Natural Awakenings New Haven & Middlesex CT AUGUST 2019

EE R F

HEALTHY

LIVING

HEALTHY

PLANET

FAMILY MATTERS What Does it Mean to Have a Child with Autism?

GOING

WILD Foraging for Foodies

TAKE A SPIN

Cycling for a Healthy Brain

Is it Autism?

PANS? Or Both?

Questions Arise about the Blood-Brain Barrier

August 2019 | New Haven-Middlesex | NaturalNewHaven.comAugust 2019

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Enter the flow of the River…

September 13–15, 2019

Riverside Park & Mortensen Riverfront Plaza * Hartford, CT

Three days of yoga, wellness and music on the breathtaking Connecticut River.

Dozens of sessions with professional yogi, presenters and performers.

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Yoga tracks for beginners and advanced practitioners Programs for children Yoga for U.S. Veterans Evening concerts to move your spirit and your feet Vendors & Food Trucks Healing Huts

One-Day and Full Weekend passes on sale now.

Information & Tickets:

spirityogafestival.com

Presented in affiliation with

August 2019

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letterfrompublisher

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY PLANET

“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.” ~Sam Keen

Brenda Tate Photography

NEW HAVEN/ MIDDLESEX EDITION

PUBLISHER Gail Heard EDITOR Ariana Fine Here we are in August—Deep summer! For many of us, it is DESIGN & PRODUCTION Gail Heard the peak of “laziness” season, right before gearing up for the CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ariana Rawls Fine more structured and focused time of autumn.

Nicole Miale One of my favorite past times during the month of August

SALES & MARKETING Melissa Pytlak is taking long, evening walks while being serenaded by the DISTRIBUTOR Man In Motion, LLC WEBSITE Chik Shank symphony of crickets, cicadas, katydids and frogs. I love August nights! Daytime, on the

CONTACT US PO Box 525 North Branford, CT 06471 Ph: 203-988-1808 • Fax: 203-488-8523 .NaturalNewHaven.com

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

FINANCIAL MANAGER Yolanda Shebert FRANCHISE SUPPORT MGR. Heather Gibbs WEBSITE COORDINATOR Rachael Oppy 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

other hand—not so much in love with that. The intense heat and sunlight, particularly in the afternoon hours of this month, has thrown me out of balance from time to time.

Why? Because, in Ayurveda terms, I am a Pitta Vata. Combine fire, water, earth and ether and you have a potentially explosive combination of elements! This year, I’ve been more mindful about reducing the discomfort associated with this season by following a Pitta-pacifying diet; slowing down beta mental activity through meditation and Reiki treatments; staying well hydrated, and reducing my body temperature through the soothing experience of swimming in cool water—Puts out that fire instantly!

For all of you Pitta Vatas and Pitta Doshas out there, we published a helpful guide in our June 2019 issue to help you get through summer’s sizzle. If you did not get a chance to read “Living Ayurveda: Your Guide to Summer Living,” by Ayurveda Wellness Counselor, Melissa Pytlak, you can still read it on our website at: NaturalNewHaven.com on the “Articles” page. Just click this link to read the article: https://naturalnewhaven.com/living-ayurveda-your-guide-to-summer-living.

Our August editorial takes a look at Autism Spectrum Disorder, which affects about 1 in 59 children and is reported to occur in all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups according to the CDC. Our feature article, “Is It Autism? PANS? Or Both? Questions Arise about the Blood-Brain Barrier,” is a review of the research, showing evidence that immune system dysfunction can cause the symptoms associated with autism. Our second Autism article, “Family Matters: What Does It Mean to Have a Child with Autism?” discusses the emotional and social aspects of autism, including feelings of isolation, family dynamics and making friends.

This month, we also explore the topic of relationships—with ourselves, others and those who have transitioned. The articles suggest that, love (including self-love) and appreciation are at the core of all healthy relationships. This could require doing some inner work to heal feelings of unworthiness, hurt and resentment rooted in our past, which may be triggering negative emotions when relating to others in the present.

Sharing tools and resources intended to enhance your personal wellness is the foundation of our magazine. We are equally committed to planetary healing and providing education to help promote a sustainable lifestyle. If you are interested in green housing we have good news for you—Rocky Corner, a green co-housing community in Bethany now has homes for sale! Read their news brief for details.

On September 7, the CT Folk Festival & Green Expo will be back in Edgerton Park!

This will mark the 27th year for their annual festival of over 50 exhibitors, “green” workshops, food trucks and live music. Natural Awakenings has been one of their proud sponsors for 11 years. Be sure to visit our table while you are there!

As in every issue, enjoy exploring the abundance of local resources and holistic offerings in our news briefs, community calendar and throughout our magazine.

Happy last month of summer!

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soy-based ink.

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Natural Awakenings is a family of more than 70 healthy living magazines celebrating 25 years of providing the communities we serve with the tools and resources we all need to lead healthier lives on a healthy planet.

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Contents 19 SPIRIT FESTIVAL

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IMMERSION ON THE CONNECTICUT RIVER

20 WILD AND WONDERFUL Foraging for Foodies

24 ANXIETY RELIEF FOR CHILDREN

Balancing Energy Centers Opens Expressive Paths

26 IS IT AUTISM? PANS? OR BOTH?

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Questions Arise about the Blood-Brain Barrier

28 FAMILY MATTERS What Does It Mean to Have A Child with Autism?

32 A FOREVER BOND

Connected In Life and After Death

34 YOGA’S

LOVE CONNECTION

ADVERTISING & SUBMISSIONS HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact Melissa Pytlak at 203-305-5531 or email PytlakMelissa@gmail.com.com. Deadline for ads: the 12th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Gail@naturalnewhaven.com. Deadline for editorial: the 5th of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Submit Calendar Events online at: NaturalNewHaven.com.

Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month.

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.

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Healing Power of Relationships to Transcend Trauma

36 GET CLARITY ON YOUR SOULMATE! Inner Work Can Bring External Joy

DEPARTMENTS 6 news briefs 12 health briefs 14 global briefs 15 education

spotlight 16 community

spotlight 18 eco tip

20 conscious

eating 24 healing ways 30 fit body 36 inspiration 38 calendar 42 classifieds 44 resource guide August 2019

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news briefs

Taking Tai Chi and Health Qigong to the Market

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n August 15 and 22, Shifu Shirley Chock, co-owner of Aiping Tai Chi Center, will be offering free tai chi and health qigong classes from 3-3:45 p.m. pre-market at the Walnut Beach Farmer’s Market in Milford, Connecticut. The family-friendly classes will consist of low-impact, mindful movement exercises suitable for all ages.

is governed through a sociocracy system, in which decisions are made through consent after discussion by neighbors rather than majority voting. Work is divided by a variety of committees, which any community member is welcome to join.

Rocky Corner’s buildings are energy-efficient, with passive and active solar design; air-source heat pumps for heating and cooling; tight envelopes with high-R-value insulation; and smaller footprints.

The community’s motto is “consume less, share more,” which it achieves by sharing the land for growing and conservation; sharing vehicles and tools; preparing meals together; and working together to create and maintain the community. Homes range in size from one to three bedrooms.

For more information about joining the community, attending an info session or touring the construction site, call 203-903- 2646 or visit RockyCorner.org. See ad on page 44.

CT Folk Festival & Green Expo Returns in September

Tai chi and health qigong are ancient Chinese healing arts practiced by millions around the world. Aiping Tai Chi Center, located in Orange, Connecticut, has been offering authentic Chinese internal martial arts since 1996.

The Walnut Beach Farmer’s Market runs 4-7 p.m. every Thursday from June 20 through September 12; it includes food trucks and live music.

For more information, call 203-795-0203, email AipingTaiChiCenter@gmail.com or visit Aiping-TaiChi.com.

Location: Walnut Beach Farmer’s Market, 85 Viscount Dr., Milford, CT. See ad on page 21.

Co-housing Community Underway; Green Homes for Sale

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ocky Corner Cohousing, an organic farm-centered neighborhood located in Bethany, CT, has begun its active construction phase, with only a few homes left for sale. Thirty comfortable, privately owned, self-sufficient homes and a large, shared common house with facilities for shared meals and other community resources, are clustered in the center of a 33-acre former dairy farm.

Cohousing is a proven community design with more than 165 neighborhoods established throughout the United States and construction of another 140 underway. Rocky Corner is the first in the tri-state metro area.

Rocky Corner Cohousing’s mission is to “create a balance between independence and interdependence.” The community 6

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n September 7, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., the CT Folk Festival & Green Expo presents their annual free festival of live music, handmade artisans, food trucks, children’s activities and “green” workshops at New Haven’s Edgerton Park. This will be the expo’s 27th year.

Festival directors, Nicole Mikula and Michael Skrtic, alongside the CT Folk Board of Directors, unveil an outrageous music lineup that includes Donna The Buffalo, with direct support from Birds of Chicago. Ghost of Paul Revere, Amythyst Kiah, Jim Allyn Band, Quarter Horse, Susan Cattaneo and Professors round out the lineup as well. Also, the Grassy Hill Songwriting Competition highlighting Stan Sullivan, Monica Rizzio, Nick Depuy, Sharon Goldman, and Margo Hennebach to kick off the day.

The Green Expo, open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., highlights over 50 exhibitors that include handmade artisans and exhibitors with innovative ideas and products for sustainable lifestyles. Our Green New Haven tent will feature environmental organizations

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news briefs who will each offer a workshop and a Farmers Market from New Britain ROOTS. For all families, the Green Kids Village offers a fun-filled day including interactive drumming with Infinite Roots, hula hooping with BringtheHoopla, children’s yoga with Full of Joy Yoga.

There will also be interactive workshops all day with Cyril the Sorceror, cooking demos with My City Kitchen, Songwriting Workshop with Dick Neal, recycled art projects with EcoWorks and activities with Common Ground and Massaro Farm.

CT Folk Festival offers a craft beer (New England Brewing Company) and wine garden.

There is a $10 suggested donation to support CT Folk’s continued efforts. Proceeds benefit CT Folk’s mission to educate, entertain and inspire a diverse audience through music and conversation to create a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable community.

There is parking on the streets surrounding Edgerton Park.

There are no vehicles allowed in the park, except for those using the limited number of Americans with Disabilities Act parking spaces. These spaces are available on a “first-come” basis.

For more information, visit CTFolk.org, Facebook.com/CTFolk or Instagram.com/CT_Folk. Location: Edgerton Park, 75 Cliff St., New Haven, CT. See ad on inside front cover.

Celebration Makeover: Making Celebrations Eco-friendly and Simple

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n August 20 at 6:30 p.m., Holistic Moms Network’s New Haven County chapter will focus on celebration makeovers during the free monthly meeting in Milford, Connecticut. Back to school marks the beginning of school birthday celebrations and all the holidays to come. How can you keep celebrations fun and healthy without the excess? Join in an open discussion on how to keep positive during the holidays and birthdays. Share

and discover what other attendees do to inspire new traditions.

Get to know other holistic-minded people in the local community during the roundtable discussion. Are you looking for a celebration focused more deeply on nature? What are you looking to simplify this school year and holiday season? What traditions or practices do you celebrate during the holidays to help reduce commercialism and waste? What holiday memories do you want for you and your family?

The mission of Holistic Moms Network, a nonprofit support and discussion network, is to connect parents who are interested in holistic health and green living. It welcomes people wherever they are on their own holistic path in an environment that does not judge. The New Haven County chapter follows the Holistic Moms Network’s drive to encourage parents to use their innate sense of what is best for their children and the Earth while learning more about healthcare and parenting options. Living healthy and living green is not an endpoint, but an ongoing journey.

Holistic Moms Network membership benefits including member DIY and Moms’ Night Out activities, access to closed Facebook chapter members-only group and HMN national members’ online Facebook community, access to Frontier Co-op wholesale buying prices and ordering, free access to homeopathic healing solutions e-course, FMTV Education online streaming subscription, HMN sponsor discounts, Organic Spa digital magazine subscription, customized Mabel’s Labels, and more.

For more information, visit Chapters.HolisticMoms.org/Chapters/ CT-New-Haven or Facebook.com/HMNNewHaven. RSVP to Tori Lawlor at TDavisca@aol.com or on the Facebook event. Location: Woodruff Family YMCA, 631 Orange Ave, Milford, CT.

Thousands of Years of Food Wisdom in Twelve Months

The Institute of Sustainable Nutrition

Offering a One-Year Certification Program in Sustainable Health & Nutrition This Innovative School Integrates the Science of Nutrition with:

Practicing Sustainable Gardening Methods

Preparing Traditional Kitchen Medicine

Learning Kitchen Culinary Skills

Identifying Nutrient-rich Wild Plants

Embark on this life-altering journey and be part of the movement to change the paradigm of our food for future generations. Join our experienced staff one weekend a month as you use hands-on education to delve into and explore diverse aspects of how food and herbs enhance the health of your clients, friends, family, yourself and the environment.

Now accepting applications for 2019-2020 | Call 860-764-9070 today! | West Granby, CT | www.tiosn.com August 2019

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news briefs

Interested vendors can apply online at YourHolisticEvents.com.

New Outdoor Nature Playspace Emerges

For more information, call Shirley Bloethe at 860-989-0033, email YourHolisticEvents@gmail.com or visit ShirleyBloethe.com.

Location: DoubleTree by Hilton, 42 Century Dr, Bristol.

See Holistic Community Professionals directory on page 13.

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oin Peace of Nature LLC for nature connection and play at The Red Barn in Durham. Their new outdoor Forest Playspace is a way for budding naturalists to connect to Mother Earth, wildlife friends and a caring community.

The playspace houses a babyfriendly outdoor space for infants, toddlers and waddlers as well as a Victoria Boccalatte mud kitchen and forest play area for curious explorers. Take a nature walk to the peaceful pond or experience the ongoing construction of the outdoor retreat, pollinator gardens and certified wildlife habitat. The Barn Bunny, Pacha and Hermit Crab Haven are indoors.

For children up to 8-years old, they offer weekly playgroups and programs. Contact Victoria Boccalatte for more information.

For more information and Peace of Nature LLC schedules, call Victoria Boccalatte at 860-638-9923, email Victoria@PeaceofNatureLLC.com or visit PeaceofNatureLLC.com. Location: The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St., Durham, CT. See Profile on page 25.

Statewide Holistic Expo Call for Vendors

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he statewide Holistic Expo, to be held Sunday, October 27 from 10am to 4pm at The DoubleTree by Hilton in Bristol, is currently seeking vendors and speakers for the event.

The benefit holistic fair, presented by Holistic Community Professionals, will feature 75 vendors and readers, free raffles and a grand prize—a Hilton overnight stay for two.

Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with more than 75 vendors and exhibitors as they learn about available resources promoting healthy living. Visitors will have the chance to gain inspiration by visiting booths and participating in scheduled events, including a keynote speaker and speakers on multiple topics during the day.

Door proceeds will be donated to the CT Children’s Medical Center (ConnecticutChildrens.org) and Hartford Hospitals Integrative Medicine Angie’s Spa fund (AngiesSpa.org). All funds will be used directly for patient care and will be matched to the maximum allowed by the grants for each organization.

Natural Awakenings is proud to be a member of the Holistic Community Professionals and a sponsor of the two statewide expos held each year.

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New Holistic Psychotherapist Joins The Red Barn in Durham

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ichelle Pellin, MS, MA, LPC, LLC, is bringing her holistic psychotherapy practice to The Red Barn in Durham. She is an intuitive mental health therapist providing counseling services to children aged 10 and above, adults, couples and families. In addition, Pellin will run a holistic grief group for sudden/tragic loss on Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. (call to register for group).

Michelle Pellin Pellin began her human service journey as a therapeutic foster parent, and provided a home for the most challenged teenagers for 19 years.

She then spent many years working with several specialized populations as a nonprofit social worker, including the elderly and those that are physically challenged, developmentally delayed and brain injured. Pellin has held a certification in brain injury for the past 3 years. She is also an experienced Reiki level 3 healer and an emotional freedom technique (EFT) clinician.

Pellin accepts most insurance plans or there is a low private pay fee.

For more information and to make an appointment, call Michelle Pellin at 860-805-7819 or visit CounselingServicesCT.com.

Location: The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St., Durham, CT.

Eating Disorder Specialist Gina Macdonald Launches New Book

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n her new book, Mind Your Own Body, A Body Image Handbook, shoreline eating disorder and body image specialist Gina Macdonald, MA, LPC, CEDS-S, delves deeper into how your body image is not determined by or based on your physical attributes or physicality. Another important point she makes is that your body image influences everything you do, and everything you do influences your body image.

The 174-page, fact-filled book includes 20 questions/answers and 20 experiential exercises.

More than 60 hand-drawn illustrations; instructions for meditation, yoga, breathing techniques and mindfulness; and two dozen inspiring quotations set a compasGina MacDonald

news briefs sionate tone. The book is meant for parents and grandparents, teachers, coaches, creative arts therapists, and medical clinicians working with anyone suffering the effects of body image issues and eating disorders.

Mind Your Own Body reflects Macdonald’s expertise in clinical therapy, expressive art therapy, yoga and mindfulness, and includes the most up-to-date theories and research about body image and disordered eating. She is a licensed professional counselor working with the eating disorder population for over 25 years. A certified international eating disorder specialist and supervisor, Macdonald speaks on college and university campuses to staff and students. Her work in eating disorder treatment centers includes Hartford Hospital’s Institute of Living, The Renfrew Center of CT, and with Walden Behavioral Care on the shoreline of Connecticut where she has held a private practice for 12 years.

Networking

for Holistic Health Professionals A wonderful night of inspiraaon and advice with Watered Grass & Holissc Community Professionals

Mind Your Own Body, A Body Image Handbook is available on Macdonald’s website, Gina-Macdonald.com, and from online retailers for $25.

A Celebration Tasting Wine on the Connecticut Shoreline

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he 13th Annual Shoreline Wine Festival will take place on August 10 (12-7 p.m.) and 11 (12-6 p.m.). Bringing in thousands of visitors over the course of the weekend, the festival celebrates fine wines from Connecticut wineries and vineyards. Pair these wines with some of the area’s finest foods against the backdrop setting of a farm orchard and background music. The festival is hosted and sponsored

by Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market and Winery in Guilford, Connecticut. This year’s festival is sponsored by Bishop’s Orchards Winery, Clinton Crossing, Foxon Soda, Mosaic, Proforma, Miranda Creative, WTNH and Shore Publishing.

The wines range from grape wines to fruit wines. All wine that is sampled by the vineyards at the festival are available for sale that weekend to take home. The two-day festival is a ticketed event that enables attendees to taste wines, enjoy a tour of the Bishop’s Orchards Winery, listen to Old Hickory Boys’ live music and Music in Motion’s DJ services, and visit with local vendors and artisans. Food offered at the event is from an eclectic food truck line, at an additional charge. Food trucks will offer tacos, steamed burgers, lobster rolls, BBQ, grilled cheese, mac-n-cheese, fresh squeezed lemonade, Italian cuisine and pizza.

Wineries participating in this year’s festival include Hopkins Vineyard, Jonathan Edwards Winery, Jones Family Farm Winery, Paradise Hills Vineyard, Sunset Meadow Vineyards and Bishop’s Orchards Winery.

Tickets for the festival are $35 for adults and $10 for designated driver tickets per day. They can be purchased online or at Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market (BishopsOrchards.com) and will also be available at the door.

For more information and tickets, visit ShorelineWineFestival.com or contact Erica DeNuzzo at 203-453-2338 (ext. 215). Location: Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market and Winery, 1355 Boston Post Rd., Guilford, CT.

ONE WORLD WELLNESS STUDIO 967 N. HIGH STREET, EAST HAVEN

Pets are humanizing.

They remind us we have an obligation and responsibility to preserve and nurture and care for all life. ~James Cromwell August 2019

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For more information, to reserve a spot today or to make an appointment at a more convenient time, call 203-315-7727.

Location: Physical Therapy Services of Guilford, 500 East Main St., Ste. 310, Branford, CT. See ad below.

Taking a Day to Focus on Pets in Durham

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ome bring your pet and spend the day at The Red Barn in Durham on August 25 from noon to 5 p.m. You and your animal can meet with The Red Barn’s wellness practitioners and receive Reiki treatments.

A professional photographer will also be available for pictures. Learn about intuitive pet care, crystals, essential oils, and other services and therapies for your pet. Have a question for a vet? One will be available to provide answers. Several pet rescue groups will also be present. Vendors will showcase a variety of pet services and goods for sale.

Entrance is a $5 fee at the door or donations for community

animal shelters, such as toys, blankets, food and towels. Please only bring leashed and well-behaved animals, as well as curb your dog.

For more information, visit TheRedBarninDurham.com.

Location: 352 Main St, Durham, CT. See The Red Barn in Durham listing in Holistic Community Professionals directory on page 13.

Pet CPR Class and Fundraiser

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o you know how to help your pet in an emergency?

Join Paws n Claws 911 in Woodbury on August 11 from 12 – 4 p.m. for a highly interactive hands-on training to learn how to help your four-legged family members in a variety of emergency situations.

Intended for pet parents, pet care professionals, and animal rescue volunteers, this class— which promises a “no-death-by-PowerPoint” experience—is taught by a seasoned pre-hospital care provider and educator with more than 25 years of experience administering these lifesaving skills to two- and four-legged patients. No prior experience or training is needed.

During the four-hour class, attendees will practice emergency muzzling, canine and feline CPR, conscious and unconscious choking management, bleeding control, and more.

2 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

TO ASK WHEN SEEKING A PHYSICAL THERAPIST 1. Will my PT work ONLY with me during my treatment?

ABSOLUTELY! At Physical Therapy Services of Guilford, we are one of the few remaining practices that spend 40 minutes, one-on-one, with YOU and ONLY YOU.

2. Will I ONLY be doing exercises during my treatment?

No. Your physical therapist will be using hands-on techniques to relieve your pain and will provide you with exercises to do at home.

Physical Therapy Services of Guilford • 500 East Main Street • Branford

203-315 7727

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PhysicalTherapyGuilford.com

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The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence. ~Denis Waitley

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ancer surgeries help to save your life, but often can cause pain related to the scar tissue which forms afterwards or due to an awkward positioning of a body part during the surgery.

Manual therapy can help to dissipate the soft tissue tension from the scar and correct the biomechanical joint dysfunction from the surgical positioning.

Take advantage of a complimentary screening to assess if physical therapy may offer you relief from your pain. The 10-minute sessions will be held at Physical Therapy Services of Guilford in Branford, Connecticut. Appointments are available on August 6 and 13 from 4-5 p.m.

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Manual Therapy Following Cancer Surgery

The class is a fundraiser to benefit Brass City Rescue Alliance in Middlebury, a non-profit animal rescue group that runs its own shelter and several feline foster homes that provide veterinary care, behavioral assessments and training before placing pets in their new forever homes. A portion of the $65 registration fee will be donated in support of its mission.

Pre-registration and pre-payment is required, and up to five seats can be reserved on one registration.

CELC Middle School

100%

5th – 8th Grade CTExperiential.org 203-433-4658 28 School Street Branford, CT 06405

of our graduates attend their first choice high schools

For more information, visit PawsNClaws911.com/register-online.

Location: Nonnewaug High School, 5 Minortown Rd, Woodbury.

EMPOWERING STUDENTS. CHANGING LIVES.

Yoga and Arts Festival Returns to Branford

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his marks the third year of the Open Hearts Yoga and Arts Festival (OHYA). It will take place August 24 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the Branford Town Green in Branford, Connecticut.

There will be two tents of free yoga classes and wellness workshops happening throughout the day with some of the most revered and experienced teachers in the area. All classes are open to all abilities as the intention of this festival is to bring people

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together to enjoy the practices while exposing folks to the various resources and mind/body/spirit classes the area offers.

Celebrating creativity is another intention. This year there will be two art tents, one for kids and one for adults to make art and have fun. Other OHYA events include kids yoga and mindfulness classes, scavenger hunts, hooping for all ages, and live music. A vendor village is there to browse local artist’s creations, such as jewelry, textiles, clothing, painting, photography and much more.

Global kirtan and music artist Wah! will close out this year’s festival with a DJ Mata set at 6 p.m. Free for all, this musical experience, complete with visual artistry, will help you get up and dance, or relax and meditate.

OHYA is a non-profit event organized by Raven’s Wing Yoga and the Love Tribe Center, with proceeds benefiting the Branford Counseling Center and the Community Dining Room.

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For more information, visit OHYAFestival.org or find OH-YA Festival on Facebook.

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Eggs should only be a now and then thing, the latest research from Northwestern Medicine, in Chicago, indicates. The new study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, looked at pooled data on 29,615 U.S. racially and ethnically diverse adults with an average of more than 17 years of follow up.

It found that for every 300 milligrams (mg) of dietary cholesterol eaten per day, risk of death from heart disease increases by 17 percent and mortality from any cause increases by 18 percent. One large egg has a whopping 186 mg of cholesterol in the yolk, and eating three to four eggs a week increases heart disease mortality by 6 percent and all-cause mortality by 8 percent. Frank Hu, M.D., at the Harvard School of Public Health, comments that low to moderate intake of eggs can be included as part of a healthy eating pattern, but they are not essential. Dietary cholesterol also comes from red meat, processed meat and high-fat dairy products such as butter and whipped cream.

Use Probiotics to Shed Pounds

At least one-third of early deaths could be prevented if people moved to a largely plant-based diet, prominent scientists from Harvard University Medical School have calculated. An international initiative, “Food in the Anthropocene,” published in the medical journal The Lancet, linked plant-based diets not only to improved health worldwide, but also to global sustainability.

The report advocates a diet high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts, and low in red meat, sugar and refined grains. “Unhealthy diets pose a greater risk to morbidity and mortality than does unsafe sex, and alcohol, drug and tobacco use combined,” it concludes.

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For the one-third of Americans struggling with obesity, new research on probiotics from the Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, in China, offers a promising approach. In a meta-review of 12 randomized, placebo-controlled studies that tested 821 obese and overweight people, probiotic supplementation was found to significantly reduce body weight, weight circumference and fat mass, and to improve cholesterol and glucose metabolism measures. Probiotics were administered in forms that included sachet, capsule, powder, kefir yogurt and fermented milk, in durations that ranged from eight to 24 weeks.

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Eat Plants to Live Longer

Montmorency tart cherries, first discovered

by Roman legionnaires along the Black Sea, have been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, according to scientists. Now a study from the UK’s University of Hertfordshire published in the Journal of Functional Foods has found that the cherries can mitigate factors that lead to metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases the risk of stroke, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Just two hours after being given cherries in the form of juice or capsules, subjects showed significantly decreased systolic blood pressure, and insulin levels were significantly lower after one and three hours compared to those given a placebo.

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Take It Easy on the Eggs

Savor Cherries to Lower Metabolic Syndrome Risk

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health briefs

Holistic Community Professionals HCP

Our professional team of holistic and natural businesses provides community outreach and education. We are committed to improving the health and wellness of body, mind, and spirit in the communities we serve. Visit our Site: HolisticCommunityProfessionals.com

Coaching & Workshops

DNA Designed Nutrition

Torin Lee TL Coaching /Zen Events MyPathForward.net 860-861-9038 torin@zenevents.net TorinLee.com

EFT Tapping /Hypnosis Therese Baumgart Certified Practitioner Emotional Freedom Technique Hypnosis & Past Lives Clear Stress, Lose weight, Release pain, Stop smoking Free 15 minute strategy session In-person, Skype, Phone 203-710-7438 HypnosisandEFTct.com

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Grief / Loss / Counseling /Workshops

Intuitive Counselor & Healer Gayle Franceschetti, MEd, CHt Hypnotherapy, Meditations Reiki/Energy sessions, Essential Oils Group Past Life Regression Individual Past Life Regression Workshops, Spiritual Power Journeys, Private mentoring & counseling Return2love3@gmail.com Return2Love.com 203-265-2927

Debbie Pausig, LMFT, CT Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Certified Thanatologist (CT) Death, Dying, Bereavement, Grief, Loss: Counseling, Workshops, Facilitator Training 203-985-8246 Debbiepausigmft.com

Stephanie Rosally-Kaplan Reiki Master / Teacher Universal White Time Gemstone Practitioner Level 2 Wedding Officiant / Workshops Professional Photographer 914-330-1474 RosallyKaplan@gmail.com The Red Barn in Durham 352 Main St, Durham

Peace of Nature LLC Victoria Boccalatte, M.Ed. Nature Mentoring & Connection For Children & Adults Through Mother Nature Playgroups & Programs Holistic Wellness Classes & Individual Crystal/Reiki Healing 860-638-9923 PeaceOfNatureLLC.com

Salt Therapy (Halotherapy)

Reiki Master / Teacher

Nature Mentoring Playgroups

Soulshine Salt Cavern 352 Main Street, Durham 860-478-0510 Open Wednesday-Sunday Email: Connect@SoulshineSaltCavern.com SoulShineSaltCavern.com

Wellness Center The Red Barn in Durham Janice Juliano, MSW, LCSW Holistic Psychotherapist Coordinator MassageTherapy Nutrition / Yoga / Reiki / Sound Healing Professional Photography / Art Classes 860-559-6151 352 Main St, Durham TheRedBarninDurham.com

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August 2019

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Coral Care

global briefs

Climate change has inspired farmers to turn to regenerative agriculture, which pulls carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and stores it in their soil. Regenerative agriculture incorporates the practices of planting trees, cover cropping, no-till farming and rotational grazing.

As the groundswell of support grows, 250 soil health bills have been introduced in state and federal legislatures in the last two years.

At a U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee climate change hearing, Nebraska soybean farmer Matthew Rezac said that keeping soil healthy, not just reducing greenhouse gas emissions, was a key part of what farmers could do to cool a warming planet. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the bills have different justifications, but they all focus on soil health. As disastrous floods and drought sweep away farmland, the idea that regenerative agriculture could make for more productive farming is gaining traction.

Moon Rocks

Tectonic Activity Shakes Geologists

Long considered to be geologically inactive, our 4.6billion-year-old moon is showing signs of tectonic activity via seismometers deployed between 1969 and 1972 during the NASA Apollo program. Although some “moonquakes” have been recorded near cliff-like fault scarps on the surface, they may be caused by the irregular gravitational effects of orbiting the more massive Earth or extreme temperature differences created by sunlight in the vacuum of space. Employing more sensitive equipment has been proposed for future missions to assist in choosing potential colonization sites.

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Farmers Responding to Climate Change

Critical habitat is threatened for 12 coral species in Florida, the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean, while all corals worldwide are experiencing dramatic declines due to the impacts of climate change, pollution and overfishing. The Center for Biological Diversity, a Tucson-based nonprofit focused on species protection, intends to file a lawsuit against the federal government for failing to protect coral habitat as required under the Endangered Species Act. Benefits of securing a critical habitat designation from the National Marine Fisheries Service include improved water quality throughout the coastal zone, limits on overfishing, protection of spawning grounds, reduced impact from development and dredging, and reduced human pressures on thousands of species that inhabit the reefs.

Nearly 30 percent of all corals have already been lost to warming ocean temperatures and ocean acidification due to greenhouse gas pollution; scientists predict that the rest could be gone by the end of the century without help.

Fluorescent Findings

Artificial Light Tied to Inflammation Fluorescent lighting is one of the most common sources of artificial light, but new research from Texas State University suggests there may be unexpected consequences at the genetic level. Team member Ronald B. Walter says, “Over the past 60 years, we have increasingly relied on artificial light sources that emit much narrower wavelength spectrums than does the sun. Yet, little research has been conducted to determine gene expression consequences, if any, from use of common artificial light sources.” Their findings, published in the online journal Genes, show increased inflammation in tissue and organs and increased immune response in the subject animals, regardless of whether the species is primarily active in the day or night.

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Hot Topic

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Reefs to Get Their Day in Court

education spotlight

CELC Middle School Celebrates 10 Years!

A

s CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC) gets ready for a new academic year, the Branfordbased center is also excited to celebrate its 10th anniversary. In addition to planning for academic classes, where students will take on challenges in different subject areas, CELC schedules field experiences, guest artists and travel for its students.

These set the tone, energy and nuances that will shape the center’s upcoming 11th year. Planning in conjunction with this year’s Exploration and Discovery theme allows for an in-depth look at one’s self and the myriad of connections to others and the world.

Building community is an essential start to any year. The students will spend focused time learning about one another and in self-discovery, developing agreements and expectations, engaging in cooperative group games, and teambuilding. Establishing a safe and caring learning

community definitely plays a role in the success of students’ academic potential.

Time away from home for young people can enhance lives. Student travel is an integral part of the CELC education.

Each year at CELC, students take a trip in the beginning and the end of the year, spending a few days and nights in a new place. This September, they will embark upon a week at Hulbert Outdoor Center in Fairlee, Vermont.

A dynamic middle school program, CELC provides small classes that combine academics with hands-on and real-world learning experiences to fit the academic, social and emotional needs of the fifththrough eighth-grade student.

To find out more or to sign up for CELC’s mailing list, connect at MandM@CTExperiential.org or CTExperiential.org. See ad on page 11.

an unforgettable, experiential evening of discovery, freedom and power!

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community spotlight

Adam’s House

Offering Grief Support for Our Children

by Ariana Fine

I

n 2011, Allison Wysota’s husband, Adam, died suddenly at the age of 47 from a heart attack. In seeking out help to cope with her own mourning and the grief of their three young boys, she found that the available support groups did not provide the continuity that her family needed. Groups would have an open schedule where kids and parents could drop in; Wysota’s children would form connections only to have to retell their story and relive their grief with new children when others would stop attending after a couple of weeks. She sought a closed group program that had the structure, stability and longer commitment that would enable them to build trust, longer connections and better support. After searching for an established Connecticut-based program, Wysota instead found inspiration in 16

New Haven/Middlesex

Olivia’s House, a decades-old grief-focused program in Pennsylvania. And so she decided to found The Adam Wysota Foundation’s Adam’s House (AdamsHouseCT.org) in 2017 as a local peer-supported grief and education center in Shelton, Connecticut. Olivia’s House (OliviasHouse. org) continues to help the Adam’s House program with mentoring, curriculum and volunteer training.

“Children lose a piece of themselves when someone close to them passes away,” says Sarah Domena, director of community outreach for Adam’s House. “All of sudden, they also don’t have that sense of connection with their friends and peers because others don’t understand what they are going through. Adam’s House enables them to connect with other kids going through similar losses and emotions.”

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The Adam’s House programs are offered at no cost for children and their parents/guardians. The organization tries to put children with similar “situations” together in groups if possible, such as those grieving a sibling who passed away.

In this closed-ended education model, families are interviewed by staff and specialists before committing to the program to better understand their situation. If additional therapy or grief counseling is needed, Adam’s House’s professional staff also refers out to other organizations and practitioners.

The organization’s professional staff, with their expertise in counseling, social work and education, oversees group volunteers. Groups are led by FIGs, or “Friends in Grief,” who undergo a 3-day volunteer training session to learn how to ensure that the group sessions are peer-led. Many volunteers are parents of children who have undergone similar trauma, or work in the fields of health care, social services or education, according to the organization. FIGs gain additional knowledge about how children deal with the grieving process and how to provide them with a comfortable, safe place to express themselves.

Each program night, the families get to know each better over dinner. Afterward, while the children are upstairs in age-appropriate groups, the adult parents, grandparents, guardians or caregivers have their own peer support downstairs. They learn ways to offer support to the grieving children and how to model their own grief in an age-appropriate manner. As part of the curriculum, game, art, music and play activities are focused on each week’s theme to encourage the children to share their thoughts and emotions related to their grief. With the 2-month commitment model, the group members feel more secure and safe to reveal their grief to new friends. To inspire a point of relevancy and connection with the children, the adults work on a similar weekly project. For instance, during the memories-focused week, both groups create a box with pictures and mementos about the person that passed away. It sparks a conversation about what was included, why it was

important and how it makes each of them feel, says Domena.

The organization even has a space where children can record video messages to those they have lost or express their emotions in a safe environment. After the 8-week program, every program alumni is invited to connection events two to three times a year to continue to receive support.

In addition to its children-focused groups, Adam’s House also offers the Moving Forward Social Group for Widows and Widowers. There are volunteer opportunities available for FIGs, professional service providers, community ambassadors and others to help with the organization’s support mission.

The impetus for Adam’s House was sadly driven by Allison Wysota’s loss. But in seeking better support for her family, she has provided an invaluable resource for other bereaved families in Connecticut to express their emotions, find a safe place to grieve, get the peer support they need, forge connections and heal.

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Adam’s House is located on 241 Coram Ave. in Shelton, CT. For more information, call 203-518-2808, email AdamsHouseCT@ gmail.com or visit AdamsHouseCT.com.

its launch in 2017, Adam’s Since House has helped 54 children, 38

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and 31 families cope with their grief in the center’s 8-week Helping Hearts Heal program.

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n The causes of death were led by illness and heart conditions, followed by opioid overdoses, medical errors and accidents. n Forty-two percent of the children helped at Adam’s House lived in the Valley, 39 percent in Fairfield County, 13 percent in New Haven County and 6 percent in other areas.

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eco tip

SEPTEMBER

Sound, Music, Yoga & Dance Therapies plus: Vibrant at Any Age

Eco-Camping

Keeping It Earth-Friendly

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HEALING MUSIC & MOVEMENT ISSUE

OCTOBER

Chiropractic & Orthopedic Care

plus: Healing With Frequencies ALIGNMENT & LONGEVITY ISSUE

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Hormonal Health plus: Natural Sleep Solutions & Healthy Home

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

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New Haven/Middlesex

August is prime time for camping out in the woods or at a music festival.

Communing with nature or enjoying the beat outdoors for extended periods can stress the environment—but with proper planning, it doesn’t have to.

The Association of Independent Festivals has launched its Take Your Tent Home campaign in the UK, according to Treehugger.com. The group is urging concertgoers to not discard their tents at venues and retailers to stop marketing camping gear as intended for single-use; festival organizers also have been asked to eliminate singleuse cups, bottles and straws.

In America, MindBodyGreen.com reports that carbon credits are being offered to help offset trips to and from Lollapalooza, in Chicago, from August 1 to 4. Pickathon, taking place on the same days outside Portland, Oregon, will have a free bike parking lot, as well as a dedicated shuttle for cars, plus no single-use serving ware.

ChasingGreen.org advises campers to look for tents and related products made with recycled material and natural fibers like hemp, cotton, coconut husks and bamboo. Marmot, Lafuma, Sierra Designs and The North

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Face all use recycled materials in making their tents, including coconut shells, polyester, water bottles, garment fabrics and factory yarn waste.

The website also suggests carpooling with family and friends, choosing a site that’s closer to home and packing light to reduce weight in the car, thus improving mileage.

Also, if we bring trash into a campsite where there are no receptacles, leave with it. Don’t burn it in the fire, as that contributes to air pollution; instead, pack it up and dispose of it properly at home. Set up a method for collecting rainwater to use to wash dishes.

EcoWatch.com recommends bringing unbreakable, washable plates, cups, utensils and napkins, a small basin or bucket, sponge and biodegradable soap, and a bag to store items that are too dirty to reuse.

Stock up on batteries to power lights and lanterns or use solar power with a LuminAID light lamp. Follow the “leave no trace” motto: no litter, smoldering fire pits, ripped-up grass, crushed bushes or repositioned boulders. Stay on marked trails, never pick plants, flowers or berries, and never harm or disturb wildlife.

as we make new discoveries or add to our existing stores of knowledge. Having witnessed and experienced the transformative nature of spirit as expressed through music, art, movement, healing and yoga, I am optimistic that Spirit Festival will continue to evolve intentionally and sustainably for all who seek community, balance and well-being for all.

Spirit Festival Immersion

F

On the Connecticut River

rom September 13 through 15, Hartford, Connecticut’s riverfront will be the site of a brand new experience: Spirit Festival, a three-day immersive event celebrating yoga, wellness, music and dance. Participants are invited to unite at the soul level with others who share the dream of a balanced, healthy and vibrant planet for all. This celebration will provide a safe and moving space for discovering new paths to harmony, healing, creativity and community.

Spirit Festival will feature a wide array of conscious teachers, practitioners and performers that will appeal to the novice and the experienced alike.

Natural Awakenings caught up with Spirit Festival’s Program Curator Amy Sailor to find out what attendees can expect from the inaugural event.

What did you think when you first heard about a three-day yoga, wellness and music festival on the Connecticut River?

When I first heard about the festival, I did not think. Rather, I felt a strong sense of hope, anticipation and pride because of the roughly 350 towns and cities considered, the Connecticut River and Hartford’s Riverfront Plaza was selected as the locale

for this event. I then envisioned a large gathering of diverse, creative, energetic, curious and caring souls engaged with one another in a safe, affirmative and simply beautiful environment.

I imagined that as much as yoga and wellness practitioners value the offerings of more established venues, they might equally value an opportunity to contribute their respective expertise and participate in the creation of something new and unique to the area. Indeed, the outpouring of enthusiasm, benevolence and support from yoga studios, practitioners and artists confirms my faith that this Spirit Festival will be all it is intended to be.

You have been spearheading the programming of yoga, presenters and musical acts.

What has been your guiding philosophy?

In my decades of practice as an educator and cultural professional, I am mindful that individuals naturally gravitate toward and revisit the people, places and experiences that affirm their sense of being in the world. In as much as we have come to rely on technology to maneuver through the complexities of practical living, we maintain the desire to be in fellowship with those who look and think like us even

Will this event be good for beginners who are just starting a yoga practice?

This event is intentionally suited for all levels of practitioners. Classes for those new to yoga, including those with mobility issues, will be offered throughout the weekend. It’s important to note that the asanas, or postures, are but one way of benefitting from the practice of yoga.

There will be a variety of modalities available by which participants of all levels and abilities can be guided into self-wareness, concentration, relaxation, play and pure fun.

What can people expect during the evening music programs?

People can expect to hear, feel and move to an eclectic mix of music genres and performances. You may move in place for a Native American Stomp dance, “jack, jack your body” to some groovy house music, wind your hips to some Soca, Calypso and Reggae. You might even tango!

How does this differ programmatically from other yoga festivals?

I think the more distinctive characteristics of this event can be experienced most in its connection to beautiful public park space, the flow of the riverfront and the pulse of a highly diverse and burgeoning urban environment. It represents the best of what our region has to offer.

Spirit Festival will be held at Riverside Park and Mortensen River Park, in downtown Hartford. Spirit Festival is presented in affiliation with Riverfront Recapture and Bali Spirit Festival. Full weekend and one-day registrations are available. For more information and registration, visit SpiritYogaFestival.com. See ad on page 3.

August 2019

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Wild and Wonderful Foraging for Foodies

by April Thompson

T

Wild plants, plants—particularly in here is such a thing as a free lunch, and terms of phytochemicals because they it awaits adventurand antioxidants. They also must take care of ous foragers in backyards, tend to be lower in sugar themselves, tend to and other simple carbs, and city parks, mountain be more nutritious higher in fiber.” meadows and even sidewalk cracks. From nutriPurslane, a wild than cultivated tious weeds and juicy berplants—particularly succulent, has more ries to delicate, delicious omega-3s than any other in terms of flowers and refreshing leafy vegetable, says phytochemicals tree sap, wild, edible foods John Kallas, the Portabound in cities, suburbia land, Oregon, author of and antioxidants. and rural environments.

Edible Wild Plants: Wild ~Deane Jordan

Throughout most of Foods From Dirt to Plate. history, humans were foragers that relied on Mustard garlic, a common invasive plant, local plant knowledge for survival, as both is the most nutritious leafy green ever food and medicine. Today’s foragers are analyzed, says Kallas, who holds a Ph.D. reviving that ancestral tradition to improve in nutrition. “However, the real dietary diets, explore new flavors, develop kinship benefit of foraged plants is in their great with the environment, and simply indulge diversity, as each has a unique profile of in the joy and excitement of finding and phytochemicals. There is no such thing as preparing wild foods. a superfood, just superdiets,” he adds.

Wild Foods As ‘Superdiet’

Know Thy Plant

“There are many benefits to eating wild food,” says Deane Jordan, founder of EatTheWeeds. com, of Orlando, Florida. “Wild plants, because they must take care of themselves, tend to be more nutritious than cultivated

Rule number one of foraging is to be 100 percent sure of your identification 100 percent of the time, says Leda Meredith, the New York City author of The Forager’s Feast: How to Identify, Gather, and Prepare

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Wild Edibles. Foraging experts say the fear of wild plants is largely unfounded.

“The biggest misconception is that we are experimenting with unknowns,” says Kallas. “Today’s wild edibles are traditional foods from Native American or European cultures we have lost touch with.”

For example, European settlers brought with them dandelions, now considered a nuisance weed, as a source of food and medicine. All parts of it are edible, including flowers, roots and leaves, and have nutritional superpowers.

To assess a plant, Kallas adds, a forager must know three things about it: the part or parts that are edible, the stage of growth to gather it and how to prepare it. “Some plants have parts that are both edible and poisonous. Others can be toxic raw, but perfectly edible cooked,” he says.

Timing is everything, adds Meredith.

“A wild ingredient can be fantastic in one week, and incredibly bitter a week later, so it’s important to know when its prime season is.”

Kallas recommends staying away from highly trafficked roadsides and polluted areas. Given that many lawns and public areas are sprayed with herbicides, Sam Thayer, author of The Forager’s Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants, recommends not foraging in an area if it’s uncertain whether chemicals have been applied.

Environmental awareness includes understanding how foraging may positively or negatively affect the ecosystem, says Meredith. “Overharvesting can endanger future populations. But there is a ‘win-win’ way to forage, where I get fantastic food and the landscape is better for my having foraged, by clearing invasive plants around natives or planting seeds while collecting a local plant gone to seed.”

Thayer, of Bruce, Wisconsin, suggests collecting where species are abundant and thriving: “Fruit, for example, can be harvested limitlessly, as can wild invasives that disrupt the balance of the ecosystem and crowd out native species.”

Meal Preparation Vinegars, jams and cordials from wild fruits and flowers can be wonderful, but

DJTaylor/Shutterstock.com

conscious eating

require some patience for the payoff, yet many wild edibles can be eaten raw or lightly sautéed, requiring very little prep work. Thayer recommends sautéing wild greens with just a little soy sauce, vinegar and garlic.

Foraging builds confidence, powers of observation and connections to the natural world. The biggest benefit, says Thayer, may just be the fun of it. “You can experience food and flavors you cannot have any other way. A lot of these foods you cannot buy anywhere, and really, it’s better food than you can buy.”

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

Beginner’s Tips From Master Foragers

D

on’t try to learn foraging; just try to learn about one vegetable or fruit, says Sam Thayer. “Take it one plant at a time. It takes the intimidation out of it.”

Find a good local instructor that has a solid background in botany and other fundamentals of foraging, says John Kallas.

“Also, get some good books, and more than one, as each will offer different dimensions,” says the author and instructor.

Conquer the fear of Latin and learn the scientific names of plants, suggests Leda Meredith. As there may be several plants with the same common name, or one plant with many common names, knowing scientific names will help clear up potential confusion in identifying them.

You don’t have to go far to find food, says Deane Jordan. “In reality, there is often a greater selection around your neighborhood than in state parks.

In suburbia, you find native species, the edible weeds that come with agriculture, and also edible ornamentals.”

Bring the kids: They make fabulous foragers, says Meredith. “They learn superfast and it’s a way to pass cultural knowledge along and instill that food doesn’t come from a garden or a farm, but from photosynthesis and the Earth and the sun.”

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Natural Awakenings M agazine is Ranked 5th Nationally in Cision’s 2016 Top 10 Health & Fit ness Magazines List www.naturalawakeningsmag.com

August 2019

21

Simply Wild: Forage Recipes

Susane Grasso

Garlic Mustard Pesto on Crisp-Creamy Polenta Yields: 4 servings

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Leda Meredith, author of The Forager’s Feast: How to Identify, Gather, and Prepare Wild Edibles, says, “Wild food aficionados may roll their eyes when they see that I’m including this recipe because pesto is used as the go-to recipe for this plant so often that it’s become a cliché. But there’s a reason for that: it’s really, really good.

Buttered Cattail Shoots With Peas and Mint Yields: 4 servings

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This is a riff on the traditional English springtime dish of lettuce wilted in butter with peas and mint. The pleasingly mild flavor of the cattail shoots stands in for the lettuce. Stick with just the whitest parts of the shoots for pure tenderness or include some of the pale green bits if you want a sturdier dish.

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2 Tbsp unsalted butter 3 cups cattail shoots, chopped ½ cup water 1 cup fresh or frozen shelled peas (if frozen, defrost them first) 2 Tbsp fresh mint, minced Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the cattail shoots and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the cattail shoots are tender and most of the water has evaporated.

Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring.

Remove from the heat and stir in the mint with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve warm.

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“You can toss garlic mustard pesto with pasta, of course, but a spoonful added to soup just before serving is also wonderful, as is a smear of it on focaccia or toast. My favorite way to enjoy garlic mustard pesto is on pan-fried polenta that is crispy on the outside and creamy within.”

2 cups fresh garlic mustard leaves and tender stems 3 Tbsp walnuts or pine nuts, chopped 1 tsp garlic, minced (wild or cultivated) ¼ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 Tbsp butter 8 slices (½-inch-thick) cooked polenta Put the garlic mustard leaves, nuts and garlic into the blender or food processor.

Pulse until the leaves are chopped.

Add the cheese. With the motor running, add ½ cup of oil a little at a time until the mixture is well blended, but not completely smooth. (You want a bit of texture from the nuts and greens to remain.)

Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the polenta slices. (You can use the precooked polenta that comes out of a tube, or if you cooked some from scratch, spread it out ½-inch thick on a baking sheet and refrigerate until sliceable.)

Don’t try to move the polenta slices until they’ve browned on the bottom side. You’ll know that’s happened when they dislodge easily. Use a spatula to flip them over and brown the other side.

Plate two slices per person, with the garlic mustard pesto spread on top. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Tip: If you want to keep this pesto in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to six months, blanch the garlic mustard greens in boiling water for 20 seconds, then immediately run them under cold water or dip them in an ice bath. Squeeze out as much water as you can, then proceed with the recipe. This blanching step prevents the pesto from losing its bright green color and turning brown in cold storage.

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Simple Supper Garlic Mustard Pasta Yields: 4 servings This is a simple, but satisfying one-pot meal that comes together in about 20 minutes total. You can embellish the recipe with additional ingredients such as chorizo sausage or pine nuts, but it’s really not necessary. Sometimes simple is best.

1 lb penne pasta 1 lb garlic mustard leaves and shoots, washed and coarsely chopped (ideally, you’re using garlic mustard at the stage where the stems are still tender and the flowers are either budding or just starting to open) 4 garlic cloves, peeled 1 to 2 medium-hot red chili peppers (pepperoncini), stems and seeds removed ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided (use your best as this is one of the main flavors of the sauce) Salt to taste ½ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, freshly grated (again, use the best you’ve got) Freshly ground black pepper Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the penne and set a timer for seven minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, prep the other ingredients: wash and chop the garlic

mustard, mince the garlic or put it through a garlic press, chop the chili peppers.

After seven minutes, add the garlic mustard to the pasta in the pot and cook until the pasta is al dente, usually about five minutes more.

Scoop out a ladleful of the pasta cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and garlic mustard in a colander. Return the pot to the stove over low heat.

Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the pot along with the garlic and chili pepper.

Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Return the reserved pasta cooking water and the drained pasta and garlic mustard greens back to the pot. Raise the heat to medium and cook, stirring, for a minute or two until the liquid is mostly evaporated or absorbed. Remove from the heat, then stir in the remaining olive oil and salt. (Go scant on the salt because the grated cheese you’ll be adding is salty.)

Serve hot with freshly grated cheese and freshly ground pepper.

Other wild edibles you can use in this recipe include any leafy greens, as well as the leaves of any wild garlic species.

Recipes and photos from The Forager’s Feast: How to Identify, Gather, and Prepare Wild Edibles. Reproduced by permission of The Countryman Press. All rights reserved.

August 2019

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healing ways

Anxiety Relief for Children

Balancing Energy Centers Opens Expressive Paths

by Shannon Marzella

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t’s no secret that today’s children and teenagers are stressed out, overwhelmed, and in need of some relief. This is the first generation to grow up truly immersed in the stimulus of technology, the pressure to succeed, and mounting global and environmental concerns. For kids, especially sensitive and empathic children and teens, this can be a lot to bear. Experts have many opinions on how to help kids shoulder these burdens and handle the overwhelm, but based on the combined experiences of teachers, intuitives, and Reiki practitioners, there’s evidence that working with the chakra system of children and teens holds the potential for transforming anxiety into peace of mind.

Root Chakra

Working with the root chakra can promote feeling purposeful, grounded and safe in the world. Nature is a true healer for the root chakra. Giving your kids time and space to be outside, run around barefoot and play can create a subtle yet 24

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powerful shift. The Earth’s energy can be felt if they simply place their hands on the ground, and the practices of earthing and forest bathing have become known as remedies to the modern dilemmas of too much electronic screen time.

Sacral Chakra

This chakra is the center of creative expression. Have you ever noticed a young child completely immersed in coloring or painting? Her sacral chakra is in alignment, placing her within the flow of her unique creativity. Give your children or teens the opportunity to make something with their hands--cooking and baking count, too! This energy center is all about free-form creativity, without the need to perfect a skill.

Solar Plexus Chakra

The solar plexus is the seat of power.

When a sensitive child has experienced a traumatic event, such as bullying, the death of a loved one or their parents’ divorce, they often hold it in their solar

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plexus, the space around the stomach. This can manifest as stomach pain and upset or can feel like a “punch in the gut” that doesn’t go away. The next time your child is upset, help them feel more in control by asking what they need, then offering it to them in whatever way possible. This allows them to identify their needs and advocate for them, a deep lesson for the solar plexus.

Heart Chakra

The heart chakra is the center of love, close relationships, and safety. Creating a safe environment for an anxious child is critical and can help the child relax and feel nurtured and loved. You may want to carve out a space for them somewhere in your house that they feel is all their own.

They can take ownership of this space, placing beloved items and pictures in it.

Throat Chakra

The throat chakra focuses on communication and speaking one’s truth. It can be difficult for an anxious child to articulate

This is the first generation to grow up truly immersed in the stimulus of technology, the pressure to succeed, and mounting global and environmental concerns.

For kids, especially sensitive and empathic children and teens, this can be a lot to bear. their feelings, especially when asked directly. Instead, journaling can be a wonderful way for some children to express themselves.

Writing down their emotions clears the throat chakra and may make it easier for them to speak their thoughts aloud to a trusted adult.

Third Eye

The third eye centers on clear knowing and intuition. Meditation is one of the most powerful ways children and teens can tap into their inner self—and that doesn’t mean just sitting on a meditation cushion in silence for an hour. A walking meditation or a guided visualization can help kids feel stimulated while also tapping into their intuition. You may want to ask your child what their body is feeling—this can open up pathways into their intuition that the mind would never find.

Crown Chakra

The crown chakra connects to a greater presence or higher power. Sensitive children and teens may not be able to articulate their connection to something larger than themselves, but it doesn’t mean they don’t feel it. In fact, sensitive children often feel energy in themselves, in others, and in the world around them. To expand this, children and teens can experience Reiki and other forms of energy healing that connect them with that expansive energy.

Tapping into the body’s energy centers can provide anxious kids with welcome relief. These practices were common among our ancestors but have slipped away in our modern day and age.

By incorporating them into your family’s daily life, you can lay the foundation for improved communication and connection, which is critical for supporting sensitive children.

Shannon Marzella is an intuitive and a Reiki practitioner.

She also has more than a decade of experience working with sensitive children as an English teacher in alternative school settings. She offers Reiki and readings for children, teens, and adults at her home studio in Redding, CT. For more information, visit WiseWomanLiving.net.

Peace of Nature LLC Victoria Boccalatte, M.Ed. 352 Main Street, Durham, CT 860-638-9923 Victoria@peaceofnaturellc.com PeaceOfNatureLLC.com

Practice/business summary of primary services offered: We are nature connection and mentoring, offering nature playgroups for the youngest of naturalists and explorers. Along with nature exploration we offer holistic wellness classes, eco-friendly workshops, and individual services (Crystals and Essential Oils).

How are your holistic classes and healing services different from that of others in your field?

Playgroups and programs for children ages 0-8. Children will have unstructured opportunities to take direction of their own learning with their favorite adult. We use natural and upcycled non-conventional toys and materials. Playing with open-ended materials, called Loose Parts, encourage children to use their imagination.

What benefits should customers/clients expect from your wellness classes/services?

Children and adults alike will find being outdoors and exploring Mother Nature’s gifts a breath of fresh air. By fostering ongoing community and support we encourage children of all ages to find peace, joy, and a love of learning through nature and natural practices.

How is your holistic business evolving?

At The Red Barn in Durham, in addition to creating a Forest Playspace we are also working with the community to design an Outdoor Nature Retreat/ Certified Wildlife Habitat to support future generations of Nature Mentors.

What do you most want Natural Awakenings’ readers to know about you and your offerings?

Finding peace in nature is something extremely important to us. Rather than providing nature education, we support a bigger picture of helping others connect to nature at their own pace and comfort level. Through Nature Connection we encourage people to grow a strong love for our earth so that we may better care for her and ensure her healing for our future generations.

August 2019

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Is It Autism? PANS? Or Both?

Questions Arise about the Blood-Brain Barrier

by Maria Rickert Hong

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new peer-reviewed medical research article made a big splash in the autism community when it was published earlier this year. The study, “Beyond the brain: A multi-system inflammatory subtype of autism spectrum disorder,” by R.P. Thom, et al, published in Psychopharmacology, explores an immune-mediated subtype of autism that is characterized by systemic, multi-organ inflammation or immune dysregulation with shared mechanisms that drive both behavioral symptoms and physical illnesses. In other words, dysfunction in the immune system can cause the symptoms that appear as autism.

In the recently published book, Brain Under Attack: A Resource for Parents and Caregivers of Children with PANS, PANDAS, and Autoimmune Encephalitis, many of the practitioners interviewed stated that many or most children with 26

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autism also have Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). The syndrome is a result of pathogenic infections crossing into the brain, causing a host of neurological symptoms. It used to be thought that the blood-brain barrier separated the brain from the rest of the body, blocking pathogens and dangerous chemical compounds from reaching it; recent research is proving that is not the case. Researchers recently discovered that the immune system extends into the brain with cells called microglia, and they are subject to infection.

A study in 2018, “Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) misdiagnosed as autism spectrum disorder,”

by M.V.M. Goncalves, et al, in Immunology Letters discussed the overlap between the disorders. Any number of the following symptoms may be present in a child with autism, as well as those with other neuro-

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developmental disorders including ADD/ ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder or learning disabilities, which typically have common root causes: n OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) n Excessive anxiety, especially separation anxiety n Depression n ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) n Tics such as Hair pulling, eyelash pulling, motor tics, repetitive or compulsive coughing or throat-clearing when not sick n Excessive temper tantrums n Mood swings n Behavioral regression n Developmental regression n Sensory processing difficulties n Sleep problems n Gastrointestinal pain n Bedwetting n Severe food restriction

n Anorexia n Decline in handwriting skills n Decline in math skills n Hyperactivity n Inability to concentrate n Head banging n Aggression n Refusal to go to school n Increased desire to be left alone n Seizures A breach in the blood-brain barrier can be caused by antibiotics; traumatic brain injury; toxins such as polysorbate 80; and exposure to electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs), including ultrasounds. The most common microbes believed to be involved in the development of PANS symptoms include, but are not limited to: n Mycoplasma pneumoniae n Group A Streptococcus n Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease) n Babesia n Bartonella n Varicella virus n Influenza virus n Epstein-Barr virus n Herpes simplex virus It may be shocking for some to discover that peer-reviewed medical research studies dating back to the 1960s showed the connection between herpetic viral infections and autism. Most of these articles described how encephalitis from a herpes simplex virus caused temporal lobe damage that resulted in symptoms of autism.

Another way to think of PANS, as well as any neurodevelopmental disorder such as autism, ADD/ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and even learning disabilities, is that these disorders may fall under the larger umbrella of autoimmune encephalitis (AE), a disorder in which the immune system attacks the brain, impairing function. Encephalitis is inflammation and swelling of the brain, often due to infection, which in many of these cases causes an autoimmune attack on the microglia cells of the brain. The research article, “N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antibodies encephalitis mimicking an autistic regression,” by Y. Hacohen, et al,

Another way to think of PANS, as well as any neurodevelopmental disorder such as autism, ADD/ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and even learning disabilities, is that these disorders may fall under the larger umbrella of autoimmune encephalitis (AE), a disorder in which the immune system attacks the brain, impairing function. published in 2016 in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, explained this mechanism. It’s important to remember that the brain’s immune system may not really be attacking itself, but instead may be going after pathogens in the brain.

Parents should be aware that PANS is a clinical diagnosis, meaning that a child’s blood test titer results may be negative, but they could still have the disorder based on their symptoms. Titer results for specific infections are NOT always indicative of an infection because titers often are only moderately elevated, or not elevated at all, in children with PANS. Typical tests that are run to determine a PANS diagnosis are: n The Cunningham panel n Serum ASO titer (Anti-Streptolysin O) n Serum ASDB titer (Anti-Streptococcal DNase B) n Lyme disease titers n Titers for specific viruses, especially herpetic viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus and herpes simplex viruses n Pathogenic bacterial infection titers, such as Staphylococcus aureus n Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection titers

n Influenza infection titers n Heavy metals and other toxins Also keep in mind that, typically, there is not just one infection involved in PANS, so if practitioners focus on tests only for Lyme disease or PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections), the results could be inconclusive. Practitioners interviewed for Brain Under Attack noted that they typically see both viral and bacterial infections simultaneously, so be sure your practitioner looks at the whole picture.

Maria Rickert Hong is a former Wall Street sell-side equity research analyst who is now a Certified Holistic Health Counselor, as well as the Education and Media Director for Epidemic Answers, a non-profit that lets parents know recovery is possible.

She is the author of the bestselling book, Almost Autism: Recovering Children from Sensory Processing Disorder, A Reference for Parents and Practitioners, and the coauthor of Brain Under Attack: A Resource for Parents and Caregivers of Children with PANS, PANDAS, and Autoimmune Encephalitis. She can be reached at MariaRickertHong.com.

Local Information Non-profit organization Epidemic Answers has assembled a directory to help parents find a practitioner in their area who is well-versed in identifying these issues. The directory is available at EpidemicAnswers.org/ practitioners/practitioner (select “PANDAS/PANS” in the search criteria), as is much more information about biomedical approaches for both disorders.

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Family Matters

What Does It Mean to Have a Child with Autism?

by Roseann Capanna-Hodge

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inda ’s intention was to run in and out of the mall to grab a pair of khakis for her oldest child’s choir concert, but her youngest, Alex, was transfixed, watching the elevator. Alex wouldn’t move. His hands were flapping, and he screeched with delight as he watched the glass elevator go up or down.

Alex has autism, and every time Linda tried to pull him away, Alex threw himself to the ground. At 12, Alex was too big for Linda to nudge away physically, so the two were stuck at the elevator until the boy was ready to move. Passersby stared, but none offered to help; that didn’t matter, because he is resistant to strangers.

This can be the life of a parent of a child with autism.

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Life Looks Different with Autism

All aspects of family life look different when it includes a child with autism. Parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents are each affected in different ways. The needs of a child with autism can be significant, and the family’s focus often shifts as a result. While running to treatments—occupational, physical, and speech therapy, neurofeedback, and many more— can stretch a mom thin, since they help the child, she figures out how to make it work.

Some families accomplish this by taking advantage of job flexibility or asking grandparents to drive a kid here or there.

In fact, the parents who most successfully manage to get all their children where they need to go on a daily basis make full use of the “all-hands-on-deck” philosophy.

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Families without extended resources may struggle to get through each day.

Aside from juggling logistics, behaviors like those exhibited by Alex can impact every hour of daily life, affecting other family members to varying degrees. Depending where they fall on the spectrum, children with autism can require a lot of attention due to their lack of independence, as well as medical or behavioral needs. Ideally, family and friends can pitch in to create a much-needed support network, while therapists, clinicians and others provide the additional care each family member will need.

The Emotional Impact of Autism Parents of an autistic child may feel incredibly isolated and filled with fear and

All aspects of family life look different when it includes a child with autism.

Parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents are each affected in different ways. worry. A parent’s head often swirls with questions about today, tomorrow, and the distant future: What will happen to Johnny tomorrow at lunch? Will the speech pathologist work on those IEP goals? Who will take care of Johnny when I am gone?

These things keep a parent up at night.

The constant process of searching for and trying new treatments can also be an emotional rollercoaster: Will this treatment be the one? I heard this provider is good, but is he too stuffy? Evaluating treatment options is challenging because, just as autism spans a spectrum, the needs and treatments are different for every child.

There are also several commonly associated conditions, such as OCD, ADHD, anxiety, or PANS/PANDAS, which can make it even harder for providers to understand a child’s unique needs and recommend the right treatment.

Additionally, friends and family may not understand the behaviors associated with autism, which can lead to stressful interactions. Frustration or even embarrassment about difficult-to-manage behaviors can take a toll on parents and siblings.

Beyond family members, it can be challenging to find caregivers for a child with autism, making it harder for a parent to carve out time for much-needed self-care.

There are many good organizations, such as Talk About Curing Autism (TACA), that can be a wonderful source of information as well as help families make connections with others seeking the same kind of understanding and support. It is so important for special-needs parents to be part of a community that understands them and their children. After all, if you try to explain to non-special-needs parents that you almost didn’t make it to the bus stop because Johnny’s socks didn’t feel

right, they might look at you like you have three heads.

It is critically important for family members, especially the primary caregivers, to take time for self-care every day, even if it is only a few minutes of deep breathing or reading. If you aren’t supporting your own mental and physical health, you won’t be much good to anyone else.

Parents and Siblings Feel the Strain

As mentioned, the ongoing needs of a child with autism can lead to a whole lot of stress and worry. These can strain a marriage; understanding autism and managing its behaviors is one of the biggest sources of conflict couples face. Who can ever be fully equipped to deal with unending sensory needs, tantrums, arguing for services at IEP meetings, and keeping up with all those appointments? And what about supporting the other children at home?

Siblings of an autistic child also experience a family’s stress. Parenting is never easy, but it certainly becomes more challenging when you have a child with greater needs; there are only so many ways you can slice the pie, and parents may worry that an autistic child’s siblings feel slighted that they aren’t getting an equal serving. Working with an autism specialist can help parents learn coping skills as well as how to manage behaviors, which can benefit the whole family.

One important note: While the needs of a child with autism may complicate all relationships, especially with siblings, so many of those siblings offer amazing love and support in turn. Often, their compassion knows no bounds, and their lives have been enriched by the love and challenges they’ve experienced. While many parents worry most about the siblings of a child with autism, those children often demonstrate a maturity and understanding that translates into success as an adult.

Friendship and Social Rejection

The nature of autism is that one has difficulty connecting with others, so making and keeping friends can be hard. Children with autism need help connecting with peers—and sometimes even with adults.

This may require a parent always be available to monitor and mediate interactions, which can be a source of frustration and worry, especially when younger siblings exhibit much more adaptable social lives.

This may result in social exclusion for the parent as well. What people don’t understand, they fear. When a child acts out, it can make others uncomfortable, so neighbors and other parents may reject you and your child, excluding your family from events and gatherings. Other parents may not understand your quest to reverse your child’s issues through dietary restrictions, supplements, and a long list of lifestyle changes: What do you mean you don’t eat wheat and dairy! So, what do you eat? No one wants to explain that 23 times at a party! There is a way to cope, however: Build a tribe. Connect with other specialneeds parents and get together with their families. Creating your own support system with others who understand your child and family, while also building a social group for your child, is crucial to a happy family life.

Acceptance and Understanding Ultimately, a family with autism needs acceptance and understanding from those around them—from family and friends, as well as teachers, therapists and medical providers. For those who work with autistic children, it is important to learn not just what autism looks like, but what it looks like for that one particular child and family. Autism is a spectrum, and while there are some common features, each child has unique gifts and needs. For parents, it’s critical to create a network of people who love and accept your child and siblings so your whole family will thrive.

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge is an integrative and pediatric mental health expert with centers in Ridgefield and Newtown, CT. For almost 30 years, she has helped thousands of children, individuals, and families reverse their issues using proven holistic therapies.

She is the co-author of Brain Under Attack: A Resource Guide for PANS/ PANDAS. She can be reached at 203-438-4848 or info@drroseann.com.

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(203) 736-1053 AnsoniaNatureCenter.org

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ANSONIA NATURE CENTER

Take a Cerebral Spin Cycling for a Healthier Brain

H

by Marlaina Donato

opping on a dopamine and serotonin, There is not one bicycle on a neurological disease as well as brain-derived beautiful day neurotrophic factor— that cannot benefit BDNF—a protein that or taking a spin class at from aerobic exercise, increases during aerobic the gym offers proven cardiovascular benefits exercise. Low levels of from Parkinson’s like lowering cholesterol BDNF have been linked disease to Lou and blood pressure. Now, to obesity, excessive apGehrig’s disease. growing research shows petite, clinical depression, that it also packs a power- ~Laurence Kinsella, M.D. anxiety and cognitive deful punch for brain health. cline. According to a 2016

Aerobic exercise has been found to study by the New York University Langone have the greatest impact on cognitive abilMedical Center published in the journal ity, and low-impact cycling leads the way. eLife, higher levels of BDNF help decrease David Conant-Norville, M.D., a Portland, symptoms of depression while improving Oregon psychiatrist, recommends cycling memory function. to help children challenged by attention

BDNF helps maintain brain health deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). and stimulates the growth of new neurons.

Pedaling regularly can fire up brain cell production by at least twofold; cycling only 20 to Depression and Memory 30 minutes a day can decrease symptoms of “Cycling brings more oxygen and nutrients depression—and might even prevent it. to the cells,” says Carmen Ferreira, owner of SunShine Barre Studio, in Rocky Point, New York. “When we ride our bikes, our Cycle for Alzheimer’s brains also increase their production of and Parkinson’s Diseases proteins used for creating new brain cells.”

“For years, we’ve been touting the benefits

Cycling has been shown to sigof mental exercises for Alzheimer’s disease, nificantly boost the neurotransmitters but physical exercise is also highly beneficial.

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When we ride our bikes, our brains also increase their production of proteins used for creating new brain cells. ~Carmen Ferreira There is not one neurological disease that cannot benefit from aerobic exercise, from Parkinson’s disease to Lou Gehrig’s disease,” says Laurence Kinsella, M.D., a neurologist at the SSM Health Medical Group, in Fenton, Missouri.

According to 2017 Canadian studies involving Parkinson’s patients, cycling improved motor function during a 12-week period. The results, published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, also show a marked improvement in gait.

Promising 2018 research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reveals cycling and other forms of aerobic exercise to be the most effective activity in slowing Alzheimer’s-related cognitive decline.

Build Stress Resistance

In general, living a sedentary life sets up a hair-trigger stress response in the body, while forms of exercise like cycling help to regulate excessive levels of age-accelerating stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Kinsella says, “Exercise like cycling makes us channel that part of the ancient brain that helped our ancestors run from a tiger, and when we engage the brain to run, chase or survive, the aging process slows down.”

Cycling can also be beneficial for people with fibromyalgia.

Ferreira notes, “I have a few students with fibromyalgia who have reported having more energy, as well as better mood.”

Shorter Sessions, Better Results

While cycling can be a memory booster, it can also temporarily impair cognitive function if sessions are too intense or long.

Kinsella recommends that his students work up to 75 percent of maximum heart rate. He also emphasizes common sense. “Strive for a reasonable pace, and by that, I mean ramping up your heart rate gradually over three weeks. Go slowly with beginning any vigorous exercise and accept that it will take months.” For Alzheimer’s patients, he recommends breaking a sweat with five, 30-minute sessions a week.

Ferreira also advises moderation. “Do as much as your body allows—15, 20 or 45 minutes, the latter being the duration of a full-length class. Have clear communication with the instructor to help you reach your goals.”

Whether objectives are accomplished on an outdoor or stationary bike, it is important to be consistent. Kinsella suggests making it enjoyable. “You can get on your bike and watch your favorite television show for 30 minutes or more and get a good workout.”

Marlaina Donato is the author of Multidimensional Aromatherapy and several other books. She is also a composer. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.

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A Forever Bond

Connected in Life and After Death

by Debbie Pausig

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ife, love, death. They are chronological and linear, yet not finite. But the bond with a loved one after death is indeed “infinite”.

Ask the person whose “love of their life” died in their arms, saw their “spirit” leave their body and ascend into the universe to find “their” place in the stars outside their window. They are the hawk at the entrance ramp of the highway guiding the day’s journey. They are the street sign with their name or initials that appear, or number combinations that pop up, or the name on a caller ID. Ask the mother whose child died, no matter the age, about the hole in the center of their being, whose energy manifests in synchronicity with a special feeling. Ask the adult child whose elder parent and “best friend” appears as an angel in cloud formation.

What about the feathers, pennies from 32

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heaven, songs, birds (cardinals, hawks, hummingbirds), animals, butterflies, dragonflies, moved objects, recipes, books that appear out of nowhere, and so many more examples? If you speak about these things to a person who has not experienced the profound death of a loved one, they may look at you askance, as they don’t understand.

In their book Hello from Heaven (1997), Bill and Judy Guggenheim researched the field of after-death communication, confirming that life and love are eternal. They identified the 12 most frequent types of after-death communication people report having with their deceased loved one: sensing a presence, hearing a voice, feeling a touch, smelling a fragrance, visual experience, visions, twilight experience, experience while asleep, out-of-body experience, telephone call, physical phenomena and symbolic experience.

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In The Invisible String (2000), Patrice Karst created a simple story for children and adults alike that, “People who love each other are always connected by a very special string made of love. Even though you can’t see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart and know that you are always connected to the ones you love.”

The intention of the story was to calm a child’s fear of being apart from the ones they love, but it serves a wider purpose in aiding those who would like to explain their sense of connection to someone who has left the physical plane.

In Tuesdays with Morrie (2005), Mitch Albom quoted Morrie Schwartz: “Death ends a life, not a relationship. All the love you created is still there. All the memories are still there. You live on in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here.”

What connects us to a person that died?

In Tuesdays with Morrie (2005), Mitch Albom quoted Morrie Schwartz: “Death ends a life, not a relationship. All the love you created is still there. All the memories are

Final Journey, LLC (Pet Euthanasia Service) Kristen Klie, D.V.M. and Associates (203) 645-5570 www.finaljourneyllc.com

still there. You live on in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here.”

It’s the relationship and love. It’s all about love. This is not about romantic love, nor hedonistic wanting and desire perceived as love; this is a deep, caring connected love that transcends time and death. It is a forever love that was created in life that continues after death—a forever and continuing bond.

In recent times, memorials are posted on social media platforms such as Facebook to connect the memories and photos of a dead loved one to the living. This type of online mourning and connectedness gives comfort to those left behind. Many photos of “signs” are posted that give the bereaved hope that the bond of love continues.

Others may find journaling, writing poems or songs, or even authoring a book very cathartic. Creating a special email between the bereaved and deceased to share in cyberspace is another way to maintain communication, even though it is one-way. The use of all these mediums can be of great comfort as sorrow is put into words.

A lady talking to a dragonfly perched atop an orange daylily is an illustrative example. That daylily was planted by her now deceased mother. The woman carried on, swearing her deceased husband was connecting with her through the dragonfly, which nodded its head, as she spoke into its eyes only three feet away.

Dragonflies are regarded in some traditions as transitional creatures.

We indeed are and will always be connected by an infinite invisible string because our loved ones are in our hearts and our memories. We continue to share stories that came from generations before. We create new stories in the name of our loved one.

We have forged a forever bond, connected in life and after death.

It is all about love.

Debbie Pausig, MFT, LMFT, CT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist, certified thanatologist, grief counselor, national speaker, workshop presenter, Huntington’s disease support group facilitator, bereavement facilitator trainer and VNA Community Healthcare & Hospice bereavement coordinator. She is the author of An Affair Worth Remembering with Huntington’s Disease. Connect at 203-985-8246 and DebbiePausigMFT.com. See ad on page 13.

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YOGA’S LOV E CONNECTION Healing Power of Relationships to Transcend Trauma

by Suzy DeYoung

“Relationships are the agents of change and the most powerful therapy is human love.”

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r. Bruce Perry penned those words back in 2006 when he wrote, The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, a book that would become a seminal influence on our understanding of childhood trauma. Thirteen years later, it appears Dr. Perry was quite prescient.

While he wrote of the healing power of relationships on our emotional lives, the scientific community has since demonstrated the healing power of relationships from a physiological and neurological perspective. And this goes beyond their role in recovering from trauma to how positive relationships can help with depression, anxiety and other brain/mental health concerns.

People have always known that it feels 34

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good to connect with our fellow humans.

We are social animals. Our desire to connect is what keeps families, couples, friends and colleagues working hard to maintain relationships despite petty differences. When stuck, we may not know why therapy helps, but we know it often does, hence the tremendous value many people place on the relationship they have with a trusted therapist or psychologist.

The exciting news is that science is catching up to what we know on an emotional level: Researchers have found that connecting—sharing our stories, being “heard” and “seen” for who we are—does not just feel good, but it also impacts the neurons in our brains.

Brain neurons are malleable and exhibit neuroplasticity, meaning that synapses can change and reorganize based on new learning. With the evolution of the field of epigenetics, we’re talking about bioplastic-

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ity, and how our biology and DNA can also change. This means we have the ability to upgrade our “software.” Perception can change the chemistry and DNA in the body: In other words, our body believes what our mind thinks.

The Newtown Yoga Festival: Experiential Transformation

The emerging science on the healing power of relationships is at the core of why The Newtown Yoga Festival—now in its seventh year—is partnering with non-profit The Avielle Foundation as part of The Avielle Foundation’s Brainstorm Experience.

The Newtown Yoga Festival was established in response to the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The festival promotes well-being, health and community as a holistic solution realized through the transformative wisdom and practice of

yoga by anyone and everyone. It is a way to honor lives lost, celebrate the strength and resilience of humankind and offer healing through compassionate practice, conversation and connection.

The Avielle Foundation: The Brainstorm Experience

The Avielle Foundation is named in honor of six-year-old Avielle Richman, who lost her life in the school shooting. Avielle’s parents, both scientists, formed the foundation in an effort to “prevent violence and to build compassion through neuroscience research, community engagement and education.” The Brainstorm Experience, one of the foundation’s local efforts, is an ongoing series bringing the Newtown community together in a stimulating and engaging environment in which learning, connection, and inspiration can provoke imagination as well as enhance understanding of the brain. These experiences bring a diverse group of thought leaders, advocates, and celebrities from across society to Newtown to offer unique perspectives on the care, science, strength, and vulnerability of the brain.

Avielle’s father, Dr. Jeremy Richman, was a neuroscientist more than familiar with the workings of the brain. Through the foundation’s research, Dr. Richman worked to understand not only the risk factors present in the brain of a person prone to violence, but also the protective factors necessary for a person to choose compassion instead.

A scientist through and through, Dr. Richman was not one to accept any therapy that was not “evidence-based.” His embrace of The Newtown Yoga Festival and its mission was swift and passionate because Dr. Richman understood the neurological protective factors offered through yoga, mindfulness, community, connection and education.

Everyone involved with The Newtown Yoga Festival and The Avielle Foundation was shocked that a man immersed in these protective factors could die by suicide.

Dr. Richman’s death in March illustrates that while we have learned so much in our quest to better understand and heal the workings of the mind, we still have more

The exciting news is that science is catching up to what we know on an emotional level: Researchers have found that connecting—sharing our stories, being “heard” and “seen” for who we are—does not just feel good, but it also impacts the neurons in our brains. to learn. His loss has only strengthened the resolve of The Avielle Foundation and The Newtown Yoga Festival to continue Dr. Richman’s mission and life’s work.

Sharing Common Ground and Building Connections

After the Sandy Hook shooting, an event took place called Community Connections: A Day of Shared Experience, in which families of victims of other mass shootings came to Newtown to speak to members of the community. Families from Virginia Tech, Columbine, and the Amish Community, among others, traveled to Newtown and participated in breakout sessions.

Though people found the planned sessions helpful, the surveys distributed following the event found that participants were most soothed by the opportunities to gather together in the hallways between sessions and eating lunch together.

Sharing stories and connecting with others in friendly settings is healing. With this in mind, The Newtown Yoga Festival works to not only facilitate connection but also, through its relationship with The Avielle Foundation, to help participants understand why they are connecting and how such connection impacts their brains and bodies.

Earlier this year, CNN commentator Sally Kohn, author of The Opposite of Hate: A Field Guide to Repairing Our Humanity, visited Newtown as a Brainstorm Experience hosted by The Avielle Foundation.

While researching the book, Kohn had talked to leading scientists and researchers who were investigating the evolutionary and cultural roots of how and why we demean and dehumanize each other.

Their findings show that humans are wired to see those outside of their circle as “the other,” which historically served as a survival mechanism. To evolve, we must transcend, and to do so, according to another Brainstorm Experience speaker, Brené Brown, we must be willing to feel and sit with the discomfort and vulnerability that arises when we are faced with difficult relationships and people who may not share our politics, our experience or our perspective.

Yoga and mindfulness offer a great starting point for understanding this discomfort; through these practices, we learn to move and/or sit through our own uncomfortable feelings only to come out the other side with more strength and clarity. From there we can move on to practicing sitting through discomfort in our relationships.

The Newtown Yoga Festival has recognized from its inception the healing power of relationships. With headliners that have included Seane Corn, Ray Crist, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Hala Khouri, Stephen Cope and more, the festival has worked to bring people together to move, meditate, learn and connect within a safe space— so they can bring the peace they gain from the day back out into their day-to-day relationships.

After interviewing and connecting with numerous perpetrators and victims of hate, as well as renowned scientists and clinicians, Kohn was asked what she had learned about the opposite of hate. She responded that the opposite of hate is not love; rather, the opposite of hate is connection.

Suzy DeYoung is Director of The Brainstorm Experience in Newtown.

Connect with her at 203-731-7557.

For more information, visit TraumaInformedParent. The Newtown Yoga Festival will take place August 24 in Newtown.

August 2019

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oneinchpunch/Bigstock.com

inspiration

Get Clarity on Your Soulmate!

Inner Work Can Bring External Joy

by Karenna Alexander

M

any women seek counsel from friends, therapists, and dating coaches when they’re feeling despair over their love lives. They say they’re struggling to find “The One.” They believe they’re missing that special person in their lives, the one with whom they’ll have a deep connection and a spark. Often they think they need a matchmaker or a makeover.

Sometimes that’s true. Sometimes women only need to make a few external tweaks. Or maybe the divine timing’s off and their special person just hasn’t shown up yet. Other times, however, women may need to go to the “spiritual gym” for an inner workout.

One of the key aspects of winning the inner game is women getting crystal-clear on what they want. When they are absolutely clear on the desired outcome, they have a better chance at manifesting it. If they can think it, it exists.

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New Haven/Middlesex

There are several reasons clarity is a powerful tool in finding love. First, when women are clear on what they want, they get excited about their goal. Picturing the ideal lover on an ideal day can be thrilling and gives renewed hope that person exists. When searching for their soulmate, women should feel hopeful. In fact, it’s crucial to feel optimistic. It’s harder to find love when you’re in a low-vibe, wishy-washy space.

Clarity also leads to confidence. When women are very clear on what they want, it’s easier to build a roadmap to get there.

When they’re no longer confused about what they want, their day-to-day actions are filled with a purpose.

Finding clarity on the ideal mate can also illuminate hidden fears and blocks.

This is where we mine gold. These hidden obstacles are often blocking women from finding the ideal partner. For example, a woman who has been cheated on in the

NaturalNewHaven.com

past may fear she’ll get cheated on again.

She subconsciously may fear getting involved in another relationship, due to the turmoil she experienced the last time.

Because of these fears, she may avoid singles-oriented events and forego online dating, which greatly lessens the chance of meeting her soulmate.

Everyone’s blocks are different. Some struggle with a fear of betrayal. Others fear losing independence or having to compromise. Or they could be concerned about merging families. Uncovering and facing these hidden fears is half the battle. Once identified, women can start the process of working to get rid of them, sometimes with the help of a therapist or dating coach. Many times, people aren’t consciously aware of their fears until a professional helps them do the juicy work of feeling their ideal lover into existence.

There are many tools you can use to get one step closer to your dream relationship.

One of the key aspects of winning the inner game is women getting crystal-clear on what they want.

When they are absolutely clear on the desired outcome, they have a better chance at manifesting it.

If they can think it, it exists.

Vision boards—either digital or on poster board—can be a fun and useful way to get clarity about your dreams. So can visualization exercises. It’s possible to feel so good about this new clarity, women may find themselves dreaming more—while sleeping— about their ideal mate. These exercises also can help in identifying worries and blocks. Some women put together amazing vision boards that give them goosebumps, yet they also confess to fearing their vision won’t come true.

Journaling through worries and fears can help; journal about why you deserve a great relationship and why you’re worthy. If anything negative comes up, re-write the negative in a positive way. Don’t bury the pain, but after feeling the feeling, reframe it.

For example, rather than fearing a cheating partner, rewrite the thought as: “My next lover will be faithful and loving.”

Other tools include forgiveness and gratitude. Forgiveness often helps people leapfrog ahead, releasing blocks. Forgiveness doesn’t mean letting the person who hurt you back into your life.

But it means you forgive so anger loses its grip, allowing yourself to heal.

Gratitude is another helpful, clarifying practice that can be incorporated into daily life, by writing a gratitude list each morning. When people are filled with gratitude, they see the glass half full instead of half empty. They see an abundance of good partners out there rather than thinking there’s no one out there for them. When you visualize sunny and positive possibilities, you’re more likely to manifest a sunny and positive outcome.

Get started right now with this quick exercise: What are 10 gratitudes related to your dating life you can think of right now?

Write them down. The list can include items like: “Even though I’m reeling from a breakup, I’m glad I weeded out a horrible match,” or “I’m lucky I live in an area where I can meet single people,” or “Thank goodness for dating apps: Where else can I meet so many single people while never leaving the house?”

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Don’t you feel better already?

Karenna Alexander is a dating coach based in Connecticut.

She helps smart successful women weed out time-wasters and find lasting love. Connect at CoachKarenna@KarennaAlexander.com or KarennaAlexander.com.

239-530-1377 Learn more today: NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/Franchise

August 2019

37

calendar of events THURSDAY, AUGUST 1 Celtic Prayer Circle: Lughnasadh – 7pm-8pm.

Lughnasadh inaugurates the harvest season, the successful outcome of the working relationship between the people and the land. Free. Mercy By the Sea, 167 Neck Rd, Madison. Call 203-245-0401 or visit MercyBytheSea.org.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 2 The Three Wisdom Traditions: Yoga, Ayurveda & Mindfulness – 9am-4pm. 6 CEC credits. Learn to reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and trauma with specific ayurvedic interventions. $90. CWC, 2321 Whitney Ave, Suite 401, Hamden. Please register at Womensconsortium.org.

Chris Rowlands: Puppeteer and Singer – 7pm. An award-winning singer and songwriter who offers an interactive kid-friendly presentation for those who love music and nature. He creatively blends music, comedy, and education in a fast paced show that teaches and inspires. Chris brings animals to life through song, dance, puppets, and colorful props, to teach children about animals and their habitats.

Free. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia.

Registration/information: 203-736-1053.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3 Tai Chi Workshop – 2pm-3:30pm. Explore habitual patterns of movement and adaptation to the environment with Minyan Zhu. We’ll tune in to our bodies through the modalities of mindful Tai Chi movements and Feldenkrais floor protocols. $20-$28. Breathing Room, 216 Chapel St, New Haven. 203-562-LOVE. BreathingRoomCT.com.

MONDAY, AUGUST 5

THURSDAY, AUGUST 8

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14

Fall Term Junior Rangers: Registration begins Thurs Aug. 8 – (Class runs Thursdays, Sept. 12– Oct. 31, 3:30pm–5 pm). Calling all kids 11 to 14 years old who love nature! Has your child wanted to work with animals, garden, help maintain our trails, and help with special events? This is the opportunity to help the Nature Center in our 8-week after-school program. Parental permission is required. Class size is limited; this class fills up fast! Free. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. Preregister: 203-736-1053.

Green Homes for sale at Rocky Corner Cohousing in Bethany, CT! – 7pm-9pm. We are a friendly neighborhood with an organic farm just 5 miles north of New Haven. A great place to raise kids, to be creative, to grow, to retire. Find out more at this remote info session, RSVP to welcome@rockycorner.org or call 203-903-2646.

We’ll send you the Zoom link.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9 CBD + CHI – 6pm. Take some time for yourself as you heal through a peaceful Yoga class suited for students of all levels while learning about how CBD can enhance not only your Yoga practice, but also your Life. Good Vibes Yoga Studio, 4 Cooke Rd, Wallingford. 203-824-1929.

G o o d Vi b e s Yo g a S t u d i o C T @ g m a i l . c o m .

GoodVibesYogaStudio.MassagePlanet.com.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 11 Butterflies and Dragonflies – 1pm. Enjoy your Sunday afternoon at the park on our guided hike.

Explore the Redwing Pond and our meadow for these beautiful six-legged, four-winged insects. The guide will show you our native butterfly gardens and teach you the benefits of native plants to our CT butterflies and dragonflies. Free. Ansonia Nature Ctr, 10 Deerfield Rd, Ansonia. Preregister: 203-736-1053.

Free Community Meals Presented by Master’s Table Community Meals: Dinner – 4pm-5:30pm.

Free. Open to the public. No RSVP. Donations graciously accepted. Assumption Church Hall, 61 N. Cliff St, Ansonia. For more information, call 203-732-7792. MastersTableMeals.org.

MONDAY, AUGUST 12

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15 Full Moon Meditation w/Gayle Franceschetti – 6:30pm-8:30pm. Align w/new energies of Full Moon. Opportunities for allowing spiritual energies to reach human hearts and minds. Tap into this vast pool of energy. $20. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford.

Call 203-631-7803 or Return2love3@gmail.com.

Return2Love.com.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 16 Weaving a Nest for Stillness: A Contemplative Weekend Retreat – (Fri, Aug 16, 4pm-Sun Aug 18, 11am). Engage with the Sacred in nature and rest while anchored in a centering prayer. Ample time to enjoy and explore the beach and grounds is planned. $360 includes the program, a single room with a suite, bath and all meals from Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast. Mercy by the Sea, 167 Neck Rd, Madison. Register by calling 203-245-0401 or visit MercyBytheSea.org.

Full Moon Gong Kundalini & Meditation – 7pm-9pm. w/ Barbara, Steve and Mary Jayne.

Experience live gong sound healing tones, Kundalini, and meditation to put mind/body at ease. $22/session, $60/3. Your Community Yoga Center, 39 Putnam Ave, Hamden. 203-287-2277.

YourCommunityYoga.com.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17

Summer Skin Workshop – 6:30pm. Join Elm City Wellness’s skilled estheticians, Shannon and Taryn as they show you how to care for, soothe, and minimize the summer sun’s impact on your skin. Demo and Free samples included. Space Limited. Class is Free to attend. Elm City Wellness, 774 Orange St, New Haven. 203-691-7653. ElmCityWellness.com.

Green Homes for sale at Rocky Corner Cohousing in Bethany, CT! – 10am-1pm. We are a friendly neighborhood with an organic farm just 5 miles north of New Haven. A great place to raise kids, to be creative, to grow, to retire. Find out more at our information session and tour. Location: 58 Old Amity Rd, Bethany. RSVP: Call 203-9032646 or email welcome@rockycorner.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13

MONDAY, AUGUST 19

Young Living Essential Oils – 6:30pm-8pm. Help align your mind, body, spirit. Learn to take control of you and your pet’s health with therapeutic grade oils. Free class. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford.

203-631-7803 or Return2love3@gmail.com.

Return2Love.com.

Summer Networking Gatherings – 6pm7:30pm. Hosted by Debbie Barry - Ready To Exhale, LLC. Bring a snack/beverage to share.

107 Main St North, Woodbury. Call: 203-558-5025.

HolisticCommunityProfessionals.com.

Hot Stone Massage for LMs – 6pm. Join Cheryl Wilson LMT in this NCBTMB-approved class that will help you hone your skills & expand your practice when it comes to Hot Stone Massage.

3 hours/3 CEs Space is limited. $249. Elm City Wellness, 774 Orange St, New Haven. 203-691-7653.

Elmcitywellness@gmail.com. ElmCityWellness.com.

CBD & Natural Pain Management – 6:30pm.

Join Dr. Kathryn Ronzo, Naturopathic doctor, as she discusses the benefits of CBD when it comes to pain management along w/ other natural modalities to help combat acute and chronic pain syndrome. Class is Free. Space is limited. Elm City Wellness, 774 Orange St, New Haven. 203-691-7653.

ElmCityWellness.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7 Summer Networking Gatherings – 6pm-7:30pm.

Hosted by Stephanie and Janice. Bring a snack/ beverage to share. The Red Barn, 352 Main St, Durham. Call Stephanie to RSVP: 914-330-1474.

HolisticCommunityProfessionals.com.

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The Graduate Institute Information Session! Enrolling now! – 6:30pm-7:30pm. New England’sAward-Winning School for Holistic Studies: Transformative Education. Affordable. One Weekend Per Month. Master of Arts Degrees, Certificates and Sixth-Year Equivalent Programs (ideal for teachers) in Integrative Health and Healing, Learning and Thinking, Organizational Leadership, Consciousness Studies, Transpersonal Psychology, Writing and Oral Traditions and Coaching with Spirit at The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd, Bethany, with locations throughout CT. Register online: Learn.edu.

NaturalNewHaven.com

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21 Circle of Women – 7pm-9pm. Join in sacred space to discover and strengthen your authentic self.

Learn to listen and speak from the heart. Experience the Talking Stick and compassion-in-communication. Women’s Ways are compatible with all spiritual paths. $25. Central Wallingford. Call Susan to explore/reserve space. 203-645-1230.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25 Free Community Meals Presented by Master’s Table Community Meals: Dinner – 4pm-5:30pm.

Free. Open to the public. No RSVP. Donations graciously accepted. Assumption Church Hall, 61 N. Cliff St, Ansonia. For more information, call 203-732-7792. MastersTableMeals.org.

MONDAY, AUGUST 26 CBD 101 – 6:30pm. Join Dr. Kathryn Ronzo, Naturopathic doctor as she explains the health benefits of CBD while answering questions you have on the topic. Free samples/coupons.

Space limited. Class is free to attend. Elm City Wellness, 774 Orange St, New Haven. 203-691-7653.

Elmcitywellness@gmail.com. ElmCityWellness.com.

REBOOT! 5 Day Early Morning Yoga Challenge – 6:30am-7:30am. (August 26-30, Mon-Fri). With Jim, Karen, Laine and Jen. Join us for a 5-day Reboot Challenge – you may find that you want to commit to our Sept 20 day challenge! 5 Classes for $25 (plus tax). Your Community Yoga Center, 39 Putnam Ave, Hamden. 203-287-2277.

YourCommunityYoga.com.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27 The Graduate Institute Information Session! Enrolling now! – 6:30pm-7:30pm. New England’sAward-Winning School for Holistic Studies: Transformative Education. Affordable. One Weekend Per Month. Master of Arts Degrees, Certificates and Sixth-Year Equivalent Programs (ideal for teachers) in Integrative Health and Healing, Learning and Thinking, Organizational Leadership, Consciousness Studies, Transpersonal Psychology, Writing and Oral Traditions and Coaching with Spirit at The Graduate Institute, 171 Amity Rd, Bethany, with locations throughout CT. Register online: Learn.edu.

markyourcalendar

Become a Reiki Practitioner

For healing of self and others

BEGINNING SEPTEMBER!

Eileen Anderson, RN, Reiki Master Teacher is offering classes in:

Reiki Level 1

(self, chair and table treatments)

Reiki Level 2

(deepening practice & distant healing)

Locations: Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts Center, Middletown, CT Buttonwood.org & Wallingford Adult Education Wallingford, CT WallingfordAdultEd.org

Registration & Details: Contact: Eileen Anderson

203-314-5401

Email: eilande@comcast.net ReikiwithEileenAnderson.com

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28 Green Homes for sale at Rocky Corner Cohousing in Bethany, CT! – 7pm-9pm. We are a friendly neighborhood with an organic farm just 5 miles north of New Haven. A great place to raise kids, to be creative, to grow, to retire. Find out more at this remote info session, 7 - 9pm. To RSVP Call 203-903-2646 or email welcome@rockycorner.org.

We’ll send you the Zoom link.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 31 Green Homes for sale at Rocky Corner Cohousing in Bethany, CT! – 10am-1pm. We are a friendly neighborhood with an organic farm just 5 miles north of New Haven. A great place to raise kids, to be creative, to grow, to retire. Find out more at our info session and tour. Location: 58 Old Amity Rd, Bethany. To RSVP call 203-903-2646 or email welcome@rockycorner.org.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 Japanese Reiki & Animal Reiki I – 1pm-6pm.

(Sept 7-8). Kat Forgacs leads this training in the Let Animals Lead (R) method by Kathleen Prasad, plus guided practice with rescue animals. Reiki 1 also available. $250-$300. The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. AboutBlissReiki@gmail.com.

markyourcalendar

SPIRIT FESTIVAL September 13-15

Riverside Park & Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, Hartford Experience a celebration of wellness, yoga, music and dance— in affiliation with Riverfront Recapture and BaliSpirit Festival.

SpiritYogaFestival.com

ongoingevents

sunday Health Qigong – 10am-11am. Developed through scientific research by China’s top sports universities and Qigong masters to create the most effective sequence of movements to gently strengthen the body, improve flexibility, and cultivate qi flow. Free trial class. Aiping Tai Chi Center, 518 Boston Post Rd, Orange. 203-795-0203. Aiping-TaiChi.com.

Community Vinyasa Yoga – 10:45am -11:45am.

Strengthen your yoga practice with Renee every Sunday! Sliding scale of $10-$17. Walnut Beach Wellness & Boutique, 41 Naugatuck Ave, Milford.

WalnutBeachWellness.com.

Mystical Market and Craft Fair – 11am4pm. (The 3rd Sunday of every month). Psychics, vendors, artisans, holistic practitioners & more. Free admission, vendor’s fees vary. The Ruby Tree, Sherman Village Shopping Center, 670 Main St South, Woodbury. 203-586-1655, Christina@therubytreect.com, TheRubyTreeCT.com.

Community Acupuncture – 12pm-2pm. (Every last Sunday of the month). Treatments are given in a group setting, where multiple clients are treated simultaneously in reclining chair or cushioned yoga mats. Initial visit is $40, follow-ups are on a sliding of $25-$40. Dr. Suzanne Woomer, ND, L.A.c.

Walnut Beach Wellness & Boutique, 41 Naugatuck Ave, Milford. WalnutBeachWellness.com.

Creative Collaboratory – Online/Some In-person (register). Second Sundays: 3pm-4:30pm. Support for creative artists. Guest speakers. Themed programs, meditation, Yoga therapy, visualization and supportive counseling for the vows and manifestation process of creative artists. Musicians, Actors, writers, artists, poets and anyone with the creative process, in their soul. Monthly membership includes one private 30 minute coaching session with Leesa Sklover Ph.D, LPC, Leader. Additional free group at RA MA Institute NYC. Monthly. $40. Registration/ Interview 917-860-0488. DrSklover@gmail.com or Leesa@skloverlovelifeproductions.com.

Meditation to reduce stress + learn to cure one ailment each week – 5pm-6pm. Your Community Yoga Center, 39 Putnam Ave, Hamden. https://www. meetup.com/Yoga-Meditation-CT. Women’s Global Circle – 6:30pm-8pm. (Live/In person First Sunday: Branford. Dinner and group.

Online rest of the month). For Heart centered activism and Manifestation. Women wanting to make their dreams for Self and world come true.

Monthly fee $ 60. Scholarships. Phone interview/ sign up: 917-860-0488. Drsklover@gmail.com or Leesa@SkloverLoveLifeProductions.com.

Queer Dharma – 7:30pm-9pm. A forum for practice and discussion relating all dharma traditions and the experience and concerns of LGBTQI individuals and their friends. All are warmly welcome regardless of experience, spiritual tradition, age, sex, gender identity, or sexual/affectional orientation. Each meeting will include meditation instruction, practice, readings and discussion. Free. The Shambhala Center of New Haven, 85 Willow Street, New Haven, Building B. NewHaven.Shambhala.org.

August 2019

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ongoingevents

monday CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC) Middle School Monday Admissions Tours by appointment – Engaging academics, handson real-world learning for 5th - 8th graders.

Imagine the middle school years as joyful, exciting, boundless. Limited openings available now for 2019-20. Contact 203-433-4658 or mandm@CTExperiential.org. CTExperiential.org.

Pilates/Barre Community Class – 8am. This class is a mix between pilates moves to strengthen core muscles and the Barre technique to sculpt and lean our arms and legs. Discount price of $10.00 cash/ check or $12.00 credit card. Kneading Hands Yoga & Massage, 760 Main St S, Unit F, Southbury.

203-267-4417. KneadingHands.net.

Acupuncture: Elm City Wellness. Private sessions – Mon 9am-12pm. Wed 10am-1:30pm, Sat 3:30pm-7pm. Community Acupuncture Mon 2pm-5pm, Tues/Thurs 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-2pm. Community Acupuncture is done in a traditional Chinese-style that amplifies the healing power of the work. Community Initial $50.

Returns $30. Private Initial $120. Returns $90.

ElmCityWellness.com.

Mondays at the Red Barn In Durham – 9am & 7pm. Meditation. Reiki Share 12:30am and 6pm.

352 Main St, Durham. Please go to web site for price. TheRedBarnInDurham.com.

Guided Meditation Circle – 10am-11am. A weekly meditation Circle in a very relaxed setting using mindfulness meditations, discussions about mindfulness and how to have a successful practice.

No experience necessary. $10 Investment. Healing Room, 10 Carina Rd, North Haven. Please call: 203-214-9486.

Alignment Yoga – 10am-11:30am. With Iyengar Teacher Training Graduate. Refine your yoga practice with optimal alignment practices that make you stronger, more flexible, and more emotionally stable. Yoga in Middletown, 438 Main St, Middletown. 860-347-YOGA (9642).

YogaInMiddletown.com.

Yoga with Marlene – 10:30am & 7:15pm. Yoga classes for all ages and problems in a serene atmosphere with emphasis on stress-management. 1221 Village Walk. Guilford. Info: 203-453-5360.

Meditation – 1:30pm. Silent, sitting meditation for anyone to attend. For all levels. Beginners welcome!

Meditation begins and ends promptly on time.

Donation-based event; no set fees. New England Meditation Center, 455 Boston Rd, Old Saybrook.

For more information, visit: https://www.meetup. com/New-England-Meditation-Center/events.

Reiki, Universal White Time gemstone/crystal healer, or Sound healing with tuning forks session – 2pm-5pm. By Reiki Master/Teacher, Shaman Practitioner Stephanie Rosally-Kaplan. Red Barn In Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. Call for your appointment: 914-330-1474.

TheRedBarnInDurham.com.

builds strength, stability, and balance. This practice gives us the tools to drastically change our physical, psychological, and spiritual condition. Consider it a full mind/body upgrade. By Donation, no set fees.

318 West Main St, Chester.

Qigong for Health – 7pm-8pm. Learn a practice that invigorates the internal energy, relieves stress, tones and stretches the muscles and connects the mind and body. $15/class. Tranquil Mountain Internal Arts. Location: Shoreline Center for Wholistic Health, 35 Boston St, Guilford. Info: 860-301-6433. tmiarts.com.

tuesday CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC) Middle School Tuesday Admissions Tours by appointment – Engaging academics, handson real-world learning for 5th - 8th graders.

Imagine the middle school years as joyful, exciting, boundless. Limited openings available now for 2019-20. Contact 203-433-4658 or mandm@CTExperiential.org. CTExperiential.org.

Yoga in Our City, Free Outdoor Yoga!

Now through Sept 15 – 3 weekly classes are Tues: Scantlebury Park, 5:30pm, Thursday at Quinnipiac River Park, 5:30pm and Sunday at Edgewood Park at 11:30am. Breathing Room Yoga Center, 216 Chapel St, New Haven. 203-562-LOVE. BreathingRoomCT.com.

Yang Style Tai Chi – 9am-10am and 6pm7pm. Learn the principles of Tai Chi as moving meditation to increase strength and flexibility and decrease stress. Classes focus on teaching you how to move through yielding and releasing tension in your body. Free trial class. Aiping Tai Chi Center, 518 Boston Post Rd, Orange. 203-795-0203.

Aiping-TaiChi.com.

Yoga with Marlene – 9:30am & 6:30pm.

Yoga classes for all ages and problems in a serene atmosphere with emphasis on stress-management.

1221 Village Walk. Guilford. Info: 203-453-5360.

Healthy-Steps, The Lebed Method w/Susan Sandel – 3:45pm-4:45pm. (Every Tuesday). Gentle therapeutic exercise/mvmnt prog. Helpful for breast cancer survivors/chronic health conditions. Free.

Sponsored by Middlesex Hospital Cancer Center of Integrative Medicine. Location: Madison House, 34 Wildwood Ave, Madison. Details: 203-457-1656.

Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement 5 Week Class Series – 6pm-7pm. Learn to move easily with simple movements that help to relieve pain and restore your body to its natural ease. $50 for 5 weeks or $15 drop in. Carol Meade Holistic Therapies Classroom, 15 South Elm St, Wallingford.

203-415-8666 or info@massage2movement.com.

Sunset Savasana: Flowing with Mother Nature every Tuesday, Wednesday, and select Saturdays – 7:30pm. An all levels flow yoga class with the beautiful backdrop of the sun setting behind farms and vineyards. Please RSVP 2 hours prior to class. $15. Good Vibes Yoga Studio, 4 Cooke Rd, Wallingford. 203-824-1929.

GoodVibesYogaStudioCT@gmail.com.

Kundalini Yoga Class at Guest House Retreat – 6pm-7:15pm. Through physical movement, breath work and meditative practice, Kundalini Yoga

40

New Haven/Middlesex

NaturalNewHaven.com

Free Reiki Sessions: The Universal Reiki Plan – 7:30pm-8:30pm. (& 8:30pm-9:30pm Thurs).

Reiki teachers Jeannette and Jim of ReikiOvertones and students offer free Reiki sessions. Appt. only. Love offering appreciated. 95 Harris St, Fairfield. Details: Jim and Jeannette 203-254-3958. info@ReikiOvertones.com.

wednesday CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC) Middle School Wednesday Admissions Tours by appointment – Engaging academics, handson real-world learning for 5th - 8th graders.

Imagine the middle school years as joyful, exciting, boundless. Limited openings available now for 2019-20. Contact 203-433-4658 or mandm@CTExperiential.org. CTExperiential.org Emei Wujigong Qigong Group Practice – 12pm1pm. Experience a qigong form for rebalancing and strengthening body, mind and spirit. For all abilities and levels of health. Schedule Available online. 1st class free (reg. $5). Holistic Therapies Classroom, 15 South Elm St, Wallingford. Info: EmeiQigongChan.com.

Meditation – 1:30pm. Silent, sitting meditation for anyone to attend. For all levels. Beginners welcome!

Meditation begins and ends promptly on time.

Donation-based event; no set fees. New England Meditation Center, 455 Boston Rd, Old Saybrook.

For more information, visit: https://www.meetup. com/New-England-Meditation-Center/events.

Alignment Yoga – 6pm-7:30pm. With Iyengar Teacher Training Graduate. Refine your yoga practice with optimal alignment practices that make you stronger, more flexible, and more emotionally stable. Yoga in Middletown, 438 Main St, Middletown.

860-347-YOGA (9642). YogaInMiddletown.com.

The Caring Network: Free Support Group for adults who have lost a loved one – 6pm-8pm.

(8/7 & 8/21). Information about loss and grief with facilitated open discussion. Bridges Healthcare, 949 Bridgeport Avenue, Milford. Sponsored by CodyWhite Funeral Home, 203-874-0268 or Brooke Torres M.Ed., 203-878-6365 Ext. 480.

Yoga with Marlene – 6:30pm. Yoga classes for all ages and problems in a serene atmosphere with emphasis on stress-management. 1221 Village Walk. Guilford. Info: 203-453-5360.

Mediumship Development – 6pm-8pm. Are you interested in exploring your ability to tap into spirit and receive messages form the other side? Class runs for 4 consecutive Wednesdays. Price $199.

Register by email or in person at the Borrowed Time Emporium at the Red Barn In Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. Borrowedtimeemporium@gmail.com.

Meditation In the World at Guest House Retreat – 7pm-8pm. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced meditator, join us every week as we are led in the practice of focusing our awareness. Helping you find calm within everyday demands and stress.

Free. 318 West Main St, Chester. 860-322-5770.

Sunset Savasana: Flowing with Mother Nature every Tuesday, Wednesday, and select Saturdays – 7:30pm. An all levels flow yoga class with the beautiful backdrop of the sun setting behind farms and vineyards. Please RSVP 2 hours prior to class. $15. Good Vibes Yoga Studio, 4 Cooke Rd, Wallingford. 203-824-1929.

GoodVibesYogaStudioCT@gmail.com.

thursday CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC) Middle School Thursday Admissions Tours by appointment – Engaging academics, handson real-world learning for 5th - 8th graders.

Imagine the middle school years as joyful, exciting, boundless. Limited openings available now for 2019-20. Contact 203-433-4658 or mandm@CTExperiential.org. CTExperiential.org.

Ropes Yoga – 8:50am-9:50am. With Iyengar Teacher Training Graduate. Experience yoga poses in new and liberating ways. Therapeutic and challenging. Great for scoliosis and back problems.

Expert instruction since 1991. Yoga in Middletown, 438 Main St, Middletown, 860-347-YOGA (9642).

YogaInMiddletown.com.

The Milford Chamber’s ‘Health & Wellness Council’ – 8:30am-9:30am. (2nd Thurs. monthly). Group is comprised of businesses in the health and wellness industry. 5 Broad St, Milford.

Milfordct.com.

Health Qigong – 9am-10am. Developed through scientific research by China’s top sports universities and Qigong masters to create the most effective sequence of movements to gently strengthen the body, improve flexibility, and cultivate qi flow. Free trial class. Aiping Tai Chi Center, 518 Boston Post Rd, Orange. 203-795-0203. Aiping-TaiChi.com.

Yoga with Marlene – 10am & 6:30pm. Yoga classes for all ages and problems in a serene atmosphere with emphasis on stress-management. 1221 Village Walk. Guilford. Info: 203-453-5360.

Spirit Whispers – 6pm-7pm. Are you looking for a place to gather with other spiritually minded people? Are you having psychic experiences? Are you a Empath ? This group is for you. At the Red Barn In Durham, 352 Main St, Durham.`TheRedBarnInDurham.com.

Emei Wujigong Qigong Group Practice – 6:30pm-7:30pm. (Every Thurs. except the 1st Thurs. of month). Experience a qigong form for rebalancing and strengthening body, mind and spirit. For all abilities and levels of health. Schedule Available online. 1st class free (reg. $5). Holistic Therapies Classroom, 15 South Elm St, Wallingford. Info: EmeiQigongChan.com.

Qigong Group Healing & Silent Meditation – 6:30pm-8pm. (1st Thurs. of the month). All levels of health addressed. No experience necessary. Fee: donation. Holistic Therapies Classroom, 15 South Elm St, Wallingford. Contact Pat for more information if this is 1st attendance: 203-500-6492.

Women’s Guided Meditation and Healing Circle – 7pm-8pm. Come sit in a safe space, learn to breathe and set intentions to help focus and regroup.

All levels welcome. Meditations run 30-45 minutes in length. Thursdays/ $5. Location: Now n’ Then

Therapeutic Massage, 187 Montowese St, Branford.

Contact Anna to register 203-871-9367 or register online at DandelionWellnessCT.com.

and Float yoga in combination. Shore Drive in Branford. Registration required. 917-860-0488.

Drsklover@gmail.com.

Learn The Art of Tarot Cards – 7:30pm. Please bring a Rider-Waite deck or a deck close to it. Each week you would learn something new. Cost $10 per week. Class size is 6 at The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. You must RSVP to Stephanie 914-330-1474. TheRedBarnInDurham.com.

Beach Yoga! – 8:15am-9:15am. Walnut Beach Wellness has a NEW Beach Yoga class for the summer! Join us every Saturday morning at Walnut Beach. Meet at the Arch across from Scoot & Paddle by 8:10 am. Classes run all Summer long through September 14th. Walnut Beach Wellness & Boutique, 41 Naugatuck Ave, Milford.

203-693-3893. info@walnutbeachwelless.com.

Walnutbeachwellness.com.

The Heart of Recovery – 7:30pm-9pm, a weekly meditation and recovery group for those recovering from addictions of all kinds. We will honor the traditions of anonymity, confidentiality and no cross-talk. Meetings will include meditation instruction, practice, readings and discussion. Free. The Shambhala Center of New Haven, 85 Willow St, Building B, NewHaven.Shambhala.org.

friday CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC) Middle School Friday Admissions Tours by appointment – Engaging academics, handson real-world learning for 5th - 8th graders.

Imagine the middle school years as joyful, exciting, boundless. Limited openings available now for 2019-20. Contact 203-433-4658 or mandm@CTExperiential.org. CTExperiential.org.

Reiki, Crystal healing sessions or psychic Readings – 10am-6pm. Every Friday. Call for appointment or just walk in. Location: The Red Barn in Durham, 352 Main St, Durham. For More information, email Jen psychic medium: borrowedtimeemporium@gmail.com.

Yoga with Marlene – 9:30am. Yoga classes for all ages and problems in a serene atmosphere with emphasis on stress-management. 1221 Village Walk. Guilford. Info: 203-453-5360.

Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement Class – 10:30am-11:30am. It only takes an hour to feel good again. Aren’t you worth it? $15 drop in or class cards. Carol Meade Holistic Therapies Classroom, 15 South Elm St, Wallingford. 203-4158666 or info@massage2movement.com.

Yang Style Tai Chi – 6pm-7pm. Learn the principles of Tai Chi as moving meditation to increase strength and flexibility and decrease stress.

Classes focus on teaching you how to move through yielding and releasing tension in your body. Free trial class. Aiping Tai Chi Center, 518 Boston Post Rd, Orange. 203-795-0203. Aiping-TaiChi.com.

DrumSpeak For Awakening – 7pm-9:30pm.

(Every 2nd Friday of the month). For personal growth and awakening to de-stress, relax, release, and have fun. Suggested $5-$20 donation. Lead

by Chantal Guillou-Brennan, IEMT, CHT, QHHT. Walnut Beach Wellness & Boutique, 41 Naugatuck Ave, Milford. WalnutBeachWellness.com.

saturday

Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement 5 Week Class Series – 9am-10am. Learn to move easily with simple movements that help to relieve pain and restore your body to its natural ease. $50 for 5 weeks or $15 drop in. Carol Meade Holistic Therapies Classroom, 15 South Elm St, Wallingford.

203-415-8666 or info@massage2movement.com.

Yang Style Tai Chi – 9am-10am. Learn the principles of Tai Chi as moving meditation to increase strength and flexibility and decrease stress. Classes focus on teaching you how to move through yielding and releasing tension in your body. Free trial class.

Aiping Tai Chi Center, 518 Boston Post Rd, Orange.

203-795-0203. Aiping-TaiChi.com.

Alignment Yoga with Iyengar Teacher Training Graduate – 9am-10:30am. Refine your yoga practice with optimal alignment practices that make you stronger, more flexible and more emotionally stable.

Yoga in Middletown, 438 Main St, Middletown.

860-347-YOGA (9642). YogaInMiddletown.com.

Free weekly Meditation classes – 10:30am-12pm.

Open to all and fully accessible. Instruction provided for beginners. No reservations necessary.

Walk-ins welcome. Program offered in cooperation with New Haven Insight. New Haven Free Public Library. 133 Elm St, New Haven. 203-946-8138.

ReikiShare: The Universal Reiki Plan – 11am1:30pm. Pre-register to share Reiki and join in a FREE workshop to make it a Reiki day!

The 3rd Sat. of every month. Free (“love offering”). Bloodroot Rest. 85 Ferris St, Bridgeport.

Reservation only. Jim or Jeannette: 203-254-3958. info@ReikiOvertones.com.

Meditation – 1:30pm. Silent, sitting meditation for anyone to attend. For all levels. Beginners welcome!

Meditation begins and ends promptly on time. Lecture every other Saturday. Donation-based event; no set fees. New England Meditation Center, 455 Boston Rd, Old Saybrook. For more information, visit: https://www.meetup.com/New-EnglandMeditation-Center/events.

Sunset Savasana: Flowing with Mother Nature every Tuesday, Wednesday, and select Saturdays – 7:30pm. An all levels flow yoga class with the beautiful backdrop of the sun setting behind farms and vineyards. Please RSVP 2 hours prior to class. $15. Good Vibes Yoga Studio, 4 Cooke Rd, Wallingford. 203-824-1929.

GoodVibesYogaStudioCT@gmail.com.

Monthly Eco Yoga and Meditation Workshop – With Leesa Sklover, Ph.D, LPC, C-IAYT, IKYTA. Elemental imagery themes of ether, air, fire, water and earth along with Meditations, Kriya and mantra a different theme each workshop. Bring the outside inside and the inside outside. Kundalini, Restorative

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classifieds

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

ALS SUPPORT THE ALS ASSOCIATION CONNECTICUT CHAPTER – Leading the fight to treat and cure ALS through research & advocacy while empowering people w/Lou Gehrig’s Disease and their families to live fuller lives w/compassionate care & support. 4 Oxford Road, Unit D4. Milford. 203-874-5050. WebCT.alsa.org.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONNECTICUT WOMEN’S CONSORTIUM – Aim: ensure the behavioral health system responds to the needs of women & the people & organizations that affect them. Eliminate discrimination/promote excellence in care for women through educ., training, advocacy & policy dev. 203-909-6888, WomensConsortium.org.

START A CAREER YOU CAN BE PASSIONATE ABOUT – Publish your own Natural Awakenings magazine. Home based business complete with comprehensive training and support system. New franchises are available or purchase a magazine that is currently publishing. Call 239-530-1377 or apply now at: NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/Franchise.

HYPNOSIS THERAPY CENTER – There is a meaning behind every ailment and condition people have. It's your body speaking to you. If you are tired of being sick and are ready to help yourself heal, then consider having a Discovery Session so you can learn the cause and 'cure.' Madison. 203-245-6927.

DISTRIBUTORS WANTED

PARKINSON’S SUPPORT

DISTRIBUTORS WANTED – For monthly deliveries of Natural Awakenings and other local publications. Perfect for a retired person or stay at home mom looking to earn some extra income and connect with their local community. Honesty and dependability are the most important characteristics of our distributors. Thomas@ManInMotionLLC.com.

PARKINSON DISEASE ASSOCIATION – Mission: “To Ease the Burden, To Find A Cure” for those w/Parkinson’s Disease and their caregivers in CT. Education, support and socialization.

860-248-9200, ctapda.org.

GREEN HOUSES FOR SALE NOW

BOOKS THE GREAT COSMIC TEACHINGS OF JESUS OF NAZARETH – Are available to all people for the first time in the history of mankind through the work of the divine Wisdom, Gabriele.

Hardbound, 880 pgs. Gabriele-Publishing-House.com.

844-576-0937.

MEDICAL/INTUITIVE HYPNOTIST

HOUSES FOR SALE NOW! – Unique, friendly, cohousing community. New energy-efficient, green homes in a neighborhood with an organic farm. RockyCorner.org: Where conservation and community come together!

LYME DISEASE

SALT CAVE YOGA YIN YOGA + HALOTHERAPY – Wednesdays at 5:45pm. Dew drop in for a deeply relaxing Yin Yoga class in our Salt Cave that focuses on letting go of built up stress. Experience an euphoric sense of peace and serenity while simply breathing in the healing Salt particles that travel into the deepest parts of your respiratory passages. Beginners Welcome. $50 per person includes semi private class plus an extended 70 min “Saltvasana” Salt Therapy Session. Visit RainWellnesSpa.com/yoga for more information.

CT LYME RIDERS, INC. – Founded in 2007 by motorcyclists Sandy Brule & Tony Gargano. A 501(c)(3) non profit public charity aiming to bring awareness to the public about Lyme Disease. Events & info. 860-537-0255, ctlymeriders.com.

Coming Next Month SEPTEMBER

Sound, Music, Yoga & Dance Therapies plus: Vibrant at Any Age

HEALING MUSIC & MOVEMENT ISSUE

To advertise or participate in our next issue, call 203-305-5531 or email PytlakMelissa@gmail.com 42

New Haven/Middlesex

NaturalNewHaven.com

New discovery stops colds “It worked!” sinuses. Attorney Donna Blight had he exclaimed. a 2-day sinus headache. When her “The cold never CopperZap arrived, she tried it. “I am got going.” It shocked!” she said. “My head cleared, worked again no more headache, no more congestion.” every time. He Some users say copper stops nighthas not had a time stuffiness if used just before bed. single cold for 7 One man said, “Best sleep I’ve had in years since. years.”

New research: Copper stops colds if used early.

He asked Copper can also stop flu if used early cientists recently discovered a relatives and friends to try it. They said and for several days. Lab technicians way to kill viruses and bacteria. it worked for them, too, so he patented placed 25 million live flu viruses on a Now thousands of people CopperZap™ and put it on the market.

CopperZap. No viruses were found alive are using it to stop colds and flu.

Soon hundreds of people had tried it soon after.

Colds start when cold viruses get in and given feedback. Nearly 100% said Dr. Bill Keevil led one of the teams your nose. Viruses multiply fast. If you the copper stops colds if used within confirming the don’t stop them early, they spread in 3 hours after the first sign. Even up to discovery. He placed your airways and cause misery.

2 days, if they still get the cold it is millions of disease In hundreds of studies, EPA and unimilder than usual and they feel better. germs on copper. versity researchers have confirmed that Users wrote things like, “It “They started to die viruses and bacteria die almost instantly stopped my cold right away,” and “Is literally as soon as when touched by copper. it supposed to work that fast?” they touched the That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyp“What a wonderful thing,” wrote surface,” he said. tians used copper to purify water and Physician’s Assistant Julie. “No more People have even Dr. Bill Keevil: Copper quickly kills used copper on cold heal wounds. They didn’t know about colds for me!” cold viruses. viruses and bacteria, but now we do.

Pat McAllister, 70, received one sores and say it can Scientists say the high conductance for Christmas and called it “one of the completely prevent outbreaks. of copper disrupts the electrical balance best presents ever. This little jewel really The handle is curved and finely in a microbe cell and destroys the cell in works.” textured to improve contact. It kills seconds.

Now thousands of users have simply germs picked up on fingers and hands to Tests by the stopped getting colds. protect you and your family.

EPA (EnvironPeople often use Copper even kills deadly germs that mental Protection CopperZap preventivehave become resistant to antibiotics. If Agency) show ly. Frequent flier Karen you are near sick people, a moment of germs die fast Gauci used to get colds handling it may keep serious infection on copper. So after crowded flights. away. It may even save a life. some hospitals Though skeptical, she The EPA says copper still works tried copper for tried it several times a even when tarnished. It kills hundreds of touch surfaces day on travel days for 2 different disease germs so it can prevent Sinus trouble, stuffiness, cold sores. months. “Sixteen flights serious or even fatal illness. like faucets and doorknobs. This cut the spread of MRSA and not a sniffle!” she exclaimed.

CopperZap is made in the U.S. of and other illnesses by over half, and Businesswoman Rosaleen says when pure copper. It has a 90-day full money saved lives. people are sick around her she uses back guarantee when used as directed The strong scientific evidence gave CopperZap morning and night. “It saved to stop a cold. It is $69.95. Get $10 off inventor Doug Cornell an idea. When me last holidays,” she said. “The kids each CopperZap with code NATA11.

Go to www.CopperZap.com or call he felt a cold about to start he fashioned had colds going round and round, but toll-free 1-888-411-6114. a smooth copper probe and rubbed it not me.”

Buy once, use forever. gently in his nose for 60 seconds.

Some users say it also helps with

S

ADVERTORIAL

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community resource guide APPLIED KINESIOLOGY KC CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS Kevin Healy, DC 17 Woodland Road, Madison, CT 203-245-9317 KevinHealy@sbcglobal.net DrHealMe.com

Applied Kinesiology is a neurological evaluation to find and treat dysfunction. Different because it addresses causes instead of chasing pains, Dr. Healy tests if a therapy alleviates dysfunction, finding immediate answers as to which provides the most improvement.

Chiropractic, craniosacral, myofascial and acupressure are among the therapies Dr. Healy uses. Generally, no single cure exists as disease and dysfunction typically involve multiple areas of the body. The goal of any therapy—physical, chemical, or emotional—is to improve function; a combination of therapies typically yields the best results. See ad on page 11.

EDUCATION CONNECTICUT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTER (CELC) MIDDLE SCHOOL 28 School Street, Branford, CT 203-433-4658 mandm@CTExperiential.org http://CTEXperiential.org

GREEN HOUSES FOR SALE ROCKY CORNER COHOUSING 203-903-2646 Homes@RockyCorner.org More Info: RockyCorner.org

Rocky Corner’s sharing and caring neighborhood: Meet friendly, creative people. Feel welcomed, included. Eat from our organic farm and gardens. Own a green home.

Co-own amazing common buildings and 33 acres.

Bethany, 5 miles north of New Haven. Nurture kids, retire, have fun, work together. Last remaining homes for sale. Contact us now!

HOLISTIC DENTIST MARK A. BREINER, DDS, FIAOMT

501 Kings Highway East, Suite 108 Fairfield, CT 203-371-0300 WholeBodyDentistry.com Dr. Mark A. Breiner is a pioneer and recognized authority in the field of holistic dentistry. With over 30 years of experience, he is a sought after speaker and lecturer. His popular consumer book, Whole-Body Dentistry, has been sold worldwide. See ad on page 17.

HYPNOSIS

CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC) Middle School provides experientially-based education with a personalized approach to learning, designed to empower young people to thrive. Our students come from a variety of towns throughout Connecticut, from families looking for a program that engages and deepens learning, where their children can flourish during these important and impactful 5th - 8th grade years. See ad on page 11.

THE GRADUATE INSTITUTE (TGI)

Accredited, Non-profit Graduate School offering holistic programs in contemporary & emerging fields 171 Amity Road, Bethany, CT 203-874-4252 Learn.edu

MIND-BODY TRANSFORMATION Diane Bahr-Groth, CHy, TFTdx 1177 High Ridge Road Stamford, CT 203-595-0110 MindBodyTransformation.com

Fast, effective methods for weight, stress, fear, pain, smoking, etc.

Certified Hypnotherapist, Thought Field Therapy, Time Line Therapy, NLP and Complementary Medical Hypnosis, since 1989.

The Graduate Institute offers holistic master’s degrees and certificate programs for adult learners. Programs include Integrative Health and Healing, Ecotherapy and Cultural Sustainability, Writing and Oral Tradition, Organizational Leadership, and more. Programs are just one weekend a month.

See ad on page 17.

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New Haven/Middlesex

NaturalNewHaven.com

HYPNOSIS LIFE DESIGN HYPNOSIS, LLC

Patricia Babey, BS Certified Hypnotist Certified Pain Management Specialist Certified Reiki II Practitioner Madison, CT 203-980-0022 LifeDesignHypnosis.com A client centered practice created to assist you in improving every aspect of your life by tapping into the natural power of your brain.

Release weight, stop smoking, reduce stress, and manage pain.

You can change just about anything with hypnosis.

Each session is personal, customized and tailored for you. Don’t let your brain hold you back any longer from achieving the lifelong dreams you deserve. Free consultations. See ad on page 11.

MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING ANNAHAVEN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, LLC

Anna Martin, BSW, MSW, LCSW 410 State St, North Haven, CT 30 Hazel Terrace, Woodbridge, CT 377 Main St, West Haven, CT 203-606-2071 CounselingWithAnnaMartin.com

YOU deserve to be happy.

AHBHS helps with depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, Obesity, agarophobia, domestic violence, ADD, ADHD and anger management. Phone,internet,skype and office sessions. Evening and weekend hours are available. Most insurance accepted, including Medicaid, Medicare and Husky.

NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS KARENMARIE LACONTE, ND Office Locations in Bridgeport, Shelton and Orange, CT 203-260-0078 AskDocLaConte@gmail.com TheNaturopathicApproach.com

Dr. LaConte, a Naturopathic Physician, is a UBCNM graduate. Her mission is to facilitate better mind body connections with patients, using only natural remedies, (herbals, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, natural supplements, Far Infrared Sauna). Areas of concentration: Endocrine (thyroid disorders, diabetes: type 1 and 2), GI conditions, allergy testing, stress and anxiety management.

community resource guide NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIANS WHOLE-BODY MEDICINE, LLC

Adam Breiner, ND, Director Elena Sokolova, MD, ND David Brady, ND, CCN, DACBN 501 Kings Highway East, Suite 108 Fairfield, CT 203-371-8258 WholeBodyMed.com Using state-of-the-art science combined with centuries-old healing modalities, our caring naturopathic doctors correct underlying imbalances and address issues which may interfere with the body’s abilityto heal itself. Treatment protocols or therapies include: Abdominal Manual Therapy, Acupuncture, Allergy Desensitization, Chinese Medicine, Colonics and other Detoxification Protocols, Electro-Dermal Screening, Energy Medicine, FDA-cleared Phototherapy, Functional Medicine, Herbal Medicine, Homeopathy, Hormonal Balancing, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Metabolic Typing, Nutritional Assessment, RealTime EEG Neurofeedback, and other therapies. See ad on page 17.

PET EUTHANASIA SERVICE FINAL JOURNEY, LLC Kristen Klie, D.V.M. 203-645-5570 FinalJourneyLLC.com

Final Journey, LLC is an in-home euthanasia service for your animal companion that brings comfort and peace during a sensitive and challenging time.

See ad on page 33.

PHYSICAL THERAPY PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES OF GUILFORD 500 East Main Street, Suite 310, Branford, CT 203-315-7727 (Phone) 203-315-7757 (Fax) PhysicalTherapyGuilford.com

At Physical Therapy Services of Guilford, we specialize in manual therapy using hands-on techniques to help the body’s natural healing process. We also incorporate traditional programs and modalities to maximize health. 40-minute sessions are conducted one-on-one in private treatment rooms. See ad on page 10.

REIKI SUSANE GRASSO, RMT 2489 Boston Post Road Guilford, CT 203-500-6950

Stress is the plague of the 21st century and the cause of physical and emotional woes. Because of this, my sessions combine my ability to see auras with Reiki, Theta Healing, acupressure and Sound Vibrational Healing to provide deep relaxation and balance. “Tension out! Wellness in” is more than a phrase. For my clients it is a statement of fact. See ad on page 22.

SALT HEALING THERAPY WELLNESS CENTER SALT OF THE EARTH THERAPEUTIC SPA

787 Main St, S Woodbury, CT 203-586-1172 NaturalSaltHealing.com Combining an array of natural therapies that have been used since ancient times with today’s technology, Salt of the Earth Spa provides a sanctuary for deep transformations, healing and grounding for Mind, Body and Spirit.

SMOKING CESSATION LIFE DESIGN HYPNOSIS, LLC

Patricia Babey, BS Certified Hypnotist Certified Pain Management Specialist Certified Reiki II Practitioner Madison, CT 203-980-0022 LifeDesignHypnosis.com A client centered practice created to assist you in improving every aspect of your life by tapping into the natural power of your brain.

Release weight, stop smoking, reduce stress, and manage pain.

You can change just about anything with hypnosis.

Each session is personal, customized and tailored for you. Don’t let your brain hold you back any longer from achieving the lifelong dreams you deserve. Free consultations. See ad on page 11.

SUSTAINABLE NUTRITION CERTIFICATION PROGRAM THE INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABLE NUTRITION

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

We offer a unique certification program blending the science of nutrition with the hands-on components of sustainable gardening practices. We use food and herbs to make kitchen medicine, teach basic culinary skills, and practice foraging for and using nutrient-rich wild food. Now enrolling for fall 2019. See ad on page 7.

TAI CHI AIPING TAI CHI CENTER 518 Boston Post Road Orange, CT 203-795-0203 Aiping-TaiChi.com

Aiping Tai Chi Center (est. 1996), teaches authentic Tai Chi and Health Qigong. Alleviate stress, increase strength, improve balance, and harness internal power. Regain your health from the inside out. Free trial class. See ad on page 21.

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community resource guide WELLNESS CENTER WALNUT BEACH WELLNESS CENTER

41-43 Naugatuck Avenue, Milford, CT 203-693-3893 Info@WalnutBeachWellness.com WalnutBeachWellness.com @WalnutBeachWellness

An organic, holistic wellness center for supportive, preventive care. Experience the highest quality care though massage, Ashiatsu, manual lymphatic drainage, cranial sacral therapy, Reiki, Thai bodywork, Chinese medicine including acupuncture, Tui na, cupping, Naturopathic medicine, yoga therapy and classes, and holistic skincare. Find your support network through our community circles. Gain knowledge and empowerment through our workshops and classes to gain control of your life, health and happiness. Our store is stocked with organic bulk herbs, supplements, essential oils, raw ingredients and more to support your journey to optimal health.

WHOLE BODY WELLNESS CBD MASSAGE ELM CITY WELLNESS 774 Orange Street New Haven, CT 203-691-7653 ElmCityWellness.com

Elm City Wellness is an independent, womanowned wellness center with a focus on community healing. Services include a variety of skilled massage, CBD massage, community and private acupuncture, Reiki, craniosacral therapy and organic skin care, including signature, microderm and high frequency facials. Skilled therapists specifically tailor each and every session. Our wellness store features local products, candles, wellness supplies and books, smudge kits and a large range of third-party tested, pharmaceutical grade CBD products. See ad on page 21.

LIFE DESIGN HYPNOSIS, LLC

Patricia Babey, BS Certified Hypnotist Certified Pain Management Specialist Certified Reiki II Practitioner Madison, CT 203-980-0022 LifeDesignHypnosis.com A client centered practice created to assist you in improving every aspect of your life by tapping into the natural power of your brain.

Release weight, stop smoking, reduce stress, and manage pain.

You can change just about anything with hypnosis.

Each session is personal, customized and tailored for you. Don’t let your brain hold you back any longer from achieving the lifelong dreams you deserve. Free consultations. See ad on page 11.

4 Cooke Road Wallingford, CT 203-824-1929 GoodVibesYogaStudioCT@gmail.com GoodVibesYogaStudio.massageplanet.com Good Vibes Yoga Studio creates sacred space to allow for healing through holistic practices. Soothe your Soul through yoga, Reiki, sound healing, crystal healing, essential oils, food and wine tastings, animal welfare fundraisers, jewelry making classes, henna, and more in our cozy indoor space or outside gazing up at the magic of the Sun and Moon. See ad on page 15.

YOGA & AYURVEDA Melissa Pytlak Yoga Instructor Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor 203-305-5531 SeekLifeBalance@gmail.com BalanceByMelissa.com Melissa invites you to come home to yourself and awaken the healer within. Offering private and group instruction in yoga and Ayurveda, Melissa guides you to connect with your True Self and to trust that you already possess all the wisdom you need to heal yourself in order to return to your innate state of harmony and health. Melissa enjoys teaching group classes but particularly loves the magic that unfolds in helping people one on one. If you need a little guidance on your path of wellness, please reach out for a free 10-minute consultation.

Natural Awakenings M agazine is Ranked 5th Nationally in Cision’s 2016 Top 10 Health & Fi tness Magazines List New Haven/Middlesex

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Communities Rizing 200HR Yoga and Meditation Teacher Training for People of Color with Rolf Gates and Nikki Myers About the training: Our mission is to train, inspire, and empower teachers of color to equip their own communities with the skills necessary to heal, grow and thrive.

Our vision is to support, uplift, and transform communities that have been historically marginalized from the knowledge, opportunities, and healing available to the dominant culture.

Communities Rizing is a spiritual education of access and inclusivity.

Dates: October 4-6, 2019 November 1-3, 2019 December 13-15, 2019 January 25-26, 2020 February 28-11, 2020 March 27-29, 2020 April 24-26, 2020 May 29-31, 2020

Location: Communities Rizing is supported by The Yoga Fresh Yoga Alliance Foundation and Here to Be, lululemon’s 319 Peck St New Haven social impact program. Together, we’re promoting equity and the possibility of well-being for all by equipping people of color with trainings based in yoga, meditation, and community-building.

1/2 Scholarships are available.

MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION: COMMUNITIESRIZING.ORG; FRESHYOGA.COM 48

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