keep America Beautiful affiliate reports show that annual litter cleanup costs top $11.5 billion each year. An immeasurable amount of time is spent by park staff cleaning up after visitors who leave behind their trash; that is time that could be better spent improving our parks. Additionally, wildlife and humans alike are put at risk by the litter left behind, and the trash can have harmful long-term effects on the environment. California State University social psychologist Wesley Schultz says, “The presence of litter is a strong predictor of littering behavior.” What does this mean? If an area has litter scattered about, it is much more likely that people will continue to litter in that area. But, if we hold ourselves responsible for the mess that we find on public lands, we will have a sense 20 Hartford County Edition
NAHRT.com
of pride when we visit a place that is clean and beautiful. Connecticut has a “carryout what you carry-in” policy, but the sad truth is that people don’t always follow this guideline. In a perfect world, if everyone would leave with what they brought in, our parks would be litter-free.
What can we do? Carry-out what you carry-in: Leave every space you visit cleaner than when you arrived. Pick up trash even if you didn’t leave it there. This doesn’t mean we have to clean public lands until they are spotless, but if every person that visited picked up one piece of trash and didn’t leave any of their own behind, litter would be reduced over time. Plant flowers: It is proven that wherever flowers are planted, it is less likely that litter will be present. Set a good example: Whether it is your first or hundredth time visiting a park, set an example. Picking up a piece of trash when visiting with friends or family and encouraging them to do the same can only help. If we set a good example for chil-
Don’t be part of the problem: The one thing we control completely is how we act. By not being the cause of litter, we are helping in the reduction of litter. Other things we can do to help prevent litter include:
Keep America Beautiful affiliate reports show that annual litter cleanup costs top $11.5 billion each year. 4 Carry a litter bag in your car 4 Create a litter cleanup group 4 Reach out to neighbors and schools 4 Educate your community and children 4 Make signs 4 Adopt a highway 4 Do something rather than nothing 4 Hold yourself and others accountable for their actions We can only reap benefits by living a litter-free life. Not only will it help keep our parks beautiful, it will reduce the economic impact of cleanup costs. Beautiful parks are more inviting and friendly, creating a more enjoyable experience for everyone. Forest and wildlife health will improve, and risk of human health dangers will be reduced. We all need to do our part in keeping what belongs to us clean. Peter Wilson is a veteran and a student in the Environmental Studies program at Goodwin College. He has a passion for the outdoors and a desire to help improve the world through civic engagement and motivating people to act in support of environmental issues.
Something in the Air
Natural Gas Effects on Human Health
M
by Angel Serrano
uch research has been done on the effects of natural gas on climate change. Natural gas causes 80 to 100 times more heating of the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Recently, even more studies are researching the health effects associated with the emissions from fracking, leakage and combustion of natural gas. Martha Klein, the former Chair of Sierra Club Connecticut, explains that natural gas is 97 percent methane, and when a person is exposed to a raw methane leak, they can develop nosebleeds and headaches as well as more chronic problems like asthma and respiratory problems, cancer and birth defects. This is due to methane’s influence on cell production. Humans who rapidly turn over their cells, such as fetuses and children, are affected most drastically by exposure to methane. In a study done in rural Colorado, mothers who lived within a 10-mile radius of a fracking methane well had a 30 percent greater chance of having babies with a congenital heart defect than mothers who lived more than 10 miles away from a well. One of the chemicals found in natural gas is benzene, a carcinogen harmful to humans. Benzene is common to all fossil fuels and has been known to kill workers in the natural gas industry. One of the most problematic substances associated with natural gas combustion is particulate matter (PM). One study concluded that exposure of pregnant women to PM, which can come from power
plants, was associated with greater odds of a child having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), especially when the woman was exposed during the third trimester. Further, in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), it was concluded that significantly worse cognitive decline was experienced in older women when exposed to PM at levels typically experienced by many individuals in the U.S. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acknowledges that PM causes nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, increased respiratory symptoms such as irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing and premature death in people with heart or lung disease. The EPA does not mention the source of the PM, but it is well known that natural gas power plants emit PM. Today’s government is in denial about the negative health effects associated with the burning, drilling for, and leakage of natural gas.
Fracking, a currently popular practice for extracting natural gas from the ground, pollutes groundwater and puts people who depend on wells at risk. Many times, it is obvious when water from a tap is polluted because its turbidity will be high, but what if it had low turbidity with traces of fracking slurry in the water? A person could be drinking that water without knowing it was contaminated. Klein says methane leaks are grossly underestimated by the industry and state regulators. Natural gas power plants produce PM, carbon dioxide and other air pollutants in addition to methane. The fact that methane produces less particulate matter when it is burned relative to coal and oil does not compensate for the devastating effect it has on the atmosphere and, consequently, on climate change. The public-health impact of climate change and the future health care costs have not been calculated in the long-term environmental and economic effects of fracked gas use. Considering the longterm health consequences, gas is the wrong choice as a “bridge” fuel. Natural gas is bad any way you slice it, and better governmental policies—including increased energy efficiencies and renewable power—are required to shift the tide and protect our communities. Angel Serrano is a recent graduate of Goodwin College, where he majored in environmental studies. He volunteers for the Sierra Club of Connecticut as Legislative Chair and as an Executive Committee member.
ACUPUNCTURE
Anxiety & Depression | Chronic Pain | Fatigue | Insomnia | Internal Disorders
Stan Baker, L.Ac., Dipl.Ac. 860-836-1068 91 South Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06107 Zen: Body + Mind AcupunctureStanBaker.com | ZenWH.com Stan Baker has over 30 years experience in the Oriental Healing Arts and specializes in difficult cases. November 2019
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green living
ANTIQUES RISING Discovering the Green in ‘Brown’ Furniture
F
by Yvette C. Hammett
ast food and fast fashion are common in this amped-up world. There’s also fast furniture—the kind that often comes in a box, assembly required. It’s made of particle board held together by toxic chemicals; it is often flimsy and it’s consuming forests at an alarming rate. But millennials love it. That’s why they’re sometimes called the IKEA generation. “Your grandmother’s big sideboard and armoire are hard to sell,” says Todd Merrill, owner of the Todd Merrill Studio, a furniture and design gallery in New York City. “We have changed the
way we live. Our houses are laid out differently—no more formal dining rooms. I think people are less inventive about how to repurpose, reuse and restore.” Grandma’s treasures, once passed down for generations, are largely passé. The new word for antiques is “brown furniture”; prices have plummeted 60 to 80 percent in two decades, say industry experts. The youngsters want no part of them, even though they are hand crafted out of solid wood extracted from old-growth forests that took centuries to mature. Large retail chains cater to strong
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consumer demand for disposable furniture, and it is driving a great deal of deforestation, according to the Alliance of Leading Environmental Researchers & Thinkers (ALERT). IKEA’s own figures show that it uses 1 percent of the world’s commercial wood supply a year to manufacture these throwaway pieces. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that 9,690 tons of furniture—both fast and slow—ended up in the nation’s landfills in 2015, the latest year for which statistics have been published. The trend is at odds with millennials’ notable environmental sensibilities—and they do put a premium on authentic, handmade items and companies with social impact—so experts say the tide may be turning. Like the growing Slow Food movement, “slow” furniture enjoys a sense of character and provenance that doesn’t come in a box. When Merrill opened his furniture studio in 2000, it consisted of half pristine antiques and half mid-century modern furniture. He quickly saw a trend of people snapping up the mid-century and leaving the handcrafted antiques behind. “I pulled things out of trash heaps in the Upper East Side. People came in and started snatching up all the vintage modern.” Merrill’s vintage offerings now focus on mid-century modern and upcycled, repurposed furnishings, something the millennials have taken to. The kids will continue to come around, he says. “If you go around Brooklyn, people are reusing and recycling antique furniture. With the antique market hitting bottom, it is hard to ignore it. As it bottoms out, kids are going to come back to these things.” There can be a cool factor in reusing something that is old, unique and odd, he added. “Oddity and ugliness is kind of in fashion right now.” Alex Geriner, of Doorman Designs, in New Orleans, began upcycling out of necessity. He had little money to furnish his 19th-century apartment. His need quickly became a business when the furnishings he created out of old wood pieces began flying out the door. “I think for millennials—I am a millennial—they want something with a story tied to it, some sort of big-
ger meaning. My generation is all about experiences. If they can say, ‘I found this in a dumpster’ or ‘in a roadside flea market,’ any story is an investment for millennials.” Terry Gorsuch, whose side business in Dolores, Colorado, Rustique ReInvintage, involves salvaging old theater chairs, church pews and other novel items, upcycling them and selling them for a tidy profit, says, “There is nothing special about a coffee table from IKEA. All our pieces have a story. They’re from a 1936 theater or an 1895 Grange Hall where
P
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There can be a cool factor in reusing something that is old, unique and odd, he added. “Oddity and ugliness is kind of in fashion right now.” farmers and ranchers met.” Gorsuch says he already has some “hipster” millennials buying items like old lockers or other odd pieces that they mix and match. “When you take some-
thing and put it back to use, you get a feeling of satisfaction,” he says. “The informality of today allows for the mix-and-match thing,” Merrill says. “Take an old door and repurpose it … Put it up in your house or upcycle it into a table. “What we are missing in our homes is character,” he says. “Repurposing is a very good thing to do.” Yvette C. Hammett is an environmental writer based in Valrico, Florida. Connect at YvetteHammett28@hotmail.com.
the Holistic chamber of commerce is an international organization focused on supporting holistic, complementary, alternative and sustainable professionals, practitioners and businesses in connecticut.
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In reality, going to bed is the best me-time we can have.
CHASING ZZZZZs How to Put Insomnia to Rest by Marlaina Donato
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ossing and turning most of the night while obsessing about the need for sleep is a torture we all go through every now and then, but for the 40 percent of Americans dealing with current or chronic insomnia, it can be a regular nightmare. In fact, 50 to 70 million adults in the U.S. suffer from some form of sleep disorder, according to the American Sleep Association. The causes are multi-faceted: stress, pharmaceutical side effects, hormonal imbalances, chronic pain, anxiety and too much caffeine all fuel the insomnia loop. Add to that the overstimulation from 24/7 technology, social pressures and unresolved emotional pain, and it’s easy to see why long, hard, sleepless nights have become a worldwide epidemic. The effects are profound. Compromised sleep not only leads to decreased quality of life, malnourished relationships, a heightened risk of accidents and inferior job performance, but also lowered immunity and chronic inflammation, raising the odds of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, weight gain and diabetes. About 90 percent of people diagnosed with depression also experience sleep deprivation, and many antidepressant medications can disrupt the ability to fall asleep and dream. 24 Hartford County County Edition Edition 24 Hartford
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However, a number of natural and holistic approaches can provide lasting results without undesirable side effects. Along with tried-and-true methods like acupuncture, therapeutic massage and changes in diet and exercise, the National Sleep Foundation recommends mindful breathing and meditation. New options are emerging to help foster quality sleep, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), non-psychoactive CBD oil and lifestyle changes supporting a healthy circadian rhythm.
Body and Mind, a Tangled Web
Psychological, emotional and physical health all play a role in our ability—or inability—to get a good night’s rest. “Not sleeping well is a sign of a deeper imbalance that needs to be addressed. So, if we’re masking the problem with medication, the underlying cause remains unaddressed,” says Elina Winnel, a sleep coach who works online with clients at TheSleepExpert.com. “Insomnia is a complex issue that has psychological components, but is also affected by deeper mechanisms, including an imbalance between the two main branches of the autonomic nervous system.” The intricate connection between
emotion and sleep-robbing stress hormones explains why insomniacs are often caught in an undertow of racing thoughts and preoccupations. Says Winnel, “Stress has become the norm, and most people don’t even realize they’re in that state. This produces stress hormones and can prevent the natural process of sleep from occurring.” Stress also depletes vitamin B and magnesium levels necessary for quality sleep, she adds. Cindy Davies, owner of the Holistic Sleep Center, in Ferndale, Michigan, has similar views on the role emotion plays in troubled sleep patterns. “We’re chronically suppressing our feelings throughout the day. Our inability to address these emotions culminates in a night spent in bed awake with fears and worries,” she says. “Pushing ourselves to the point of exhaustion can help defend ourselves against dealing with feelings or memories, but impairs our ability to sleep restfully or restoratively.”
Resetting Inherent Rhythms
Circadian rhythm, our biological clock, is a cellular marvel that is affected by light and internal changes in temperature. Stephanie Silberman, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, explains that it’s helpful to have a circadian rhythm aligned
Ljupco Smokovski/Shutterstock.com
~Cindy Davies
with societal norms so that we’re sleepy at bedtime and active during daylight hours. “When a person’s circadian rhythm is delayed, they will have trouble falling asleep at a regular bedtime, and when it’s advanced, experience sleepiness too early in the evening and then [have] early morning awakenings.” Circadian rhythm regulates digestion, cellular repair, hormones and many other functions. It also slows down the metabolism during night hours, helping us to stay asleep. “The circadian rhythm can be disrupted by many factors, including traveling to a different time zone, shift work and exposure to blue light late at
night while binge-watching your favorite series,” says Winnel. Our natural hormonal rhythms are wired to release melatonin at certain times, allowing us to rest frequently during the day. Davies explains that an adult’s body is designed for periods of rest every 90 minutes. “Most people don’t have the opportunity to rest every 90 minutes, but if we were able to, we’d be going to bed in a state of rest, instead of exhaustion,” she says. Our bodies start producing melatonin around 9 p.m., when we should already be winding down, but too often we push ourselves to stay up to watch TV or have
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Stress has become the norm, and most people don’t even realize they’re in that state. This produces stress hormones and can prevent the natural process of sleep from occurring. ~Elina Winnel
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Sleep Tips
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For healthy circadian rhythm and melatonin cycles, try:
4 Shutting off all screen devices, including the TV, two hours before going to bed 4 Going to bed when you get that 9 p.m. slump and just taping a favorite show 4 Walking barefoot and feeling the earth 4 Spending quality time outside in sunlight, preferably in a natural setting 4 Taking nourishing baths with natural soaps, lavender essential oil or herbs 4 Designating certain time slots to not answer the phone or answer emails 4 Exercising regularly and not within three hours of bedtime 4 Taking a break from work every 90 minutes for two minutes of slow, deep breathing 4 Breaking the caffeine habit by replacing coffee and tea with healthier alternatives
For emotional components of insomnia, try:
4 Going on a “worry fast” for five or 10 minutes, and then practice doing it for an hour or a full day 4 Reserving time with loved ones for in-person conversations and get-togethers 4 Checking in with yourself and acknowledging all emotions and fears without judgment 4 Setting aside ambitions for a day to recharge 4 Sleeping in without guilt—shopping and running errands can wait 4 Choosing not to compare your life with others
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Two Sides of Every Brain
Smartphones and social media have piled even more on our plate, even if we enjoy them. “We’re expected to be constantly ‘on’ and reachable 24/7,” observes Winnel. “This leads to an excessive reliance on our sympathetic nervous system and difficulty switching brainwave states from beta— associated with alertness—to theta and delta, which we experience during sleep. Through practice and specific exercises, it can become easier for us to reach the state of mind needed to nod off.” To support healthier sleep patterns, Winnel emphasizes the importance of using both hemispheres of the brain while
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People spend up to 10 hours a day on electronic devices, which directly impacts melatonin production and stimulates the fight-or-flight response system in the brain. ~Jenn J. Allen awake. “Particularly in our professional lives, logical and rational processes are rewarded, while creativity is seen as optional. This can cause a chronic imbalance in the way we use the two hemispheres of our brain. Optimal sleep requires equalized functioning in the neurological structures that are unique to each hemisphere.” Mindful breathing and alternatenostril yogic breathwork can also bring harmony to both hemispheres of the brain and promote deep relaxation.
Promising Plant Allies
Chronic pain can also prevent sound sleep. Allen stresses, “It’s important to understand what is actually causing pain and what type of pain it is. Some chronic pain comes from postural issues or injuries, so massage, chiropractic or gentle movement like yoga can help to drastically reduce the intensity of pain.” Identifying nutritional deficiencies and supporting the nervous system is also key. “Plants work both physiologically and energetically. Gentle nervine herbs like oats or chamomile can help to soothe the nervous system, and are effective for children and teens. Adaptogenic plants are known historically for helping the body to resist physical, chemical or biological stresses. Tulsi and ashwagandha, when taken consistently, can be useful in helping
adults to combat stress,” Allen says, reminding us to also check with a healthcare professional to avoid contraindications. Going for that extra cup of coffee during the day or pouring a drink or two in the evening are habits that only exacerbate sleep issues. “Caffeine suppresses our body’s ability to feel tired, not by giving us energy, but by increasing the production of adrenaline and suppressing the production of melatonin. Alcohol, like some prescription medications, can interfere with our ability to fall asleep, sleep deeply and experience dreaming states,” cautions Davies. CBD oil derived from the cannabis plant is an effective pain-reducer and helps to regulate healthy sleep patterns. Cannabidiol (CBD), which does not contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the chemical substance in marijuana responsible for inducing a high, is available as capsules, inhalers and tinctures.
Learning New Tricks
Many sleep-seeking people are reaping the benefits from cognitive behavioral therapy supplemental medication. A meta-analysis published in The Journal of the American Medical Association in 2015 shows that CBT-I can resolve insomnia for 35 percent of people with sleeplessness linked to existing medical and psychiatric conditions such as fibromyalgia or PTSD. CBT-I helps to change long-held patterns. “CBT includes keeping sleep logs, improving sleep hygiene, learning ways to decrease anxiety and how to associate the bed as a place where we sleep well, instead of the maladaptive thinking that it’s a place to toss and turn,” says Silberman. CBT can also be helpful for chronic pain and other physical problems when underlying issues are treated in conjunction. A good night’s rest is indeed possible. Davies says, “In order to really change our ability to sleep, we need a complete cultural mindset shift that prioritizes sleep and our need to rest.” Marlaina Donato is the author of several books and a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.
WAYHOME studio/Shutterstock.com
“me-time”, says Davies. “In reality, going to bed is the best me-time we can have.” Herbalist and licensed psychotherapist Jenn J. Allen, in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, adds, “People spend up to 10 hours a day on electronic devices, which directly impacts melatonin production and stimulates the fight-or-flight response system in the brain.”
inspiration
Forgiveness as a Spiritual Practice
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by Joan Carra
o forgive does not mean to condone, and that is worth repeating: To forgive does not mean to condone. So why is it an important precept in the Bible and other religious practices? In Matthew 18:21 we are told: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” And when Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone, Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but 77 times!” Forgiveness is a circle because in order to forgive someone, we also need to ask for forgiveness. Why? When we harbor anger, pain and resentment towards another person, even if we have suffered a grave injustice, our state of consciousness is in the field of negative energy. As we throw out darts of loathsome thoughts, we ourselves experience a boomerang effect as the energy comes back to us in full force. The personality and disposition are afflicted with traits of victim mentality, which include depression, helplessness, self-blame, guilt and an expectation that everyone is out to get us. This state suspends self-control and personal responsibility for one’s own life as well as one’s own
thoughts. This chronic state even affects relationships with other people. Who can cope with a woe-is-me personality that never sees the good in anything? Jack Kornfield, an author, Buddhist monk and teacher, writes in The Ancient Heart of Forgiveness about two former prisoners of war; one asks the other if he has forgiven their captors yet. The second says, “No, never.” The first one responds, “Well, they still have you in prison, don’t they?” The word “forgive” is derived from an old English term forgiefan, which is two words: for, meaning “completely,” and giefan, meaning “give, grant, allow, pardon.” The original phrase means “giving completely.” We may ask ourselves, what are we giving completely? Perhaps it is the surrender of the persistent focus on anger, bitterness and resentment and giving ourselves thoughts of gratitude, self-love and, most important of all, inner peace. The practice of forgiveness provides us with a new identity; we are reborn as the healer rather than remaining the victim, which is not only a victory for our mind but for our spirit and body as well. Trauma and injustice can usurp your life, challenging mental, emotional and even physical health. Healing can be a life journey, with anger and frustration dimin-
ishing only in brief moments. Constant preoccupation with the mind’s repetitive thoughts of anger, blame and revenge becomes every moment’s theme, even disturbing sleep with anxiety and nightmares. They say thoughts are energy. Einstein says E=mc2, “E” being energy, “m” for mass and “c” representing the speed of light. It’s the creation of the plane of existence; therefore, thoughts can create a physical reality. The process of forgiveness can help us live in greater harmony with our mind and even our health, which is substantiated by the Mayo Clinic and John Hopkins Medical Center, among others. Repressed anger affects our immune system and our blood pressure and can cause serious illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. Mentally ill people often cannot deliver the normal responses others expect of them. But hating someone who is too sick to behave in a proper manner is not going to resolve the situation. Maybe understanding and compassion will. Brain imaging is in the infant stages, and it may be possible that what we perceive as bad or improper behavior stems from physiological disorders. In this eventuality, we would need to adjust our judgment of who is “good” and who is “bad.” The families of the victims at the Mother Emmanuel Church shooting in Charleston, S.C., collectively forgave the shooter and even prayed for his soul: “We are the family that love built. We have no room for hating, so we have to forgive. I pray God on your soul.” They say prayers can be effective and maybe this group of church worshippers living their faith will transform a young man’s fanatic hatred into a heart that can finally feel remorse and compassion. Joan Carra has been a psychic and medium for 25 years. She is working on a book called Asked to Forgive. Visit her at PsychicJoanCarra.net. She will be hosting a discussion on the topic of forgiveness from 1 to 3pm on December 8 at Albertson Memorial Spiritual Church, 293 Sound Beach Avenue in Old Greenwich. November 2019
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healing ways
Pancreas: Regulates blood sugar through insulin secretion and helps in digestion Adrenal glands: Produce stress hormones such as cortisol, as well as others that affect blood pressure, blood sugar, and growth and sex hormones Ovaries: Secrete sex hormones such as estrogen, testosterone and progesterone Testes: Produce testosterone
HORMONE HEALTH 101 Directing How and What the Body Does by Julia Vitali and Megan Tantillo
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o understand the health of hormones, we need to first understand what they are, where they come from and how they are affected. Through understanding our hormones we can make the necessary changes to feel our best. As in all health, the best approach to optimal hormone health is prevention; it’s best to keep them from going off track in the first place.
Understanding What Hormones Do
Hormones are chemical messages secreted by the endocrine glands. They travel in the blood to various tissues and organs and direct their functions. Hormones are responsible for carrying out several important processes in the body including weight management, energy, mood, digestion, reproduction and more. Hormones have the vital responsibility of telling our organs what to do and how to do it. They regulate how we feel on a day-to-day basis and contribute to how we show up for the world. Hormones can make you feel strong, happy and in control when in balance. However, when they are not balanced, hormones can make you feel bloated, depressed, irritable, anxious, tired and overwhelmed. Hormones are often overlooked until they are out of balance. 28 Hartford County Edition
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When a hormone is too high or too low, symptoms will occur. In integrative medicine, we look for the root cause, or why a hormone is out of balance. By understanding the terminology, you can better speak with your physician about hormones and relate your symptoms to the physiological processes occurring in your body. Do not be afraid to ask questions and to really understand how your body works.
A Gland and Hormone Primer
The body’s glands and their corresponding hormones: Pituitary: A small gland in the brain that works “behind the scenes” to control other glands Hypothalamus: Regulates the pituitary gland as well as temperature, blood pressure, hunger, thirst, sleep and libido Pineal gland: Releases melatonin to control your body’s sleep-wake cycle Thyroid: Controls metabolism and growth through release of thyroxine (T4) which converts to triiodothyronine (T3) Parathyroid: Small glands next to the thyroid that regulate calcium via parathyroid hormone (PTH)
Balancing Your Hormones
Keeping hormones in balance can be achieved by focusing on a number of wellness metrics and practices.
Practice Stress Management
Perhaps the most important step in hormone health is stress management. Stress is a major culprit in hormone imbalance. Any stressor, whether physical (infection, nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, etc.), or emotional, tells your adrenal glands to secrete stress hormones such as cortisol, our body’s “fightor-flight” hormone. Cortisol directly affects production of other hormones. Although we cannot always control the stressors that come our way, we can manage the physiological and emotional reaction we have to these stressors. Stress management techniques are very individualized. They include exercise, yoga, medications and breathing techniques. They can be active or relaxed. It is important to find what works best, and then employ these techniques on a regular basis.
Balance Blood Sugar
Your entire endocrine system relies on balanced blood sugar to function properly. Your body has an innate system of checks and balances to keep your blood sugar regulated; however, eating too many carbohydrates, waiting too long between meals or not eating enough to begin with can cause blood sugar highs and lows. These variations are perceived by the body as stress, which is a major player in hormonal imbalance.
Support Liver Function
The liver is an important organ for hormone health. Hormones are made from fats and proteins assimilated by the liver. For
example, estrogen is packaged by the liver to be carried out by the bowel. If the liver is not functioning optimally, estrogen will not be properly metabolized, which can potentially cause other problems. You can easily support healthy liver function by drinking enough water. You should also beware of the effects of alcohol and speak with your physician about supplements and prescription medications. Regular exercise and healthy nutrition lowers cholesterol and prevents a condition known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which decreases your liver’s ability to function properly.
Ask for a Hormonal Evaluation
There are various ways to check on your hormone function. Hormones can be tested through saliva, serum (blood) or urine. One place to start is with thyroid evaluation, as it plays a role in other hormones functioning. The thyroid is the thermostat of your metabolism and produces important hormones that affect your entire endocrine system. In women, the focus often is on progesterone prior to menopause and estrogen after menopause. In men, testosterone gets much of the attention. However, the hormones are all functioning together in our bodies and it is important to look at the big picture. For example, pregnenolone is a precursor hormone which produces progesterone and DHEA. DHEA goes on to make testosterone and estrogen. Cortisol is in the background affecting all of these. Other nutrients such as iron and B vitamins also play a role in hormone synthesis and function. When checking any value, it is important to remember that the body is a unit, and each value should be viewed in relation to the others.
Supplements, Herbs and Prescription Medications
There are various supplements, herbs and prescription medications used to treat your hormones. In functional medicine, we believe in treating the root cause, whether this means stress management, lifestyle changes including nutrition and exercise or adding a supplement, herb or prescription medication. Prescriptions include standard HRT (hormone replacement therapy) or BHRT (bio-identical hormone replacement therapy). The therapy should be directed at the underlying problem. In the big picture of hormone health, it is important to know your options. By understanding your symptoms and your body, you can prevent hormonal dysfunction and more easily find wellness should dysfunction occur. Julia Vitali, DO, is an osteopathic primary care physician practicing with Collaborative Natural Health Partners. They are currently accepting new patients at their Manchester, West Hartford and Stonington locations. Connect at 860-533-0179 or CTNaturalHealth.com. Megan Tantillo BSN, RN, is a nurse health coach and doctorate of nursing student who has worked closely with Vitali caring for patients with a variety of different needs at Collaborative Natural Health Partners. See ad, back cover.
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SURVIVAL INSTINCT Trust Your Gut and Seek Support to Escape Domestic Violence
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by Karen Ali
attered by her husband with a shovel, Monique Faison Ross is alive today because she played dead. She lived to tell the story and now seeks to educate others about the warning signs she missed. “I did not listen to my gut when it was screaming at me, ‘extreme danger is ahead,’” Faison Ross says. “I wrongly believed domestic abuse was a black eye or broken bones, not years of red-flag behaviors. My marriage did not become physically violent until the end, but my ex-husband’s volatile and dark side was bubbling just under the surface, and I did not recognize it.” Faison Ross wants both men and women to be aware of the signs, so they don’t suffer the same extreme violence. “I dismissed explosive outbursts and his following me, thinking my ex was immature and had no control over his temper. But those are, in fact, dangerous behaviors.” Her first violent encounter was a choking incident that occurred just a couple of months before she left the mar30 Hartford County Edition
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riage. She knows it was a warning sign of likely escalation that could lead to serious injury or even murder. Domestic violence experts stress awareness of the many methods employed by abusers to control their victims, including physical, verbal, emotional/psychological, digital, sexual and economic tactics. Ann Rodwell-Lawton, Director of Education, Training & Outreach at the Women’s Center of Greater Danbury, says the center’s staff uses the term “red flag” to describe behaviors that signal a relationship could turn abusive. “Red flags are unhealthy, but society often frames them as healthy, romantic behaviors. An example of this is jealousy and possessiveness,” she says. “These behaviors are based on power and control.” Other red flags include isolation from friends and family, belittling, minimizing and deflecting responsibility for actions. These strongly contrast with “green flags,” which are elements of healthy relationships, including respect, equality, trust, empathy, boundaries, communication and independence.
Rather than referring to types of abuse, Rodwell-Lawton uses the term “methods of control” to describe these tactics, as these behaviors are meant to exert and maintain control over an intimate partner. Leaving an abuser isn’t always easy; for many reasons both men and women stay in toxic relationships, like Faison Ross did. Many domestic violence assaults don’t occur until the victim is ready to leave. It’s important to seek support from a domestic violence shelter when preparing to leave or, if you’re in imminent danger, call or text 911. It may require time and meticulous planning to safely exit an abusive relationship, says Mary-Jane Foster, president and CEO, Interval House in Hartford. “Our agency provides services to educate and empower victims, helping them establish independence from their abusers,” she says. “Our advocates work to ensure that a lack of resources does not prevent someone from seeking help or escaping a dangerous situation. Calling our hotline— or any other around the country—is the first step to opening the door to a safer future.” Overcoming the trauma of domestic abuse and violence can take years and leaving is a difficult process. People often stay in abusive relationships for emotional, cultural and religious reasons. “They may stay because they have suffered so much emotional trauma, they don’t believe they deserve better. The abuse has destroyed their self-esteem. This may be complicated when some victims are ostracized by friends and family when they leave an abuser,” says Debra A. Greenwood, president and CEO of Bridgeport’s The Center for Family Justice. Greenwood adds that many people are afraid to leave their abusers because they are economically and emotionally dependent on them. An abuse victim may have been prohibited from working or accessing the education and training needed to make them employable. “They may have children who need a roof over their heads or have ties to their community, schools, sports, activities and friends
that may make leaving feel overwhelming; domestic violence is the number one cause of homelessness for women in America.” Faison Ross stayed in her relationship for her children, thinking it would be better for them: “Protect yourself and especially protect your children. They can be scarred for life,” she says. “Never stay because you believe, as I did, a two-parent family is better than a single-parent family, when a safe, peaceful, loving home is most important. It is essential to have boundaries, know the warning signs and have a safety plan.” Faison Ross’s split from her husband put her in a precarious financial situation initially, but with support from the community and hard work, she was able to get back on her feet. She urges abuse victims to seek out support and “follow their gut” when they feel something is wrong. “Don’t let anyone talk you out of what is unacceptable and intolerable to you.” Faison Ross published a book this summer called Playing Dead: A Memoir
of Terror and Survival, where she tells her harrowing story, focusing on the dangerous red flags she overlooked and detailing how she survived the brutal attack where she was left alone in the woods to die. “I wrote this book for the sole reason of helping others recognize sociopathic and abusive behavior when they see it,” Faison Ross says. “My goal is to save someone’s life by telling my story.” Connecticut resident Monique Faison Ross has worked as a program manager for a Connecticut educational non-profit since 2004. She has four children and a grandchild. Her book, Playing Dead: A Memoir of Terror and Survival, was published by WildBlue Press, Denver, and officially released in August. Karen Ali is a journalist and media relations expert in Connecticut. A former criminal justice reporter covering high-profile trials, she is now a media strategist with Michael J. London & Associates in Trumbull.
Local Resources: WOMEN’S CENTER OF GREATER DANBURY Danbury • 203-731-5200 Domestic Violence Hotline: 203-731-5206 WomensCenter@wcogd.org WCoGD.org
INTERVAL HOUSE
Hartford • 860-246-9149 24-Hour Hotline: 860-527-0550 IntervalHouseCT.org
THE CENTER FOR FAMILY JUSTICE
Bridgeport • 203-334-6154 Domestic Abuse Hotline: 203-384-9559 Kcwikla@CenterForFamilyJustice.org CenterForFamilyJustice.org
November 2019
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The result is the common “boneto-bone” sensation experienced by many with joint pain. Moreover, articular cartilage does not have a blood supply. Rather, it gets its oxygen and nutrients from the surrounding joint synovial fluid. When the joint fluid dries out, there is a very limited supply of nutrients to our joints.
Can collagen and HA be replenished from food?
ON THE MOVE
Increase Joint Mobility Naturally by Elizabeth Kaflik
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re you one of the many people who have problems with joint mobility or joint discomfort? Despite the accumulating research, most people, including doctors, do not believe that diet and supplements can have a profound effect on our joints, skin and connective tissue. There is a huge gap between the tremendous complexity of the human organism and the rudimentary data on which some doctors now base diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. Why not be proactive about our own general health? Why not learn how to prevent or reverse your problems without waiting for symptoms to appear? Joint mobility and joint discomfort are very common problems. One national study reported that about one-third of adults have a problem with one or more joints. Knee pain is the most common complaint, followed by shoulder and hip pain, but joint pain can affect any part of the body, from ankles and feet to shoulders and hands. As we age, painful joints become increasingly more common. To understand why it happens, it is helpful to understand how the joints work. 32 Hartford County Edition
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What is a Joint?
Joints are movable connections between two bones. The joint surfaces of the bones are covered with a layer of cartilage. This layer is between 0.2 and 0.5 mm thick and up to 6 mm thick on the kneecap. The articular surfaces are separated by a very thin space called the synovial cavity. The joint capsule seals the joint airtight from outside. Cells of the inner joint capsule layer produce synovial fluid. This thick fluid nourishes the cartilage, ensuring the surfaces of the joint glide smoothly over one another, and acts as a shock absorber by spreading out the pressure placed on the joint. Human articular cartilage (the specific cartilage found in joints) is composed of collagen type 2 (10 to 20 percent), hyaluronic acid (HA), chondroitin sulfate and keratin sulfate (1 to 20 percent), chondrocytes (1 to 5 percent) and water (75 to 80 percent). This means that the joints, connective tissues and the rest of the body are effectively drying out as we age. The level of synovial fluid, which consists mostly of hyaluronic acid, is slowly reduced. As this happens, the cartilage becomes brittle, thins and loses elasticity.
Today’s processed foods often lack the natural nutrients the body requires for efficient functioning. The body requires correct proportions and molecular weights of collagen 2, hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate in order for them to be absorbed and integrated into the body’s chemical functioning. If the body does not absorb and integrate a supplement, it simply passes through the digestive system and is eliminated. Absorption is the key factor; however, naturally occurring molecules of the collagen and HA are too large and heavy for the body to absorb. They simply are eliminated in the digestive process. It is not what we take, but what our body can absorb that counts. Fixing one joint via stem cells, platelet-rich plasma or a cartilage transplant technique can help, but it will not solve the problem. We still need to provide the right nutrients to our body so that other joints and connective tissues remain healthy. Another option, joint replacement, is an invasive treatment that is not always successful. Joint replacement should be considered as a last resort when everything else fails. (And even after surgery, we should replenish missing nutritional ingredients through proper supplementation to ensure other parts of the body and connective tissues will not deteriorate.) The best way to avoid joint discomfort is to prevent it. You can do this with proper nutrition, supplementation, and moderate exercise. When we lose HA, we lose synovial fluid in our joints and our cartilage starts to deteriorate. To prevent
this, start using supplements even before you first feel discomfort. Once the joints hurt, and we try to control the pain through medications and/or injections, this may lead to greater deterioration. Recently, a new collagen source for rebuilding joints, bones, skin and connective tissue has been discovered. Its efficiency has been proven in randomized, double-blind, placebocontrol clinical studies. The results are so unique that it has been awarded seven U.S. and international patents. There are no other products—not even pharmaceutical options—that have shown similar results. It also disables hyaluronidase, a substance that destroys hyaluronic acid in your body. Those concerned about their joint mobility should ask a health and wellness professional about these new findings and this new collagen supplement.
Fixing one joint via stem cells, plateletrich plasma or a cartilage transplant technique can help, but it will not solve the problem. We still need to provide the right nutrients to our body so that other joints and connective tissues remain healthy.
The collagen source is manufactured in the U.S. in an NSF, NSF-Sport, CLP/GMP and OTP certified facility and is clinically proven to improve joint mobility, reduce discomfort and promote healthy cartilage and connective tissue. As a “side-effect,” it also hydrates skin, repairs tissue and reduces wrinkles and deep lines from the inside-out without injections, surgeries or creams. It helps all joints and connective tissues in the body including the eyes, gums, skin, nails and hair. Choosing the correct supplementation is essential since it is not what we take, but what our body absorbs which is important. It’s also better to take supplements for joint health in a liquid form, and it’s best if they do not need to go through the digestive system; rather they should be absorbed directly from underneath the tongue and the mucosa of the mouth into the bloodstream. For a free health coaching assessment and recommendations on what would work best for your unique body, please contact Elizabeth Kaflik of the Optimal Living Center at 860-593-0304. See ad, page 11.
Nokota® Horse Conservancy
fundraiser
Wednesday, November 6 from 1 to 7pm Possibilities Farm in Wilton is hosting a fundraiser for the Nokota® Horse Conservancy (NokotaHorse.org). The Nokota® are wild horses of North Dakota believed to be descendants of Sitting Bull’s herd. The Conservancy was created by two brothers dedicated to ensuring the survival of this breed. • Horse Wisdom stories and photos from the Nokota® Herd • Complimentary Energy Work from local practitioners • A Singing Bowl Concert • Opportunities to interact with the Possibilities Farm horses! Admission fee is a donation to the Conservancy. Recommended donation: $20 per adult and $10 per child over 5. Children 5 and under are free. Registration is required; the address will be provided upon registration. Register at PossibilitiesFarm.com/calendar.html
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The current owner wishes to transition this business to someone with similar passion, enthusiasm and vision. For more information: Call 203-885-4674 or Email NicoleM@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com November 2019
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ZENFUL EATING Mindful Meals in Quiet Gratitude
I
by April Thompson
n Zen monasteries, the head cook (known as the tenzo) is one of the most important positions a monk can hold; Eihei Dogen, founder of Soto Zen, one of the longest-established sects of Buddhism, said this is “because the position requires wholehearted practice.” In the 13th-century volume Instructions for the Zen Cook, Dogen wrote, “In preparing food, it is essential to be sincere and to respect each ingredient, regardless of how coarse or fine.” Rituals around food are an important element of Buddhism, as with many spiritual traditions. But we don’t have to be a Buddhist or a practiced meditator to learn how to cook more mindfully, enjoy meals more fully and eat in better balance. “Cooking can be a meditation. We cook with all our senses: We taste, touch and listen to determine if the pan is hot enough. You just have to be mindful,” says Jean-Philippe Cyr, author of The Buddhist Chef: 100 Simple, Feel-Good Vegan Recipes. “Cooking is an act of love and generosity, so cooking should be done with care—taking the time to consider the ingredients and overall flavors of the meal, storing the vegetables properly, paying attention while you chop. These things are the foundation of a great meal,” says Gesshin Claire Greenwood, an ordained Zen priest in San Francisco. Greenwood 34 Hartford County Edition
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trained in Buddhist monasteries in Japan for more than five years, experiences she draws from in her recent memoir and cookbook Just Enough: Vegan Recipes and Stories from Japan’s Buddhist Temples. While vegetarianism is encouraged in all schools of Buddhism and most monasteries abstain from meat, it is not a strict requirement. Cyr, a vegan and practicing Buddhist of 20 years, takes seriously the concept of ahimsa, or “do no harm”, as a chef. “Veganism and Buddhism share the common value of compassion—compassion towards animals, as well as the Earth. Climate change caused by meat consumption causes a lot of harm, too,” says Cyr, of rural Quebec, Canada. The “middle way” is an important Buddhist principle in the kitchen—striking the balance between indulgence and deprivation—the “just enough” in Greenwood’s cookbook title. “It’s important to use enough salt so that the food tastes good, but not so much that it’s overpowering. When we shop for food or eat a meal, we can also pay attention to when we’ve had enough,” she says.
Mind Over Mouth
Mindful eating can open up a beautiful new relationship to food, says Jan Chozen Bays, a Zen Buddhist priest and
~Gesshin Claire Greenwood co-abbot of Great Vow Zen Monastery, in Clatskanie, Oregon. “This country is in an epidemic of out-of-balance eating. People are stressed out and fearful about eating, but cooking and eating should be inherently pleasurable human activities,” says Bays, the author of Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food. “In Zen practice, mindful rituals help us learn to be present and peaceful during meals.” Mindful eating is not about restrictions, but rather about curiosity and investigation—an adventure for the senses, says Bays. “Research shows that diets don’t work, as they rely on external sources rather than helping you to go inward and tap into the innate wisdom of your body.”
Tuning In at Mealtime Rushing through meals mindlessly, we’ve become deaf to our body’s own signals of satiety, says Bays. “Go to the supermarket when you’re hungry, and head to the perimeter where the real food is and stop and ask your body, ‘Would you like oranges? Would broccoli be good for us?’ Tune into your cellular hunger,” she says. At the Great Vow Zen Monastery, the first morning meal is conducted in silence, along “with a prayer to bring gratitude for the food and to all living beings whose life flows to us in our food,” says Bays, adding that research shows ceremonies and moments of reflection lead to more mindful, healthy eating. “Instead of talking on the phone, try cooking in silence. Drawing your
Jukov studio/Shutterstock.com
Cooking is an act of love and generosity, so cooking should be done with care—taking the time to consider the ingredients and overall flavors of the meal, storing the vegetables properly, paying attention while you chop.
conscious eating
photo by by Samuel Joubert
awareness to details like the smell of basil, the color of tomato and the touch of the spoon brings so much richness to the act of cooking,” says Bays. Such a focus leads to a sense of appreciation for the ingredients of meals and life, says Myoju Erin Merk, a priest at the San Francisco Zen Center. “Making a meal is an active extension of our ‘sitting’ (meditation) practice.”
Cooking Like a Zen Master
Transfer to a bowl and add the tahini, soy sauce, lemon juice, maple syrup and oil. Stir to combine. Place the sweet potatoes and figs in a large serving bowl. Add the quinoa and edamame. Drizzle with the dressing and garnish. Serve immediately. Tip: For those that can’t digest raw garlic, don’t use it, or cook it before adding it to the dressing.
Connect with Washington, D.C. freelance writer April Thompson at AprilWrites.com.
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The Zen of Food
ere are a few simple tips from Buddhist priests and cooks on making mealtime more mindful. Have a mid-meal gut check, suggests Jan Chozen Bays. “When your stomach feels three-quarters full, have a conversation with a friend or have something to drink before continuing to eat. Often you will find after 20 minutes you are actually full,” says the author and priest. Myoju Erin Merk, a priest at the San Francisco Zen Center, suggests setting a phone timer in the kitchen to mark it as a practice time to tune into the senses. “Try to slow down and notice what’s happening as you cook. Try to stay with the sensory experience and not judge everything, like whether the carrot is cut right. It can be a very relaxing and peaceful way to work in the kitchen.” Make the first few sips or bites of a meal mindful, spending the first few moments in silence if possible, says Bays. “Working quietly with that pile of carrots or onions, you have space to focus on just one task,” adds Merk. Incorporating all of the five tastes of Buddhism—salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami (savory)—is another way to bring meals in balance, according to author and priest Gesshin Claire Greenwood. “Having all of these flavors represented makes a meal feel balanced and satisfying.”
Hearty Moroccan Soup Buddha Bowl Cookbook author Jean-Phillippe Cyr says, “I love bowl recipes: they’re generous and colorful, and they let us get creative. Layer grains or cereals, vegetables, legumes and dressing, and voilà! That’s all there is to it.” Pumpkin seeds are an incredible source of protein, and tahini contains more protein than milk. Healthy cooks will be sure to keep this tahini dressing recipe close, because they can use it in everything. Yields one bowl 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced 2 dried figs, sliced 2 Tbsp olive oil Salt, to taste 1½ cups cooked quinoa ¼ cup frozen shelled edamame, cooked For the dressing: 1 (¾-inch) piece fresh ginger, minced 1 clove garlic, minced Pinch of sea salt 2 Tbsp tahini 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp maple syrup 1 Tbsp olive oil Garnish: Pumpkin seeds Microgreens Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the sweet potato and figs in a baking dish. Drizzle with oil, then season with salt and bake for 30 minutes. Place the ginger, garlic and salt in a mortar (preferred) or blender, then mash the ingredients together.
“This is hands-down my favorite soup,” says Cyr. “It reminds me of a Moroccan tajine, a savory stew made with vegetables and spices. The name tajine comes from the particular type of roasting dish in which Moroccan stews are cooked. There’s no need to buy any special equipment to make this recipe, but you will want to hunt down harissa, a North African chili paste you can find in most grocery stores nowadays. Be careful, though—it’s hot!” Yields 8 to 10 servings 3 Tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp celery seeds 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp dried oregano ½ tsp turmeric 1 clove garlic, minced 8 cups vegetable broth 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes 1 (19 oz) can green lentils, rinsed and drained 2 yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and diced 2 carrots, diced 1 Tbsp harissa paste 3 bay leaves Salt and black pepper, to taste In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil, then add the onions and sweat for 4 minutes. Add the mustard seeds, celery seeds, cumin, coriander, oregano, turmeric and garlic. Continue cooking for 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaves. Serve hot. Excerpted with permission from The Buddhist Chef, by Jean-Phillippe Cyr.
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HAVE YOU HEARD? Mediums Help Yale Study Voice-Hearing
T
by Philip Corlett
here are many different ways that human beings experience the world. A team at Yale University has been working with people from the mediumship community in an effort to understand their voice-hearing experiences. Their goal is not trying to prove or disprove any individual’s abilities; rather the team would like to learn more about how and why people have the experiences that they do. They want to learn what it is like to have those experiences, how those receiving them feel about them, when they started, and how they stop them. The team hopes to apply what they learn to help people who hear distressing voices, including those who might suffer from serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. There are drug treatments for those experiences, but the drugs have some very unpleasant side effects and do not work completely in 30 to 50 percent of people. Patients need new and creative approaches to this unmet need. The Yale team, including Albert Pow36 Hartford County Edition
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ers of Spirit Alliance, has been working for the past five years to learn as much as they can about voice-hearing and clairaudience in an effort to inspire new treatment approaches for those hearing distressing voices. They began by collaborating with the Connecticut Psychics organization, the local branch of the American Association of Psychics. However, they are now interested in broadening their reach and working with more people who are clairaudient and receive daily auditory message experiences. Voice-hearing is much more common than previously acknowledged. At some point in their lives, up to 20 percent of people might hear a voice when they are alone; between 3 and 10 percent experience this more frequently, perhaps following a bereavement, for example. Hearing voices is not necessarily a sign of mental illness and, by working with people who identify as clairaudient, the team believes they can help the 1 percent of the population who suffer from schizophrenia, for whom
voice-hearing can be very distressing. In this phase of the work, the team is trying to understand and learn as much as they can about what it is like to be clairaudient, how clairaudience arises, what it involves and, the patterns of brain responses and behavior that characterize clairaudience as compared to voice-hearing in the context of serious mental illness—what are the similarities and differences? In their work so far the team has learned that people who identify as clairaudient have voice experiences that are very similar to those reported by people who are distressed by voices. They happen as frequently, and the voices say things of similar length and loudness. However, the content may be more positive and the experiences are understood as spiritual gifts that clairaudient people can control therefore, they find the incidents less distressing. Furthermore, when the clairaudient people first shared their experiences with another person, their response was significantly more positive than the people hearing distressing voices. The Yale team wants to learn more about why that might be. One interesting possibility revealed in the data is that clairaudient people have their first experiences earlier in life and perhaps learn to interact with them more effectively than people who start hearing voices later in life and perceive them as distressing. Using brain scans and computer games, the team has shown—in Science Magazine—that people who hear voices (both the clairaudient people and the patients with distressing voices) develop strong expectations about what might happen next. These predictions (or “priors”) fill in their experiences of the world. The patients find it hard to update those predictions when the game changes, whereas people with clairaudient abilities can change their minds more easily. These similarities and differences were also apparent in brain scans. The study uses a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scanner; it measures changes in blood flow to parts of the brain by tracking the iron in people’s blood. When
parts of the brain are active, more blood flows to them. The team can measure those changes while people do different tasks. Different parts of the brain were active in people who were clairaudient than those in people who heard distressing voices during the computer task. The areas that were similar included regions involved in hearing, attending and reflecting on what one has perceived. Activity in these areas related to strong expectations. The areas that differed included old structures deep in the brain that are associated with memory and learning (the hippocampus), as well as parts that are involved in the control of movements and thoughts at the back of the brain (the cerebellum). These areas were more active in people who were clairaudient and less so in patients with distressing voices. Activity in these areas changed when people changed their minds; the more flexible people engaged those brain regions more often. The team is already developing approaches to change activity in these regions to better assist people who experience distressing voices.
The team feels extremely fortunate to have the privilege to work with people from the mediumship community. They have been helpful, referring their friends and colleagues to the study, and they have approached their participation with openmindedness, patience and sincerity. The mediumship community shares the Yale team’s goal of working together to learn about the varieties of human experience, in the service of the many people worldwide who suffer with distressing voices. The work with the community has been featured on the BBC, in The Atlantic, and on various podcasts and websites. There is a real excitement from the public, the mediumship community, patients and their advocates, the academic community and the National Institute of Mental Health, which is supporting the work. The next step is for the team to replicate and extend their discoveries. That will entail recruiting and working with more people who experience clairaudience, as well as more people who hear distressing voices and those who suffer from serious mental illnesses. If the team observes the same
sort of patterns of similarities and differences again, they will be more certain that what they learned could be useful to people hearing distressing voices. In a new study across two sites (Yale University and University of Maryland), scientists are trying to learn even more about clairaudience and voice-hearing. The study involves visiting the Connecticut Mental Health Center in New Haven (or the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center in Catonsville, Md.) on four occasions and completing interviews about your experiences, as well as participating in computer games and brain scans. Participants will be compensated for time and inconvenience. If you are interested in helping them help people with voices that are distressing, please contact BeliefLab@yale.edu. Dr. Philip Corlett is an associate professor at Yale University Department of Psychiatry. He leads the Yale team conducting the study, and he is very interested in hearing from those who would like to take part. Please contact BeliefLab@yale.edu for more information.
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37
HEALTHY LIVING
Aaron Amat/Shutterstock.com
inspiration
HEALTHY PLANET
2020 EDITORIAL CALENDAR
JAN
• Fresh Start • Refresh the Immune System
FEB
• Shifting into Positive • Regenerative Medicine
MAR
• Plant-Based Nutrition • CBD
In Pursuit of Grateful Living
NATURAL LIVING DIRECTORY
APR
ENOUGH FOR ALL
• Grassroots Climate Strategies • Creatures Great and Small
WOMEN’S WELLNESS ISSUE
G
Breakthroughs MAY •• Autoimmune Lyme Disease
JUN
• Inspired Lifestyle • Brain Health
JUL
• Food Connection • Gut Health
AUG
• Education Out of the Box • Prospering through Transition
SEP
• Expressive Arts and Movement • Emotion Quotient
OCT
• Exploring Other Realms • Transcending Physical Health
NOV
• The Sugar Challenge • Stress Management
DEC
• Community & 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
38 Hartford County Edition
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by Brother David Steindl-Rast
rateful living is the awareness that we stand on holy ground— always—in touch with mystery. Jewish sages interpret the words of Genesis 3:5 in a way that is of great relevance to grateful living. “Take off your shoes; the ground on which you stand is holy ground.” The soles of your shoes are leather—dead animal skin. Take off the deadness of being-used-to-it and your live souls will feel that you are standing on holy ground, wherever you are. It is pretty evident that greed, oppression and violence have led us to a point of self-destruction. Our survival depends on a radical change; if the gratitude movement grows strong and deep enough, it may bring about this necessary change. Grateful living brings in place of greed, sharing; in place of oppression, respect; and in place of violence, peace. Who does not long for a world of sharing, mutual respect and peace? Exploitation springs from greed and a sense of scarcity. Grateful living makes us aware that there is enough for all. Thus, it leads to a sense of sufficiency and a joyful willingness to share with others. Oppression is necessary if we want to exploit others. The more power you have, the more efficiently you can exploit
those below you and protect yourself against those above you. But grateful people live with a sense of sufficiency— they need not exploit others—thus, oppression is replaced by mutual support and by equal respect for all. Violence springs from the root of fear—fear that there may not be enough for all, fear of others as potential competitors, fear of foreigners and strangers. But the grateful person is fearless. Thereby, she cuts off the very root of violence. Out of a sense-of-enough, she is willing to share, and thereby tends to eliminate the unjust distribution of wealth that creates the climate for violence. Fearlessly, she welcomes the new and strange, is enriched by differences and celebrates variety. Grateful eyes look at whatever is as if they had never seen it before and caress it as if they would never see it again. This is a most realistic attitude, for every moment is indeed unique. Adapted from an interview, with Brother David Steindl-Rast that originally appeared in Greater Good, the online magazine of the Greater Good Science Center. For more information, visit Tinyurl.com/ ABetterWorldThroughGratitude.
markyourcalendar calendar of events IHHS at WCSU Presents ARE ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES A DANGER TO YOUR MENTAL HEALTH? With Aly Cohen, MD, FACR November 13 • 7:30pm Ives Concert Hall WCSU Midtown Campus 181 White St • Danbury, CT General Admission $20; WCSU employees $10; WCSU students FREE with valid ID Tickets on sale at the box office, at the door or at WCSU.edu/tickets For more information, AutuoriC@WCSU.edu
markyourcalendar GROUND YOURSELF FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON “CALM IN THE CHAOS” Hosted By Certified Yoga Instructor & Movement Advocate Diane Massey Sundays, November 3, 10, & 17 • 2:30-4pm Holidays can usher in joy & connection along with overwhelm, anxiety, seasonal depression, loneliness and grief. Ground your body, tap into your senses, calm your nervous system, nourish your spirit and replenish your energy. Move through stress with Yoga and Alternative Healing Modalities. November 3 – Gentle Restorative Yoga, Chakra Balancing & Aromatherapy November 10 – Yoga Slow Flow & Guided Meditation November 17 – Gentle Yoga & Tibetan Bowl Sound Healing Guest Practitioner: Barbara Bolstridge Aromatherapist & Sound Healer Scent, Sound & Serenity $30 • Limited to 12 Participants Pick and choose sessions or explore all 3 Bridge Healing Arts Center 304 Main St, Farmington Register Eventbrite Link https://bit.ly/2lDw6pN (Presenter Pays Fees) Diane Massey, Founder Evolve Movement and Yoga 845-325-2247 • Diane@EvolveMAY.com EvolveMovementAndYoga.com
NOTE: All Calendar events must be received by the 10th of the month prior to publication and adhere to our guidelines. Submit ALL entries at NAHRT.com
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5
Ladies Night – 11/1, 11/8, 11/15, 11/22. 6:308pm. Friday’s in November. Friday nights will be reserved for Ladies to come together and share stories, uplift each others souls and search deep for connection to what we know will become a weekly healing chat event. By donation. Sharing The Light Wholistic Center, 395 W Avon Rd, Avon.
Laoshi Cynthia teaches the 32 movement Tai Chi Sword System – 6:30pm. 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 11/26. If you have some experience with the 24 Yang style form, then you will be able to learn this graceful elementary Sword form easily, it will take you to the next level of Tai Chi. $98/6-classes. $20/ drop-in. Sharing The Light Wholistic Center, 395 W Avon Rd, Avon.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2 Dream Circle – 3-4:30pm. Come share your dreams with others in a sacred space. Learn ways of working with dreams, and explore different types – intuitive/psychic, psychological, healing, creative. $20/pre-register; $25/at the door. Twisted Dog Yoga, 15 Broadway St #2, Colchester. TwistedDogYoga.com. Channeling of Master Kuthumi and Others – 7pm. With Patrice Gildner. Patrice provides insights and practical advice to help you define your choices and become more aware of who you are, what you want, and what you are trying to accomplish. $20. 860-593-0304. Optimal Living Center, 50 Old Farm Rd. Somers. Saw-whet Owl Banding – 8pm. This exciting program should be a memorable experience. Bring your camera. Will reschedule if inclement weather. Limited to 20 people. $15/CAS members; $25/ non-members. Grassland Bird Conservation Center, 218 Day Rd, Pomfret Center. 860-928-4948. CTAudubon.org/Pomfret-Home.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3 Calm in the Chaos: Restorative Yoga, Chakra Balancing and Aromatherapy – 2:30-4pm. Yoga, meditation, aromatherapy and sound healing are introduced to students exploring self-care options. Great opportunity for beginners as well as seasoned yoga students. Part 1 in a Series; see 11/10 & 17); Bridge Healing Arts Center. 845-325-2247. Register at Eventbrite https://bit.ly/2lDw6pN.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4 Intuitive Mondays: Intuitive Development Circle – Monthly group meets via Zoom video chat. All levels welcome. Explore new techniques each month to develop your sixth sense in a supportive atmosphere. $10/pre-registration required. Online: Creative-Psyche.com. Biodiversity, Climate Change and the Sixth Extinction: A Call To Action – This talk by Stephen Lewis, a member of the CT Chapter of The Sierra Club Legislative Committee, will review Earth’s extinction history and the recognition that we are now witnessing the sixth mass extinction. Free. Grassland Bird Conservation Center, 218 Day Rd, Pomfret Center. 860-928-4948. CTAudubon.org/ Pomfret-Home.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7 Learn Tibetan Singing Bowls – 11/7, 11/14, 11/21, 12/5. 5-8pm. Learn the basics of Singing Bowls: history, choosing a bowl, care, using for meditation and vibrational sound healings. $225. Sharing The Light Wholistic Center, 395 W Avon Rd, Avon. Express Essential Oil Workshop on Immune System Support – 6:30-7:30pm. Empower yourself with the properties of plants right at your fingertips. doTerra essential oils provide gentle, effective natural solutions for your everyday needs in your home. Leave with a handout and free sample of one of the oils. $10. Sharing The Light Wholistic Center, 395 W Avon Rd, Avon.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8 Happy*ness Hour – 6-7pm. Exploring and opening the Chakras through food and fun. Join Jessica Stanizzi from Hummingbird Holistic Healing. Plant a Seedling. $20. TheWaterLilyCenter.com. Beaver Moon Campfire and Walk – 7-10pm. 11/9: raindate. Walk to the beaver pond and enjoy the evening by a campfire. Register online. Free CAS members; $5/non-members. Trail Wood, 93 Kenyon Rd, Hampton. 860-928-4948. CTAudubon.org/Trail-Wood-Home.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9 Traditional Usui Reiki 1 Practitioner Certification – 10am-2pm. 11/9 and 11/16. Receive 4 attunements, learn the history, chakra work, meditation, ample practice time too. Leave with booklet and lineage certification. $200. Sharing The Light Wholistic Center, 395 W Avon Rd, Avon. Holistic Moms Network: East of the River Chapter – 4-5:30pm. November meeting: Self Care of the Mind, Body, and Soul, with Erinn Iorio, LMT, CHHC, from Vasu Studio. Learn how to determine your own personal definition of “self care”, how to make it a priority and what it looks like in practice. Snacks and childcare provided for this free event. 695 Hartford Turnpike Vernon. for more information: HMNEastOfRiver@gmail.com. Saw-whet Owl Banding – 7pm. This exciting program should be a memorable experience. Bring your camera. Will reschedule if inclement weather. Limited to 20 people. $15/CAS members; $25/ non-members. Grassland Bird Conservation Center, 218 Day Rd, Pomfret Center. 860-928-4948. CTAudubon.org/Pomfret-Home.
November 2019
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calendar of events
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15
One-day Beginner Mediumship Class – 10am4pm. Learn what mediumship is and how to do it. No experience needed. Lecture and practice. 6-10 students. Taught by Sharon Farber. $95. 860-9892358. Dragonfly Healing Arts, 8 Wickett St., Pine Meadow. SharonFarber.net.
Messages From the Other Side, Gallery Readings – 7pm. With Tina Angeli. Tina’s connection with angels has led her to a place of forgiveness, acceptance, compassion, healing and tranquility. $20. Optimal Living Center, 50 Old Farm Rd. Somers. Elizabeth: 860-593-0304.
Drum-Building Workshop: 14” Cedar and Natural-Hide Frame Drum – 10am or 1pm. We provide a nice drum kit, all the hand tools needed and complete instructions and help that will let you build a drum in a couple of hours, even if you don’t consider yourself to be handy. $75, Sharing The Light Wholistic Center, 395 W Avon Rd, Avon.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16
Baby’s First Massage: Learn How to Give Your Baby a Massage – 1-5pm. Learn: How to understand early infant communication; Effective comforting techniques; Techniques to aid babies healing process after birth; Adapting touch so it is gentle enough yet gives very powerful benefit to a little newborn. No real babies are used in class, only baby dolls. $55. Sharing The Light Wholistic Center, 395 W Avon Rd, Avon.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10 Calm in the Chaos: Yoga Slow Flow and Guided Meditation – 2:30-4pm. Yoga, meditation, aromatherapy and sound healing are introduced to students exploring self-care options. Great opportunity for beginners as well as seasoned yoga students. Part 2 in a Series; see 11/17); Bridge Healing Arts Center. 845-325-2247. Register at Eventbrite https://bit.ly/2lDw6pN.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12 Laoshi Cynthia teaches the 32 movement Tai Chi Sword System – 6:30pm. 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 11/26. If you have some experience with the 24 Yang style form, then you will be able to learn this graceful elementary Sword form easily, it will take you to the next level of Tai Chi. $98/6-classes. $20/ drop-in. Sharing The Light Wholistic Center, 395 W Avon Rd, Avon. Full Moon Message Circle – 6:30-8pm. Come to The Water Lily for a message circle on the night that the moon reaches peak fullness. Let’s open our third eye, connect and give messages. This circle is for novice and those experienced messengers, ready to share and receive divine guidance with and from others. Practice, learn and grow here in a safe, judgment free space. $20. TheWaterLilyCenter.com.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13 Avoid Joint Replacement Surgery – 7pm. Learn how to avoid joint replacement surgery, natural regeneration of cartilage. Free webinar in a comfort of your home. Webinar: zoom.us/j/6806004063. 860-593-0304. Ekaflik@olcllc.com.
Third Anniversary Party at Sharing The Light Wholistic Center – 11/16, 11/17, 11/18. Anniversary discounts on products and services. Check events at SharingTheLightWC.com for more details. Sharing The Light Wholistic Center, 395 W Avon Rd, Avon. Gardens and Grounds Group – 9am-12pm. Time to help rake and put the gardens to bed. Then, we’ll have a planning session to determine 2020 dates and projects. No experience necessary. Please bring gloves, rakes, clippers and spades. Register online. Trail Wood, 93 Kenyon Rd, Hampton. 860-9284948. CTAudubon.org/Trail-Wood-Home. Indoor Drum Circle Saturday – 2-3:30pm. Bring a drum or borrow one of ours. These healing circles feature individual drumming around every person for their highest and greatest good. Come experience the vibration. $10. Sharing The Light Wholistic Center, 395 W Avon Rd, Avon. Earthing and How It Impacts Your Health – 6:30pm. Learn about Energy Life Force needed by humans, animals and earth, for good health. The fifth element of health that is equally vital but often overlooked. $20. Optimal Living Center, 50 Old Farm Rd. Somers. Elizabeth: 860-593-0304. Intuitive Expressive Painting – 6:30-8:30pm. Take a break from the daily grind as we come together as a community for a fun and relaxing evening of meditation, music, and abstract intuitive painting. No experience needed or expected. $35. TheWaterLilyCenter.com.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17 Dreamcatchers – 2-4pm. Create your own personal Dreamcatcher with us and let energy healer Jess Stanizzi, from Hummingbird Holistic Healing lead the way. We will provide all of the materials for making the dreamcatchers, talk about dreams and their meanings, and close with group meditation. $30. TheWaterLilyCenter.com. Calm in the Chaos: Gentle Yoga & Tibetan Bowl Sound Healing – 2:30-4pm. Yoga, meditation, aromatherapy and sound healing are introduced to students exploring self-care options. Great opportunity for beginners as well as seasoned yoga students. Bridge Healing Arts Center. 845-325-2247. Register at Eventbrite https://bit.ly/2lDw6pN.
Laoshi Cynthia teaches the 32 movement Tai Chi Sword System – 6:30pm. 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 11/26. If you have some experience with the 24 Yang style form, then you will be able to learn this graceful elementary Sword form easily, it will take you to the next level of Tai Chi. $98/6-classes. $20/drop-in. Sharing The Light Wholistic Center, 395 W Avon Rd, Avon.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22 Sound Healing Concert and Journey – 7-8:30pm. With Denise Cassella from Stairway to Healing Light. Journey in healing sounds using Tibetan Singing Bowls and Native Drumming. $20/advance. $25/at the door. TheWaterLilyCenter.com.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23 Haiku Workshop with Sherri Vogt – 10am-12pm. Winter is coming and the landscape is changing. We’ll review the Haiku poetry form, then take a walk to record impressions of the season. $5/CAS members; $10/ non-members. Trail Wood, 93 Kenyon Rd, Hampton. 860-928-4948. CTAudubon.org/Trail-Wood-Home.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26 Laoshi Cynthia teaches the 32 movement Tai Chi Sword System – 6:30pm. 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 11/26. If you have some experience with the 24 Yang style form, then you will be able to learn this graceful elementary Sword form easily, it will take you to the next level of Tai Chi. $98/6-classes. $20/drop-in. Sharing The Light Wholistic Center, 395 W Avon Rd, Avon.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30 Introductory Mammal Tracking Hike – 9am1pm. Get a taste of the tracking experience while learning about our program. $25/members; $35/ non-members. Grassland Bird Conservation Center, 218 Day Rd, Pomfret Center. 860-928-4948. CTAudubon.org/Pomfret-Home. Multidimensional Manifesting – 1:30-3pm. Gain the inspiration, expertise, and support you need to manifest your goals and visions. Monthly group integrating approaches from metaphysics, psychology, and coaching. $35/pre-registration required. Five Elements Healing Center, 111 Loomis Rd, Colchester. Creative-psyche.com.
markyourcalendar TACHYON HEALING CHAMBER FIELD DAYS Sundays 1-5pm November 17 • December 1 •January 12, 2020 Bring energy into matter! Learn the basics of Tachyon, Zero Point Energy and Quantum Physics. Participate in a “Seeing in Believing” demonstration. No cost to enter and get one free raffle ticket for door prizes. To Register: CelestialEmpowerment.com/calendar-events Call Celeste Mattingly at 860-586-8700 for more information
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ongoing events
daily Toys for Tots Collection – 11/1-12/10. The Raya Clinic will be collecting toys as an official drop off center for Toys for Tots. Raya Clinic, 200 Queen St, Southington. 860-621-2225. RayaClinic.com. Annual Holiday Nature Store – 11/16-12/20. 10am-4pm. Gifts for all ages with Mother Nature in mind. Many unique items. Stock changes daily. Grassland Bird Conservation Center, 218 Day Rd, Pomfret Center. 860-928-4948. CTAudubon.org/ Pomfret-Home.
sunday Bhakti Yoga and Japa Meditation – 8:30-10am. Donations gratefully accepted. Bhakti Center CT, 750 R Main, Willimantic. 860-593-5002.
markyourcalendar A YEAR OF HEALING IN 2020 With Dr. Eilis Philpott Soul Healing Journey, LLC
We will meet one weekend a month for 12 months. We will spend Friday evening together and all day Saturday and Sunday. The 2020 dates are: January 10-12 • February 7-9 • March 13-15 April 3-5 • May 1-3 • June 12-14 • July 10-12 August 7-9 • September 11-13 • October 9-11 November 13-15 • December 11-13 I will share with you what I have learned from trainings, from life and from guidance in a way that integrates the various modalities. By the end of this 12 months of training you will have catapulted your personal, professional and spiritual journey into the stratosphere. Location: 415 Howe Ave, Shelton Investment: Early bird rate until November 15 - Pay in full $4,800 or pay quarterly $1,200 or pay monthly $400 Regular rate - Pay in full $6,000 or pay quarterly $1,500 or pay monthly $500 To Register: Choose an option to pay (full, quarterly or monthly) and make that first payment. Be prepared to commit to one full year of healing. NOTE: If you take advantage of the early bird rate and make the initial payment you will be locked into that rate for the year. Registration required. 203-767-5954 Eilis@SoulHealingJourney.com AcademyforSoulHealing.com
Sunday Sadhana – 9-10:15am. This all-levels class combines gentle yoga with mantra, mudra, meditation and shamanism. Each heart-centered class is designed to bring balance and harmony to the mind, body and spirit. $15/drop-in. Bhakti Center CT, 750 Main St Rear, Willimantic. 860-593-5002. Qi & Tea – 10am-12pm. First and third Sunday. Qigong is much more beneficial when practiced in groups. Our mission is to create the qi community and give people from all places an opportunity to learn and share this ancient healing art form. $20/ drop-in. Registration required. 280 Garden Grove Rd, Manchester. 860-558-6146. Children’s Yoga – 10am-4pm. Ages 3-11yrs. With Melanie Morales, certified kids yoga instructor. Little ones learn to control big emotions, using breath, stretches, mindfulness and movement. $10. Enlightenment Center of CT, 660 Prospect Ave, Hartford. EnlightenmentCenterCT.com. Introduction to Chinese Calligraphy – 10-12pm. Second and fourth Saturday. Chinese calligraphy has 5,000 years of history. It’s one of the most beautiful ancient art forms that has lasted to this day. It’s also known as one of best methods to calm one’s heart and release stress. $20/drop-in. Registration required. 280 Garden Grove Rd, Manchester. 860-558-6146. Creative Collaboratory – 3-4:30pm. Second Sundays. Online and some in person (register). Support for creative artists. Guest speakers, themed programs, meditation, yoga therapy, visualization and supportive counseling for the vows and manifestation process of creative artists. $40/monthly membership includes one private 30-minute coaching session. Phone interview/sign up: 917-8600488. Call for address. DrSklover@gmail.com. Create Financial Freedom with Healthy Products – 4-5pm. Learn how to build a business and create financial freedom for you by distributing natural Aloe Vera nutritional supplements to help others be healthy. Free. Bristol (call for address). RSVP: 860-372-8171. Qigong - All Levels – 5:30-6:30pm. Deep breathing and flowing movements derived from ancient Chinese healing exercises for increased balance, flexibility, muscle and bone strength, immune function, decreased pain and stiffness. $17 drop-in. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642. Women’s Global Circle – 6:30-8pm. Live/inperson first Sunday. Online the rest of the month. For heart-centered activism and manifestation. Women wanting to make their dreams for self and world come true. $60/monthly fee. Phone interview/sign up: 917-860-0488. Call for address. DrSklover@gmail.com.
monday Complete Strength Class – 9:30-10:30am. Total Strength classes are the #1 priority to burn calories and build lean muscle to boost your metabolism for the long-term. $20. YES Fitness, 292 Spielman Hwy, Burlington. 860-673-4293.
Kundalini Yoga – 9:30-11am. Free. Windham Recovery Community Center, 713 Main St, Willimantic. 860-423-7088 or 860-423-9843 for more info. Open Play! For Ages 10 Months to 5 Years – 1011:15am. Join open play in our creative arts studio. Non-instructional play will include gross motor equipment like tunnels and balance beams, dress up and art projects. Donation of canned good. Imagine Studio, 97 South St, West Hartford. ImagineStudioCT.com. Gentle + Restorative Yoga – 10:30-11:45am. Gently held postures for joint health and nurturing. Great for any experience level. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642. Meditation Mondays – 7-8pm. First Monday. Meditation for all. Beginners and drop-ins welcome. Begin each week with a meditation practice to quiet your mind and let go of all that does not serve. Facilitated by Melanie VanOstrand. $10. Sea in the Sky Healing and Wellness Center, Hebron. 860530-1552. SeaInTheSkyHealing.com. Connection and Meditation – First and third Mondays. 11/4 and 11/18. 7-8:30pm. Connect with self, Spirit and other like minded souls as we let go and set intentions before Lily leads you into yourself for meditation. Free. TheWaterLilyCenter.com. Tong Ren Healing Class – 7-8pm. Dr. Ming Wu leads this class focusing on internally healing the body’s energy system by using the collective unconscious. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 978-790-8888. Vinyasa Yoga For Everyone – 7-8:15pm. Classic yoga postures in flowing sequence linked by breath. Learn breathing techniques that keep you invigorated and calm in your daily life. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642.
tuesday Chair Massage – Treat yourself to a relaxing break. You decide how long. $1/minute. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. Walk-ins welcome or call for an appointment: 860-467-6518. Express Vinyasa Yoga – 6-7am. Touches on all the essentials of the core standing, balancing, and seated postures. Build strength, heat and focus moving through sun salutations linked with breath and clarity. Some yoga experience recommended. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642. Dragon and Tiger Medical Qigong – 11:15am12:15pm. Gentle movements performed standing or sitting activate the acupuncture meridians. Improve your balance, coordination, energy and health. Don Myers, Certified Instructor, 30 years of teaching experience. $15/class. Universalist Church, 433 Fern St, West Hartford. Register at GreatPondTaiChi.com. Tai Chi for Kids (Ages 6-12) – 4-4:45pm. Learning the Chinese art of Tai Chi is a great way for children to relax, have fun and strengthen body and mind. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 978-790-8888.
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ongoing events Ayurveda 101 – 5-6pm. 8-week series. Register online at ScheduleBliss.com/BhaktiCenterCT. $108. Bhakti Center CT. 750 Rear Main St, Willimantic. BhaktiCenterCT@gmail.com. Vinyasa Flow Yoga – 6pm. The Bridge Healing Arts Center, 304 Main St, Farmington. 860-4042578. BridgeHAC.com. Ayurveda 102 – 6-7pm. 8-week series. Register online at ScheduleBliss.com/BhaktiCenterCT. $108. Bhakti Center CT. 750 Rear Main St, Willimantic. BhaktiCenterCT@gmail.com. Tai Chi with Dr. Ming Wu – 6-7pm. Learn from a Tai Chi master who has studied the art of Tai Chi for more than 40 years. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 978-790-8888. Authentic Movement – First, second and third Tuesdays. 6-7:15pm. Authentic Movement is a simple, self-guided moving meditation practice. By nurturing presence in our physical bodies, we open pathways for self-understanding, creative expression and inner peace. $12/drop-in. Bhakti Center CT, 750 Main St Rear, Willimantic. ScheduleBliss.com/index.php/bhakticenterct. Monthly Information Sessions at The Graduate Institute – 6:30-7:30pm. Join us for an info session every 2nd Tuesday of the month at The Graduate Institute. Please contact us to let us know that you’ll be attending. The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd, Bethany. Call 203-874-4252. Awakening the Devine Feminine: Empowering Movement Class – 11/5, 11/19. 6:30-8pm. Be in alignment with your femininity, the master of creation within you, through sacred movement and dance. No dance experience is necessary (we all have the innate ability to move) and this is open to women and men of all ages. First class free; $15/ per class. TheWaterLilyCenter.com. Holistic Cancer Support Group – 6:30-8pm. Do you offer a healing modality or service which will aid those in recovery from cancer? If so, please attend and work with us to build CT’s first holistic cancer support group. BRIDGE Healing Arts Center, 304 Main St, Farmington. Call Rod Kelly, 860-216-8671 or email Rod@EyeOftheEagle.org.
markyourcalendar HOLISTIC CANCER SUPPORT GROUP
Soul Circle: A Meditation and Journey Group – 6:30-8pm. First Tuesday. Join us for an evening of meditation, journeying, drumming and healing. Explore power animals and spirit guides, healing light meditations, nature spirit allies and more. Facilitated by Melanie VanOstrand. At Sea in the Sky Healing and Wellness Center, Hebron. $20. 860-530-1552. SeaInTheSkyHealing.com. Free Spirit Dance – 7:15-8:30pm. A non-judgmental community gathering to explore our unscripted authentic movement as a heart opening meditation amidst a blend of world music. No experience necessary. All Welcome. Donation based. Luna & Lotus, 50 Depot St, Collinsville. 860-803-9947. Turbo Kick Boxing with Mary – 7:15-8:15pm. Extreme aerobic workout is fun and will get you in shape. Great music. Tuesdays are for beginners and Thursdays are advanced classes. $5. Center for Progressive Therapies, 192 Hartford Rd, Manchester. 860-883-9664. Guided Meditation – First, second and third Tuesdays. 7:30-8:45pm. Discover how the simple practice of deep presence can open us to profound peace, compassion and love within ourselves. $12/drop-in. Bhakti Center CT, 750 Main St Rear, Willimantic. ScheduleBliss.com/index.php/bhakticenterct. Meditation as a Way of Living with Tom Dest – 7:30-8:45pm. Promoting access to intention from deep inside and heart to heart communication - soft live music. Contemplation on our eternal nature and keys to peace. $15. Center for Progressive Therapies, 192 Hartford Rd, Manchester. 413-822-8486. Online Mediumship Development Circle/Class – 9-10:30pm. Mixed level circle/class with Sharon Farber to develop evidential mediumship. Support, instruction, practice. $13/session; $100/10 sessions. 860-989-2358. Online in a Zoom room SharonFarber. net/mediumship/mediumship-mentorship. Online Mediumship Development Circle/Class – 9-10:30pm. With Sharon Farber. Mixed level circle/ class to develop evidential mediumship. Support, instruction, practice. $13/session; $100/10-sessions. 860-989-2358. Online in a Zoom room: SharonFarber.net/mediumship/mediumship-mentorship.
wednesday Coffee with Coach – 7am. Early morning session facilitated by Torin Lee, Life Coach. Learn ways to handle stress, navigate change and make each day count. $10. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. To register: 860-467-6518.
BRIDGE Healing Arts Center 304 Main St, Farmington
Gentle Yoga – 10:30-11:45am. Gently held postures for joint health and nurturing. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642. Yoga by Caroline, All Levels Vinyasa Flow – 11/7, 11/13, 11/20, 11/27. 4:45-6pm and 6:157:15pm. Yoga is quite simply a moving meditation. Vinyasa is a flowing yoga that connects breath with movement to flow from one pose to the next. First class free; $15/per class. TheWaterLilyCenter.com.
For more information, call Rod Kelly at 860-216-8671 or email Rod@EyeOftheEagle.org
Weight Loss Meetings – 5:30-6:15pm. Second and fourth Wednesdays. Join Dr. Stacey Munro for an informational meeting about effective food-based weight
Tuesdays • 6:30-8pm Do you offer a healing modality or service which will aid those in recovery from cancer? If so, please attend and work with us to build CT’s first holistic cancer support group.
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loss and body composition change programs. We will go over program basics, cost and answer questions. All welcome. Please RSVP: 860-758-7808. Nature’s Helper Medical Clinic, 178 Mountain Rd, Suffield. Qigong – 6pm. The Bridge Healing Arts Center, 304 Main St, Farmington. 860-404-2578. BridgeHAC.com. LivFree All Levels Yoga – 6-7pm. With Tracey. Recharge your batteries midweek in this energetic, then relaxing yoga class. Walk-ins welcome. $10. TriCity Massage and Wellness, 220 Hartford Tpke, Vernon. Tri-CityMassage.com. All Levels Vinyasa – 6-7:15pm. Yoga is quite simply a moving meditation. Vinyasa is a flowing yoga that connects breath with movement to flow from one pose to the next. $15 per class. The Water Lily Holistic Empowerment Center, 129 Tolland Stage Rd, Tolland. 860-756-6391. Epiphany – 6-8:30pm. Second Wednesday. Experience craniosacral therapy, reflexology, Reiki, acupuncture and more. Call for your 30-minute appt during “epiphany”.$20-$40/suggested. 101 River Rd, Canton. 860-693-8040. Yoga Nidra – 6:30-7:30pm. Experience the calming effects of Yoga Nidra. Activate your parasympathetic nervous system and relax your body. $20. Enlightenment Center of CT, 660 Prospect Ave, Hartford. EnlightenmentCenterCT.com. Support Group More Better Happy – 7:158:30pm. When people and circumstances are sucking the energy, motivation and life right out of you, come here. You can recharge while getting what you want. Registration required. Free. Yoga Born, 1735 Ellington Rd, South Windsor. 860-432-5678. Mediumship Development Circle – 7:30–9pm. With Sharon Farber. Mixed level circle to develop evidential mediumship. Beginners welcome. Active since May 2012. $10-$15 donation. 860989-2358. Dragonfly Healing Arts, 8 Wickett St., Pine Meadow, CT SharonFarber.net/mediumshipdevelopment-circles. Qigong Variation – 8-9pm. Class offers students an opportunity to learn different qigong forms. Each form will be taught over five to 10 class periods, depending on the length of the form. $20/drop-in; $65/monthly. 280 Garden Grove Rd, Manchester. 860-558-6146.
thursday Complete Strength Class – 5:30-6:30am. Total Strength classes are the #1 priority to burn calories and build lean muscle to boost your metabolism for the long-term. $20. YES Fitness, 292 Spielman Hwy, Burlington. 860-673-4293. Gentle Yoga – 9am. The Bridge Healing Arts Center, 304 Main St, Farmington. 860-404-2578. BridgeHAC.com. Qigong, All Levels – 9:30-10:30am. An ancient practice that has flowing, focused movements that reduce chronic pain, stress and blood pressure, along with creating an overall state of wellness. In Stafford. Call to register and for directions. 860-970-7383. Bump Day – 10am-6pm. 60-minute prenatal massage or reflexology by Colleen Dumas, LMT and certified in prenatal care. Refreshments, raffle.
$40. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. For an appointment: 860-467-6518. Tai Chi & Meditation – 10:30-11:30am Instruction is focused on empowering Chi and enhancing health and healing of the mind, body and spirit. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 978-790-8888. Online Mediumship Development Circle/Class – 1:30-3pm. With Sharon Farber. Mixed level circle/ class to develop evidential mediumship. Support, instruction, practice. $13/session; $100/10-sessions. 860-989-2358. Online in a Zoom room: SharonFarber.net/mediumship/mediumship-mentorship. Kids Yoga Summer Program – 1:30-3:30. 6/208/15. Kids ages 4-8 are invited to come explore the world of yoga in a fun and exciting way with a teacher certified in both Art and Yoga. $20/drop-in; $95/eight classes. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. 860-680-1482. JourneyOfYoga.com. Tween Yoga Summer Program – 1:30-3:30pm. 6/20-8/15. Growing up can be overwhelming – figuring out who you are while navigating school, friends and family. Young people, ages 9-12 are invited to come and explore the world of yoga in a fun and exciting way. $20/drop-in; $95/eight classes. Journey of Yoga, 730 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury. 860-680-1482. JourneyOfYoga.com. Belly Dance Classes with Elisheva – 6-7pm. Learn the ancient art of belly dance in this beginner class. All levels and abilities warmly welcomed. $17. Spotlight Dance, Art & Wellness, 45 S Main St, Unionville. Register: 860-967-9424. Community Acupuncture – 6-7pm. Every other Thursday. 315 E Center St, Manchester. 860533-0179. RSVP required: CTNaturalHealth.com. Blended Style Yoga Classes – 6-7:15pm. Our many styles meet you where you are. Gentle sound allows tuning and awakening improving life and self. Also every weekday. See our website. $5 or $8. Center for Progressive Therapies, 192 Hartford Rd, Manchester. 860-649-9600. Sound Bath Session – 6:30-8:30pm. 3rd Thursday of the month. Enjoy a monthly group sound bath with Karen Fox, Sister of Sound. Let singing bowls, bells, drums, chimes bathe you in angelic healing vibrations. $20 advance, $25 at door. Oneida Holistic Health Center, 16 West Rd, Marlborough. 860-467-6518. Tai Chi for Health and Meditation – 6:457:45pm. Experience the proven benefits of Wu Style Tai Chi and Qigong for superior well-being and stress relief. Don Myers, Certified Instructor, 30 years of teaching experience. $15/class. Universalist Church, 433 Fern St, West Hartford. Register at GreatPondTaiChi.com. Vinyasa Yoga For Everyone – 7-8:15pm. Classic yoga postures in flowing sequence linked by breath. Learn breathing techniques that keep you invigorated and calm in your daily life. $50 for 30 days, unlimited classes/new students. Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642
friday
Intelligent Qigong Level 2, Xing Shen Zhuang, Physical and Spiritual Stance Method. Intelligent Qigong level 1, prerequisite. $20/drop-in; $75/monthly. 280 Garden Grove Rd, Manchester. 860-558-6146. Self-Care Qigong and Shiatsu – 11:15am-12pm. Class introduces some most profound and easyto-apply methods from Five Element Meridians originated from Traditional Chinese Medicine and shiatsu massage. $20/drop in; $65/monthly. 280 Garden Grove Rd, Manchester. 860-558-6146. Friday Afternoon Walks – 1pm. Join plant enthusiast Anne Christie and nature photographer Amy Porter for a leisurely walk on the trails. We’ll see what’s of interest in the plant world and share tips on how to get good nature shots. All ages welcome. Free CAS members; $3/non-members. Trail Wood, 93 Kenyon Rd, Hampton. 860-928-4948. CTAudubon.org/Trail-Wood-Home.
saturday Monthly Eco Yoga and Meditation Workshop – With Leesa Sklover, PhD, LPC, C-IAYT, IKYTA. Elemental imagery themes of ether, air, fire, water and earth, along with meditations, Kriya and mantra. Different theme each workshop. Registration required. 917-860-0488. Call for address. DrSklover@gmail.com. Morning Express Vinyasa Yoga – 7:45-8:45am. Touches on all the essentials of the core standing, balancing, and seated postures. Build strength, heat and focus moving through sun salutations linked with breath and clarity. $50 for 30 days unlimited classes (new students). Yoga Center of Collinsville, 10 Front St, Collinsville. 860-693-9642. Tai Chi and Qi Gong – 8-9am. Dr. Ming Wu is a Tai Chi and Qi Gong Master who has dedicated his life to teaching others how to live healing and healthy lives. Wu Healing Center, 45 S Main St, West Hartford. To register: 978-790-8888. Massage Ball Yoga – 9am. The Bridge Healing Arts Center, 304 Main St, Farmington. 860-4042578. BridgeHAC.com. Ellington Farmers’ Market – 9am-12pm. Over 40 vendors bringing local and fresh products in a quaint, shaded country setting. Matching SNAP dollars, Kids Power of Produce Club, weekly themes and entertainment. Arbor Park, Main St, Ellington. EllingtonFarmersMarket.com. Yoga and Meditation – 10-11:30am. All-level class offers an introduction to the Advanced Yoga Practices to support those interested to establish and/or deepen their meditation and yoga practice and knowledge. Modifications of the postures accommodate every level of practice. Drop-ins welcome. Bhakti Center, 750 Rear Main St, Willimantic. YogaPractices.weebly.com. Qigong, All Levels – 11am-12pm. An ancient practice that has flowing, focused movements that reduce chronic pain, stress and blood pressure, along with creating an overall state of wellness. In Stafford. Call to register and for directions. 860-970-7383.
community resource guide Connecting you to the leaders in natural healthcare and green living in our community. Create your Community Resource Guide Listing online at NAHRT.com.
ASTROLOGY PETER MARKS
103 Nova Scotia Hill Rd, Watertown 860-274-3663/203-206-9353 Peter_Mrks@yahoo.com As an Astrologer, Medium, Intuitive and Numerologist, I work with your spirit guides and convey messages from them. We are all born with spirit guides, and with assistance we can understand our karmic mission to achieve the ultimate happiness in our lives. See ad, page 29.
DEE RANDIS
Watertown 860-274-1690 MetaphysicalCntr.net Dee Randis is an astrologer and psychic medium with over 40 years of experience specializing in personal and relationship counseling. She provides guidance on business matters, real estate decisions, legal issues, as well as missing persons. She does private parties and organizes well-attended holistic/psychic fairs. See ad, page 8.
BODYWORK WU HEALING CENTER
Rich Kevorkian LMT Certified Tui Na Therapy 45 S. Main St, Ste 100, West Hartford 860-462-3934 RichKevork@yahoo.com WuHealing.com Tui na is a hands-on body treatment that uses Chinese Taoist principles in an effort to bring the eight principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine into balance in the body. Tui na is a treatment strategy for both acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions, as well as non-musculoskeletal conditions. See ad, page 4.
Intelligent Qigong Level 2 – 10-11:15am. Students continue to study “Lifting Qi Up and Pouring Qi Down” method while learning some basic exercises of
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CHINESE HERBALIST WU HEALING CENTER
Dr. Ming Wu 45 S Main St, Ste 100, West Hartford 978-790-8888 • Center@WuHealing.com WuHealing.com Chinese herbal therapy accounts for the majority of treatments in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Dr. Wu is a master herbalist with decades of experience and thousands of years of wisdom. The herbs he prescribes help stimulate the body toward self-healing. See ad, page 4.
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EDUCATION
ACADEMY FOR SOUL HEALING Eilis Philpott Fairfield 203-767-5954 Eilis@SoulHealingJourney.com AcademyforSoulHealing.com
The academy hosts many trainings including 13th Octave LaHoChi and A Year of Healing in various locations throughout the U.S. The vision for the Academy for Soul Healing is the integration of many modalities, in their purest form, in order to support the growth and expansion of humanity, individually and on a global scale.
ENERGY HEALING 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.
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FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE TAMARA SACHS, MD
Functional Medicine and Integrative Care LLC 15 Bennitt St, New Milford 860-354-3304 TSachsMD.com 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.
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 in order to avoid further damage to their esophagus and prevent esophageal cancer. Find your unique food and lifestyle triggers. Offers 1:1 coaching via Zoom, Skype, or a DIY program.
HOLISTIC HEALING CENTER SEA IN THE SKY, LLC
269 Church St, Ste 3, Hebron 860-530-1552 SeaInTheSkyHealing.com By appointment Experienced practitioners and therapists offering counseling and psychotherapy, Reiki, Celtic Reiki, shamanic healing, sound healing, yoga, massage, acupuncture, spiritual readings, meditation and a variety of classes and workshops.
SHARING THE LIGHT WHOLISTIC CENTER, LLC
395 W Avon Rd, Avon 860-936-0012 Cheryl@SharingTheLightWC.com SharingTheLightWC.com Sharing the Light is your premier healing destination specializing in Traditional Usui Reiki Practitioner certification classes and sessions with Reiki Master Teachers; Crystal Dreaming; singing bowls; tuning forks; tai chi; yoga; reflexology; drum building; psychic readings; and AngelLinks. Visit website to view our calendar of events that includes programs with full-time and part-time practitioners. See ad, page 22.
HOLISTIC HEALTH LOIS GRASSO AKA MIMI STEVENS Holistic Health Coach, Speaker, Author East Hartford-Glastonbury line 860-796-1480 Lois@LoisGrasso.com LoisGrasso.com
Eliminate painful symptoms and self-sabotage by transforming your breathing, thinking, and eating patterns into powertools. Experience unconditional acceptance and spiritual connection as together we upgrade your subconscious, using Transformational Breathwork, EFT/Tapping, Anger Clearing, Reverse Therapy and superfoods.
HOLISTIC STRESS REDUCTION THE ENLIGHTENMENT COUNSELING CENTER LLC
998 Farmington Ave, Ste 207, West Hartford 660 Prospect Ave, Hartford EnlightenmentCenterCT.com EnlightenmentCenterLLC@gmail.com We are experienced psychotherapists and practitioners providing integrative and holistic psychotherapy clinical services, as well as a wellness center offering complementary alternative medical services. We view mental illness as affecting not just the mind but also the body. We are mindful about the importance of external and internal balance.
HOLISTIC & WELLNESS CENTER RAYA CLINIC
200 Queen St, Southington 860-621-2225 RayaClinic.com
MEDIUMSHIP KEIKO BROYLES
Willows Healing Path, LLC 860-280-5548 • Keiko@KeikoMedium.com KeikoMedium.com
Our 30-year-old Wellness Center consists of a team of doctors combining chiropractic, acupuncture, nutrition, food-sensitivity testing, physical therapy, cold-laser, spinal decompression and neuropathy treatments.
I am a Psychic Spiritual Medium and also a certified Usui Reiki Master and teacher. As a natural psychic and medium, my sincere wish and desire is to promote healing for people in both the physical and spirit worlds. I am a tested member of Shay Parker’s Best American Psychics. See ad, page 2.
HORMONE SUPPORT
NATURE SCHOOL
COLLABORATIVE NATURAL HEALTH PARTNERS 315 East Center St, Manchester 860-533-0179 CTNaturalHealth.com
The clinic offers the best of both worlds; our physicians are trained in both conventional and natural approaches for diagnosis and treatment of many conditions. We combine science with the wisdom of nature to address the causes of disease, not only the symptoms. See ad, back cover.
INTEGRATIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY THE ENLIGHTENMENT COUNSELING CENTER LLC
998 Farmington Ave, Ste 207, West Hartford 660 Prospect Ave, Hartford EnlightenmentCenterCT.com EnlightenmentCenterLLC@gmail.com We are experienced psychotherapists and practitioners providing integrative and holistic psychotherapy clinical services, as well as a wellness center offering complementary alternative medical services. We view mental illness as affecting not just the mind but also the body. We are mindful about the importance of external and internal balance.
TWO COYOTES WILDERNESS SCHOOL
P.O. Box 711, Monroe TwoCoyotes.org Facebook.com/TwoCoyotes Instagram.com/TwoCoyotes Two Coyotes Wilderness School is a nonprofit nature organization dedicated to creating a healthier, more connected future by connecting people to nature, community and their personal empowerment. We offer yearround, wilderness-based mentorship programs, including summer camps, for all ages.
NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE COLLABORATIVE NATURAL HEALTH PARTNERS 315 East Center St, Manchester 860-533-0179 CTNaturalHealth.com
Receive sustainable and natural solutions for health conditions to address the cause of disease, not only the symptoms. We combine science with the wisdom of nature. See ad, back cover.
ECLECTIC NATUROPATHIC MEDICAL CENTER, LLC
Kathleen M. Riley, ND Wilberto Lugo, ND 48 Christian Ln, Ste 203, Newington 860-665-1254 At ENMC, we specialize in providing gentle, effective treatments for acute and chronic illnesses for pediatrics through geriatrics. The doctors here use nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, hydro-therapy, acupuncture, Bowen, and Frequency Specific Microcurrent. Our therapies are effective in treating allergies, digestive issues, muscle aches and pains, tick-borne illnesses, diabetes, hypertension, and other conditions. See ad, page 12.
NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE NICOLE KLUGHERS, ND, PHARMD, MSAC
Vis Wellness Center 1845 Silas Deane Hwy, Rocky Hill (234)2-ACU-DOC DrNicoleKlughers.com Info@DrNicoleKlughers.com Dr. Nicole Klughers offers comprehensive naturopathic care to restore optimal health and prevent disease. Dr. Nicole’s approach addresses the root cause of symptoms with all-natural solutions such as “Food as Medicine” with individualized nutrition, herbal medicine, nutrient therapies, acupuncture and more. In-depth assessment is often done with detailed testing to evaluate the status of nutrients, hormones, inflammation, food sensitivities, toxins or digestive function.
NATURE’S HELPER MEDICAL CLINIC Stacey Munro, ND 178 Mountain Rd, Suffield 860-758-7808 Info@NaturesHelperMedical.com NaturesHelperMedical.com
Dr. Stacey Munro, a Naturopathic Physician, specializes in prevention and treatment of chronic health conditions with safe and effective natural treatments. She looks at the whole patient, rather than individual parts, and tries to address the root cause. Treatments include: dietary and lifestyle changes, nutritional supplements, herbs, and other natural therapies. Many commercial insurance plans accepted. See ad, page 26.
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY THE HAPPINESS CLUB
Audrey Carlson 860-841-5894 AudreyBCarlson@cox.net HartfordHappinessClub.com Come to Hartford’s Happiness Club monthly meeting on the first Thursday of every month from 7-8:30pm, at Town and County Club at 22 Woodland St in Hartford. Happiness is a choice… make it yours.
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PRIMARY CARE
THERMOGRAPHY
COLLABORATIVE NATURAL HEALTH PARTNERS
CT THERMOGRAPHY HEALTH SCREENING CENTER
315 East Center St, Manchester 860-533-0179 CTNaturalHealth.com
The clinic offers the best of both worlds; our physicians are trained in conventional and natural approaches for diagnosis and treatment of many conditions. We combine science with the wisdom of nature to address the causes of disease, not only the symptoms. See ad, back cover.
QUANTUM PSYCHOTHERAPY PSYCHOTHERAPY HEALING SERVICES, LLC Celeste Emelia Mattingly, LCSW 10 Grassmere Ave, Ste 300, West Hartford 860-586-8700 Fax: 860-236-1909 CMattingly100@comcast.net CelestialEmpowerment.com
The Sanctuary for Celestial Empowerment is a safe, uplifting, high-frequency environment for individual psychotherapy, Tachyon Anti-Aging and Reconnective Energy Healings, workshops and more. Distance healings, evenings and some Saturday appointments available. Celeste accepts insurance including Medicare and Husky. See ad, page 29.
TAI CHI/QIGONG WU HEALING CENTER
Dr. Ming Wu 45 S. Main St, Ste 100, West Hartford 978-790-8888 Center@WuHealing.com WuHealing.com Tai chi and qigong focus on empowering Chi, enhancing health and healing the mind, body and spirit using diverse bodywork therapies. Develop physical and mental fitness with calmness, balance and awareness. Dr. Wu is now offering regular classes, workshops and retreats for all levels. See ad, page 4.
The future will either be green or not at all. ~Bob Brown 46 Hartford County Edition
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April Beaman, CTT, RDH Farmington 860-415-1150 • April@ctthermography.com CTThermography.com Thermography is a FDAapproved, radiation free, notouch screening procedure. Used as part of a routine health screening program, thermography can increase the chances of detecting breast abnormalities, disease and cancer up to 10 years earlier than traditional methods. See ad, page 16.
TRANSFORMATIONAL HEALING SIMPLY PEACEFUL HEALING LLC
Joan Witherell, RMT 2433 Main St, Ste 6, Rocky Hill 860-685-0604 • JoanWitherell@gmail.com Joan has a professional office in Rocky Hill, where she offers Angel & Tarot Card Readings, Reiki Healing Sessions, Reiki Certification Training, Transformational Life Coaching Sessions and she also facilitates a variety of inspirational classes.
SOUL HEALING JOURNEY LLC Eilis Philpott 40 Livingston St, Fairfield 203-767-5954 • Eilis@SoulHealingJourney.com SoulHealingJourney.com
Eilis, a certified Rebirther, has completed Rebirthing and Advanced Rebirthing training. She is a Reiki Master in Usui/ Raku-kei Reiki and Angelic Reiki. She teaches 13th Octave LaHoChi, Angel Light Healing, chakra balancing and other healing techniques. A transformational healing session supports you in healing all aspects of your life.
YOGA YOGA CENTER OF COLLINSVILLE 10 Front St, Collinsville 860-693-YOGA (9642) info@YogaCenterCollinsville.com YogaCenterCollinsville.com
Experience yoga in the vibrant surroundings of historic Collinsville. Morning / evening classes available: Beginners, Gentle, Mixed, Advanced, Yogalates, Belly Dance and Yoga for Kids. Drop-ins welcome! New student special: $50 for one month of unlimited yoga classes. See ad, page 17.
display ad index Stan Baker Acupuncture
21
b. kind Wellness Boutique
11
Ann’s Place/Festival of Trees
14
BRIDGE Healing Arts Center
2
Collaborative Natural Health Partners 48 CopperZap 47 CT Thermography
16
Eclectic Naturopathic Medical Center 12 Enlightenment Method/Back to Eden 9 Glastonbury Dental Center Goodwin College
19 7
The Graduate Institute
10
Hartford Family Institute
18
HGH Gel
11
Holistic Chamber of Commerce
23
Holistic Community Professionals
13
IHHS presents Aly Cohen at WCSU
3
LifeWorks Wellness Center
31
Peter Marks
29
Mondazzi Book, Bead & Crystal Warehouse Showroom
9
Nature’s Helper Medical Clinic
26
Nature’s Rite
37
Nokota Horse Conservancy Fundraiser 33 Optimal Living Center
11
Psychotherapy Healing Services
29
Dee Randis/Metaphysical Center
11
Sharing the Light Wholistic Center LLC
22
ShopRite 29 TriCity Massage & Wellness
10
Vitalized Performance Group
5
Wu Healing Center
4
Yale-Griffin PRC/Griffin Health
15
Yoga Center of Collinsville
17
Seven years without a cold?
had colds going round and round, but not me.” Some users say it also helps with sinuses. Attorney Donna Blight had a 2-day sinus headache. When her CopperZap arrived, she tried it. “I am shocked!” she said. “My head cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.” Some users say copper stops By Doug Cornell nighttime stuffiness if used just before cientists recently discovered time. He hasn’t had a single cold for 7 bed. One man said, “Best sleep I’ve had a way to kill viruses and years since. in years.” bacteria. He asked relatives and friends to try Copper can also stop flu if used early Now thousands of people are using it it. They said it worked for them, too, so and for several days. Lab technicians to stop colds and flu. he patented CopperZap™ and put it on placed 25 million live flu viruses on a Colds start the market. CopperZap. No viruses were found alive when cold viruses Soon hundreds soon after. get in your nose. of people had Dr. Bill Keevil led one of the teams Viruses multiply tried it and given confirming the discovery. He placed fast. If you don’t feedback. Nearly millions of disease germs on copper. stop them early, 100% said the “They started to die literally as soon as they spread and copper stops colds they touched the surface,” he said. cause misery. if used within 3 People have even used copper on In hundreds hours after the first cold sores and say it can completely of studies, EPA sign. Even up to prevent outbreaks. New research: Copper stops colds if used early. and university 2 days, if they The handle is researchers have confirmed that viruses still get the cold it is milder than usual curved and finely and bacteria die almost instantly when and they feel better. textured to improve touched by copper. Users wrote things like, “It stopped contact. It kills germs That’s why ancient Greeks and my cold right away,” and “Is it picked up on fingers Egyptians used copper to purify water supposed to work that fast?” and hands to protect and heal wounds. They didn’t know “What a wonderful thing,” wrote you and your family. about microbes, but now we do. Physician’s Assistant Julie. “No more Copper even kills Dr. Bill Keevil: Copper quickly kills deadly germs that Scientists say the high conductance colds for me!” cold viruses. of copper disrupts the electrical balance Pat McAllister, 70, received one have become resistant in a microbe cell and destroys the cell in for Christmas and called it “one of the to antibiotics. If you are near sick seconds. best presents ever. This little jewel really people, a moment of handling it may Tests by the EPA (Environmental works.” keep serious infection away. It may even Protection Agency) show germs die Now thousands of users have simply save a life. fast on copper. So some hospitals tried stopped getting colds. The EPA says copper still works copper for touch surfaces like faucets People often use CopperZap even when tarnished. It kills hundreds of and doorknobs. This cut the spread of preventively. Frequent flier Karen Gauci different disease germs so it can prevent MRSA and other illnesses by over half, used to get colds after crowded flights. serious or even fatal illness. and saved lives. Though skeptical, she tried it several CopperZap is made in America of The strong scientific evidence gave times a day on travel days for 2 months. pure copper. It has a 90-day full money inventor Doug Cornell an idea. When “Sixteen flights and not a sniffle!” she back guarantee. It is $69.95. he felt a cold about to start he fashioned exclaimed. Get $10 off each CopperZap with a smooth copper probe and rubbed it Businesswoman Rosaleen says when code NATA14. Go to www.CopperZap.com or call gently in his nose for 60 seconds. people are sick around her she uses “It worked!” he exclaimed. “The cold CopperZap morning and night. “It saved toll-free 1-888-411-6114. Buy once, use forever. never got going.” It worked again every me last holidays,” she said. “The kids ADVERTORIAL
Copper in new device stops cold and flu
S
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