Natural Nutmeg March 2010

March 2010

Natural

Free

Nutmeg

Secrets of Survival Bernie Siegel, MD

An Interview with Judith Orloff, MD

Nutrition Myths Busted

Karen M. Rider, M.A.

Cassandra Forsythe, PhD

Mental Health, Naturally

Enjoy Coffee...

Here's Why

Nancy Brockett, PhD

Connecticut's Resource For a Healthy, Active, Sustainable Lifestyle...Naturally www.naturalnutmeg.com

March 2010

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Inside This Issue

Contents

Departments

14 19 News briefs 6

Mental Health, Naturally Nancy Brockett, PhD 14

Enjoy Coffee...

Here's Why Dr. Diane Hindman

Natural Medicine Update Shawn M. Carney, ND 8 Prescription for Living Bernie Siegel, MD 12

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Healthy Family Dr. Lauren Gouin, ND 18

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Supplements101 20

Help for Heartburn: relief and resolution Anne Mitchell, ND

MovementasMedicine Jade Teta, ND & Keoni Teta, ND 25

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KnowyourHerbs Lisl Meredith Huebner 32

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Healthy Cooking Chad Carns 43

Nutrition Myths Busted Cassandra Forsythe, PhD 34

Community Resources 44 An Interview with Judith Orloff, MD Karen M. Rider, M.A. 40

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Community Calendar 48 NaturalPlanet Deb Percival 54

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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, complementar y and alternative medicine, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, and the products and services that support good health.

PUBLISHERS Dr. Diane Hindman Chris Hindman Publisher@naturalnutmeg.com ADVERTISING SALES Dr. Diane Hindman Chris Hindman advertising@naturalnutmeg.com STAFF WRITER Nancy Hinchey nancy@naturalnutmeg.com WEBMASTER Matt Milunic - Matt@iComDesign.com

PUBLISHER'Snote

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arch signals to me the start of longer days and the beginnings of spring, even if we don’t actually see any signs outside yet.

For many, a return to more daylight is a welcome relief from the darkness of winter, especially for those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder. This month our focus is on mental health and how to treat it naturally.

Nancy Brockett, PhD asks us to contemplate what it means to be mentally healthy naturally. She teaches us that this must include attention on all of the systems of the person: mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. And Bernie Siegel, MD offers us his secrets for survival. It’s true information and education doesn’t change people, loving and caring for ourselves is the only thing that will.

In recognition of Multiple Sclerosis awareness month, Dr. Deanna Cherrone Magazine writes an informative article on the symptoms of MS and she recommends specific nutrients to support the immune system for individuals fighting this disease.

Cassandra Forsythe, PhD busts the top 5 nutrition myths for us this month. She exposes the truth on everything from saturated fat to coffee to diet soda and low carb diets. And Drs. Jade & Keoni Teta give us expert advice on building muscle – it’s all about testosterone release and a customized workout program.

We’re excited to see the return of our Wisdom for the Journey column with Karen Rider this month. She has a fascinating interview with Dr. Judith Orloff about intuitive intelligence and offers us 5 steps to developing intuition. Dr. Orloff will be at West Hartford Yoga on Saturday, March 6th to discuss the second release of her book, “Second Sight: How to Awaken Intuition”. You won’t want to miss that!

Happy Spring!

Wishing you health and happiness,

ADVISORY BOARD Deanna M. Cherrone, M.D. Desmond Ebanks, M.D. Ann Aresco, N.D. Richard Duenas, D.C. Moshe Laub, D.C. Tom Moorcroft, D.O. A Charter Member of the Slower Network. For information go to slowr.com

Natural Nutmeg Magazine P.O. Box 447, Avon, CT 06001 Ph. (860) 217-1239 Fax (860) 217-1721

© 2007-10 by Natural Nutmeg. All rights

reserved. Although some 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 ideas, articles and feedback.

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

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Call us at (860) 217-1239 if you would like copies for your place of business. www.naturalnutmeg.com

March 2010

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Newsbriefs Second Sight: How to Awaken Intuition

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est Hartford Yoga (WHY) is pleased to welcome noted author and psychiatrist Judith Orloff, MD for a special workshop “Second Sight: How to Awaken Intuition”, on Saturday, March 6, 2010 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Intuition is a source of power that everyone can tap into.

The magic comes in awakening it and trusting its guidance in our lives. Judith Orloff, MD, a psychiatrist and intuitive, shows how to reclaim this intelligence. She passionately believes that the future of medicine lies in using intuition to access deeper insight and greater wellness. Too many of us walk around out of touch with our inner voice. Dr. Orloff offers techniques to tap into it and act on it to improve the quality of your decisions, health, and life.

This workshop, based on her newly released book Second Sight offers practical ways to access intuition.

The price of the workshop is $65, this price includes a copy of Second Sight. See ad on page 41.

The 12th Annual Garden Expo 2010

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he Mill River Wetland Committee (MRWC) proudly presents The Garden Expo 2010 on March 20-21st. This is Fairfield County’s premier gardening event and will attract over 5000 people over two days to Fairfield Ludlowe High School in Fairfield. All proceeds benefit River-Lab, an environmental science program for grades 3-6. Throughout the weekend, well-known authors and gardening experts will be speaking on topics that appeal to anyone, novice as well as experienced, wanting to enhance and beautify their home or office surroundings. More than 90 unique home and garden related exhibitors will be on hand to display their exceptional products and services.

Breast Cancer Recovery Post-Operative Exercise Program at FVPT

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armington Valley Physical Therapy (FVPT) with offices in Unionville and New Britain CT has added a new exercise program designed to help Breast Cancer Survivors recover from the pain and disability caused by surgery. Bogusia Badon, physical therapist and clinic owner noticed that women who had breast cancer surgery and adjuvant therapy in the past often came to her with shoulder and trunk pain long after they had “healed” from their treatment. She discovered that often, breast cancer survivors are sent home from the hospital with no formal program for physical therapy or rehabilitation. The side effects of treatments such as arm and back pain, scar tissue and fibrosis development, muscle atrophy and premature bone loss, leave the survivor weak and physically challenged even by normal day-to-day activities.

Her clinics now offer a Pink Ribbon Exercise and Rehab taught by physical therapy professionals certified as Breast Cancer Exercise Specialists. Pink Ribbon Exercise and Rehab is a program of therapeutic, Somatics, and Pilates-based exercises specially designed to help Breast Cancer survivors regain movement after surgery and reduce chronic pain. The Somatics and Pilates based exercises combined with traditional physical therapy rehabilitate, re-educate, and balance the postural muscles affected by breast cancer treatments, removal and reconstruction surgeries. They gently strengthen and relax the muscles of the shoulder, chest, back, and abdominal muscles. This program is suitable for women and accommodates all fitness levels whether the surgery was recent or years ago.

Farmington Valley Physical Therapy (FVPT) is an outpatient physical therapy clinic with offices in Unionville and New Britain, CT. FVPT specializes in orthopedic and post-surgical rehabilitation with programs in pilates-based rehabilitation, women's health, sports medicine, and somatic neuroeducation. Visit their website at http://www.fvpt.com/ or call (860) 673-0223 for more information. See ad on page 29.

For information, contact Jason Deeney, (203) 948-5499, jasondeeney@gmail.com. http://thegardenexpo.com

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Introducing the Clare-ity Method

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To schedule a free consultation, get more information, or to read articles covering a variety of green and holistic topics visit: http://www.healingwithmonika.com.

e all want a more balanced and centered life. We want to know what is in our best interest regarding our relationships, our health or the focus of our work. Knowing which direction is best can be overwhelming and complicated – especially when we react to external situations and pressures, instead of our Inner Wisdom. How does a person or organization learn how to “work from its core”? Robin Clare teaches people from all walks of life how to identify the essentials. The Clare-ity Method helps reduce confusion in your personal and work life, so you can make clear decisions based on your own Inner Wisdom. By connecting to your core, you can achieve more meaningful outcomes.

To learn more or to schedule an appointment, contact Robin Clare at 860-232-3331 or Robin@epllc.org. See adon page 27.

Pilates • Tai chi • Qi gong • Energy • Reiki

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See www.youtube.com/dooropenermagazine for our videos!

Quantum • Past life • Astrology • Angels • Divination • T he beyond • Holistics

olistic care provider Monika Benoit has teamed up with Papoose, Southeastern CT's most popular natural maternity and baby store, in launching the Holistic Solutions Wellness Center at Papoose. Medical hypnotherapy, acupressure and holistic wellness consultations are now available to moms, dads, grandparents, caregivers, infants, and children of all ages - and free introductory sessions can be scheduled on-line at: http://www. healingwithmonika.com.

The Holistic Solutions Wellness Center aims to accommodate Connecticut's rapidly growing population of parents who are passionate about holistic health and green living. “A majority of today’s moms say that pregnancy inspired a shift to green living, and three quarters of Americans seek out some form of alternative medicine,” says Holistic Solutions owner and practitioner, Monika Benoit, “so we’re seeing a surge of interest in holistic services.”

The Holistic Solutions Wellness Center doesn't just offer treatments at their Norwich, CT location – many treatments are available via phone sessions. “The phone sessions are unique – they've been a real time and money saver from my perspective.

You don't have to leave early to find a parking space, no wasted gas money, and you don't even have to change out of your pajamas to have a session!” said one client in an on-line interview.

Holistic Solutions specialized support can help you get pregnant, prepare you to have a safe, drug-free, natural childbirth, and once your baby's here they'll even help you lose that stubborn baby weight. They offer treatments that make postpartum recovery more comfortable and they can help alleviate a variety of children's issues from stuttering to bed-wetting. The Holistic Solutions Wellness Center is located on the second floor of Papoose, 82 Salem Turnpike, Norwich CT.

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Classes • Workshops • Lectures • Schools • Articles • Practitioners • Yoga

Southeastern CT Welcomes Holistic Wellness Center

Hypnotherapy • Naturopathy • Acupuncture • Feng shui

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M A G A Z I N E Supporting Connecticut for over 24 Years!

Your source for connection to workshops, articles & info for...

~ enhancing spirituality ~ ~ strengthening holistic health ~ ~ exploring metaphysics ~

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Focus on Reiki Healing Stories Including articles on healing using the wonders of Reiki, plus workshops, courses and Connecticut events in March, April & May. ( 8 6 0 ) 6 9 3 -2 8 4 0 www.dooropenermagazine.com

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March 2010

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Natural Medicine Update

Shawn M. Carney, ND

Trying to Reduce Both Depression and Anxiety?

Kava can!

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ast year the journal of Psychopharmacology released a study showing that aqueous preparations of Kava (Piper methysticum) were safely used to reduce anxiety and depression.

Their conclusion found Kava’s abilities “highly significant” with a “substantial effect size”, when compared with the effectiveness of a placebo, and without adverse effects on the liver when used for a short duration.

This study was reportedly the first human clinical trial to assess anti-depressive and anxiety lowering effects from ingesting tablets made from an aqueous extract of Kava while also assessing liver safety. Researchers gathered 60 adult participants who had suffered with at least one month of elevated generalized anxiety for this 3-week, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial. Dubbed the “Kava Anxiety Depression Spectrum Study”, participants had either five placebos or five tablets of Kava a day, which each had 50 mg of kavalactones for a therapeutic daily total of 250 mg of kavalactones a day. Kavalactones, also called “kava pyrones”, come from a resin of the Kava’s dried root, which originates from islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are believed to be the most therapeutically significant constituent of the plant and are accordingly the benchmark by which standardization of supplements is made.

Results from the study were very impressive with the aqueous extract of Kava showing highly significant relative reductions of anxiety and depression across several scaling systems. The data used for evaluation was collected on weekly clinical assessments and self-rating questionnaires. Scoring systems used in the assessment included the Hamilton Anxiety Score, which has been widely used for decades in both clinical and research settings, with participants’ symptoms being reduced by -9.9 when compared with the placebo, which lowered scores only -0.8. Other highly significant improvements were observed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale.

Findings such as these are not new to research with Kava. The efficacy of standardized kava liquid extracts, which use alcohol as a solvent and preservative, has been well documented in animal and human studies. It has repeatedly been shown to decrease

anxiety and relax the body without loss of mental acuity. In fact, Kava has traditionally been used for centuries in its indigenous areas as a ceremonial and intoxicating drink. It was even commented on by the famous eighteenth century explorer Captain James Cook during his voyage through the South Seas. However, this study reported being the first clinical trial to specifically examine the anti-anxiety and anti-depressive abilities of an aqueous extract from Kava.

Another purpose of this study was to address the ongoing controversy over Kava’s potentially toxic effects on the liver, called hepatotoxicity. In recent years, Kava has been withdrawn from European, Canadian, and British markets due to concerns over hepatotoxicity and the World Health Organization recommended further research into aqueous extracts of the herb. Many professionals believe hepatotoxicity is very rare and such regulations excessive. For example, in 2008 The European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology published a study, which reviewed causal relationships among 26 patients who experienced liver damage while using Kava. Causality was assessed using criteria of the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences for objective probability scoring. Ultimately, only one case was unequivocally verified because others had not adhered to the regulatory recommendations for the prescribed dosing, duration time of treatment, or had cases clouded by use of other medications at the time of liver injury.

While the three-week Kava Anxiety Depression Spectrum Study raised no major health concerns regarding the extract used, researchers believed larger studies were required to confirm the herb’s safety. The lead researcher, in an interview posted on www. elements4health.com, implicated an erroneous extraction process itself as the possible cause of health concerns with Kava in recent years. “Ethanol and acetone extracts, which sometimes use the incorrect parts of the Kava, were being sold in Europe. That is not the traditional way of prescribing Kava in the Pacific Islands.

Our study used a water-soluble extract from the peeled rootstock of a medicinal cultivar of the plant, which is approved by the Therapeutic Goods-Administration of Australia and is currently legal in Australia for medicinal use”.

In conclusion, while the research continues to mount on the safety and efficacy of Kava, therapeutic use of the herb should be done under the guidance of a knowledgeable physician who is adequately trained in botanical medicine.

Dr. Shawn M. Carney is a naturopathic physician specializing in science-based family medicine at Whole Health Associates in the Hartford Hospital Avon Wellness Center. Call 860-674-0111or visit www.wholehealthllc.com for more information. See ad on back cover for more information.

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Multiple Sclerosis Awareness & Education

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ultiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder which may be triggered by a viral or bacterial infection that disrupts the normal functioning of the immune system in the body. The part of the body which comes under attack is the myelin sheath which surrounds nerve fibers. This protective fatty sheath is destroyed and becomes replaced by scar tissue. The end result of this demyelination and sclerosis is impaired transmission of nerve signals which results in the various symptoms associated with this disease.

Multiple Sclerosis is characterized based on its progression. The most common type is relapsing-remitting in which the disease can flare for a period of time and then go into remission for an undetermined length of time. These patients often lead fairly “normal” lives without a decrease in lifespan. The progressive form of MS is much more insidious and tends to progress more rapidly with increased morbidity and mortality.

Diagnosis can be difficult because MS can present like many other neurologic and/ or psychiatric disorders. The most common presenting symptoms include numbness and tingling in the extremities, optic neuritis in which the patient loses vision in one eye, bowel, bladder or sexual dysfunction, inability to concentrate, forgetfulness, confusion, memory loss, depression, slurred speech, difficulty walking, poor balance and severe fatigue.

An MRI scan of the brain and spinal cord most often provides the diagnosis.

The sclerosis and demyelination of nerve fibers is seen as white lesions on the scan.

These lesions, when present, are felt to be diagnostic of MS in conventional medicine.

Alternatively, gluten can also cause these lesions in patients who are sensitive to or intolerant of gluten. Blood tests for celiac disease may or may not be positive when tested so a minimum three month trial off of gluten may prove beneficial in reversing the presence of these white lesions or plaques, as they are otherwise known, in the brain and improving symptoms.

A few of the microbes that have been found to be possible triggers for MS include Chlamydia, Lyme, Candida, EBV (Ebstein Barr Virus) and HHV-6 (Human Herpes Virus-6). Some clinicians have recommended treating these infections, when found, as a means of eliminating the autoimmune trigger and some patients have even experi-

enced improvement in their symptoms after doing so.

We do know that MS tends to occur more frequently in higher latitudes. There has been some speculation that vitamin D which is made in the body when it is exposed to sunlight may play a role. In fact, a study done on MS patients with the relapsing-remitting type showed that patients given an average of 14,000 IU of vitamin D per day had fewer relapses than those taking the standard 1000-2000 IU of vitamin D traditionally recommended to MS patients.

The Eskimos live at high latitudes and yet the incidence of MS there is very low.

What is the explanation? Most likely it is the vitamin D consumed with all of the fish and seafood eaten as well as the high concentration of omega three fatty acids in their diet which appears to be protective.

The fact that myelin is largely made up of fat and that we want that protective covering to be made up of healthy fat certainly supports the role of omega three fatty acids along with vitamin D as being protective against MS. Dr. Swank was the first researcher to observe the association between MS incidence and higher latitudes and in response developed and studied the effects of a low saturated fat diet on MS patients. He found that the diet of people living in the southern latitudes was comprised of more fruits, vegetables and “healthy” fats so patients were asked to eat no red meat or dairy products for the first year on the diet. They could eat some chicken and eggs but fish, vegetables, nuts and seeds were the mainstays of the diet. Patients who were treated this way early in their disease had little to no disease progression for up to 20 years, according to Dr. Swank.

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The drugs that are traditionally used to treat or prevent flares in the relapsing and remitting type of MS are immunosuppressive drugs which work to suppress an immune system that has become hyper-vigilant and attacking self instead of foreign invaders.

Many patients remain on these drugs long term instead of when flaring which can put them at risk for increased infections and other autoimmune disorders. Once you have one autoimmune disease you are at increased risk of developing another.

My recommendation would be to support the immune system by providing it with the nutrients it needs; nine to ten servings of colorful fruits and vegetables which provide the micronutrients and antioxidants to fight disease, healthy fats including small fish, omega three eggs, avocado, nuts, seeds, olives, nut butters, seed butters, first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil which provide the proper fat to make healthy myelin, healthy cells and a healthy brain and nervous system and clean lean protein sources including some chicken, perhaps some grass fed beef and the small fish and eggs noted above. In addition to providing the body with what it needs we also need to make sure that we are doing everything we can to reduce inflammation in the body by removing from the diet what are known to be pro-inflammatory foods including; dairy, gluten, soy, sugar and all processed foods. In essence, the prescription is the caveman’s diet, a diet which supports and enhances our genetic machinery, optimizing health.

Submitted By Deanna M. Cherrone, MD. Natural Health and Healing LLC in Avon, Ct. (860) 677-4600. See ad on page 55.

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“Live. Love. Laugh. Hoop!”

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ooping… what is it?

You may remember “hula hoops” as your favorite, or perhaps your least favorite childhood toy. What was once a common childhood past-time has taken on a new form in what we now call, “hooping”. These modern hoops weigh about 1 ½ to 2 pounds and are designed for adult bodies. With these hoops we can burn calories, trim our waistlines, and relieve back pain, while smiling the entire time.

The physical benefits of this practice are substantial. An individual can burn up to 600 calories per hour while hooping; 30 minutes of hooping can be as beneficial as 30 minutes of jogging! Waist hooping aids digestion by helping to release toxins from the body. Hooping offers cardiovascular benefits, which can lead to lower blood pressure. Overall health can be improved by strengthening the core muscles, leading to diminished belly fat and weight loss. The practice of hooping suits many people, because it is very gentle on the joints. Hoop-

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ing even improves body awareness, which creates a more positive body image.

Most of us are drawn to this practice, because of the physical benefits, but the emotional benefits can be profound.

Hooping reduces stress and uplifts one’s mood. This practice brings calm to the mind, while bringing one into the body.

It creates an outlet for playful and joyful movement, and helps one connect to their natural rhythm.

The circular motion of the hoop has deep spiritual benefits as well. While hooping, one can experience a form of meditation in motion, by bringing one into the present moment and awakening the spirit. The hoop provides sacred space for being your most authentic self. This simple tool can create a greater connection to each other and ourselves.

As yoga teachers, we value a practice that connects us to mind, body, and spirit.

As mother and daughter, we appreciate the importance of a practice that spans generations. People deserve to feel healthy and vibrant at every stage of life and hooping holds this potential.

It is our goal to create an inclusive, non-competitive environment to keep the practice light-hearted and fun. We strive to meet the needs of every student in our class, from the beginner “hooper” to the more advanced student, offering modifications of each movement to match the experience level of the individual. We have combined years of practice and teaching various movement therapies to create our unique “Hoopnicity” program.

The Hoopnicity philosophy…“Finding one’s “center”, or “sacred space”, can bring profound changes to the life experience.

When we live and breathe from that place, we can experience being in the center of our self, our world, our universe, and beyond. We can feel “at home” wherever we go, whatever the circumstances. We feel safe and protected, yet connected to all around us. Increased energy, vitality, joy, and peace surround us. The spiritual journey takes many forms; “Hooping” is one of them. Bringing the practice of “Hooping” into your life enables you to experience your safe place, but at the same time, frees the soul.” “Live. Love. Laugh. Hoop.”

In our classes, we have personally witnessed the joy that infuses a room when people begin hooping together. Smiles spread like wildfire, laughter erupts from every corner, and tension dissipates with each rotation. People become happy. They dance to the music, sweat out their stress, and experience joy. Community begins to form and a sense of peace overcomes the space.

Linda Satya Holler and Cate Tsahalis are both Kripalu certified yoga instructors, and are certified in Betty Hoops 4 Rhythm Hoop Dance. We teach regular classes in Middletown, CT. and conduct workshops and fundraisers throughout the area. For information, please visit us at www.hoopnicity.com or contact Linda at 860.575.4627.

See ad on page 32.

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March 2010

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Prescription for Living

by Bernie Siegel, MD

Secrets of Survival

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ost medical school applications of today state that the candidate for admission is interested in and fascinated by the human body. The problem is that often, physicians have been given medical information, but not a true medical education. An education teaches you how to deal with and care for the human experience of illness and not just treat the diagnosis. A medical education would also teach the skill of communication so that we do not kill with our words, but heal with them just as we heal with a scalpel and do not wound with it.

What I have found is that information does not change people. The obese, alcoholics, smokers and nonconforming patients all know their behavior is not good for them. So why do they do it? It gets back to the lack of messages of love for the individual from parents, teachers, clergy and other authority figures. Ugly ducklings rarely find out on their own that they are swans. In one study a loved child had one fourth the illness rate of an unloved child by middle age. I see pet owners who have lung cancer or asthma smoke outdoors to save their beloved pets. Killing yourself is not questioned. Nine hundred years ago Maimonides stated, "People would suffer fewer illnesses if they took as good care of themselves as they do their animals." Times haven’t changed.

I have found that approximately 20% of patients are what I call respants: responsible participants who display and are interested in learning survival behavior. What I do for the other 80% is love them and give them return appointments no matter what they do. With time and love some begin to realize they are worth loving and caring for and begin to care for themselves. Then the information I present to them is utilized to achieve better health and survival statistics.

I can’t sell them the idea of being a respant or cite better statistics because they aren’t interested in working at living. They have grown up hearing there is something wrong with them. So guilt, shame and blame are what they are dealing with and if you ask them to fight for their lives it is one more thing they won't get right. Sad but true. I often ask people to answer questions, join support groups and draw pictures of themselves, their treatment and disease. That eliminates many patients because they are not artists - could do it wrong or don’t want to work at surviving.

If I can inspire them and breathe life into them, then changes

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will occur. Now they are waking up to life and what makes them happy. This is not about self interest but paying attention to their bodies and what feels good for them to do. I help people reclaim their lives and be reborn so every cell in their body is given a message about the joys of life each day. Have I seen people expected to die in months cured of their disease by living this way? Yes. Do I recommend it as the sole treatment? No, because I know how hard it is to ‘live in your heart and have magic happen’ and ‘leave all your troubles to God.’ I do, however, point out the benefits of love to the individual and those they are in contact with. When people are unwilling to do this I let their families know that they need to take care of themselves too. Why? Because there is something called Siegel’s Sign in physical diagnosis. When a family walks into the office and everyone looks sick except one person, you can be sure the one who looks well is the one with the illness and is using it to manipulate everyone else in the family. I always guarantee them a cure on their next visit. They never come back to that office again and always arrange future meetings in the ER or other safe places where a cure is not available.

What do respants do that represents survival behavior? They take action, seek wisdom, perform meditation and imagery and have spiritual support. Spiritual support may come from a religion but some religions have regulations that create guilt and lead to feelings that one deserves God’s punishment. Disease is no different than when one loses one’s car keys. You don’t say God wants me to walk home; you look for your keys. When you are ill you have lost your health and respants look for it to be restored.

They live a life with meaning, express their feelings and appropriate anger, ask for help when it is needed, learn to say no to things they do not want to do, make their own decisions about treatment, bring play into their lives, deal with feelings of depression and learn from them and they live an authentic life.

In essence life becomes a labor pain in which we birth ourselves and because we are making the choices the delivery has less pain, complications and side effects.

About thirty years ago I met Susan Duffy who had developed scleroderma and was not given much time to live. She was an enraged lady over her illness and her difficult life. Her parents and sister were alcoholics who committed suicide and were angry at her for not doing so. When I met her all I could do was listen and it turned out to be what Helen Keller advises since ‘deafness is darker by far then blindness.’ When she emptied out her rage in 1987 she wrote me a letter telling me that she had let love into her prison and it had touched every negative item in it and transformed them into something meaningful. She is alive today and a member of our support group and one of my teachers. I will present her list for survivors at the end of this article.

We each need to find our path and way to healing. The messages are age old and can be found in the literature of great spiritual leaders, the US Marines training manual, the writings of chil-

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dren with cancer and others. Two things are key elements. One is the inspiration I discuss, and the other is one’s behavior. Just as multiple personalities disassociate so one must disassociate with the old self and behave as if you were the person you want to be. You rehearse and practice and find the coaches to help guide you. That is the role I see myself in today: a coach for the inspired respant who wants to learn survival behavior.

How will you know one when you meet them? Ask them these questions: I am taking you to dinner what do you want?

How would you introduce yourself to God? What should I hang in the lobby of a public building with a sign above it that says, come and see how beautiful and meaningful life is?

The correct answers are: The response should be within 5-10 seconds demonstrating they are in touch with their feelings and not thinking about fat content, cost, or what you want.

The introduction is that you and God don’t need an introduction. You are a child of God. And last, you hang up not a picture of a baby, rainbow or flower, but a mirror.

Now let me close with a list from Susan Duffy: SECRETS OF LIVING FOR SURVIVORS 1. Trust yourself enough to become your own teacher.

2. Cultivate your own sense of being and spirituality.

3. Trust in your own instincts, intuitions and leadings.

4. Learn to flow with your own ideas concerning searching and seeking answers.

5. Choose to have faith in yourself and your place in life.

6. Discipline yourself to love the positive more than the negative.

7. Let go of everything that you can't change.

8. Change yourself through self-acceptance and love; then what happens around you won't matter.

9. Learn to forgive the unforgivable - you will become free.

10. Forgive God, others and yourself.

11. Allow yourself to feel anger, pain, joy and sadness.

12. Express your feelings and don't feel so alone.

13. Realize that everything changes.

14. Look to other people for guidance and inspiration but not answers.

15. Other people don't have all the answers, they are learning too.

16. Nothing so bad ever happened to you that didn't happen to someone else.

17. No one is unique we all suffer the same joys and pains of life.

18. Our problems may come in different shapes and sizes but the solutions are the same.

19. Embrace life and it will hug you back.

20. Don't have a need to control.

21. Allow the order of things to take place.

22. Enjoy the peace, knowing someone bigger and stronger is in charge.

23. Don't make too many schedules - you will go crazy.

24. You can't fix everything.

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 nuture 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.

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.

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March 2010

13

Mental Health Naturally!

W

hen we consider “Mental Health Naturally” it might be helpful to ponder at least two questions: What is ‘mental health’? and What do we mean by ‘naturally’?

Such questions are springboard for many possible responses that touch on the philosophic (discussions about the nature of being human) and the mundane (lists of daily activities that promote well-being). Let’s take a few moments to briefly explore the above questions within a framework of mental health and well-being rather than mental illness.

What is mental health?

Whether we ask a professional in the mental health field or a layperson, so often a big part of the answer to this question focuses on mental difficulty, disorder or disease.

Such a response reflects a common fearbased survival orientation in our American culture when it comes to all aspects of health.

Only recently has the health industry begun to shift paradigms from illness – treating, curing, preventing – to promoting wellness and well-being.

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Grace Tsai, PhD notes the importance of cultural context in defining mental heath and illness. Whereas a Western notion of mental health refers to successful functioning in realms of cognition, emotions, and relationships as well as an adaptation to change and adversity, an Eastern concept views health and illness in terms of harmony or disharmony of bodily systems.

Both notions acknowledge the integrity of the whole human being – body, mind, spirit – in a context. Therefore, any understanding or approach to mental health properly includes attention to all systems of the person.

Exciting recent scientific research shows that these systems are powered by the same life energy which ‘flows’ within, through, and between all living things throughout the universe. Accordingly coaching specialist Mary A Hall defines health as “free-flowing life force and wellbeing within and throughout your being.”

By combining components of Western and Eastern perspectives, together with an awareness of life energy, we might synthesize a definition of mental health as: Unhindered flow of life energy in harmony through psychological, emotional, and spiritual systems resulting in successful and satisfying relationships with self and others. Put simply, when our subtle ener-

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gies are in balance and flow as they are designed we are mentally healthy, and our mental health affects both our physical and social health.

What do we mean by naturally?

Dictionary definitions indicate “in a natural manner; by/through nature, innately; possessed at birth.” It turns out that there is a ‘general nature’ and a ‘particular nature’ that we need to consider: the nature of being human in general and of being our own, unique self.

Although we may rarely conceive it this way, the essence of our nature is the life force energy found in all life. Broadly speaking, human systems are fueled by electromagnetic as well as chemical energy. Researchers in quantum biology and physics now believe that the average human body is composed of some 50 trillion cells, each with the electrical potential energy equivalent of 1.17 volts. If that is so, then at birth we possess an amazing personal power which, as 5,000 year-old Eastern healing traditions demonstrate, is designed to flow freely through energy meridians.

Each of us is a unique configuration of that same amazing life energy, with what might be called ‘signature’ imprints – based

on our family history, life experience and past – that impede our energy flow to a greater or lesser extent. Whenever we experience negatively-charged emotions we can be sure the life energy flow has been disrupted and stored in the cells. If instead of letting emotional energy flow into appropriate action we repeatedly ignore and store it, over time we create a burden of surplus energy in cells and tissues. When these emotions go unattended and unresolved they become major contributors to many physical ailments and diseases.

What’s the nature of being mentally healthy and how do we sustain it when we have it?

Again, the focus of consideration here is on general mental stability. In situations of mental illness the person’s subtle energies have been severely compromised and need to be “re-booted” by whatever modality is safest and quickest. Sometimes that means the biochemical action of medication is necessary to jumpstart the energy.

When mental disease is present, it’s important to use the whole range of resources available, including the safe use of psychopharmacological treatment, but probably far less often than is currently practiced. It can also be the case that psychological difficulties have an etiology in medical conditions or nutritional deficits, so it’s important to attend to the whole self and investigate possible interaction of disharmony and imbalance in multiple energy systems within a person.

By nature human systems are healing

systems; the soul wants to grow, the body wants to mature; the spirit wants to expand into full awareness. Our job is to take 100% responsibility along the way to open our self to conscious connection with the powerful being we are; to learn all we can, get all the support available to us, and do in each moment whatever we’re capable of to facilitate and foster auspicious inner and outer environments so that the innate healing life energy continues to flow in harmony and balance.

We experience well-being when we operate from a mental framework rooted in the abundance of free-flowing life energy rather than a fear-based, survival energy found in the paradigm of scarcity prevalent in our society. We are able to sustain mental health and well-being to the extent that we were welcomed and raised by people (care-givers, teachers, communities) who acknowledged the unique, valuable being we are and allowed us to blossom as we grew. And since none of us came through unscathed, we must consciously make our way back to who by nature we are.

In our journeying towards wholeness we do well to reach for and use all the resources of expansive life energy available to us. We facilitate our healing and growth when we engage help from persons in the healing professions whose experience and practice respect and honor our whole, true nature.

While professional expertise can help us develop capacities of being responsive to our self and responsible for our mental health, we are the only true expert on our self. Ultimately, we are the one who unleashes the power we are. We ease that

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process when we attune to ‘what IS’ in any given moment, without harsh judgment, with hope, with gratitude and at least a desire to love and accept ourself.

Our mental health thrives as we get tools, help, and support to clear away and release whatever impinges on the flow of life energy. We need to know our self in order to recognize the resources that resonate with our own unique nature. As we access our own inner resources we gain vital healing information.

In the same manner that dental hygiene promotes dental health and physical hygiene promotes physical health, a mental hygiene regimen that develops self-knowledge and self-care can foster mental health. Unlike dental and physical hygiene, we don’t learn elements of mental hygiene in elementary school, or at least not until very recently. It’s fairly safe to say that our knowledge of mental hygiene has often come from the ‘school of hard knocks’ and is likely incomplete, if not erroneous, affected as it is by cultural and societal sanctions.

What’s an example of a mental hygiene regimen?

We want to approach any program of mental hygiene with a beginner’s mind.

That is, with curiosity about its fundamental principles and basic assumptions; willingness to explore its teaching components; readiness to learn and try out tools and strategies associated with it; and wonder about how it might shape a culture of mental health and well-being.

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Fundamental Principles Proceeding from a mentality of abundance fosters a sense of well-being and reflects what is seen in nature. It might be said that the general ‘theme’ of nature is abundance. Think of Niagara Falls, cutter ants in a rainforest, schools of fish, and the Monarch butterfly migration.

A human mindset of scarcity limits and contracts life energy, creating stress and resulting in competition for perceived limited resources. Accept, instead of resist, ‘what is’ because what we resist persists. Practice an attitude of gratitude in everything. Recognize that we are all connected and can help each other; we don’t have to go it alone.

Teaching Components Emotional Learn to recognize and notice the feel and look of well-being within. Discover that thoughts and feelings are PART of who we are, NOT the WHOLE. Get a vocabulary for recognizing, experiencing & communicating about emotions.

Physical Learn and practice good nutrition that enhances rather than disturbs well-being. Seek professional direction to fine-tune a nutritional component based on individual makeup.

Interrelational Gain and practice the use of a safe “NO” (personal boundaries). Uncover and disarm the power of projection. Discover the healing power of forgiveness.

Spiritual Establish and carry out a daily practice that feeds the soul and spiritual nature.

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Tools Explore, ‘try on’, play with strategies, tools, and techniques.

Start by recognizing and noticing, with gratitude, the good that’s already in your life now.

Disassemble fear using some or all of the following tools: 1.“Good Things Are Coming My Way Exercise” – Mary A Hall, Sonia Choquette. Start the day with a mindset of expecting to experience good things (which are not only material); go through the day looking for and receiving those things; end the day by recording them. This stimulates the brain’s reticular activating system and expands your conscious awareness of abundance.

2.“If I Weren’t Afraid Exercise” – Sonia Choquette.

At the beginning of the day, for several days in a row, listen uncensored to your most authentic self and declare, “If I weren’t afraid, I would____.” Repeat this phrase aloud for three minutes.

3. “Heart Thoughts” – Mary A Hall.

Take 15 minutes a day to repeat a series of phrases that arise from experiencing loving energy in the body. This practice increases the resonance of conscious awareness with the powerful life energy.

4.“Daily Heart Meditation” – Mary A Hall.

Guided by a 20-minute audio meditation exercise, you can set the tenor of your day with love, joy, peace, health, forgiveness and gratitude.

Practice techniques to release negatively-charged energy causing imbalances of life energy.

1.Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT): called ‘emotional acupuncture,’ whereby you stimulate the flow of energy in your body by tapping with your fingertips on well-established meridian points.

2.Biospiritual Focusing: process of using visualization and imagination to interact with how emotions are carried within the body.

3.Body Dialogue: interactive ‘conversation’ with emotional energy held in the body.

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4.Ho’oponopono: a simple process of "letting go of any toxic energies within you and allowing a new space for the healing power of your true Divine thoughts, feelings, words, and actions.”

As children are taught mental hygiene from an early age and adults are encouraged to become students of it, we can imagine a culture in which mental health is discussed freely and people offer each other effective support. How refreshing it will be when the notion of ‘reality’ is shifted from scarcity, not enough, and struggle to fullness, plenty and well-being.

It’s noteworthy to mention one further definition of ‘naturally’ – ‘without a doubt, surely, of course.’ As a conclusion to our brief exploration we can say that a vital component of the good life that we all desire – society and individuals – is “Mental Health, Naturally”!

Nancy Brockett, PhD of Soul Support Counseling, 801 Farmington Ave, West Hartford. Her next class, an introduction to EFT, is offered on April 28 through West Hartford LifeLearn. Register at www.soulsupport.org or by calling (860) 523-3535.

See ad on page 36.

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March 2010

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Healthy Family

Dr. Lauren Gouin, N.D.

Acid Reflux in Children

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eartburn is a symptom many adults experience after indulging in an excessive meal. For some, it is a day to day symptom that may be a symptom of dietary choices, lifestyle or other underlying causes. Because it is often a symptom often associated with poor lifestyle and dietary choices, most people are surprised to hear that it is a common condition found in infants and children.

Signs and Symptoms Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD is the cause of this common symptom. Upward movement of stomach contents, including acid, into the esophagus and occasionally up into the mouth causes the most common symptom of heartburn.

In infants, frequent vomiting, excessive salivation, constantly runny nose, persistent or frequent coughing, gas, abdominal pain, regurgitation or colicky behavior are all signs of GERD. In children, hoarseness, chronic sinus infections, extreme pickiness or eating very little despite hunger, poor sleep, bad breath, chest pain and sore throats can also be signs of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Children and infants may not express their symptoms the same way an adult does, and so it is important to consider GERD when children have one or more of these symptoms.

Diagnosis Because gastroesophageal reflux disease has symptoms that can correlate with

many other conditions, it is important to consult a physician if GERD is suspected.

Diagnosis may require blood work, testing acidity levels in the esophagus or an upper endoscopy, where a physician inserts a tube with a camera into the esophagus and stomach looking for the cause of symptoms. Though these diagnostic tools can be more invasive, they are important to rule out other pathology and address the acid reflux. It is important to address acid reflux, as it can be associated with recurrent pneumonia, poor growth and breathing problems.

Natural Treatments Most infants outgrow acid reflux. For the children who have persistent symptoms, parents often seek out non-pharmacological solutions, as long term medication use can have significant side effects. Food intimately interacts with our biochemistry and can affect the digestive system. Physical or structural support for the digestive tract can help reduce gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms. Adjusting dietary and lifestyle patterns may resolve symptoms for many children.

In infants, elevating the head of the baby’s crib or bassinet and holding the baby upright for a half hour after eating may help support the baby’s digestive tract.

With a doctor’s approval, thickening bottle feedings with cereal or introducing solid foods maybe help proper stomach motility and reduce GERD symptoms. Also, changing feeding schedules may help with im-

proving symptoms. If the infant is breastfeeding, changing the mother’s diet may also help symptoms, as certain foods, such as dairy, may be an irritant to the baby’s gentle digestive tract.

In children, the causes of reflux are similar to that of adults. Elevating the head of the child’s bed and keeping the child upright for at least two hours after eating works to support the child’s digestive structures in prevention of GERD. Dietary changes can also reduce gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms. Several small meals throughout the day, rather than three large meals, can be beneficial for children’s acid reflux symptoms, as well as their blood sugar and metabolism. Regular exercise has also been found to help acid reflux symptoms. Simple lifestyle changes may provide relief for children with acid reflux.

Certain foods may make acid reflux symptoms worse. Caffeine, alcohol, avocados, cow’s milk, orange juice, tomato juice, spicy foods, chocolate, peppermint, spearmint and onions have all been found to relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which is the muscular value that closes off between the esophagus and stomach. When this valve is relaxed, acid and stomach contents can reflux into the esophagus.

Naturally addressing acid reflux in children will help prevent further disease, reduce risks of other conditions and help reduce current symptoms. Proper diagnosis and awareness of symptoms are important to treating the cause effectively.

Dr. Lauren Gouin is a board certified naturopathic physician with a family practice in South Windsor and Manchester, CT. She is accepting new patients and is in network with most insurance companies. For more information please call (860) 644-2437 or (860) 649-6944 or visit www.ctnhs.com.

See ad on page 26.

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Enjoy Coffee...

Here's why!

G

rowing wild in Ethiopia, carried along ancient trade routes through Venice to Europe, coffee finally arrived in America in the 1700s. Since then, it has surpassed all beverages except water in popularity. Now Brazil is the world’s largest producer of coffee with Vietnam pulling a close second. Coffee is one of those things that although we’ve heard a million times that we should eliminate it from our diet because of the numerous health risks; we’re still not willing to give it up. So, if you must have that cup of joe every morning, you’ll be happy to hear that recent studies are showing that there may be some significant health benefits from drinking coffee.

And now we’re starting to see more and more organic types of coffee being offered which certainly adds to the health benefits and protects the environment.

In December of last year a study was presented at a conference of the American Association for Cancer Research in Houston, which showed men who drank the most coffee (six or more cups per day) were nearly 60% less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer than non-coffee drinkers. Researchers stated that coffee contains many potentially beneficial compounds such as antioxidants and minerals that may play a role in preventing prostate cancer.

"By and large, the studies show that coffee is far more beneficial than it is harmful," says Tomas DePaulis, PhD, researcher at Vanderbilt University's Institute for Coffee Studies, which conducts its own research and tracks coffee studies around the globe. At least 6 studies have shown that people who drink coffee on a regular basis have up to 80% lower risks of developing Parkinson's disease. Other studies indicate that, compared to not drinking coffee, drinking at least 2 cups per day can lead to a 25% lower risk of colon cancer, an 80% drop in the risk of liver cirrhosis, and a nearly 50% reduction in the risk of gallstones.

This led me to an interesting discussion with Dick Portfolio who is the owner of my favorite little coffee place, The Coffee Trade, in Avon. If you love an iced café mocha, this is the place to get one, as it’s the best I’ve had in all my travels throughout the whole country. We talked about the many health benefits of coffee and the process of organic coffee production as Dick offers a Mexican organic coffee produced in southern Mexico.

“Organic” as most of you know, means anything that is completely natural, with no artificial or synthetic compounds used during its production or processing. The land on which it is grown must be uncultivated for at least three years or more so that it detoxifies itself from the remains of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. However, there may be less concern about coffee in terms of health risks because the pesticides and chemicals are not applied directly to the coffee bean. Similar to a coconut, coffee beans are encased by a hard shell and then pulp, which protects them from absorbing dangerous chemicals.

There are many varieties of organic coffee based on the method of farming and contribution towards the environment.

Some of these include: • Organic Shade Grown Coffee: Grown in the natural shade of tropical forests without clearing land for farming.

• Organic Bird Friendly Coffee: This is similar to Organic Shade Grown Coffee, and concerned with preserving the natural habitat of birds.

• Organic Kona Coffee: This organic coffee is grown in the fertile volcanic soil of the Kona region of Hawaii. Make sure it’s certified Kona as buying a Kona blend means they only have to put 5% Kona in the finished product.

Another thing to keep in mind regarding the health benefits of coffee is that the antioxidants and nutrients are the most potent in the freshest cup of coffee. So, your commercial grocery store bought coffee www.naturalnutmeg.com

brands probably don’t do much for your health due to the lack of freshness.

Even some of the nationally known coffee chains may not be giving you the freshest coffee as you don’t know how long ago the beans were ground. So, if you’re going to drink it and you want the health benefits, it’s best to find a local shop that roasts their beans daily like the Coffee Trade. Dick likens it to the question, “Would you rather buy canned vegetables or fresh vegetables?” We all know that fresh veggies have the most potent antioxidants and nutrients, and it makes sense that freshly ground coffee beans would work the same way.

For those of you who have been drinking decaf coffee because regular coffee gives you the jitters, or you think it’s a safer alternative, think again. Not so, unless it’s Swiss water processed. Decaffeination is typically accomplished through the use of a chemical solvent such as carbon tetrachloride or methylene chloride. If you choose to drink decaf, make sure it’s water processed or also referred to as “Swiss water process” decaffeinated coffee. This method requires the beans to be cleaned and soaked in water, and immersed in flavor-charged water. Then the water passes through a carbon filter that traps the caffeine and then flows back to the beans to remove more caffeine. This process continues for about 8 hours until the beans are 99.9% caffeine-free. Lastly, the decaffeinated beans are removed from the water, dried and cleaned and ready to be roasted.

For a more detailed explanation, visit www. swisswater.com. You can also get your own Swiss water Process at the Coffee Trade in Avon.

Another thing to keep in mind if you truly want to be chemical-free when you drink your coffee is to use only nonbleached filters. White coffee filters, which most coffee drinkers use, are bleached with chlorine and some of this chlorine will end up in your coffee during the brewing process.

Dick proudly tells me that his coffee has gone around the world, as his many customers and friends have brought it with them to places like Bali, Bangkok and even the Great Wall of China. It’s easy to understand why after you’ve tried it, it truly is the freshest cup of coffee you’ve ever had.

Submitted by Dr. Diane Hindman. For more information, visit www.thecoffeetrade.com or call 860-676-2661. The Coffee Trade is located at 21 W. Main St. in Avon. See ad on page 28.

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Supplements 101

Dr. David Spitz, DC

Supplements and Mental Health

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ost people take natural supplements because of their ability to enhance health, relieve symptoms and stabilize hormones. Individuals with mental troubles have special requirements and besides taking the usual supplements to improve their overall well-being, specific nutrients are required. Sadly, modern society has witnessed an increasing number of mental health disorders, some of which are blamed on the foods we eat and our stressful lifestyles.

When faced with mental health issues, there are four natural supplements that rank high in terms of effectiveness and safety. There are other supplements that are known for helping to decrease the severity of certain mental disorders, but these four

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appear to be the more popular ones; people who have used them report satisfaction with the results, having regained that sense of well-being after just a few weeks of taking them. They should probably be part of the total health care regimen.

Omega-3 Studies have repeatedly shown that the western diet suffers from a deficiency of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are provided by fatty fish such as salmon, herring and sardines and grass-fed beef.

Omega-3 is also present in canola oil, flax oil, flaxseed and soybean oil.

The AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality), a division of the United States government, conducted studies to see if a link could be found between low doses of Omega-3 and specific mental illnesses like attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia and depression.

While the study could not readily establish a link, the results of their schizophrenia research suggest the promising role of Omega-3 in helping treat this illness. The researchers, however, were quick to point out that further research is needed before any conclusive evidence can be offered. The fact that researchers recommend further research could mean that Omega-3 can potentially help relieve schizophrenia and other similar disorders.

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Hans Larsen writes that the New York Harbor Healthcare System found that supplementation with EPA and DHA (fish oil components) helped to reduce aggressive behavior among 24 males who had runins with the law.

Larsen also cited Dr. Joseph Hibbeln of the National Institutes of Health who observed a pattern that emerged from studies. He said countries known for their high fish consumption had a lower number of depressed people than those countries noted for low fish consumption.

For bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depressive), the National Institutes of Health continue their studies on the long-term healing effects of Omega-3 fatty acids even if the initial results obtained were mixed. (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ health/publications/bipolar-disorder/complete-index.shtml). Again, an encouraging sign.

St. John’s Wort St. John’s Wort – or Hypercicum perforatum – is recognized as a natural supplement that can help treat mild to moderate depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and exhaustion.

Many herbalists have labelled St. John’s Wort as an anti-depressant and a tonic for distraught nerves. Substances found in this plant are said to work on the

chemistry of the brain, so that people with the “blues” are said to have better capabilities in coping with their mood swings and melancholic states.

Proponents within European herbal circles also recognize the benefits of St. John’s Wort because of its ability to improve mood. It is recommended as a safe and effective remedy for “down” or mildly depressed feelings.

St. John’s Wort has no adverse side effects; whatever effects are reported are usually mild. The only time it should not be taken is when someone is taking prescribed medication for other health conditions because it can affect the way these medications work. Combining St. John’s Wort with certain prescription medication is strongly discouraged and needs a doctor’s approval or supervision.

Not only is St. John’s Wort used to brighten mood, it is also used to stabilize the nervous system, especially in times of high stress and long-term worry. It helps strengthen and restore the nervous system to normal levels, and therefore helps people combat their stress more efficiently.

When women reach menopause, they are subject to wild mood fluctuations because of an imbalance in their hormones.

Menopausal women find that St. John’s Wort provides the vitality that they once had prior to menopause.

While more research is needed to prove the effectiveness of 5HTP on mental health, some studies have been able to establish the usefulness of 5HTP on helping stabilize feelings of irritability, anxiety and mild depression. Note, however, that 5HTP should not replace your doctor’s prescription for conditions like bipolar disorder.

Before taking 5-HTP, people should involve their doctor to discuss whether their low serotonin levels can be boosted by this supplement, or whether the low levels are a result of another underlying health condition. If the doctor agrees that taking 5-HTP will help the patient, the ini-

tial dose must be low. Some doctors will also recommend alternating 5-HTP with other supplements that improve mood such as St. John’s Wort.

The rule of thumb: if you’re on prescription medication, always seek the advice of your doctor before taking 5-HTP as it may interfere with the medication.

Dr. Spitz, a Bristol chiropractor, has been practicing for 28 years. He specializes in wellness care and is the physician advisor for EarthTurns.com, a natural health website that sells American made health and beauty products. See ad on page 27.

5-HTP 5-hydroxytryptophan (or simply 5HTP) is a supplement that is associated with the effects of serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical produced by the brain and acts as a neurotransmitter. Serotonin calms the mind.

5HTP increases the levels of serotonin, enabling the brain to control mood, sleep and pain. Low serotonin levels, on the other hand, result in depression, sluggishness, anxiety and irritability.

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March 2010

21

Help for Heartburn: relief and resolution

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ver 60 million Americans suffer from heartburn, it’s so widespread and common that restaurants and gas stations sell products to treat it. Some people feel the burning pain every day while others experience it weekly or monthly. Heartburn sufferers may burp and belch, complain of a bad taste in the mouth, or have food back up into their throat. The hallmark burning feeling in the chest is caused by food and stomach acid: pepsin and chyme leak from the stomach back up into the esophagus – certainly not the direction in which these fluids should be headed! A little backfill may be normal but too much, too often irritates the tender tissue where your esophagus meets your stomach. Your stomach lining protects itself from the acid by making lots of mucus, but your esophagus can’t do the same thing and there’s the trouble: stomach acid burns it. Peristalsis moves food downward through the digestive tract keeping you and your esophagus safe

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from heartburn, but sometimes it’s just not enough…

There are many causes for heartburn, among them GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), reflux esophagitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, peptic ulcer disease, gastritis, and hiatal hernia.

Medications like NSAIDs, calcium channel blockers, aspirin, steroids, antidepressants, inhaled bronchodilators, and tetracycline can create heartburn problems, too. To add insult to injury, taking these pills – or even vitamins – without drinking enough water gives them the opportunity to irritate the lining of your esophagus.

As if the pain and suffering of heartburn weren’t bad enough, your doctor will tell you that there are other conditions – asthma, chronic sinusitis, mouth ulcers, ear aches and food allergies – that can be caused or aggravated by reflux (heartburn) disorders. Reflux even contributes to recurring ear infections and dental caries (cavities) in children. Besides the burning in your chest, you might experience symptoms of bloating, difficult breathing, hoarseness, or even chest pain. Do you cough frequently? Acid reflux could be the culprit – a chronic cough is caused by reflux up to 30% of the time.

People suffering from heartburn need to choose the foods they eat carefully. They are asked to avoid acidic foods like orange juice and grapefruit juice, spices like onions and garlic, beverages like coffee, tea, soda and sparkling water, and alcohol (especially red wine), and treats like chocolate and peppermint. Tomatoes and especially tomato sauce are on the forbidden list. Salt, sweets and white bread, even wheat itself, can be troublemakers, too.

Excess fats, spicy foods, and smoking all add to the misery. Smoking and coffee actually change the way the esophagus-stomach valve works, encouraging acid reflux to occur.

Heartburn sufferers are warned to eat small meals, lose weight, and avoid wearing tight clothing so that their stomach will have

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all the room it needs to hold the meal they just ate. They’re also cautioned not to bend over or lift anything heavy after meals to diminish the possibility of forcing food up out of their stomach. Exercise after eating can also cause heartburn because of pressure on the stomach. Abdominal crunches can be especially distressing. Headstands and inverted yoga poses become a thing of the past. All in all, life becomes more restricted.

If your goal is to reduce the symptoms of your heartburn, recommendations are easy to find. A favorite home remedy is 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in 4 to 6 ounces of water before each meal. This often solves the problem by diluting the stomach acid and controlling the symptoms. Aloe Vera gel or juice from the inner part of the leaves, 1/4 to 1/3 cup before each meal and before bed, helps the burns inside the esophagus to heal. L-Glutamine helps strengthen the mucus membranes, and so does MSM (methylsufonylmethane).

Melatonin has been shown to decrease the occurrence of gastric ulcers and diminish reflux. D-Limonene is used to neutralize stomach acid and stimulate normal peristalsis. De-glycyrrhized Licorice Root Extract increases mucus production and may also improve the integrity of the lining of the stomach and the upper small intestine.

Adding probiotics and the correct digestive enzymes also helps. Glutamic hydrochloride (use with caution) or magnesium salts may help when stomach emptying is slow.

Fish oil increases antioxidant enzyme activity, decreases acid-pepsin secretion,

increases mucin secretion, and decreases lipid peroxidation in the gastric mucosa.

A Brazilian study compared the helpful benefits of a dietary supplement to those of omeprazole (the active ingredient in the prescription drug Prilosec) for individuals suffering from GERD. The supplement contained a mixture of antioxidants, melatonin, L-tryptophan, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, methionine, and betaine. After 40 days of treatment, every single person who took the antioxidant supplement experienced relief of their GERD symptoms! In contrast, less than 66% of the people who received omeprazole were helped by the drug.

Antacids like Alka-Seltzer®, Maalox®, Mylanta®, Pepto-Bismol®, and Rolaids are effective for occasional heartburn.

Take them after meals and they’ll help for about 3 hours. The over-the-counter Histamine-H2-receptor antagonists Cimetidine (Tagamet), Famotidine (Pepcid), Ranitidine (Zantac), and Nizatidine (Axid) are also commonly used. Proton-pump inhibitors like Lansoprazole (Prevacid), Esomeprazole (Nexium), Omeprazole (Prilosec), Pantoprazole (Protonix), and Rabeprazole (Aciphex) are even more effective at shutting down the release of acid into

the stomach. These drugs help to heal the damaged tissue, however long-term use of these products is not a good idea. The action of hydrochloric acid in the stomach is one of the crucial first steps in the breakdown of proteins in your food. Suppressing stomach acid may reduce the absorption of vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron, proteins and other nutrients – not a good strategy! Additionally, because stomach acid is used to kill off organisms in your food, reducing stomach acid can increase the possibility of bacterial overgrowth in your small intestine.

Some people raise the head of their bed 6-8 inches so that gravity encourages flow downward rather than up into the esophagus. Use bricks under the headboard or check home-gadget catalogs for supports made for this purpose. Don’t think that sleeping on propped-up pillows will accomplish the same goal; this makes you bend in the middle and compresses your stomach, exactly what you want to avoid. Lying on your left side can help because of the way your stomach curves in your abdomen. And please, don’t eat before bedtime.

If your heartburn doesn’t respond to simple remedies, or if it recurs, you need

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to consider the possibility of a more serious underlying cause.

The question of H. Pylori infection should be evaluated. Hiatal hernia or scleroderma could be involved. The problem may have progressed to Barrett esophagitis, or adenoma carcinoma, or it may have caused scarring in the esophagus creating strictures that narrow the esophageal opening and interfere with swallowing.

All of these are serious disorders that require a doctor’s care.

At Advanced Allergy Relief of Connecticut in West Hartford and North Haven, we find that we can successfully treat most cases of heartburn by re-training the body’s reaction to the offending foods and acids – a simple and elegant strategy that is more akin to treating an allergy than to the usual approach of treating excess acid. Reports from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and elsewhere confirm our clinical findings and support the value of our treatment approach. Many patients – especially children – who were originally thought to have simple reflux, are instead found to have eosinophilic esophagitis: inflammation of the esophagus associated with the presence of eosinophils, white blood cells involved in allergies.

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers in Dallas have shed new light on the actual process involved in producing heartburn. Using an animal model for GERD, they discovered the surprising fact that acid reflux doesn’t directly damage the lining of the esophagus in test animals. Instead, acid triggers the release of chemicals called cytokines that attract inflammatory immune cells (like eosinophils) to the area. These cells create inflammation and are responsible for the real damage. They also found a second surprise: damage to the lining of the esophagus doesn’t occur immediately on exposure to acid – it takes several weeks!

This doesn’t make sense if stomach acid is the cause of the burns because acid burns immediately. It does make sense if the cytokines and immune cells are the real culprits, because that process takes more time.

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Researchers at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine have confirmed another one of our clinical observations: pollen allergies and chemical sensitivities can cause inflammation at the bottom of the esophagus. Putting all these findings together, you can begin to see the relationship between asthma, hay fever, sinusitis, allergies and GERD. In fact, an overwhelming 60-80% of adults with asthma suffer from GERD and in asthmatic children the prevalence of GERD is 50-60%.

Natural medicine can, fortunately, offer many remedies to relieve the burning pain of heartburn even though the underlying problem is sometimes more difficult to identify and correct. New research information and clinical patterns make it clear that, ultimately, a holistic approach is needed to understand and deal with the causes. In the meantime, heartburn sufferers can find help by recognizing and treating their inappropriate reactions to foods and implementing an anti-inflammatory diet, soothing herbs, enzymes, probiotics, and appropriate nutrients. Welcome relief and healing will occur.

Lifestyle Modifications for GERD Avoid acidic foods, spicy foods, sugar, caffeine, chocolate.

Avoid food allergens and seek treatment for food and pollen allergies.

Eat a diet high in fiber and antioxidants and low in carbohydrates.

Eat smaller meals and don’t lie down after eating.

Sleep on your left side and/or elevate the head of your bed.

Avoid aggravating pharmaceuticals.

Lose weight and quit smoking.

With more than 35 years of experience in alternative medicine, Dr. Anne Mitchell blends many therapies to facilitate deep levels of healing. She is a skilled diagnostician and is accomplished as a classical homeopath in addition to her comprehensive knowledge of the foundations of naturopathic medicine; nutrition and botanical medicine. She is clinic director of Advanced Allergy Relief of Connecticut in North Haven and West Hartford. In addition to the successful elimination of allergic reactions, her clinic is introducing an individually designed weight loss program using whole foods and natural products. www.annemitchellnd.com.

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MOVEMENT as Medicine

By Jade Teta, ND, CSCS and Keoni Teta, ND, CSCS, LAc

Expert Advice on Building Muscle

Why it is usually wrong

W

hat is the best way to build muscle? If you are a personal trainer or experienced exerciser, then chances are you know the answer to this question. The standard answer to this question by those in the “know” is lift moderately heavy weights for 3-4 sets and 8-12 repetitions. This is the protocol that countless trainers and exercisers have lived and died by for decades. The problem is, this protocol does not work for all people.

Building muscle is the key to changing the metabolism for good. Men and women alike seek the tight firm and shapely bodies only muscle can deliver. When it comes to sustained fatburning, muscle is the most important element. But what happens when the standard exercise prescriptions to build muscle don’t work? Is there another way to build muscle? Do people respond differently to exercise? And if so, is there a way to find out what would be the best way to build muscle for each individual?

Testosterone and Muscle Whether male or female, the hormone testosterone is the limiting factor in building muscle. Testosterone is the reason men naturally have more muscle and less fat than women. Women too are beginning to realize that testosterone is key to developing the tight shapely bodies they want. The problem is everyone is uniquely different in his or her ability to release and benefit from this hormone. Not only that, but there are other hormones that work against the action of testosterone and can negate its positive effects. Excess stress hormones, especially cortisol, are notorious for breaking down muscle tissue.

Every single exerciser is as different on the inside biochemically as they are on the outside physically. This is a concept that medicine has realized. However, it is a concept fitness ignores.

In the world of fitness everyone is treated as if they are the same.

If someone wants to build muscle there is a protocol for that.

If someone wants to burn fat there is a protocol for that, and if someone wants to get strong, there is a popular wisdom about how to achieve it. But this one size fits all concept does not work for everybody.

Go in any gym across the country and you will see personal trainers and fitness enthusiasts doing the same style of workout one after the other, over and over. Some of these people look great and seem to thrive on these protocols. But others struggle to put on even one ounce of muscle and are confused about why it does not work for them. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to look past our old beliefs to see there may actually be another way to derive the same result. It is convenient to blame poor results on genetics or chalk it up to poor work ethics, but the bottom line is some people respond to the common wisdom on muscle building and some do not.

Individualized Metabolism Finding the proper balance between cortisol’s muscle-burning effects and testosterone’s muscle-building effects is of vital importance when training to develop the tight muscled physique we all want. This means that it is not only the workout protocol that is involved, but also how that exercise regime affects the unique hormonal makeup of the individual doing the training that matters. www.naturalnutmeg.com

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The Truth About Building Muscle Here is the truth about building muscle: it is different for everyone. Personal trainers who have been in the industry a while, and who strive to deliver results to their clients, have already figured this out.

When someone is not getting the results they should, good trainers will switch up

the program. And if they still are not getting the results they want they switch it up again. Finally, after several attempts they will find the exercise protocol that works best for that particular client. Smart exercise enthusiasts will do the same thing.

They will alter their workout until they find the one that seems to work for them. We never understood why this was needed in some people until now.

It turns out that everyone is different in his or her release of testosterone. Some people release testosterone on protocols that involve lifting heavy weight for very low reps. If you ask one of these people how to build muscle they will undoubtedly tell you to lift as heavy as possible.

There are others who do wonderfully on bodybuilding type protocols where the weight is somewhat heavy and the repetitions vary from 8 on the low end to 15 on the high end. Then, believe it or not, there are some who build muscle on endurance protocols where the weights are lighter and the reps are higher. Up until now it was hard to predict which protocol an exerciser might respond to.

Scientific Muscle Building Wouldn’t it be great if there were a way to determine the best approach for each individual to build muscle? Something that was based on science and not left up to trial and error? Two new studies in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research suggest there is. These studies published in the March 2008 issue by Dr. C. Martyn Beaven usher in a new era in our understanding of what it takes to build muscle. In the first of these two studies,

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professional rugby players were given different exercise protocols that included the exact same exercises. The only difference in the protocols was that they involved different set, rep, weight and rest schemes.

One protocol (the “muscle building protocol”) involved 4 sets of 10 reps with moderately heavy weight and two minutes rest between all the exercises. Another protocol (the “strength protocol”) involved 3 sets of five reps with heavy weight and with three minutes rest between exercises. The next protocol was an endurance protocol with lighter weight and five sets of 15 reps. The rest period lasted only one-minute. The final protocol involved lightweight and low reps with 1-minute rest between each exercise.

Based on the above description and the common beliefs about muscle building, the 4 sets of ten reps protocol should have excelled at building muscle and the 3 sets of five reps should have been best for strength gains. However, the results of the study did not show this at all. Every single protocol seemed to favorably alter testosterone production in at least some participants. This study showed that each individual in the study had a very unique hormonal response to the exercises. Each protocol was able to create maximal testosterone release above and beyond the other protocols in a subset of the participants. Some participants saw maximal testosterone release in the endurance protocol, some in the strength protocol and some in the other protocols.

Individual Response to Muscle Growth After seeing these results, the authors

did a second study and stratified each individual into the protocol that delivered the maximum testosterone release for that person. When they looked at the results from the second study they found that a significant majority of participants were able to increase both size and strength on their particular protocol. This was seen whether the protocol was an endurance protocol using lightweights and high reps or heavy weight and low reps. Taken together these two studies show a few very important facts about muscle gain. First, muscle gain is unique for the individual and is dependant on the individual hormonal response of the exercise protocol. Second, when someone uses a protocol that suits their individual metabolic tendencies they are much more likely to get the results they seek.

Real world application Obviously these studies were able to use fancy scientific tools to measure hormonal responses to exercise protocols, but the average trainer or fitness enthusiast does not have this luxury. However, it is fairly easy to determine how an exercise protocol is affecting someone by asking several questions. First, how sore are they after the workouts and for how long?

While some soreness is useful, soreness that is extra intense and lasting more than three days may signal an imbalance in the cortisol to testosterone ratio, meaning results will suffer.

By the same token, are the strength gains in the protocol going up, down or staying the same? If the gains in strength are not being achieved chances are this is

not the ideal protocol for muscle building.

Energy, hunger, mood, and sleep are also important. The first sign of lowered testosterone and elevated cortisol is a drop in energy, cravings for sweets and dramatically increased hunger, irritability, restless sleep and waking not feeling rested. These measures act as biofeedback tools for trainers and fitness enthusiasts alike on how their chosen protocols are affecting the muscle building hormonal metabolism.

There is a simple tool to pinpoint how a workout protocol is impacting muscle gains. The test is called an adrenal stress index (ASI) and it is very similar to the testing used in the studies above. The test uses salivary cortisol and DHEA (a precursor to testosterone) measurements over a 24 hour period. Saliva is the best and most reliable way to measure these two hormones since it measures free hormone. It is also very easy to do. The test provides a direct measure of anabolic and catabolic balance in the body. If you really want to know how your workout protocol is impacting your success find an integrative physician who understands how to interpret these tests.

By using these feedback tools it is easy to find and stick with the exercise protocol uniquely suited to an individual.

This new method and understanding not only answers the question about how best to build muscle, but will deliver the best results in minimum time.

Jade Teta, ND, CSCS and Keoni Teta, ND, CSCS, LAc are naturopathic physicians and experts in the science of exercise. For more information, visit www.MetabolicEffect.com.

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La Route de Bonheur or The Road to the Good Life Farm to Table Dining at Ferme Restaurant

T

he menu a chef offers his guests often tells a story. The mix of ingredients and flavors of the dishes reveals the travels and inspiration from cuisines worldwide. Carl Rynecki, chef de cuisine, brings his knowledge and appreciation of fine dining to Ferme Restaurant at Avon Old Farms Hotel. The focus of Ferme (French for Farm) Restaurant is farm to table cuisine, which marries the freshest of local ingredients to create the most favorable food.

It was the goal of Maria Gregoire to bring some change to her family’s hotel restaurant, formally known as Seasons. By inviting Chef Carl to return to his Connecticut roots, the dream to invigorate the dining experience at Seasons has transformed into warm, sophisticated Ferme. Think of dining at Ferme like going to your favorite neighborhood inn, a combination of a gastropub, with a more upscale dining experience. "We have noticed a shift of appreciation in our clientele since Chef Carl started in October" Maria explained.

By accessing local cattle ranches, farms, dairies, fishmongers, and vineyards, Ferme offers menu items that are very fresh, using the minimum of middlemen. Literally, many of the ingredients are directly from the farm to the table.

Eating locally and taking advantage of seasonally available fruits and vegetables contribute to the awareness of the cultural impact of farming and the environment.

Savvy consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of knowing where their

food comes from, and how it was grown and harvested. Since we are what we eat, people are willing to take the time to choose the best and freshest foods available. Another aspect of this concept is the locavore, or regional food movement. This is the realization that by buying and eating locally grown food, people are involved in a collaborative effort to enhance a self-reliant food economy, which is also part of the sustainability movement. One goal Chef Carl has for Ferme is the challenge that when possible to buy ingredients within 50 miles of the restaurant’s Avon location.

Working with his nephew, Ian Rynecki, Chef Carl brings an awareness of these local ingredients to a cuisine that needs to be experienced. It is a creativity that explores and encourages an explosion of flavors.

Formally trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Carl readily states his training really started "on the road". Working in San Francisco gave him an appreciation for the local food movement. While in Europe, he opened and trained in three star Michelin rated hotels and inns. Back in the states he worked in Texas, Montana, Virginia, Pittsburgh and Oregon. With each region offering its own local spin on food and flavor, Chef Carl has combined these culinary forces to create his own unique cuisine, something he calls Classic American, but with a twist.

The menu at Ferme, which changes seasonally, has already begun to build a reputation for creating fine food using local

purveyors. Cheese from Cato Corners Farm in Colchester, wine from Sharpe Hill, produce from Rosedale Farm and grass fed beef from Laurel Ridge Farm in Litchfield are an indication of the decision to create delicious local food. "Patrons of Ferme should know that they are going to experience a meal they are not going to get any place else", said Chef Carl. Warm, cozy and inviting, the dining experience includes many delicious items, but with always an eye toward fun.

Menu items are designed to be shared, with half or full sizes available and selections that offer an adventure for the palate.

I was fortunate to experience a meal at Ferme and was totally amazed with the creative drive Chef Carl brought to the table. Menu selections are wide-ranging and whimsical, designed to entertain as well as nourish the soul. For example, appetizers start with Purple haze cypress grove chevre, charcuterie platter of local pate, to offerings of 3 types of sliders. You won’t want to miss the diver scallops and braised short ribs with cauliflower puree in a port wine reduction.

And for dessert, one has to try the maple syrup tasting from Canada, Vermont and Connecticut on mini Belgian waffles with whipped butter ice cream. Please check out the full menu offering on line www.avonoldfarmshotel.com/documents/ferme2210.pdf.

Diners will want to try each item that is sure to sweep the winter doldrums away.

Other goals Chef Carl has for Ferme is hosting a farmers market at Avon Old Farms Hotel. From April to October, the market

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will bring a wide variety of fresh produce and artisan food items to Avon. Creating an herb garden on site will also allow greater creativity for menu planning.

Dining at Ferme is an event that acknowledges a lifelong passion of creating good food. It is Chef Carl's story of providing the best and most creative food possible. "If you are not passionate in what you are doing, than you are indifferent." said Chef Carl.

He is truly the master of providing patrons at Ferme an opportunity to experience la route de Bonheur or the road to the good life.

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KnowyourHerbs

Lisl Meredith Huebner, Dipl.CH (NCCAOM), RH (AHG)

Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus)

E

arly in spring, its raggedy, bespeckled leaves first emerge in a basal rosette from the tough, deep taproot that has wintered below. The edges of the elongated leaves are wavy and somewhat crinkled, giving definition to its other well-known moniker, Curly Dock. Gardeners as a rule are not particularly fond of this tenacious garden interloper, knowing full well that the profusion of seeds it produces late in every growing season will spell disaster for their carefully tended beds. Each root must be carefully dug out from its firm grip on the earth far below the surface, for even a small piece of the brittle root, snapped off in an attempt to extricate it from the soil, will produce an even sturdier offspring. Hoeing is out of the question; the best thing to do is to make peace with the rugged invader and relentlessly continue to harvest this valuable herb for its medicine.

The name “Dock” which refers to a broad leafed weed sometimes causes some confusion; another useful wild plant called Burdock (Arctium lappa) is actually of no direct relation to Rumex crispus. The environment they favor tends to share many similarities however; waste places, overgrown meadows or pastures, roadsides, ditches, abandoned farmland and cultivated ground such as your garden are all locales where one may find Yellow Dock languishing. Be sure to use common sense when harvesting any wild plants and avoid places where toxic chemicals may be present in the ground, particularly by the side of roads and landfills.

Rumex crispus (also known as Sour Dock) is considered to be cold and dry, a restoring, bitter astringent that decongests and dissolves accumulations. Its effects are felt most strongly in the intestines, the liver, the lymphatic system and the kidneys. It can help to reduce inflammation and promote healing both topically and internally. It has been prescribed for a variety of ailments including herpes, syphilis, vaginitis, ovarian cysts and fibroids, tumors, boils, acne, thrush, ulcers, dysentery, hemorrhoids, urinary tract

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infections, kidney and gallstones, acidosis, and as an adjunctive support for diabetics.

As its name suggests, the root of this perennial herb is yellow which can be a signature or a reminder for some of its medicinal effects. Well known as a spring tonic, Yellow Dock is hepatic in nature, supporting and restoring the functioning of the liver. As a boost for the liver and gall bladder, Rumex crispus assists the digestion of fatty foods by enhancing bile production. Historically, its use in spring was truly revitalizing after a long season of mostly meat and fats in the winter diet. The judicious use of this herb can be of great benefit to people who frequently indulge in the rich and over processed foods of a modern diet as well.

The root of Curly Dock is known to help the intestines increase its absorption of minerals; therefore it has been used effectively in the treatment of malabsorption issues, including Crohn’s disease. Herbalists sometimes prescribe the remedy to people with various food allergies because this symptom generally indicates an imbalance with the liver. Other conditions that may point toward Liver imbalance include gout, certain skin diseases, congestive dysmennorhea, and of course jaundice. When used to help decongest the liver, we frequently will pair Yellow Dock with Dandelion root.

Because of its ability to increase mineral absorption, and the significant amount of iron it contains, Yellow Dock has been used extensively for building blood in the treatment of anemia and has even been used successfully in extreme cases of leukemia. It is wise to remember however, that this is a cold and decongesting herb and by itself is not appropriate for the treatment of blood deficiency. When used for anemia it is excellent in combination with nettles, peony root, dang gui, red clover and molasses.

These herbs, prepared as a decoction and taken at a dose of one cup three times daily most often will resolve anemia within three months. Following this method from time to time will help keep blood levels balanced and prevent the reoccurrence of anemia.

The bioflavonoids Yellow Dock contains also have a strengthening effect on the capillaries and the herb can be of great benefit where there is portal congestion. It can actually help to regulate menstrual blood when there is a tendency toward early flooding or slow, heavy and delayed menstruation. Slow, heavy menstrual blood can often be a sign of congestion; I frequently see a correlation between such conditions and uterine/ovarian cysts or fibroids. In these cases, Yellow dock can be helpful when part of a carefully constructed formula.

Perhaps the most common use for this Sour Dock is as a safe laxative for chronic constipation, especially if there is concurrent liver imbalance. Its purgative function is due the presence of anthraquinone glycosides that stimulate peristalsis. It is less

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irritating than other herbs like senna, cascara sagrada or rhubarb because of the high tannin content. Combining it with a carminative like cumin or fennel seed to make the remedy even more harmonious to the body is a good idea; often Yellow Dock will stimulate a bowel movement within a few hours of ingestion. A tincture of the herb can be taken starting with a low dose of ¼ teaspoon two to three times daily, up to one teaspoon for each dose, but do not exceed taking the remedy for more than one week.

Like all peristaltic herbs, laxative dependency is possible, so use only when necessary and if constipation persists, seek out an experienced herbalist to get to the root of the problem. It is also important to note that Yellow Dock also contains a considerable amount of oxalic acid, a compound found in many plants and foods such as spinach, strawberries, rhubarb, beets, Swiss chard, wheat bran, nuts, chocolate, and tea. An excess of oxalic acid in the diet can interfere with calcium absorption and increase the risk of kidney stones, so although herbs are frequently much safer to use than pharmaceuticals, it is wise to seek the expertise of a professional herbalist when embarking on an herbal regimen.

The sour leaves of Yellow Dock are a tasty and refreshing young leafy green to add to an early spring salad, but eating too much may cause gastric upset for some people. Because the newly emerged leaves contain a small amount of chrysophanic acid that can irritate the mouth and cause a tingling numbness that lasts for a few hours, be sure to wash the young leaves well before eating them which will remove all traces of the irritant. Curly Dock can also be cooked as a vegetable; some sources say to cook in several changes of water, but personally, I prefer to simply steam it or boil it briefly in a small amount of water. The leaves are also a valuable source of many vitamins and minerals, particularly iron.

The seeds are prolific, and as a rich source of riboflavin, can help the body absorb Vitamin C more efficiently. Although some wild food enthusiasts find hulling them to be too labor-intensive, others simply don’t bother to do more than sift through trays of seeds to remove insects, pieces of stem, twigs and leaves before grinding the seed, hull and all in a spice mill to use as a coffee substitute, or grind them extra fine for use as flour. I found at Natureskills.com a recipe for Yellow Dock Seed Crackers that combines equal

amounts of Rumex crispus seed flour and any other type of flour you like with, salt and water to make a dough to be rolled out and baked. Simple enough, I plan to make some next fall!

Lastly, the magical uses of Yellow Dock are to attract success, commerce and prosperity; perhaps it is the profusion of seeds the plant produces, or the opportunistic habits of this common plant that bring abundance to mind. Whatever the reasoning, if you want to experiment with drawing in wealth by utilizing a wash of this weed on the doorknobs of your business, what could it hurt? Just let me know how it works out!

Lisl Meredith Huebner, Dipl.CH (NCCAOM), RH (AHG) is a nationally board certified Chinese Herbalist, and a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild. She is available by appointment at The Essence of Being at Johnnycake Mountain, Burlington, CT. www.theessenceofbeingat.com. Please call 860-673-6863 or email at essenceofbeing@hotmail.com if you have any questions, would like to schedule an appointment, attend meditations, weed walks, or are interested in taking classes. See ad on page 18,29.

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D

espite years of research and top-quality science, the world of nutrition is still riddled with flawed thinking. Most people feel that because they eat, they must be experts in nutrition.

However, it’s not really their fault if their reasoning is wrong. Most people get their nutrition beliefs from the news and it seems that reporters change their minds almost as often as people change their socks, which is mostly true. One day you read that eggs give you heart disease, the next day you hear that this was wrong and they’re actually good for you.

What’s a person to believe? Well, the best thing to do is to think like your grandparents when it comes to food. What do I mean by that? Well, if your grandparents wouldn’t recognize the food or nutrition advice, then it’s probably not good for you. Also, if you didn’t actually witness a food or animal being grown or raised, there most likely is something unhealthy about it – whether it is pesticides, hormones or antibiotics unnecessarily added. You just can’t be too sure anymore.

In recognition of March’s National Nutrition Month, this article is going to help you weed through and differentiate the nutrition facts from fiction. We’ll comb through the top 5 nutrition myths and explain why they deserve busting.

Nutrition Myths Busted

#1. Saturated fat causes heart disease

Over the past 40 years butter has become the poster child for saturated fat and has gained a reputation as a deadly food.

Vilified and condemned to an unhealthy fate, butter not only will cause your heart to stop beating spontaneously, but it will increase the size of your love handles faster than a bag of Twizzlers (they’re fat free, so, they must be better for you, right?).

However, just last month, a meta-analysis of 21 unique studies, including almost 350,000 people, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that there is no relationship between intake of saturated fat and the incidence of heart disease or stroke. Yes, you read it right: None.

This study was published by some of the top lipid researchers in this country, who at one time themselves also thought saturated fat was to blame for our high heart disease rates. In this meta-analysis,

11,000 of the 350,000 of the people studied developed cardiovascular disease (CVD), over a time period of 14 years. By combining these different studies into one investigation, the authors were able to see if there was really any association between saturated fat intake and risk of heart attacks and stroke – which in fact, there was none. They found that there was a weak association only in studies involving smaller numbers of cases, but not larger ones. Smaller studies are usually subject to publication bias, so it’s unclear if these were actually valid or not.

If this publication is now the talk of the nutrition community, how did saturated fat get its bad reputation?

Well, it all started in the 50’s when a physiologist named Ancel Keys, Ph.D. compared fat intake and heart disease deaths in six countries, including the U.S. and found that saturated fat was connected to heart disease. In hindsight, the truth was that the countries he used to prove this statistic were cherry-picked to show this result because that’s what he believed. While Dr. Keys used data from six countries, he actually had statistics from 22 countries available. And when scientists analyzed those statistics, the apparent link between eating saturated fat and heart disease disappeared. Yet, the public was never made fully aware of these findings.

In this new investigation, the authors wrote the following: "Our results suggested publication bias, such that studies with significant associations tended to be received more favorably for publication. If unpublished studies with null associations were included in the current analysis, the pooled relative risk estimate for CVD could be even closer to null."

So, what’s the bottom line? Butter is

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not the heart killer that we once thought.

In fact, your grandparents would probably tell you to eat butter, and not margarine, because it’s healthier. But we’ve been lead to believe a different line of thinking, and because of it we ended up consuming tubs of hydrogenated margarine, which, due to their high trans fat content, increase our risk of heart disease more than butter possibly could have ever achieved. And, even the non-hydrogenated margarines are not playing out to be the heart saviors we thought they would be. Thus, go ahead an enjoy butter, a natural food not tampered with by modern man.

#2. Diet soda is healthier than regular soda

Many people dislike the taste of plain water, so they turn to carbonated beverages and other sweetened drinks to satisfy their fluid needs. Since 1950, our consumption of carbonated beverages has climbed from 10 gallons per person per year, to more than 50. Of this, diet soda makes up 30% of the total volume – that’s a lot of pop!

The reason for the increased popularity of diet beverages, including soda and juice drinks, is the association of sugar with the development of obesity, diabetes and many other chronic conditions, which is true.

But, our obsession with sweet drinks has not led us down the right path by replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners. Instead of reducing our sugar intake, we replaced it with something even sweeter, but with no caloric value: artificial sweeteners.

Recently, researchers have found that artificially sweetened beverages we drink to lose weight and reduce our risk of diabetes are actually associated with weight gain and an increased incidence of diabetes and insulin-resistance. But how is this possible?

Weren’t these sweeteners supposed to be better for us? Apparently not.

Several different large epidemiological studies in humans have indicated a direct correlation between frequent diet beverage consumption to double the risk of diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Other human data indicate that substitution of sugar with artificial sweeteners doesn’t actually reduce appetite, but stimulates it even more!

Artificial sweeteners actually act almost exactly the same in the body as sugar despite their minimal caloric value. They activate sweet receptors in the brain and endocrine cells in the gut making you think you had sugar, but because there are no calories associated with them, the brain www.naturalnutmeg.com

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realizes something isn’t right. Tricking the body in this way disrupts our normal energy regulation such that we end up seeking out more food to replace the nutrients we should have received from the non-nutritive sweet foods (namely carbohydrates and more sugar).

So what’s a person to do? Should you just eat regularly-sweetened foods? Or continue to use artificially-sweetened substitutions? Well, in a perfect world we’d do neither. The American food supply has become sickly sweet and because of this, we’re one of the more obese nations in the world – and your grandparents would agree. The only way to reduce our intake of all these sweet

items is to read food labels carefully and watch out for unnecessarily added sugars.

As far as artificial sweeteners go, the best bet is just to cut them out completely.

This includes Saccharine, Sucralose/Splenda, Acesulfame-K, Cyclamate and Aspartame. Even Stevia and Agave sweeteners don’t seem to have any benefit. A sweetener is a sweetener, no matter the type. Over time your palate will learn to appreciate unsweetened tea or coffee, and will recognize a good, unsweetened slice of bread (such as sprouted grain bread) compared to the overly-sweet breads commonly found on grocery shelves. As Henry Feilding once said, “Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea”, his words could not be any closer to the truth.

#3 Coffee is bad for your health

Whenever a person begins a “cleansing” diet, one of the first things they’re supposed to eliminate is coffee. Sure, perhaps giving your body a break from stimulants is a good idea, but is coffee actually a toxic and unhealthy substance? Well, let’s look at the facts.

Now, more than ever, studies are popping up actually touting the hefty list of health benefits from your favorite brew.

From cancer risk to liver disease to type 2 diabetes coffee has been shown to have beneficial effects.

One of the reasons for coffee’s ability to improve risks of disease is its high content of antioxidants, namely polyphenols.

These compounds protect body cells from free radical ions and reactive atoms that can disrupt normal function and lead to diseases like cancer and diabetes. In two separate human investigations, individuals who consumed 2 or more cups of coffee a day had half the risk and rate of liver disease and cancer as those who consumed no coffee at all. In a recent January 2010 publication, Harvard epidemiologists found that consumption of 5 or more cups of coffee or

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tea daily compared to no consumption was associated with a decreased risk of glioma (brain cancer).

For reduction of diabetes, Australian researchers recently combined data from 18 studies including over 457,000 participants and found that for every additional cup of coffee consumed each day, there was a 7% reduction in risk in this widespread disease. Similar inverse associations were found for decaffeinated coffee and tea and risk of incident diabetes indicating that the effects are likely due to the polyphenol content of these beverages and perhaps not caffeine itself.

Now that you know coffee can actually benefit your health, there are two important factors to consider. First, coffee is not a substitute for a balanced breakfast, no matter how busy you are in the morning. Skipping breakfast leads to greater hunger later in the day, so ensure you complement your morning cup ‘o Joe with something as simple as scrambled eggs and fruit. Second, coffee loaded with artificial whiteners or excess sweeteners (sugar or artificial), may negate the benefits of this healthy drink. As pointed out above, excess sweetness and artificial anything is most likely a bad health move.

Instead, learn to enjoy your coffee black, or with a small amount of cream (or milk) and sugar in the raw. Just be careful to enjoy your hot coffee slowly so you don’t burn your tongue!

#4 High protein diets are “bad to the bone”

One of the knocks against high protein diets is their suspected negative effect on bone health. Part of the reason for this supposed detrimental outcome is that protein decreases your body’s natural pH balance, resulting in an acid overload that must be buffered by the bone. This was thought to release calcium from the skeleton, which would weaken bone strength. However, protein also has beneficial effects on bone by increasing bone growth factors, enhancing calcium absorption (in addition to often supplying calcium), and increasing muscle mass and strength.

In a recent meta-analysis of 61 studies from late 2009, researchers found little to no evidence that dietary protein had a negative effect on bone health – whether it be from animal or vegetable sources. In fact, there was a slight positive effect of increased protein intakes on bone strength which accounted for 1-2% of total bone mineral density. Despite slight decreases in body pH levels from increased protein

intake, there is apparently no detrimental effect on bone strength and density.

Currently, researchers at the University of Connecticut and Yale are also conducting a large multi-center study to investigate this observation of protein on bone health even further. Their study: “Supplemental Protein to Outsmart Osteoporosis Now (SPOON)” is providing increased protein to the normal low-protein diets of mature men and women with the aim of determining if it does indeed improve bone health and possibly prevent bone fractures.

Other benefits of high protein diets include improved satiety during weight loss regimes, and retention of lean body mass (muscle). There also does not appear to be any detrimental effect of increased protein intake on kidney or heart health. In fact, because additional protein can help you attain a more optimal body composition, there are only good reasons to include it in your diet today!

What’s the bottom line here? Well, grandpa and grandma also enjoyed protein as part of their healthy daily diets. However, the protein they chose came from local farms, and weren’t covered in breading, high sugar sauces or preserved with carcinogenic chemicals. The same should apply

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to you - be smart when choosing protein: know where it comes from; ensure it wasn’t injected with unnecessary hormones or antibiotics; and try to eat it in its most natural state possible paired with healthy side dishes.

#5 Low-carb diets are neither practical nor healthy

Dr Atkins’ name is often synonymous with low-carb living. Yet, there are plenty of low-carb diet plans out there today that have similar characteristics. The common theme behind all these nutritional designs is a significant reduction in carbohydrates from the typical American fare with a corresponding increase in protein and dietary fat. Foods usually consumed include leafy greens, berries, meats, fish and poultry, eggs, dairy, oils, nuts and seeds. None of these foods needs to be low in fat (like dairy), and for some people, that’s a source of contention.

As we’ve learned above, high saturated fat in the diet, which is often the case with low-carb living, is not a precursor to heart disease. Then, as we’ve learned last month from Dr Desmond Ebanks, high cholesterol diets also are not detrimental. How-

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ever most people still do not feel comfortable with all this fat in their diet. I mean, how good can it be to replace your toast at breakfast with an extra egg? Well, in fact, for some people, it is a very good thing.

Then there’s often increased protein intake on a low-carb diet that for some people causes concern. But, as we learned above, this is not actually detrimental for bone health or kidney function. In fact, the higher protein content of these low-carb plans enhances their success for weight loss because protein has the ability to improve satiety and promote fullness faster than many high-carb foods.

Recently, at the University of Connecticut, Jeff Volek, PhD and I conducted one of the first controlled feeding studies of a lowcarbohydrate diet. In this investigation, we studied 8 men and fed them everything they needed for two 6-week periods. Our aim was to compare a high saturated fat, lowcarbohydrate diet with a high-unsaturated fat, low-carbohydrate diet in the absence of weight loss on markers for heart disease and inflammation, and body composition.

This study was a follow-up to a larger study recently conducted in which we found that despite a 3-fold greater intake of saturated fat on a low-carb weight loss diet, the saturated fat content of the blood decreased significantly compared to a low-fat diet.

What we found was that both the high saturated fat and a low-saturated fat lowcarb plan actually reduced systemic inflammation, decreased or did not elevate the saturated fat content of the blood, and did not have any negative effects on markers of oxidative stress measured in the urine. Also, despite a lack of weight loss, a few of the participants actually lost body fat while retaining or gaining muscle mass just due to removing carbohydrates from their normal intake.

For many people, a low-carb nutrition plan has many positive benefits: it helps reduce cravings for sugar and sugary foods; it increases consumption of foods rich in calcium, heme iron, vitamin B12, and essential fats; it promotes greater intake of low-carb green-leafy vegetables which are known to reduce cancer risk; all the while reducing risk factors for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, even without weight loss. These statements are all backed up with solid scientific evidence and are being re-validated almost every day.

As far as practicality, some people worry that they will miss out on healthy whole grains, higher carb fruits and several healthy convenience foods. However, the health benefits of a low-carb diet are still www.naturalnutmeg.com

seen in the absence of these items. Even despite the potential lack of dietary fiber on a low-carb plan, many people still see an improvement in gut health (oftentimes people will discover their intolerance to gluten or addiction to flour products once they make this switch).

I will say this: A low-carb lifestyle is not for everyone, but it is a very good option for many people, especially those who lead fairly sedentary lifestyles and have no need for excess carbohydrate foods in their diet anyhow. Even for those who are more active, a reduction in carbs from the normal 65% recommended for exercise can help reduce body fat, improve cardiovascular health and calm inflammation in ways never experienced before.

Wise words from grandpa and grandma on this topic: continue to choose fresh, minimally processed foods as often as possible. Just because you’re following a lowcarb diet, doesn’t mean you need to overconsume processed meats, hydrogenated margarines or “sugar-free” substitutes for real food. You can find nitrate-free organic bacon more easily than ever before, grassfed meats, free-range chicken and eggs, and organic berries and olive oils. Just choose wisely as your grandparents would have and a low-carb diet can be one of your greatest health allies.

Cassandra Forsythe, PhD, RD holds her doctorate in Exercise Science & Nutrition from the Univ. of Connecticut and is a Registered Dietitian through the American Dietetic Association. She is also the author of "The New Rules of Lifting for Women", and, "Women’s Health Perfect Body Diet". Through evidence-based exercise and nutrition science, Cassandra helps men and women reach their health and body composition goals at Alternity Healthcare, LLC, 639 Park Rd., West Hartford, 860-561-2294. www.alternityhealthcare.com. See ad on page 2, 17.

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WISDOM for the JOURNEY

B

An Exclusive Interview With Judith Orloff, MD

orn into a family of 25 classically trained physicians, including her own parents, Judith Orloff, M.D. was discouraged from talking about the ‘coincidences’ that she predicted and which unnerved the people in her life. A new edition of her bestseller Second Sight (Three Rivers Press, 2010) chronicles her journey from intuitive child with abilities she did not understand, to esteemed psychiatrist who dared to defy medical taboos. During her medical training, she denied and suppressed her skills, trusting the scientific method above her intuition. In the elite field of psychiatry, intuitive skills were unfit for making decisions affecting other people’s lives. After learning that a premonition she ignored could have prevented a patient’s suicide attempt, Dr. Orloff immersed herself in understanding the symbiosis between intuition and ethical, responsible medical practice.

A New York Times best selling author, Dr. Orloff has transformed psychiatry by synthesizing traditional medical practice with her knowledge of intuition, energy, and spirituality to promote mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical healing. For everyone, she offers practical strategies to overcome the maladies of modern life—frustration, stress, worry and overactive minds. Her other book, Emotional Freedom (Harmony Books, March, 2009) is a roadmap for those who are stressed, discouraged, or overwhelmed—and for those who are in a good emotional place but want to feel better.

I

n this interview, the delightful Dr. Orloff talks about the re-release of Second Sight, and shares her experiences and insights about intuition, creativity and emotional freedom.

cine and life, in general. The great gift of Second Sight coming out now, is that the public is more receptive to the idea of extra sensory experiences and ways of knowing.

Karen: Why do you think we are hearing so much about intuition, energy healing and creativity at this time and how did this influence the re-release of Second Sight?

Karen: What is intuition? How are creativity and intuition connected?

Judith: The world has changed since the first edition, almost 15 years ago.

People have become much more open to the integration of intuition in medi40

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Judith: Intuition is a skill and intelligence. It is a focused ability that I teach everyone to develop in the book, Second Sight. There’s a spectrum of intuitive experiences-- from gut instincts to communicating with someone who has passed over. www.naturalnutmeg.com

Intuition or Intuitive Intelligence is more palatable, in a way more tangible even to scientific minds. Many researchers, like Einstein, who have made great discoveries departed from traditional theories on a hunch. That’s intuition at work.

To be creative implies that you have accessed intuition. When you immerse yourself in a creative process of any kind, even if you don’t view it as intuitive, you are placing yourself in an intuitively charged place. My belief is that all forms of creative/intuitive expression originate from a spiritual source. The shared challenge between an artist and an intuitive

is to translate the intangible or invisible into the material and the visible. This is true for all creative endeavors not just artistic creativity. This is why we are hearing more about ‘right-brain skills’ or ‘outside the box’ thinking in work environments.

When people have permission to access their intuition unique solutions to complex problems can result.

impressions. Fear is highly charged with negativity and it limits your ability to think and to act or respond. Some fearful feelings are authentic intuitions. Look at the quality of the emotions associated with what you’re sensing.

Karen: Intuitive Intelligence. I think that should be added to the Theory of Multiple Intelligences put forth by Howard Gardner. One of the seven intelligences he identified was Intrapersonal Intelligence, the capacity to know and understands one’s feelings, fears and motivations.

Judith: We all possess the capacity to develop these skills. Developing intuitive intelligence or skills requires that you live in the moment and quiet the rational mind. Intuition can occur spontaneously, like a hunch or an ‘a-ha’ moment, but it also has to be developed.

Children are exceptionally intuitive because they don’t operate with their analytical mind to the degree adults do.

Playfulness is a way to engage intuition and creativity. You can’t engage these in an adult mind hooked on analyzing.

In Second Sight, I discuss five steps that anyone can use to develop intuition and use it to confront challenges in life, be it making a major decision, healing your body or mind. I live by these five steps (see side bar).

As a psychiatrist, I listen with both the linear and the intuitive mind. The lin-

Judith: Yes, I like that. That is all part of intuition, though not the whole.

Karen: Can you differentiate between fear and intuition?

Judith: Reliable intuition conveys information neutrally, without any emotion. The impressions you sense are crystal clear, seen in your mind’s eye and felt in your body. Yet, you are detached from them or any outcome related to the

Karen: How does one develop or enhance intuitive skills?

ear mind doesn’t allow you to see into the depths of someone’s soul, their innermost desires and greatest hopes and fears. I teach my patients, my students, and through my books the average person, how to balance intellect with intuition. You don’t have to make a choice: The message of Second Sight is that you can hold intuition and intellect simultaneously.

Karen: What are some ways to identify an authentic teacher or mentor?

Judith: In Second Sight, the chapter, ‘The Well-balanced Intuitive’, goes into this subject in detail. Be cautious of requests for large sums of money, grand promises, or methods that require you keep returning to them and no one else.

An authentic intuitive does not flaunt her skills; s/he is humble and compassionate. You should seek referrals from trusted holistic practitioners, get references, and pay attention to your gut.

Karen: There’s a quote by Goethe about how, when we’re in the moment of decision, there is always hesitation, sometimes it is fear holding us back. What do you suggest to someone who is afraid to

Judith Orloff

Second Sight: How to Awaken Intuition Saturday, March 6th ... 1:00 - 4:00 pm $65, registration required

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engage his or her intuitive skills?

Judith: Start with smaller decisions first; test out your intuition and build successes so you can learn to trust [yourself] in this regard. Intuition is always affirming, loving compassion.

There comes a time when we must decide if we are committed to a life based on heart. If so, this means coming to compassionate terms with the light and dark forces that shape us. Nothing is excluded. Remember this when you greet all the angels and beasts on your path. Your intuition will teach you how to see and how to love. It instills in you a renewed faith to face anything.

For more information about Dr. Orloff, please visit her web site: www.drjudithorloff.com To request reprints or permission to use excerpts from this article please contact the author/publisher.

Dr. Orloff was interviewed by Karen M. Rider, M.A., a freelance writer who covers stories and subjects that educate, enlighten and entertain. She also writes fiction that explores human and spiritual potential.

View her portfolio at: http://KarenMRider. writersresidence.com

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Five Steps to Developing Intuition

by Judith Orloff, M.D.

1. Notice Your Beliefs.

By choosing life-enhancing beliefs you can create optimal wellness. No system in the body stands apart from your thoughts. A well bodymind has a greater capacity for intuition.

2. Be in Your Body.

Most Westerners spend too much time in their head, ignoring the rest of the body. Shift into awareness and enjoyment of the physical body as a complex and sensitive intuitive receptor.

3. Sense Your Body’s Subtle Energy.

We are more than flesh and blood, we are subtle energy- chi – which penetrates the body and extends beyond it. The subtle energy system has a significant effect on health and on our ability to access and develop intuitive skills. It is important to learn to sense this energy within us and to correct imbalance in order to maintain bodymind health.

4. Ask For Inner Guidance.

Get to know your own intuitive voice, for we all have one. To hear, you must become still, for example through meditation or spending time in nature. Spend time each day devoted to listening to this voice. It may surface as a gut feeling, a hunch, an image, sound or an “a-ha” experience (an instant “knowing” like a light bulb suddenly switched on). Learn to trust the signals your inner voice sends.

5. Listen to Your Dreams.

The language of dreams is intuition. Dreams reveal information about health, relationships, life choices. The key is to remember your dreams. Keep a dream journal at your bedside. Ask a single, focused question as you fall asleep. When you wake, don’t rush out of bed. Write down the impressions lingering in your mind from your dream state. Repeat this, with the same question, for a few nights until you see the answer taking shape in your journal notes.

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Healthy Cooking

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CommunityResources Acupuncture Stan Baker, L. Ac., Dipl. Ac. 35 Nod Road, Suite 106, Menla Holistic Health, Avon.

(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. His treatments are holistic incorporating body, mind and spirit. Most people say "I wish I came to you first" after trying years of other unsuccessful therapies. He is also a teacher of advanced Chen Tai Chi, Aikido and Sun Do Mt. Yoga.

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Chiropractic Physicians West Hartford Chiropractic Dr. Moshe Laub 345 North Main St., West Hartford, Suite 322 (860) 232-5556 Dr. Laub is the founder of West Hartford Chiropractic and Wellness. Dr. Laub’s quest to treat the person as a whole and the underlying cause of disease, inspired him to study Chiropractic in Canada.

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Kensington Naturopathic Medical Ctr. Dr. Ann Aresco 355 New Britain Rd, Kensington.

(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 34.

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CommunityResources Naturopathic Physicians West Hartford Naturopathic Medicine 301 N. Main St. West Hartford, CT (860) 232-9662 www.DRAIETA.com 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 31.

Whole Health Associates, LLC Dr. Jennifer J. Stagg, Dr. Mark S. Stagg, Dr. Shawn Carney 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 back cover.

Organic / Gluten free Divine Treasures 404 Middle Tpk. West Manchester, CT. (860) 643-2552 Specializing in artisan organic chocolate made with luxuriously healthful ingredients.

Explore vegan, sugar-free and gluten-free selections along with Greater Hartford’s only dairy-free holiday ice cream cakes.

See ad on page 33.

organic landscapng Earthwise Organic Greg Hazelton, West Suffield, CT. (860) 306-9604 NOFA accredited organic land care.

See ad on page 14.

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Physicians, M.D. Alternity Healthcare, LLC Desmond Ebanks, MD 639 Park Rd, 2nd Floor, West Hartford, CT (860)748-4064 or (860)561-2294 Alternityhealthcare.com Dr. Desmond Ebanks, founder of Alternity Healthcare, is a board certified Internal Medicine specialist with more than 22 years of experience treating patients. Dr. Ebanks uses a comprehensive evaluation and stateof-the-art diagnostic equipment to expose a patient’s total health picture and develop a customized program incorporating bioidentical hormone balancing, clinical nutrition and exercise counseling and lifestyle modifications. He is the first physician in CT to offer the HeartSmartIMTplus; a non-invasive diagnostic scan endorsed by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. See ad on page 2, 17.

Center for Integrative Healthcare & Healing 533 Cottage Grove Rd, Bloomfield, CT (860) 243-2224, www.cmgmds.com/cihh.html 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 11.

Deanna M. Cherrone, M.D. Natural Health & Healing, LLC 12 West 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 page 55.

Tamara Sachs, MD Functional Medicine & Integrative Care 15 Bennitt St., New Milford (860) 354-3304 www.tsachsmd.intranets.com See ad on pg. 7. www.naturalnutmeg.com

Physicians, Osteopathic Origins Of Health, LLC Jill Moorcroft, DO Tom Moorcroft, DO 844 Hebron Avenue Glastonbury, CT 860-430-9790 www.OriginsOfHealth. com Origins Of Health is a holistic medical center that specializes in Osteopathic Manipulation, including 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 13.

Psychotherapist Dori L. Gatter, Psy.D., LPC 17 S Highland St West Hartford, CT 06119 203.258.4113 Dori Gatter,Psy.D., LPC is trained in a broad palette of therapies, which include: Body Centered Psychotherapy, Reiki, and Mindfulness. She has co-written two books and runs training programs and workshops nationally on Bonding and Attachment. Also an Image Consultant, she started her image consulting business knowing that in addition to needing support for our inner process, we need support to integrate our image with our growth. She has created an entire program for developing the self from the inside out. For more information please check out her website at www.drdorigatter.com or contact her directly either by phone at 860.258.4113 or email dori@drdorigatter.com. See ad on page 6.

Soul Support Counseling Nancy M Brockett, PhD, LPC 860.223.2232 West Hartford www.soul-support.org 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, drugfree 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 36.

Schools Connecticut Institute for Herbal Studies LauraMignosa, NCCH Nationally certified Chinese Herbologist 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 35.

The Graduate Institute Leslie Cahill Director of Admissions and 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) 874-4252 or visit www.learn.edu. See ad on page 26.

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 20.

Spas / Day Spas 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 use the purest natural and organic ingredients, with no toxic synthetic ingredients. We offer organic facials, manicures & pedicures, 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 14.

Vibrational/Energy Healing

Yoga Centers

Beth Eden, Cht. Medium/Intuitive Advisor Yale Avenue, Wallingford. 203-435-4398 beth.eden44@yahoo.com

Kula Yoga Center 136 Riverdale Farms,Bldg. 4, 2nd Flr. Avon.

(860) 676-8800, www.kulayogacenter.com info@kulayogacenter.com

Beth Eden is a medium, psychic, Rieki Master, Healer, Visionary, and Spiritual life coach and Guide. Through hypnotherapy, she believes she can help her clients release their hold on bad habits and gain self confidence. Individual sessions and home parties, in person/ telephone readings. Mediumship and guided meditation classes among others available.

See ad on page 24.

Join us in our spacious, naturally lit studio, overlooking Talcot t Mountain for a variety of classes including Gentle Yoga, Anusara Inspired, Power Yoga, D y n a m i c F l o w, a s w e ll a s P r i v a t e Yoga Classes and Thai Yoga session.

With no membership fee and drop ins welcome, we take the stress out when you walk in the door.

We look forward to having you be a part of our community atmosphere at Kula Yoga.

Simply Fitness for the spirit, mind and body Priscilla Bengtson, ATP® 122A Naubuc Avenue, Ste 210, Glastonbury, CT (860)632-8434 simplyfitnessonline.com Simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body offers programs and services that help spiritual beings get unstuck in their human experience. 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 and angel readings, hypnosis, reiki, mandala healing, and health coaching. Psychic parties are also offered in your home or at the center. See ad on page 25.

Robin Clare Inner Wisdom Guide 10 Crossroads Plaza, W. Hartford, CT. 860-232-3331 • info@clare-ity.com Clare-ity is the private practice and speaking series created by Robin Clare, Chief Inspiration Officer of Enlightened Professionals.

The Clare-ity Method , when combined with our other advanced energy healing techniques connects you to your core center and access to your inner wisdom and ultimately, greater balance in your life.

See ad page 27.

Merriman Woods Yoga & Life Coaching, LLC Migdalia Merriman Burlington, CT 06013 (860) 675-3684 Offers on going Yoga & Wellness classes, workshops & retreats in Art, Chinese Medicine, Aruveda, Yoga, Meditation and Chakra Balancing with Migdalia Merriman and guest teachers. Visit merrimanwoodsyoga.com for a complete listing of offerings. See ad on page 12.

Sacred Rivers Yoga Paula Scopino LMT, E-RYT 500 IAYT Owner / Director 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033 www.sacredriversyoga.com PH. 860.657.9545 • FAX. 860.657.3161 See ad on page 22.

L.O.V.E. Lightworker of Vibrational Energy LLC Gayle Franceschetti Med,CHt. 36 Cheshire Road Wallingford,CT 06492 203-265-2927 www.return2love.net

SunDo Mountain Taoist Center 45 S. Main St., Ste. 90 West Hartford, CT 860.523.5260 www.sundo.org

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 23.

In Taoist Yoga & Meditation, practitioners progress through special sets of postures that are held while breathing very slowly and deeply. Together, the postures and breathwork help to revitalize the body and mind by cultivating Qi - the life force energy within us. In addition, SunDo Retreats are held are held several times a year at our Taoist Retreat Center in Vermont. For more information, please visit our Retreat Calendar or the SunDo Main Center section on our website.

See ad on page 36.

www.naturalnutmeg.com

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CommunityCalendar Monday, March 1st Free Intro to Pole Dance for Fitness. Also, March 4. 7:45pm. Come check out the hottest new workout! The Pole Playhouse offers intriguing pole fitness, a demanding and fun workout that teaches the art of being strong, sensual and seductive. For women of all ages, shapes and sizes! Fuller Yoga, Pilates & Massage, 1477 Park Street, 2nd Floor, Hartford 860-951-9642, www.poleplayhouse.com

Tuesday, March 2nd Alternatives to Medication for ADD/ADHD. 7-8pm. Free. For children, parents and adults who do not want to use medications, there are effective and science-based natural treatment options. Dr. Shawn M. Carney, a naturopathic physician in the Hartford Hospital Avon Wellness Center, will discuss how dietary changes and nutritional supplementation can successfully treat patients with ADD/ADHD. Contact Ann Emerson at Avon Free Public Library, 281 Country Club Road, Avon, CT, 06001 Phone 860673-9712 or http://www.avonctlibrary.info.

Wednesday, March 3rd Healing in Harmony Night. 5pm. – 7pm.

FREE. Stop by the center for a healing service. Participants will sit individually with Priscilla and receive a healing. Each healing will be approximately 8–10 minutes. You will be served in the order in which you enter the center. The healing services are offered one night each month. simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. For information please call Priscilla Bengtson at 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Janet Hulme – Back Class. Instructor: Marilyn Gross, PT, IMTC.1:15pm-1:45pm. Free.

Focus on back strength and stability. This one hour class is structured to provide individuals suffering from back pain with an easy set of functional exercises. CenterIMT, 800 Cottage Grove Road. Building 2. Blomfield, CT 06002. To obtain additional information or to sign up for this class, please contact Matt Connell-Giammatteo at mattconnell@centerimt.com or by calling (860) 243-5220 x 128.

Thursday, March 4th Sonic Bliss. 7-9pm. $20.00. Come join sound workers Heidi Laura and Suan Armstrong in an evening of Sonic Bliss. Expect to lie down comfortably while you are blanketed in vibrational ecstasy. The sounds of the singing bowls, gong, chimes, and flute will transport you into a deeply restorative meditation. The Essence of Being at Johnnycake Mountain.

184 Johnnycake Mountain Road: Burlington, CT. www.theessenceofbeingat.com. To register contact John: 860-922-6846 or 860673-6863. essenceofbeing@hotmail.com.

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Information Session on the Master of Arts in Experiential Health and Healing. The Graduate Institute’s program in integrative health studies offered at Hartford Hospital. Free. 4 pm. Hartford Hospital’s Special Dining Room, located in the rear of the Cafeteria. To RSVP, call (203) 874-4252 or visit www.learn.edu.

Lowering Cholesterol and Triglycerides Naturally. 7-8:30pm. Free. Dr. Shawn M. Carney.

The most commonly prescribed drug in the United States is statin medication prescribed to lower high lipid levels. Dr. Shawn M. Carney, a naturopathic physician, will discuss science-based natural methods to lower cholesterol and triglycerides to acceptable levels. Dr. Carney will also address the influence of glycemic index and insulin levels on blood lipids. Passiflora Tea Room and Herbal Shoppe. 526 Main Street, New Hartford. 860-379-8327. www.passiflorates.com.

Don’t Believe Everything You Think! 7-9pm. $25. Cathy Ewing-Rinker, LCSW, MDiv, facilitates. Do you know that your thoughts can rob you of happiness? Through a mix of lecture, exercises and sharing you will develop awareness of your own negative thinking, the impact it has on your life and some easy ways to say "No" to negative thinking. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street, Ellington, CT www.spiritmattersct.com. Register with Cathy at 860-871-9295 x1 by Tuesday, March 2.

Friday, March 5th Crystal Bowls Sound Healing. 7-8:30 pm. $15. Edie Jemiola, RMT, facilitates. Everything in and about our bodies resonates to sound. 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 if you wish. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www.spiritmattersct.com. Register with Edie: (860) 9338145 by March 3.

An Introduction to Healing the Light Body – Lecture. 7:30–9pm. $20:00. Shamans understand that we have a luminous energy field that surrounds the physical body, and which holds a record of all our emotional, physical, and spiritual traumas. In this introductory lecture, Pat Heavren, a member of The Four Winds Senior Staff, will discuss the healing practices employed for 10,000 years by the Shamans of the Americas. West Hartford Senior Center – 15 Starkel Road. To register call The Four Winds Society at 435-647-5988 at Kelly@thefourwinds.com.

Saturday, March 6th An Introduction to Healing the Light Body Workshop. 10–4:30pm. $100.00. Pat Heavren will discuss the illumination process to clear imprints in the energy field before they have a chance to express as disease in the body, a process for extracting toxic energies that have embedded themselves in the luminous energy www.naturalnutmeg.com

field, soul retrieval work to revisit past traumatic events and recover the essential self, and rites of passage including life and death rites. West Hartford Senior Center – 15 Starkel Road. To register call The Four Winds Society at 435-647-5988 at Kelly@thefourwinds.com.

Mindful Knitting. 10am-12noon. Free will donation. Debby Bailey, LMT & Lisa Burch, LCSW facilitate. Learn to knit as we come together for meditation, fellowship & community service. We’ll start with shawls to be donated to those in need of comfort. Silent knitting and concepts of mindfulness will be woven into each session. Instruction provided for new knitters. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street, Ellington, CT www.spiritmattersct. com Call Lisa to register at 860-871-9295 x2

by Thursday, March 4.

Finding Gratitude. Master Intuitive Psychic Kerri Mitchell. 1-3:30pm. $28. Finding gratitude is an important developmental step in the self-improvement process. Gratitude creates a sense of humility, which helps to heal negative/limited thinking, loss of spirit, hopelessness and more. Gratitude is needed to create abundance in your life. Developing an attitude of gratitude builds the platform to make the changes needed to improve your life. www. thespiritoflight.org. The Spirit of Light. 1161 S Broad St. Wallingford, CT. 203-641-3371.

Hands-On Aromatherapy Practicum. 10am5pm. $90.00. For those who have completed the WOTE Medicinal Aromatherapy Level I course. This workshop will provide the entire line of essences for our students to become more familiar with in order to increase confidence in working with these powerful essences. John Odlum & Lisl Meredith Huebner. The Essence of Being at Johnnycake Mountain.

184 Johnnycake Mountain Road: Burlington, CT. www.theessenceofbeingat.com. To register call: 860-673-6863. essenceofbeing@ hotmail.com.

Attract Abundance and Prosperity into Your Life in 2010. 1 pm-4 pm. $25. Join Life Coach Julie Sochacki on a magical journey in shifting your consciousness and allowing the good things to flow easily into your life! Discover how gratitude creates the flow of abundance, identify what's draining you and what's fueling you, work together to take steps to activate this powerful flow in your life. Star Soleil in Torrington. Julie Sochacki, 860-305-7414. jcsochacki@sbcglobal.net, www.juliesochacki. com.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory & Terminology. *pre-requisite for Chinese Herbology Program. 9:30~4pm. (28 CEU). $459.00. Also March 7 & 20,21. TCM describes disharmonies without diagnosing disease. This course also serves as the foundation on which our Chinese Herbology Intensive is built upon. All our courses are taught with an emphasis on clinical diagnosis as practiced in China today. Laura Mignosa, Nationally Certified Chinese Herbologist. www.CtHerbschool.com. 900 Wells Road (RT 175), Wethersfield, 860-666-5064.

Sunday, March 7th Weed Walk. Weather Permitting. 9:30am -12pm. Cost $15.00. Join nationally board certified herbalist, Lisl Meredith Huebner for an informative and entertaining morning where you will come away with a new appreciation of Nature, a renewed connection to the Earth and some healthy ideas for serving delicious, nutritious and free organic meals for your family and friends. The Essence of Being, 184 Johnnycake Mountain Road: Burlington, CT. www.theessenceofbeingat.com.

To register call: 860-673-6863. essenceofbeing@hotmail.com.

Essence Meditation. 1-3pm. $15.00. Join John and Lisl for a wonderful guided meditation/journey aided by pure plant and tree essences that help you access profound Inner Wisdom and integrate that knowledge in order to create a more fulfilling life.

John Odlum, LMT, CMA & Lisl Meredith Huebner, Dipl.CH (NCCAOM), AHG. The Essence of Being. 184 Johnnycake Mountain Road: Burlington, CT. www.theessenceofbeingat.com. To register call: 860673-6863. essenceofbeing@hotmail.com.

Death, Dying, and Beyond-the Continuity of Consciousness. 1:30p-5:30. $55. This seminar will explore various esoteric worldviews to understand the dying process as well as what may lie ahead after leaving the physical body. Tibetan Buddhism, Esoteric Christianity, and Shamanism. The class will also include methods in meditation, sleep & dream states, and energy healing as ways to work with the death state and consciousness so that one will be prepared and not fearful of this transforming event. Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury, CT. Contact info/register: Gene Ang, Ph.D., gene.ang@gmail.com or (203) 671-8047; www.geneang.com.

Screening of Infinity: The Ultimate Trip.

7-10pm. $10. What happens after we pass from this world? Is there a life after this one?

Or do we just disappear forever? These are the questions asked in this powerful and poignant feature documentary, Infinity: The Ultimate Trip. The Ultimate Trip brings a message of hope and optimism concerning the most mysterious act in a human life; the end of this life and journey to the beyond. Hilton Garden Inn, Glastonbury. Contact info/register: Gene Ang, Ph.D., gene.ang@gmail.com or (203) 671-8047; www.geneang.com.

Intro to AcroYoga. 1pm-4pm. $65, Prior to Feb. 28th $55. This workshop touches upon all of the disciplines that AcroYoga offers, combining Yoga, Acrobatics and Thai Massage. The class includes: Circle Ceremony, Mirrored Asana, Partner Yoga Flow, Assisted inversions, Partner Acrobatics, Flying Sequences and Thai Massage. No partner necessary! Fuller Yoga, Pilates & Massage, 1477 Park Street, 2nd Floor, Hartford 860-9519642, www.fulleryoga.com.

"The God Who Only Knew Four Words” with Nigel Taylor. 2–6:30PM. $75.00. Receive one simple teaching that neutralizes troubling thought lines and fear based emotions and receive tools to move from MindSpace to HeartSpace. Achieve freedom from karmic patterning from this and previous lifetimes then identify and activate the release of non-beneficial genetic, ancestral, and soul karmas carried with you into this current life experience. West Hartford Senior Center – 15 Starkel Road. To register call Enlightened Professionals at 860-232-3331 or http://nigeltaylormarch2010.eventbrite.com.

Monday, March 8th Presence Healing with Gene Ang, Ph.D. Sessions from 9 to 5 pm. Also March 9th. Each session entails a balancing and integration of one’s energy field to bring back wholeness and healing to the mind and body.

Pranic Healing, Reconnective Healing/the Reconnection, Shamanic Healing, and Vortex Healing. You can have a custom healing or choose one of the above. Presence Healing sessions: $150, The Reconnection: $333. Appointments will be in West Hartford, CT. To book an appointment, please call Enlightened Professionals at 860-2323331 or http://genemar.eventbrite.com.

Celebrate International Women’s Day: The Female Archetype 7-9 pm. $10. Dr. Marian Vitali, DC, chiropractor and shamanic practitioner facilitates. Bring a female icon, goddess, grandmother, etc. image, story, and/or song. We will celebrate the Feminine Archetype in her many diverse forms through sharing. For men and women. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT www.spiritmattersct.com www.wholelifewellnessshaman.com To register, call Marian at 860-918-8703 by Friday, March 5.

Core Stabilization & Strengthening Class.

Instructor: Carol Gordon, PT, IMTC. 1:15pm-1:45pm. Free. This class offers the student basic core stabilization and strengthening techniques that can be performed easily at home or hotel room. Perfect for the busy individual with little time to hit the gym. CenterIMT. 800 Cottage Grove Road. Building 2. Blomfield, CT. To obtain additional information or to sign up for this class, please contact Matt ConnellGiammatteo at mattconnell@centerimt. com or by calling (860) 243-5220 x 128.

Tuesday, March 9th The Art and Science of Energy Medicine.

7-9pm. $20. Gene Ang, Ph.D. is a Yaletrained neuroscientist and Reconnective Healing practitioner. This presentation will first examine the conceptual and paradigmatic challenges to research in this emerging field. In the second half of the presentation, participants can experience Reconnective Healing, a form of energy medicine. A question and answer period will follow the practical demonstration. CT Multispecialty Group.

The Center for Integrative Healthcare & Healwww.naturalnutmeg.com

ing. 533 Cottage Grove Road. Bloomfield, CT. Please call to register: 860-243-2224.

Conscious Evolution: Living an Awakened Life. 7 pm. Free. Discover how you can become involved in the conscious evolution of culture. To RSVP, call (203) 874-4252 or visit www.learn.edu. Alchemy Juice Bar. 203 New Britain Avenue West Hartford, CT. Offered by the Graduate Institute.

Wednesday, March 10th Open House at The Graduate Institute. 5pm.

Please join The Graduate Institute for a free presentation on its exciting graduate programs in emerging fields of inquiry. 171 Amity Road in Bethany, CT. For more information, call (203) 874-4252 or visit www.learn.edu.

Manifest Your Desires. 6:30pm–8:30pm. $45.00. If you’ve experienced the movie “The Secret”, this session will take you beyond the concepts presented and show you how you can apply practical solutions to each situation in your life and achieve what you want. Participants will learn three easy skills that they can implement immediately into their life. simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. To register, please call Priscilla Bengtson at 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Thursday, March 11th Aroma-Bar!! 7-9pm. $15.00 cover charge.

Experience rare and exotic fragrances from around the world -some you may have never even heard of! This social and educational event comes complete with delicious refreshments such as non-alcoholic “Aroma-tinis” and tasty snacks made with Wisdom of the Earth essential essences–recipes are available!! John Odlum & Lisl Meredith Huebner.

The Essence of Being at Johnnycake Mountain. 184 Johnnycake Mountain Road: Burlington, CT. www.theessenceofbeingat.com.

To register call: 860-673-6863. essenceofbeing@hotmail.com.

Publishing Salon. 7-8:30pm. Free. What does the future hold for authors of alternative health, healthy cooking, metaphysical and other non-fiction books? Join Jo Ann Deck, former vice president of Ten Speed Press and publisher of Celestial Arts and Crossing Press, now publisher of Gather Insight, with special guest Terry Walters. Terry Walters will share her own special publishing story from self-published cookbook to a national bestseller. Jo Ann Deck will hand out her top ten book proposal checklist and talk about the fifteen things that need to be in place in order to approach a traditional publisher. Passiflora Tea Room and Herbal Shoppe. 526 Main Street. New Hartford.

860-379-8327. www.passiflorates.com.

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Past Life Regression Therapy: The Healing Power of Our Past. 7-9 pm. $25. Norton Berkowitz, PhD, co-author of The Healing Power of Our Past, will talk about past lives and the power they have to eliminate many illnesses. He will also lead a group regression permitting the whole group to experience one or more past lives. www.norberk.com.

Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www.spiritmattersct.com.

Register with Dr. Berkowitz at 860-875-1969, norberk@aol.com by Saturday, March 6.

Acupressure for Simple Health Issues. 6- 8pm $49.00 (4 CEU). Also March 25th. Marybeth Keener, LMT, CHEM, CCH. Learn simple acupressure routines to address headaches, migraines, sinusitis, neck and shoulder pain.

We will cover the meridians and muscles that are involved with such health issues, and the techniques used to release them. Laura Mignosa, Nationally Certified Chinese Herbologist. www.CtHerbschool.com. 900 Wells Road (RT 175), Wethersfield, 860-666-5064.

Friday, March 12th The Healing Harp: Soothing Body and Soul.

7-9pm. $30.00. The harp, used for centuries to soothe the soul of angst and pain, has a magical influence on emotion, sleep, pain, and illness. We promise you many moments of bliss as we relax, visualize and are carried away by the magnificent sounds of the mystical harp. Marcie Swift, M.Ed. NCSP, CMP. The Essence of Being at Johnnycake Mountain, 184 Johnnycake Mountain Road: Burlington, CT. www.theessenceofbeingat.com. To register call: 860-673-6863. essenceofbeing@ hotmail.com.

Relaxation Therapy Class. Instructor: Sharon Giammatteo, PhD, PT, IMTC. 1:15pm1:45pm. Free. This class will walk the student through a series of techniques to aide in relaxation and letting go of stress. CenterIMT. 800 Cottage Grove Road. Building 2. Blomfield, CT. To obtain additional information or to sign up for this class, please contact Matt Connell-Giammatteo at mattconnell@centerimt.com or by calling (860) 243-5220 x 128.

Beginner’s Guide to Cultivating Qi (Life Force Energy). 6-8pm. Fee: $35. Zhan Zhuang (Standing Post) is a simple technique for building and cultivating Qi which can produce profound benefits in our overall health and well being. These easy to learn exercises can have a significant impact on our health and enhance benefits we receive from Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Yoga and other practices. Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney St (Rte 286) Ellington – Presented by George Hoffman, Silver Dragon Tai Chi & Qi Gong. Call (860) 742-5892 by March 9th to register.

Mommy and Me Muffins. 10-11:30am. $25 per child. Caregivers and children ages 2 and up will bake delicious, organic banana muffins, dance and sing together! The Little Green Tambourine, 166 Albany Turnpike, Canton, CT. 860-352-5504 www.thelittlegreentambourine.com.

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Saturday, March 13th Bringing Health To The World One Family At A Time. 1-4 pm. An ancient Chinese healing technique of Tui Na for family with Dr. Ming Wu. Couples or Partners are required to take the workshop. Merriman Woods Yoga & Life Coaching, LLC. Burlington. 860-614-0917. www.merrimanwoodsyoga.com.

Yin Yoga. Also March 27. 2-4pm $20 pre-registration or $25 at door. Based on the principles of Chinese medicine, Yin Yoga is geared toward opening the energy lines to release long held tension and toxins. It helps the body to stimulate and detox organs through a series of complimentary postures. Fuller Yoga, Pilates & Massage, 1477 Park Street, 2nd Floor, Hartford 860-951-9642, www.fulleryoga.com.

Yoga Therapeutics Module. Attention Licensed Health Care Professionals (OT’s, PT’s, RYT’s, LMT’s, Naturopaths, Acupuncturists, etc.) Sacred Rivers Yoga is offering a Yoga Therapeutics Program! This will complement your current practice. Please view the presenter schedule online or contact Sacred Rivers Yoga for more information.Sacred Rivers Yoga. 2934 Main Street. Glastonbury. 860.657.9545. www.sacredriversyoga.com Psychic Saturday. 11am–5pm. $20.00 for a 20-minute reading. Stop by for a private reading and receive guidance from your angels, spirit guides and loved ones. Intuitive and Angel Therapy Practitioner® Priscilla Bengtson will connect with her guides and angels to provide you with the information you need. Pre-schedule or try your luck by walking in. There is a maximum of two sessions per person. simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. To register, please call Priscilla Bengtson at 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Auriculotherapy Certification Course. 9am – 5pm. $345 includes materials fee. Also Sunday, Mar. 14th. Auriculotherapy is a highly effective method of energy work similar to reflexology that incorporates stimulating specific points on the ear to accomplish anything from instant pain relief to calming anxiety and much more. Ear maps and all the tools necessary to begin practicing will be provided. Lisl Meredith Huebner, Dipl.CH (NCCAOM), RH (AHG). The Essence of Being. 184 Johnnycake Mountain Road: Burlington, CT. www.theessenceofbeingat.com. To register call: 860673-6863. essenceofbeing@hotmail.com.

Sunday, March 14th Practicing the Art of Surrender. 10 - 11:15AM. Free ECKANKAR Worship Service for all who love God. Our Service consists of inspirational talks and uplifting music to awaken spiritual understanding in everyday life. www. ct-eckankar.org. ECKANKAR Temple of Connecticut. Corner of Rt. 66 and Harvest Wood Road, Middlefield. eckinfo@ct-eckankar.org.

www.naturalnutmeg.com

Create Your Own Medicine Bag. Master Intuitive Psychic Kerri Mitchell. 1-3:30pm. $36.

A medicine bas is an ancient item that spiritually represents the person who wears it. They are typically used for guidance, protection and healing. In this workshop you will create your own medicine bag with items that represent your essence. Please feel free to bring any item(s) you might have that you would like to add to your bag. Material included. www. thespiritoflight.org. The Spirit of Light. 1161 S Broad St. Wallingford, CT. 203-641-3371.

Monday, March 15th Down to Earth Tools for a Spirited Life. 7:308:30pm. $20. Cathy Ewing-Rinker, LCSW, MDiv, facilitates. There is a shift underway affecting every aspect of life on our planet.

By grounding, realigning your energy field and stabilizing your attention points, you will create safety for your physical and emotional bodies, enabling your Spirit, or essential Self, to step out and express passion, certainty and its true creative purpose. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT www.spiritmattersct.com Register: 860-8719295 x1 by March 10.

Wednesday, March 17th Hula Hoop for Health. 7:30–9:30 pm. $25.

Hula hoop your way to a healthier mind, body and soul! Burn up to 600 calories in one hour! Fuller Yoga, Pilates & Massage, 1477 Park Street, 2nd Floor, Hartford 860951-9642, www.fulleryoga.com.

Thursday, March 18th Little Windows ~ House Concert. 6:30-10:00 PM. $20.00. This nationally known duo will play a fantastic mix of Appalachian and Celtic folk music blending tight harmonies, fiddle, flute, banjo, drum and guitar. Join us for this intimate house concert as Julee Glaub and Mark Weems weave a wonderful evening of toe-tapping tunes and heart-filling Sacred Songs. The Essence of Being. 184 Johnnycake Mountain Road: Burlington, CT. www.theessenceofbeingat.com. To register call: 860673-6863. essenceofbeing@hotmail.com.

Celts, Pagans and Patrick, oh my! 7-8:30pm.

Free. Join Annie Kelleher for a fun evening of Celtic folklore and mythology, and how these important ancient traditions continue to flourish and grow even today! Annie is a writer and practicing neo-pagan whose spiritual path has led her to delve deeply into ancient Celtic culture. A published novelist, Annie's most recent trilogy is grounded in Celtic myth. A Vegetarian Irish Buffet will be served.

Bring your own beer, iced mugs await you. ($9.99) per person. Passiflora Tea Room and Herbal Shoppe. 526 Main Street. New Hartford. 860-379-8327. www.passiflorates.com.

An Introduction to EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing). 7-8:30pm.

Free. Lisa Burch, LCSW, facilitates this event sponsored by The Alliance For Holistic Living, part of a monthly series to be held at differ-

ent venues East of the Connecticut River to introduce the community to holistic healing modalities, centers and practitioners in the region. www.afhlnow.org. Learn about a powerful psychotherapy tool for healing trauma and connecting to Spirit. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT www. spiritmattersct.com No advance registration.

860-871-9295.

Friday, March 19th Coyote Talking Circle. 7-9pm. Free will donation. Ray Hardy, artist/Marine Corps Vietnam combat veteran/Reiki Master is offering a talking/sharing/healing circle based on the work of Lewis Mehl-Madrona, MD, PhD of Cherokee and Lakota Heritage (www.mehlmadrona.com) utilizing deep listening, active imagination, dream work, art, storytelling, music and ceremony as well as other traditional practices. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www. spiritmattersct.com. Contact Ray Hardy at rayhardy0109@sbcglobal.net, 860-643-8168 to register by Tuesday, March 16.

Gallery Night. 6:30pm – 8:30pm. $45.00. The evening will begin with a short introduction to working with the other side and through a meditation, we will invite Spirit Guides, the Archangels, Guardian Angels and deceased loved ones to be present with us. After a short intermission, intuitive readings will be done gallery-style with Priscilla providing messages to the audience as they come through to her. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. To register, please call Priscilla at 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Medicinal Aromatherapy Certification. Friday 7-9:30 pm; Saturday - Sunday 8:45 am6:30pm. $475.00 (includes texts). Connect with the consciousness of plants and trees, understand their personalities and hear their voices with the assistance of over 200 pure essential essences and profound shamanic journeying. Learn the truth behind common “toxicity myths”. Essential Essences enhance all other healing modalities. John Odlum & Lisl Meredith Huebner. The Essence of Being.

184 Johnnycake Mountain Road: Burlington, CT. www.theessenceofbeingat.com. To register call: 860-673-6863. essenceofbeing@ hotmail.com.

Pineal Activation Certified Training Course.

Colleen Behan, Certified Instructor. Friday 6-9 • Sat-Sun • 9-4:00pm. $345 - save $50 if registered by 3/12. As an energy healer, you will learn to activate the pineal gland, reactivate and connect the twelve multidimensional DNA strands and prepare the human body to house a fully empowered human! Activation increases telepathy, intuition, spirit communication and an overall sense of connectedness.

Each participant will receive a Pineal Activation. Limit 12 practitioners. To find out more or to register visit www.thespiritoflight.org.

The Spirit of Light. 1161 S Broad St. Wallingford, CT. 203-641-3371.

Saturday, March 20th Re-New Your Spirit By Connecting With Your Chakras, The Wheels Of Life. 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. Balance Your Time and Energy, and Find Harmony in Mind Body Spirit with Migdalia Merriman. Merriman Woods Yoga & Life Coaching, LLC. Burlington. 860-614-0917. www.merrimanwoodsyoga.com.

Yoga of the Heart Workshop. 12–1:30 pm. $16. Yoga of the Heart focuses on practice of gentile asana (physical postures) pranayama (breathing technique), deep relaxation, imagery, and meditation as applied for cardiac and general health. Yoga of the Heart is beneficial for people living with heart disease, cancer and other debilitating diseases and for those with family histories or risk factors for heart disease and cancer; also for those seeking stress management. Call to pre-register. Sacred Rivers Yoga. 2934 Main Street. Glastonbury.

860.657.9545. www.sacredriversyoga.com.

Spirit Journeys Gallery Readings. 6:309:30pm. $50. Join Master Clairvoyant Medium, Cathy Camera and Master Intuitive Psychic, Kerri Mitchell for an evening of personal connection to Spirit. During this 3 hour event you will not only receive personal messages and guidance, but you will also have your current Animal Totem identified and a Past Life read to you. EVERY attendee gets a reading!! Limit 10 attendees. Pre-reg required. www.thespiritoflight.org. The Spirit of Light. 1161 S Broad St. Wallingford, CT. 203-641-3371.

Benefit Yoga for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 3–5 pm. Taught by Sarajean Walsh with Live music by HannaH’s Field.

This All Levels class is a donation only class that will benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Sacred Rivers Yoga. 2934 Main Street. Glastonbury. 860.657.9545. www.sacredriversyoga.com.

Tuesday, March 23rd Finding Your Personal Scent using Aromatherapy. 6:30pm- 9pm. Also March 25th. $59.00 (5 CEU). Vera Reed, LMT. Learn the properties of at least 10 oils as well as blending them for your personal use and health. Vera will guide you through the art of smelling blends for notes and help you find your fragrance personality. She will also help you discover and design a personal scent of your very own. Laura Mignosa, Nationally Certified Chinese Herbologist. www.CtHerbschool.com. 900 Wells Road (RT 175), Wethersfield, 860-666-5064.

Wednesday, March 24th Chakra Essence Workshop. 6-9pm. $35.00.

Sometimes referred to as "The Wheels of Life," our chakras affect every part of our bodies: our thoughts, attitudes and overall health and wellbeing. This class will provide a comprehensive exploration of the chakra systems and the essential oils used during this workshop will help to harmonize each www.naturalnutmeg.com

chakra. There will be meditations, music and movement, as well as hands-on experience to facilitate in depth understanding about the chakra system. The Essence of Being at Johnnycake Mountain. 184 Johnnycake Mountain Road: Burlington, CT. www.theessenceofbeingat.com.To register call: 860-6736863. Email: essenceofbeing@hotmail.com.

Using Guidance Cards and Automatic Writing to Connect with the Angels. 7pm – 8:30pm. $35.00. Using Guidance cards you will learn how to prepare the cards for use for readings, do a variety of spreads and how to give a reading for yourself or someone else. Bring your own cards or the instructor will have cards to borrow or purchase. Automatic writing is the process of writing material that does not come from the conscious thoughts of the writer. simply fitness for the spirit, mind and body, 122A Naubuc Avenue, Suite 210, Glastonbury. To register, please call Priscilla Bengtson at 860.301.1468 or visit www.simplyfitnessonline.com.

Mommy and Me at TLGT. 10:00-11:00am. $5 per meeting. In this monthly meeting new moms will get an opportunity to meet other moms, exchange advice and ideas, and introduce their little ones to music! For Mom and baby up to 10 months. 860-352-5504. www.thelittlegreentambourine.com Free workshop on Guided Imagery. 5pm.

Attend a free workshop on guided imagery at The Graduate Institute, located at 171 Amity Road in Bethany, CT. Please call (203) 8744252 to RSVP, or visit www.learn.edu.

Thursday, March 25th Tibetan Singing Bowl Meditation. 7-8:30pm.

Free. Laura Dunfield, Reiki Master/Teacher and certified Vibrational Healer. Tibetan Singing Bowls represent the sound of energy.

These bowls have been used in sacred ceremonies in the monasteries of Tibet and Nepal for over 3000 years. The sound is deep and allows you to go deep within yourself to a place of peace and healing. This session will cover the history and uses of these magical Tibetan singing instruments, followed by a meditation with them. Please join us for this amazing experience. Passiflora Tea Room and Herbal Shoppe. 526 Main Street, New Hartford. 860-379-8327. www.passiflorates.com.

Vibrational Healing Meditation. 7-8:20pm. $15. Lisa Burch, LCSW & Marna Walter, RN, RMT, facilitate. Relax with this blend of guided imagery, mindfulness meditation and sound healing with the Tibetan singing bowls.

Build your ability to experience the present moment fully, releasing what no longer serves you. Bring a mat, pillow and blanket if you wish to lie down. Offered at Spirit Matters, 19 Pinney Street/Rt. 286, Ellington, CT, www.spiritmattersct.com. Register with Lisa at 860-871-9295 x2 by Monday, March 22.

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Dietary Advice and Natural Therapies for Type 2 Diabetes. 6:30-7:30pm. Free. Dr. Shawn M. Carney, a naturopathic physician, will provide information on how to prevent type 2 diabetes, and what to do once diagnosed. Dr. Carney will also discuss specific dietary recommendations and supplements that can be very effective in helping control blood sugar levels and prevent debilitating complications. Contact Lori Lee Love at Granby Village Health Inc., Granby Village Shops, Rt. 189, 10 Hartford Ave., Granby, CT 06035 Phone 860-844-8608 or Granbyvillagehealth@yahoo.com .

What Is An Empath? 6-8pm. $18. Master Intuitive Psychic Kerri Mitchell. What is an Empath? Are you one? Empaths are highly sensitive people who are like psychic sponges embodying the true thoughts and emotions of others. It could be difficult to be around other people, large crowds and negative situations. When one does not know he/she is an Empath life can feel overwhelming. Learn the positives of being an Empath and how you can empower yourself through it’s gifts. www. thespiritoflight.org. The Spirit of Light. 1161 S Broad St. Wallingford, CT. 203-641-3371.

Friday, March 26th Medicinal Aromatherapy Certification.

Friday 7-9:30 pm; Saturday - Sunday 8:45 am6:30 pm. $475.00 (includes texts). Connect with the consciousness of plants and trees, understand their personalities and hear their voices with the assistance of over 200 pure essential essences and profound shamanic journeying. Learn the truth behind common “toxicity myths” and correct common conditions such as hormonal imbalances, pain, digestion, stress, anxiety, Candida, substance and emotional dependency. Essential Essences enhance all other healing modalities.

John Odlum & Lisl Meredith Huebner, The Spirit of Light Wellness Studio. 1161 S Broad St, Wallingford. www.theessenceofbeingat. com. To register call: 860-673-6863. Email: essenceofbeing@hotmail.com.

Qi Gong Intensive I – Part 2, Qi Gong for Bone Marrow Cleansing & Strengthening the Immune System. 6-8:30pm. We'll use breathing, energy vessel and focused intention exercises to help us cleanse our bone marrow, strengthen our bones and enhance the effectiveness of our body's immune system. Learn simple techniques that will have a positive impact on your long term health and well being. Center for Progressive Therapies, 192 Hartford Rd, Manchester – Presented by George Hoffman, Silver Dragon Tai Chi & Qi Gong. Fee: $45. Call (860) 742-5892 by Mar 23rd to register.

Saturday, March 27th Transforming Stress. 1-4pm. A workshop at Briar Rosa Center for Aesthetics & Wellness with Dr. Vickie Biondi, OBGYN and Migdalia Merriman, Certified Yoga Instructor and Certified Life Coach. We will explore stress management from a medical perspec-

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tive, and with a gentle yoga practice, guided meditation to bring inner peace, www. merrimanwoodsyoga.com. info@merrimanwoodsyoga.com.

Saturday Morning Yoga. 10-11am. $10 per child. Let your child end their busy week with some relaxing and rejuvenating yoga!

Kids will stretch their bodies, relax the mind, learn breathing techniques, and enjoy the calm! Ages 6+. The Little Green Tambourine, 166 Albany Turnpike, Canton, CT. 860-3525504 www.thelittlegreentambourine.com Dietary Advice and Natural Therapies for Type 2 Diabetes. 12-1pm. Free. Dr. Shawn M. Carney, a naturopathic physician, will address how problems with blood sugar control develop. He will provide information on how to prevent type 2 diabetes, and what to do once diagnosed. Dr. Carney will also discuss specific dietary recommendations and supplements that can be very effective in helping control blood sugar levels and prevent debilitating complications. Contact Nancy Giannini at Nutrition Kingdom, LLC, 28 East Street, Plainville, CT 06062 Phone 860-747-0164.

Integrative Facial Rejuvenation Intensive.

9-5pm. $189.00 (32 CEU). Also March 28th.

Marybeth Keener, LMT, Chem, CCH. This class is designed especially for the Massage Therapist & Spa Worker who wishes to incorporate the benefits of revitalizing and clearing the face without using chemicals or surgery. It is a proven, effective way to stimulate the skin's own ability for collagen production and helps soften the skin while smoothing wrinkles. Laura Mignosa, Nationally Certified Chinese Herbologist. www.CtHerbschool.com. 900 Wells Road (RT 175).

Wethersfield, 860-666-5064.

A Gathering of CALM – A Lightworkers’ Forum. 10am-4pm. $20.00. We will spend our time together in discussion with local channels about global changes and participating in community building activities with local healers and teachers. By joining our energies in community and setting intentions for the well-being of all, we will become a powerfully beneficial presence to this area and the planet. Please bring a food or beverage item to contribute to our community lunch. West Hartford Senior Center – 15 Starkel Road.

To register call Enlightened Professionals at 860-232-3331 or http://lightworkerforummar.eventbrite.com.

Sunday, March 28th A Morning of Oneness. 9:30-11:30am. $20 suggested donation. Join us for a relaxing morning of conversation, meditation and receiving an energy transfer of Oneness. The energy transfer removes the endless chatter of the mind and brings you fully into the moment where there is only peace and joy. It is an experience, not a concept. Creatious, channeled by Cathy Fischer will join us to answer our most pressing questions. Location: West Hartford Senior Center, 15 Starkel www.naturalnutmeg.com

Road. To register call Enlightened Professionals at 860-232-3331 or http://onenessmar. eventbrite.com.

Monday, March 29th Teleclass: Why You Need a Website & How To Use It As A Marketing Tool. 7-8:15pm. $29.99. For Therapists & Healers. Dr. Gatter provides intelligent solutions to your business needs. Selling yourself and your products on the web, Establishing a web presence that showcases you as an expert in your field, Building a professional website without breaking the bank, The downfalls of do-ityourself websites, Networking on the web.

To register: www.drdorigatter.com Hartford Family Institute’s Center for Healing Arts. 17 S Highland St. West Hartford. 860-258-4113.

Tuesday, March 30th Ergonomics & Body Mechanics Class. Instructor: George Giannoni, PT, GDMT, IMTC. 1:15pm-1:45pm. Free. This class provides the student with the basic essentials for proper body mechanics as well as proper ergonomics throughout daily activity. CenterIMT. 800 Cottage Grove Road. Building 2. Blomfield, CT. To obtain additional information or to sign up for this class, please contact Matt Connell-Giammatteo at mattconnell@centerimt.com or by calling (860) 243-5220 x 128.

Wednesday, March 31st Weight Management. 6:30-7:30pm. Free.

The pattern and composition of the daily diet influences our ability to maintain a healthy weight. Dr. Shawn M. Carney, a naturopathic physician, will discuss a clinically proven eating style that can be maintained for a lifetime, results in fat loss, and has been documented to prevent as well as treat many chronic health conditions like diabetes and high cholesterol. Contact Tim Smulders at Garden of Light Natural Foods Inc., 395 West Main Street, Avon, CT 06001 Phone 860409-2196 or http://www.gardenoflight.net/ .

Friday, May 7th Hill-Stead's 24th Annual MAY MARKET Home & Garden Emporium. Friday & Saturday, 10 am–4 pm. Admission to May Market is $8 for members, $10 for members-to-be at the gate. Enjoy Hill-Stead's lush grounds and historic setting as you browse over 50 vendors offering hard-to-find perennials & shrubs, antiques & quality crafts for the home and garden. Expert horticulturalists and Master Gardeners are on hand to offer informal consultation and help select plants. Call 860.677.4787 or visit www.hillstead.org for more information.

Ongoingcalendar monday Life-Energy Qigong. 10:30-11:30a.m. Sullivan Senior Center, 88 E.Albert St. Torrington.

Focus is on gentle movement, meditation and breathwork. NQA certified instructor Daline Dudley. Call 496-8312 for details.

Tai Chi for Health sponsored by Hartford Hospital. 6:30 - 7:30pm. Safe & Effective.

Tai Chi is proven to decrease blood pressure, relieve stress, increase balance & prevent falls. It helps people alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, osteoporosis & diabetes.

This program was designed by tai chi AND medical experts. Come & see what it can do for you. Classes start in March. $160 for 16 classes. Call 1-800-545-1888 or emailtaichiforhealth@live.com. Avon Wellness Ctr. 100 Simsbury Rd. Avon.

Women at Midlife: A therapeutic support group. 6:30 -8 pm. Midlife is a time of transition and great possibilities! This group is an invitation to join other women in exploring questions and concerns you may be holding about life purpose, career, menopause, empty nest, intimate relationships. New group forming in April. 6 week series meeting alternate Mondays in Avon, CT. Facilitated by Kathleen Zecchin MA, LPC. For more information, please call 860-306-4199 or kzecchin22@yahoo.com.

tuesday Informational/Open House Sessions for Yoga Alliance Teacher Trainings. Sacred Rivers Yoga is offering informational sessions each Tuesday at 6:45pm in regards to the Weekend and Weekday 200 and 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training programs, all of which are ongoing. You may schedule an alternate time to discuss the programs by contacting the studio. Sacred Rivers Yoga, 2934 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT. 860.657.9545. info@sacredriversyoga.com.

Tai Chi/Qi Gong Class. 11-12 pm Beginner class learning easy movements, releasing tension and opening up spaces in your body.

Relieves stress and pain while improving your health. 1 hour 8 classes for $80.00 or walk in $15.00 Suffield Massage and Wellness Center, 230 Mountain Road, Suffield Call to sign up (860) 668-1969 or call Marcey Hickey 860-844-8535.

Tai Chi/Qi Gong. 12:30pm-1:00pm - Great stress relieving class, get your energy moving. Learn to cultivate, circulate, clear, transform, balance and bring more energy into your body. 8 classes for $80.00 or walk in $15.00 Suffield Massage and Wellness Center, 230 Mountain Road, Suffield - Call to sign up (860) 668-1969 or call Marcey Hickey 860-844-8535.

tuesday

wednesday

Tai Chi for Health sponsored by Hartford Hospital. 12 - 1:00pm. Safe & Effective, Tai Chi is proven to decrease blood pressure, relieve stress, increase balance & prevent falls.

It helps people alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, osteoporosis & diabetes. This program was designed by tai chi AND medical experts. Come & see what it can do for you.

Classes start in March. $160 for 16 classes.

Call 1-800-545-1888 or emailtaichiforhealth@live.com. Glastonbury Health Care Ctr. 704 Hebron Ave. Also 3:30 - 4:30 Wethersfield Health Care Ctr. 1260 Silas Deane Highway.

Also 7:30 - 8:30 at the Windsor Health Care Ctr. 1060 Day Hill Rd.

Yang Style Tai Chi. 7-8:30pm. Ongoing Yang style Tai Chi classes using a number of short forms including Yang 24 form - George Hoffman, instructor. $72 for 8 weeks. Call 860742-5892 to register.&nbs p; Classes held at CT Institute for Herbal Studies, 900 Wells Rd (Rte 175)Wethersfield. 860-666-5064.

wednesday Holistic Moms Network. Hartford County, CT chapter of a non-profit organization.

Meetings held the last Wednesday of each month from 7-9pm at The Jewish Community Center, 335 Bloomfield Ave, West Hartford. Email hartfordhmn@yahoo.com or visit www.holisticmoms.org.

Ct Assoc. of Classical Homeopaths. advanced study group meets every 3rd Wednesday of month, 7-9 PM. Joy Pacitto-860-529-8313.

Tai Chi for Health sponsored by Hartford Hospital. 6:30 - 7:30pm. Safe & Effective.

Tai Chi is proven to decrease blood pressure, relieve stress, increase balance & prevent falls. It helps people alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, osteoporosis & diabetes.

This program was designed by tai chi AND medical experts. Come & see what it can do for you. Classes start in March. $160 for 16 classes. Call 1-800-545-1888 or emailtaichiforhealth@live.com. Avon Wellness Ctr. 100 Simsbury Rd. Avon.

Training Program Class. 6-7:30. FREE. Hartford Family Institute's Center for Healing Arts Professional Training program or Human Relations Training program. Topics covered are: MIndfulness, Spirituality and Psychotherapy, Quantum Physics, the Origins of Pain and Illness, Buddhist Conflict Resolution, Shamanic work, Energy Healing, Dreamwork, and much more. Visit our website www.hartfordfamilyinstitute.com to learn more. Reservations are required. Hartford Family Institute's Center for Healing Arts. 17 S Highland St., West Hartford, CT. 860.236.6009

Stress relief! Free sessions of Reflexology, TT, CST, Reiki, Guided Imagery, and more during EPIPHANY. Ist Wednesday of the month except January and July. 6-8:30pm. 225 Commerce Drive in Canton. Also in Southington from 1-3pm at 232 Bristol Street. 2/3, 3/3, 4/7. Children welcome. Sessions may enhance learning skills. www.naturalnutmeg.com

thursday Tai Chi for Health sponsored by Hartford Hospital. 3:30 - 4:30pm. Safe & Effective, Tai Chi is proven to decrease blood pressure, relieve stress, increase balance & prevent falls.

It helps people alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, osteoporosis & diabetes. This program was designed by tai chi AND medical experts. Come & see what it can do for you.

Classes start in March. $160 for 16 classes.

Call 1-800-545-1888 or emailtaichiforhealth@live.com. Wethersfield Health Care Ctr. 1260 Silas Deane Highway. Also 7:30 - 8:30 at the Windsor Health Care Ctr. 1060 Day Hill Rd.

friday Tai Chi for Health sponsored by Hartford Hospital. 12 - 1:00pm. Safe & Effective, Tai Chi is proven to decrease blood pressure, relieve stress, increase balance & prevent falls.

It helps people alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, osteoporosis & diabetes. This program was designed by tai chi AND medical experts. Come & see what it can do for you.

Classes start in March. $160 for 16 classes.

Call 1-800-545-1888 or emailtaichiforhealth@live.com. Glastonbury Health Care Ctr. 704 Hebron Ave.

saturday Hartford shambhala meditation group offers mindfulness/awareness meditation instruction at no charge Morning Meditation from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. All Day Silent Meditation Retreats from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Once per month we have a longer practice session, including sitting meditation, walking meditation, and a dharma talk or reading. Once per quarter we have an all-day silent meditation retreat. Come for all or part of the day. The location is at the Quaker Meeting House (see address, above). Check our website for dates: http://www.shambhala.org/centers/hartford.

sunday Bhakti-Yoga Festival. 5pm. Join us for kirtan, philosophy and vegetarian dinner. Hare Krishna Temple, 1683 Main St. East Hartford.

(860) 289-7252. www.iskconct.org.

Women's Temple In Her Name. 10:30-11:45, Collinsville, CT. Suggested Donation $5-10.

(860) 693-9540. www.womenstemple.net.

March 2010

53

Natural Planet

by Deb Percival

A monthly compendium of tips, thoughts, and updates about our shared home.

Support Renewable Energy and Save Money

Y

ou’ve got the power! Across Connecticut, homeowners are enjoying savings of $80, $100, even $150 per year on their electric bills after making one simple phone call.

Saving money is important – so is saving time – and how about saving the planet in the bargain! You can do all three.

THIS IS A NO-BRAINER! It doesn’t take long to sign up (about 10 minutes usually), and the change is seamless – no one comes to your house, you still get just one bill, and that bill comes from the same company that bills you now (The Connecticut Light & Power Company or The United Illuminating Company). In most instances there is no charge to switch and no contract. www.ctenergyinfo.com Check it out. Simply go to ctenergyinfo.com, and click on “Choose an Electric Supplier.” Then click your current electric company (CL&P or UI). That will take you to a great chart that will make your choice simple! It lists 10 suppliers, the estimated savings each one offers, and their “fuel mix,” i.e., what percentage of their fuel offering comes from renewable sources, like biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, wind, etc. You might select an alternative energy provider based on estimated savings, on percentage of renewable energy in their fuel mix, or both.

Save on 100% Renewable Fuel!

ConEdison Solutions offers a 100% renewable fuel option AND you’ll save money off your current rate AND the ConEdison Rate is guaranteed for one year. What are you waiting for?

Viridian plans to introduce a 100% renewable option soon. CL&P and UI, also offer a 100% Renewable Fuel Option which adds just over one-cent per kWh to your bill (roughly $5 to $10 month for the average user of 700kWhs). Go to www. ctcleanenergyoptions.com to learn more and/or sign up.

20% and 50% Renewable Fuel Currently one company (Viridian) offers a 20% mix and is roughly $5/month

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less than CL&P’s rate for someone using 700 kilowatt hours/month (700kWhs); and $9/month less expensive than UI’s R rate.

CL&P and UI both offer a 50% Renewable Fuel mix which adds .65 cents per kWh (about $3.50 for a typical consumer) to your bill. Go to http://www. ctcleanenergyoptions.com to learn more and/or sign up.

chase power in a manner that is frequently referred to as “laddering;” purchasing electricity over time, in small blocks, creating an average price. When the market price of electricity rises, CL&P’s and UI's prices do not immediately increase. On the other hand, when market prices fall, their prices don’t immediately decrease.

Other suppliers can buy power at auction in real time.

14% Renewable Fuel Most offer 14% renewable energy in their fuel mix. That’s the same amount of renewable that’s in CL&P’s standard offering, but you can save money every month by switching.

Deregulation Ten years ago Connecticut deregulated electricity generation. As a result, Connecticut’s two private investor-owned electric utilities, CL&P and UI, were forced to sell their power-generating plants, retaining only the distribution system (towers, poles, wires).

The idea was that other companies would make the electricity, would compete for customers, and that competition would lead to innovation and lower costs for customers. But the rising worldwide cost of fuels like oil and natural gas foiled the low-cost part of that plan. In addition, many suppliers found it uneconomical to sell directly to residential customers.

Since then the cost of the competitive portion of electricity supply has increased three-fold. Because of Connecticut’s high electric rates there’s now talk of rolling back deregulation in the future.

Fixed vs. Variable Rates CL&P’s price is fixed; some of the alternative companies offer fixed rates and some offer variable rates. That information is included in the above-mentioned chart.

Either way, the rate will be listed on your monthly bill.

Please check with each supplier before signing on to see if the rates are still the same as the rates listed on the web site. If you want to be thorough, there’s an exhaustive list of questions available at http://www.ctenergyinfo.com/dpuc_ questions_to_ask_supplier.htm.

Supporting Renewable Energy The higher the mix of renewable, the more money invested in developing nonfossil energy sources. Buy the highest percentage of renewable energy that you can afford. Our reliance on fossil fuel supplies like oil and coal cannot be sustained indefinitely.

Use Less Naturally, the very best way to save money on your electric bill is to use less electricity. Conserve, conserve, conserve.

You know how. And CL&P and UI promote and implement energy-efficiency programs that help customers save energy and money.

Why CL&P and UI Cost More CL&P and UI are required to purwww.naturalnutmeg.com

More Green Alternatives An upside to the deregulation story is that allowing competition has lead to more renewable-energy alternatives. According to one industry executive, Connecticut is in the best position they've been in as far as energy future for decades, with a robust transmission system, adequate resources, and new resources entering the market that are much cleaner than the old resources.

Go to www.ctenergyinfo.com today!

Don’t put this on the to-do list! Take 10 minutes now. Be the change you wish to see in the world!

Author Deb Percival is a freelance writer in Connecticut. E-mail dpercival@comcast.net.

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