Natural Nutmeg December 2011

Connecticut's Resource For Living Naturally

December 2011

Natural Nutmeg Eliminate What is Killing You Bernie Siegel, MD

Becoming Grounded Tom Moorcroft, DO

I’ll Drink To That!

The Benefits of Winter Beverages Vicki Kobliner, MS, RD, CD-N

Vitamin D In Health & Disease Paul Tortland, DO

Feeling Scattered or Frazzled?

Tiffany Chion

Eco-Travel Hotel Drisco San Francisco NaturalNutmeg.com

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Natural Nutmeg December 2011

2012 HOLIST IC HEALT H PRACT IT IONER DIRECT ORY 17th annual directory of Connecticut's best holistic health care providers – over 340 listings!

See online version at www.dooropenermagazine.com

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In this Issue Grounding Tom Moorcroft, DO 12 I’ll Drink to That!

The Benefits of Winter Beverages Vicki Kobliner, MS, RD, CD-N 15

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ur mission is to provide valuable insight, information and resources that will allow our readers to maintain a healthy, active, sustainable lifestyle. Natural Nutmeg contains timely information on natural health, complementary and alternative medicine, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, and the products and services that support good health.

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Feeling Scattered or Frazzled?

Tiffany Chion 16

PUBLISHERS Dr. Diane Hindman Chris Hindman Publisher@naturalnutmeg.com

Eco-Travel Hotel Drisco - San Francisco Deb Percival 30

Editor-in-Chief Deb Percival Deb@naturalnutmeg.com

Vitamin D In Health & Disease Paul Tortland, DO 36

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ADVISORY BOARD

Prescription for Living 11

Ann Aresco, N.D. Deanna M. Cherrone, M.D. Debra Gibson, ND Andrew Gregory, DC Lauren Gouin, ND Kenneth Hoffman, D.Ac, LAc, CCH David Johnston, DO Roberta Kline, MD Vicki Kobliner, MS, RD, CD-N Tom Moorcroft, D.O.

Supplements 101 24

Natural Nutmeg Magazine

Departments

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News&Notes 10

Doctor’s Notes 38 Healthy Self 42 Know your Herbs 43 Calendar 44 Resources 46

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ADVERTISING SALES Peter Morgan Office: (203) 987-7797 Cell: (860) 992-9979 Peter@naturalnutmeg.com

Natural Nutmeg December 2011

P.O. Box 447, Avon, CT 06001 Ph. (860)206-9500 • Fax (860)263-8505

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In keeping with our concern for the environment, Natural Nutmeg is proudly printed on recycled paper with soy based inks.

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Please call for a location near you. If you would like to receive Natural Nutmeg at your place of business please call (860) 206-9500 or email to publisher@naturalnutmeg.com. © 2007-11 by Natural Nutmeg, LLC. All rights reserved. Parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that permission be obtained in writing. We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised. We welcome your feedback.

publisher'sletter Some men see things as they are and say, “Why?” I dream of things that never were and say, “Why not?”

~ George Bernard Shaw

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f I only had one piece of advice that I could give to anyone it would be to never stop dreaming. And I don’t mean night dreams, I mean our biggest desires, goals and aspirations. Dreams are the lifeblood of our being. They are what keep us going during the worst of times and what inspire us to accomplish incredible things during the best of times. Without dreams, where would we be? Can you imagine the kind of world we would have if everyone stopped dreaming? It would be a stark and desolate place full of people who were numb and dead inside.

If you’ve lost your ability to dream, think back to when you were a child and even into your young adulthood years.

For the most part, as children, all we did was dream. We envisioned what kind of career we would have, who we would marry, how many children we’d have, where we would live and the list goes on and on. Why was it so easy back then?

One reason is that we had a lot more time to spend thinking and dreaming. And we had a lot less responsibility and therefore less things to worry about. Now, as adults, we barely have time to think, let alone pass the day away dreaming about how we would like our life to be. But I say we need to do exactly that to keep the dreamer in us alive and kicking!

We need to cultivate that part of us that we may have lost a long time ago. While it would be easy for me to recommend that you spend entire days coaxing the dreamer out of you, I do understand that most of us truly don’t have that kind of time. But what I do suggest is that you try and spend 5 minutes a day every day, just daydreaming. Think of it as your visualization time where you plant the seeds of what you would like to manifest over the next year or years of your life. Now comes the hard part – I want you to take out your calendars and schedule one evening a week and one half day a month to be your sacred date times. This will be time spent in solitude, just dreaming or visualizing. You don’t have to journal or create a vision board or even write your thoughts down, unless of course you feel strongly compelled to do so. It actually would be better if you did not and you just relaxed and let yourself drift into daydream land. This is how you bring the dreamer back into your life. Trust me, you will be so glad you’ve done this, especially if you’ve lost your dreamer, as once you get it back, you will see worlds of opportunities where before there were none.

In health and happiness,

NaturalNutmeg.com

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Natural Nutmeg December 2011

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mmediate Release

ber 21, 2011 act: Hilary Wittmann, (203) 966-9577 x21

news & notes

Printing Our Prayers Expressive Art Workshop

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reating imagery inspired by a favorite prayer or poem – ours or another’s – we transfer and carve this into a soft rubber print pad. Then printing it many times we explore and play with the myriad possibilities this offers for expression. Colored inks, collage Saturday, December 10th • 11am – 3pm and sparkly stuff are part of our creative play. A seasonal celebratory er Wonderland Festival art making day that can be used for gifting, card making, or just for Canaan Nature day, Decemberhe 10New • 11 am – 3 pm Center will be decorated to depict a the pure joy of creative expression. Meditation and breath will guide nature-inspired winter wonderland, complete with an elaborate us into our hearts! Saturday, Dec. 3rd, 10am-3pm. $85, includes electric display featuring scenes ofwinter “Winter in New ature Center will betrain decorated to depicthandmade a nature-inspired wonderland, complete withFacilitated by Elisabeth Moss, BFA. 12 Old Farms Rd, art materials.

Canaan.” borate electric train display featuring handmade scenes of “Winter in New Canaan.”

Avon. Call 860-550-0882 to reserve your space.

Santa Claus will arrive at Noon to meet and greet children and pets until 2:30pm.

Have and yourgreet photochildren taken to and benefit New Canaan Claus will arrive at Noon to meet pets until 2:30pm. Have your Nature Center animal care ($10 donation, print provided). taken to benefit New Canaan Nature Center animal5x7 care ($10 donation, 5x7 print provided).

Kids of all ages and their families can participate in the following their wonderfully-winter activities: in the following wonderfully-winter activities: f all ages and families can participate • Horse-drawn hay rides the (additional property (additional Horse-drawn hay rides around thearound property charge) charge) • holiday A varietycraft of holiday craftfor activities for kids, made usingand natural A variety of activities kids, made using natural recycled items. recycled items. Interactive holiday storytelling & singing.

Interactiveand holiday storytelling & singing.

• Visitors gather the campfire for traditional Visitors can gather can around thearound campfire for traditional chestnutchestnut roasting roasting.

Cookie decorating workshop sponsored by Whole Foods Market • Cookie decorating workshop sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

Visit the “Red & Green” café for fresh homemade soup, cocoa & other holiday treats for purchase • Visit the “Red & Green” café for fresh homemade soup, cocoa & holidaynon-members treats for purchase. or members other is $5/child, $10/child.

Cost for members is $5/child, non-members $10/child.

December 2011 Events

Winter Wonderland Festival

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ay Night Hike

, December 16 m – 6:30pm

Holiday Night Hike

Friday, December 16th • 5:30pm – 6:30pm

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WAGS in Avon Offering Alternative Care Options for Pets

akepressure a break from theholiday pressure of the to holiday to enjoy the a break from the of the season enjoyseason the simple pleasures of nature.

Wholesome Animal Grocery Store in Avon is now offering simple pleasures of nature.

Bundle up and join resident naturale up and join resident naturalists who will guide the group on a night-time journey he along our therapies for pets. The store offers a private space for istssights who will the of group a night-time journey along o explore the andguide sounds the on winter night. The group will our alsotrails meet andalternative learn severaltoholistic toof explore the sights and sounds of thethe winter Thearound group will one or more our resident animals and after hike,night. gather the campfire roast modalities including reiki, acupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy, animal communication and nutritional counseling. also meetup. andCost learnisabout one or for more of our resident animalsfor andnon-members mallows and warm $5/person members or $8/person Located conveniently at 70 East Main St, in Avon, WAGS also after 3). the hike, gather966-9577 around thetocampfire E for kids under Call (203) register.to roast marshmallows and offers a complete line of high quality foods, including raw, dry and warm up. canned as well as accessories for both dogs and cats.

Cost is $5/person for members or $8/person for non-members For more information on products or services please call (FREE for kids under 3). Call (203) 966-9577 to register. www.NewCanaanNature.org (860)675-4564 or go to www.wholesomeanimal.com. See ad on page 35.

The New Nature CenterNew is located at 144CT Oenoke Ridge, 144Canaan Oenoke Ridge, Canaan 06840 New Canaan, CT 06840. For more information go to www.NewCanaanNature.org.

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Natural Nutmeg December 2011

prescription for living

by Bernie Siegel, MD

Eliminate What Is Killing You

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minister knocked on my door the other day and we had an interesting discussion including God not making a perfect world. I said if everything were perfect we would all be going nuts after two weeks because of the lack of variety and opportunity and he answered in a way no one else ever has. He said the problem is people can’t appreciate perfection. Wow, I think he is right. If we had a perfect world we could all just stop and enjoy the love we are sharing and experiencing instead of being annoyed by it.

I also had to test his intelligence further so I said I want to see if you are as smart as a fifth grader. He is a black man and several people were with him so I asked them if I showed them a photograph and they couldn’t tell if it were of me or the minister what was it a photograph of. They all looked confused, except for the minister, who said, “Our insides.” I told him he was as smart as a fifth grader.

We discussed several other things too which I will save for future columns but it is a pleasure to meet a caring and enlightened soul now and then. But talking about a minister makes me think about what the term being born again means to me. I recently spoke at a high school graduation and asked the students why a graduation, which represents the end of their high school experience, is called a commencement and not a termination. And why does the Bible end in a Revelation and not a conclusion? I think life is about beginnings and when things happen to us we have to begin a new life.

I see this new life and the effect it has on the health of people and even so called incurable people becoming well when they change their lives and live their time left from their hearts and not their heads. So for me being born again is something we all need to do and to live and not see it as any exclusive or religious message.

We need to save our lives by being authentic and not losing our lives to the desires of others. Kids would realize that you don’t eliminate yourself and commit suicide as the way out but that eliminating what is killing you is the way to a happy and productive life.

Let me sum it up, by saying: Be what you is and not what you ain’t ‘cause if you is what you ain’t, you ain’t what you is. Remember that and post it on the fridge.

Here is another piece of wisdom from Woody Allen. I hope this clarifies some important points about life for you. To love is to suffer, not to love is to suffer and to suffer is to suffer. To be happy is to love. To be happy then is to suffer but suffering makes one unhappy.

Therefore, to be unhappy one must love, or love to suffer, or suffer from too much happiness. If you understand that then I suggest you see a therapist as soon as possible.

Bernie holds a support group in Simsbury at Wisdom of the Ages the first Wednesday of each month from 7-9pm. Wisdom of the Ages, a special place to nurture your spiritual side. It's filled with items to calm the mind, heal the body & empower your spirit. They also provide massages & monthly meditation classes. Wisdom of the Ages is owned by Bernie's son & daughter- in-law, Keith & Jane Siegel. Located at 1408 Hopmeadow St. Simsbury.

Please call for info or to register for Bernie's group. (860) 651-1172, www. wisdomoftheages.biz, berniesiegelmd.com. See ad on page 40.

Bernie also runs a Woodbridge Support Group which meets the Second and Fourth Tuesday evenings of each month at Coachman's Square, Bradley Road, Woodbridge, CT. Contact: Lucille Ranciato at 203-288-2839 or email her at lranciato@yahoo.com.

NaturalNutmeg.com

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Becoming Grounded

ByTom Moorcroft, DO

H

ave you ever taken a walk on a sandy beach or through tall, green grass moistened by the morning dew and felt a slight tingle in your feet? Maybe you felt it up your legs or even throughout your body. Do you remember that invigorating moment?

That sensation of pure, natural energy and aliveness? Do you remember how, maybe just for a moment, you were care-free and filled with an indescribable, overwhelming sense of happiness?

Some describe this as being present or grounded in the here and now. Being grounded in this moment, from a spiritual or metaphysical viewpoint as well as a practical one, allows us to fully experience life as it is occurring. We are free from the worries of past failures or future difficulties. It is an opportunity to be a child again; to express the unfettered freedom and happiness that the rest of the natural world experiences on a continual basis. But, are there other benefits to being grounded in this moment? Why do so many cultures and philosophies speak about being grounded? What does being grounded mean in more physical, concrete terms?

Whenever I see a word that is used in so many ways I find it useful to go to a dictionary and see what the word actually means.

Ground (noun) 1. the bottom of a body of water 2. a basis for belief, action, or argument. 3. a basic metaphysical cause. 4. a surrounding area : background. 5. the surface of the earth 6. an object that makes an electrical connection with the earth.

Ground (verb) 1. to bring to or place on the ground. 2. to provide a reason or justification for, to furnish with a foundation of knowledge. 3. to connect electrically with a ground.

-Merriam-Webster online The word ground seems to point to three main things: 1. a physical structure, 2. a mental belief or viewpoint, 3. a connection to the physical structure or mental belief and an ensuing action. The first two are fairly straightforward concepts. There is the ground we walk on, the surface of the earth. Many of the beliefs we have, such as 1 + 1 = 2, are grounded in knowledge or past experience, or what we have been taught by others. The third is the action step: The electrical outlets in our homes are grounded to the earth. Our personal belief systems are an accumulation of past experiences that we structure in such a way that supports the truest expression of who we are at our core. This action step is what I’d like to explore.

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Natural Nutmeg December 2011

The action of grounding is extremely interesting to me. For many years I have thought of grounding or being grounded as a way of bringing me into greater mental and emotional balance. If I were grounded I would be more calm, less stressed and happier. I found that time with my family, playing with the dogs, cooking a healthy meal from scratch and practicing yoga were profoundly grounding activities for me. I could come home feeling the effects of the stressors of the day and just a few moments of one of these activities helped relieve a lot of the built up stress of the day. This type of grounding seemed to be like a mental anti-inflammatory. Interestingly, as a child, teen and young adult I found being outdoors in nature had a similar calming effect. The older I got, the more the demands of being a physician resulted in me spending more and more time indoors. This connection to nature was never lost, but was certainly strained a large amount of the time.

As a physician, I frequently see patients who suffer on a daily basis. They have seen many specialists, yet still suffer tremendously.

Since most patients have had an extensive hi-tech work up prior to seeing me, I found myself wondering what was left. What could I offer that others had not. I’m a firm believer in looking at the simple things that are often overlooked and creating a strong foundation in the basics. Whether it’s in relationships, sports, or life in general, the basics are generally the best place to start. In other words, you should be grounded in the basics.

Back to the Basics Eating, sleeping, eliminating, breathing, relaxing and enjoying are some of the most fundamental basics of human existence.

Observing wild animals or little children will illustrate what I mean.

However, in this day and age, it is difficult to find the time to cook healthy meals, get 8-9 hours of sleep per night, have 2-3 bowel movements per day, spend 20-30 minutes per day focusing on our breathing and allowing our nervous systems to rebalance, or allowing ourselves to have some time for plain old fun when there are so many things we need to get done. While these are general recommendations that are likely to be helpful to everyone, I realize that the effectiveness of a recommendation is only as good as each person’s ability to implement it. So how can we implement these basics in a simple and effective manner despite our hectic schedules?

Getting Grounded in the Basics Rather than trying to live the life of a monk, nun or renunciate yogi, start with simple steps that you can implement today and easily fit into your life 3-4 days per week. For example, you can choose to start off each meal you eat with a handful of raw veggies or a piece of fresh fruit. Drink an 8 ounce glass of filtered or spring water with each meal. (These first two ideas will help you achieve more regular bowel movements as well as improve your immune system function and overall detoxification abilities.)

Every time you stop at a red light use it as a signal to take 2 long, slow deep breaths and remember that you’re alive. Smile at yourself in the mirror every time you brush your teeth. The possibilities are endless, but the key is keeping it simple. Getting grounded in the basics should be fun, that way you don’t even have to come up with an idea for how to do the enjoying part; it just happens naturally.

Sleep is perhaps the most difficult of the basics to implement in your daily routine, though it is vitally important to your health.

Observe how wild animals and young children sleep a significant amount of the day. It is estimated that over 60 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder each year. There are many factors that lead to sleeplessness and there is not one cure-all.

I recommend going back to the basics. Turn off all stimulating electronic devices at least 30, but preferably 60, minutes before your planned bedtime. During this time, dim the lights. No television, radio or reading in bed.

Your bed is for two things only: sleep and sex. If you can’t sleep and feel you must do one of these other things, get out of bed and go into another room. This is called sleep hygiene. Spend 5-10 minutes before going to sleep observing the natural rhythm of your

breathing. There is no need to change the breath, just observe it. This is a great way to decrease stress and rebalance the nervous system, preparing your body and mind for sleep. It is normal and natural for it to take 5-15 minutes to fall asleep. Falling to sleep immediately upon laying down is a sign of exhaustion and significant sleep debt. Going back to the basics is the simplest, most effective way to improve your sleep.

Reconnect with the Earth We were designed to walk barefoot on the Earth and sleep in direct contact with it at night. Thousands of years ago people were in touch with the ground nearly 100% of the time. Throughout history, humans have slowly become more and more disconnected from the Earth. Today it is possible for a person to never come in direct contact with the Earth. That may sound ridiculous, but if someone wears insulated, rubber-soled shoes and sleeps on a conventional bed they may literally never be directly connected to the Earth.

What’s the big deal with direct connection to the Earth? Our bodies are full of electrons. They allow for nearly instantaneous communication throughout the body. They also are the most fundamental anti-inflammatory substance in our bodies. Electrons are required parts of the communication system that turn inflammation off. Over the last several decades medical researchers have started to realize that the common thread of nearly every disease and illness that causes suffering today is inflammation. So why are we exposed to so much inflammation if something as simple as an electron can help turn it off?

Going back to the basics, the simple answer is most of us are not grounded. Literally we are not grounded to the Earth. Think of yourself as a rechargeable battery. You

have to store energy in order to do things.

Once that stored energy is used up, you need to recharge. Coming in direct contact with the Earth allows us to recharge our level of electrons. That’s why some of us feel a tingly feeling when we walk on the beach or across the lawn. The direct connection between your feet and the Earth is allowing your body to recharge with electrons.

The Role of Electrons in the Body All of us are exposed to a tremendous amount of free radicals on a daily basis. Free radicals are felt to contribute to aging and possibly the formation of cancer. We are exposed to them from environmental pollutants, such as chemicals, heavy metals and other physical toxins. Mental and emotional stressors can also form free radicals in our bodies. Electrons help us combat free radicals. Free radicals also are associated with inflammation. As inflammation is a main factor in almost all diseases, free radicals will likely be found to be significant factors in most diseases as well. Going back to the basics, walking barefoot on the earth is the

A Shaman’s Way Do you want to get in touch with your spirit and soul?

Let me help.

I offer effective energy work, healing and workshops to cleanse, strengthen and reenergize the mind, body, spirit and chakras to promote wellness, balance and a healthy life force.

Julie Palmer ashamansway@gmail.com www.ashamansway.com

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most primitive form of healing. Many people use the term grounding Yes! The best way to do this is to take that walk across the lawn or to describe this action of directly connecting oneself to the Earth. on the beach whenever you can (and when the weather permits); Studies have shown significant benefits of grounding. The blood swimming in the ocean or a lake also count. The next best thing is becomes thinner, thereby combating the hypercoaguability (thickto utilize grounding pads. These pads are generally made of cotton ening of blood) that accompanies chronic illness. Free electrons and polyester with a silver thread woven throughout. They can be intercept free radicals. Less free radicals equals less inflammation connected to the Earth directly through a simple grounding rod or by and a decreased chance of developing cancer. Heart rate variability, plugging them into a properly grounded wall outlet. By coming into a key indicator of good health, is shown to improve in as little as 20 contact with the specially designed pads you become grounded to minutes. In the same amount of time, researchers have seen a balthe Earth and recharge with electrons. ancing of the autonomic nervous system. Other studies have shown I sleep on a grounded bedsheet every night. My keyboard pad a stabilization and rebalancing of natural cortisol rhythms. Cortisol at work is actually a grounding pad, so I’m grounded much of my is one of our main stress, energy and immune hormones. Increased workday. When I’m particularly stressed physically or mentally, I levels of melatonin also have been seen. Melatonin is a hormone have a grounded sheet that doubles over and acts like a sleeping bag that helps regulate sleep and is an anti-oxidant that has anti-cancer so I am completely enveloped in healing electrons as I sleep. I esproperties. Grounding has been shown to decrease delayed-onset pecially notice the benefits during times of increased physical stress muscle soreness following exercise. Grounding improves sleep, and when I cannot get as much sleep as I know I need. When my decreases insomnia and improves daytime energy levels. Groundschedule gets crazy, I reach for my grounded sleeping bag, which I ing has even been shown to increase the healing speed of diabetic also find to be a great travel companion. Sleeping in a strange place, ulcers; these are notoriously difficult to treat and frequently lead to several time zones away has become a much more pleasant and the loss of part of a limb. healthy experience.

Grounding also has been shown to help protect us from the adverse effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs). This is a truly sigGrounded in the Basics nificant finding as it seems that every few weeks there is a new study that comes out showing how our health is in jeopardy from all the The true origins of health lie in the simple things that are right technology we use today. Cell phones, wireless technologies, comat your fingertips. Add a few more veggies to your diet. Drink 60-70 puter screens and the like are all being linked to significant health offe ounces of pure water per day.cFind the e amount of sleep between 7-9 problems. While we may never go back to a world free of harmful eanasfew moments each day to realhours that feels right for you.bTake electronics, we can certainly work to negate theirStreet, adverse 21 some West of Main Rt. 44, Avon • 860-676-2661 ize you are a living, breathing organism that is full of life; allow your effects. Going back to the basics, unplug your wireless 7:30-6, when it’sSat not8:30-5, Closed Sunday Mon-Fri breath to be your guide. Smile and laugh whenever you can. Move, in use and ground yourself as much as possible. however you like. Dance l like ooaschild, e teatake a walk barefoot, jump up drinks and down. Movement is invigorating and is one of the most effective and natural means of detoxification known. If you can, ground Grounding 101 yourself while you sleep.

Some of the most radical healing ideas are simple. Take a break While walking barefoot on the beach or taking a mid-day stroll etsyou will begin to from our hi-tech world. Try grounding across the grass in a park sound like great ideas, they can be difficult sachand teayourself experience new levels of health, well-being, and prosperity. to implement in today’s extremely busy world. Not to mention most of us in Connecticut probably are not up for a mid-winter’s day stroll across the snow barefoot. Is there a simple way we can integrate this Dr. Tom Moorcroft, DO grounds himself at Origins Of Health in Glasconcept of grounding into our daily lives? Thankfully the answer is tonbury, CT. For more information you can visit his website www.

OriginsOfHealth.com or call 860-430-9790. See ad on page 7.

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Natural Nutmeg December 2011

I’ll Drink to That!

The Benefits of Winter Beverages

By Vicki Kobliner MS, RD, CD-N

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oliday entertaining wouldn’t be complete without a few special beverages to add extra pizzazz to a meal. Fortunately, many traditional and a few unusual party drinks are as good for the body as they are for the celebratory mood. As long as a special libation is drunk in moderation, and there are no medical reasons to avoid them, a tasty drink can be a health-boosting complement to a delicious meal.

Wine Many of us know that a glass of wine a day offers a healthy dose of antioxidants which seem to reduce cardiovascular risk and some cancers. Compounds in red wine, such as resveratrol, catechins and quercetin, protect the body against free radicals which are damaging to cells. It is essential to remember that studies of red wine and other alcohols find benefit in moderate consumption, but result in the opposite effect when done to excess. Heart disease, nutrient depletions, cancer and diabetes increase with overuse of alcohol.

Cocoa Hot cocoa is another wonderful winter beverage. Researchers at Cornell University observed that a cup of hot cocoa made with two tablespoons of cocoa powder contains more antioxidants than an equivalent serving of green tea or red wine. The antioxidants, called flavanols and procyanidins, protect damage to heart and blood vessels, as well as DNA. Dark chocolate was used for the studies since it is naturally higher in flavonoids, while milk chocolate will provide a lesser benefit. The method of cocoa processing also impacts the health effects. Dutch cocoa uses alkali to reduce the natural bitter undertone of the chocolate, but the alkali decreases the flavanols as well, so hot cocoa is healthiest when Dutch cocoa is not used. Adding warm milk to the mug provides an added calcium boost, but go easy on the sugar, which will increase inflammation. Natural sweeteners such as honey or date syrup are better choices.

Beer Beer has lived in the shadow of wine’s celebrity and only recently has it begun to get the attention it deserves on the health front. A variety of studies show the following benefits: beer raises HDL (the good cholesterol); makes blood vessels less likely to form clots; and is a source of vitamin B6 which is important for normal detoxification and mood. Beer also appears to reduce the incidence of kidney stones, improve cognitive function and improve inflammation. As with all alcoholic beverages, the positive effects are achieved with moderate intake, while excessive alcohol consumption depletes nutrients, and impairs health.

Apple Cider The pleasing aroma and sweet/tangy taste of hot apple cider is a winter luxury. It not only warms the body but provides a rich source of antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid and epicatechin. When cinnamon is added to the cider, both taste and antioxidant power are maximized. When choosing a cider, be sure to select one made from organic apples to avoid the toxic pesticide residue in conventionally grown apples.

Sangria When consumed alone, both red wine and fruits are good sources of antioxidants, so when combined in the form of sangria, the benefits are enhanced. Oranges, berries, apples, lemons, and limes are commonly used in making sangria, and these fruits pump up the vitamin C content, as well as providing a small amount of B vitamins and fiber.

Cocktails and Mocktails A signature drink can add a special touch to any celebration, and by choosing the right combination of mixers and garnishes it can be a health booster as well. Fresh juice from berries, tropical fruits, and citrus are rich in vitamins and minerals and contribute to the RDI of nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Whole fruit and vegetable garnishes

add even more of a good thing – a 2008 study from Thailand showed that the combination of alcohol and fruit was more powerful than either one alone.

If the sweetness of a fruit juice is not desirable, the richness of coconut milk or the refreshing lightness of coconut water will contribute a combination of healthy fat, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals. Or try a ‘greentini’, a martini made with green tea, which packs an antioxidant wallop. Herbs and spices such as mint, rosemary, cilantro, basil and thyme are additional sources of antioxidants that work well in a variety of drinks.

While liquid refreshment seems an easy source of nourishment, many of these beverages are not only high in alcohol, but are often concentrated sources of sugar. Bear in mind that most celebratory drinks are high in both desirable antioxidants and less beneficial sugar and calories, and should be used sparingly. As is the case with alcohol consumption, moderation is the key to good health.

This year, as you join friends and family for holiday festivities or weekend celebrations, raise your glass and feel confident as you toast to good health!

Vicki Kobliner MS RD, CD-N is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Holcare Nutrition (www.holcarenutrition.com). Vicki works with infants, children and adults with digestive disorders, food allergies, ADHD, autism and other chronic illness, and provides fertility and prenatal nutrition counseling. Vicki has extensive experience in using dietary modification, appropriate supplementation and functional lab testing to achieve optimal wellness. She can be reached at 203.834.9949 or vicki@holcarenutrition.com. See ad on page 37.

NaturalNutmeg.com

15

Feeling Scattered Or Frazzled?

Use This Simple Plan To Get Control Of Your Week Now!

I

n previous articles we explored the benefits of life coaching, including improved mood, more healthful thought processes, better relationships, and the true fulfillment of goals.

I frequently get questions asking how life coaching works. To help answer, I’ve created the following brief “DIY” coaching session for you to try on your own. It addresses a very common problem, which is a general feeling of being scattered, frazzled, and spread too thin.

I wish you much success, so enjoy, and let me know how it works for you!

Clarify With the fast pace of the world, it is easy to feel scattered, which makes it difficult to keep a big picture perspective. My clients often felt so busy attending to life’s little everyday emergencies that they didn’t have time to concentrate on what’s really important to them in the long term. That’s why the first step in life coaching is to Clarify.

To Clarify for yourself, you first need to get

can pull it off right now; just write the ideal scenario. Have fun with it!

4. What is one thing that if you did it every day would make you feel happier and more grounded?

Organize quiet inside. I suggest taking a brisk walk to clear your mind, and then finding a quite space in which to write. If you can carve this out at home, fine. If not, go to a quiet café or a bench in the park. When you feel quiet and calm, begin writing. Be brief and succinct, covering the important points of each item below.

1. What parts of your day and your life do you enjoy most? Why? Do you have time to do them now with your schedule as it stands?

2. What parts of your life are causing you the most discomfort or distress? Why? 3. What is one goal that you really want to achieve? It’s OK if you don’t know how you

The next step is to Organize the ideas you’ve just Clarified into categories and then create a schedule that allows you to really change things!

To do this I suggest you make two simple worksheet templates on attractive construction paper, using a pencil. If you have trouble with the layout, contact me and I will send you some.

On one sheet, divide the page into 6 boxes. This is your ‘Brain Dump’ list. In each box, you are going to write a heading representative of a category of responsibilities that you invest time and energy into. Include categories for your answers to the questions above, plus all your other responsibilities.

As an example, I’ll use “Susan” (a client who gave me permission to use her worksheets). The headings of her category boxes are: #1: #2: #3: #4: #5: #6:

Motherhood, Relationship, Household Graduate School Part time job Managing Finances/Bills Caring for elderly parent Exercise/Self

Care Go ahead and make your categories now.

Take 15 minutes to do a “Brain Dump”, writing all the To Do items that have been taking up space in your head under each appropriate category. When you’ve written all you can think of, stop — and appreciate for a minute what you just did. What was a scattered jumble of individual items in your head, or written on various post-its and notebooks, is now all contained right here on this sheet. It’s all listed neatly, and in just a handful of categories, 16

Natural Nutmeg December 2011

instead of a billion individual items. It’s very calming, isn’t it? Right now, at this very moment, you’re more in control of your life than ever!

The next step is to use the categories you just created to make a schedule template. On a second sheet of paper, make seven columns (one for each day of the week). Alternatively, you can use an organizer (although I suggest you avoid electronic calendars).

Now, think about your week. Which days have things you must do consistently? For example, Susan has an appointment to bring her elderly Mom to the doctor every Monday, take the kids to practice on Monday and Wednesday, work etc…

Fill in your recurring weekly appointments on your calendar now. Now here comes the best part. The two secrets to creating a life that flows smoothly are: 1. Group together activities that are similar, so you don’t have to “switch mental gears”.

Studies show that multitasking results in a loss of at least 45 minutes in a day, and that doesn’t even count the emotional energy drain of trying to handle a work call while going on what should be a relaxing walk, or having the kids clambering for your attention while you try to pay bills.

2. Designate time for YOU. By this I mean designate weekly recurring “appointments” where you do the things that nourish you emotionally, physically, and spiritually. By prioritizing self-care, you’ll ultimately be able to contribute more to others and the world, as you’ll be at your very best.

To apply the first of those strategies to your calendar, once you have “must-do” appointments filled in, look at your list of categories on the Brain Dump sheet, and designate blocks of time adjacent to your appointments to do any same category tasks. Remember, we want to clump together categorically similar activities, which require similar thought processes.

For example, on Tuesdays and Thursdays Susan takes classes at a college campus and has a 4-hour break between classes. To use that 4 hours efficiently, instead of wasting time driving home, she does her homework. Since she is already in “school mode” this is a cohesive and natural pairing which improves productivity.

She does her best to do all of her school work in this 4 hour period so it doesn’t bleed over. She often finishes early, so she brings her mail/bills with her and processes them with the extra time, as both require her to be in the same mindset and free from distraction.

To apply the second strategy, you want to identify some unused blocks of time (ideally at least 1 hour daily) and designate them as YOU time. If you’re like many people today, you are thinking “Wait a minute, I don’t have any

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17

unused blocks of time!” While that may seem to be the case, you’ll be surprised by how much time you free by categorically grouping activities. If you still don’t see any open time for YOU, then look at “repurposing” time that is currently being used for other, ultimately less important, activities.

Use this YOU time to do the things that nourish you, be it doing yoga, taking a long walk, journaling in a coffee shop, or reading a good book. It works best if you have a specific activity planned for each day, to ensure you keep a balance.

When Susan first came to me, she had zero time for herself on Mondays. We did some creative thinking, and she now has more than 2-hours of time for herself! How did we do it? First, when she brings her Mom to physical therapy she has an hour wait. One of Susan’s goals is to exercise more and lose weight, so now, rather than reading boring magazines in the waiting room each Monday, she instead takes a brisk 45-minute walk around a pretty park. She then heads home to grab the kids for soccer practice, during which she has 2 hours free. She used to sit with the other moms while they gossiped, but she now uses that time to go to her favorite coffee shop to journal.

You will undoubtedly find that each week there will be exceptional events that pop up. So, it’s important to have designated weekly planning time to adjust your schedule accordingly, ensuring that you still keep things grouped, and also keep designated YOU time. Sunday or Monday are when most of my clients do this, since organizing action items and projects early in the week helps them start the week with a big picture perspective.

Susan made Friday “date night” with her husband, making sure to really be present and not whittle the time away by complaining or worrying about work. Instead, she enjoys connecting with her husband, rejuvenating their relationship and their zest for life! On Saturday, when her husband brings their sons to practice, Susan has the house to herself.

With this quiet time, she journals, putters, and does yoga. It’s a welcome retreat which makes her feel calm and nourished.

With her children, she has chosen to make a ritual of reading to them for an hour every evening before bed. This has become a grounding way to wind down for all concerned and provides quality time that’s impossible to achieve in the rushing around of the day.

Exercise (your new schedule) This is where you Exercise trust in the schedule you have created and adhere to it. It will provide structure and boundaries for you and keep you focused and calm. Multitasking is erroneously overrated.

Though you may feel productive because you are busy and your tongue is hanging out — you can actually get more of what you really want done with a stable, structured schedule. Your schedule is your key to sanity! It will help you to create the life you desire and truly fulfill your goals.

I have many clients, all unique with very different lives…and all of them have reported a huge benefit and sense of relief after implementing their schedule. I hope you do too! Contact me with feedback about your experience or if you have any questions or need guidance as you go along.

I’m here to help!

Tiffany Chion is a Life Coach, Yoga Teacher, Avid Gardener, and Cat Lover.

If you would like to have a FREE phone consultation with Tiffany, to see if coaching is right for you, call 860-342-8783 or email truewellnesscoaching@gmail.com. See ad on page 42.

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Natural Nutmeg December 2011

The Gift of Healing through REIKI

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“REI” means “UNIVERSAL” and “KI” or “CHI” means “LIFE FORCE ENERGY.” A Reiki treatment involves the timeless method of laying on the hands. The universal life force energy that sets the miracle of life into motion naturally circulates through a person’s body. The energy is smart. It knows where to go and what to do once it gets there. A Reiki session restores health and provides a wonderful sense of well-being. It is capable of healing anything because it works at the fundamental levels of reality.

Who Is Jozefa?

Jozefa B. Wilczak a Reiki Master Practitioner, natural healer and owner of HOPE HELP HEALTH. Jozefa is a Christian who was born and raised in a small village in Poland right after World War II. The country was damaged by the war and the people were poor, especially her family.

Her father, Jozef, worked a small farm and struggled for his family to survive. A self-proclaimed veterinarian and handyman, Jozef helped others who couldn’t pay. People believed that if Jozef came to help - nothing would go wrong. Jozefa loved to listen to her father’s stories in which he used great intuition and supernatural powers to save animals and people.

He was her hero and she inherited her father’s name and talent. She attended university and became an engineer, got married and raised four children. Throughout her life, she rarely found the need to visit the doctor’s office for her children or the veterinarian for her pets.

People with health problems claimed to get well just from being around her. She learned Reiki only a few years ago when she came to the United States and felt immediately drawn into it.

After studying at The Taproot Healing Institute, she became a Reiki Master Practitioner.

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“I was 38, married and dying for a baby. I have gone to doctors for help for over 10 years without success. Jozefa and I attended a social event in Wilmington, NC. When I told her about my problem, she took me to a quiet area and spent about an hour giving me Reiki. I have a healthy and beautiful baby girl now. Thank you Jozefa” ~Tomika of Wilmington, NC I’m 45 years old and for the past 20 years I have had a condition called pseudo-gout, which causes swelling and pain in my joints. I was in Wilmington NC 2 months ago for my brothers wedding and was having toe, foot, ankle and knee problems. A friend suggested I go for a Reiki session. I ended up going for three, wish it could have been more, I saw an immediate change in the swelling and pain of my joints which has not returned.” ~Kerry of Grand Rapids, MI~ “Jozefa is a gifted healer and Reiki practitioner. Her work is excellent, and the results are lasting. The powerful energy of Spirit flows though her hands, in a divine healing way. She takes great care and compassion with all her clients, and is singularly focused on helping her clients achieve their health and wellness goals. It is without hesitation that I recommend Jozefa.” ~Andy L. – Massachusetts~

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19

How To Begin Meditating Funda M. Gulmen, N.D, M.S.

M

any people have heard of the various benefits of meditation – from deeper inner peace to better physical health – yet they are not sure how to begin a practice. Thoughts of bearded yogis sitting cross-legged in a remote location up in the hills may initially come to mind. However, one wonderful aspect of meditation is that it is so accessible to people even in our modern day and world. It really is quite simple to begin a practice – you may already be meditating at times and not even realize it. Usually the most challenging aspect of creating a meditation practice is making it a priority in daily life and being consistent in your effort towards it. If you have come to a point where you would like to give meditation more attention, below are some steps you can take to support yourself in moving in that direction. While there are many philosophies and styles of meditation, the information offered below has been effective for getting people started on that road even if they eventually choose a more specific discipline to follow later on. You might begin with five minutes and gradually work up to 20 minutes or more for your daily practice.

Create a space First, you want to find or create a space that is conducive to meditation. Some people have the luxury of having a room they can dedicate to quiet, steady practice… others may find that a corner of a room will be their refuge. You might place an item of inspiration in your direct line of sight so that it reminds you of why you are sitting down to practice. Some people are able to sit comfortably on the floor but feel free to use a chair if you need to support your body this way. Do your best to sit tall and align your spine as straight as possible. Remove any items that may distract you from your meditation – TV, radio, phone, even too many

20

Natural Nutmeg December 2011

hanging pictures – you want the space to be clean and simple. By allowing your senses to calm down, you give your mind a break from taking in external stimuli so that it can focus on your inner world. For those of you who are simply too restless or agitated to sit for practice (even for a couple of minutes), you might instead choose a walking meditation in a place that is naturally calm, quiet and beautiful.

Find your breath Once you have your little corner of the world arranged properly, it is time to begin to draw your attention inward, moving from the outer world impressions to your inner world sensations. One way to make this transition is to place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Begin to notice your breath and the qualities of it. Is it flowing fast or slow, hard or soft, smooth or rough?

Does it flow deeply into your belly or does it seem to stay in your chest and shoulders?

Once you connect with your breath, begin to count your inhalations and exhalations, from “one” to “four”. When you reach the number four start at one again. By keeping your counting simple you prevent the mind from thinking, “Did I skip a number? What number am I on? How high do I count?” and help maintain mental focus. As you focus on your breath this way, you may find that your breathing cycle naturally starts to become smoother, deeper and more relaxed.

Focus your mind Once you have the chance to bring your attention inward and tune into your breath, now you can begin to focus your mind. One way to do this is to give yourself a word or phrase to repeat several times such as “peace,” “joy” or “may all people be free from suffering”. It may be helpful to

use a method of counting such as beads on a string (akin to a rosary or mala) so that your mind does not begin to focus on the counting instead. Some people think the purpose of this part of meditation is to stop thinking altogether. They worry that they cannot “go blank”. To be more realistic, I suggest that people focus on their chosen phrase as much as possible. When you find your mind drifting away to daily concerns, gently guide your mind back to focusing on the phrase.

If you begin to think thoughts that generate an emotional response, simply note to yourself “I’m thinking” which will usually create a little space between yourself and the thought. Now instead of becoming engaged in the thought you become more of a witness to it. It creates room for a new thought to enter the field, perhaps a more productive thought, insight or intuition. You now have several thoughts to choose from instead of feeling like a thought is “hijacking” you. It allows you to have a different experience of that thought and your mind’s process. People who spend time meditating in this way often begin to find that they are able to become less reactive to thoughts that usually cause stress, anger or anxiety during the course of their day.

Open your heart Once you spend a few minutes focusing your mind through this more structured part of meditation, I often suggest moving into a more unstructured phase. This can often come in the form of asking an open ended question such as, “how can I grow?” or “what do I need to let go of?” and see what answer bubbles up from your deepest self.

The answer might present itself as a thought, image or sound. Another open meditation practice is to shift your attention from the word or phrase you focused your mind on to your heart’s center. Allow your attention to

rest here and ask if there is anything your heart wants to share with you. Sometimes this can lead to a release of emotions that have been pent up for awhile, perhaps a bit of nervousness or sadness.

Usually it also leads to some insight that you may need in order to allow your life to unfold in the best possible way. Be gentle, be patient, be still. This phase of meditation is also important as it encourages integration between the different aspects of your being – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Arriving at this place of wholeness is the true goal of meditation.

Many people believe that the physical postures of yoga are the most important aspect of practice. That is after all what we see in the media — super-bendy models who look gorgeous and serene as they touch their forehead with their toes. But the point of these physical postures is to create such a healthy body that it is no longer a distraction from the deeper work of meditation…getting your body out of the way so the light and wisdom of your soul can shine through and lead you into a life of greater peace and joy.

Funda M. Gulmen, N.D, M.S. is a licensed naturopathic physician who offers natural family medicine through her private practice in Connecticut. She also is a 200-hour certified yoga instructor. For more information, call 203.895.5534 or visit www.naturesourcecare.com.

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21

“Stress” and Your Hormonal Balance

By Elena Sokolova, MD, ND

A

s the holidays approach, we look forward to having the family together. We begin planning and shopping in earnest. We turn our attention to organizing meals, buying gifts for family and friends, planning parties, shopping for clothes, buying and arranging decorations, etc. We have an unending list of things to do, and, for many of us, who are already busy with work, child care, volunteerism, and any number of time-consuming pursuits, there aren’t enough hours and minutes in the day to get everything done in time.

All of these pursuits are wonderful ones, but they end up fueling an already over-stressed life style. We barely have time to breathe, let alone take care of ourselves.

No matter what time of year it is or what is going on in our lives, we need to manage our stress levels if we wish to remain healthy.

High stress levels can exacerbate existing conditions or contribute to the development of a variety of health problems.

Some people may address their stress by taking anti-anxiety medications. This is not an approach I favor. As Voltaire once said, “We put drugs, of which we know little, into our bodies, of which we know less, to cure disease of which we know nothing at all.”

Most people don’t realize that undue stress can have a hormonal impact, but that is indeed the case. Women experiencing chronic stress produce higher than normal levels of stress-related hormones, and these, in turn, may affect the production of female sex hormones. Pregnenolone, an essential building block for the production of both sex hormones and stress-related hormones, is diverted from its normal sex-hormone pathway when you are stressed.

Another little-known fact is that stress-related hormones require vitamins, minerals and amino acids for their metabolism. When you divert your supply of these, the sex hormones then become unavailable for their normal uses in a wide variety of your body’s important functions.

During my 25 years of practice I have seen many women with female health concerns which were triggered by or affected by stress.

Among the conditions that may be affected by female hormonal imbalances are: allergies, autoimmune conditions, endometriosis, cervical dysplasia, endometrial dysplasia, depression, fibroids, fibrocystic breasts, infertility, hypothyroidism, menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, ovarian cysts, polycystic ovaries, and so on.

Hormonal imbalances may produce a large variety of symptoms. These may include mood swings, anxiety, depression, breast tenderness, enlargement of breasts, breast lumpiness, heavy bleeding, bloating, water retention, cramping, weight gain, abdominal fat gain, acne, fatigue, hot flashes, irregular periods, low sex drive and menopausal complaints.

These symptoms are frequently treated with hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) or with bio-identical hormones. Although these treatments can temporarily help to eliminate some of these complaints, they do not address the underlying cause of the hormonal imbalance – chronic stress. It is important to measure the levels of 22

Natural Nutmeg December 2011

both stress-related hormones and sex hormones before a woman starts hormonal balancing therapy. In my practice I routinely use a laboratory test that measures the levels of estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol(x4), epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. The valuable information provided by this test enables me to properly address a patient’s problems.

I can tell a lot by looking at whether your stress-related hormone levels are lower or higher than normal. A high level of stress-related hormones usually corresponds to the initial stage of stress, when your body still has the resources to produce a variety of hormones.

A low level of stress-related hormones usually correlates with an advanced stage of stress. This stage is characterized by a depletion of your body’s resources and always needs nutritional support.

Clarice, a beautiful, enthusiastic 23-year old, came to see me because she was suffering from severe dysmenorrhea, a condition characterized by very painful periods. Her pain was so severe that her GYN thought she had endometriosis. Fortunately, an ultrasound of her uterus disproved that theory. It was clear to me that Clarice’s condition was being exacerbated by the high stress level associated with her very demanding new job. In light of this, my treatment plan for Clarice included specific dietary recommendations and targeted supplements.

You may think that a therapy using only bio-identical hormones is the ultimate treatment plan for correcting your hormonal imbalance. However, unless that plan addresses the underlying cause of your condition, it is not an optimal one. Consider the following example.

Margaret, a graceful 56-year-old lady, had been taking bio-identical hormones for several years to deal with her menopausal symptoms; she had been treated with both oral bio-identical hormones and patches. In addition to experiencing a variety of menopausal symptoms, she experienced chronic emotional stress in regard to her relationship with her ex-husband. During a follow-up visit with her medical doctor eight months ago, Margaret was told that she had an endometrial abnormality of the uterus. A further biopsy showed signs of an endometrial dysplasia, which was indicative of an early neoplastic process. She immediately was scheduled for a surgical removal of her uterus.

Margaret came to me for a second opinion about the suggested radical treatment for her condition. She asked me how this could have happened, given that she had been taking bio-identical hormones that were supposed to prevent the development of endometrial cancer. I explained that hormonal therapy by itself does not address the underlying cause of her condition; it works on the symptoms of hormonal imbalance, like hot flashes and insomnia.

Test results revealed that Margaret had very low levels of stressrelated hormones and low levels of important neurotransmitters.

I recommended that she continue taking bio-identical hormones.

Meanwhile, I added alternative approaches for treating the dysplasia.

I gave her supplements that helped to normalize her levels of cortisol, epinephrine, and serotonin, and I added some oriental formulas to her regimen. I further recommended that she see me for weekly acupuncture and abdominal manual therapy (AMT) sessions.

Margaret followed this alternative treatment plan for four months. She then repeated her uterine biopsy, which now revealed no signs of endometrial dysplasia.

Clarice, the young woman who suffered from dysmenorrhea, continued her recommended treatment plan of targeted supplementation and dietary changes to help balance her estrogens and progesterone. I also encouraged her to include in her regimen stressreleasing techniques like yoga or Qi Gong. Two months after starting the treatment plan, she had her first absolutely painless period.

If you feel that stress may be affecting your health, ask your doctor to check your levels of female hormones, stress-related hormones, and neurotransmitters. I think it is a good idea for healthy young women to have these tests as well, because the results provide a baseline reading which, in later years, will allow your doctor to better balance your hormones.

Elena Sokolova, MD, ND is a graduate of the prestigious First Medical Institute in St. Petersburg and of the University of Bridgeport School of Naturopathic Medicine. Currently licensed and practicing exclusively as a Naturopathic Physician, she may be reached at Whole-Body Medicine, located at the Fairfield/Trumbull town line.

Call 203.371.8258 or visit WholeBodyMed.com. See ad on page 31.

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Supplements 101

Michael Dworkin, P.D., M.S. Erika Dworkin, Dip. C.N. (Pend.)

Chronic Stress & Accelerated Aging The effects of chronic overexposure to cortisol can be devastating. Prolonged cortisol elevations result in sustained elevated blood sugar, substantial loss of bone calcium, immunity depression, high blood pressure, lost muscle mass, increased fat accumulation, and . . . loss of cognitive function. ~ Adapted from Life Extension Magazine “Reducing the Risks of High Cortisol”

Y

ou’ve often heard that chronic stress is bad, but do you know why? Did you know it can accelerate aging and thus profoundly impact quality of life? The good news is that certain natural remedies can alleviate the devastating impact that chronic stress has on the body and mind.

The Impact of Chronic Stress Stress is an automatic, negative, psychological, and physical response to various overwhelming internal and external forces called stressors (including lack of sleep, allergens, pain/poor health, and work/social pressures). “Bad stress” (known as distress), unlike eustress (“good stress”— think weddings and exercise), is generally characterized by fatigue, sleep disorders, irritability, and constant worrying.

Short, intermittent bursts of cortisol, the “stress hormone” produced in the adrenal gland, are necessary to help us recover from the effects of acute, immediate stress. In the

the pharmacotherapeutic drugs have long lists of potential side effects, which include: (1) benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium®, Xanax®, and Librium®): increased anxiety, significant memory impairment, and addiction (especially in alcoholics); (2) SSRIs (e.g., Prozac®, Lexapro®, and Zoloft®): agitation, decreased libido, delayed/lacking ability to 1. immunity suppression orgasm, and insomnia; and (3) beta-blockers 2. hypertension 3. hyperglycemia/insulin resistance/type 2 (e.g., Tenormin® and Inderal®): fatigue, depression, erectile dysfunction, memory loss, diabetes and insomnia.

4. Syndrome X To suppress cortisol production or 5. hypothyroidism [inhibition of thyroid hormone production (TSH) or metabolism reduce cortisol levels, doctors may prescribe anti-steroid drugs (e.g., aminoglutethimide/ (conversion of T4 to T3) Cytadren®, mitotane/Lysodren®, or me6. carbohydrate cravings 7. increased belly, neck, and facial fat de tyrapone/Metopirone®) or ketoconazole/ Nizoral, which have numerous potential side posits effects, including severe allergic reaction 8. libido diminishment (difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, 9. long-term bone loss tongue or mouth), diarrhea, lethargy, faint10. chronic fatigue ing, dizziness/poor coordination, nausea/ 11. ulcers vomiting/loss of appetite, headaches, rashes/ 12. heart disease itching, vision complications, irregular heart13. candidiasis beat, sexual dysfunction, and bloody urine.

14. increased cancer risk short-term, cortisol provides immediate energy and enhanced immunity and memory.

However, chronic stress results in the excessive, chronic elevation of cortisol that can threaten health and longevity. The attendant health problems can include:

15. depression

The Pharmaceutical Approach When a patient complains of excessive levels of stress or concomitant anxiety, conventional practitioners commonly prescribe various medications, such as benzodiazepines, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and beta-blockers. All of

The Natural Approach:

Combatting Stress-Induced Aging

Various natural alternatives may limit the negative impact of chronic elevated cortisol levels by reducing inflammation, combatting aging and degenerative diseases, and preventing cancer. You might consider trying these key, relatively affordable remedies to improve your quality of life or enhance longevity:

Rhodiola As an adaptogenic herb, rhodiola improves resistance to chronic stress by lowering cortisol production. It consequently alleviates stress-related anxiety and appetite diminishment, improves cognitive function, protects the heart, combats brain aging, increases energy, and combats weight gain in the belly, neck, and face. Rhodiola also enhances longevity by reducing inflammation and improving responses to various negative environmental stressors.

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Studies and research have shown that approximately 340 mg of rhodiola that is standardized for both rosavin and salidroside, taken in divided doses in the morning and afternoon, can be used effectively and safely, without side effects.

Resveratrol

According to numerous studies, resveratrol, found in grape skins, peanuts, blueberries, and cranberries, improves quality of life by slowing age-related deterioration and functional decline.

A 2008 published study in mice, conducted and supported in part by the National Institute of Aging of the NIH, confirms that this compound mimics some of the effects of calorie restriction, the most effective way found to date to alleviate age-associated disease in mammals. The study also found that resveratrol promoted cardiovascular health, significantly lowered cholesterol, improved bone health, and enhanced balance and motor coordination, in the lab subjects.

Curcumin Studies have shown that curcumin, a potent antioxidant from turmeric, combats not only inflammation and oxidative stress at the cellular level, two main causes of aging, but also bacteria (including H. pylori), fungus/yeast, and viruses. It thus targets a wide range of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer, including tumors and breast and cervical cancers.

Curcumin safely combats inflammation principally by inhibiting the cytokine NF-kappaB, which acts like a switch to turn on the genes that produce the body’s inflammatory responses. Gene expression of NF-kappaB increases in aging adults, thus causing numerous degenerative diseases and those related to compromised immunity.

Curcumin also reduces inflammation by inhibiting other cytokines and COX-2 and 5-LOX activity.

Human clinical studies have shown that a patented curcumin formulation (BCM-95) greatly enhances the bioavailability of this nutrient, which is generally difficult to absorb. This form delivers up to 7 times better absorption than ordinary 95% standardized curcumin and remains in the bloodstream for 8-12 hours, almost twice as long as conventional supplements. Caution: at high doses, curcumin can cause diarrhea and mild nausea in those with sensitive digestive systems.

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Fish Oil/Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Telomeres are structures at the end of chromosomes (threadlike structures in cell nuclei that carry genes) that are involved in their replication and stability. In normal tissue, due to genetic factors and environmental stressors, telomeres get progressively shorter as part of the aging process, causing cells to stop dividing. As a result, organs atrophy and brain cells die.

The January 2011 issue of JAMA reported a cardiac study that demonstrated “a potentially new link between omega-3 fatty acids and the aging process.” Researchers found that patients with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their white blood cells experienced significantly less shortening of telomeres over five years, as compared with patients with lower omega-3 levels.

Even the American Heart Association has stated that consuming omega-3 fatty acids in fish or supplements, long known for their anti-inflammatory effects, “significantly reduces subsequent cardiac and allcause mortality.” Salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, and haddock provide the highest omega-3 levels.

Conclusion Ideally, anti-aging nutrients that counteract the negative impact of excess cortisol production should be combined with other de-stressors, including diet modification, exercise, and stress management techniques (e.g., meditation, yoga, tai chi). While various nutritional supplements can reduce the harmful effects of chronic stress, it is wisest to be well-informed about these remedies

• Personology • Science of the 52 cards • Numerology • Astrology

and your own condition, and to know especially whether they interact with your medications. If you take drugs for stress but prefer to try a natural approach, where appropriate, consider asking your doctor to help you first lower the dose of your medication. Also consider seeking the guidance of a natural practitioner (especially if you are pregnant, planning to have a child, or are breast feeding), and inform your doctor before terminating treatment with any medication.

Submitted by Michael Dworkin, P.D.,M.S., a Registered Pharmacist and State Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CT Certification No.232), with J. Erika Dworkin, Certified Health Coach and Dip.C.N./Board Cert.

Holistic Nutrition (pending). Owner of the Manchester Parkade Health Shoppe (860.646.8178, 378 West Middle Turnpike, Manchester), Pharmacist Dworkin has been guiding patients since 1956 and is available for consultation by appointment. Erika is available to speak to groups. All statements in this article are research-based and references are available upon request. See ad on page 17.

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Managing Stress during the Holidays “It’s not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.”

- Hans Selye

By Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND

W

hether stress is related to the busy holiday season or just to the daily grind, how we react to stress can affect our health, not just in the moment, but in the long term as

well.

The holiday season, which begins for most Americans with Thanksgiving and continues through New Year’s Day, often brings unwelcome guests — stress and depression. And it’s no wonder. In an effort to pull off a perfect holiday, you might find yourself facing a dizzying array of demands — parties, shopping, baking, cleaning and entertaining, to name a few. So much for peace and joy, right?

The holiday season can be full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, holiday stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. Stress isn’t always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best. But when you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price. This particular autumn season seems to be bringing a great deal more stress than usual, and people definitely appear to have higher anxiety levels than in the past. This year, there are the pressures of rising food and gas prices, the mortgage crisis, and now the federal banking bailouts. All of these factors affect people’s general health conditions.

This is what people mean when they talk about the “holiday blues.” You’re already overwhelmed and now you have to contend with the holidays. How do you handle the extra stress? Do you feel as though you can? Instead of trying to avoid stress let’s realize that stress is a fact of life nowadays and it is essential to learn healthy coping techniques for stress. If you don’t, stress will affect your sleep, immune system, and emotions. It speeds up the aging process and can lead to disease. How many of you walk around feeling less vital than you did in the past and believe that it is just part of the aging process?

If you frequently find yourself feeling frazzled and overwhelmed, it’s time to take action to bring your nervous system back into balance. You can protect yourself by learning how to recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and taking steps to reduce its harmful effects.

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Natural Nutmeg Nutmeg December 2011 Natural

Here are some common signs and symptoms of stress overload: Cognitive Symptoms

Emotional Symptoms

• Memory problems • Inability to concentrate • Poor judgment • Seeing only the negative • Anxiety or racing thoughts • Constant worrying

• Moodiness • Irritability or short temper • Agitation, inability to relax • Feeling overwhelmed • Sense of loneliness and isolation • Depression, general unhappiness • Anxiety ____________________________________________________

Physical Symptoms

Behavioral Symptoms

• Aches and pains • Diarrhea or constipation • Nausea, dizziness • Chest pain, rapid heartbeat • Loss of sex drive • Frequent colds • Exhaustion

• Eating more or less • Sleeping too much or too little • Isolating yourself from others • Procrastinating, neglecting re- sponsibilities • Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs

We now know that effects of chronic stress can lead to depression and anxiety, heart disease, some cancers, weight problems, and more. Because of the widespread damage stress can cause, it’s important to know your own limits and what you can do to alleviate the effects of stress on your body.

Acupuncture and Stress Reduction The traditional explanation for how acupuncture works is as follows: The flow of “life energy” called “qi” (pronounced “chi”) runs throughout the body in muscle and organ channels (called meridians). Most acupuncture points are located along these meridians.

We tap into these points to release channel blockages and to move

the energy, thereby balancing and strengthening muscle and organ systems. Acupuncture works whether the patient believes in it or not... often better for the skeptics!

How Does Acupuncture Work to Reduce Stress?

Studies show that acupuncture releases pain-killing endorphins which also play a substantial role in maintaining serotonin and hormonal levels, and decreases damaging stress hormones such as cortisol. This may be why acupuncture benefits back pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and stress disorders. Auricular or ear acupuncture is very safe, and has long been known to relieve stress and anxiety.

Acupuncture has been shown to significantly attenuate the increase in blood pressure during mental stress, which is another bonus. Acupuncture may be an efficacious and acceptable treatment option for PTSD. In studies, stress symptom reductions at the end of acupuncture treatments were maintained for up to 3 months. Even after severely stressful events, such as Hurricane Katrina, acupuncture can be of great help.

Ear acupuncture was used to address stressrelated issues, including profound anxiety, pain, insomnia and digestive symptoms.

A stress reduction acupuncture treatment is safe, effective, inexpensive and takes just a small amount of your valuable time. It is a great way to de-stress, even during this most anxiety-inducing time of year. It might just be the best holiday gift you can give yourself!

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Eco-Travel

By Deb Percival

Green Luxury

I

felt like a lucky Goldilocks at the Hotel Drisco. I didn’t have to try out things that were too large or too small, or too hard or too soft – at Hotel Drisco everything was just right, right from the start.

The hotel bills itself as a combination of a small European hotel and an upscale B&B – an apt description. With 48 rooms (29 bedrooms and 19 suites), it’s larger than most B&B’s, yet it’s still intimate. The decorating is graceful and traditional. The atmosphere is friendly, yet elegant and luxurious.

The neighborhood – in historic Pacific Heights – is lovely, residential, and quiet.

Hotel Drisco, like the Hotel del Sol down the hill (reviewed in the October issue of Natural Nutmeg), is a Joie de Vivre (Joy of Life) property. Joie de Vivre, the second-largest boutique hotel company in the country, is committed to incorporating sustainability into their core business operations. Their green practices are designed to reduce waste and toxins, conserve natural resources, educate employees and guests about environmentally friendly practices, and partner with local and environmentally-friendly businesses – while maintaining an impeccable quality of guest experience.

Surprisingly, not that many hotels in San

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at Hotel Drisco Francisco have earned “Green” Status by San Francisco Green Business. Not surprisingly, most of the ones that have been awarded Green status are Joie de Vivre properties. This company (founded by Chip Conley, CEO, author, speaker, etc., who once said, “The leaders I most admire are those who look at business as enduring and transformational – as opposed to short-term and transactional”) is enthusiastically green, but you might not notice the sustainable practices if you’re not looking for them. Some are almost de rigueur at this point, such as water efficient bathroom fixtures, environmentally friendly lighting, tissues and toilet paper, guestroom recycling, energy-efficient lighting, and the

standard towel and linen reuse program. Behind the scenes, the office uses recycled office paper and soybased inks, and employs two-sided printing; electrical equipment and appliances are Energy Star rated; and the hotel pays for renewable electricity.

Other green practices are more unusual. A tour of the clean and modern kitchen was refreshing – there were posters about recycling everywhere, and there were four bins for recycling, two for garbage, and one for compostable food scraps. Bravo. General Manager John Spear was enthusiastic about the entire program, including training efforts for the staff that resulted in a fabulous team that diligently separates recyclables, gathers half-used toiletries for donation to local shelters and the Clean the World program, turns off lights, and does many more little things that quickly add up to a plus for the environment. In addition, food is locally sourced, the gym uses ‘electricity-free’ equipment, food scraps are composted, and the five-year plan calls for the addition of on-site solar and/or wind power.

Whether you’re green-minded or not, Hotel Drisco strikes me as a perfect hotel for an executive traveling on business, or for a romantic getaway. However, the atmosphere, amenities, and special touches are designed to make any traveler feel special, as evidenced by the fact that they have teddy bears for their youngest guests!

In addition to all the fairly usual guestroom amenities that upscale hotels offer (a good mattress, nice linens, free WiFi, a largescreen HDTV, a safe, a plush robe, an iron, and the daily paper delivered to your room,) they also offer some fun and useful things – things that add some joie de vivre – like a pillow menu, an iPod docking station, free HBO, a DVD player and free lending library, a yummy gourmet honor bar, an umbrella, nightly turndown service with chocolate shortbread cookies, and my personal favorite, a long-handled shoehorn.

windowed, sunny, high-ceilinged room with Queen Anne tables and chairs, white tablecloths, and the best complimentary continental breakfast I’ve ever had, including fresh fruit, fresh juices, a variety of yogurts, including goats-milk yogurts, boiled eggs, fresh pastries, specialty coffees and more, most of which was locally sourced, and ALL of which was recyclable, or, better yet, didn’t leave anything to recycle. For example, the jellies are served in glass jars, not in those contemptible little plastic containers. I hated for breakfast to end. The experience was just right.

Breakfast was so divine that it made me sorry we’d gone into town early the night before, instead of enjoying the evening reception. Each night the hotel serves California wines, local cheese, charcuterie, fruit, and hot hors d’oeuvres.

You can employ the long-handled shoehorn to help you slide into your shiny shoes – the hotel offers a free overnight shoeshine service. Très continental. In fact, you might need the shoehorn to get into your shiny shoes, if you do much walking. Remember, you are in Pacific HEIGHTS and if you walk downhill…you know what happens next. It may not take much walking to convince you that you don’t need to use the hotel’s on-site gym or the free pass to the Presidio gym, or borrow one of the loaner bikes the hotel has on hand – all things that sounded fun to me, until I walked back up the hill.

That night I doubly appreciated the bed, the linens washed with eco-friendly products (so nice), my custom pillow selection, the breeze from the open window, and the peace and quiet.

In the morning I went to the lobby in search of coffee, and found an adorable sitting room with fair trade organic coffee and ceramic mugs. (Personally, I never feel “just right” when my first cup of coffee is in a paper cup, and that’s not just because I like things that are environmentally friendly.) There was also a huge glass decanter of lemon water, and a selection of teas. A nice experience for a blearyeyed traveler who stayed out a tad too late.

That held us until breakfast time, when we took the elevator to the bottom level (I know – we should’ve taken the stairs). I pictured a cave-like breakfast area, but the doors opened on a wonderfully

Here are a few other details to help you plan your trip: The rooms are lovely and the suites are divine – they’re spacious, and some, if not all, have big windows that look out over the city. Fresh fruit is included, and replenished every day.

On-street parking is safe, free, and plentiful. Business travelers might especially appreciate the complimentary morning town-car service to Union Square and the Financial District; the hotel offers drycleaning and laundry services; the business center, complete with PC, Mac, and a printer is open 24/7; coffee is available 24/7; and there’s also an on-site “green” meeting room. (See http://www. jdvhotels.com/greendreams/meetings.) Other chauffer services also are available for a fee, including rides to and from the airport.

Whether you choose Hotel Drisco because you want a delightful experience, or because supporting such a truly sustainably minded business is the right thing to do, you won’t be disappointed.

They put the Joy in Enjoy!

Submitted by Deb Pervical. For more information go to www.hoteldrisco.com.

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Don’t Buy the BS: What Savvy Shoppers Know about Misleading Fat Claims

By Maribeth Abrams, MS, CNC

W

hether you are recovering from heart disease, trying to reach and maintain a healthy weight, or simply consider yourself a smart shopper, you probably make an effort to reduce unhealthy fats from your diet. That’s great, but keep in mind that food manufacturers may disguise some unhealthy high-fat foods as perceived low-fat foods in order to win your dollars.

Disguise a high fat food as a low-fat food? Isn’t that false advertising? Alas; it happens all the time. But before we get into that, let’s start with a quick review on how to properly read a nutrition panel for fat content.

When determining how high a food is in fat, there are two numbers to look at on the nutrition panel: the number of calories per serving, and the number of these calories that comes from fat. Once you have these two numbers, it’s easy to do the division to determine the percentage of calories in that food that comes from fat.

For example, 100 grams of cooked lentils contains 116 calories, and three of these calories come from fat. Divide 3 by 116 and you’ll find that lentils are 3 percent fat. Similarly, 100 grams of roasted skinless chicken breast contains 165 calories, and 32 of those calories come from fat. So, roasted, skinless chicken is 19 percent fat (32 divided by 165). Easy enough, right?

Now take a look at two-percent milk. One would expect that after doing the math, the percentage of calories in two-percent milk derived from fat would be…two! But the numbers on the nutrition panel indicate otherwise. 100 grams of two-percent milk contain 50 calories, and 18 of these calories come from fat. So, two-percent milk is actually 36 percent fat.

To understand how this can be possible, imagine a glass of water. It contains 0 calories, right? Now imagine a pat of butter that contains 100 calories. And how many of these calories come from fat? All of them or 100 percent, right? Now, let’s pretend to mix this pat of butter into the glass of water. Our drink is now 100 calories, and all of these calories come from fat, right? So, that makes our drink 100 percent fat as a percentage of total calories.

However! The pat of butter (the fat) in our drink is very light, and if one were to measure the weight of the fat in the drink relative to the weight of the water in the drink, one could make the argument

that only two percent of the drink comes from fat. So, hypothetically speaking, our 100 percent fat drink could be labeled as being only two percent fat.

That’s how one- and two-percent fat Care to take a milk and milk products are labeled – by guess as to the weight rather than as a percentage of total percentage of fat calories. And that’s misleading.

Here’s another example of displaying in 95 percent “lean” the percentage of fat in a food by weight ground beef? rather than as a percentage of total caloDon’t say five ries: 95 percent lean ground beef. Care percent! Do the to take a guess as to the percentage of fat math.

100 grams in 95 percent “lean” ground beef? Don’t of 95-percent lean say five percent! Do the math. 100 grams ground beef, of 95-percent lean ground beef, broiled, contains 171 calories, and 59 of these broiled, contains calories come from fat. Voila! That’s 35 171 calories, and percent fat.

59 of these Truly savvy shoppers don’t fall for calories come misleading claims, especially when from fat. Voila! it comes to the consumption of satuThat’s 35 percent fat. rated animal fat, directly associated with increased heart disease, many forms of cancer, excess weight, and diabetes type II. Bottom line? Assume that everything written on the front panel of a package is sheer marketing ballyhoo and trust only the nutrition facts panel for the, well, facts!

Nutrition Facts Source: Nutrition Data Database from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.

Maribeth Abrams, MS is a Certified Nutritionist, Certified Lifestyle Educator, and author of two cookbooks loaded with “cheezey” nondairy recipes. She has been dairy-free for nearly 20 years and is the mother of two teens dairy-free since conception. Please refer to issue August 2011 issue for Maribeth’s article on how dairy consumption promotes osteoporosis. See ad on page 25.

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33

Integrative Medicine for Children

By Ana Maria Verissimo, MD, MA

T

he Mind-Body-Spirit connection in the healing process is paramount. Integrative Medicine pursues an equilibrium state of health, combining conventional medicine with complementary modalities that are safe and beneficial in promoting health and healing. It seeks to prevent disease, promote health and vitality, manage symptoms, and allow patients to strive toward inner peace.

Implicit in the foundation of Integrative Medicine is an emphasis on self-coping methods and a philosophy of empowerment toward one’s care. This is especially important for children, who may experience multiple areas of impairment when faced with a chronic, life threatening, or recurrent illness, including physical, emotional, social, behavioral, academic, and recreational dimensions. The impact on the family is also multidimensional, extending beyond the medical and emotional to include financial constraints and coordination of care for the patient and the extended family. The role of the patient’s community and cultural background is an essential element in this overall approach.

The use of Integrative Medicine techniques (also called Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or CAM) is growing. A study published by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2008 found that 38% of adults and nearly 12% of children used some form of CAM. The pediatric literature also demonstrates that a significantly higher percentage of pa-

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tients with chronic and/or recurrent illnesses use some form of CAM ; some estimates are as high as 72%. Furthermore, worldwide surveys of pediatric oncology patients estimate CAM use between 31% and 84%. This reflects CAM’s use not only in alleviating symptoms of the disease but also easing the side effects sometimes associated with the treatments rendered.

Indeed, more than 33% of pediatricians have reported use of some form of CAM therapy, administered either by themselves or by a patient’s family member. The number of CAM providers in the United States increased by approximately 88% between 1994 and 2010. This is in contrast with the 16% increase in the number of allopathic physicians. Interestingly, the number of U.S. medical schools offering CAM has increased from 75 in 1998 to 98 in 2002-2003 (out of a total of 125 U.S. medical schools).

From a personal perspective, I have been interested in Mind-Body techniques for many years. I first glimpsed their importance when, as a pediatric hematology oncology fellow, I had the honor of witnessing the “Mind-Body connection.” One of my patients, who had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, sang a beautiful church hymn during a busy clinic afternoon. This event caused the entire clinic, including staff, patients, and their families, to stop, breathe, and take in the grandeur and privilege of the moment. To this day when I think of this lovely patient I feel great joy and honor in having been present to witness such an experience. That was

a long time ago, but it continues to inspire me to strive to incorporate this alignment of mind, body, and spirit into every medical encounter.

Currently, I am interested in learning how to help children with acute and chronic pain conditions by combining pharmaceutical and integrative modalities to ameliorate pain. The need is great—data from the American Pain Society reveals that in 2010, 20% of U.S. children ages 5-17 suffer from chronic headaches, 20% of U.S. children have stomach discomfort at least three times per week for at least three months, and at least 6% of school children suffer from fibromyalgia. Moreover, 1.5 million U.S. children who undergo surgery do not have adequate pain relief, and in 20% of these young patients the pain becomes chronic.

It is further estimated that as of 2010, 1 in 1,000 children in the U.S. are survivors of cancer, some of whom endure chronic or intermittent pain as a result. And beyond the physical pain that these children suffer, many develop fears and anxiety due to their medical condition and its treatment. This affects not only their emotional and physical health but also may impede sleep, school performance, self esteem, social relationships and cause countless other complications.

Finally, I also feel a very personal connection to the impact of chronic pain. My mother suffered from a chronic leg pain lymph drainage condition which caused extreme pain and swelling in her left leg.

As a young child I often used distraction to

attempt to minimize her discomfort. She encouraged me to utilize massage, breathing and meditation as well. Though I unknowingly understood the Mind-Body connection at a young age, it took many years for me to rediscover and embrace it in my personal and professional life. It is perhaps for this reason that I am now so adamant in promoting its value.

Integrative medical programs can offer a myriad of options for prevention and wellness, as well as for coping with and alleviating anxiety and pain. Some strategies include promoting healing through implementing relaxation techniques, enhancing self coping strategies, biofeedback, guided imagery, focused attention/hypnosis, preand post-operative hypnosis, and pediatric massage.

These approaches help our youngest and most vulnerable patients and their families – people from all socioeconomic, cultural, and religious backgrounds – experience wellness, and regain control of their lives, rather than being defined by a disease or circumstance.

Submitted by Ana Maria Verissimo, MD, MA Attending Physician, Department of Pain and Palliative Medicine, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, CT.

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35

Vitamin D in Health & Disease

By Paul D. Tortland, D.O.

V

itamin D is an important vitamin, right? Wrong!

Sorry, it’s a trick question. Contrary to popular belief, vitamin D is not a vitamin. It’s actually a hormone. Specifically, vitamin D is a secosteroid. Derived from cholesterol, vitamin D is formed naturally in the body by the conversion of 17-dehydrocholesterol in the cell membrane upon exposure of the skin to solar UVB radiation to produce pre-vitamin D3, which then rapidly gets converted to vitamin D3.

Steroids are proteins that trigger or signal the cell to perform certain tasks, such as synthesizing other molecules. As a hormone, D is directly or indirectly involved in the expression of over 1000 genes in the body. Many tissues in the body possess signaling molecules only in virtual form; they are encoded in the DNA. These molecules are then synthesized only on demand when signaled.

Vitamin D is one of the keys that opens the DNA “library” so the cell can manufacture the necessary proteins and molecules. Without adequate D, the ability of the cell to respond adequately to physiologic and pathologic stimuli is impaired. Vitamin D receptors are found in the brain, prostate, breast, colon, muscle and bone tissues as well as in immune cells.

Vitamin D Deficiency Some researchers consider Vitamin D deficiency to be an epidemic. An estimated one billion people worldwide have either insufficient or deficient levels. It is considered the most widespread deficiency condition in developed nations. In the United States, at least 36% of otherwise healthy Americans are deficient, and over 70% of pregnant and breast-feeding women are deficient, even though they take prenatal vitamins with D! Among postmenopausal women taking osteoporosis medication, over 50% are deficient. And 40-100% of the elderly are deficient.

Actions of Vitamin D As noted, D is involved in many body functions, and has it implications for a wide range of disease conditions.

Bone Health The most common role of D involves bone health. Without adequate D, only about 15% of dietary calcium is absorbed. Compared to calcium use alone or calcium with only small amounts of D, adequate amounts of D lead to as much as a 58% reduction in risk for osteoporosis and related fractures.

Muscle Strength Vitamin D is required for maximum muscle function. And D deficiency has been shown to result in muscle weakness. Raising D levels can improve muscle strength and performance speed. Adequate D levels have been shown to reduce the risk of falls in the elderly by as much as 72%.

Cancer There is a growing link between D and cancer. Persons with D levels below 20 ng/ml are at 30-50% greater risk of Hodgkin’s, colon, pancreatic, prostate, ovarian and breast cancers. In the famous Women’s Health Initiative study, women with D levels of 12 ng/ml had a 253% increased risk of colorectal cancer within 8 years. One study estimated that colon and breast cancer in North America could be reduced by 30-50% by raising lifelong D levels to at least 40 ng/ ml.

Diabetes D supplementation has been shown to reduce the risk of developing insulin-dependent diabetes (Type 1) in children. In one study, over 10,000 children in Finland were given 2000 IU a day of D for the first year of life only. Their risk of developing Type 1 diabetes over the next 31 years was decreased by 80%!

Cardiovascular Disease Low vitamin D level is an independent risk factor for heart attacks. In a 2008 study, men with D levels greater than 30 ng/ml had a 50% reduced risk for experiencing a heart attack. Vitamin D also has a positive influence on blood pressure, and it helps reduce

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vascular calcification and inflammation.

Those living farther north (less sun exposure and lower D levels) are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. In a 1998 study of patients with high blood pressure, subjects were exposed to ultraviolet-B sun rays three times a week for 3 months. Vitamin D levels went up by 180% and blood pressure normalized.

Fibromyalgia In a 2009 study, 100 patients with Fibromyalgia (FM) were given enough D to raise their blood levels to 50 ng/ml. After 6 months there were dramatic improvements in chronic fatigue, restless legs, anxiety, depression, muscle spasm, tingling, and concentration.

Infections, Flu & the Common Cold Vitamin D plays an important role in mustering your immune defenses against infectious disease such as the flu and common cold. A March 2010 study published in the journal Nature Immunology explained this link.

T cells, which are a type of white blood cell known as lymphocytes, play a central role in fighting infection. According to the study, “When a T cell is exposed to a foreign pathogen; it extends a signaling device or ‘antenna’ known as a vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D. This means the T cell must have vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease. If the T cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they won’t even begin to mobilize.”

In other words, low vitamin D levels hinder your natural disease-fighting mecha-

nisms. Vitamin D works by increasing your body’s production of up to 300 different antimicrobial proteins that are actually far more effective than any synthetic antibiotic or antiviral medication. And D does this at a fraction of the cost and with virtually no risks, toxicity, or side effects. A recent study of over 19,000 Americans found that those with the lowest blood vitamin D levels reported having significantly more recent colds or cases of the flu.

Furthermore, while adequate D levels can help reduce the chances of getting the flu, it can help treat it also. If you are coming down with flu-like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D you can take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat the acute infection.

Sources of D & D Treatment

variation in the quality of supplements.

The “normal” lab range for D3 is 30100 ng/ml. However, ideal levels of D3 are between 50-80 ng/ml. While 2,000-4,000 IU of D3 daily will be adequate for most people, it is important to measure your levels of D, both to insure proper treatment and to prevent overdose. Doses as high as 10,000 IU/day may be needed. Also, you may need to adjust your dose seasonally, increasing it in winter months (less sun exposure) and decreasing it in the summer. Levels should be checked every 6-8 weeks until stable, then once every 6-12 months.

Submitted by Paul Tortland, D.O. of Valley Sports Physicians and Orthopedic Medicine. For more information, call (860) 6750357 or visit www.jockdoctors.com. See ad on page 3.

The best source of D is exposure to the sun’s UVB rays. 10-20 minutes of intense sun exposure to the arms and legs twice a week is adequate for ideal levels. It is impossible to get overdose levels of D obtained naturally—the body will break down and excrete the excess. However, concerns over skin cancer limit the applicability of this method.

Oral supplementation of D is the most practical. The best form of D is D3. This is the naturally occurring and metabolically active form. However, virtually all prescription D, and the D in fortified foods (such as milk and OJ), is D2. D2 has a shorter half-life, binds more poorly to proteins, and converts to the metabolically active form 500 times slower than D3. Therefore, foods fortified with D are relatively poor and inefficient sources of D. If you are taking D3 supplements, and your blood levels do not go up, try a different brand of supplement first before increasing the dose. There is a huge

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Doctor’s Notes

Dr. Todd Born, ND

Anxiety:

How Homeopathy Can Help

A

nxiety can present in many different ways and forms. The “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-IV), published by the American Psychiatric Association, discusses the various conditions within the anxiety spectrum ad nauseam, and is beyond the scope of this article. It describes the spectrum as including everything from panic attacks to phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and generalized anxiety and its subsets. Anxiety is even more prevalent than depression (and many times these go hand in hand). It is important for organic causes of anxiety, such as hyperthyroidism, carcinoid syndrome and pheochromocytoma, to be ruled out.

Anxiety can be acute (lasting more than 2 days and less than 4 weeks) or chronic (occurring more days than not for at least 6 months). It can be a beneficial part of our existence on a short term basis, alerting us to danger, for example. But sometimes it can take over one’s life and interrupt daily activities, sleep, diet and lifestyle, even to the point where one doesn’t even want to go out and socialize. This can lead to serious health concerns and cause relationship issues.

Anxiety can stem from a myriad of causes, alone or in combination. Caffeine, inadequate sleep, poor diet, lack of exercise, and other reasons, some of which are listed below, can all be factors.

Let’s face it: We live in very stressful times. The economy, our jobs, inclement weather, our health or the health of loved ones, and even our pets can take deleterious tolls on us. For example, numerous studies have linked anxiety with cardiovascular disease. Anxiety increases the occurrence of cardiovascular disease, and increases the risk of an adverse cardiovascular event (stroke or heart attack). Studies have shown that the prevalence of anxiety is high at approximately 70% to 80% among patients who have experienced an acute cardiac event. Even among the patients who have not experienced these events, the prevalence of anxiety is estimated to be between 2025%.

A meta-analyses (a combination of many similar studies) looked at 249,846 38

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people, examining the association of anxiety with the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in initially healthy people, using data from the US, Europe, and Asia.

They determined that anxious people had about a 25% greater risk of CHD and an almost 50% higher risk of cardiac death over a mean follow-up period of 11.2 years. The study factored in all other risk factors and health conditions and still found that anxiety caused these results.

For many a decade, conventional medicine has ignored the mind-body connection. Naturopathy on the other hand has seen mind, body and emotions as one, working interchangeably and as a whole.

Only recently has conventional medicine and research paid more attention to these matters. This is especially due to the work on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction by Jon Kabat Zinn, who holds a PhD from MIT in molecular biology.

Conventionally, anxiety, regardless of etiology or form, tends to be handled with anti-anxiety medications, anti-depressants, sleeping medications, and at times, counseling. Naturopathically, we tend to go a step further. We encourage counseling, but at the same time will look at the whole person, including diet, lifestyle, nutrition, and social support. We follow a therapeutic order, utilizing the less forceful, least invasive means possible, while always meeting the

patient where they are. We have nutrition and lifestyle modifications at our fingertips.

We might use botanical medicines or physical medicine (examples include massage, craniosacral therapy, osseous manipulation therapy and hydrotherapy). We can utilize other methods such as cell salts (tissue salts) or flower essences.

Naturopaths tend to use lifestyle modifications and additions as simple as cutting back on caffeine, breathing exercises, yoga, and exercise in general. The list is almost endless.

Many patients may already be on medications and might be worried about potential interactions. These are logical, justifiable and legitimate concerns. This is where homeopathy can play a significant role in your healthcare.

Homeopathy is a system of medicine that has been around for more than 200 years. In fact, before the advent of Penicillin in 1928 and its more widespread usage in the 30s and 40s, all medical schools in the US taught homeopathy. Homeopathy was the major form of medicine until the 1950s, when pharmaceutical medications were becoming more widely used.

Homeopathy was developed by Samuel Hahnemann, MD, a German physician. He was concerned about the medical practices of the day, including blood-letting and purging patients with poisons such as arsenic.

He felt there had to be a better way. So he developed homeopathy, based upon the principle that like cures like, which comes from the father of medicine, Hippocrates (460-377 BCE). Homeopathy also uses the principle of extremely dilute substances. The more dilute the substance, the more powerful and deeper acting the remedy is.

Homeopathy is considered an “energetic” medicine and therefore does not interact with any medications, supplements or herbs. Much like naturopathy, it takes into account a person’s physical, mental and emotional states and puts the jigsaw puzzle pieces together to match them to 1 of about 5,000 remedies — a seemingly daunting task indeed. Although the science and art behind homeopathy is very challenging, a good naturopath who utilizes homeopathy doesn’t

tend to have much difficulty in finding a good remedy to match a patient’s entire self.

Basically, there are two kinds of homeopathy: acute and constitutional. Acute is what people are more familiar with; a person goes to his or her local health food store and purchases a blue tube, in 30C potency (strength) that has an indication on it. For example, it could be a remedy called Spongia tosta with the indication “dry cough”. This is an acute remedy, for an acute condition.

The reason there’s an indication on the label is because the food and drug administration (FDA) governs homeopathy. So, although the label might say “dry cough,” the remedy may and can be used for many, many more conditions. This is why it is of the utmost importance to seek a qualified health practitioner, such as an ND (naturopathic doctor) who can utilize these medicines appropriately and deftly. Furthermore, you can only get a potency stronger than a 30C via a prescription from your physician.

There are many well known homeopathic remedies that are used in anxiety.

Arsenicum album, Phosphorus, Carcinosin, Syphylinum, Natrum muriaticum, Calcarea carbonicum, Gelsemium sempervirens, Aconite napelus, and Sulphur, just to name a few. This is where “constitutional” homeopathy reigns king. Constitutional homeopathy is the aforementioned jigsaw puzzle metaphor.

Again, more of a reason to see a trained physician to get a good remedy that helps with not only your anxiety, but with any and all of your health concerns. Homeopathy is all about optimizing your one true self. It enables the genes you were given at conception and makes them work at a more optimal level.

To give an example of just how powerful this medicine can be, I’ll describe a case I had about a year ago. A 49-year-old female came to my office complaining of peri-menopausal symptoms, panic attacks, extreme anxiety and insomnia. Her perimenopausal symptoms included hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, volatile emotions ranging from weeping and crying to extreme irritability and chronic migraines.

Her anxiety presented in the form of inability to cope with day-to-day interactions and circumstances and these lead to panic attacks. The icing on the cake for her was that she had insomnia from the racing thoughts which worsened her anxiety and led to more panic attacks.

Upon speaking with her and getting a good picture of her mental, emotional and physical self, I gave her a constitutional dose of Arsenicum album one time and asked her to return in 2 weeks. When she returned

she said she didn’t know what I did or gave her, but she had not had one migraine, went from 4-6 hot flashes a day to only 2 in two weeks, and had no episodes of night sweats.

She only reported one episode of crying and that was because her dog got sick and she had to take him to the vet. She said her boyfriend commented on how stable her mood was. Her sleep was the best it had been in years. The vaginal dryness didn’t correct, so I prescribed vitamin E oil to apply topically to the vulva and inside the vagina.

I told her to return in 2 weeks. Upon follow up, she reported that she still had no peri-menopausal symptoms, was able to cope 95% more in her day-to-day interactions, and had no panic attacks. I saw her for another 6 months in my practice before she moved away and I only had to re-dose her remedy (the Arsenicum album) once, at a lower (weaker) potency.

Dr. Todd Born is a licensed naturopathic physician in Avon, CT, and is an active member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. He practices at Whole Health Associates, LLC, the premier location in the Farmington Valley for natural medical care for the entire family, offering naturopathic medicine, chiropractic care, acupuncture and massage therapy. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit www.wholehealthllc.com or call 860-6740111. See ad on page 2.

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What More Can Be Said About

“Mastery” W

hen we have a few things we are good at, the things we work hard to be good at, the whole of our lives seems to feel better. We dedicate our time and energies to improving ourselves in some specific way. For many adults, this may be the kind of work they do. Too often adults place too much emphasis on being good at work. Generally, these things we push ourselves to excel at are the things that give meaning in our lives. This is mastery. Mastery gives a sense of competency and capability to take on life’s bigger challenges. Ideally we have all found a few precious things that enrich our lives and leave us feeling competent and capable. We generalize this feeling of mastery to a sense of optimism and stability to other areas of our lives.

Erik Erikson’s Take One of the giant’s of developmental psychology, Erik Erikson, placed a great deal of emphasis on this concept. Upon entering toddlerhood, a child’s developmental challenges revolve around developing mastery.

The goal for toddlers in attaining a degree of autonomy as they explore their physical

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Natural Nutmeg December 2011

environment sets the stage for their later abilities. Kindergarten age sees initiative and inferiority vying for the dominant spot in a child’s sense of self. Again in the middleschool years, mastery features strongly again as the goal for a strong sense of self-worth comes from refining their skills. Interestingly the downside to these early stages is inferiority for school children and shame for toddlers. These are perhaps two of the more destructive and enfeebling thoughts we can carry around about ourselves. When we move into adolescence, these experiences form the bedrock for how we see ourselves.

We, as Parents Erikson plotted the challenges of each stage of life and we are reminded of the risks in not appropriately resolving each challenge. As parents, we struggle with balancing our children’s need for mastery and our desire to keep them safe. This can take the form of protecting them from the frustration of failure. Overprotective parents obviously mean well; no parent wants to see harm come to their child. Perhaps many of us have been warned to the pitfalls of each developmental stage and do our best to safe guard our children. What is missed is the amount that parents will sometimes do and the child is left without this sense of competency and capability that comes with mastery. Ultimately what matters is that children be allowed to fall short on the small

things as they grow so they have the experience of picking themselves up afterwards.

As many parents will tell, ordering a child to be responsible does not always yield the desired result.

A Late-Coming Mastery The idea of mastery is one I have been striving for a long, long time. It has become the ultimate goal. I have looked for that thing that I can truly claim to be good at. I have found success in my career as a therapist and truly believe myself to be ‘good’ at what I do. But I was looking for something more.

Perhaps like many people I have a hard time giving myself credit for my accomplishments. I was looking for that thing that I could claim as my own, not out of necessity or financial gain. I began running several years ago as the specter of middle age hung over me. Over time I found I was getting much healthier. To my surprise, I was also getting faster. Still I would not allow myself the satisfaction of mastery. So I ran farther.

I found for me, even after running my first marathon and still awash in sweaty exhaustion, it wasn’t until my eldest daughter approached me with tears in her eyes that I knew I had done something of real importance. Maybe another way to think about this is to say that at that point, with her tears and my sweat, I felt I had done something big. It may just be that this feeling was more important than what I thought in my head.

This may be the key to helping children to feel good about what they do without telling them how they have done a good job.

Mastery in Adults Daniel Pink, in his 2009 book Drive, discusses mastery as one of the three components for motivation. In order for people to be productive, they must have, along with autonomy and purpose, a sense of mastery in what they do. While he writes about this in the realm of business motivation, he would not object to a general sense of wellness. Many of his other books also speak to value of mastery in everyday mental and even physical health. Pink outlines three laws of mastery. First, mastery comes from a mindset of incremental growth. We have to believe that we can create new talents, or masteries, rather than struggle with ‘what we are given’. Getting better at them takes time and perseverance. Secondly, mastery is pain.

It may be hard to inspire anyone to dedicate to mastery while realizing that doing so is often mundane or even painful. To be a writer, one has to write; to be a runner, one has to run. Mastery requires a dedication to this activity so that it may grow. Pink quotes the basketball great Julius Erving writing, ‘Being a professional is doing the things you love to do, on days you don’t feel like doing them.” Even Michelangelo brushed aside the praise in saying, “If people only knew how hard I work to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all.” If this seems daunting to the adult reader, take heart there are many who feel this way as well. But all will agree the payoff for the amount of work put in is worth it at the other side of it. The sense of well-being gained from excelling at something is applauded by others, this is true, but, sport heroes or great artists aside, the time and effort put into an endeavor does wonders in terms of feelings

of competence and capability. Lastly, Pink recognizes that we can never fully master anything and should be always striving for further improvement. In this, we must strive for improvement always, not to be the best but just to be better than we were. When it comes to mastery, this is the message. We don’t need to be the best, but we can always do better.

For the Kids As parents we strive to give them everything we can, so they have a happy childhood and a productive adulthood. The question I’m left with is how to motivate kids to put in the effort, particularly when many already have hectic school and social calendars. We know the effort is worth it if they can just stick with it long enough to start feeling some of the benefits to how they see themselves. We can let this be a part of what we give them, a persistence to push through the discomfort and awkwardness of something new. Part of how we do this is by modeling the same values in our own lives.

Share with them the things you have found that give a sense of mastery. And it’s never too late to take up new hobbies.

Michael Westfall is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with 10 years experience working with children, teens and families.

He has a background in attachment work and enjoys adolescents’ quest for authenticity (as well as mastery) as it relates to their functioning with their world. He sees individuals from children to adulthood at his practice in Manchester, CT, where he can be reached at (860) 212-8923. He is accepting new clients and in network with most commercial and state insurances. See ad on page 34.

I CAN HELP YOU HEAL SPECIAL ATTENTION to chronic and difficult cases including those with “PESS” (physio-emotional spiritual stress)* *See article in November 2010 issue at naturalnutmeg.com Dr. Francis X. Tortora Chiropractor, Board Certified Craniopath 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk, CT. 06851 (203) 348-0678 • www.chirodirectory.com NaturalNutmeg.com

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Healthy Self

Dr. Lauren Gouin, ND

Managing Children’s Moods without Medication

I

t’s not only adults who suffer from mood disorders such as depression and anxiety; children suffer, too. One in 33 children will develop a mood disorder at some point in his or her childhood. This incidence is lower than that found in adults, however, childhood depression and anxiety might be even more important to address, since children are developing their coping skills and have less awareness of long-term consequences than adults do. While not every cranky moment, incidence of test anxiety or sad day constitutes a mood disorder, there are many lifestyle habits, including diet and exercise, that support mood in all children – those with a clinical diagnosis as well as those who are simply having a bad day. The following simple steps may minimize the rainy days, prevent medication, and teach children how to feel better short-term and take care of themselves long-term.

Healthy Blood Sugar Children’s small bodies are very sensitive to sugar. Highs and lows in blood sugar can create mood swings and make children more irritable, anxious, short-tempered and emotional. I affectionately call this the “post birthday party crankies”. This phenomenon occurs a short while after a child has had something that’s sweet, has little nutritional value and is low in protein. A sugar rush may make the child agitated and hyperactive, and be followed by an emotional, fatigued and cranky episode when the child’s blood sugar drops. Proper nutrition, avoiding too much sugar, and in some cases even supplements can help prevent these incidences.

Healthy Fats Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids are fats your body cannot make; they must come from your diet. Certain nuts and seeds, as well as fish (all of which are foods that are lacking in many Amerians’ diets) have these fats. Researchers have found that these fats combat depression by plumping up neurotransmitter receptors and making them more effective.

One small study in 2006 found that supplementing with fish oil, with no other therapy or changes, improved symptoms for children ages 6- 12 who had been diagnosed with depression.

Proper Sleep Lack of sleep affects anyone’s mood.

There are many reasons for a bad night’s sleep, including stress, poor blood sugar control, noisy neighbors, or an uncomfortable bed, but for the most part children should be able to sleep through the night.

Poor sleep can be a symptom but also a cause of mood disturbances in kids. Researchers are now finding that some children are not as effective at making the hormone melatonin, which is essential for falling asleep. If a child is consistently not sleepy and struggles with bedtime, evaluation of their nutritional or hormone deficiencies may improve their sleep and mood.

Also, sinus congestion and runny noses may not be too problematic during the day, but at night obstructive sleep can inhibit proper sleep patterns, keeping kids from reaching the more restorative sleep. Address-

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Natural Nutmeg December 2011

ing allergies and stuffy noses with nutrition and herbs may reduce your household consumption of tissues as well as improve your child’s sleep and mood.

Extra Nutrients To support proper brain chemistry, a child needs many B Vitamins, Magnesium, Iron and other nutrients to construct neurotransmitters. Researchers have found that some people cannot take the folate or folic acid found in food and multivitamins and transform them into active forms of folate that the body can use to make things like serotonin. They have identified genetic mutations that translate into a sluggish enzyme which is responsible for this. People with this mutation, known as MTHFR, are more at risk for depression, infertility and cardiovascular disease if left untreated. Because there is a genetic component, if a child’s parent has a history of any of these conditions, the child may be more susceptible to these conditions as well. The diagnosis and treatment for this condition is simple. A blood test can screen and confirm the presence of the genetic mutation. Taking an active form of folic acid, known as MTHF, will bypass the sluggish enzyme and supply the body with all the nutrients it needs. Once a child’s body has all the right pieces to make happy and calming neurotransmitters, mood, sleep and other concerns associated with this deficiency improve.

There are many faces of mood disorders, mainly because there are many causes, environmental, nutritional and chemical.

Discovering the cause of a child’s mood imbalance not only improves the quality of their life in the short term, but prevents unnecessary medications and reduces risk factors for other health conditions in their bright futures.

Dr. Lauren Gouin is a board certified naturopathic physician, accepting new patients for her family practice in Manchester, CT. Dr. Gouin is in network with most insurance companies. For an appointment or more information, please call (860)533-0179 or visit www.ctnaturalhealth.com. See ad on page 21.

know your herbs

Andrea Candee, MH,MSC

Herbal Sore Throat Remedies

G

argles are an age-old method of bringing soothing substances to raw, inflamed throats. This may be a bit uncomfortable for an adult but quite challenging to a child.

To see if your child is capable of gargling liquids: • Have her hold a small mouthful of plain water towards the back of the throat.

• If this is easily done, gargling can become a fun activity by vocalizing, causing the liquid to vibrate.

• If vocalizing makes your child uncomfortable, simply have him retain the liquid in the throat while you count, encouraging him to hold it a moment longer. Or, consider an herbal spray, described below.

• Be sure the liquid is expectorated (spat out) so the toxins drawn out from the swollen tissue are not swallowed.

Salty Lemon Gargle The astringent properties of lemon juice and common table salt (or, for a healthier version, sea salt or Himalayan salt, found in all health food stores), when combined with warm water and used as a gargle, shrink swollen tissue. As a result, this classic blend reduces the inflammation and pain of sore throats.

• Combine the juice of half a lemon with one tablespoon salt in one-half cup warm water.

• Gargle with this mixture at least four times a day.

• To further enhance the astringency and anti-microbial action of this gargle, mix the lemon and salt into one half cup sage (Salvia officinalis) tea instead of plain water.

To prepare a medicinal infusion of sage tea (or for any other leaf or flower tea), steep one heaping teaspoon of the herb in one cup boiled water. Cover the cup to retain aromatic oils, and steep (let sit) for 20 minutes.

Strain out the herb, using the clear liquid as the base for the lemon and salt gargle.

Grapefruit Seed Gargle The extract of the grapefruit seed contains potent anti-microbial as well as

astringent constituents that help relieve an inflamed, sore throat.

• Add 4-6 drops grapefruit seed extract (purchased in health food stores) to one half glass of water (or mix the contents of one capsule with the water).

• Gargle with the diluted extract, spitting it out after each gargle.

• This is a very bitter preparation so you might want to put mix in some juice.

Throat Healing Herbs A sore throat may be comforted with: • Slippery elm lozenges (available at health food stores). Slippery elm (Ulmus fulva) is an herb with soothing, anti-inflammatory properties.

• A diluted spray of equal parts extracts of echinacea (Echinacea purpurea, E. angustifolia) and goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), sprayed on the back of the throat. To make this anti-microbial spray, dilute 10 drops liquid extract of each herb in 4 ounces of water.

• A spoonful of raw, enzyme-rich honey (found in health food stores or from your local bee keeper) which is anti-inflammatory as well as anti-microbial is a traditional remedy for soothing the throats of opera singers before performances. Your child can lick the honey right off the spoon to experience its soothing properties as it slides down an irritated throat.

• A room vaporizer containing eucalyptus oil (Eucalyptus globulus). The vaporizer’s hydrating mist soothes a dry, irritated throat while the eucalyptus emits its anti-microbial properties into the surrounding air.

• A tea/gargle of the soothing, antiinflammatory herbs licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) and slippery elm bark. Roots, barks and seeds are prepared differently from the flowers and leaves of a plant. To make a decoction (versus an infusion) bring 1.5 cups water to a boil. Reduce the heat so it just simmers and add one tablespoon of the root, bark or seed; cover partially for 1520 minutes as it simmers down to one cup.

Allow to cool to a comfortable temperature for gargling.

• A gargle with raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus) tea, an effective astringent, can help

reduce the swollen tissue of a sore throat.

Prepare an infusion as for sage tea, above.

While using the herbs as a gargle, echinacea, goldenseal and vitamin C may be used several times a day to address the cold symptoms that may accompany the sore throat. If the sore throat is persistent it may be a sign of strep bacteria or something else needing medical treatment. Consider Andrea’s Rule of Three: if the situation is not improving within 3 days, get professional help.

Nature really does provide an abundant pharmacy if you know how to use it!

Andrea Candee, MH, MSC, is a master herbalist with a practice in Westchester County.

She lectures throughout the country and at corporate wellness centers about taking charge of your health naturally. Media expert and author, her award-winning book, Gentle Healing for Baby and Child (Simon & Schuster), received The National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval. Andrea is noted nationally for her unique and successful approach to Lyme Disease. She may be contacted through her website, AndreaCandee.com (to receive her free e-letter, click on Did You Know?), or at 877 856 7680.

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Community Calendar Listings in red are held in Fairfield County Thursday, December 1st The Transformational Enneagram. A 6 week course on consecutive Thursday’s.

The Enneagram is an ancient symbol representing nine different ways of relating in the world. It is based on nine basic personality types of human nature and complex interrelationships expressed between them. Come discover the very root of your underlying fears and desires, what motivates you, drives your personality, and how you relate to the world. This is an invaluable tool for self-awareness and understanding of human nature. $150. Also, December, 8,12 & January 4,11,18. Register by 11/25 and receive $40 discount. Limit 10 people. Nishanto Kane, W. Simsbury, CT. 860.658.9678. www.minddesigning.net.

Inner Source Meditation. 6:30pm8:30pm $20. Strengthen your connection to your inner source-your spark of all knowing Divine Light. Access on many levels of vibration that will help your intuitive “knowing” and light.

36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. Contact Gayle @203-265-2927, sunnispirit@sbcglobal.net, or www.return2love.net Metabolic Typing by Lori Larsen, Wellness and Weight Loss Coach, and EFT Practitioner of The Life Center. Free Lecture, All are welcome, no reservations required. Free. 7:00pm at Thyme & Season Natural Market, 3040 Whitney Ave, Hamden, 203-407-8128. www.thymeandseasonnaturalmarket.com.

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Friday, December 2nd Permission to Live. 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. $35.00. Join us for an evening of being in community to learn, share and celebrate the feminine spirit. Give yourself permission to take the time to relax and reconnect with your truest self.

Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call PJ at 860.729.1843 or visit www.thehealthyself.com.

Crystal Bowls Sound Healing. 7 - 8:30 pm. $15. Edie Jemiola, RMT, facilitates this monthly offering. Sound used with intention can shift the energy in and around the body to help reestablish physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Experience the purity and passion of Edie’s voice and quartz crystal bowls. Bring a mat, pillow and blanket. Spirit Matters @ Ravenwood, 199 West Center Street, Manchester, www.spiritmattersct.com. Register with Edie: 860-933-8145.

Mom’s Night Out. 7:30 – 9:00pm. Sign up by November 2nd and pay $15, $18 after November 2nd. Celebrating Motherhood Yoga Style - with Peace & Quiet! Treat yourself to moving meditation yoga with yogi mom, Dori Sargent. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information. Space is limited so please pre-register by contacting Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033, 860.657.9545

Saturday, December 3rd Psychic Saturday. 10:00a.m. – 4p.m. $20.00 for a 20-minute reading. Stop

Natural Nutmeg December 2011

by or pre-schedule a private reading with Intuitive and Angel Therapy Practitioner® Priscilla Bengtson. Receive guidance from your angels, spirit guides and loved ones. Pre-scheduling is highly recommended. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To pre-schedule an appointment, please call Priscilla at 860.301.1468 or email appointment@ healinginharmonycenter.com.

Free Acupuncture Day. 10am – 2pm.

Free acupuncture treatments (for new patients only) at Many Rivers Community Acupuncture. Many Rivers is an affordable acupuncture clinic with a sliding scale of $15 - $35 per treatment. You pay what you can afford, no questions asked. 44 Bloomfield Avenue, Windsor, CT. www.manyriversacupuncture. com. To schedule your free treatment, call (860) 683-0011. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Aura/Chakra Allignment Seminar. An experienced based workshop designed specifically to clear the unsupported core belief held in your energy system.

When you work with your energy field you address the root cause of many disturbances. Ready for a quick, lasting change? $95. Limit 10 people. Register by 11/25 for $20 discount. Nishanto Kane, W. Simsbury, CT. 860.658.9678. www.minddesigning.net.

Sunday, December 4th Level II Chinese Herbology Study.

Laura Mignosa, NCCH.Also Jan. 8, Feb. 5,March 4 (4 Sunday Intensives). 9:30 - 4pm. $249.00 (Deposit of $75.00 re-

quired by Nov.15th). Dec. 4(Sun): Tonic Herbs. Jan. 8 (Sun): Patent Herbs. Feb. 5 (Sun): Herbs for the Western Diagnosis of Cancer & Prevention. March 4 (Sun): Clinical Diagnosis: For more infomaition contact Connecticut Institute for Herbal Studies, 900 Wells Road (RT 175), Wethersfield, CT 06109. 860666-5064. www.CTHerbschool.com.

Reiki I. 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. $125.00.

Attune to the universal energy in this Level I Usui Reiki class. Participants will learn traditional hand positions, how to give a full body session and receive attunements to the universal Reiki energy for self-healing and healing others. Participants receive a manual, book and certificate. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.301.1468 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com

Tuesday, December 6th Meet your Angels and Guides. 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. $45.00. Receiving spiritual guidance is easier when you understand who you are connecting with. During this workshop you will learn about your primary spiritual guides and guardian angels. Through meditation, we will meet them and receive information from them on how they would like to work with you. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.301.1468 or visit www. healinginharmonycenter.com Group Past Life Regression. 6:30pm8:30pm $20 An effective way to dis-

cover reasons for current fears, recurring dreams and personality tendencies.

Through exploration of your past lives, learn some of the reasons you are repeating patterns, why you were born into your particular family or why you have certain behaviors. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. No previous experience necessary. To register or for more information please contact Gayle Franceschetti @203-265-2927 email sunnispirit@sbcglobal.net, or visit www. return2love.net Silver Dragon Yang Style Tai Chi. New cycle of classes starting at Ravenwood Holistic Wellness Center 199 W Center St, Manchester - beginner through Intermediate students welcome. Tues 9:00 AM, $72 for 8 weeks. Sponsored

by Spirit Matters, call Silver Dragon 860-742-5892 to register.

Wednesday, December 7th Silver Dragon Yang Style Tai Chi. New cycle of classes starting at Ravenwood Holistic Wellness Center 199 W Center St, Manchester - beginner through Intermediate students welcome. Wed 5:00 PM, $72 for 8 weeks. Sponsored

by Spirit Matters, call Silver Dragon 860-742-5892 to register.

Being Calm. 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. $35.00. Learn a 4-step, natural process for dealing with stress, fear, anxiety and worry. You will learn powerful and calming methods that will allow you to let go of habitual negative patterns and energy draining thoughts and balance your mental and emotional state of being, so that you can be happy and healthy. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call PJ Harder at 860.729.1843 or visit www. thehealthyself.com.

Thursday, December 8th Inner Source Meditation. 6:30pm8:30pm $20. Strengthen your connection to your inner source-your spark of

all knowing Divine Light. Access on many levels of vibration that will help your intuitive “knowing” and light.

36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. Contact Gayle @203-265-2927, sunnispirit@sbcglobal.net, or www.return2love.net A Taste of Integrative Health Coaching. 7-8pm. Free. West Hartford Senior Center-15 Starkel Road. Discover what Integrative Health Coaching is and how it can help you to improve your health & wellness using a holistic approach.

Special focus on Weight Management with practical information to use during the holidays. Presented by Nina Arnold, MPH, RN, CBN- Integrative Health Coach/Holistic Nurse. For more info contact Nina at: 860-869-7137 or go to: www.baricoach.com.

Vibrational Healing Meditation.

7-8:30pm. $15. Lisa Burch, LCSW, RMT & Marna Walter, RN, RMT, facilitate. Relax with this blend of guided imagery and sound healing with the Tibetan singing bowls, drumming included. Release what no longer serves you.

Reiki offered as time allows and Spirit guides. Bring a mat, pillow and blanket if you wish to lie down. Spirit Matters @ Ravenwood, 199 West Center Street, Manchester, www.spiritmattersct.com.

Register with Lisa: 860-871-9295.

Friday, December 9th Maintaining Balance and Health Through the Holidays. 6:30-8:30pm. $30 pre-pay, $35 at the door. Join Sarajean Rudman for a workshop on lifestyle, diet, nutrition, and energy management through stressful times from an Ayurvedic approach. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information.

Space is limited so please pre-register by contacting Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033, 860.657.9545

Meditation and Tai Chi Easy™. Center your posture, create natural breathing and be present during slow, gentle movements as you awaken the healer within and engage more fully and healthfully in life. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call PJ Harder at 860.729.1843 or visit www. thehealthyself.com

Saturday, December 10th Praying in Color. 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. $25.00 (Register for both workshops this day and pay only $55). This workshop will teach you a new prayer form that will open your creative channels.

Using simple drawing shapes and writing, you will learn how to tap into your inner child and make a deeper connection with Spirit. No drawing ability required…just an open heart and mind.

Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.301.1468 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Sunday, December 11th Women’s Empowerment Meditation.

10:00am –12noon. $25.00. This guided meditation is specifically designed to the energy of the group. We invite in our angels and guides to help us release those things that keep us stuck. The energy of the group helps us to release

those things that no longer serve our highest good and allow us to live an empowered life. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.301.1468 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Lunar Flow Yoga. 6 – 8pm. With Erika Halford. Pre-register/pre-pay for $20 or $25 at the door. Celebrate the full moon with a candle-lit, restorative practice that includes gentle backbends and hip-opening, forward bends and twists, inversions and special lunar meditation and ritual offering. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information.

Space is limited so please pre-register by contacting Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033, 860.657.9545

Tuesday, December 13th Restorative Yoga. 7:00- 8:30pm. $16 drop in, Sacred Rivers class cards welcomed. Join Tammy Villamizar and benefit from committing to connecting with self in this restorative class. The body will be warmed with a soft flow then experience deep relaxation with supported poses. The class will conclude with a guided meditation. All are welcome, no experience needed. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information. Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033, 860.657.9545.

Awakening the Healer Within. 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. $35.00. Learn to activate your healer within and learn simple self-care practices such as Qigong,

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Calendar Wednesday, December 14th Healing in Harmony Night. 5 pm. – 7 pm. FREE. Stop by the center for a FREE healing service. Participants will sit individually with a healer and receive an 8 – 10 minute healing. No reservation required. You will be served in the order in which you enter the center. The healing services are offered one night each month. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. For information please call 860.301.1468 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

Wholistic HCG Health & Medical Weight Loss Program Educational Seminar Class. 6-7:pm. Lose up to 20-30 pounds in 40 days! Shrink your waistline!

Learn new, healthy eating habits for life.

It’s safe, it’s easy, but most of all it works!

Class Fee $20. Call 860-657-4105 today and Lose Weight for the Holidays!

Glastonbury Naturopathic Center, 18 School Street, Glastonbury, Ct. 06033. www.naturopathicwellness.com.

Thursday, December 15th Messages From Water. 7-8:30 pm. Free.

Dr. Masaru Emoto photographed water molecules in crystalline form revealing the impact of our thoughts, words and feelings. Come and learn about the life force of this element and how it shapes our bodies, our lives and our planet. Jon Ron and Deborah Ravenwood present.

Sponsored by Alliance for Holistic Living. www.afhlnow.org. Ravenwood Holistic Wellness Center, 199 West Center Street, Manchester, 860-432-2081. No advance registration.

Friday, December 16th Gallery Night. 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. $45.00. Enjoy an intimate evening of learning about angels and guides and experiencing intuitive readings with medium and certified Angel Therapy Practitioner®, Priscilla Bengtson. Everyone in attendance will receive a message. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call 860.301.1468 or email registration@ healinginharmonycenter.com.

Saturday, December 17th Holiday Open House. 11am–4 pm.

FREE. Join us for an Open House to see the new center, experience a healing or explore this spiritual community. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. For information please call 860.301.1468 or visit www.healinginharmonycenter.com.

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Yoga Dance! 4pm – 5:30pm. $10 pre-paid, $15 at the door. Come get your groove on with Jean Skeels! Yoga Dance, the most fun you will ever have doing yoga. A liberating and joy filled practice that combines the energy of yoga with the freeing experience of dance. No dance knowledge or experience necessary. Yoga Dance is a practice for anybody and all ages. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information. Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033, 860.657.9545.

Sunday, December 18th Gold Medal Chef Ken Bergeron Demo and potluck. 4:30pm. Chef Ken will demonstrate how to create delicious vegan meals filled with flavor, color and texture at Ken is author of Professional Vegetarian Cooking and the First Chef to Win a Gold Medal in the Culinary Olympics with Vegetarian Cuisine. For the potluck, bring a healthy vegan dish along with its recipe and your place setting. Northern Connecticut Vegetarians’ Potluck at Carniglia Senior Center, 41 Oak Street, Windsor Locks. $10 per adult is requested. For more information, www.northctveg.org or call Harry at (860) 623-8082 or email veggyharry@aol.com.

Wednesday, December 21st Winter Solstice Meditation. 6:30pm8:30pm $20. Join with us to celebrate the Winter Solstice as the Sun aligns with the Galactic Center. The universal energies at this time facilitate illumination and new initiation. We will meditate on the entrance to the Sacred Galactic Center, and heal together for the change from dark to the light. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. Contact Gayle @203-265-2927, sunnispirit@sbcglobal.net, or www.return2love.net.

Winter Solstice Meditation. 7-8:30 pm. $15. Marian Vitali, DC & Lisa Burch, LCSW facilitate. Light up our world on this shortest day of the year by celebrating together our natural warmth, brilliance, and vibrations through meditation, singing bowls, drums and story.

Bring a poem, picture or story to share as well as drums and rattles. Spirit Matters @ Ravenwood, 199 West Center Street, Manchester, www.spiritmattersct.com. Register with Marian: 860918-8703 by December 18.

Wednesday, December 28th Wholistic HCG Health & Medical Weight Loss Program Educational Seminar Class. 6-7pm. Lose up to 20-30 pounds in 40 days! Shrink your waistline! Learn new, healthy eating habits for life. It’s safe, it’s easy, but most of all it works! Class Fee $20. Call 860-657-

Natural Nutmeg December 2011

4105 today and Lose Weight for the Holidays! Glastonbury Naturopathic Center, 18 School Street, Glastonbury, Ct. 06033. www.naturopathicwellness. com.

Friday, December 30th Permission to Live. 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. $35.00. Join us for an evening of being in community to learn, share and celebrate the feminine spirit. Give yourself permission to take the time to relax and reconnect with your truest self. Circle is held the last Friday of each month. Held at The Healing in Harmony Center, 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury. To register, please call PJ Harder at 860.729.1843 or visit www. thehealthyself.com.

Saturday, January 14th Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory & Terminology Course. 2/14-15. (Two Sat & Sun) Also Feb. 11,12. Laura Mignosa, NCCH. 9:30 - 4:30pm. (28 CEU). $489.00. This is a pre-requisite for the year long Certified Chinese Herbology Program offering the diagnostic skills needed to accurately recognize the clinical signs and symptoms of each pattern of organ disharmonies. Connecticut Institute for Herbal Studies, 900 Wells Street, Wethersfield, CT 06109.

860-666-5064.

CTHerbschool.com.

Friday, January 20th Thermography breast screening. 9am 5pm. Also full body or individual area thermography. Call for fee schedule and available appointment times. Kensington Naturopathic Medical Center, 355 New Britain Rd. Kensington, CT phone 860-829-0707, email drannaresco@ comcast.net.

Sunday, January 29th Taoist Healing Arts Fair. 2 - 8 pm. Join us for this special one-day event to celebrate the Taoist healing arts! Workshop presenters, Tai Chi, Qi Gong & martial arts demonstrations, local art exhibition: Entering Into Stillness, massage & auricular therapy, tea tasting & ceremony, healing herbs, traditional music, Asian New Year & cultural arts celebration. $30 at the door all-day admission or $20 early registration online. Visit www.sundo.org. West Hartford Town Hall Auditorium & Conference Center, 50 South Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06107.

Monthly Ongoing Events MONDAY Yoga Therapy classes for those with Multiple Sclerosis. 10:45 am. Sacred Rivers has been working with the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, a non profit organization benefiting all people whose lives are touched by this devastating disease. Yoga Therapy classes are free to those diagnosed with MS with funding provided by the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. The classes are taught by Paula Scopino, owner and director of Sacred Rivers Yoga as well as Susan Taff. Sacred Rivers Yoga is located at 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT. 860.657.9545 www.sacredriversyoga. com.

Tong Ren Healing Class: 7-8pm. $10. each class. Instrutor, Ming Wu Ph.D., a doctor of Chinese Medicine, studied Tai Chi in China and US for 40 years, he received the authentic Yang Style teaching from his Sifu Grandmaster Gin Soon Chu, disciple of Yang Sau Chung. He studied Tong Ren Healing with Master Tom Tam since 1994. Wu Healing Center , 45 South Main St., Suite 100, West Hartford, CT. 800-990-9332. www. wuhealing.com.Tel: 978-461-2168 (Office)978-790-8888 (Cell).

TUESDAY A Course in Miracles. 7-8:30pm. Love Offering. The Course is a self-study curriculum which aims to assist its readers in achieving spiritual transformation.

Release your mind and free yourself!

Unity Center, 3 Main St., Norwalk 06851 (above the Ford dealership).

Unitycenterps.org 203-855-7922.

All Levels Vinyasa. 5:45-6:45pm. $16 drop in, class cards available. Maeve Ryan combines the stretching and relaxation of gentle yoga with the heatbuilding core and balance work of vinyasa flow yoga. All are welcome. Visit www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information. Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT. 06033.

860.657.9545.

WEDNESDAY Yoga for Runners. 7 – 8pm. With Paula Scopino. $10 per person. Join the Glastonbury River Runners in a weekly yoga class designed specifically to stretch and strengthen the areas of the body that are affected by running. Visit

www.sacredriversyoga.com for more information. Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033.

860.657.9545.

A Course in Miracles. 12:00-1:30pm.

Love Offering. The Course is a selfstudy curriculum which aims to assist its readers in achieving spiritual transformation. Release your mind and free yourself! Unity Center, 3 Main St., Norwalk 06851 (above the Ford dealership).

Unitycenterps.org or 203-855-7922.

WEDNESDAY Yoga Therapy classes for those with Multiple Sclerosis. 10:45am. Sacred Rivers has been working with the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, a non profit organization benefiting all people whose lives are touched by this devastating disease. Yoga Therapy classes are free to those diagnosed with MS with funding provided by the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. The classes are taught by Paula Scopino, owner and director of Sacred Rivers Yoga as well as Susan Taff. Sacred Rivers Yoga is located at 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT. 860.657.9545 www.sacredriversyoga.com.

THURSDAY Qi Gong with Dr. Anne Mitchell.

QiGong is a healing practice similar to Tai Chi. Qi Gong qualifies as weight bearing exercise and will help osteopenia and osteoporosis. It will strengthen your core muscles and stabilize your spine. It will help you find peace and quiet within yourself. Common Benefits of Qi Gong are serenity, clarity of mind, focus, strength pain relief. Classes are Thursday at 5:30pm in our 2 Broadway, North Haven location Call to sign up and reserve a spot. 203-239-3400. $10 cash per person, Bring a friend and you each get 1/2 your first visit.

SATURDAY Tai Chi Class. 9-11am. Instrutor, Ming Wu Ph.D., a doctor of Chinese Medicine who studied Tai Chi in China and US for 40 years, he received the authentic Yang Style teaching from his Sifu Grandmaster Gin Soon Chu, disciple of Yang Sau Chung. He teaching Tai Chi in US for over twenty years. Mention this ad for first month free Tai Chi class

on Monday ($60) or Saturday ($80) Exp Oct 1, 2011. Wu Healing Center,45 South Main Street, Suite #100, West Hartford, CT. 800-990-9332. www. wuhealing.com.

Healing Prayers. 7pm. 3rd Thursday of every month. Love offering. Heal yourself through prayer with Karen Mitchell. Unity Center, 3 Main St., Norwalk (above the Ford dealership). Unitycenterps.org or 203-855-7922.

Reiki. 7pm. Healing energy work with Hilda Swaby. 4th Thursday of every month. Unity Center, 3 Main St., Norwalk (above the Ford dealership). Unitycenterps.org or 203-855-7922.

Tea Ceremony and Meditation.

8-9am with Dr. Ming wu. Free , 45 South Main St., Suite 100, West Hartford. 978-790-8888. wuhealing.com.

Tong Ren Healing Class: 11am - 12pm. $10. each class. Instrutor, Ming Wu Ph.D., a doctor of Chinese Medicine, studied Tai Chi in China and US for 40 years, he received the authentic Yang Style teaching from his Sifu Grandmaster Gin Soon Chu, disciple of Yang Sau

Chung. He studied Tong Ren Healing with Master Tom Tam since 1994. Wu Healing Center , 45 South Main St., Suite 100, West Hartford, CT. 800-9909332. www.wuhealing.com.Tel: 978461-2168 (Office)978-790-8888 (Cell).

The Art of Living: Introduction to Sudarshan Kriya. 4 - 5 pm. $5 suggested.

Breath is the link between the mind and the body - each emotion has a distinct breathing pattern. Learn how to transform yourself with specific breathing techniques. Get into the rhythm of your Being. Located at 660 Prospect Ave. Hartford, CT 06105. To register call Rajesh Kumar 860 502 5981, rajesh. kumar@artofliving.org.

SUNDAY Women’s Temple. schedule at www. norajamieson.com. Canton, CT 860693-9540.

Community Resources ACUPUNCTURE

ACUPUNCTURE

ALLERGY TREATMENT CHIROPRACTIC

Stan Baker, L. Ac., Dipl. Ac.

Sophia Natural Health Center

Advanced Allergy Relief CT

35 Nod Road, Suite 106, Menla Holistic Health, Avon, CT. • (860) 836-1068 Stan Baker is a fully licensed Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine practitioner with offices in Avon, CT and Springfield, MA. He has been a practitioner in the Oriental healing arts for 25 years. He specializes in difficult cases including back pain/sciatica, headache/migraine, allergies, and arthritis. He is also a teacher of advanced Chen Tai Chi, Aikido and Sun Do Mt. Yoga. See ad on page 17.

Kenneth Hoffman, D.Ac, L.Ac. 499 Federal Rd., Brookfield, CT (203) 740-9300 • SophiaNaturalHealth.com Combining Chinese Medicine with modern science, we restore health by identifying imbalances that cause illness. Acupuncture, Allergy Elimination, Chronic Pain Relief, Hormone Balancing, Thermography, Detoxification. See ad on page 29.

Anne Mitchell, ND (203) 239-3400 • www.aarct.com North Haven & W. Hartford

Eliminate your allergic reactions using a technologically advanced treatment that corrects the body’s response to the offending food, pollen, mold, perfume, pets, etc. No medications.

Non-invasive.

Child-friendly. See ads on page 14, 24.

Glastonbury Naturopathic Center Dr.Helene Pulnik, ND LAc. 18 School St., Glastonbury,Ct 6033 (860) 657- 4105, naturopathicwellness.com

Dr. Pulnik is a licensed, board certified Acupuncturist and Naturopathic Physician with over 25 years experience as a healthcare professional. She specializes in acupuncture for infertility, womens' health, migraines, anxiety/stress/ insomnia, arthritis, back & neck pain, sciatica, allergies, chronic sinusitis, and more. See our ad on page27.

Dr. Stagg is a chiropractor with additional training in acupuncture, and is owner of Whole Health Associates located at the Hartford Hospital Avon Wellness Center.

Dr. Stagg treats many conditions using acupuncture, including headaches/chronic pain, sports injuries, menopausal symptoms and anxiety. Dr. Stagg is a provider for many insurance companies. See ad on page 2.

2934 Main St., Glastonbury, CT 860-657-8800 www.glastonburychiro.com

Dr. Patrick DeFranceso, founder, is a board certified chiropractor with more than 20 years experience assisting patients. To deliver the highest standard of care Dr. DeFrancesco utilizes the state-ofthe-art digital x-ray, the latest chiropractic tables and equipment. The office also offers therapeutic massage, nutrition counseling and monthly workshops. The team at the office creates a comfortable and fun loving environment where individuals and families can reach and maintain optimal health and wellness with safe, natural and effective chiropractic care. Feeling good has never been so simple!

Dr. Charles B. Lerner, DC, LAc.

Whole Health Associates, LLC Mark S. Stagg, DC 100 Simsbury Rd. Suite 208. Avon CT 860-674-0111 www.wholehealthllc.com

Chiropractic Health Ctr. of Glastonbury

Glastonbury Naturopathic Center 18 School St., Glastonbury, Ct. 06033 (860) 657- 4105, naturopathicwellness.com

Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND is a certified Advanced Allergy Therapeutics Practitioner. Advanced Allergy Therapeutics (AAT) is a clinically proven treatment that is highly effective in relieving the many symptoms associated with allergies, food sensitivities, environmental sensitivies, IBS, headaches, skin problems and more. The AAT treatment does not rely on the use of medications, herbal remedies or supplements. The treatment is safe, painless and available to all ages including infants. See ad on page 27.

Glastonbury Naturopathic & Acupuncture Ctr. 18 School Street, Glastonbury, Ct. 860-657-4105 • naturopathicwellness.com Dr. Charles Lerner offers expert Chiropractic and Acupuncture care for acute and chronic problems, both internal medical concerns and pain management. He's gentle, compassionate and treats his patients as whole beings, not symptoms or diseases. Dr. Lerner's approach to health and wellness is simple: he offers a complete method of care specifically designed around the patient’s needs and requirements. In addition to the variety of Chiropractic adjustment techniques, Dr. Lerner offers a wide variety of modalities including hot packs, electrical muscle stimulation, ultra sound therapy, low dose ultra sound therapy and vibration therapy. See ad on page 27.

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Resources CHIROPRACTIC Francis X. Tortora

Chiropractor, Board Certified Craniopath 22 Fifth, St., Ste. 208, Stamford, CT (203) 348-0678 See ad on page 41.

Westside Chiropractic

557 Prospect Avenue, West Hartford,CT (860) 523-5833 • westsidechiropractors.com Our mission is to provide chiropractic care, naturally based generalist, primary or specialty health care, for persons of all ages. We are committed to educating our patients about their health and wellness and providing them with tools for self improvement. We seek to work in partnership with you to achieve good health and well being in a way consistent with your way of life. Visit our location in West Hartford See ad on page 34.

DENTISTRY Dr. Steven Hinchey

2249 New London Turnpike South Glastonbury, CT. (860) 633-6518 www.dentistryfordiabetics.com/drhinchey See ad on page 39.

Dr. Kevin Norige, D.M.D.

112 Deming St., South Windsor, CT. (860) 644-0113 Dr. Kevin Norige has been in practice for almost 30 years in South Windsor, CT. His services include Invisalign, Perio Protect, Lumineers, Snapon Smiles and Snap-it, Global Mini Implants, and non-surgical periodontal treatments. He is a member of the ADA, CSDA, and the Hartford Dental Society. He is a clinician with the CT Mission of Mercy Dental Clinic and also serves as a facilitator to dental students at the Univ. of CT. See ad on page 23.

Foot Reflexology

Whole Health Associates, LLC Mark S. Stagg, DC 100 Simsbury Rd. Suite 208. Avon CT 860-674-0111 www.wholehealthllc.com

Dr. Mark Stagg is a chiropractor and owner of Whole Health Associates located at the Hartford Hospital Wellness Center in Avon. Dr. Stagg has additional training in sports injuries, acupuncture, and treatment protocols for patients involved in work injuries and auto accidents. He treats a wide range of conditions, including headaches, back pain, tendonitis, shoulder pain and fibromyalgia. Dr. Stagg is a provider for many insurance companies. See ad on page 2.

COLON HYDROTHERAPY Glastonbury Naturopathic Center 18 School St., Glastonbury, Ct. 06033 (860) 657- 4105, naturopathicwellness.com

Constance Jones is New England’s senior Colon Hydrotherapist. During her 30 years of practice, she has performed nearly 50,000 colonics. Connie is certified through both the International Association of Colon Hydrotherapists (I-ACT) and The National Board for Colon Hydrotherapy. She creates a nurturing, serene, and safe environment, and maintains your utmost privacy and comfort. www.cleanmycolon.com. See our ad on page 27.

COMPOUNDING PHARMACY Bryce Rx Laboratories, Inc.

30 Buxton Farms Road, Stamford, CT 06905 800-798-7279 • www.brycerx.com Bryce Rx Laboratories is a full service Compounding Pharmacy specializing in the formulation of drugs that are not commercially available. From impotence injections, bio-identical hormones, pain management, and veterinary (this list is not inclusive). Please note, all compounded medications require a prescription from a physician. See ad on page 5.

DENTISTRY The Canaan Gentle Dentle & Implant Center Dr. Thomas Livingstone 3-5 Railroad St. North Canaan, CT (860) 824-0751 livingstonedentalexcellence.com See ad on page 5.

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Ming Wu, Ph.D.,

Herbalist, Tui Na Therapy, Tai Chi Master 45 South Main St., Suite 100, West Hartford, CT 06107 Do you want more energy, eliminate pain, release stress?

Experience this ancient healing art which uses hand and thumb pressure on areas of that foot that correspond to systems in the body. Tension in the feet sets tension levels in the rest of the body. Through reflexology, we can interrupt the stress signal and help bring your body into balance. The benefits of reflexology include relaxation, reduced pain, rejuvenation of tired feet, improved circulation; and amelioration of other health conditions. Foot reflexology is a fast, inexpensive and relaxing way to help strengthen the systems in your body, improve chi, and stay in balance with nature. 1 hr. Foot Reflexology $50. To make an appointment, please call 800-990-9332.

FITNESS/NUTRITION Cassandra Forsythe, PhD, RD 860-933-8255 www.cassandraforsythe.com

Cassandra Forsythe is a certified Registered Dietitian and holds her PhD in exercise science and nutrition from the University of Connecticut.

She specializes in weight loss, heart health, high blood pressure, sports nutrition, low carb diets, detox and healthy eating. Contact her today to get your nutrition and health on track.

HEALTH FOOD STORES

HYPNOSIS Diane Bahr-Groth, C. Hy., TFT, Dir. 1177 High Ridge Road, Stamford, CT. (203)595-0110 • mindbodytransformation.com

Mind Body Transformation Hypnosis is a Certified Hypnotist specializing in fast and effective methods for weightloss, stress, fear, pain, smoking, etc. Hypnosis, Thought Field Therapy™, Time Line Therapy™ & NLP. Call for a free consultation. See ad on page 25.

HYPNOTHERAPY/NLP Nishanto Kane...MindDesigning

Hypnosis, Master NLP Practitioner, Aura/Chakra Analysis, Enneagram Profile, Astrology Chart Interpretation, Belief Change Sessions.

Simsbury, Ct. (860 658-9678) www.minddesigning.net All that is, was first created in the mind.

Nishanto Kane is a certified Eriksonian Hypnotist, Master NLP practitioner, Reconnection practitioner, Aura/Chakra Analyst.

She has over 25 years experience in assisting many to stop smoking, release self-sabotaging habits, develop beliefs to attract abundance and well being, eliminate per allergies, anxieties, phobias, weight gain, stress, alcohol abuse, insomnia, improve school grades and more. Offering Chakra analysis - this amazing scientific state of the art technology allows you and the practitioner to view your aura. Through interpretation you can learn to bring yourself into physical, mental and emotional balance.

INSPIRATION Robin Clare

Inner Wisdom Guide 10 Crossroads Plaza, West Hartford, CT. 860-232-3331 • info@clare-ity.com The Clare-ity Method will assist you in awakening your heart to the truth of who you are.

By discovering who you are, you can choose paths in your personal and professional life that bring you your greatest joys – abundant joys which enable you to be of great service to all beings. Together, we will open a channel to the spiritual realm through your own Akashic Records!

Please call Robin at 860-232-3331 or email her at Robin@epllc.org to find out more.

LIFE COACHING

Parkade Health Shoppe

PEAK Results Coaching

The Manchester Parkade Health Shoppe is an information and service-oriented health food store that has served its community since 1956. Owner, Michael Dworkin, P.D., M.S., a Registered Pharmacist and State Certified Clinical Nutritionist, is available for consultation by appointment. Our other staff nutrition consultants provide customers with instore guidance in choosing vitamins, herbs, sports nutrition products, natural body care, natural and allergen-free foods, and life style changes. Many of our products are discounted every day. Ask us about our gym and other special discounts. See ad on page 17.

Is the happiness you want in your life eluding you? Do you feel stressed because of the pro lems that you can’t seem to overcome? It doesn’t have to be that way. I will show you step by step exactly what to do so you can create the happiness and peace of mind you want in your life. These little known secrets will put you on the path to getting the results you want guaranteed. I am a Certified Strategic Interventionist Coach and Marriage Educator. Clients frequently come to me when nothing else seems to work, or when something must change now.

Call today and learn what to do.

Manchester Parkade, 378 West Middle Tpke, Manchester, CT • 860.646.8178 M-Sat 8am-9pm • Sun 9am-6pm

Natural Nutmeg December 2011

Jeff Forte, CSIC, CME 2389 Main St., Glastonbury, CT 06033 (860)633-8555 • peakresultscoaching.com

MASSAGE Whole Health Associates, LLC Donatella Fino, LMT, Donna Mullen, LMT 100 Simsbury Rd. Suite 208. Avon CT 860-674-0111 www.wholehealthllc.com

The practice provides two types of massage: deep tissue/treatment work and relaxation massage.

Deep tissue massage involves specific soft tissue manipulation using manual techniques like trigger point and myofascial release to address connective tissue conditions, often under the direction of our physicians. Relaxation massage is a full-body treatment targeting stress. The massage therapists also provide care for motor vehicle injury cases and athletes. See ad on page 2.

Wholistic Spa

18 School Street, Glastonbury 06033.

(860) 657-4105, www.wholisticspa.com.

Dr. Helene Pulnik ND, LAc, Med. Director Wholistic Spa™ is a haven of total wellness.

From the moment you step into our quiet space, we are focused on your complete wellness. Our treatments at Wholistic Spa™ use the purest natural and organic ingredients, with no toxic synthetic ingredients. We offer organic facials, hand & foot treatments and signature massage services for women, men and couples, featuring EMINENCE Organic Skin Care from Hungary. Inner Health. Outer Beauty™.

See ad on page 27.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE CT Natural Health Specialists

Lauren Gouin, ND 135 Center St., Manchester, CT (860) 533-0179 • www.ctnaturalhhealth.com Dr. Lauren Gouin is a naturopathic physician with a family practice in Manchester.

Dr. Gouin is accepting new patients and is in network with most insurance companies. For more information, visit www.ctnhs.com. See ad on page 27.

Debra Gibson, ND

158 Danbury Road, Suite 8, Ridgefield, CT 06877 • (203)431-4443 Natural family healthcare using nutrition and biochemistry; herbal, homeopathic, and energetic medicine; lifestyle transformation and detoxification, to promote well-being of body, mind, and spirit. See ad on page35.

Glastonbury Naturopathic Ctr. 18 School Street, Glastonbury Dr. Helene Pulnik. (860) 657-4105 www.naturopathicwellness.com

Glastonbury Naturopathic Ctr. is a multidisciplinary healthcare center focusing on natural alternatives for individuals to achieve and maintain optimal health. Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND, LAc. is a board-certified licensed Naturopathic Physician and Acupuncturist with over 25 years experience as a healthcare professional. Offering Naturopathic Medicine, Colon Hydrotherapy, Acupuncture, Cleansing & Detoxification Programs, Weight Management Programs. See ad on page 27.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE Kensington Naturopathic Medical Ctr.

Dr. Ann Aresco 355 New Britain Rd, Kensington, CT (860) 829-0707 • drannaresco@comcast.net kensingtonnaturopathic.com Centrally located in Connecticut, Kensington Naturopathic Medical Center provides comprehensive family healthcare. Our team of specialized health professionals is dedicated to facilitating our patients’ optimal health, and offers a wide range of services, including supplementation, homeopathy, acupuncture and Chinese herbs as well as nutrition, holistic health counseling and weight loss/life style changes. See ad on page 39.

NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE West Hartford Naturopathic Medicine

2 Broadway, North Haven, CT 1007 Farmington Ave, Ste 7A, West Hartford, CT 203-239-3400 Dr. Henderson runs our weight loss program here at the Life Center and is internationally recognized for her work with diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease. Dr. Henderson’s writing has been published in several medical journals. The first step toward health is improving our relationship with food and choosing to properly nourish ourselves. Dr. Henderson uses all the tools of naturopathic medicine to help us reach our health goals, including achieving a healthy weight. She also uses botanical medicine, flower remedies, homeopathy, acupuncture, exercise therapy and detoxification to guide individuals to attain their health goals, and to live their best lives. She is seeing patients in both our North Haven and West Hartford offices. See ads on pages 14, 24.

William Nager, ND, DC

11 Mountain Ave., Ste. 201, Bloomfield, CT • (860) 242-8200 William Nager is a 1985 Graduate of the National College of Naturopathic Medicine, in Portland Oregon. He also earned a second degree in chiropratic medicine from Western State Chiropractic College. For the past 25 years Dr. Nager has practiced family medicine using non-toxic therapies for digestive disorders, anxiety, and depression, fatigue, back pain, eczema, allergies, hypertension, high cholesterol and pain management as well as other conditions within the scope of a general family medicine practice. See ad on page 45.

The Wellness Institute Marvin Schweitzer, ND 1 Westport Ave, Norwalk, CT (203) 847-2788

Dr. Schweitzer treats all ages with natural therapies including homeopathy, herbal medicine, enzymes, nutritional supplements and more. His advanced cutting-edge technologies evaluate underlying causes and create individualized treatment plans. ASYRA, Ondamed, BrainPaint, footbaths, acupuncture and oxygen therapies are used to achieve optimal health. Allergy desensitization, detoxification programs, immune system support, Lyme disease issues and other wellness protocols are included in his personalized care.

See ad on page 9.

Center for Integrative Healthcare & Healing

301 N. Main St., West Hartford, CT (860) 232-9662 • www.DRAIETA.com

533 Cottage Grove Rd, Bloomfield, CT

Dr. Frank Aieta, founder of West Hartford Naturopathic Medicine, is a board certified licensed Naturopathic Physician who specializes in the treatment of both acute and chronic disease utilizing the most advanced natural therapeutics. He offers a wide range of natural, non-toxic treatments which include: Acupuncture, Spinal Manipulation, Clinical Nutrition, Detoxification, Pain Management, Herbal Medicine and Natural Hormone Balancing. See ad on page 17.

The first of its kind in the country, Connecticut Multispecialty Group (CMG) is a large multispecialty group with its own Integrative Medicine Department. The physician-directed model uniquely blends conventional medicine with complementary therapies. Over 70 physicians work collaboratively with licensed massage therapists, licensed acupuncturists, certified energy workers, and registered dieticians. The end result is comprehensive model of healthcare delivery that focuses on whole person wellness and optimal health. CMG also features an electronic health record that interconnects all providers and offers portable flash drives with personal health information to all its clients. See ad on page 4.

Whole Health Associates, LLC A Life Center

PHYSICIANS, M.D.

(860) 243-2224 • www.cmgmds.com/cihh.html

NUTRITION

Natural Health & Healing, LLC

Deanna M. Cherrone, MD 60 East Main Street, Avon, CT. (860) 677-4600 • naturalhealthandhealing.net Dr. Deanna Cherrone, founder of Natural Health & Healing, is a board certified Internal Medicine physician who has changed the focus of her practice from traditional Internal Medicine to Functional Medicine. Functional Medicine is a science based approach to health care that involves looking at each patient as a whole being with interconnected systems that function best when they are all in balance.

See ad on back cover.

Vicki Kobliner MS RD 3 Hollyhock Lane, Suite 2A, Wilton, CT 06897 203-834-9949 • www.holcarenutrition.com

PHYSICIANS, M.D. Advance Biomedical Treatment Center, LLC

(formerly Avon Therapeutic Center) Eileen C. Comia, M.D. 701 Cottage Grove Road Ste., C-10 Bloomfield, CT 06002 • 860.242.2200 Fax 860.242.2212 • www.AdvBioMedTx.com Dr. Eileen Comia is a board certified Internal Medicine specialist with16 yrs of experience in private practice.

In 2002, she founded Avon Therapeutic Center (now Advance Biomedical Treatment Center) specializing in Integrative Medicine. She offers a unique practice using Functional Medicine in the treatment of chronic illnesses. She is a seasoned Defeat Autism Now! Practitioner of 10 years and a member of ACAM (American College for Advancement in Medicine). See ad on page 25.

David L. Johnston, DO • Lisa Preston, DO 158 Danbury Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877 (203) 438-9915 • www.osteopathicwellness.net Gentle, natural, hands-on, osteopathic medical care for infants, children and adults.

Childrens’ health and development, birth trauma, musculoskeletal pain and injuries, nutrition and wellness counseling, stress reduction, immune support, allergies. Most major insurances accepted. See ad on page 18.

PSYCHOTHERAPIST Nancy M Brockett, PhD, LPC West Hartford, CT 860.223.2232 soul-support.org

Holcare Nutrition

Vicki Kobliner MS RD, CD-N is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Holcare Nutrition.

Vicki works with infants, through adults with chronic illnesses, digestive disorders, food allergies, ADHD and autism and provides fertility and prenatal nutrition counseling. She is a contributing author to A Compromised Generation: The Epidemic of Chronic Illness in Americas Children. See ads on page 37.

Osteopathic Wellness Center, LLC

Soul Support Counseling

Dr. Jennifer J. Stagg, Dr. Todd Born, Dr. Lindsay Jones, Dr. Keith Yimoyines 100 Simsbury Rd., Suite 209, Avon, CT (860) 674-0111, www.wholehealthllc.com frontdesk@wholehealthllc.com Whole Health Associates, LLC is an integrative family practice offering naturopathic, chiropractic, acupuncture and massage therapy services.

The approach to patient care at Whole Health Associates differs from most other provider’s offices. Every person is addressed on an individualized level, tailoring treatment plans to meet the specific needs of each patient. Consideration of all aspects of the patient’s life is taken into account. Unique services include comprehensive food allergy and neurotransmitter testing, stomach acid analysis, body composition testing and gentle chiropractic techniques. The doctors are providers for many insurance companies. See ad on page 2.

OSTEOPATHIC PHYS.

Tamara Sachs, MD

Feeling stressed, confused, anxious or depressed? Imagine yourself breaking free from worries and fear and then confidently doing what you haven't been able to before! We work together from the perspective of the whole self to get to the heart of what’s troubling you. Using painless, drug-free treatments, Dr Brockett helps you uncover and build on your own inner strengths so you can free yourself from negativity and live with more joy in your life. See ad on page 11.

Inner Change Holistic Counseling Deni Weber, MA, LPC, DCEP Weston, CT. • 203-544-6094 DeniWeber.com

With compassion, intuition and wisdom Deni guides individuals on their journey of regaining lost power leading to renewed purpose, well-being, and emotional balance. Specializing in mind-body therapies with clinical certifications in Body-Oriented Psychotherapy and Energy Psychology she works with adults, teens and children healing traumatic stress related to Abuse, AD/HD, Learning Disabilities, Chronic Illness, Lyme Disease, and Autistic Spectrum.

Functional Medicine & Integrative Care 15 Bennitt St., New Milford, CT (860) 354-3304 • www.tsachsmd.intranets.com See ad on page 11.

OSTEOPATHIC PHYS.

RELATIONSHIP COACH

Origins Of Health, LLC

PEAK Results Coaching

Jill Moorcroft, DO, Tom Moorcroft, DO 844 Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury, CT 860-430-9790 • www.OriginsOfHealth.com

Jeff Forte, CSIC, CME Relationship Coach 2389 Main St., Glastonbury, CT 06033 (860)633-8555 • peakresultscoaching.com

Origins Of Health is a holistic medical center that specializes in OsteopathicManipulation,inc luding Cranial Osteopathy, Integrative Medicine and Nutrition. Founders Drs. Tom and Jill Moorcroft integrate their personal passion and extensive training as Family Medicine Physicians while working with you to develop a personalized approach to health that stimulates the self-healing forces within.

Our goal is to assist you in realizing optimum health while being free to enjoy life and all it has to offer. See ad on page 7.

Do you want a more fulfilling marriage but don’t know what to do? Are you feeling stuck in an unhappy relationship that seems doomed to fail? You can change all that starting now.

I will show you step by step exactly what to do to create the love and connection you want in your relationship. You will learn exactly what to do to rebuild trust, and re-ignite the passion. Imagine the feeling of being in love all over again. I am a Certified Marriage Educator, and clients frequently come to me When nothing else seems to work or when something must change now. If you want to know what works, call today.

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Resources RETREAT CENTERS Still Waters Pond, LLC

280 Shetucket Turnpike Voluntown, CT 06384 860-543-3244 • stillwaterspond.com Group leaders interested in workshop/retreat space: Still Waters is nestled among 100 acres of pine forest and a private-10-acre pond. Comfortable, rustic lodging includes a two-bedroom, furnished cottage with full kitchen (sleeps four), Guest House (sleeps 11) and 1200-sq.ft. Art & Yoga Studio. Contact us to arrange a tour. See ad on page 34.

SCHOOLS

SPAS / DAY SPAS Wholistic Spa

18 School St., Glastonbury, CT • (860) 657-4105 www.wholisticspa.com. • Dr. Helene Pulnik, Med. Director Wholistic Spa™ is a haven of total wellness.

From the moment you step into our quiet space, we are focused on your complete wellness. Our treatments use the purest natural and organic ingredients, with no toxic synthetic ingredients.

We offer organic facials, hand & foot treatments and signature massage services for women, men and couples, featuring EMINENCE Organic Skin Care from Hungary. We also offer an array of deeply therapeutic and purifying services to help you achieve optimal health from the inside out!

Inner Health. Outer Beauty™. See ad on page 27.

Connecticut Institute for Herbal Studies

LauraMignosa, NCCH 900 Wells Road (RT. 175) Wethersfield, (860)666-5064 www.ctherbschool.com.

Founded in 1992, the CT Institute of Herbal Studies focuses on Traditional Chinese Medicine and offers a Certified Herbology Program with a foundation in both theory and clinical diagnosis as practiced in China today.

See ad on page 45.

The Graduate Institute

Leslie Cahill, Director of Admissions, Recruitment (203) 874-4252 • www.learn.edu.

The Graduate Institute is an accredited institution of higher education that offers Master of Arts degrees in emerging fields of inquiry. Degree programs include: Experiential Health and Healing, Peace Studies, Oral Traditions, Holistic Thinking, and Conscious Evolution. Classes meet one weekend per month and programs are offered in Hartford, Bethany, New Milford, and Stamford, CT. For more information or to find an Information Session near you, call (203) 8744252 or visit www.learn.edu. See ad on page 32.

TAI CHI Wu Healing Center

45 South Main Street, Suite #100 West Hartford, CT • 800-990-9332 978-790-8888 (Cell) • www.wuhealing.com Ming Wu, Ph.D., Doctor of Chinese Medicine, Herbalist, Tui Na Therapy, Tai Chi Master Tai Chi Class on Mondays 6-7pm and Saturdays 9-11am, the instrutor, Ming Wu Ph.D., a doctor of Chinese Medicine who studied Tai Chi in China and US for 40 years, he received the authentic Yang Style teaching from his Sifu Grandmaster Gin Soon Chu, disciple of Yang Sau Chung. He teaching Tai Chi in US for over twenty years.

THERMOGRAPHY

SKINCARE Anew You Skincare & Wellness Center

Melissa Martin, 16A Ensign Drive, Avon.

(860)284-9730, www.anewyouskincare.net Melissa@anewyouskincare.net We are committed to strengthening your overall well-being and skin health through the use of excellent quality products and extraordinary services that produce amazing results. Only natural ingredients are used, including plenty of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential oils! We want you to be "WOWED"! See ad on page 27.

Sophia Natural Health Center

499 Federal Rd., Brookfield, CT (203) 740-9300 • SophiaNaturalHealth.com As the hormone experts, we specialize in women’s health, natural hormone balancing, breast cancer prevention and thermography utilizing the highest definition camera in the area with interpretations from MD specialists in the field.

Thermogram results include a free 15-minute phone consultation. See ad on page 29.

Michael Westfall, LCSW

243 East Center Street Manchester, CT 06040 • (860) 212-8923.

Michael Westfall is a licensed clinical social worker with a practice in Manchester, CT. He has extensive experience with children and teens but works with many adults and couples as well.

In network with most state and commercial insurances, he is accepting new clients at this time.

Please visit the website: michaelwestfall.com or call him at (860) 212-8923. See ad on page 34.

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Lightworker of Vibrational Energy LLC, L.O.V.E. Gayle Franceschetti Med,CHt. 36 Cheshire Rd., Wallingford,CT 203-265-2927 • www.return2love.net

Gayle Franceschetti is the founder of the L.O.V.E. Institute and is an acclaimed intuitive counselor and healer, Reiki Master, certified Hypnotherapist and past life regressionist. As an open channel for Divine Energy, Gayle integrates the power of universal love, compassion and understanding in all her workshops and healing sessions.

Gayle conducts healing and mentoring sessions in person, by phone and hosts a variety of workshops and power journeys throughout the U.S. and around the world. See ad on page 43.

Dr. Helene Pulnik, ND, LAc. Level II Usui Reiki Practitioner

Glastonbury Naturopathic Center 18 School Street, Glastonbury, Ct. 06033 860-657-4105 • naturopathicwellness.com Reiki Energy Medicine is a soft and gentle handson technique supports and connects all the major and minor Energy Chakra Centers of the body, leaving you feeling relaxed, balanced and refreshed! Reiki Energy Medicine works to assist in relieving or reducing pain and discomfort by balancing the body’s energy system. When the energy flow in your body is restored and/or balanced, you are more likely to feel relaxed and your body’s natural healing abilities are utilized.

Dr. Helene Pulnik ND, LAc. is a Certified Level II Usui Reiki Practitioner. See ad on page 27.

Pentalign

860-990-8395 • info@pentalign.com www.pentalign.com Pentalign is now offering the benefits of Reconnective Healing in the workplace and to clubs, organizations, families and individuals. This gives companies and organizations and invaluable offering for their employees that can have a dramatic effect on general wellbeing, stress related issues, and overall quality of life. This can directly lead to less sick days, higher job satisfaction and increased productivity resulting in a win-win situation for both the employee and the employer. We offer on-site or off-site introductory presentations as well as recurring weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly healing clinics that fit your company’s needs and schedule. Individuals are more than welcome as well. Contact Pentalign today to learn more about how we can be of value to you, your company or organization.

See ad on page 37.

The Healing in Harmony Center X to Rays, LLC

SOCIAL WORK

VIBRATIONAL/ ENERGY HEALING

Suzanne Pyle, MS, CCT 35 Boston Street, Guilford, CT 866.986.7297 or 203 331-2878 www.xtorays.com Suzanne is a board certified clinical thermographer. She offers totally safe (no radiation), painless (no compression), 97% accurate FDA approved breast cancer screening. With a masters in Nutrition, Suzanne also advises on breast and body health. Scans for thyroid, lung, liver, gall bladder, pancreas and ovaries are also available. Call for locations throughout CT.

Natural Nutmeg December 2011

Priscilla Bengtson, ATP® 99 Citizens Drive, Glastonbury, CT 06033 (860)632-8434 www.healinginharmonycenter.com

The Healing in Harmony Center, a spiritual healing, counseling and education center, offers programs and services that help individuals acknowledge and develop their own gifts to the highest level. Owner Priscilla Bengtson is dedicated to helping people live a joyous and fulfilled life and offers classes and workshops that help people achieve this. Private sessions are offered for intuitive, trance channel and angel readings, medical intuitive readings, trance healing, hypnosis, reiki, mandala healing, and health coaching. A free healing service is offered once monthly. See ad on page 33.

VETERINARY CARE Mobile Pet Vet

Kim Rio, DVM (203)584-1210 • www.mobile-pet-vet.com Mobile Pet Vet is a veterinary housecall practice providing wellness care for dogs and cats.

By treating pets at home we reduce their stress and their exposure to infection. Pets with chronic health problems such as diabetes, kidney disease and other endocrine disorders often benefit from home-based care. We spend time developing an individualized treatment plan for each animal and we offer a full range of laboratory services.

Our flexible scheduling accommodates busy pet owners. See ad on page 41.

WEIGHT LOSS A Life Center

2 Broadway, North Haven CT 1007 Farmington Ave, Suite 7A, W. Hartford CT 203-710-6605 • alifecenter@yahoo.com Are you frustrated because you want to lose weight but cannot figure out how? Do you exercise but it doesn’t seem to help? Are you sabotaging yourself by overeating or emotional eating even though you have the best of intentions? Get off the dieting merry-go-round and FINALLY achieve your ideal weight? The Life Diet matches your nutrition to your metabolism.

Most Insurances accepted. We offer a medically supervised weight loss program with whole foods, individualized nutrition, meal planning, and weight loss coaching. See ad on page 14.

YOGA / PILATES CENTERS Fuller Yoga, Pilates & Massage 860-430-9642 • info@fulleryoga.com www.fulleryoga.com

Glastonbury’s newest yoga/pilates/massage studio provides a serene and vibrant space to experience personal growth and awareness. We promote a non-competitive, friendly environment for every individual to journey physically and mentally towards their true self. Give yourself the gift of complete presence. We have classes for everyone at all levels. All modalities of massage available. Private yoga/pilates sessions are also available.

Sacred Rivers Yoga

Paula Scopino LMT, E-RYT 500 IAYT, Owner / Director 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033 PH. 860.657.9545 • FAX. 860.657.3161 www.sacredriversyoga.com. See ad on page 45.

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A Guided ApproAch to optimAl heAlth

Natural

Health & Healing

llc

AreAs of focus

Anti-Aging (Optimal Aging) • Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy • Detoxification Food Sensitivities • Heavy Metal Testing & Oral Chelation • Menopause & Andropause Mind Body Medicine • Weight Loss • Neurotransmitter Testing • Quantum Biofeedback Thyroid, Adrenal Testing & Treatment • Nutritional & Lifestyle Counseling

Are you sick and tired of feeling sick and tired?

Do you believe you should feel better than you do?

Many of my patients are simply looking for a doctor who will listen and explore the root cause of their symptoms which commonly include: Fatigue • Brain Fog • Sugar Cravings • Headaches • Depression Stress & Anxiety • Decreased Libido • Aches & Pains • Decreased Stamina Constipation • Allergies • Inability to Lose Weight • Insomnia

“I blend the best of traditional and alternative therapies to help your body function at its best.”

Deanna M. Cherrone, M.D. (860) 677- 4600 60 East Main Street, Avon CT. 06001 www.naturalhealthandhealing.net 52

Natural Nutmeg December 2011