Natural Awakenings Lancaster/Berks December 2019

EE R F

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

The Power of ‘We’

Coming Together for Creative Change

Vegan Holiday Treats

Joyful Giving

How Generosity Transforms Us

Inhaling the Eco-Pet Toys Joy of Life What’s Safe Conscious Breathwork

and Smart

December 2019 | Lancaster-Berks Edition | NALancaster.com · NABerks.com

You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give.

Join our efforts to brighten the holidays for Hempfield School District families in need!

Call or stop in for details about the requested items for this donation drive.

^

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Saturday with Santa { December 14 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Bring the kids for story time with Santa, treats, cocoa, arts & crafts, and games

. R.S.V.P. requested by December 4 to santa @ atherapeuticeffect.com or 717-285-9955 .

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Contents 21 THE EMERGING

34

POWER OF ‘WE’

Awakening to the Evolution of Community

26 SURGEON MARY NEAL On Lessons From Heaven

31 INHALING THE

JOY OF LIFE

Conscious Breathwork

34 WASTE-FREE FEASTING

36

How to Reduce Holiday Food Waste

36 BEYOND CALCIUM Full-Spectrum Bone Health

38 THE MERRY VEGAN

People-Pleasing Holiday Sweets

42 REFRESH HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

38

Making the Old New and Green

44 PERFECT PET PRESENTS Safe and Eco-Smart Toys

46 THE GENEROUS HEART How Giving Transforms Us

DEPARTMENTS 7 news briefs 12 health briefs 14 global briefs 16 eco tip 17 event spotlight 18 community spotlights 26 wise words 30 business spotlight 31 fit body 4

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34 green living 36 healing ways 38 conscious

eating 41 foodie guide 42 healthy kids 44 natural pet 46 inspiration 47 calendar 49 classifieds 50 resource guide 54 advertiser 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.

21

CANCER. WHERE YOU’RE TREATED CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. A diagnosis of cancer can leave you feeling overwhelmed. At Lancaster Cancer Center, we offer hope, help, and healing.

As an independent practice, we deliver comprehensive cancer care at a substantially lower cost than at a hospital-based setting.

You have a choice when it comes to your cancer care. Call us at 717-291-1313.

31

44 Greenfield Corporate Center • 1858 Charter Lane, Suite 202 (717) 291-1313 • www.lancastercancercenter.com

advertising & submissions how to advertise To advertise with Natural Awakenings, visit our websites at NALancaster.com or NABerks.com, or contact us at Advertising@NALancaster.com or by phone at 717-3993187. Deadline for ads: the 5th of the month.

Editorial submissions Submit through our website or email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@NALancaster.com. Deadline for editorial: the 1st of the month. calendar submissions Submit events/classes through our website or email us at Publisher@NALancaster.com. Deadline: the 5th of the month. No phone calls or faxes, please. 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.

December 2019

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D

ecember carries the joy of holiday festivities, traditions and rituals that call us into community, providing meaning and connection as we gather with others to reflect, celebrate and share. As I consider the year we are leaving behind, I find my own examples of community in gatherings with friends old and new, within an intentional small group, in a weekly class among fellow yogis… letting myself be seen, Kendra and Jacqueline learning and changing, with the intention of providing the same freedom and space for others to explore and grow. Such benefits of community along with companionship, collective wisdom, grace and love offer a most liberating experience of life.

When asked by Parvati Magazine what community means, poet, spiritual adviser and author Mark Nepo said, “The word community derives from the Latin, commun, meaning 'common'. The same root informs the word communicate (to share our understanding, to have understanding in common) and communion (to share our experience, to have experience in common). It’s also not by chance that the word community contains unity. So, community is the history of how we help each other live. All things are connected. The art of community is discovering how. In this way, community becomes the art and science of understanding and engaging the life-force that moves through everything.”

Within our pages this December, you’ll find tips on simple giving, breathwork to help manage stress, healthy vegan treats, and evidence of community everywhere as we highlight leaders in their fields, a local high school’s efforts to care for those in need, a non-profit that inspires creativity through recycled goods, and Linda Sechrist’s uplifting feature, “The Emerging Power of ‘We’: Awakening to the Evolution of Community.” She offers thought-provoking insight that collective wisdom, collaborative change and the need to evolve from a culture of “me” to a culture of “we” may be the key to addressing the major challenges that confront humankind. We find community not just in the most intimate spaces of our lives, but as we join with others to build a better world.

Being a part of a community, whether it be among our extended family, close friends, within a spiritual body or working alongside those who share common ground or goals, allows us to experience safety, connection and belonging. In his book, The Body Keeps The Score, renowned trauma specialist Bessel van der Kolk suggests that, “Social support is not the same as merely being in the presence of others. The critical issue is reciprocity: being truly heard and seen by the people around us, feeling that we are held in someone else’s mind and heart.”

As we approach the holidays this year, may we all take a deep collective breath, letting go of unrealistic expectations, allowing the heart to be part of our intentional gift-giving, opening to the possibility of creating new, perhaps simpler and more meaningful traditions and extending ourselves just a bit further to experience more deeply the loving relationships around us.

Together as the Natural Awakenings’ community, may we inspire one another to feel good, live simply and laugh more. With full hearts we wish you joy!

Jacqueline Mast and Kendra Campbell, Co-Publishers 6

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

LANCASTER/BERKS Edition

CO-PUBLISHERs Jacqueline Mast

Kendra Campbell

EDITOR Gisele Rinaldi Siebold Design & Production Steffi K. Kern Patrick Floresca

Advertising Kendra Campbell

SOCIAL MEDIA Bridget Renninger Kyle & Amy Hass

contact us Ten Branches Publishing P.O. Box 6274 Lancaster, PA 17607 Phone: 717-399-3187 Fax: 717-427-1441 Publisher@NALancaster.com

NALancaster.com • NABerks.com Natural Awakenings Lancaster/Berks

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SUBSCRIPTIONS Free subscriptions are available for our digital issue by emailing: Publisher@NALancaster.com.

Print subscriptions are available for $30 (for 12 issues) by sending a check to the address above.

national team

CEO/FOUNDER Sharon Bruckman COO/ Franchise Sales Joe Dunne

national Editor Jan Hollingsworth

Managing Editor Linda Sechrist national art director Stephen Blancett

art director Josh Pope National Advertising Kara Cave Natural Awakenings Publishing Corporation 4933 Tamiami Trail N., Ste. 203 Naples, FL 34103 Ph: 239-434-9392 • Fax: 239-434-9513 NaturalAwakeningsMag.com © 2019 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. 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 Lancaster/Berks is a faithful steward of global resources and committed to being a part of an environmentally conscious community. We utilize a local printing company and an environmentally-friendly cold-set web printing process which emits virtually immeasurable VOCs into the environment. This product is 100% recyclable.

Michelle Johnsen Photography

letter from co-publishers

Polar Bear 5K Reaches Milestone

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unners and hikers are invited to participate in the Lancaster Group of the Sierra Club’s 10th Anniversary Polar Bear 5K (3.1 miles) trail run/ hike fundraiser at 10 a.m., January 18, in Lancaster County Central Park, on well-maintained trails with some hills. Participants may also bring their dogs (on a leash) to run or walk with them.

Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. at Pavilion 22 (Kiwanis Lodge).

Unique prizes and ribbons will be awarded to, among others, the overall top three male and female finishers, the first-, secondand third-place finishers in numerous age and gender categories and the first three finishers who race with their dogs. Door prizes and dog prizes will also be included.

The fundraiser supports free outdoor activities and educational programs designed to help people better appreciate, protect and preserve the environment and helps finance the group’s green project grant program.

Cost: $25 through Dec. 25; $30/Dec. 26 - Jan.17; $35/race day.

T-shirts guaranteed with registration by January 4. To register, visit LancasterSierraClub.org. For more information, email SierraClubEvent@gmail.com.

Local Author Broadens Readers’ Outlook

D

avid L. Kline has released a new book, Brand New Life, Brand New Key. He will host a book signing event at 1 p.m., January 4, at Barnes & Noble, in Lancaster.

The book is available for purchase at Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com.

The latest in a seven-book series David L. Kline chronicling the author’s spiritual journey, Kline shares struggles that he encountered and how he resolved them with the help of his everentertaining guide, Jasper. The book contains practical exercises for readers to perform on their own.

“Embarking upon a spiritual journey can be scary, but should also be fun,” shares Kline. “It doesn’t require any change in your life that anybody else will notice; all the changes will be on the inside and will greatly improve your outlook on life in general.”

Location: Red Rose Commons, 1700 Fruitville Pike, Ste. H, Lancaster. For more information, visit DaveNJasper.com and TheCollegeOfSpiritualKnowledge.com. See ad, page 17.

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news briefs

Seasonal Herbal Subscription Boxes

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y Herbal Apothecary, locally owned by Heidi Benard, is taking orders for seasonal subscription boxes filled with five to nine handmade, organic herbal remedies to provide wellness support throughout each season. Each box is shipped to arrive before the first day of the season. The Winter Box will be shipped during the second week in December or sooner upon request. Annual subscriptions provide four boxes throughout the year. Most products are also available à la carte.

Benard has been making herbal remedies for friends and family for more than 20 years, and five years professionally. All products are made in a ServSafe-certified kitchen and stored in a climate-controlled environment. She is insured, certified and regularly inspected by the U.S. Health Department.

“This is the ultimate self-care package,” shares Benard. “Fill your home with organic herbal remedies to support your health during each season.”

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To place orders, or for more information, visit MyHerbalApothecary.com. See ad, page 13.

For more information, call Paul Fisher, 717-201-1645, or Harold Walters, 717-615-2834, email DebtShredderTeam@gmail.com or visit DebtShredderTeam.com. See ad, page 18.

tilizing Debt Shredder, a live, interactive financial GPS program, Paul Fisher and Harold Walters assist clients by looking forward into their financial future using the same math algorithms banks use to keep borrowers in debt. It teaches clients how to bank like a bank and shows clients how and when to move money the way a bank moves money. It eliminates debt faster than any other program and provides guidance to create a budget, an emergency fund and build true wealth, giving 20/20 financial foresight.

Walters began in financial services on Wall Street in New York City at 16 years old. He has owned small businesses since he was 18 and retired from his career as a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch in the early 2000s. Fisher is an Old Order Amish business owner with a passion for helping people become successful. They have become the top retail Debt Shredder representatives in the U.S. and Canada for 2018 and 2019, having helped their clients cancel more than $22.3 million of debt and put them on the path to building true wealth.

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Register Round Up for #GiveLocal Campaign

L

Sisel Supplements Support Health and Wellness

emon Street Market, located in Lancaster, is encouraging shoppers to round-up at the register for their #GiveLocal Campaign to VisionCorps, the local partner for December. Customers can also stop by and make a donation before the end of the year. Lemon Street Market shoppers have raised more than $6,000 so far for the 2019 #GiveLocal partner organizations.

Launched in January 2017, the #GiveLocal initiative is designed to support Lancaster organizations whose missions align with the store and aims to increase social impact. Customers can elect to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar when checking out, with proceeds donated to the featured organization for that month. Customers can also choose to increase their atthe-register donation by adding to their round-up value.

A list of all 2019 partner organizations, as well as those from 2017 and 2018, can be found at LemonStreetMarket.com/ GiveLocal/. The schedule for the 2020 partner organization lineup is being created and information will be forthcoming.

S

Location: 241 W. Lemon St., Lancaster. For more information, call 717-826-0843 or email Info@LemonStreetMarket.com. See ad, page 41.

Call Melvin Stoltzfus at 610-273-4383 and mention this news brief for a free holiday sample pack of Sisel drink mixes. For more information, email RoundTopFarmPA@gmail.com or visit RoundTopHealthyLiving.Sisel.net. See ads, pages 37 and 50.

It’s the most

isel International supplements and products support health and wellness goals. Built upon co-founder Tom Mower’s quest to create a new awakening in the health and wellness community, Sisel stands for Science, Innovation, Success, Energy and Longevity. The Sisel team believes that in order to differentiate their products, they had to develop their own formulas and control the whole product life cycle. They use their more than 300,000-square-foot manufacturing plant, with superior technology and machinery, to create quality formulations. Products can be purchased through local independent distributor Melvin Stoltzfus.

“Many people are seeing positive results due to the quality and potency of these supplements,” says Stoltzfus.

The Sisel manufacturing facility maintains the following certifications: UL Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP); cGMP compliance; licensed cannabidiol (CBD) manufacturer; Utah Department of Agriculture; U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-registered food/beverage facility; High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtration; U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic and Kosher inspected.

Yoga-ful time of the year!

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willowyogastudio.com December 2019

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news briefs

Uplifting the School Community in Conestoga Valley

B

eginning in October, the National Honor Society (NHS) students of Conestoga Valley Senior High School crafted an idea to create a coffee and beverage stand near one of the high school entrances. Their mission is two-fold: offer warm drinks for purchase to help students feel energized as they start their day and increase fundraising to provide a larger budget for the district program, Shop With a Buckskin.

The program pairs elementary children from lower income families within the Conestoga Valley School District with a Conestoga Valley NHS high school student to shop for holiday gifts for their families. Shop With a Buckskin provides opportunities for students to join together to help others, encourages positive interactions across grade levels and uplifts the school community by providing hope during the holiday season.

Take Heart Hosts New Volunteer Orientation

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ake Heart Counseling & Equine Assisted Therapy, in Mohnton, will host a volunteer orientation from 8 to 10 a.m., January 4. Anyone age 16 and older who would like to learn more about sharing their interests and skills is invited to attend.

Volunteer opportunities include barn duty, special events, groups and more. Attendees will meet the team and the horses.

According to founder and licensed professional counselor Meagan Good, volunteers are important and valued by the whole team. They are appreciated because their help allows Take Heart to grow and serve more people in the community. “The volunteers allow the counselors to focus on counseling,” says Good. “Everyone is using their special gifts and talents to support our clients. ‘It takes a village to run a ministry like this.’”

Location: 4675 New Holland Rd., Mohnton. To register, call Melanie Garland, 717-9250379. For more information, visit TakeHeartCounseling.com. See ad, page 38.

cGMP Triple Test Certified Facility

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Lancaster-Berks

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Angie Englerth Photography, 2016.

For more information about making a donation to Shop With a Buckskin, visit ConestogaValley.org.

Holiday Spiritual & Holistic Bazaar Benefits Pets

T

he Holiday Spiritual & Holistic Bazaar will be held from10 a.m. to 5 p.m., December 14 and 15, at Leesport Farmers Market Banquet Hall, in Leesport.

A fundraiser for the Wellness Center for Pets & Their People, the event promises door prizes, a Chinese auction, free lectures, gallery readings and food available for purchase.

Vendor craft and gift items include crystals, jewelry, gemstone trees, soaps, bath products, essential oils, clothing, incense, books, salt lamps, artwork and photography, instruments and singing bowls, pet products and more. Vendor services include readers, healers, reiki and reflexology.

“This is the perfect opportunity to get those holiday gifts for that special person,” shares co-organizer Julie Barracato who, along with her sister Lisa, owns Lady Lynora’s Gemstone Treasures. “There will be lot of great vendors with a variety of merchandise to choose from while benefiting the Wellness Center for Pets & Their People.”

Admission is $3. Location: 312 Gernant’s Church Rd., Leesport. For more information, call Julie Barracato, 570-573-1651, email LadyLynora@yahoo.com or visit LadyLynora.com/holiday-bazaar.

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December 2019

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Maintain a Healthy Diet and Weight to Lower Cataract Risk A recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition used adherence to dietary guidelines and total diet scores to assess the effects of diet on cataract risk.

The researchers followed 2,173 older Australians for five and 10 years in two phases. They found that maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) of less than 25, combined with a healthy diet, reduced the risk of developing cataracts.

Eat a Better Diet to Improve Gut Bacteria Researchers at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center tested stool samples of 858 men and 877 women in Los Angeles and Hawaii with a mean age of 69—regarded as an ethnically diverse study population with varied food intakes. The study found that those with higher quality diets also had significantly better gut bacteria diversity, a factor linked to reduced risk for a variety of diseases. Diet quality and a reduced risk of developing chronic disease is strongly associated with fecal microbial diversity.

12

Lancaster-Berks

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New research offers potential paths for treatment for the nearly 20 percent of patients with high blood pressure that don’t respond well to medications. University of Florida College of Medicine researchers, testing 105 volunteers, found that the populations of gut bacteria differed between hypertensive individuals with depression and those without depression. A second study by Italian researchers found that patients with heart attacks had different bacteria in their guts than patients with stable angina.

Hong Vo/Shutterstock.com

Researchers followed more than 36,000 Japanese men older than 40 for an average of 13.2 years. They found that those that consumed culinary mushrooms three times a week had a 17 percent lower chance of developing prostate cancer compared to those that ate mushrooms less than once a week. Participants that ate mushrooms once or twice a week had an 8 percent lower risk. The trend was even greater for those men over the age of 50 and was unrelated to other dietary habits.

SK Design/Shutterstock.com

Eat Mushrooms to Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer

Reduce Blood Pressure and Heart Attacks With Better Gut Bacteria

Train Students in Mindfulness to Reduce Stress and Improve Grades Sixth-graders that received mindfulness training each day for eight weeks experienced lower stress levels, less depression and improved academic performance compared to their peers in a control group that studied computer coding, report Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers. In addition to that 100-student study, researchers surveyed 2,000 students in grades five through eight and found those that showed more mindfulness tended to have better grades and test scores. They also had fewer absences and suspensions.

Daxiao Productions/Shutterstock.com

health briefs

Extreme Weather Events Affect Mental Well-Being People that experience storm and flood damage to their homes are about 50 percent more likely to experience depression and anxiety, British researchers report. Surveying more than 7,500 people after the 2013-2014 season of severe weather, they found that those with homes damaged by wind, rain, snow or floods had mental health risks similar to living in a disadvantaged area. This occurred even when the effects of the extreme weather were relatively minor and did not force people to leave their homes.

Fascinadora/Shutterstock.com

Eat Nuts to Reduce Odds of Death From Heart Disease Adults that ate nuts two or more times per week had a 17 percent lower risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke, reports an Iranian study that followed 5,432 adults for 12 years. The research was presented in August at the European Society of Cardiology.

“Nuts are a good source of unsaturated fat and contain little saturated fat,” says study author Dr. Noushin Mohammadifard, of the Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Institute.

“They also have protein, minerals, vitamins, fiber, phytosterols and polyphenols which benefit heart health.”

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Wedlock tends to stave off dementia, according to a new Michigan State University study. Analyzing 14 years of data on 15,000 people older than 52, researchers found those in all unmarried groups—cohabiting, divorced, separated, widowed and never married— had significantly higher odds of developing dementia than their married counterparts. The differences were most acute for those divorced, separated or widowed—about twice as prone as married people to develop dementia, with the men faring worse cognitively than the women.

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December 2019

13

Nature Cure

global briefs

Making Meat Without Animals

Five major food technology companies have converged to form the Alliance for Meat, Poultry and Seafood (AMPS) Innovation, which seeks to create real meat from animal cells without the need to slaughter animals. The founding members of the coalition are both cell-based seafood companies BlueNalu and Finless Foods and meat makers Fork & Goode, San Francisco-based JUST Inc., and Memphis Meats.

AMPS Innovation (ampsinnovation.org) intends to tackle obstacles presented in the cellular agriculture industry and bring products to the consumer faster with transparency and proper regulatory frameworks for cellbased products. Each member company has made significant strides in the development of these products with the hope they will soon be options in the everyday diets of individuals, as well as a nutrition source for a human population projected to grow to 10 billion by 2050.

A new study based on the National Land Cover Database of 3,086 of the 3,103 counties in the continental U.S. published in the journal Urban Forestry and Urban Greening found that increases in forest and shrub cover corresponded to decreases in Medicare health care spending, even when accounting for economic, geographic or other factors that might independently influence healthcare costs.

Urban and rural counties with the lowest socioeconomic status appeared to benefit the most from increases in forests and shrubs. University of Illinois graduate student Douglas A. Becker, who led the new research with Matt Browning, a professor of recreation, sports and tourism, says, “It occurred to me that low-income communities are getting the biggest bang for their buck because they probably have the most to gain.”

Other studies have shown that people in intensive care units recover more quickly and have fewer complications after surgery if their hospital rooms look out over trees rather than parking lots and that forest walks can influence potentially health-promoting hormone levels or anti-cancer immune cells in the blood.

BK foto/Shutterstock.com

Lab Steak

Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock.com

Forests and Shrubs Lower Medical Costs

Charge It

The RS Automotive gas station, in Takoma Park, Maryland, has been around since 1958, and Depeswar Doley has been running it for 22 years.

Now, frustrated 14

Lancaster-Berks

NALancaster.com | NABerks.com

by the complicated rules, requirements and contracts of oil and gas companies, he has completely transitioned away from offering petroleum and become the country’s first exclusively electric vehicle (EV) charging station.

Because there has been a shortage of EV charging stations in the state, the station’s changeover was partially funded

by the Baltimore-based Electric Vehicle Institute and the Maryland Energy Administration. Its new 200-kilowatt electrical system will now be able to recharge up to four vehicles at a time while drivers wait inside. Doley says, “It’s not something that I expect to become rich overnight or something like that, but it’s a good cause [and] good for the environment.”

Petair/Shutterstock.com

Electric Vehicles Get Their Own ‘Gas’ Station

Animal Rescue Tati9/Shutterstock.com

Government Order Reduces Animal Testing

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler has signed a directive reducing the animal testing that the agency has long required on such animals as dogs, birds, rats and fish to gauge the toxicity of chemicals before they can be bought, sold or used in the environment. The agency also authorized $4.25 million in funding for five universities to research the development and use of alternative test methods and strategies that reduce, refine or replace vertebrate animal testing. He says, “Today’s memo directs the agency to aggressively reduce animal testing, including reducing mammal study requests and funding 30 percent by 2025 and completely eliminating them by 2035.”

Any mammal studies requested or funded by the EPA after 2035 will require administrator approval on a case-by-case basis. It directs leadership and staff in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention and the Office of Research and Development to prioritize and direct existing resources toward measurable impacts in the reduction of animal testing while ensuring protection of human health and the environment.

Heave Ho Worachat Sodsri/Shutterstock.com

Cruise Line Abandons Plastic Bottles

As a result of its partnership with Just Goods, Inc., the Norwegian Cruise Line will replace single-use plastic bottles across its fleet by January 1, 2020, beginning with the Norwegian Encore. The company’s ships will feature JUST, which is 100 percent spring water in a plant-based carton made of 82 percent renewable materials from trees grown in responsibly managed forests. The cap and shoulder are made from a sugarcane-based plastic. It’s refillable and recyclable.

Just Goods, located in Glen Falls, New York, has a global presence with bottling facilities in New York, Northern Ireland and Australia, allowing the company to meet demand around the world without shipping water from a single production source. It plans to replace more than 6 million single-use plastic bottles every year. CEO Ira Laufer says, “The company is pushing the boundaries of what’s always been done because it knows we all need to do better.”

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December 2019

15

Burn Notice

Safe and Sustainable Fireplace Practices

One of the charms of winter is enjoying the warmth and glow of indoor fireplaces and wood stoves. It also emphasizes the need for sustainable, safe and healthy practices—especially when it comes to maintaining air quality.

Try to buy wood from providers that use good forest management practices such as harvesting during sustainable months, reports WoodHeat.org. Environmentally sound woodlot operations include thinning out dying, less desirable and damaged trees, and including a blend of species.

“Have a high-efficiency, properly installed stove that meets local building codes that’s sized for the area to be heated,” says Brad Harr, senior environmental scientist and president of Summit Environmental Inc., in Boise, Idaho. “Use dry, 10 to 12 percent wood moisture. Water sucks up heat to get to combustion temperature. Run at

high heat, generally over 1,000° F in the firebox, to effect complete combustion of the wood and gases.”

Denser woods such as ironwood, rock elm, hickory, oak and sugar maple burn longer and conserve resources.

Use a higher British thermal unit (BTU) per cord of wood to maximize heat production. (WorldForestIndustries.com has tips per region.)

Harr adds, “Don’t starve the fire to extend burning time, as smoldering can cause incomplete combustion.”

This leads to more carbon monoxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) being released that can cause flu-like symptoms, and at high levels, unconsciousness and even death. To help maintain proper airflow and prevent soot buildup, shovel excess ash into a covered metal container, store it outside and dispose of it in a few days.

Smelling smoke can indicate the fireplace may be backdrafting and needs to be inspected. Harr also suggests checking periodically for potential cracks or rusting in the joints of a stovepipe. Make sure children and the elderly don’t accidentally touch the stove while in use and keep furniture a suitable distance away. Periodic inspections by a professional can address potentially dangerous creosote (tar deposit) accumulations, assure the catalytic converter is operating correctly and detect trapped debris in escape shafts that can force toxic gases back into the home and clog spark-arresting screens on tops of stovepipes or chimneys.

If buying a new unit, make sure it’s U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-certified, which requires two-thirds less wood to generate heat and emits fewer harmful particles—two to seven grams per hour—compared with 15 to 30 grams for models manufactured before 1992, according to MotherEarthLiving.com.

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event spotlight

Wednesday Dec. 4, 2019

Local Conference Promotes Sustainable Agriculture

9:30AM - 3PM

Anticipation:

T

he Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) is hosting its 29th annual conference from February 5 through 8 at the Lancaster County Convention Center, in downtown Lancaster. Keynote presentations and educational sessions on more than 100 food and farming topics will be interspersed with networking events and regionally sourced meals.

The conference draws more than 1,800 farmers, food system professionals, educators, advocates, market managers, homesteaders and others that are passionate about building a better food system.

On February 6, filmmaker and author Josh Tickell will provide the keynote address, Activism and Regeneration. Michael Twitty, chef and author, will give the keynote presentation, Culinary Justice: Defining a Theory of Gastronomic Sovereignty, on February 7.

An extensive trade show features vendors and businesses that serve gardeners, farmers and sustainable agriculture professionals. There will be opportunities to talk with and purchase products or services from seed companies, small equipment manufacturers, soil amendment producers, marketing consultants, organic certifiers, extension agents, feed producers, government agencies, researchers and more.

The Future Farmers mini-conference educates and entertains children while their parents attend the main event. Children from kindergarten through eighth grade can enjoy a wide range of activities developed to increase their understanding of farming, nutrition and sustainability.

Workshare program opportunities are open to all, beginning in December and extending until after the conference in February. Participants can reduce their conference registration costs in exchange for lending a helping hand by trading between four and 12 hours of work.

Scholarship support, which is open to aspiring farmers and current farmers of all experience levels, is also available.

“Farmer attendees operate at scales that run the gamut from urban farms and market gardens to farms that span several thousand acres, and everywhere in-between,” explains Melissa Cipollone, PASA communications strategist. “No matter your experience level or agricultural interests, you’ll be able to pack your schedule with valuable sessions that help hone your craft and advance your cause.”

Cost varies. Location: 25 S. Queen St., Lancaster. To register, call 814-349-9856 or visit pasafarming.org/conference. See ad, page 11.

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community spotlight

Dr. Tracy DeGreen Creating Community Through Patient Advocacy

by Gisele Rinaldi Siebold

W

hen faced with a diagnosis of cancer, having Dr. Hyatt P. DeGreen III (Tracy) as a medical oncologist and advocate means a person does not have to face the challenges of a lifealtering disease alone.

Tracy is a firm believer in spending adequate time with and advocating consistently for patients and their family members at his practice, Lancaster Cancer Center (LCC). “I am devoted to arming every patient and their loved ones with education, support and the best care and treatment available,” he shares. “It’s my life’s work and the history of our practice.”

Tracy earned his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and served as Chief Intern at Mount Sinai Medical Center,

in Miami Beach, Florida. He completed his residency in internal medicine, as well as his fellowship in hematology and oncology, at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

While Tracy attended medical school, his father, Dr. H. Peter DeGreen II, Emeritus and LCC founder, often spoke with him about patient care. “My dad told me that patients need advocates,” he says.

“It didn’t make sense to me while I was in school but it makes sense to me now that I have experienced walking the journey with many patients.”

Tracy has dedicated his practice to devoting attention to each person as an individual, always looking at them as a person first and not entirely as a patient.

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an expedition. Similar to a geographical map or a course of study, available treatment exists,” he explains. “However, the puzzle lies in navigating a path for each individual in order to provide superior care and customized treatment options for the particular form of cancer being dealt with, whether someone is coming in for an initial diagnosis, a second opinion, treatment or follow-up care.”

Listening to Tracy talk about his life’s work illuminates how much he and his team are devoted to ensuring that from the time people enter the doors of the center, they feel uplifted and part of the LCC family. He and his team help people navigate not only hematological and oncological treatments but also other facets of their journey.

Founded in 1994, The Healing Journey Foundation, led by Tracy’s wife, Melinda DeGreen, is a nonprofit organization developed from the LCC’s vision to provide “care beyond treatment”. “Our team of oncologists treats the disease organically. The Healing Journey Foundation provides mental and emotional support in many forms for patients and their families, such as yoga, aromatherapy and opportunities to gather in fellowship as a community,” explains Tracy. “Patients see each other outside of the chemotherapy room where bonds of friendship are created and strengthened. Programs are designed to educate, inspire and empow-

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The history of caring provided by Tracy often results in patients referring other patients to him. Recently, a patient nominated him for a Pro Webe humanitarian award through HealthBeMe. HealthBeMe defines Pro Webes as “the healthcare professionals who are also ‘pro-webe’; meaning these are the people who go above and beyond to make us feel ‘human’ in our healthcare experience. These people are knowledgeable, they are compassionate, they listen, they prepare and they genuinely treat you with the utmost ‘care’. These people are rare in today’s health care… that is why we must salute, honor, shoutout those who are really working hard to make our lives better in every possible way.”

“I was honored to receive the Pro Webe humanitarian award and filled with gratitude to learn that the work that I am doing, along with my dedicated staff, is making a difference in people’s lives,” shares Tracy. “We have created a very special, small local community, built upon the highest standards of humanity, dignity and care. Knowing that our patients feel empowered, supported and truly cared for lifts us up and motivates us to dedicate our lives to the work that we do each and every day.”

The Lancaster Cancer Center is located in the Greenfield Corporate Center, at 1858 Charter Lane, Ste. 202, in Lancaster. For more information, call 717-291-1313 or visit LancasterCancerCenter.com. See ad, page 5.

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19

community spotlight

Radiance Local Shop Illuminates Intentional Inspiration

by Gisele Rinaldi Siebold

A

cozy, warm, inviting space, just a few steps up from a cobblestone walk in downtown Lancaster, Radiance takes visitors into its cocoon of loveliness. Filled with fair trade world crafts, wearable art, devotional and organic items, products handmade by women, jewelry, clothing, organic herbs and herbal products, personal altar items and herbal and spirituality books, all items are intentionally chosen by owner and community herbalist, Sarah Preston and her daughter, Kara Kriner.

“We are intentional in having the shop be a safe, peaceful place where members of the community feel welcome,” she shares.

“And, we are also intentional about the products and items that

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Lancaster-Berks

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we offer for sale. We believe artisans should be paid a fair wage for their work, and the beauty of the creative process that made the item is recognized and celebrated through the sale of the item.

Our shop is filled with many different types of goods that are helpful, practical, useful, beautiful and inspiring.”

Helpful, practical, useful, beautiful and inspiring classes and workshops are also offered in the classroom space just beyond a doorway that houses the Full Circle Susquehanna ecofeminist library. Classes in art, meditation, yoga, herbs, Goddess spirituality, shamanism, tarot and reiki are offered. Special events and workshops include regular kirtans, small concerts, Dances of Universal Peace, vibrational sound therapy, vision board creation and much more.

The space provides a place for the community to gather, something that brings Preston much joy. “Knowing that members of our local community and surrounding communities find their way to Radiance fills us up with positive energy,” she enthuses.

“We have worked diligently over the years to create a place where people feel like they matter; where they can come to relax and spend time in our library or enjoy a therapeutic massage or reiki session; experience an herbal consultation to help them along their wellness journey; and meet like-minded friends who welcome connection.”

Being in her presence makes it clear that gathering together to form a strong community is something that means a great deal to Preston. The class and event offerings are also brought with intention because she and her staff are mindful of what visitors and customers are passionate about learning and doing.

“We enjoy the classes and workshops we offer, and we are happy that others enjoy them as well. Our approach has been to offer experiences that teach and encourage because we respect where participants are as they travel on their individual journeys. Collectively, we join together to inspire and be inspired,” says Preston.

Radiance is located at 13 W. Grant St., in Lancaster. For more information, call 717-290-1517 or visit HerbsFromTheLabyrinth.com. See ad, page 32.

Franzii/Shutterstock.com

THE EMERGING POWER OF ‘WE’ Awakening to the Evolution of Community

Z

en master Thich Nhat Hanh’s suggestion that the next Buddha would likely not take form as an individual but rather as a sangha, a community practicing mindful living, led many people to ask, “Why a community?” The author of more than 100 books that explore the Buddha’s core teachings on mindfulness, kindness and compassion, Hanh clarified the meaning of sangha as a good community necessary for helping individuals learn how to encounter life in the present moment, resist the unwholesome ways of our time, go in the direction of peace and nourish seeds of enlightenment. Even the best intentions, he noted, can falter without such a group of trusted family, friends and co-practitioners experiencing mindfulness together.

A Migration to Forming Community

Today’s trend toward collaborative processes and opportunities for transformation through online communities is made easier by the availability of affordable video conferencing providers such as Zoom, Skype and Mighty Networks, as well as online platforms like Facebook and MeetUp.

by Linda Sechrist Although many groups form for marketing, political, civic or social purposes—allowing participants to share values and common interests—thousands more gather as online intentional communities associated with personal growth and spiritual awakening.

Myriad individuals have been able to experience some aspect of community through international organizations such as MindValley, Hay House, the Shift Network and Dr. Deepak Chopra’s Jiyo, a wellness-focused mobile app intended to extend the reach of his ideas on health and social transformation from millions of people to more than 1 billion.

In MeetUp, spiritual awakening groups recently comprised 1,113,972 members in 3,631 groups worldwide. Additionally, co-housing communities, spiritual residential communities and eco-villages continue to form around the intention of designing and implementing pathways to a regenerative future.

The Old Story Versus the New Story

The increased interest in intentional communities may hint at a possibility that the

human desire for community might be nature’s evolutionary nudge toward a collective leap that helps us to survive a changing climate and Earth’s potential sixth mass extinction. If so, this possibility needs a new supportive story that includes humans as part of nature, with its evolutionary impulse as a guide for body, mind and soul.

With our modern scientific worldview, when people talk about nature, they typically mean animals, plants, geological features and natural processes, all happening independently of humans. A more suitable new story is cultural historian Thomas Berry’s moving and meaningful narrative in The Great Work: Our Way Into the Future, in which humans aren’t above nature by virtue of superior intellect, but instead are equal partners with all that exists in a materially and spiritually evolving universe. From Berry’s perspective, humans are the eyes, minds and hearts through which the cosmos is evolving so that it can come to know itself ever more perfectly through us.

Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell shared Berry’s perspective. Traveling back to Earth after walking upon the lunar surface, Mitchell gazed out of the spacecraft December 2019

21

Let your inner child come out to play!

window, whereupon he was flooded with an ecstatic awareness. “I was a part of the universe I was observing, and I became aware that everything that exists is part of one intricately interconnected whole,” recounts Mitchell, who founded the groundbreaking Institute of Noetic Sciences to explore the nature of human consciousness.

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Seijaku Roshi, the abbot and founder of the Pine Wind Zen Community, aptly named for its location in a pine forest in Shamong, New Jersey, advises, “People are searching and hungering for community, which is number one on my agenda. If we aren’t talking about community, we’re squandering the moment.

Whether it’s an evolutionary nudge or not, it appears that our tragic world situation is pushing us towards an alternative vision for living a meaningful life that meets the needs of people, society and the environment. We are awakening to the fact we’re interconnected, interdependent and need community, which is the spirit and guiding light whereby people come together to fulfill a purpose, to help others fulfill their purpose and to take care of one another.”

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Craig Hamilton, the guiding force behind the movement known as Integral Enlightenment, is the founder of the telecourse training program Academy for Evolutionaries. His spiritual guidance and teachings reach a growing international online community spanning 50 countries. “Transforming ourselves in the deepest possible way is, in fact, an evolutionary imperative, and we need to be able to identify the indicators of emergent shifts and participate creatively with change as an evolutionary force. Evolution up to this point has been playing out unconsciously. We’re now waking up and realizing that we can collaborate and participate in an emerging future.”

Hamilton’s experience is that where humans awake to the one that is expressed through the many, they also begin to engage together. “Practicing community isn’t as simple as it seems. In online communities, a lot less can go wrong. The stakes aren’t as high. People come and go, share and engage as they like.”

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A Community of Sisterhood

Laurie McCammon, author of Enough!

How to Liberate Yourself and Remake the World with Just One Word, feels certain that humans are evolving. “We were last to the party with our big brains, and now we’re trying to intellectualize our way to an uncertain future without important feminine values such as feeling, intuiting, nurturing, interdependency and vulnerability,” says McCammon, who is deeply involved in the circle movement, in which women gather in small groups to empower each other.

A regular participant in Gather the Women Global Matrix, a worldwide sisterhood that connects thousands of women sharing meaningful conversations and celebrating the divine feminine with the intention of bringing about personal and planetary transformation through cooperation and collaboration, McCammon says, “No one of us can bring about large-scale transformation alone. It’s time to tell the new story wherein our lives and actions demonstrate that together we are enough.

Non-hierarchical circles that encourage authentic communication are part of this new story.”

Citing other important circle communities such as Tree Sisters and The Millionth Circle, McCammon suggests that women tap into The Divine Feminine app, which allows them to find circle communities and events anywhere in the world.

Co-Creating With the Intelligence of Nature

Teacher and futurist Peter Russell writes books that are focused on consciousness and contemporary spirituality. His lectures help humans free themselves of limited beliefs and attitudes that belie many of humanity’s personal, social and global problems. The author of The Global Brain: The Awakening Earth in a New Century, Russell posits that the evolutionary process naturally draws humans together. “Humans are social creatures that need community, which I find very energizing,” says Russell, who cites the Findhorn Foundation eco-village, in Scotland, as a dynamic experiment in community.

“Although residents went through hard times, they recognized the need for

The Collective Wisdom of Community

An uncertain future is emerging, making it necessary for new and more intuitive methods and spiritual practices for developing collective wisdom, human potential and the skills for practicing community. “I’m in the process of finalizing 118 chapters from 90 different authors for a Collaborative Change Library: Transforming Organizations, Revitalizing Communities, Developing Human Potential,” says associate editor Carole Gorelick, who clarifies that spiritual practices are now playing a part in bringing about collaborative change. She notes that several chapters are updated versions of The Change Handbook: The Definitive Resource on Today’s Best Methods for Engaging Whole Systems (2007 second edition), which included modalities such as World Café, Open Space Technology, Art of Hosting, Appreciative Inquiry and many others.

A living handbook for developing human potential and the skills to practice community, Fred Eppsteiner has been teaching Buddhism for 23 years. A student of Hanh’s since the 1960s, he is the founder of the Florida Community of Mindfulness, in Tampa. Eppsteiner sums up why the next Buddha could be a community: “A better future will be created by people who are living the values they want for the world, not just abstractly using only the intellect. In community, we ask ourselves, ‘Can I be what I want to see in the world?

Can I practice these things mindfully in community with love, acceptance, deep listening, compassion and kindness?’ These are values that every Buddha has lived for centuries, and certainly ones we need to evolve from a culture of, ‘It’s all about me’ to a culture of, ‘It’s all about we’.”

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honest communication so they could attune to one another in loving ways that would allow everyone to work through their difficulties. Today, life at Findhorn is guided by the inner voice of spirit, and residents work in co-creation with the intelligence of nature,” he says.

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Linda Sechrist is a senior staff writer for Natural Awakenings. Connect at LindaSechrist.com.

December 2019

23

Interwoven Local Communities Uplift and Empower

by Gisele Rinaldi Siebold

W

ithin a three-dimensional human being lies an intricate connection of body, mind and spirit that is unique. As individuals, we share threads of life with others, weaving the fabric of small groups, which then have the opportunity to gather and form a multicolored, woven tapestry that becomes a larger community.

The Lancaster-Berks Pennsylvania Natural Awakenings community is a good example of this model of community formation. Individuals and small groups from the disciplines of local farming, healthy foods, yoga, fitness, holistic health and wellness, body work, energy work, spiritual growth, self-awareness and the arts have collectively formed a larger and loosely connected community that supports and serves the collective good of the group and the public community at large.

The Farming Community brings the goodness of the earth to the table. Regenerating the soil and offering a nutrientdense bounty, local farmers take their role seriously. Striving to care for the land, the

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animals, those working in the fields and those being fed, reverence for the process motivates the farming torch to be passed from one generation to another and inspires exploration for new farmers as well. Children are growing up in farming families, planting and growing the food they eat on urban plots, and in schoolyard and community gardens, understanding how delicious food tastes when it’s grown with their own hands in healthy soil.

For people who want to make a difference, the Rodale Institute, located in Kutztown, is an outlet for people in the region, and beyond, to be inspired. And it was created to be a resource for the public.

“We are trying to change the world, and we need partners to make that happen, so we welcome everyone—families, school groups, visitors, educators and farmers—to come and discover what we are all about,” explains Diana Martin, director of communications.

“The way we treat the soil is in reality the way we treat ourselves,” says Jeff Moy-

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er, chief executive officer. “We don’t have to feed people for 20 years or 50 years, we may need to feed people for 10,000 years, and we need to improve the health of the soil in order to do that.”

The Healthy Food Community works with local farmers and producers to provide the opportunity to purchase fresh, flavorful, in-season produce, dairy, seafood, eggs, meat and poultry. Eating fruits and vegetables in season brings an appreciation for the food’s authentic taste, eaten when it’s grown, quenching hunger and fueling the body’s desire to innately appreciate eating what each season provides.

“We care for the future of the Earth and its environment just as much as we care about the health and well-being of our customers,” says Patricia Haverstick, owner of Lemon Street Market, in Lancaster. “We strive to cultivate food, health and community.”

We cozy up in autumn and winter to soups, stews and chilis made with Pennsylvania-grown meats and veggies, crisped, roasted hearty greens and cobblers made with orchard apples and cherries, along with vine-ripened pumpkin pie. Succulent berries and lighter fare are enjoyed in spring and summer when they grow naturally. Our palates are excited to experience these seasonal items at their peak as the growing season calls for them.

“People hunger to have an experience of human interaction,” shares Sharon Landis, owner of Zest! specialty cooking store and cooking school, in Lititz. “Food brings us together.”

The Yoga Community ripples its life-changing offerings throughout all age groups. Through the practice of yoga, children, teens and adults are learning how poses build quiet, inner strength and patience, and how meditating and slowing down help us understand that being is worth as much, if not more to our wellness journey, as doing.

“Classical yoga emphasizes all of the tenets of a healthy lifestyle including balanced nutrition, body awareness, stress reduction and time-tested philosophies promoting mindfulness and kindness to others,” says Roberta Strickler, RYT-E-500 teacher of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda.

“Yoga is spirituality and relationship,” shares Dr. Sudha Allitt, co-founder and director of Kula Kamala Foundation & Yoga Ashram, in Reading. “When life, and the relationships held within that experience, is based on the practice of yoga, a more complete feeling of happiness, wholeness and wellness are experienced.”

The Fitness Community empowers us to find strength in choosing to move, whether at a Pilates studio, core training facility or open gym, taking part in barre, cycling or dance classes or by experiencing urban walking, rural exploration or forest bathing. With concerns about brain health making headlines, moving regularly circulates blood flow, encourages active participation and strengthens not only our bodies but our minds as well.

“We are a vibrant community with a passion for movement,” says Cara Dienner, co-owner of Elevate Fitness, in Akron.

“Regardless of body shape or size, moving with confidence strengthens us within, both physically and mentally.”

We’re uplifting our human selves with each breath and step we take moving forward, not because someone is telling us to get physically fit, but because it feels good to inhale deeply, exhale slowly, perspire readily and move freely.

The Wellness Community cares for the health of the body, mind and spirit and encourages us to set aside time to go inward for reflection and make connections with others in meaningful conversation. We’re setting down our devices and making eye contact. We’re growing our capacity for good by strengthening the bonds we have with one another. We’re caring about the human spirit as an amazing source of vibrance that can positively influence our health.

“Everything is energy, and every cell, every organ, every thought, every word, every layer of our energy field, our very being as a whole, all have their own healthy frequency,” explains Lana Ryder, sound and energy practitioner and owner of Soundwise Health. “Every part of every flower, every plant, every food, every place, all have their own healthy frequency.

When we understand that everything has frequency, we are able to make healthier choices with regard to what we hear, what we see or watch, what we will eat and drink, what we want in relationships and what we want to surround us.”

The Holistic Community is finding ways to uplift our health using nutrition, fitness and exercise, functional medicine, Ayurveda, herbs, naturopathic medicine, halotherapy and ways to boost the immune system. Strengthening the foundation upon which all else is built and returning to nature suggests avenues to consider when looking to improve our health.

“As a community, the more we understand about how we get nutrition from the foods we eat and how to further our own knowledge of what our bodies need to thrive, the more likely we are to be able to make educated decisions regarding our health care, and the healthier we’ll be,” shares Jeannie Peck, traditional naturopath, licensed health professional and owner of Health By Design, in Leola.

The Bodywork Community is shining light upon the healing power of touch through massage, reiki, Eden Energy Medicine, physical therapy, Traditional Chinese acupuncture, CranioSacral therapy, reflexology and other forms of therapy.

Health benefits abound and relaxation is a welcome side effect.

“Combining ancient practices with contemporary scientific understanding enables application to physical and emotional issues, promoting joyful living and wellness,” shares Deb Gallagher, registered nurse, certified Eden Energy Practitioner and owner of Restore Your Energy, in Lancaster.

The Spiritual Community supports learning through story or past experiences of ourselves and others in order to strengthen relationships and deepen connections. “I find it so exciting that communities of spirituality and faith are exploring how ancient wisdom and practices connect within and across faith traditions,” says David Peck, the parish priest at Saint James Church in downtown Lancaster.

From regenerative farming to sound journey meditations, the communities that intersect through Natural Awakenings magazine create strong, real, creative connections that are life-changing and sustainable. Respect and gratitude for the Earth, its land and ecosystems and the people who are walking the journey together in our surrounding areas has created overflowing love.

A community brimming with love sows the seeds of positivity and strength for a new dawning, a renewed sense of hope, the possibility of a brighter tomorrow. By uplifting ourselves and opening up to display our brightest threads of positivity, we find the strength, courage and motivation to reach out and uplift our fellow weavers as we unfurl the tapestry of community that we are all so capable of creating. It is in this uncovering that we shine the light on the darkness and illuminate our capacity for amazingness.

December 2019

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wise words

Surgeon Mary Neal on Lessons From Heaven

by Kajsa Nickels

I

n 1999, while kayaking on the Fuy River in Chile, orthopedic surgeon Mary Neal became trapped beneath a waterfall and drowned.

She was underwater for 30 minutes before the current pulled her out. During that time, Neal experienced what she believes to be a miraculous event in which she penetrated the veil dividing the physical and spiritual worlds. There, she was told that it was not yet her time, and of the future death of her eldest son, a prediction that was fulfilled 10 years later. The experience gave her a new perspective on the purpose of our Earthly existence and life after death.

She has since written two books on the subject: To Heaven and Back: A Doctor’s

Extraordinary Account of Her Death, Heaven, Angels and Life Again; and 7 Lessons from Heaven: How Dying Taught Me to Live a Joy-Filled Life. Her life-altering experience prompted her to pay more attention to those things that are truly important: faith, family and relationships with other human beings. She lives with her family in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where she continues to mend broken bones.

How do you think your medical background makes you uniquely qualified to speak on near-death experiences (NDE)?

I am a very concrete thinker and analyze everything. Being a doctor also gave me

access to many resources that the common person would not. I spent many months researching scientific and medical literature to try to come up with a logical explanation of what had happened to me. I was forced to conclude that my experience fell outside of the parameters of both science and medicine. I could not find any examples to disprove what happened, especially when the predicted death of my oldest son came to pass.

What was the most profound moment of your experience?

It’s hard to pinpoint the most profound moment of the entire experience, but what impacted me most was the realization that God is real, and He is present to each and every one of us every moment of our daily lives. I realized to the depths of my soul that all God’s promises are true, not just wishful thinking or a vague hope.

How has your NDE made you a better wife, mother and medical professional?

You can’t have an NDE without having your entire life changed. When you realize that there is more to life than what you can see with your physical eyes, it changes your entire perspective on every moment of every day. The things we say and the things we do create a ripple effect that spreads beyond the boundaries of our human sight. Love

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is ultimately the only thing that matters, to reflect love to the world and other people.

I was a “good person” before my NDE, but I now see differently. I see that each human being is incredibly loved, and that we are all one: We are them, and they are us.

Everything else in the world is secondary to God’s love and presence in our lives.

How is your approach to everyday life different than it was prior to your NDE?

I am able to be entirely present in every moment of my life. I can experience deep and abiding joy regardless of my circumstances. I am able to trust that grace covers my past, that there is life after death and a plan for my life. No matter what is happening, even if it is terrible, beauty will come out of it. Most people are trapped in regrets of the past and worry about the future.

With complete trust in God, I am able to fully have joy in each and every moment.

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Why do you believe heaven is written in our hearts?

As a scientist, I firmly believe that we are created beings with physical bodies and spiritual souls. I believe that our spiritual self remembers heaven and remembers joy. Part of our journey here on Earth is to rediscover our connection with God. As adults, we often feel that we have to choose between science and spiritualism. The truth is that they coexist, answering questions in different ways.

Kajsa Nickels is a freelance author who lives in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Connect at fideleterna45@gmail.com.

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Is Your Mattress The Problem?

How to get a good night's sleep, without harmful chemicals

T

ake this quiz:

1. do you have back pain when you wake up?

2. Neck pain? Stiffness or soreness?

3. does it take you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep?

4. do you experience restless sleep? Toss and turn at night?

If you answered “yes” two times or more, this may be the most important article you read all year.

Here’s why…

While you sleep, your immune system recovers and prepares for the day ahead. It replenishes every cell in your body.

Low-quality, uncomfortable mattresses have been linked to discomfort and pain, which can prevent quality sleep.

People who struggle with sleep deprivation may suffer from irritability, depression, over-eating— and even face a higher risk for Alzheimer’s.

If your mattress is filled with chemical toxins, airborne allergens, or worse, your body is doing battle with those things rather than repairing itself. You’re losing valuable energy each night instead of healing your body and revitalizing your mind.

And all of that can wreak havoc on your health and well being.

What’s In Your Mattress?

The following information may be disturbing to some. That’s because the Environmental Protection Agency has identified at least four possibly dangerous chemicals commonly found in some synthetic mattresses— benzene, propane, naphthalene and styrene—especially bedding made in China and overseas, where such governing agencies do not exist.

Consider these facts: ● Typical mattresses made from artificial materials are known to emit potentially harmful gases in your bedroom—a phenomenon known as off-gassing. ● Laboratory researchers in the U.S. and Europe have identified up to 61 potentially harmful chemicals that off-gas from typical synthetic mattresses. ● Exposure to these 61 chemicals has been associated with irritation of the skin, eyes and digestive systems. ● Additionally, the chemicals offgassed by synthetic mattresses have been associated with headache, fatigue, depression and even hearing loss. ● Your skin, the most porous entry point into your body, has contact with a mattress for 8 hours every night, on average.

● Children, who breathe faster than adults, are especially vulnerable to chemical exposure.

Every night, we lie down with minimal clothing for a seemingly good night’s sleep. But in reality, while lying on a conventional mattress, we are breathing in and absorbing through our skin a range of chemicals from synthetic materials—chemicals that can disrupt our sleep cycles and negatively impact our health. our mattresses emit gases from a toxic brew of components used to create them. From the polyurethane foam used in the padding to fire retardants and other additives, conventional mattresses continue to release chemicals in gaseous form long after they roll out of the factory.

Even after they have finished off-gassing, the chemically based construction of a conventional mattress provides an ideal environment for dust and dust mites, whose excrement is the #1 trigger for asthma attacks.

And get this. You know those white labels on a mattress that say, “do Not remove”? Incredibly, the law actually allows manufacturers to include potentially hazardous chemicals in your mattress without disclosing the fact on any label.

But if a true list of ingredients were available for conventional mattresses, it would likely include TDI (a common component), a known carcinogen, which can cause respiratory ailments such as bronchitis and asthma.

In addition, liver damage and breathing problems have been linked to vinyl chloride monomers, another common mattress material.

The list goes on. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that you would be given information about any of these chemicals from a manufacturer of conventional, synthetic mattresses.

The Natural Alternative

one of the most significant actions we can take to reduce our exposure to toxins and improve our overall health is to make changes to the one household item that is in direct contact with our bodies for one third of our lives—our mattresses.

“There are more ways than ever to sleep better and wake up painfree on a natural, organic mattress,” says Ben McClure, president of

Gardner’s Mattress & More, in Lancaster, PA. “Many people, like me, are in search of a natural sleep system. I was shocked to learn that toxic emissions from mattresses are a major source of daily pollution in our lives,” says McClure.

An all-natural, organic mattress is free of potentially harmful chemicals. Instead, natural materials like natural rubber are used. Rubber is naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, making it ideal for allergy sufferers.

Also, natural rubber is antimicrobial, inhibiting the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew, which can cause asthma and respiratory distress. No synthetic materials are added to provide these benefits.

“All rubber used in our natural mattresses is from the sap of a rubber tree, which can yield rubber for up to 30 years. When a tree is done producing rubber, it is taken down and turned into furniture. A new tree is then planted in its place, thus making natural rubber a sustainable bedding component,” says McClure.

What’s the difference between an organic mattress and a conventional one? “Organic mattresses are crafted from natural materials. Conventional mattresses are made mostly of artificial materials from nonrenewable sources, such as plastic and other petrochemicals,” says McClure.

Do organic mattresses come in different firmness? “Yes, there are two main types of organic mattresses: Natural rubber and inner-spring. Both styles are available with varying firmness options to suit anyone’s sleep needs,” says McClure.

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Dream Room, where you can spend 15 minutes to 4 hours resting or even sleeping on a mattress, with 100% sanitary linens, blankets and pillows so people can truly ‘test drive” any natural bedding,” says McClure.

3. Protect yourself by insisting on a strong guarantee. “I know people are tired of sleeping on a worn-out, chemical-laden mattress.

That’s why we give every customer a 120 night Wake Up Happy Comfort Guarantee to exchange if it doesn’t deliver the sleep you want,” says McClure.

If you’re not sleeping well or you’re worried about toxic chemicals in your bedroom, consider this: The two things in life you spend the most time on are work and sleep. How much of your remaining hours on earth do you want to waste losing sleep on an uncomfortable, chemical-laden mattress? That’s a question that many are asking.

Now Explore Your Options

“To help Natural Awakenings readers make the right choices, we’re offering a package of 4 Free Gifts for a limited time,” says McClure.

Readers may bring this article to the Gardner’s Mattress & More location to see the latest natural organic sleep systems and claim the following gifts: FREE Gift #1: All-Natural Rubber Pillow ($40 value). You get this just for visiting the store. There’s no obligation to buy anything. Here’s why this is important: A good pillow is essential to your health, because it can gently support you in a healthy sleep position while providing comfort to your neck and shoulders.

Doctors and chiropractors agree—nearly all neck and back problems are made worse by

What To Look For

When researching natural, organic mattresses, look at these areas: 1. Visit a store that carries the top certified natural and organic brands including Naturepedic, Posh + Lavish, Hypnos, Gold Bond and iAdjust.

“Each of these manufacturers crafts bedding that is safe and sustainable,” McClure recommends.

2. Try out a new mattress for at least 15 minutes. Lie down in various positions, to simulate a night of sleep.

Look for a store that offers a clean pillow to test out. “We offer the only

improper sleeping habits and bad or worn-out pillows. The All-Natural Pillow, reserved and waiting for you, is filled with soft, 100% natural rubber.

Fact: About 10% of the weight of a 2-year-old pillow is actually dust mite droppings—excrement. With one big exception: Dust mites hate natural rubber pillows, like the one waiting for you to pick up at Gardner’s. (Ask why when you visit—the answer will surprise you!)

FREE Gift #2: Natural Mattress Guide ($9.95 value).

Inside, you’ll discover little-known facts about how men and women are sleeping better on Natural and Organic Mattresses—waking up energized and more productive— and why ignoring problems with your current mattress can lead to depression, permanent health problems, and even damage family relationships.

FREE Gift #3: "Good Night" Sleep Mask ($9.95 value). Here’s a natural way to fall asleep faster and wake up feeling better! The “Good Night” Sleep Mask helps create a state of pure darkness by keeping light away from your eyes. Get the restful, relaxing sleep you need, without pills.

FREE Gift #4: $200 Savings Voucher, good toward the purchase of any Natural Organic Mattress in our store. This special $200 discount is not available to the general public. It’s only for you, as a reader of Natural Awakenings.

“To see the difference that natural and organic sleep systems have made in people’s lives is nothing short of miraculous,” says McClure.

Freelance writer Kevin Donlin is based in Minneapolis.

FREE READER’S GIFTS As a reader of Natural Awakenings, you are entitled to 4 FREE GIFTS by visiting our store and answering three simple questions. Bring this coupon (code: LB1219) to Gardner’s Mattress & More to receive: • • • •

FREE Gift #1: All-Natural Rubber Pillow ($60 value); 2nd is 50% off!

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Bring this coupon to the store at 830 Plaza Blvd. in Lancaster (behind Park City Mall, next to VanScoy Jewelers). There’s no obligation to buy anything -just answer three simple questions. Your Readers’ Gifts expire Dec. 31, 2019.

Gardner’s Mattress & More - 830 Plaza Blvd., Lancaster, PA 17601 Phone: 717-299-6228 - Online: www.GardnersMattressAndMore.com

business spotlight

Lancaster Creative Reuse Connecting Community Excess to Those Who Can Use It Creatively

by Ava Hampton

L

ancaster Creative Reuse started nine years ago as a community resource center and has contributed to a more vibrant art scene in various ways, including the addition of the thrift store. According to director Susan Zeran, adding the thrift store to an ever-changing society features cost savings, with an emphasis on reusing and donating, connecting the community and helping artists with inexpensive materials, and it’s another way to spark creativity.

Donated materials from around the Lancaster area are sold for 40 percent off the retail value. At nearly half the cost of purchasing items in a traditional arts and crafts store, the materials are extremely affordable to all audiences and also encourages the surrounding community to donate before recycling or throwing

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materials away.

“We connect with the community, encouraging the benefits of reusing and inspiring creativity,” explains Zeran. “We welcome all. If you are a teacher buying supplies for your class, an artist looking for supplies for a work-in-progress, a child or an adult, you are welcome to come and craft.”

The wide variety of materials includes broken mirrors, paper, stamps, yarn, postindustrial materials, party materials, tiles and anything considered to be art supplies. While customers browse the shop for materials, the open craft table inspires and invites them to stay and allows them to create on-site.

“Some may call it trash from cleaning up or clearing out practice pieces, projects that were halfway done or that were only

NALancaster.com | NABerks.com

just started,” she says. “But donating your unwanted items to a secondhand shop like Lancaster Creative Reuse allows for our customers and community to find inspiration and love in these items, just as you once intended with said materials.

“If someone would like to donate, whether they are downsizing, moving or just clearing out, please do not hesitate to visit our webpage at LancasterCreative Reuse.org and click the link titled ‘How and When Do I Donate to LCR’,” she enthuses. “All unwanted materials are wanted at Lancaster Creative Reuse.

Trash is not trash until you trash it.”

The use of donated materials will also be featured at the open craft table during regular store hours. At Lancaster Creative Reuse, “All are welcome,” is emphasized.

“With more donations coming in, along with volunteers from the community helping out at the store, there is no doubt that creativity will flourish within Lancaster,” shares Zeran.

Lancaster Creative Reuse is located at 1865 Lincoln Highway East, in Lancaster. For more information, call 717-617-2977. See ad, page 46.

Ava Hampton is a student intern from Conestoga Valley High School with Natural Awakenings, Lancaster-Berks magazine.

fit body

Robert Kneschke/Shutterstock.com

Many people have found that a regular breathing practice has helped them increase energy and decrease anxiety. ~Rachael Walter

INHALING THE JOY OF LIFE

Conscious Breathwork

O

by Marlaina Donato

ur first breath is instinctual and belly-deep, but as we grow into life, everyday stress and trauma can bring us into the shallows. Mindful breathing can help guide our breath back to its original, healthy rhythm. Both the brain and organs benefit from increased oxygen, and the vagus nerve that connects the two—prompted by changes in the body’s pH

levels—releases acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter responsible for lowering heart rate.

Breathwork can improve vagal tone, a major component in a wide range of conditions like depression, pain syndromes, sleep disturbances, anxiety disorders and chronic inflammation. A 2016 study by the Medical University of South Carolina published in the journal BMC Complementary

and Alternative Medicine shows a lower number of proteins associated with inflammation in the saliva of participants that employed breathing exercises. A study that appeared in the journal Psychophysiology in 2015 found that 20 minutes of mindful breathing at bedtime fostered a good night’s rest for people with insomnia.

Breathing Breaks

From traditional rebirthing techniques using circular breathing to Middendorf Breath Work for somatic awareness, there are many styles of conscious breathing.

The gentler approaches best suit everyday needs and taking a breathing break can actually provide more refreshment than one featuring coffee.

“Many people have found that a regular breathing practice has helped them increase energy and decrease anxiety. It is a powerful tool to reset the nervous system when we’re overwhelmed and stressed,” says Somatic Breath Therapy (SBT) practitioner Rachael Walter, owner of Breathe-HereNow, in Keene, New Hampshire. Like many forms of breathwork, SBT bridges the chasm between mind and body. “Conscious breathing can also help people access and understand their emotions,” notes Walter.

Pranayama, an ancient technique of yoga that focuses on breath control and employs alternate nostril breathing, can be performed while lying down, seated or on the yoga mat. Kundalini yoga teacher Melissa Crowder, owner of 4 States Yoga, in

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Joplin, Missouri, advises students to start out slowly, three to six minutes a day, and then work up to a longer practice. “Alternate nostril breathing is a great practice for everyone.

As little as six minutes of yogic breathing, as needed, can make a profound difference in decreasing pain and stress,” she says.

and in turn, presses upon the stomach and helps to churn the gastric juices. For this reason, it can aid earlier stages of digestion.”

When used in conjunction with other modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy, diaphragmatic breathing might be beneficial for irritable bowel syndrome.

Belly Benefits

Breathing Into Feelings

The American Lung Association recommends a variety of exercises, including diaphragmatic (belly) breathing, for conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Engaging the diaphragm is key in breathing to fullest capacity.

Walter explains, “An open, healthy breath is one in which we use the diaphragm to initiate the breath, followed by the belly expanding and the breath moving into the chest.”

Most of us unconsciously fall into shallow and sometimes self-conscious breathing patterns at an early age. “During my training, I read that by age 6, we pick up on cues telling us to tuck in our tummies.

This simple, bad habit begins a cascade of physiological responses. Upper chest breathing can create anxiety symptoms and poor digestion,” explains Colleen Breeckner, owner of Colleen Lila Yoga, in New York City. “Diaphragmatic breathing causes the diaphragm to become flat and wide,

The depth and quality of the breath can help us to become aware of emotional states that include “holding patterns”. “Conscious breathing is a doorway into deep meditation, which can help alleviate anger and insecurities. It can also be helpful in dropping addictions,” says Crowder. “Linking pranayama with physical movement [asanas] helps to release tension and emotions that can be held in the body’s soft tissues.”

Breeckner agrees, “Developing this awareness can help us to move unpleasant and stuck emotions through the body.”

Well-being can be just a breath away, says Walter. “When we open up our breath, we open ourselves to a fuller experience of being human. It has the capacity to bring us into the present moment to access our joy and our life’s purpose.”

Marlaina Donato is an author and a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

Noteworthy Breathwork Styles Clarity Breathwork: Developed from the groundwork of Leonard Orr, with a focus on accessing the subconscious mind for self-awareness Holotropic Breathwork: Developed by psychiatrist Stanislav Grof, M.D., and his wife Christina and employs deep, rapid breathing to initiate an altered state of consciousness; training in the Grof method is required Integral Breath Therapy: Gentle technique for an altered state of consciousness that works with the body’s natural healing capacity Middendorf Breath Work: Named after German-born Ilse Middendorf, a gentle technique that does not include forcing the breath to promote healing Rebirthing Breathwork: Pioneering and well-known form of breathwork that was also developed by Orr with a focus on releasing unconscious energy blocks imprinted during the birth process Shamanic Breathwork: Uses specific breathing methods, chakras or energy centers, music and movement to overcome emotional blocks for deep-level healing Transformational Breath: Developed by Dr. Judith Kravitz using uninterrupted breathing, Kundalini yoga and other elements of physical and energetic healing; recommended by Dr. Christine Northrup and Dr. Deepak Chopra 32

Lancaster-Berks

NALancaster.com | NABerks.com

Go-to Breathing Exercises From Rachael Walter: The Three-Breath Sigh Place one hand on your lower belly and the other on your chest. Breathing in through your nose, let your breath start in the belly and move up to the chest. Then exhale through your mouth while making an audible sighing sound.

Repeat two more times.

The Four-Eight Relaxing Breath Place one hand on your lower belly and the other on your chest. Using a belly breath, inhale to the count of four and exhale to the count of eight, making your exhale twice as long as your inhale to facilitate relaxation. Feel free to play with how fast or slow you count to find a comfortable breathing pace. Repeat for six to 10 times as needed.

Breath Walk This is an excellent exercise to do while at work, school or a public place to give your nervous system a break, even when the world is crazy-busy around you.

Walk at a slightly slower pace than normal and breathe in for one step; breathe out for the next step, counting three or four for each breath/step. Continue as you walk, being mindful of your breath, counting and surroundings.

For further inquiry, Melissa Crowder recommends these Kundalini yoga breaths: Shabad Kriya for promoting deep restful sleep Sitali Pranayama for lowering a fever or cooling off a hot temper

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Lancaster-Berks

by Yvette C. Hammett

he heaping platters that cheerfully mark the holidays have an unfortunate downside: Americans increase their waste by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The discarded food and packaging burden landfills with an additional 1 million tons of waste each week.

That’s in addition to the 40 percent of food Americans typically waste each year— nearly half of all the food prepared at home or in restaurants. Monica McBride, senior manager of food loss and waste for the World Wildlife Fund, notes that squandered bounty is grown in areas that were converted from natural habitat into farm fields, so it’s also a waste of natural resources.

“Once you start cooking, you realize the impact on the planet,” says chef and caterer Steven Laurence, owner of Vegan Commissary, in Philadelphia. “My grandmother was the kind of person who, if there was one pea left over, she put it in a container and someone ate it the next day. That kind of informs my cooking. The way I was trained, you didn’t waste anything. You used everything.”

In individual households, small changes can have a big impact, especially during the holidays; all it takes is awareness

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and a plan. Frugal cooks can make room for a holiday waste reduction strategy by taking inventory of the pantry and boxing up a load for the local soup kitchen or food bank.

Then, design a menu with the environment in mind, using portion control to avoid food waste and whipping up dishes that can easily be upcycled into new creations that can be used as appetizers in the coming days or tucked in the freezer for future enjoyment.

Start with the Guest-imator at SaveTheFood.com, a great way to determine portions for a holiday party, says Cheryl Coleman, director of the EPA Resource Conservation and Sustainability Division in the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery.

The Guest-imator and Save the Food, a program of the Natural Resources Defense Council in conjunction with the Ad Council, tells cooks how much to make to keep guests happy and includes recipes for leftovers, such as Crispy Sheet Pan Hash, made with leftover roasted vegetables, and Ugly Vegetable Pasta, made with zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant.

Spoilage is another way food finds its way into the garbage can, and that too, can be avoided, Laurence says, pointing out that most food goes bad because it’s not cooked

properly or is mishandled in storage. “Mix animal protein with starches and grains in a container and it goes bad because of two different sorts of enzymes. It is a fuel for bacteria.” He also recommends using as many organic ingredients as possible for longer-lasting leftovers. “We guarantee all of our dishes for two weeks,” he says.

Encouraging visitors to take home leftovers is another effective food-saving strategy, says McBride. “Have Tupperware or to-go boxes you could provide to your guests.”

Reilly Brock, content manager at Imperfect Produce, in New York City, agrees. “Just like repurposing excess product requires creative thinking, food waste around the holidays requires outof-the-box ideas to keep impact low,” says Brock, whose company delivers imperfect produce to customers’ doors for a cost savings.

“Why end the fun when the meal ends? The best part about leftovers—and the holidays—is keeping the celebration going.”

“Also, make sure you keep food safe,” McBride says. “The CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] has a really great overview of how to do that for parties. Standard guidance is not to leave food out for more than two hours. So, as a party planner, make sure you mentally note when you put food out.”

Coleman recommends taking it a step beyond the holidays by joining a movement to cut food waste year-round. She suggests visiting FurtherWithFood.org to learn more. “Through that and additional outreach, we might be able to start to change,” says McBride.

Yvette C. Hammett is an environmental writer based in Valrico, Florida. Connect at YvetteHammett28@hotmail.com.

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What’s good for muscles is good for bones. wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com

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by Marlaina Donato

ur bones are the Osteoporosis can be menopause and if the bone density is very low, foundation that prevented, and I’ve but we can always make supports our seen many patients some improvements in bodies and the quality of our lives. Unlike the brick reverse osteoporosis. bone health. We need to assess diet, exercise, and mortar and bedrock ~Leat Kuzniar gastrointestinal health, of a building, the human hormones, medications, skeletal system is living pH and even stress levels.” tissue that breaks down and rebuilds; this constant remodeling demands much Synergy of Vitamins more than just taking an obligatory calcium supplement. and Minerals

Compromised bone health is most Walter Willett, M.D., chairman of the often associated with postmenopausal Department of Nutrition at the Harvard women, but it can also impact men and T.H. Chan School of Public Health, aryounger adults. Genetics, hormonal gues that the daily recommended 1,000changes and nutritional deficiencies can to-1,200 milligrams of calcium is based all foster bone loss. The National Oson inadequate studies, and advises half teoporosis Foundation reports that 44 that amount. million Americans have low bone density

Other minerals may play an equally and 10 million suffer from osteoporosis, critical role. The body robs calcium from the facing a high risk of fracture from this bones when blood levels of this vital mineral debilitating condition. fall too low; but taking a calcium supple Fortunately, it’s never too early or ment—especially without co-nutrients—can too late to do right by our bones. “Osteoincrease fracture risk. “Calcium supplemenporosis can be prevented, and I’ve seen tation is complex; more isn’t better. Vitamin many patients reverse osteoporosis,” says D is essential for calcium absorption, and Leat Kuzniar, a Nutley, New Jersey, natuvitamin K2 is essential for getting that calcium to your bones and keeping it out ropath. “It becomes more difficult after

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of your arteries,” Kuzniar says. Magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and potassium are also allies in calcium metabolism.

Vitamin C, too, is a key player in bone health, promoting collagen synthesis. Nutrient absorption relies on integrity of gut health, so opting for probiotics is a wise choice across the board.

Bone Up on Superfoods Optimally, the quest for stronger bones begins with a nutrientdense diet. “Plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, protein and some fats create a physiology in the body to support optimal bone health. Avoiding too much sodium and animal protein also helps,” says Mary Jane Detroyer, a New York Citybased nutritionist and certified dietitian. She underscores the importance of mineral-packed kale, collards, mustard greens, bok choy and broccoli, but warns against oxalate-laden spinach and chard, which inhibit calcium absorption. “Other calciumrich foods like tofu, edamame, yogurt, kefir and cheese are also good, as well as milk substitutes fortified with calcium.”

Omega-3-rich chia seeds, walnuts and other tree nuts are heavy hitters that boost both calcium absorption and collagen production essential for bone strength.

A 2016 Brazilian study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that a diet with excessive sweets and caffeinated beverages negatively impacts bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Soda consumption also amps up the risk of fractures. An analysis of female subjects spanning 30 years published in The American Journal of Clinical

Nutrition in 2014 reveals a 14 percent increased risk for fractures with each daily serving of soda, including diet beverages.

Get Moving High-impact activities like jumping rope and jogging build strong bones in our youth, but as we age, low-impact exercise is easier on the joints. Mayo Clinic recommendations include walking, gardening, dancing, stair-climbing and elliptical training.

Resistance also yields significant results. A 2018 Korean study published in the journal EnM reveals that exercise employing free weights, weight machines and elastic bands increases muscle and bone mass in both women and men. American College of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer Susie Hathaway, in Fairfield, Iowa, explains why. “What’s good for muscles is good for bones. When a muscle contracts, it gives a beneficial pull on the adjacent bones, stimulating the bone-building cells to be more active.”

Hathaway highlights safety and the importance of bearing weight on the feet. “Gravity is important for bone health. Weightbearing aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, provides a mild stimulus for your bones and helps slow down bone loss.”

Kuzniar reminds us that with the right care, our bones can carry us through life. “Once we know what factors are at play in the patient, we can address the underlying causes.”

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

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Stick with your favorite recipes that you know are going to be a success and are going to leave everyone’s taste buds happy. ~Pamela Reed

THE MERRY VEGAN

People-Pleasing Holiday Sweets

T

by Julie Peterson

he holidays may send too many sugar plums and frosted gingerbread figures dancing in the heads of people with dietary restrictions. Anyone that chooses to avoid highly processed flours or sugars, artificial ingredients and loads of butter will typically be presented with all of this and more at social gatherings this time of year. They arrive on visually appealing cookie platters that tempt with their cute shapes, vibrant colors and sparkle.

Some, like the gingerbread and reindeer cutouts, will beckon with glazed eyes: “Just one,” they whisper. But one can turn into nine and make someone that may normally avoid sugar or gluten feel bodily regrets. Someone that is vegan or allergic may feel they can’t have treats.

Making healthier choices about food is difficult for reasons many don’t understand. “People have relationships with food—involving family, comfort and traditions—and they don’t want to give that up,” says James Brandon, of Tampa, founder of Facebook’s Vegan and PlantBased Beginner’s Community. Brandon says that holiday treats are tough to resist, but staying true to health goals is most important in the long run.

The best defense to avoid frustration at social food events is to bring a dish to

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share that meets your dietary needs, says Megan Gilmore, the author of No Excuses Detox: 100 Recipes to Help You Eat Healthy Every Day and a blogger at Detoxinista. com. “That way, you can introduce something delicious to your friends, family or co-workers and be sure you’ll have something to eat!”

A batch of simple, delectable, visually appealing and healthful cookies can be that plate to share, a gift to give or something to keep on hand for guests. Keep the focus on simple, advises Pamela Reed, who blogs at BrooklynFarmGirl.com. There are plenty of recipes that will satisfy the sweet tooth and decorate the holiday buffet (until they’re all eaten, that is). Don’t increase holiday stress by trying a new recipe at the last minute.

“Stick with your favorite recipes that you know are going to be a success and are going to leave everyone’s taste buds happy,” she says.

Transitioning to a more conscious way of eating isn’t about deprivation or leaving tradition behind. Bring on the new and healthful cookie recipes and name one after your grandma.

Julie Peterson writes from her home in rural Wisconsin. Contact her at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.

Petrovich Nataliya/Shutterstock.com

conscious eating

Oh-So-Healthy Holiday Treats Peanut Butter Cookies (Vegan, Gluten Free)

photo by Pamela Reed

Yields: About 18 cookies 1 cup creamy peanut butter ½ cup coconut sugar ½ cup brown sugar 2 tsp vanilla ⅔ cup oat flour 1 tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt ¼ cup almond milk Additional sugar to roll cookies in Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, cream together peanut butter and sugars with a hand mixer. Once combined, add vanilla and continue mixing.

Add flour, baking soda, salt and almond milk into the bowl and mix for a few seconds, until combined. The cookie dough will be a little crumbly.

Prepare 2 cookie sheets with silicone baking sheets or spray with nonstick spray. Roll the dough into large balls, and then gently roll in sugar to cover them. Use a fork to gently press down on each cookie a little bit—not too much, or they will crumble.

Bake cookies for 12 minutes. Once out of the oven, allow to cool for 15 minutes. This is important, as the cookies will be very soft when they come out of the oven, but they will harden up as they cool.

Store in an airtight container or freeze.

Recipe courtesy of BrooklynFarmGirl.com.

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

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Yields: 12 balls

Note: If you’d prefer to roll the balls in coconut sugar or shredded coconut, roll them in one of those options before freezing, so the coating will stick better.

Chocolate Topping: ¼ cup cocoa powder ¼ cup melted coconut oil 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to two weeks for best texture.

Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper and set it aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the chocolate crust ingredients until a moist dough is formed. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the lined loaf pan and place it in the freezer to set.

Source: Detoxinista.com/no-bake-pecansnowballs-paleo-vegan

1 cup pecan halves ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut 1 cup soft Medjool dates, pitted (about 10 dates) 1 Tbsp coconut oil ½ tsp sea salt ½ tsp vanilla extract ½ cup arrowroot or tapioca starch Extra arrowroot for dusting, or coconut sugar Place the pecans and shredded coconut in a large food processor fitted with an “S” blade, and process until the pecans are broken down and crumbly. Add in the rest of the ingredients and process again, until a sticky dough is formed. (It should stick together when pressed between two fingers.)

Scoop the dough by rounded tablespoons and roll the dough between your hands, forming balls. Arrange the balls on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then place them in the freezer to

To prepare the filling, you can use the same bowl to stir the peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil and salt. Depending on whether you’re using salted or unsalted peanut butter, consider adding more salt to taste. Store-bought peanut butter cups are quite salty, so I like to add a generous pinch of salt to mimic that flavor. Remove the crust from the freezer and pour the peanut butter filling over the top, using a spatula to spread it out evenly. Return the pan to the freezer to set.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free) Chocolate Crust: ¾ cup ground almond meal 2 Tbsp cocoa powder 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil Pinch of sea salt

Rinse the mixing bowl and use it again to make the final layer. Combine the cocoa powder, melted coconut oil and maple syrup, whisking well to break up any clumps. Once the mixture has become a smooth chocolate sauce, pour it over the peanut butter layer, and return the pan to the freezer to set until firm, about an hour or two.

Once the bars are firm, grab the edges of parchment paper to easily lift the solid bar from the pan, and use a sharp knife to slice the bars into your desired size. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for up to a month. (The bars become very firm if frozen for too long, so I prefer serving them from the fridge after the initial firming-up time.)

Source: Detoxinista.com/no-bake-peanutbutter-cup-bars-vegan

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photo by Megan Gilmore

Peanut Butter Filling: ½ cup creamy natural peanut butter 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil Pinch of sea salt

photo by Megan Gilmore

No-Bake Pecan Snowballs (Grain-Free, Vegan)

set, about 1 to 2 hours. For a “snowball” look, roll the balls in additional arrowroot or tapioca starch—just a light coating will do—since the starch will not enhance the flavor. It’s just for looks!

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BENT LIMB FARM

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Non-GMO, Pasture-Raised Pork, Chicken, Eggs 592 Stone Hill Rd • Shoemakersville 484-797-2263 BentLimbFarm.com

COUNTRY LANE POULTRY & PRODUCE HALF DOZEN CAFÉ

Grass-fed organic meat Fairgrounds Farmers’ Market 2935 N 5th Street Hwy • Reading 610-929-2806

EAT WILD FARMS

Non-GMO grassfed beef/lamb, pastured chicken 2250 Mount Gretna Rd • Elizabethtown 717-368-5308 EatWildFarms.com

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CAFES/RESTAURANTS HIMALAYAN CURRY & GRILL Fine Nepalese & Indian Cuisine 22 E Orange St • Lancaster 717-393-2330 HimalayanLancaster.com

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701 Court Street help us celebrate at THECome FARMHOUSE KITCHEN ourFood new satellite taproom & Bar, Wellness Real Café and Juice brewery with a ribbon cutting, Programs giveways, and samples from 426 Penn Aveproducers!

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Refresh Holiday Traditions Making the Old New and Green

by Ronica A. O’Hara

C

elebrating classic holiday traditions the same way we always have—and maybe the way our parents and grandparents did—is part of the rich family heritage we pass on to our children. These family rituals are binding, grounding, memorable and much more, says Saul Levine, M.D., professor emeritus in psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego.

A survey of 50 years of family research published in the American Psychological Association’s Journal of Family Psychology

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found that family holiday rituals, as well as everyday routines like family dinners and bedtime stories, build stronger family relationships, enhance children’s health and academic achievement, help teenagers’ sense of personal identity and even boost marital satisfaction.

It’s also natural and perhaps inevitable that these traditions undergo changes over the years. “If people from only five or six generations ago could see our modern Christmas, they’d barely recognize it,” says

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Brian Earl, host of the popular Christmas Past podcast that chronicles holiday traditions. “New trends and customs become traditions in time; every generation has its opportunity to add new chapters to the narrative and continue the story.”

For Elizabeth Newcamp, Christmas festivities took an eco-turn for her military family of five when they were living for a few years in the Netherlands, where “Sinterklaas” traditionally delivers gifts in reusable burlap bags. “In an effort to reduce wrapping paper, we now use the sacks on Christmas,” says Newcamp, who blogs about family travel at DutchDutchGoose.com.

She and her husband Jeff also ask for and give experiences as gifts whenever possible; their 7-year-old son asked if he could organize a little library for their Navarre, Florida, neighborhood. Anyone that wants to send gifts to their sons is asked to find them used. “I don’t think we’ve lessened any of the fun of the holidays, but hopefully we are eliminating some of the waste,” she says.

For many years, Ginny Underwood’s family in Bluffton, South Carolina, would dress up and go to a restaurant on Christmas Eve, exchange gifts and then return home to watch a movie or play board games. Last year, they tried something new: staying home, putting on pajamas, eating cottage pie and playing handmade “Minute to Win It” games that Underwood, a professional organizer who blogs at VirginiasEasyLivingSolutions.com, created. “We had a blast; we didn’t stop

Olesia Bilkei/Shutterstock.com

healthy kids

LightField Studios/Shutterstock.com

New trends and customs become traditions in time; every generation has its opportunity to add new chapters to the narrative and continue the story. ~Brian Earl laughing all night,” she says. “We saved hundreds of dollars and we had a lovely time.”

Lighting red, green and black candles while focusing on principles like unity, self-determination or purpose are key in the seven-day Kwanzaa celebrations; but, “Instead of just lighting the candle amongst friends and family and discussing, I want my family to spend that day exemplifying the principle,” says Vanessa Davis, executive director of the nonprofit African Village International, in Jacksonville, Florida. Now her children meditate, journal and practice mindfulness to learn about self-determination; volunteer or pick up trash outdoors to learn about collective work and responsibilities; and buy something at a locally-owned store and discuss future finances for cooperative economics. “I was inspired to change because Kwanzaa isn’t really a religious holiday, but it is a darn good way to reflect on the past year and goal-set for the future,” she says.

“Giving children more hands-on experiences for Hanukkah and taking the emphasis off of ‘What am I going to get?’ makes the holiday more meaningful for the kids,” concurs Pamela Morris, early childhood education director at the East Valley Jewish Community Center, in Chandler, Arizona. Each Hanukkah evening, her family of five lights a menorah and says traditional prayers while also volunteering to wrap food packages at a local Feed My Starving Children event, crafting personal menorahs at a pottery studio, going to see Phoenix ZooLights and gathering to make the traditional potato latkes or jelly donuts. “Each night is a focus on family time and welcoming friends to join us,” she says.

By observing and evolving traditions, family bonds can strengthen through time, relates Earl: “By participating in holiday rituals, children are learning about who they are. And by passing them down, parents reaffirm what’s important to them and keep the connection to the past intact.”

Ronica A. O’Hara is a Denver-based natural-health writer. Connect at OHaraRonica@gmail.com.

Updating Favorite Traditions n Instead of buying a Christmas tree or Hanukkah bush in a store lot, get one in a pot that can be replanted later. n Take a family holiday photo, either serious or wacky, and recreate it every year with members in the same poses and expressions. n Invite someone to a holiday dinner that’s not part of the family, such as an international student or newcomer in town. n Cook up a batch of healthy, vegan cookies with the kids and organize a neighborhood cookie swap. n Have a $10 or $20 gift exchange challenge in which everyone competes to come up with the most useful, creative or ecoclever use of the money. n String together popcorn and cranberries to make a tree garland or door decoration, and later drape it on outdoor trees to feed birds and wildlife. n Give kids $10 to donate to a carefully selected charity of their choice. n Take a favorite holiday story, parable or song and have the kids (and adults) act it out with costumes and all.

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Perfect Pet Presents Safe and Eco-Smart Toys

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by Julie Peterson

he pet aisles are so full of squeaking, plush and colorful toys it can make a dog or cat parent’s head spin like a Frisbee. Add blinking lights, flavors, promises of higher intelligence or cleaner teeth; then toss in concerns about sustainably sourced materials, potentially toxic ingredients and varying degrees of quality. The choices are complex.

It would be nice to look for that gold seal of approval from the Pet Toy Regulatory Agency. But don’t bother: There is no such thing. It’s all up to the consumer to figure it out.

The Problem Is Real

Concern regarding toxicants in children’s toys and the realization that they posed a risk of chemical exposure led to regulatory protections. “Similar safeguards do not exist for pets, even though they exhibit similar chewing and mouthing behaviors,” says Philip N. Smith, Ph.D., associate professor of terrestrial ecotoxicology at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

“Owner education is key to limiting unintentional chemical exposure.”

According to a 2013 study co-authored by Smith 44

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and published in the journal Chemosphere, common endocrine-disrupting chemical toxins in plastics can enter a dog’s body through saliva. Concentrations of leachable chemicals can increase in older, degraded toys, according to the National Institutes of Health.

For anyone that has ever had a pet destroy a toy faster than it takes to calculate the cost per second, durable construction may be the highest concern. After all, if the toy is vigorously ripped to shreds, pieces may be swallowed. The most immediate issue becomes intestinal blockage.

This is a common problem for cats and dogs with a propensity to eat garbage, plants and holiday decorations. But when we spend good money on actual toys, we would like to think that it won’t lead to surgery. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee. Poorly constructed toys have required many pet owners to watch for the parts to pass through the animal or, worse yet, make a trip to the vet.

Even if a toy seems sturdy, it’s best to observe the animal with the toy. Charlotte Easterling, a graphic designer in Madison, Wisconsin, learned

Yellowj/Shutterstock.com

Are you at the END OF YOUR ROPE with health or behavioral problems?

this from her cat, Hazel, who choked on a common cat toy. “She was playing with a glitter ball and then started meowing kind of frantically, scrambling around and pawing at her face. I jumped up and pulled the ball out of her mouth,” recalls Easterling.

Hazel only gets big glitter balls these days.

Your bed should be a haven for healthy sleep

A New Generation Spurs Change The American Pet Products Association (APPA) National Pet Owners Survey provides insight into the demographics, buying habits and other traits of dog, cat, bird, small animal, reptile, fish and horse owners.

The 2019-2020 survey shows that about 85 million U.S. homes, or 67 percent, include a pet. This leads to a lot of money flowing into the pet toy and care community.

Annually, dog owners spend about $124 and cat owners spend about $89 on treats and toys. The survey also indicates that Millennials are the largest pet-owning demographic.

“The pet care community is doing a great job of meeting the demands of a new generation by offering a range of products made from sustainable, recycled and upcycled materials,” says Steve King, CEO of APPA, in Stamford, Connecticut. King notes it’s expected that as Gen Z pet owners begin to assert themselves in the marketplace, we will see more products based on sustainability and transparency.

Shopping for Safety Experts offer some guidelines for ways consumers can choose harmless toys: 4 Be suspicious of toys manufactured overseas or cheap ones made in the U.S. 4 Contact the manufacturer and ask if toys contain phthalates, BPA, arsenic, bromine, chemical dyes, chromium or formaldehyde.

4 Look for toys made with ingredients from nature (hemp, leather or wool).

4 Find a pet supply store that has natural, safe and sustainably sourced products.

4 Inspect toys periodically for loose parts and watch the pet with new toys.

4 If a pet plays with a toy and then acts oddly, contact the vet.

Julie Peterson writes from rural Wisconsin.

Connect at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.

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The Generous Heart

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O

by Cindy Ricardo

ne of the ways we come into balance and connection with each other and with life is by giving from the heart. When we give to others, whether it’s an act of kindness, generosity or compassion, it helps us live from the heart instead of the ego.

Living from the ego is painful and exhausting. It’s like feeding a hungry monster that’s never satisfied. Ego craves, pursues and clings to status, approval, material wealth and control. It views the world through the eyes of fear—constantly evaluating, judging and acting in ways that are self-centered, defensive and protective.

Like with Scrooge, ego closes our heart and makes us small, fearful and contracted.

By contrast, generosity requires that we open our hearts to the world and each other. We allow ourselves to be vulnerable.

In doing this, we open ourselves fully to life, love and relationships. We let go of striving and pursuing things. When we stop striving, we begin to see, value and respond to what’s happening in the present moment in ways that are healthy and healing. Our priority shifts from acquiring things to appreciating what we have and being open to sharing with others.

Generosity is a quality of kindness, of living from a place of abundance. We see the world through a clear lens that isn’t clouded by fear, wanting or clinging. When we interact with others, our connection is

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genuine. We see people instead of judgments or labels.

Being generous arises from the heart, not the wallet. We don’t need to have material wealth in order to be generous.

The only requirement is a willingness to open our hearts, to see life as it is and to interact with others from a place of compassion and love. Some examples of generous acts are: n Doing a household chore without being asked. n Setting aside what we’re doing and listening to someone in need of emotional support. n Telling loved ones what we appreciate about them. n Listening to children and trying to see the world through their eyes before offering advice. n Smiling at a stranger. n When asking, “How are you?” looking into the person’s eyes and taking time to truly listen with an attitude of curiosity and compassion.

Generosity awakens goodness in the heart, and this helps us open to life, love and relationships.

Cindy Ricardo is a Coral Springs, Floridabased psychotherapist who blogs at ACaringCounselor.com.

calendar of events NOTE: To share your events and classes in our calendar, please visit our websites NABerks.com or NALancaster.com for guidelines and a submission link. Deadline: 5th of the month prior.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 Labyrinth Walk – 12-3pm. Walking meditation.

Free. Unitarian Universalist Church of Lancaster, 538 W Chestnut St, Lancaster. 717-393-1733.

UUCLOnline.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3 Easy & Delicious Gifts from the Kitchen – 10:30am. Chai, Sweet & Spicy Nuts, Truffles, and Peppermint Sugar Hand Scrub. Gluten-free, hands-on class. $70. Pre-register. Zest Cooking School, 1180 Erbs Quarry Rd, Lititz. 717-626-6002.

ZestChef.com.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4 Day of Prayer – 9:30am-3pm. “Anticipation: The Challenges and Blessings of Waiting”: Advent Day of Prayer – Sr. Pat Mensing, SSJ. Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth, 501 N Church St, Wernersville.

Questions: MLeonowitz@JesuitCenter.org. 610670-3642. JesuitCenter.org.

Cooking Class: Elegant Christmas Dinner – 6-8pm. Chef Kay Weaver gives tips and hints for preparing an elegant meal for family and friends.

Enjoy tasting all the recipes. Demonstration class.

BYOB. $70. Pre-register. Zest Cooking School,

1180 Erbs Quarry Rd, Lititz. 717-626-6002.

ZestChef.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5 Fast & Festive Appetizer Bites – 10am-noon.

Learn to make 12 different hors d’oeuvres! Make and take, hands-on class. BYOB. $65. Pre-register.

Zest Cooking School, 1180 Erbs Quarry Rd, Lititz.

717-626-6002. ZestChef.com.

Craft Circle at Bent Limb Farm – 5:30-8pm. First Thursdays. Bring your own crafts for a relaxing time of fellowship. Free. Call to reserve your spot. Bent Limb Farm, 592 Stone Hill Rd, Shoemakersville.

484-797-2263. BentLimbFarm.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 Advent Weekend Directed Retreat – thru 12/8.

Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth, 501 N Church St, Wernersville. Questions: MLeonowitz@ JesuitCenter.org. 610-670-3642. JesuitCenter.org.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 Daughter of the Stars Tarot Readings – 10am4pm. Just as the natural world offers guidance, inspiration, support and insight; so too can the artistic renderings of tarot imagery. $50. Radiance, 13 W Grant St, Lancaster. 717-290-1517.

Gifts that Give Hope Alternative Gift Fair – 10am-3pm. Visit with 30 nonprofits that provide life-changing benefits to people within our community and around the world. Purchase charitable gift donations to honor loved ones with meaningful gifts of hope. Enjoy local culinary delights, a fair-trade marketplace, kids’ activities, and an inspiring community atmosphere. The Junction Center, 1875 Junction Rd, Manheim.

GiftsThatGiveHope.org/Lancaster.

Teen Culinary School – 10am-noon. Teens, ages 13-16 will learn how to make classic holiday desserts. Taught by Gwen Eberly. Hands-on class. $65. Pre-register. Zest Cooking School, 1180 Erbs Quarry Rd, Lititz. 717-626-6002. ZestChef.com.

Holiday Open House at Rodale Institute – 11am3pm. Experience the holiday season in a beautiful farm setting, browse the selection of chemical-free Christmas trees and enjoy organic treats while sitting by the fire along with complimentary photos with Santa (11am-1pm) wreath-building and other festive crafts. Free. Rodale Institute, 116 Siegfriedale Rd, Kutztown. 610-683-1410.

RodaleInstitute.org.

Holiday Open House at Bent Limb Farm – 124pm. Holiday fun with alpaca selfies, refreshments and lots of inventory for special gifts. Free. Bent Limb Farm, 592 Stone Hill Rd, Shoemakersville.

484-797-2263. BentLimbFarm.com.

Little Sprouts Herbal Enrichment Class – 1-2:30pm. Kids ages 4-8 learn about kid-friendly herbs and their uses. Held Wednesdays and one Saturday a month, mini-lessons are centered around a different featured plant and include take-home materials, tea tasting, and making a

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natural remedy. $25. Registration required. Embark Herbals, 377 Church Rd, Mohnton. 833-336-2275.

EmbarkHerbals.com.

Past Life Memories by Group Hypnosis – 2:30pm. Held at Reiki by Rickie, 2793 Old Post Rd #10, Harrisburg. ReikiByRickie.com/Events/ Past-Life-Memory-By-Hypnosis-Workshop-WithJohn-Stewart-cht.

“Savior of the Nations, Come” Advent Concert – 7pm. Enjoy sacred music of Advent and Christmas offered in the spectacular Main Chapel of the Jesuit Center as David Gross, organist and music director at the Jesuit Center, and his musical friends Catherine Fronheiser (flutist), Neil Fronheiser (violinist), and Mary Fronheiser (pianist) offer their annual seasonal recital. Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth, 501 N Church Rd, Wernersville, PA. JesuitCenter.org.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10 Coping with the Holidays – 6:30-8pm. Free session to support bereaved adults through the difficult holiday season. Call the Pathways Center for Grief & Loss to register: 717-391-2413. Essa Flory Center, 685 Good Dr, Lancaster. HospiceCommunity.org.

GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing) – 6:30-8pm. A source of help, compassion and understanding for individuals who have had a loved one die as a result of substance abuse or addiction. Free. Registration required for new attendees. Contact Marj Paradise at MParadise810@comcast.net. Pathways Center for Grief & Loss, 4075 Old Harrisburg Pike, Mount Joy. HospiceCommunity.org.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11 Reiki Share – 6:30-8:30pm. Reiki practitioners, this is your time to gather together to practice sharing the loving and healing benefits of reiki.

Everyone attending will also receive a reiju/spiritual blessing. $10. Pre-register. Helene Williams Reiki, 313 W Liberty St, Lancaster. 717-269-6084.

HeleneWilliamsReiki.com.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12 Q4 BARN Business Meeting and Educational Event – 1pm. Following a membership meeting at 1pm, BARN offers a panel discussion on Energy Efficiency in Agriculture and related fields.

Agricultural Center, 1238 County Welfare Rd # 260, Leesport. BerksAg.net.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13 5-Day Advent Directed Retreat – thru 12/19.

An individualized, personal experience of prayer over a number of days, guided by a companion, a trained spiritual director. Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth, 501 N Church St, Wernersville. Questions: MLeonowitz@jesuitcenter.org. 610-670-3642.

JesuitCenter.org.

2nd Friday Open Hours – 5-7pm. Stop in during West Reading 2nd Friday and check out our holiday specials. Integrative Healing Arts Studio, 546 Penn Ave, West Reading, 2nd Floor.

IntegrativeHealingArtsStudio.org.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 Open House at Embark Herbals – 9am-5pm.

Visit the newly opened store, meet the herbalist and enjoy free samples, demonstrations and

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tastings. You’ll find high-quality herbal and natural products for health, body and home. Embark Herbals, 377 Church Rd, Mohnton. 833-336-2275.

EmbarkHerbals.com.

Holiday Holistic & Spiritual Bazaar – 10am-5pm.

Offering a variety of spiritual and holistic products and services along with artisan wares, books, cards, clothing, jewelry, gluten-free and vegan food and more. $3 donation or donation of pet food. Leesport Farmers Market Banquet Hall, Gernant’s Church Rd, Leesport. 570-573-1651. LadyLynora.com.

Find Your Healing and Power Through Self-Love – 10am-noon. Jo Jayson teaches what it means to become your own Queen, amplify your inner power center and attain emotional mastery through the Sacred Feminine goddess archetypes. $40adv/$45 door. Radiance, 13 W Grant St, Lancaster. 717290-1517.

Saturday with Santa – 11am-2pm. Santa will share a magical Christmas story and sit for photos. Kids can enjoy crafts, cocoa, and cookies. Children must be accompanied by an adult. RSVP requested by 12/4. Santa@ATherapeuticEffect.com or 717-2859955. A Therapeutic Effect, 313B Primrose Lane, Mountville. ATherapeuticEffect.com.

Channeled Intuitive Readings – 12:30-6pm. A collective messaging service from the guides of Jo Jayson, who are the energies and beings of light that she paints, focusing on the bigger picture and your soul direction. $55 for 30 mins. Radiance, 13 W Grant St, Lancaster. 717-290-1517.

Holiday Open House at Willow Yoga – 1-3pm.

Willow Yoga Studio invites you to visit the studio and enjoy refreshments, drawings and prizes. Free.

Willow Yoga Studio, 25 Nolt Ave, Willow Street.

717-617-2128. WillowYogaStudio.com.

Lancaster at 538 W Chestnut St, Lancaster. 717-3931733. UUCLOnline.org.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21 Winter Solstice Celebration – 7:30pm, doors 6:45pm. See 12/20 listing for details. Reception to follow (Saturday only). Unitarian Universalist Church of Lancaster at 538 W Chestnut St, Lancaster. 717-393-1733. UUCLOnline.org.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27 Ethereal Violin Meditation – 7-8:15pm. Solar plexus chakra focus. Professional violinist and yoga teacher Helena Lalita will guide students through a short session of gentle movement and breathing followed by relaxation and sound bathing. $20adv/$25 door. Radiance, 13 W Grant St, Lancaster. 717-290-1517.

plan ahead SATURDAY, JANUARY 4 New Volunteer Orientation – 8-10am. Take Heart Counseling & Equine Assisted Therapy invites anyone age 16 and older interested in sharing their interests and skills to a volunteer orientation.

Opportunities include barn duty, special events, groups and more. Meet the team and the horses.

Call Melanie to register: 717-925-0379. Take Heart Counseling, 4675 New Holland Rd, Mohnton.

TakeHeartCounseling.com.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15

Brand New Life, Brand New Key Book Signing – 1pm. David L. Kline, author of Brand New Life, Brand New Key, highlighting his spiritual journey and offering practical exercises to support others on their journey, offers a reading and book signing. Free to attend. Barnes & Noble, 1700 Fruitville Pike, Ste H, Lancaster. TheCollegeOfSpiritualKnowledge.com.

Holiday Holistic & Spiritual Bazaar – 10am-5pm.

See 12/14 listing for details.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18

Healing Ceremony with Cacao for Winter Solistice – 4-7pm. Join Christel Libiot and Jim Wert for this ceremony, drink sacred ceremonial cacao, listen to ancient stories and let your soul go on a guided healing journey. $30adv/$35 door. Radiance, 13 W Grant St, Lancaster. 717-290-1517.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17 Coping with the Holidays – 6:30-8pm. Free session to support bereaved adults through the difficult holiday season. Call the Pathways Center for Grief & Loss to register: 717-391-2413. Essa Flory Center, 685 Good Dr, Lancaster. 717-393-1733. UUCLOnline.org.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19 Lancaster Community Reiki – 6:30-8:30pm.

25 minutes of reiki offered every third Thursday of the month. By appointment, by donation. Your donations allow clinic volunteers to continue serving the community. The Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Rd, Lancaster. 717-824-9209.

LancasterCommunityReikiClinic.org.

Polar Bear 5K Run/Walk – 10am (check-in starts at 8:30am). Join the fun with a 5K trail run/ walk. Participants may also bring their dogs (on leash) to run or walk. Fundraiser benefits free outdoor activities and educational programs of the Sierra Club. $25/$30/$35. Lancaster County Park, Pavilion 22 (Kiwanis Lodge), Lancaster.

LancasterSierraClub.org.

savethedate FEBRUARY 5-8, 2020 PASA Sustainable Agriculture Conference – Farmers, food system professionals, educators, advocates, homesteaders, and others will gather intensive learning on 100+ food and farming topics. Educational sessions are interspersed with networking events and regionally sourced meals. Held at the Lancaster Convention Center, downtown Lancaster. For info and registration: 814-349-9856 or PASAFarming.org.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20 Winter Solstice Celebration – 7:30pm, doors 6:45pm.

Enjoy the celebratory ritual that honors the waning dark and welcomes the coming light with music, meditation, readings, lighting and dance. Overflow seating will be in the social hall with TV monitors. A free will donation will be accepted. Unitarian Universalist Church of

NALancaster.com | NABerks.com

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ongoing events

sunday

wednesday

your body, and your mind. $10 Yoga Studio at the Parish House at Saint James Episopal, corner of Duke & Orange, Lancaster. SaintJamesLancaster.org.

Yin Yoga – 9-10:15am. Allow Sudha Mataji to lead you through a Yin Yoga oriented class with the intention of connecting with the deepest parts of your being to find peace and healing. For all levels and abilities. By donation. Kula Kamala Foundation & Yoga Ashram 17 Basket Rd, Reading 484-509-5073.

KulaKamalaFoundation.org.

Mindful Yoga – 9-10am. Slow down your breath, your body, and your mind. $10. Yoga Studio at the Parish House at Saint James Episcopal, corner of Duke & Orange, Lancaster. SaintJamesLancaster.org.

Restorative Yoga with Live Music – 6-7:15pm.

Let go with few basic postures and learn how to prop yourself to achieve optimal peace and relaxation. Crystal bowls, gong, acoustic guitar, and a variety of other instruments provide soothing music. By donation. Kula Kamala Foundation & Yoga Ashram, 17 Basket Rd, Reading. 484-5095073. KulaKamalaFoundation.org.

Wisdom Circle – 10:30-11:30am. Join Sudha Mataji for an open and practical discussion on the philosophy and aspects of yoga as they pertain to everyday life and finding peace in the world as it is today. All welcome to attend and contribute thoughts. By donation. Kula Kamala Foundation & Yoga Ashram, 17 Basket Rd, Reading. 484-5095073. KulaKamalaFoundation.org.

Contemplative Service – 5-6pm. A simplified liturgy with readings and music. Free. Saint James Episcopal, corner of Duke & Orange, Lancaster.

SaintJamesLancaster.org.

monday Hot Bikram & Flow with Jen – 5:30-6:30pm. Call to reserve your spot. $12. The Restorative Center/ Tula Yoga, 6 Hearthstone Court, Ste 304, Reading.

610-781-1430. TheRestorativeCenter.com.

tuesday Meditation and Satsang – 6-8am. Every Tuesday through Friday Sudha Mataji offers early morning meditation (Silent, Japa, Mindfulness, etc) followed by a relaxed and open discussion on various yogic scriptures. By donation. Kula Kamala Foundation & Yoga Ashram 17 Basket Rd, Reading 484-5095073. KulaKamalaFoundation.org.

Contemplative Prayer: Meditation – 8-8:30am.

Free. Chapel, Saint James Episcopal, corner of Duke & Orange, Lancaster. SaintJamesLancaster.org.

Gentle Yoga – 8-9am. A safe, simple approach, in a slow and easy-paced class featuring deep breathing, relaxation and stretching while building strength and flexibility throughout the body. For beginning yoga practice, recovery from an injury or a modified approach. $12. Register with Birdsboro Fitness & Splash, 320 W Main St, Birdsboro. 610-575-0888.

AOPaddle.com.

Unfolding Love Personal Growth Group – 12:302:30pm. Explore in a gentle yet powerful way the hidden patterns that influence our relationships, health, work and attitudes. $25. Reservations required: 717-466-0788 or RealTrueKaren@gmail. com. Karen Carnabucci, LCSW, TEP. 313 W Liberty St, Suite 263, Lancaster. RealTrueKaren.com.

Mindful Yoga – 5:45-6:45pm. Slow down your breath, your body, and your mind. $10. Yoga Studio at the Parish House at Saint James Episopal, corner of Duke & Orange, Lancaster. SaintJamesLancaster.org.

Contemplative Prayer: Teaching – 7-8:15pm.

Free. Chapel, Saint James Episcopal, corner of Duke & Orange, Lancaster. SaintJamesLancaster.org.

Little Sprouts Herbal Enrichment Class – 1-2:30pm. Kids ages 4-8 learn about kid-friendly herbs and their uses. Held Wednesdays and one Saturday a month, mini-lessons are centered around a different featured plant and include take-home materials, tea tasting, and making a natural remedy. $25.

Registration required. Embark Herbals, 377 Church Rd, Mohnton. 833-336-2275. EmbarkHerbals.com.

Stress Relief Support Group – 1-2pm. A guided meditation session to help ease tension and stress.

Free. Greater Reading Mental Health Alliance, 1234 Penn Ave, Wyomissing. 610-775-3000.

Ultimate Health Workshop – 7pm. Learn how chiropractic can support your optimal health. Topics vary by week. Call to reserve your spot. Free.

Heath Wellness Center, 14 W Main St, Landisville.

717-530-5555. HeathChiropractic.com.

Kirtan and Satsang – 7:30-9pm. Enjoy beautiful music, devotional chanting, and an open discussion about yoga and life. Celebrate the many names of the Divine, connect with our community, and feel recharged for the rest of your week! By donation.

Kula Kamala Foundation & Yoga Ashram, 17 Basket Rd, Reading. 484-509-5073. KulaKamala Foundation.org.

thursday Classical Yoga with Roberta Strickler – 7am or 8:45am. Slow, sequential and energizing. $20/class.

Radiance, 13 W Grant St, Lancaster. 717-290-1517.

Contemplative Prayer/Meditation – 8-8:30am.

Free. Chapel, Saint James Episcopal Church, corner of Duke & Orange Sts, Lancaster. SaintJames Lancaster.org.

CBD Social – 7-8:30pm. Suffering with pain, anxiety, sleeplessness? Learn about the endocannabinoid system, why it needs cannabinoids and how full-spectrum hemp oil supports major body systems – improving quality of life. Admission and samples are free. Registration required. To register, contact Dianna 717-940-9287, DCM028@hotmail. com. Lancaster location.

Restorative & Meditation – 7:30-8:30pm. Restorative postures, yoga nidra, healing crystal bowls and seated meditation. $12/class. Call to reserve your spot. The Restorative Center/Tula Yoga, 6 Hearthstone Court, Ste 304, Reading. 610-7811430. TheRestorativeCenter.com.

friday Contemplative Prayer: Meditation – 6:457:15am. Free. Chapel, Saint James Episcopal, corner of Duke & Orange, Lancaster. SaintJames Lancaster.org.

Mindful Yoga – 9-10am. Slow down your breath,

saturday Saturday Tea Tastings – 9:30am-4pm. Stop into Radiance and sample a monthly featured tea. Free.

Radiance, 13 W Grant St, Lancaster. 717-290-1517.

Indoor SUP Yoga – 10:15-11:15am. Enjoy a gentle and therapeutic yoga practice coupled with the soothing effects of water. Challenge your balance and engage mind, body and spirit while floating into a world of rejuvenation and respite. Standing optional. Beginners welcome. $12. Register with Birdsboro Fitness & Splash, 320 W Main St, Birdsboro. 610-575-0888. AOPaddle.com.

DIF K9 Training Orientation Session – 11:15am12:15pm. Contact Pat at Training@difk9.com for more information and to register. Free. Godfrey’s Welcome to Dogdom, 4267 New Holland Rd, Mohnton. 610-777-5755. GodfreysDogdom.com.

classifieds Fee for classifieds is $1 per word per month. To place listing, email content to Advertising@NALancaster.com.

Deadline is the 10th of the month.

FOR RENT RETAIL OR OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE – Convenient space available inside existing CBD American Shaman retail stores for synergistic business. Existing or buildable space available at the Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, Carlisle and Lancaster locations. Email info@ VitalityOrganics.org to inquire. See ad page 3.

HELP WANTED ANIMAL CARE VOLUNTEER – Help Take Heart Counseling with barn chores and care for horses, goats and cats. Our mission: Empowering individuals and families to find hope, healing, and wholeness through therapeutic work with horses. For more info: Volunteer@ TakeHeartCounseling.com.

CBD AMERICAN SHAMAN – Now hiring part-time Wellness Advocates at the Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, Carlisle and Lancaster locations. Email info@VitalityOrganics.org to inquire. See ad page 3.

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community resource guide Connecting you to the leaders in natural health care and green living in our community. To find out how you can be included in the Community Resource Guide, email Advertising@NALancaster.com or visit NALancaster.com or NABerks.com.

ACUPUNCTURE LANCASTER ACUPUNCTURE

Beverly Fornoff Eden Natural Care Center 600F Eden Rd • Lancaster 717-381-7334 • LancasterAcupuncture.com Discover your body’s natural ability to heal with the supports of acupuncture and herbal medicine.

Acupuncture is a way to relieve acute or chronic pain, stress, allergies, colds digestive problems, and insomnia and support your overall well-being. See ad, page 33.

THE RESTORATIVE CENTER

Mark Siegrist 6 Hearthstone Ct, Ste 304 • Reading 610-781-1430 TheRestorativeCenter.com We have the experience you are looking for! Let us help you use a holistic approach with acupuncture and herbal remedies so you can live your healthiest life. We treat your whole health history, not just your temporary situation.

BODYWORK INTEGRATIVE HEALING ARTS STUDIO Christina Rossi, Practitioner 546 Penn Ave, Fl 2 • West Reading 30 Village Center Dr, Ste 5, Reading 610-451-9577 IntegrativeHealingArtsStudio.org

Providing an assortment of holistic healing services that include integrative massage therapy and bodywork, reiki and intuitive energy work, herbal medicine, aromatherapy, holistic nutrition, iridology, flower essences, Taoist arts and spiritual guidance.Services, classes and healing boutique.

NCBTMB approved CE provider.

For it is in giving that we receive. ~Francis of Assisi

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CBD/HEMP PRODUCTS CBD AMERICAN SHAMAN

Shoppes at Landis Valley 2355 Oregon Pike, Ste 105 • Lancaster VitalityOrganics.com We use proprietary nonotechnology and ultra-concentrated terpene rich CBD oil derived from all natural, high-quality, 100% organic, gluten-free, non-GMO industrial hemp. Helps relieve stress, maintain focus, manage pain, calm digestion and more. See ad, page 3.

FINNEGAN FARMS, LLC

Online and at Lancaster Marketplace 2084 Fruitville Pike • Lancaster FinneganFarmsLLC.com Creating healthy hemp products grown on our farm without pesticides or chemicals since 2017. We offer CBD oil, muscle rubs, hemp hearts, hemp tea, hemp honey, CBD oil and treats for pets, and more. Know your farmer! See ad, page 7.

BLUE SKIES CHIROPRACTIC

Dr. Leah Reiff Wellness on Walnut Integrative Health Center 219 W Walnut St • Lancaster 717-390-9998 • BlueSkiesChiroHealth.com Chiropractic is used for natural relief from conditions such as chronic pain, injuries, pregnancy complications, complications from aging & more. Dr. Reiff carefully considers every individual's comfort level and provides specific adjustments to support the body for benefits that will last.

HEATH CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTER LLC Thomas Heath, DC 14 W Main St • Landisville 717-530-5555 HeathChiropracticAndWellness.com

For 33 years, Dr. Heath has been helping people recover their health and reduce stress in their lives through Functional Integrative Brain /Body Balance.

He uses Professional Applied Kinesiology, Neuro Emotional Technique, Quantum Neurology, Nutritional counseling, traditional Chiropractic and other cutting-edge techniques. See ad, page 27.

JANGDHARI FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC

ROUNDTOP HEALTHY LIVING

Dr. Charles JangDhari Dr. Jessica Riehl 7 Center St • Intercourse 717-768-7148 JangDhariFamilyChiropractic.com JFChiropractic@gmail.com

Offering the highest quality health and wellness products to support your healthy lifestyle, including fullspectrum CBD oil, dietary supplements, energy drinks, health and beauty products, and trusted non-toxic household cleaning and personal care products. See ad, page 37.

JangDhari Family Chiropractic is committed to the health and wellness of our community. We provide quality chiropractic care and give back to many area charities helping ensure that the people of our community have opportunities to live well and live long.

Melvin Stoltzfus, Independent Distributor Sisel International RoundTopHealthyLiving.Sisel.net

CHIROPRACTIC A THERAPEUTIC EFFECT

Dr. Andrew Ashton 313D Primrose Ln • Mountville 717-285-9955 • ATherapeuticEffect.com Providing an array of therapeutic treatments and services that promote relaxation and detoxification. Our doctor specializes in low-impact Torque Release Technique which provides immediate results for people of all ages. See ad, page 2.

NALancaster.com | NABerks.com

LINK CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC Dr. Thomas B. Wachtmann, DC 3130 Pricetown Rd • Fleetwood 610-944-5000 DrWachtmann.com

High-quality, patient-focused Chiropractic Care, and Functional Diagnostic Medicine evaluation and treatment. We focus on correcting the underlying causes of many disorders, diseases and conditions. Call for a complimentary consultation and benefit check. See ad, page 4.

NATUROPATHIC & CHIROPRACTIC FAMILY HEALTH, LLC

Jane Drobin, ND, DC 1255 South Market St, Ste 210 • Elizabethtown 717- 381-5773 NCFamHealth.com A natural, holistic and functional approach to healthcare. We treat the root causes of disease by establishing the foundation of optimal health. We educate our patients about lifestyle changes and incorporate natural treatment modalities for both internal and physical complaints. See ads, pages 36 and 52.

CLEANING SERVICES GREEN LEAF CLEANING Serving South Central PA 717-288-7978 GreenLeaf.Cleaning

Green Leaf Cleaning keeps your space healthy and clean by using the power of natural, nontoxic and eco-friendly products.

We bring sparkle and shine to residential and commercial spaces for a special occasion or on a regular basis.

CLINICAL AROMATHERAPIST INSHANTI

Debra Stoltzfus 48 Slaymaker Hill Rd • Kinzers 717-587-3990 • Inshanti.com Trust a nationally certified aromatherapist specializing in clinical consultations. Deb can work directly with your physician to create a plan that supports mind and body health. In addition to retail and wholesale accounts of proprietary blends and pure essential oils sourced directly from the farmers, half and full-day education courses with certification are offered. See ad, page 31.

COUNSELING Grey Muzzle Manor

57A Kutz Rd • Fleetwood 610-655-5271 GreyMuzzleManor.com Facebook.com/GreyMuzzleManor Marcy Tocker, MA, utilizes person-centered and strength-based therapeutic approaches. She specializes in animal-assisted therapy, EAGALA model equine therapy, play therapy and art therapy. Marcy believes that therapeutic change occurs when we provide empathy, unconditional positive regard, acceptance and being there to support while our clients discover the strength we know they’ve always carried.

DENTISTRY DAVID A. SCHWARTZ, DDS, PC 9 Bristol Ct • Wyomissing 610-670-6910 SchwartzFamilyDental.com

We provide general and cosmetic Mercury-Free dental care to the entire family with attention to “whole person health.” We have advanced training in the safe removal of mercury fillings, nonsurgical gum treatments, orthodontics, sleep apnea, solutions for TMJ, facial pain, and headaches. Visit our website to learn more. See ad, page 27.

SUSQUEHANNA DENTAL ARTS Owen Allison, DMD 100 S 18th St • Columbia 717-684-3943 • 717-285-7033 SusquehannaDentalArts.com

We are a full-service family dental practice providing 100% mercury-free restorations, quality non-surgical periodontal care, INVISALIGN, implant-retained dentures and partials. See ad, page 30.

FUNCTIONAL HEALTH AGAPE INSTITUTE of FUNCTIONAL HEALTH & CHIROPRACTIC Stephen A. Conicello, DC, EMT-P 735 Fox Chase, Ste 100 • Coatesville 484-593-0882 • AgapeFHC.com

At Agape Institute, we pride ourselves in finding out why your body has decided to become sick. Utilizing Functional Medicine and Functional Neurology, we assess the body in multiple ways to find out what’s driving sickness and disease. See ad, back cover.

FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY LANCASTER BRAIN & SPINE 1361 Fruitville Pike • Lancaster 717-299-9600 LancasterBrainAndSpine.com

Our mission is to improve the lives of people suffering from complicated neurological and musculoskeletal conditions, by utilizing cutting-edge diagnostic testing and customized brainbased treatment plans. See ads, pages 8 and 11.

HERBAL PRODUCTS/ SERVICES EMBARK HERBALS

377 Church Rd • Mohnton 833-336-2275 EmbarkHerbals.com Let the healing begin!

Community Herbalist Tiffany Davies offers custom herbal blends, bulk herbs, mushrooms, teas, tinctures, and natural remedies, along with classes for all ages, workshops and more. Visit our website or call for a free consultation. See ad, page 13.

MY HERBAL APOTHECARY 717-468-6600 MyHerbalApothecary.com

A seasonal herbal subscription box containing 5-9 organic herbal remedies, shipped to your door the first day of the season. All remedies are handmade in a licensed and insured ServSafe kitchen.

Support your body and immune system—sign up today! See ad, page 34.

HOLISTIC wellness ALTERNATIVE HEALING OF PA

2298 Willow Street Pike • Willow Street 717-847-3213 AlternativeHealingofPA.com Alternative healing center and retail store featuring massage, reiki, crystal therapy, health and wellness coaching. Stop in the store for all your alternative product needs including: essential oils, aromatherapy jewelry, soaps, lotions, Himalayan salt products, salves and crystals. See ad, page 23.

RESTORE YOUR ENERGY Deb Gallagher, RN, CLP Lancaster 717-203-9666 RestoreYourEnergy.org

Experience Eden Energy Medicine, a practice created by Donna Eden, healer, author and teacher. This method assists with balancing our nine energy systems which can become blocked by stress, pain and illnesses. When the energy is balanced, sleep, joy, concentration and immunity improve, and our body’s natural ability to heal can begin.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/@NAwakenings

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HOLISTIC wellness

Integrative Medicine

SOUL SPARK HEALING & GUIDANCE

NICK D'ORAZIO, MD

Jill C. H. Jablonski, RM, CCH, SoulSparkHG@gmail.com SoulSparkHG.com

Strasburg Health Associates 181 Hartman Bridge Rd • Ronks 717-687-7541 • DrNickDorazio@gmail.com

Promote health, balance chakras, reduce stress, increase relaxation, supplement medical care with reiki and crystal healing! Receive guidance, clarification on life’s challenges through tarot and astrology. Jill practices with a unique blend of experience, compassion, empathy, and objectivity to give comfort and healing.

Physician board certified in integrative and holistic medicine employs a wide variety of treatment modalities including Ayurveda, IV treatments including chelation, homeopathic, herbal, and nutritional medicine, natural injections, physical rehabilitation, and bodywork. Dr. D’Orazio is a physician who lives what he teaches.

HOME ORGANIZING/ DECLUTTERING

LYMPHATIC THERAPY

DC EAGER SERVICES

Darlene Eager, Clutter/Hoarding Recovery Specialist 6 E Kendig Rd • Willow Street 717-989-5763 DCEager.com Hoarding and excessive clutter can hide health threats such as mold, bacterial growth, insect and rodent infestation. With respect and sensitivity, DC Eager will professionally and discretely provide the clean-up needed to return the home to a healthy state. Free assessment. See ads, page 15 and 23.

HYPNOSIS Annelle Soponis, PhD, BCH, CI 6 Hearthstone Dr • Reading 610-509-7610 • BridgeHypnosis.com Create the life you want using the power of your subconscious mind.

Release stress, anxiety, fears, habits, blockages—anything that is holding you back from being the person you want to be.

Interactive transpersonal hypnosis. Dr. Soponis is NGH board certified and also certified to teach you to be a hypnotist.

LANCASTER HYPNOTHERAPY

John Stewart, Hypnotherapist 313 W Liberty St, Suite 129 • Lancaster 717-340-3100 LancasterHypnotherapy.com Ready to improve your life?

Weight, smoking, anxiety, confidence, sleep, habits, athletic performance. Hypnosis is a timeproven process that empowers you to make substantial changes, allowing you to tap into your inner natural resources and take control of your life.

Lancaster-Berks

Electro-Lymphatic Therapy 50 Keystone Ct • Leola 717-656-8615 • AquaBlueWellnessCenter.com Our lymphatic system plays an important role in supporting our immunity. Over the past 18 years of treating our clients, we’ve found that supporting the proper flow of lymphatic fluid through electrolymphatic therapy positively affects many conditions including: Lymphedema, edema, cancer, Lyme disease, heart disease, enlarged prostate, post-injury/surgical healing and more. See ads, pages 33 and 54.

MATTRESSES NATURAL/ORGANIC GARDNER’S MATTRESS & MORE

BRIDGE HYPNOSIS

52

Aqua Blue Wellness Center

830 Plaza Blvd • Lancaster 717-299-6228 GardnersMattressAndMore.com

Gardner’s is a locally owned mattress store offering a wide selection of quality natural and organic mattresses ranging from the luxurious to economical. Educating our customers on getting a good night’s sleep and the benefits of sleeping naturally and organically is our mission. To schedule your private sleep consultation, go to SleepLancaster.com/ Natural.. See ad, pages 28 and 29.

MOLD REMEDIATION DC EAGER EMERGENCY SERVICES Darlene Eager, Certified Mold Remediation Specialist 6 E Kendig Rd • Willow Street 717-989-5763 • DCEager.com

Mold can be a hidden danger. Let DC Eager keep your family and friends safe. Our technicians are trustworthy, knowledgeable and certified in the safe removal of mold. DC Eager takes pride in their quality of work and customer service. “We Educate Before We Estimate.” Free mold assessments for your home or business. No chemicals! See ads, pages 15 and 23.

NALancaster.com | NABerks.com

NATUROPATH - traditional HEALTH BY DESIGN CLINIC

Jeannie Peck, Traditional Naturopath 352 E Main St, Ste 100 • Leola 717-556-8103 HBDClinic.com We provide nutrition and detoxification services for adults and children using an integrative functional medicine approach, offer therapeutic massage therapy for your relaxation or chronic pain needs, and permanent fat and weight loss services. See ads, pages 26 and 54.

NATUROPATHic doctor HEALTH FOR LIFE

Ann Lee, ND, L.Ac 112 Cornell Ave • Lancaster 717-669-1050 DoctorNaturalMedicine.com Learn how your symptoms are connected, get answers, and achieve improved health and wellbeing as we facilitate your body's ability to heal itself through acupuncture and naturopathic medicine. Specializing in hormone balancing and fertility. Visit the website for testimonials and more information.

NATUROPATHIC & CHIROPRACTIC FAMILY HEALTH, LLC

Jane Drobin, ND, DC 1255 South Market St, Ste 210 • Elizabethtown 717- 381-5773 NCFamHealth.com A natural, holistic and functional approach to healthcare. We treat the root causes of disease by establishing the foundation of optimal health. We educate our patients about lifestyle changes and incorporate natural treatment modalities for both internal and physical complaints. See ads, pages 36 and 51.

TREE OF LIFE HEALTH CAMBIUM WELLNESS CENTER Robert Miller, ND 15 Pleasure Rd • Ephrata 717-733-2003 • TOLHealth.com

Our leading naturopathic practice offers the most comprehensive array of holistic health services, tailored for your individual needs: genetic nutritional consultations; naturopathic consultations; nutrition, dietary and weight management programs; structural therapy with CranioSacral Therapy; reflexology; detoxification therapies; stress management; prenatal/pediatric wellness; and air/water purification. See ad, page 19.

NUTRITION FUSION INTEGRATIVE HEALTH & WELLNESS Dana M. Elia, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND 270 Granite Run Dr • Lancaster 717-917-5259 • FusionIHW.com

At Fusion Integrative Health & Wellness our main focus is on YOU – the whole person. Our practice involves using an integrative, functional, and personalized approach to nutrition, health and healing.

Most major insurance plans are accepted. Flexible options are available to meet with our staff. See ad, page 38.

GIANT FOOD STORES KILENE KNITTER, RD, LDN

717-299-0391 Kilene.Knitter@GiantMartins.com GiantFoodStores.com/Wellness Kilene Knitter, nutritionist for Giant, will help you develop an individualized approach to nutrition with creative ways to enjoy the foods you love and build healthy habits that fit into your lifestyle. Visit our website for a listing of Kilene’s and all of our nutritionists’ scheduled classes and store tours.

SHEEHAN NATURAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENT CENTER Dr. Keith Sheehan Laura Sheehan 1301 E King St • Lancaster 717-392-6606 SheehanChiropractic.com

Sheehan Natural Health Improvement Center provides holistic health care through nutritional counseling and whole food supplements. Our cuttingedge treatments have been found to help a broad range of symptoms and illnesses including fibromyalgia, depression, migraines, and weight loss.

From infants to seniors. See ad, page 20.

ORGANIC HAIR SALON

PET CARE TILL WE MEET AGAIN In-Home Pet Euthanasia 717-897-0536 TillWeMeetAgain.com

For some, euthanasia of their pet at the veterinary hospital is simply not an option. Dr. Mark Huber and his wife Stacey provide home euthanasia for dogs and cats in the most comfortable environment possible—your home—with the intention of bringing peace and comfort to ease the pain of losing a beloved pet. See ad, page 27.

JANUARY

Age-Defying Habits plus: Healthy Immune System

reiki LANCASTER REIKI CLINIC

Farm and Home Center 1383 Arcadia Rd • Lancaster 717-824-9209 LancasterCommunityReikiClinic.org Offering 30-minute sessions to those who would like to experience the many benefits of reiki. Clinic held the third Thursday of each month, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Appointments must be scheduled in advance.

By donation. Practitioners needed. Please call for more information.

HELENE WILLIAMS REIKI

Helene Williams, BSN, RN 313 W Liberty St, Ste 203 • Lancaster 717-269-6084 HeleneWilliamsReiki.com Reiki is a very gentle holistic practice, which assists in promoting balance in body, mind and spirit. After a Reiki session, many people express a deep sense of relaxation, calming and peace. Frequently anxiety, stress and worry are relieved. Sessions and classes are available. See ad, page 22.

SOUND HEALING SOUNDWISE HEALTH

119 W Main St • Leola 717-656-0208 TheMansionOnMain.us

Lana Ryder, LMT, AADP, HTA 313 W Liberty St, Suite 267 • Lancaster SoundwiseHealth.com ReikiSound.net 610-301-4356

Refresh your mind, body and spirit with natural and organic products for hair and skin. Enjoy a full menu of salon services selected to support your holistic lifestyle including Organic Color Systems, Shear Miracles, John Masters Organics, Max Green Alchemy, Zoya. Specializing in cuts, color, bridal, extensions and more. Also offering monthly DIY EO workshops.

Lana Ryder has been sharing the healing power of sound, voice and music for 40 years.

Soundwise Health certified practitioners located in Lancaster, Harrisburg and York offer basic sound therapy education, group sound events, private sound therapy sessions, sound circles, sonic massage, ReikiSound™ and ReikiVoice™.

MANSION ON MAIN ORGANIC SALON

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES ISSUE

Readers are Seeking These Providers & Services:

Energy Healing • Fitness/Health Clubs Integrative Physicians • Life Coaching Natural/Organic Foods ... and this is just a partial list!

FEBRUARY

Cardiovascular Health

plus: Regenerative Medicine

PLANT-BASED NUTRITION ISSUE

MARCH

Thriving on a Plant-Based Diet plus: CBD

CONNECT WITH OUR READERS THREE-MONTH EDITORIAL CALENDAR & MARKETING PLANNER

Contact us to learn about marketing opportunities and become a member of the Natural Awakenings community at:

717-399-3187 December 2019

53

THERAPEUTIC WRITING WRITE FROM THE HEART

Creative Writing Workshops Melissa Greene • Lancaster 717-393-4713 • WriteFromTheHeart.us Our uplifting, be-who-you-are workshops awaken the creative spirit, gently, without intimidation.

Taught in an atmosphere of warmth, whimsy and trust, they are a safe haven for all ages.

Especially those who long to overcome perfectionism and selfdoubt. No grades or red pen. Sharing optional.

Mischief a must. See ad, page 46.

Thermal Imaging ADVANCED THERMAL IMAGING Pamela Howard, DC, CCT 550 Coventry Dr • Mechanicsburg 259 N 6th St, Ste 2 • Columbia 866-522-3484 AThermalImage.com

Thermal Imaging is a safe, noninvasive way to visualize potential health concerns with early warning signs for a proactive approach to health, including breast health.

Providing service since 2005, Dr Howard offers a complete package to include a report review, educational materials and referral sources.

Aqua Blue Wellness Center

Lori Martin 50 Keystone Ct • Leola 717-656-8615 • AquaBlueWellnessCenter.com A family wellness center offering thermal imaging for breast and body, detox therapies, therapeutic and oncology massage, lymphatic drainage, a full-spectrum infrared sauna, nutritional education and more. Thermal imaging is a safe, non-invasive procedure for early detection of sources of pain, injury and disease. See ads, pages 33 and 52.

WEIGHT LOSS Health by Design

Jeannie Peck, Traditional Naturopath 352 E Main St, Ste 100 • Leola 717-556-8103 • HBDClinic.com We can help you reach your weightloss goals by offering customized nutrition, body sculpting, weight loss and detoxification services. As you release stubborn fat, you’ll receive support and guidance through every step of your journey.

See ads, pages 26 and 52.

Yoga AQUA OM PADDLE

Birdsboro Fitness & Splash 320 W Main St, Birdsboro 610-575-0888 • AOPaddle.com All levels, gentle yoga, paddle board (SUP) yoga.

ELEVATE FITNESS

240 N 7th St, Ste 500 • Akron 717-327-0802 ElevateFitnessLanc.com Hatha, Power, Restorative Yoga, Zumba, Strong 30, Pound & more. See ad, page 36.

KULA KAMALA FOUNDATION & YOGA ASHRAM

17 Basket Rd • Reading 484-509-5073 • KulaKamalaFoundation.org Yoga therapy, practical yoga, retreats, kirtan. See ad, page 4.

advertiser index Company

Page

A Therapeutic Effect..........................................................2 Agape Institute.................................................. back cover Alternative Healing of PA.................................................23 Always Helpful Veterinary Services............................... 44 Aqua Blue Wellness Center ............................................33 ASSETS............................................................................ 19 Beautiful Healing Journey...............................................32 Bent Limb Farm................................................................35 Body & Sole Reflexology.................................................33 Brand New Life, Brand New Key..................................... 17 CBD American Shaman.....................................................3 CopperZap.......................................................................55 David Schwartz, DDS.......................................................27 DC Eager Emergency Services ................................. 15, 23 Debt Shredder Team....................................................... 18 Earthbound Artisan..........................................................34 Eat Wild Farms.................................................................41 Elevate Fitness.................................................................36 Embark Herbals............................................................... 13 Emergence Skin Care......................................................38 Finnegan Farms LLC..........................................................7 Fontana Candle Co.......................................................... 18 Fusion Integrative Health & Wellness............................38 Gardner's Mattress................................................... 28, 29 Godfrey's Dogdom......................................................... 44 Health By Design . ...........................................................26 Heath Wellness Center...................................................27 Helene Williams Reiki......................................................22 Hempfield Botanicals...................................................... 10 Hospice and Community Care.........................................20 Inshanti............................................................................ 31 Jesuit Center.................................................................... 17 Karen Carnabucci............................................................36 Kula Kamala Foundation...................................................4 Kulprit LLC.......................................................................43

54

Lancaster-Berks

NALancaster.com | NABerks.com

Company

Page

Lancaster Acupuncture...................................................33 Lancaster Brain & Spine.............................................. 8, 11 Lancaster Cancer Center..................................................5 Lancaster Creative Reuse.............................................. 46 Lemon Street Market ......................................................41 LifeWorks Wellness Center............................................35 Link Chiropractic...............................................................4 MattressFirst....................................................................45 My Herbal Apothecary.....................................................34 Nature's Rite....................................................................47 Naturopathic & Chiropractic Family Health....................36 Northwestern Mutual....................................................... 10 Nutrition Works Clinic.....................................................42 Omni Patient Advocates.................................................. 15 PASA Conference............................................................ 11 Radiance..........................................................................32 Rodale Institute............................................................... 16 Round Top Healthy Living...............................................37 Saint James Episcopal.......................................................5 Sheehan Natural Health Center......................................20 Susan Korsnick: Art & Soul..............................................22 Susquehanna Dental Arts................................................30 Take Heart Counseling....................................................38 The Green Room Salon.................................................... 11 The New School of Lancaster..........................................42 The Salt Lounge.................................................................7 Till We Meet Again...........................................................27 The Spa at Willow Pond................................................... 13 Tree of Life....................................................................... 19 Upohar.............................................................................41 Wegmans......................................................................... 11 Willow Yoga Studio...........................................................9 Write From The Heart..................................................... 46 Zest!.................................................................................39 Zillis Ultra Cell.................................................................43

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 NATA15.

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

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